I'm a bit excited about Abeeco but I have to admit that I'd only recently heard about this company but had never actually tried their products. So when they approached Jay and I to give them a go I was really curious...and I have to say the effect it has had on me the last 3 months is amazing!
Read MoreThe Power Of A Great Lipstick - National Lipstick Day
A swipe of my favourite shade across my lips can totally and utterly transform my mood. Wearing a bold red likeM.A.C’s Lady Danger makes me feel powerful, my favourite deep nude Velvet Teddy makes me feel put together and my favourite pink toned Kinda Sexy makes me feel all kinds of happy.
Read MoreWinter Knits To Lust After And How To Care For Them
aLiving at the bottom of the world means we get some pretty chilly winters and wrapping up in a snuggly knit is one of my favourite ways to dress in these colder months. For me investing in some seriously luxurious but timeless pieces is high on my priority list, but I also like to grab some on-trend pieces that are a little easier on the wallet to experiment. Either way, wools are a tad tricky to wash and especially with those lux items you want to take the bestcare of them. I’ve teamed up with Persil to show you some of my winter picks and the best way to care for them.
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BAY OF PLENTY TIMES COLUMN: WHY CAN'T BOYS LIKE PINK?
As a population, we are generally all stuck in this awful habit of putting people into a box to make sense of their decisions.
But our bias of what we think fits in that box or what we deem "normal" depending on gender isn't something we should force upon others.
One of my sons is into all things pink, unicorns, rainbows and mermaids.
Read MoreBay Of Plenty Times Column: Jafas View Of Tauranga
The idea of moving to the Mount first came about about a year and a half ago.
I'll admit, when the topic of conversation first got brought up, tears would roll down my face. It scared the living daylights out of me. We were leading very social lives in Auckland, always out and about.
All my best friends who have been in my life since I started high school where there, and my family.
Read MoreBay Of Plenty Times Column: Meet Me
I've been asked to be a monthly columnist in the Bay of Plenty Times Indulge magazine and in my first I introduce myself, so here we go...meet, well, me!
Read MoreFractured skulls, broken noses and plenty of bloody knees. What we have in our go to first aid kit.
Two very adventurous boys have led to many mishaps in the health and safety department. Let’s see…a fractured skull, broken nose and gash to the forehead have been the worst. But it’s not always massive injuries like that that keep this mum busy and the pharmacy in business. The number of cuts, scratches, scrapes and bruises this little family has had in our 4 years is incredible.
Read MoreHealth insurance that even covers braces? Why I make health insurance a priority for my family.
Autoimmune diseases and skin & lung cancer - scary words when put down in black and white, right?
Those are the major health concerns that have affected my family and Jay’s in the past, which of course means they are on the radar for us, and now also our boys. Our tiny, perfect boys that I hope more than anything never have to suffer from either of these conditions.
Read MoreMy perfectly imperfect blog post - Think Maven Guest Blog
I’ve been sitting on this blog for weeks. Waiting for the “perfect” topic, searching for the “best” books or articles for inspiration, hoping something “clever” delivers.
**Cue tumbleweed**
Through the frustration, procrastination and judgment, there’s been no action. In search of perfection (which we all know doesn’t actually exist) I haven’t any sooner been able to simply share my simple story about one of the most GAME CHANGING experiences of my life.
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My First and My Last
Recently I have found myself holding onto the boys in a hug that little bit longer, smelling their hair and holding their hand as I sit next to them. I'm basically holding onto them more than I used to and I think it's because mentally I'm trying to hold onto their tiny selves as they are almost 4 and really turning into BIG boys. My babies, in short, are most definitely not babies and not toddlers anymore and it breaks my heart. Why? Because I spent the first year and a little bit of time after that wishing away the time. We went through so many rough patches with the boys in terms of their health (non stop crying with reflux and collic), my mental health and then just the general relentless tiredness that comes from looking after two rambunctious babies/toddlers that are the same age and collude to get into mischief. It was hard and I remember hearing all the older twin mums saying it got easier and I literally couldn't wait....
Read MoreWe Tackle Rotorua
When we moved from Auckland to Mount Maunganui we had a few days where our new house wasn't quite ready. So we figured we would go exploring Rotorua (practically in our new backyard). It was amazing even with drizzly weather and so different to how I remembered it from visiting as a kid...speakig of kids the boys LOVED it too and it's a great family-friendly destination.
Read MoreThe Day I Married My Soul Mate - Our Wedding Video
The video of our most perfect day.
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A Shoot To Remember
If you have kids then you know that it feels like you blink and they seem to magically grow up, I can't believe they are three and a half!? Where did that time go? That's why it has been so important for us as a family to freeze time by having professional photos of us and the boys.
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A Letter To Myself – Truths I wish I had known
Almost three and half years into this parenting gig and I’m still learning things every day. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is to not get caught up in what you “think motherhood should be like”. Those daydreams set me up to fail, hard. It’s the nitty gritty and often taboo topics around motherhood that people shy away from talking about, which is exactly what I did at the beginning of my motherhood journey. Looking back I wish I had the guts to talk to people about what was really going on, so here is a letter to myself full of truths that I would have loved to hear if I magically could turn back the clock.
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Curl Like A Pro
STUCK IN BED? YOUR GO TO NETFLIX BINGE WATCH LIST.
Whilst stuck in my bed for over two weeks recovering from my Hernia and Tummy Tuck operation I watched A LOT of TV. I mean hours upon hours as that’s all I could bring myself to do. So here was my go to list of Netflix binge options, some are girly, some are easy watches and others are gripping!
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THE BIG CUT – MY EXPERIENCE WITH A TUMMY TUCK
Grab a cuppa, take a seat as this is a long one. I have put off writing this blog for a few months now as I was healing and didn’t know how to tackle it, there is just so much to say. When I first wrote about my hernia, Diastasis Recti and tummy tuck operation I was so nervous to how people would react, but I only had an out pouring of positivity, which was so nice to receive prior to major surgery.
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HYDRATING MISTS ARE A BIG THING – HERE ARE MY PERSONAL FAVOURITES
Hydrating mists have been big in the beauty world for the last few years and I totally understand why. They are one of my favourite beauty items for a number of reasons; they’re portable so it’s easy to give the skin a blast of moisture or freshen up when needed, use before applying makeup to add to application or set your powders with it, they invigorate tired skin as well and give you that dewy look everyone is after. What’s not to love girlfriends, get amongst if you haven’t already!
Here are a few of my personal favourites I’ve used from $10 – so something to suit everyone’s budgets.
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Ch ch chaaaaanges
Ok guys, this is bloody huge news for us. No there isn’t another nugget on the way, we are moving! MOVING! To the Mount, Jays home town. I’m nervous but excited all at the same time. At the end of August, the beach will be our new home for the foreseeable future.
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Asian Broth with Chicken and Mushroom Dumplings – Recipe
I have nevr really been a dumpling soup kinda gal, pan fried was more my jam. But when I was sent this recipe along with the ingredients this week I was keen to give it a whirl. I wasn’t expecting it to blow my mind like it did, it was the most amazing thing I have cooked in a while. It seriously was delicious and the amount of requests I had to share the recipe were insane. So here it is, perfect for these cold winter nights!
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