I’m one of those people that wear sunglasses 365 days a year. I NEVER drive without them, I never hang the washing out without wearing a pair, I run in them…….I simply love sunglasses. And I want my kids to love sunglasses too. The benefits …
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is hitting our house in 2016 as Ethan heads off to Intermediate. Paying for this is probably a worry that I share with many kiwi families but don’t sweat it as I’m about to share with you my little Gem …
It’s about this time every year that Ye Ole debate starts, you know, the one that starts with this gem; “ugh, I HATE Halloween, it’s so American humpfff”.
Yeah well, I pooh-pooh those haters and say BRING ON HALLOWEEN!
I love decorating my mantlepiece every opportunity I get so I decided to up the anti and take #thescarehouse to a whole new level this year! Before I began I went room-to-room collecting anything that fit my ‘brief’ – basically black, black and creepy. I grabbed a print and coat hanger from Nixie’s room, some swallows off the wall (the orange paint was perfect!) some black and white pottery, a framed owl print, a calendar (turned to the 31st – All Hallows Eve :::::::whoooooo::::::) and a black clock. Random and easy.
I then mixed these up with some inexpensive Halloween decor essentials from The Warehouse;
Skull Goblet Bone Colour $10, Hanging Small Skeleton $10, Skull Mug Bone Colour $10, Spooky Spiders $3, Spider Web with Spider $1, Skull with Moving Jaw $10, Skull Bone Bowl $10, Dummy Gauze Cloth $10, Rubber Spiders – Check the toy department, Rubber Snakes – Check Toy Department.
If you don’t have a mantlepiece, get creative with a themed centrepiece and get ghoulishly ready for a creepy dinner party – Halloween is on a Saturday this year! FYI, one of the $1 bags of cobwebs covered all four dining chairs! 
And, it wouldn’t be Halloween without costumes would it? Finding age appropriate costumes for littles is a bit tricky here in New Zealand, definitely easier if you have a little girl I think? Yes? Princesses and fairy wings and all that?
Needless to say I was beyond excited to find this super-cute Pumpkin Costume for Nix also at The Warehouse, it’s comfy, not too hot and he can move easily in it – winning………….so far! We’ll see how our Neighbourhood Fright Night works out lol.
If you would like to win a $50 gift card from The Warehouse just let me know in the comments below; Halloween: YAY or NAY?
Contest closes 26/10/15 at 10pm.
You know, there is one phrase I like to remind myself of when I’m in need of a little giggle, for those (frequent!) scenarios when I don’t get this mummy-thing going as smoothly as one would hope; “God loves a trier”. I tried cloth diapering, I …
So ladies, primer. Do you or don’t you? Do you every day? Should you? What the heck is it and why do you need it in your life? Got it. Welcome to the beginners guide to primer and blur products, from the Beginner …
When I was thinking about this post, I realised that I really needed to find out what you guys think and feel about breast cancer. I asked you on my FB page and those are your words up there. It’s sobering how scared breast cancer makes ALL of us.
I know cancer. Believe me.
My Dad died from Melanoma and I was there by his side with my Mum and family for the entire 9 months from diagnosis until his passing. Dave and Ethan and I had moved into my parents house, so when I say I was THERE, I mean, really there and really present.
Like Melanoma, I find breast cancer so scary because it feels to me like there is a weight on my shoulders, an obligation to do what I can to be vigilant as I’m not yet eligible for free mammograms (these are for women 45+). I must be responsible in the sun, I must not let my kids burn, I must initiate good breast checking habits because right now I don’t have any. And that’s not going to save my life.
The unknown is scary. Not knowing what is normal and what’s not, not knowing who to call, when to make an appointment, how to ask for help.
I don’t know how to give myself a breast exam and the truth is, I don’t know why I’ve failed to learn. I’m a smart woman who only takes calculated, well-rehearsed (at least in my head!) risks. But in this instance, ignorance and keeping my head in the sand is the risk.
So I’ve asked myself these questions, but I also want you to consider them and ask your mother, your sister, your daughter, your best friend, your aunt these very same questions;
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand women, affecting 3000 women every year. 8 women per day. That’s a massive statistic. These days, however, it’s highly treatable if diagnosed early.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation have compiled a wealth of resources to help us as women navigate this lifelong commitment to breast health awareness. Early detection is something we must all own personally and take responsibility for.
Text ‘PINK’ to 4644 to donate $3 to October’s Pink Ribbon Appeal and The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation
The beautiful team at Estée Lauder Companies have donated a gorgeous prize to help spread the word about October’s Pink Ribbon appeal. Enter via the widget below and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE this post far and wide!! One winner will receive Estée Lauder Modern Muse Fragrance + Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in Pop Pink valued at $217! a Rafflecopter giveaway
Our last ‘organised’ excursion in Rarotonga was also the one that I had been looking forward to the most. We had the amazingly good fortune of booking our trip during prime whale watching season – I cannot impress upon you how excited I was when …
Dave is the most giving-ist giver I’ve ever met in my life. The man loves giving presents (I really enjoy this aspect of our relationship!!), but never asks for anything or expects gifts…..ever. Which makes him super hard to buy for as he’s just so damn …
Oh this book.
This beautiful, amazing, I-missed-it-when-I-was-done book.
As you can see, I took Circling the Sun to Rarotonga on our holiday and it was the perfect vay-cay read. I haven’t read The Paris Wife but it’s been on my to-read list forever and has definitely jumped a few places up the list after finishing McLain’s latest offering.
Another true story, Circling the Sun takes us deep into Kenya and into the unforgettable life of Beryl Markham. The daughter of colonial Brits, Beryl took to life in Kenya with an open heart and mind – despite the closed attitudes that permeated every aspect of life in the 1920’s.
The characterisation of Beryl paints a flamboyant image of someone I’d love to be friends with. Passion, drive, ambition in spades and with an unwavering belief in herself, Beryl enjoyed massive success as a horse trainer – the first female to do so – but was unable to find lasting love that she could truly call her own. Society despaired of her seeming inability to ‘settle’ down and ‘behave’, to find a man she was willing to devote as much energy to as she did her career. Failed marriages and ‘inappropriate’ relationships, often tragic, were her legacy but she never failed to be true to herself.
You can feel Kenya and the angst of this tumultuous time as you make your way through this stunning book. I fell in love with Beryl, as I’m sure everyone did who met her. As she learnt to fly – the bravest undertaking of her life after she lost her lover in a plane crash, it became clear that there are some women, for whom the world holds no boundaries. How intoxicating would that be? But also very lonely I imagine.
Circling The Sun is a phenomenal memoir of the time and of a women of extraordinary character. It’s hard to finish a book like this and not take a slightly critical gaze over one’s life and wonder how much more could we/should we be doing to really fulfil our true potential?
I’m rating this one a must read, perfect summer holiday book 10/10.
Congrats Eanna Geoghegan! Please email me melissa (at) thebestnest.co.nz with your delivery address xx Obviously ‘Natural’ skin, haircare and beauty ranges are hugely popular for men, women and kids and are becoming more and more mainstream and budget friendly. This is awesome for us but the …