Apps for kids. Animal Planet Wildlands and Monsterology

If you are anything like me, you are constantly looking for your iPad (or iPhone or iPod) because one of the kids have taken it to play games. Georgia has filled a whole folder on my iPad with her game apps. So when Nukotoys asked if we would like to review 2 new apps that take games to a whole new level, we jumped at the chance!

Animal Planet Wildlands & Monsterology are new 3D games that can can be downloaded to your devices for free.






Where these games differ from others is that you can purchase “trading cards” that can then send these games to places that are simply amazing. By placing the trading cards on the screen and “tapping” on them, new animals are introduced into the game. This is the same for Monsterology as well.











Your child is then in control of these animals. Not only is it fun & exciting to play these games but it also uses problem solving & education as the main components. Georgia is 11 & I have to say that these games are perfect for her at these age. I do think that most children (any age) would love to play these games. If you can control an iPad, you can play! With the school holidays coming up, I think these games are going to played a lot on our road trips.





These games & cards have been a big hit in America & they are now available in Australia at Australian Geographic Store. Prices start from $6.95 for a pack of 7 cards.

  {This review is my opinions on this product. This is not a paid review. Just a blog post about an awesome product that I was asked to try. And I love it!}

My new blogging chair

This is my new blogging chair!!





OK, so that is not me but that is just the same as the smile on my face when I first sat on the Coast Bean Bag. This was me…






The cool thing about being a blogger is that you get to blog where ever you want. This Bean Bag from Life! Live it up is perfect for that because it can go outdoors! Yes, it is made from tough water resistant poly fabric.





Yes, that is me blogging outside! {notice the "outside" hair.}
I had always been a little wary of bean bags. We had a few burst in our house but this one goes above & beyond in the safety department. It has a lining that has 2 safety zippers that can only be opened using a paper clip.





Then the lining is zipped into the outside shell which is supper durable.



{RRP $79.95}


Did you notice that it also has deep pockets on the side, a handle on the top & even a breather hole up the top??? Well. it does! The pockets are perfect for putting headphones, remotes, iPods, etc.
Now I just need to get the iCrib & I will be set for blogging in comfort!



{RRP $29.95}


Now, if I could just get Mr P to put a pool in the yard, I could spend the summer blogging by the pool on my Life! Live it up Coast Bean Bag!
The only problem that I have with this super cool bean bag chair is that EVERY ONE wants to use it! I have had to push the kids out, threaten Mr P & I have even resorted to making the kids clean their rooms just so I can get it back! I even had to stop the teenager today from sneaking it down the hallway to her bedroom. {sigh}

{This review is my opinions on this product. This is not a paid review. Just a blog post about an awesome product that I was asked to try. And I love it!}

*not recommended for children under the age of 3*
* See the Life ! Live it up website for more details*

Knitted facecloths

I have found a new little luxury in life! Knitted facecloths!





I know that I might be a little late to the party, they have been used for longer than I have been alive. But now I have found them, there is no turning back! I love to use real soap, not body wash. I love a cake of beautiful smelling handmade soap. It is my daily indulgence & now I can use it with my knitted facecloths.





These ones that I made are just your stock standard knit & are 30 stitches across & I just kept knitting until it made a square. I am not an expert knitter, oh no I am not! I can only knit standard, nothing fancy here at all! These are a great way to practice my knitting, casting on & casting off. They are quick to make. I know that a lot of people make crochet facecloths but I am sad to report that I still have not mastered crochet. The best I could do was some tiny little pot scrubbers from my crochet attempts.





I have thrown out all of my old facecloths now & only have these knitted ones. I think these would may a lovely addition to a pamper pack so I think that I might start making a few for the present box. They would make a lovely teacher gift with a beautiful handmade cake of soap for Christmas.

So tell me, are you a traditional cake of soap kind of gal or do you prefer body wash?

The best chocolate biscuit ever!

