KidsCon 2019 - mark your diaries for September

COMIC CON AFRICA WELCOMES FIRST KID-FOCUSED CONVENTION IN AFRICA –KIDSCON! 

For the first time in Africa there will be the most exciting family-friendly, kids-oriented convention! KidsCon promises ‘fun and games’ by empowering kids to be expressive and embrace their individuality.

KidsCon

KidsCon will be at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand between the 21st and 24th of September 2019.

Take a Walk in the Park Day - Dog Parks in Johannesburg

Walk the dog on Take a Walk in the Park Day

Every day should be a Take a Walk in the Park Day, but this specific day is coming up on 30 March. I am not sure that this a thing in South Africa, but the global village makes it possible for us to celebrate as well. Especially if for a good cause.

On Sunday the Muddy Puppy Dog Walk will be at The Wedge Outdoor Park. We have been invited to bring our pavement special dog for the event. Muddy Puppy is partnering with Pedigree Dentastix and Rodeo treats. 

When you make a pitstop, but you want to linger...

Bru'House and Diner

We went to fetch Miss who was away on a camp this weekend. The camp was not that far, and it is welcome road trip out of the city. We were worried about her being sick, but she was fine when we fetched her. She did not get sicker and she listened to her mom who told her not to swim. Phew!

Fetching Miss at camp

Breather away at Dikhololo

Arrival on Friday at Dikholo Nature Reserve, near Brits

We had a good rest at Dikhololo, a second year in a row. We are very blessed to be able to celebrate my Dad's birthday away in the Bush!

We complain about the eleven kilometers of bad dirt road we have to get there, and we even said this year was the last! But thinking back about the weekend, I have a rubber arm! I would be there in a flash if I get the chance. A weekend away is a great way to breath. I have been spamming my Instagram feeds. Sorry! Not sorry!

It was great to get away from the year that has started with a bang!

#RELAX #unwind #weekendvibes #bushveldlife #dikhololo #swimmingpool #hminstachallenge

A post shared by Karen Du Toit (@karentoittoit) on Feb 10, 2018 at 5:07am PST

Wordless Wednesday #342 - Second Cup

Beneath African Skies at The Peoples Theatre - take the whole family!

Beneath African Skies - Photo op

Jill Gerard and Keith Smith are responsible again for a wonderful engaging and entertaining production at the Peoples Theatre!

We were invited to opening night on Friday, and Little Miss had a ball! The African stories are so much fun, especially when the actors ask for willing participants! All the children wants to join in! We love the music which is all well-known to the big ones and the little ones!

WIN family tickets to Disney Cinderella Kids

Disney Cinderella Kids

The classic fairy tale being told at Peoples Theatre. 

"Poor Cinderella is endlessly mistreated by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, and denied a chance to go to the royal ball. With a little help from her mice friends – and a lot of help from her Fairy Godmother – Cinderella’s dreams come true. She goes to the ball, meets the Prince and falls in love!"

The recommendation is that Disney Cinderella Kids as a must-see for the holidays. It is such an enjoyable show for the whole family!

The Fairy Godmother with Cinderella and The Prince

Kaylan Sabbadin, a Trinity College and Tshwane University of Technology graduate (National Diploma in Musical Theatre), plays the title role. She comes from Port Elizabeth and has been trained in singing, dance and drama. Sabbadin hopes to finish her masters in drama.

The Prince is played by Thokozani Jiyane, a versatile performing artist who received his training at the Tshwane University of Technology in Musical Theatre where he featured in Legally Blonde and 9 to 5 The Musical. Most recently he was featured in Mr Popper’s Penguins as Admiral Drake, Delivery Man and Doc Hopper.

Cinderella is “terrorised” by her two stepsisters – Genevieve Olivier (theatre credits include George's Marvellous Medicine and Pippi Longstocking - The Musical) and Tanja Franszen (a student from the School of Creative Arts in Sydney, Australia, and who has theatre credits including Perdekoop and Hoedemoles).

The stepmother and Fairy Godmother are played by Alida Senekal, who portrays the character of Petro Bam in Afrikaans soapie Binnelanders. She has featured in The Legend of King Arthur, The Enchanted Forest, Othello, The Crucible, Animal Farm, Romeo & Juliet, The 3 Musketeers pantomime, Into the Woods and Pippie Langkous at National Children’s Theatre. Her voice can also currently be heard on the programme In Die Bed Met Bibi on VIA TV.

The actors portray their characters so well that it is most enjoyable to everybody watching, not only the children. I can recommend this as a great family outing for the holidays!

