Mountain Biking in Queenstown: Things I Learnt over the past 9 days

Mountain Biking in Queenstown: Things I Learnt over the past 9 days

It was the end of Autumn 2024, it was May, it was dark and Winter was literally days away. Dave and I were sitting on the couch watching YouTube videos of Mountain biking, talking about just how long it had been since we had planned 

Corona Diaries – Lockdown Day #1

Corona Diaries – Lockdown Day #1

Today I; Did 5 pull-ups in a row for the first time (with technique so bad it looked like I was hauling myself into a tree to escape an alligator but heyho) Ate 7 Lindt balls in 20 minutes to celebrate the fact that I 

Set & Forget – Investing just got easier

Set & Forget – Investing just got easier

Check out Part 1 of my investment series in collaboration with Sharesies here Just like anything, instilling responsible financial habits in both ourselves and our kids takes both time, patience and practice. As I mentioned last month, we began contributing to the boys’ savings accounts 

Parenting and Ice Cream:  When simple things are the best remedy

Parenting and Ice Cream: When simple things are the best remedy

I inadvertently taught myself a good lesson this week;  despite my best intentions not to work on Monday’s as Nix is home from kindy, I found myself a participant in a continuous string of phone calls for over an hour, whilst I madly multi-tasked, wrote 

Recipe for Summer – Fruit and Ice Cream

Recipe for Summer – Fruit and Ice Cream

Waitangi Day is the line in the sand when it comes to New Zealand summer I reckon.  The big stuff all happens ‘Pre-Waitangi’; the massive 6 week school holiday kicks off for the kids, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, road trips, tropical cyclones…………. Come Feb 

Summer like a Kiwi – What happens above 23°

Summer like a Kiwi – What happens above 23°

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 

Heating your home: 5 things you need to know

Heating your home: 5 things you need to know

In came the rain this week as well as some low temps around the country.  I’ve got a sore throat and am in full hibernation mode so keeping our house toasty and warm is #1 on my list of priorities throughout the day. I had 

Family Travel Blog: 48 Hours in Tauranga

Family Travel Blog: 48 Hours in Tauranga

Earlier this month I was stoked to have been invited to compete in the first-ever Choice Hotels #ChoiceNZTravelgrammer2017 competition against 10 other NZ based Instagram Influencers.  We were despatched to 10 stunning and varied locations around NZ with the goal to ‘do the regions proud’ 

Family Travel – Hamilton, Balloons Over Waikato

Family Travel – Hamilton, Balloons Over Waikato

This weekend away in March was amazing!  We ditched Auckland and had an epic three-day family adventure in Hamilton.  Our itinerary was co-ordinated by Hamilton & Waikato tourism and was so good I’ve decided to share it step by step in case anyone wants full 

Family Travel – Four Days in Napier

Family Travel – Four Days in Napier

After a pretty manic end to 2016, Dave and I had absolutely no inclination to plan an extended, extravagant summer holiday with the kids.  There was to be nothing involving chilly-bins or tents, no road trips, no car/boat combo packed to the hilt….. Some years