January marks the second, ‘official’ month of New Zealand summer. We Kiwi’s are comfortably settled into the annual, seasonal slow-down we look forward to every year. The kids have chilled out after the excitement of Santa’s visit, Mum’s everywhere have celebrated ‘un-decking the halls’ and …
A year ago I never would have written this post. A year ago I would have ignored/declined the invitation to try a menstrual cup, firmly placing the very notion in the ‘too hard/too hippy’ basket. So why now? The only answer I can come up …
Fact: Dry shampoo is life. I’m a fan. Dove asked for my thoughts on their Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo and here they are internet, just for you! Thanks for making this post possible Dove.
There are very few beauty/haircare/skincare products that I religiously use every, single day because, at this point in my life, every day is very different. We are still deep in the thick of under 5 parenting, how much sleep I’m going to get on any given night is a lottery and what time Nix (ergo, I) will wake is anyone’s guess. Even on the days when I’ve planned ahead, worked backward and calculated what time I’ll need to leave the house, picked my outfit in advance, pre-empted the 2nd breakfast Nixon will request…….there’s still going to be a mad rush for the door.
Which means something has to give.
I’m not one of those multi-talented mavens that are able to drive and apply makeup simultaneously. Heck, I can barely apply makeup while standing in my bathroom! I simply can’t hide my sleep deprivation on the run, this kind of magic requires my full attention – or at the very least what’s left over after Nixon rightly clamours for most of it lol.
So what slips through the morning cracks on 9/10 days and settles under the cosy confines of a hat is my hair.
I tell myself my hair’s thriving under the two-child regime which sees it mostly ignored, never washed more than 3 times per week – if that – and rarely suffering through the indignity of a hot styling tool. My hair and I have settled into a friendly routine and rotation of hairstyles as we move through the week, getting further away from the last shampoo and limping ever so slowly towards the next. Which I can hopefully stretch out for ‘just one more day‘.
One of the true marvels of the modern world – Dove’s Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo, gives me that extra day between washes, as well as all the lols from dry shampoo memes! I’m such a fan that I actually use it in two different ways, on both clean hair (I know!) and, not so clean hair.
I legit LOVE life hacks that make one of the busiest times in my day a little bit easier and leave me feeling great – bonus points for being able to grab Dove’s Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo at the supermarket too
Although over 30 years old, US-based Swiss heritage skincare giant Arbonne has only recently become available here in New Zealand. They got in touch recently and asked if I’d like to review one of their ranges, so, not one to do things by halves, I …
Oh my lord it’s HOT! Seriously, these temps in December are crazy, but crazy good for sure. Being able to throw open the bedroom windows and freshen things up is so therapeutic for me. Both of the boy’s rooms have had a big spring clean …
Ethan turned the BIG 13 at the end of November and though we celebrated at the time with a Breaker’s game and burgers with his friends, we really wanted to do something a little more special at home to mark the occasion. The end of the school year is a super busy time for everyone with summer quickly approaching here in New Zealand and Christmas around the corner so, we waited a couple of weeks until Ethan’s two basketball leagues had finished and planned a wee surprise.
Ethan loves sleepovers but sleepovers do not love him back. The child basically can’t deal with lack of sleep, plus his sport schedule is so ridic with rugby over the winter and basketball taking up six days per week recently, opportune weekend nights to have friends stay over are few and far between. Saturday night was w i d e open however, and happened to coincide with a rare, vacant booking for the awesome husband and wife team at www.partyinabox.nz. So, we locked it in, called it a Movie Night and I (secretly) gathered the troops.
I think when I (and Ethan) were younger, I wanted complete control over his birthday parties and spent days and weeks meticulously planning and agonizing over every detail. One year I handmade fish-shaped chocolates to decorate his homemade cheesecake birthday cake after I had hand stamped the goody bags with a beautiful fish-shaped motif I carved from a freaking potato!