 WIN

Two sets of 4 tickets each is up for grabs on the blog! Date and time to be arranged with Buz Publicity!

The rules of the giveaway:

1. Mandatory: Leave a comment on the blog telling me why you would like to see this production with your family? Include your email in the comment to be able to get hold of you.

The following 4 steps will count as extra entries:
2. Visit Peoples Theatre on Facebook, and leave me a comment to tell my that you have done it.
3. Follow Peoples_Theatre on Twitter, and leave me a comment to tell me that you have done it.
4. Visit MomAgain@40 on Facebook, and leave me a comment to tell me that you have done it.
5. Follow @karentoittoit on Twitter, and leave me a comment to tell me that you have done it.

6. This competition will run from today and will end on Friday 16 June at 12 pm. The winner will be drawn via Random.org and will be announced here and on MomAgain@40 Facebook Page.
7. This competition is open to readers who will be able to get to the Peoples Theatre in Johannesburg using their own transport.
8. The prize is not transferable.
9. If you have won here in the past 3 months you will not be eligible to win this competition.

Enjoy the Show!

Congratulations to Aidan and Marcelle for winning a set of 4 tickets each!
The email is on the way.

Transformers Animatronics - Guess who had the most fun?

Transformers Animatronics at Emperors Palace

I had won tickets to Transformers Animatronics through South African Mom Blogs. We had SO much fun!

Little Miss also enjoyed it, but not so much the mamarazzi trying to take photos of her with every Transformer Animatronics statue or with their gadgets! (Check the photos!) I mean, how many times do you get the opportunity to pose with the Transformers?

With Bumble Bee - Transformers Animatronics

Showmax Transformers Animatronics

Finally! A Lego creation that we could not pull her way from

 A Saturday afternoon well spent! And I got the photos! (Sorry, Little Miss)

Wordless Wednesday #317 - Kromdraai Wonder Cave

Can't wait for this little gem: Moana the Movie at Ster-Kinekor - GIVEAWAY

Disney's Moana

Ever since I've seen the first trailer of Moana the Movie at The Disney Showcase I knew we would definitely be making a plan to see it! (Luckily we love animation just as much even more as Little Miss!). We are going to see it on Thursday evening!

Moana is an animation about a young girl from the Hawaiian island, who has set her sights on a fabled island and makes her journey towards that place. She uses her navigational talents to set sail for a fabled island. Joining her on the adventure is her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui.

The Moana official trailer on YouTube: Moana 

Ster-Kinekor has given me one set of 4 tickets for a giveaway to go see the movie on 3 December at a Ster-Kinekor cinema nearest to you, anywhere within South Africa.

Ster-Kinekor is having an awesome day of activities planned on 3 December to complement the arrival of the movie at the cinema.

•        Movie date: Saturday, 3rd December 2016.
•        Genre: Animation.
•        Cinema: Nation-wide.

Please tell me in the comments below your favourite childhood fable that inspired you when growing up. Or: What facourite fable are you telling your children now?

Rules of the competition:

- Only one set of tickets (X4 tickets) can be given to one winner.
- The winner must reside in South Africa, and be able to get to Ster-Kinekor cinemas with their own transport on Saturday.
- The competition closes at 12 pm Thursday afternoon
…But remember, the tickets can only go to one winner, so they must be a family of X4 or X4 people who want to go see the movie on the 3rd December 2016.

Bowling with the kids

I don't know why we haven't gone bowling before, but this is a great activity to do with the children! We went bowling three weeks back at Northcliff Bowling with the Voortrekkers. The kids had a ball! (Pun intended! Sorry! ;-) )

For only R30 a kid they kept themselves busy for more than an hour playing a game with a group of 4-5. The bowling alley put up barriers to keep the ball from going into the trenches, which makes it much easier for the children to get into the game!

We are going to be at home for most of the holidays, and  I am starting to think of all the fun and inexpensive ways to make the holidays fun! This is going to be one of the activities!

What suggestions do you have for activities with the children during the holidays that does not cost an arm and a leg?

The Working Mothers Expo starts on Friday - WIN a set of tickets!

67% of Working Mothers Unable to Cope with the Demands on their Time
Graphic by Essentials

The Working Mothers Expo had research done in partnership with MiWayLife about the working mother:

1. 67% of working mothers spend half their day or more unable to cope with the demands on their time. - That's true!

2. One in three spend nine or more hours at work every day. - I work my eight and half hours, nothing more! When I leave the office, I am finished!