I came across this recipe Chocolate Earthquake cookies, and I knew I had to make them…but…they had hazelnut (nutella) spread. Georgia has a nut allergy so I had to tweak the recipe a little. If you want to make the hazelnut version click here, if you want to make my version, here is the recipe

Ingredients

• 125g butter, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (2 teaspoons of vanilla essence) 
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 cup pure icing sugar

In a large mixing bowl, place all of the dry ingredients except the icing sugar.
Melt the butter.
Add the melted butter, vanilla & egg to the dry ingredients & mix with a spatula until all combined.





Place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Make tablespoon sized balls of the mix & roll them in the icing sugar.





Place them on baking trays lined with baking paper. Make sure to leave space for spreading.
Cook for approximately 15 minutes (oven times may vary)
Allow to cool on the baking trays.





They are a little soft on the inside & nice & crispy on the outside.

These biscuits are simply amazing! I dare you to stop at just one!

Wordless Wednesday. How we celebrated the first day of spring

Linking up with My little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday. And also at Twinkle in the eye


Today I am stopping by Clare's Craft Room for a cuppa & a chat. Stop by & have a cuppa with us & see why I like to blog!

 

Clare's Craft Room

Day one of the 20 day challenge to organise my house

Wow, day one was hard but it felt so good to sit down to write this blog & know that my kitchen is spotless. I have completed day one of the The Organised Housewife 20 day challenge. Today was all about the kitchen.










My kitchen is the hub of the house. It is where we all spend time. The kitchen used to be only half of the size of what it is now. The half that is in the pic above used to be the dining area. During the warmer months of the year, we eat out on the back patio so the dining area was not being used very often. I decided to extend the kitchen & put in a large breakfast bench. The problem of late has been that the breakfast bench had been used as a desk & a dumping ground. The laptop is no longer allowed on the bench. The piles of paperwork have gone. At the other end of the kitchen, all of the extra little gadgets have been put away or stored in the shed for eBay or a garage sale. After dinner we all cleaned up & it is looking spotless again. The girls said it was nice not having me yell at them to clean up.

STOP!!!

I think we just had a breakthrough…..if the kids do their jobs, Mum doesn’t yell?????
Well, I never thought I would see the day!


Under the sink is all organised & I no longer suffer from underthesinkitis.






I am serious when I say that I suffered from underthesinkitis. I was petrified of under the sink. It was such a phobia that I even had to get Mr P to pull every thing out for me.







I am looking forward to day 2 which is all about the bedroom. Perfect timing with the fact that I need to pack away all of the winter clothes that have slowly piled up on the floor. I am keeping it real & sharing the pics on instagram so if you want to, you can follow along.

Are you joining in the challenge?

Wholemeal blueberry muffins

After needing to satisfy my sweet tooth but trying to stay on track with my healthy eating, I have been adjusting a few of my favourite recipes to become a little healthier. This one I have to say, has been made even tastier by just switch a few ingredients. By substituting olive oil for butter, raw sugar for caster sugar & wholemeal self raising flour for white self raising flour, it is so much better for you. Now, I am not a dietitian but it is also not rocket science. This is a quick & easy recipe that is great for kids school lunches & Mum’s morning teas.



Ingredients;
2 & 1/4 cup of wholemeal self raising flour
3/4 cup of raw sugar
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 cup of low fat milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
125g of frozen blueberries

method;
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius (fan forced)
Put all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl & whisk with a whisk until all lumps have gone & it is well combined.
Mix together the wet ingredients & pour into the dry ingredients. Add the frozen blueberries & mix with a spatula until just combined.
Spoon mix into a muffin tray lined with muffin papers. Fill the papers to 3/4 full.
Cook for approximately 20 minutes  or until a skewer comes out clean.
Place muffin tray on a cooling rack for 5 minutes then turn out the muffins to cool.
Store in an airtight container for a couple of days in the fridge or freeze individually (wrapped tightly in glad wrap & in a container) for a couple of months

Blueberry muffins are my fave muffins. What is your fave muffin flavour?

My week according to instagram

A week of Instagram pics














Joining up with tinagray.me for my week according to instagram