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Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Stunning Kids' Cinema at Sandton City Mall and how to win a birthday bash

Inside Ster-Kinekor Kids' Cinema with seats and slide into ball pit
Ster-Kinekor Kids' Cinema at Sandton City Mall
We were invited to a movie at the newly revamped Ster-Kinekor Cinema at Sandton City Mall on Sunday. Miss Fine was truly impressed. She said the seats are really REALLY comfy. Luckily Mom and Dad also get bigger chairs higher up, but some parents ventured onto the smaller seats.

View from above in the Ster-Kinekor Kids' Cinema
Mom and Dad's view from higher in the cinema

Friday, 20 April 2018

The lunch-box conundrum - We have not find the perfect solution yet

Lunch box with pizza, maize snack, banana and chocolate
Dr, Oetker pizza slice, Woollies maze snack, banana and chocolate
The lunch-box trauma on parents. It IS trauma, Miss Fine! I am noting it here, again, for future reference. To spend so much time buying, planning and putting the daily lunch-box together... And to get it back the evening, uneaten... Yesterday she suspected there was some onions with her chicken mayonnaise, and she left it uneaten. There was no onions.*sigh*

I don't have the perfect lunch-box suggestions. I know my lunch-boxes are not that healthy. We are just glad when it gets eaten. I am so glad when I get suggestions as to what to put in it. Most recent we could add Yo-Jelly to the lunch-box. We also got Dr. Oetker pizza slices a while ago as a blog drop. I love the idea, but Miss Fine doesn't like it when it is cold. Sometimes she eats it, and sometimes not.

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

Early Man releasing 2018 A.D. - Free Activity Sheet

Early Man movie poster with quote "Real Heroes don't settle for bronze"
Early Man poster
Stop-motion animation at it's best. EARLY MAN is the latest film from the Aardman studios. The EARLY MAN Official Trailer is already a hoot. We can't wait to take the family.

The prehistoric comedy adventure from four-time Academy Award®-winning director Nick Park is done in Aardman’s own distinctive style. The film takes audiences on an extraordinary journey into an exciting new world, unleashing an unforgettable tribe of unique and funny new characters voiced by an all-star British cast. 

Monday, 16 April 2018

A new take on Disney Ducktales - Disney XD

Funko Pop Scrooge McDuck with Disney Ducktales XD activity book
Disney #DuckTales - #DisneyAfrica
DuckTales is still a firm favourite of good family fun. We all grew up with Huey, Dewey and Louie and all the mischief adventures they got into. With Donald Duck, and of course Scrooge McDuck. 
The long-awaited new take on the iconic Disney DuckTales launched this month on Disney XD with a special episode entitled Woo-oo!. The follow-up series launches with two back-to-back episodes every day from Monday 23rd to Thursday 26th April at 16:00.

We were invited to a pre-screening of Disney DuckTales and Big Hero 6, and it was such a treat. The stories are fresh, but with all the quirks and fantasy of the original characters.

Thursday, 12 April 2018

Jodene Shaer tips for using Twitter effectively

Notes for using Twitter effectively - in notebook
Notes to increase Twitter success
Jodene Shaer believes that if it was not for Twitter, her career would have not been so successful. As with all social media platforms, Twitter is changing constantly. Business owners and social media users need to be constantly aware of these changes and how to make full use of Twitter.

Jodene Shaer's tips on how to improve Facebook engagement in 2018, as well her tips for Instagram success have already been shared on the blog. She keeps up with the latest developments, and were kind enough to share some of her Twitter tips at the recent MamaMagic New Products Awards.

Tuesday, 10 April 2018

The lessons we have learnt from our daughter

Girl jumping at Bounce Inc
Miss Fine 
Laura-Kim's post about the lessons she has learnt from her 4-year old inspires this post. It made me smile. We learn so much about life and ourselves by what our children bring to the table. You would think that they are carbon imprints of ourselves, but NOT at all! They are their own personalities, and they teach us more about life than we sometimes think we teach them about life!

Life lessons we have learnt from our daughter

  • We learnt to have more patience. Patience towards ourselves, but also towards other people. (We are still busy learning this one.) 
  • We can each think differently about life, and it is all okay. There is not only one recipe for life.
  • We don't have to loose our shizz when somebody else loses theirs. (Still learning...)
  • A melt-down as an adult is also not pretty. You can't tell somebody to stay calm when you yourself can't stay calm.
  • Staying calm! 
  • Being happy is not always inherent to our nature. We sometimes have to work on it.
  • Trying to do something is already 99% done. Do not discourage the process.
  • Doing things differently should also be commended, and not reprimanded. We all learn the most by failing and trying again. By saying you know that it won't work, won't help. Life is the best teacher of all.
  • Appreciation of what we have, and how little we really need to make us happy.