3. 56% never take the time to exercise. - That's me! But I slot it down to laziness! (Guilt always!)

4. A third check their work email before they even get out of bed in the morning. - No! I don't have the time before I get to the office!

5. On average, most working moms believe that their friends are better mothers than they are. - No, I think we all do the juggle, and I love catching up with my friends to hear how they are doing it!


Janice Windt, the Managing Director of the Working Mothers Expo, had similar experiences. “I started speaking to other working mothers and realised that many of them were struggling as much as I was. Many of them were making decisions that they regretted. They were trying hard to cope and putting on a brave face. My heart started to break for these women - for all of us.”

The honesty of these conversations, combined with requests from other working mothers, lead Janice to found the Working Mothers Expo in order to create an opportunity for working mothers to connect with each-other and get all the help, support and inspiration they need in order to Make. Life. Work.

The Working Mothers Expo, in partnership with MiWayLife, brings together everything working mothers need under one roof on 4-6 November 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
There will be world class products, services and a Speakers' Corner. (I can't wait for this! Check out the line-up: Speakers)
There will also be great entertainment for the kids!
Dads / partners get in FREE with a group / family ticket.

Tickets are available at Computicket.

#THEJUGGLEISREAL


WIN

One reader of this blog can win a set of tickets to The Working Mothers Expo this weekend.

Please comment and tell me why you agree with some of the Research by The Working Mothers Expo and MiWayLife? 

I will draw a winner via Random.org at 12 pm on Wednesday afternoon.
Only open to a Gauteng reader able to come to The Working Mothers Expo on their own travel expenses.

Wordless Wednesday #312 - Murray & Roberts construction, Sci Bono

Our first Parkrun

Delta Parkrun

We finally did our first Parkrun. I have been listening for weeks to a very passionate runner who sometimes runs the Parkrun twice in one go!

The Parkruns are a great way to get exercise in the fresh country, while being safe and getting feedback each week about the progress of your own exercise.
I did not realise that it's a worldwide event happening each Saturday, but it's definitely worth checking out when going to another part of the country or world!

Even Little Miss enjoyed it, and wanted to run for most of it!
We will be doing it more regularly from now on! (And I won't dress like the Michelin Man! ;-) It gets hot very quickly!)

Wordless Wednesday 301 - Hiding from the bees

Found a spot with a view and vibe

The Windjammer

We are always in search of a view here in the city! Somewhere to catch the last rays of the sun and being able to look towards a horizon and not into the rows of brick walls!

We found that on Friday night while I was scrolling through Zomato looking for a place we have not visited before.The Windjammer Restaurant and Upperdeck Bar in Honeydew is such a spot!

We got seats on the deck with a great view. There was also live music that was not bad at all. In fact, it was excellent!! A few of the Sting songs really got us going. We left early, because CHILD, but apparently they were waiting for the main entertainment at 9 pm. (Date night spot, definitely!)

The food was just as great! I wrote a review on Zomato. Little Miss loved her squid starter, I had the Mediterranean pasta and Hubby the huge double burger!

We will be back to get more of this view, vibe and food!

There were a number of children with their parents at the venue. Next time I will ensure that I bring earplugs on a weekend as the music was extremely loud.
 (I don't think it is good for young ears to be exposed to this for too long!) 

What spots can you recommend for their views?

Easter fun for the kids at Silverstar

We had a fantastic time at Silverstar on Saturday. They have a great line-up for families during Easter, from 19 March to 3 April.

There are the kid's fun on the Square, with jumping castles, a kiddies' train, a Maze and the interactive water fountains. The Easter Bunny are going to make an appearance each day, with movies on the Square, and an Easter Market.

The best of all! The entertainment on the Square is FREE! 

It is wise to also take an extra set of clothing and a towel. No kid can resist the water fountains, as well as the jumping castle with the slide into water!

So much fun!

Little Miss got me to go along into the Wind Castle-thing (see below)! It is very safe, and even the littlest enjoy going up... and DOWN! And up and DOWN again!
Hoots of fun! (Five times for Little Miss!)

The things you do for your child!
(Totally worth the screams! From me!)

There's also The Magic Company with arcade games, Laser Tag and Ten Pin Bowling that keeps them entertained. And movies! (Not for free!)

The Magic Company fun

This is a great way to spend the day with the family!
We will be going back!

Disclaimer: The family got an invite for a breakfast at Vigour & Verve at Silverstar on Saturday, 
30 tokens at The Magic Company, Easter eggs and hot dogs at the food stand on the Square!

The rest (and best fun!) was of course for free on the Square!