I honestly don’t even know who that person was lol. Suffice to say, these days I’m all about outsourcing and simplifying birthday parties. I say HELLO to $5 Pizza Hut pizzas (1 each!) and YES to a tub of Tip Top ice cream for dessert. And, if the outsourcing results in the 5 teenaged boys (and his girl bestie) sleeping in the front yard, then a birthday blessing was just bestowed upon ME.
We decided on a Night Out Package for Ethan and 5 friends which included setup and overnight hire of a gorgeous bell tent, 6 x mattresses, bunting, fairy lights, rugs, floor cushions, tray tables, super cool decor items, popcorn, huge tv and DVD/BluRay player. All delivered set-up and then packed away again the following day.
It was spectacular, roomy and totally picture perfect. Dave and I loved it so much we almost considered handing the house over to the 13-year-olds and treating ourselves to a night glamping in the garden!
The best way to describe how utterly amazing the bell tent and set-up was on Saturday night is to let the pictures speak for themselves.
The kids had a blast, we had a quiet (ish) night and a clean (ish) house thanks to the kids being in the tent lol and I know we celebrated Ethan’s very special birthday with an event to remember.
Get in touch with husband and wife team Christian and Wencke at Party in a Box to make a booking enquiry. They have a range of options and themes available – if they can make a glamping experience work perfectly as a Movie Night for a 13-year-old boy and his mates, then trust me, you will be blown away by how stunning this experience is!
Summer school holidays are almost upon us here in New Zealand and, as far as I can tell, there are two distinct methodologies parents use to tackle the school holidays; The Organized Planner: Days, playdates, excursions, picnics are all planned with military precision – only to …
Karicare Toddler is about as Kiwi as the kids that are we are raising here in New Zealand. As a Mum to a couple of Kiwi boys, Karicare Toddler asked me to have a think about what it means to me to be a Kiwi …
If you love beautifully natural, New Zealand made skin care, you absolutely MUST visit The Herb Farm’s website if you’re not already familiar with their skincare and healing and therapeutic ranges. All products are produced on the farm, a family business that believes that ‘living a natural life shouldn’t cost a fortune or the earth’.
It’s easy for individuals and companies alike to rest on their laurels when they’ve got a good thing 
going. In contrast, The Herb Farm’s founder and herbalist Lynn Kirkland seems committed to pushing forward with new product development and improving existing formulas, which has resulted in the relaunch of their two serums.
Radiance Boost Facial Serum RRP $39.90 which targets; uneven skin tone, pigmented skin, redness, dull, tired and stressed skin, has been enhanced with Elderberry Extract resulting in a more easily absorbed formula
Renewal Advance Facial Serum RRP $46.90 gets to work on ageing concerns; fine lines and wrinkles, skin elasticity, environmental stressors and free radicals. The new formulation includes Gotu Kola Extract, further targeting the visible signs of ageing.
I use a serum every day under my moisturiser, I absolutely love them. The two little beauties from The Herb Farm will become firm faves in my routine. They are lightweight, silky smooth, absorb quickly and leave my skin feeling and looking fabulous. Really impressed with the 2 year BB date also as a little goes a long way with serum.
I love skincare minis for two reasons; they are the perfect way to fine-tune your skincare routine, discover what works for you and experiment with a new brand or product before spending a lot of money on a full-size product. Secondly, I love them for travelling. I have way too much kid gear to lug around to be adding weight to my toiletry bag with large bottles and glass jars.
Just in time for Christmas gifting and summer roadies, The Herb Farm has released four Skincare Mini packs across each of their skin concern ranges; Signs of Aging Skincare Minis, Oily and Combination, Dry, and Normal/Sensitive.
Each system contains a cleanser, exfoliating powder, toner and face cream and is perfectly sized to slip into your hand-luggage. We are heading to Japan in the New Year so I’m super happy to have a complete skincare system – in mini! – to take with me.
RRP $ 34.90 – $39.90
This post was made possible by the world’s number #1 selling mattress protector, Protect-A-Bed, who know a thing or two about helping us get a good night’s sleep! How many times have you caught yourself complaining about how tired you are, how you could sleep for …