This is a list I am going to come back to.

What life lessons have you learnt from your children?



Monday, 9 April 2018

Finally we can buy Yo-Jelly for the lunchbox


Yo-Jelly funny pose
#YoJellyisback

The headaches of what to put in the school lunch-box starts again tomorrow. As soon as I think I have found the perfect combination, our Miss gets bored with it, and it comes back uneaten. I am regularly one of those parents telling their children about children without any food. The children in war-torn countries, and the children in Africa, and the children who does not have parents...
And all we get is the blank stare...


Yo-Jelly mascot with children dancing at Bounce Inc
Yo-Jelly mascot with children at Bounce Inc.


We were invited to the re-launch of Yo-Jelly in South Africa. It was at Bounce Inc. at Waterfall Centre in Midrand on Saturday. Miss had a great time, and she was so excited about Yo-Jelly. Because "Now you can finally buy Yo-Jelly for me." She was always telling me to buy it in the shops, because "the other children gets it in their lunch-boxes". But it was just too much sugar to even consider it. Luckily they have revamped the taste with added vitamins, with less sugar, and more milk.

Thursday, 5 April 2018

Inspiring women in business - Louise Archary of Bumps and Bundles of Joy

Louise Archary of Bumps & Bundles of Joy
One of the perks of being a blogger is to meet inspiring people all the time. Sister Louise Archary was sitting next to me at the recent MamaMagic New Products Awards. She has her own family wellness business. I wish I knew her when Little Miss was small, as I had a few awful encounters at my local clinic. They managed to always make me feel like a bad mother. We as moms need all the help we can get while being pregnant and especially helping us keeping the little ones "alive". This is exactly what Louise does.



Louise was kind enough to answer a few questions.

Louise Archary of Bumps & Bundles of Joy


Louise, who are you? (The elevator pitch ;-) )


My name is Louise Archary or ‘’Sister Louise’’ as my clients call me . I am a wife and proud mother of two and a private practicing registered nurse and midwife, qualified for about 15 years already.  I have achieved qualifications in: General Nursing, Psychiatry, Community Health and Midwifery. My aim is to support mums during and after pregnancy and to assist in the facilitation of overall family wellbeing.  I also consider myself to wear the hats of Prenatal Educator, Wellness Coach and Specialist in Immunizations.

Tuesday, 3 April 2018

Disney Be Amazing Giveaway

Logo Disney Be Amazing
Disney's brand-new retail campaign this month is known as Disney Be Amazing. The campaign celebrates the remarkable princesses and their unique qualities. Who does not like any of the favourite characters from Disney? I think I love the characters more than my daughter, as I grew up with them, and still love watching it with her.

Disney’s princesses are known for inspiring children to dream big and face challenges with an undeterred spirit. This new campaign encapsulates a range of virtues that young children can find value in, from qualities like kindness, determination to being independent, adventurous and curious.

Disney celebrates each of the 11 princesses Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella (Cinderella), Jasmine, Merida, Mulan, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Snow White and Tiana; as well as Disney Channel’s Princesses  Elena of Avalor and Frozen’s Anna and Elsa.


Disney Africa has made available one hamper to give away:
Disney Princess Rapunzel Magical Story Skirt toy
Disney Princess Rapunzel Magical Story Skirt
Elena of Avalor guitar - toy
Elena of Avalor Storytime Guitar

GIVEAWAY HAMPER:


1 x Elena guitar value R700
1 x Princess Feature doll value R100

Total value: R800

To be eligible to win this:

- Please comment below with your email address. Tell me which is your favourite Disney Princess?
- Only open to South African residents.
- This competition will run from Tuesday 3 April 12pm to Tuesday 10 April 12 pm.
- Random.org will be used to find the winner.
- For an extra entry, please tweet or share on Facebook. Let me know in the comments if you have done so, to be added to the final entries.

You can make use of the following to share:

Disney Be Amazing this month!
Celebrate Disney Princesses and WIN a Disney Hamper
via @karentoittoit at MomAgain@40
#DisneyBeAmazing #DisneyAfrica
http://bit.ly/2H539ts


Congrats to Carolyn Augustus who have won!