Does travelling with kids worry you? Can’t go anywhere other than Bali, Thailand or Fiji?
Because at least they’re close, right? Not too expensive? Well, I think you can go anywhere! ✈️ We are an ordinary family ... just like most of you guys. We have normal jobs, normal day to day routines, normal school runs, etc.
We have to work hard, save hard and plan hard to go where we want to go.
We prioritise family vacations and our aim is to see as much of the world as we can ... when we can and share it with our kids.
The twins are 11 years old & they’ve already been to 11 different countries! 🌎Yep, ELEVEN!
They started travelling overseas when they were only 2 ... first stop Hawaii! Easy, not too far and pretty fun for kids! Perfect start!
After the first trip it’s just progressed ... now they’ve been to Thailand, Bali, Dubai, Samoa, Malaysia, NZ, Finland, Estonia, Vietnam & most recently Japan. They’ve also been to LA and Las Vegas! 🎰 💰
Their geography skills are amazing as a result and they long to keep travelling and seeing the world, which makes my heart smile. ❤️
We also try to throw in small adventures around Australia! It’s just as important to know and understand your own country as well. 🇦🇺 I feel blessed to share these experiences with them - I’ll never forget them playing on Waikiki Beach at 2 years old, enjoying the views from the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, screaming with delight at Waterbom Park in Bali and vomiting their guts up in Phuket, Thailand (things don’t always go to plan) 🤢
One handy tip for spending money on holidays that we do is collect $5 notes. We literally NEVER spend them. EVER! No matter what we collect them. Best way to save ever! 💴
Want some travel ideas for kids ... Let me know!
Where do you want to go most with your family?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#travelwithkids #familyvacation #twins #twinlife #comeflywithme #familyholidays #familytime #familytravels #toddlertravels #lovemyfam #mumlife #mumstyle #liveyourbestlife #loveyourlife #fambam #blended #blendedfamily #mumoffour #summerholiday #twinmum #instakids #meandmyboys #melbournemums #lovemytribe #happymummy #travelbuddies #travellife #travelwithme #melbourneblog #liveauthentic
Soaking up some sun on our family holiday to the ‘Gong. ☀️ Gotta love a summer beach holiday; especially with the kids!
This time last year we were ready to embark on our adventure to Finland to meet the real Santa at the Arctic Circle. 🎅🏽 What a difference to this year when we’re laying on the beach watching the kids splash in the surf! 🏖
As much as I loathe a road trip I do love a holiday ... to pretty much anywhere! I think it’s important to travel with kids - they learn so much about the world, appreciate what they have and where they live. And it’s just as important to see their own country as it is to see the world. 😍
Our kids are lucky - they’ve travelled a lot already ... this year they’ll visit the Northern Territory in Australia as well as Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Qatar!
They know they’re lucky - and they yearn to see the world, which pleases my heart! ❤️
Where are you off to next? 🌎
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#beachvibes #beachholiday #summer #summerholiday #mumlife #mumstyle #mummybloggerau #liveyourbestlife #momlife #40something #loveyourlife #melbourneblog #liveauthentic #melbournemum #enjoythelittlethings #mumbloggerau #lifestyle #melbourneblogger #melbournemummy #familytime #discoverunder10k #blended #blendedfamily #mumoffour #lovethelifeyoulive #travellife #lovemyfam #travelbuddies #travelwithme #traveladdict
R O A D T R I P 🚙
Those words always sound like they should be fun but seriously evoke fear in me every time they’re uttered; thankfully not often! 😱 Throw me on a plane any day! ✈️ 😂
Road trips inevitably mean you’ll be on your ass for a bloody good portion of the day, cramped and unable to stretch properly, eating junk because you’re bored stupid and usually with half the crap you own squashed in with you! 😬
I know, I’m a spoilt sook who’d rather be going overseas! 🌎
Anyway, we packed up the car (only 2 kids instead of 4 ... 2 were driving me mental so we left them behind) and drove from Melbourne to Sydney yesterday. 🚙 A lay 8+ hours later and we’re at my brother’s house in Wollongong ... at least it’s going to be a beach vacation! 🏖
Worth the long drive? Okay, yes ... just ... but only in Summer! ☀️ And I’m kidding about leaving 2 behind. Well, sort of! 😂 We pick them up from the airport today ... they’ve been in Coffs Harbour with their dad! I’m not that mean! 😜 Won’t lie though ... I’ve imagined leaving some behind on occasion! 😂 Anyone else? 😬😂
Anyone else road tripping these holidays? Where are you off to?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#roadtrip #melbournetosydney #wheresthevalium #roadtripping #saveme #mumlife #mumstyle #mummybloggerau #melbournelife #liveyourbestlife #momlife #loveyourlife #melbourneblog #liveauthentic #mummybloggersau #melbournemum #enjoythelittlethings #mumbloggerau #lifestyle #melbourneblogger #melbournemummy #familytime #discoverunder10k #mumoffour #positivethinking #positivity #lovethelifeyoulive #40something #blendedfamily #blended
Not sure about anyone else but I can’t stand too much technology!📱 Kids on devices drive me mental ... their whole personality changes & they become obsessed so easily. 😬
Anyone else feel the same? 🤷🏼♀️
Anyway, I wanted to do a family project which got us all working together to create something special; something meaningful. That’s how the idea for our cubby came about! 💡
The kids loved the idea & listed what they’d like to include & sent their designs & related info to council (that was us) for approval.
When we’d all come to an agreement we set to work. 🏡
The aim was to not only work together as a family but also to teach the kids some valuable skills & appreciate that with hard work comes reward. 🙏🏽
They worked their little butts off, never once complaining & tackled every aspect of the project, from measuring, sawing, drilling, hammering, painting & insulating to roofing & even electrical.
After several months of exhaustion their hard work paid off & their cubby was complete!
It’s something we are all really proud of - the kids really understand now what it takes to build, as well as the value of money. They budgeted & tried to save money where they could & even used second hand goods when they found things that were suitable.
They have a tv, little fridge, DVD player, a couch & even a small split system, as well as a rock climbing wall up to a loft area where they can have sleep outs. It’s seriously an awesome cubby! ❤️
We feel blessed for the generous donations that friends supplied; they were so impressed with the kids hard work that they wanted to reward them too. 💕
They even held a fun little cubby warming to celebrate the completion! 🏡
Hard work definitely pays off! 🌟
What do you think of our cubby?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#cubbyhouse #family #cubbygoals #familyproject #familytime #cubbyhousegoals #kidscubby #kidproject #mumlife #mumstyle #mummybloggerau #melbournelife #liveyourbestlife #loveyourlife #melbourneblog #liveauthentic #mummybloggersau #melbournemum #enjoythelittlethings #mumbloggerau #lifestyle #melbourneblogger #melbournemummy #discoverunder10k #momlife #mumoffour #lovethelifeyoulive #positivethinking #positivity #familyfun
So, today I stepped right out of my comfort zone and booked myself in online to donate blood ... for the very first time ever! Sure, I’ve had little blood tests before, but I’ve never actually given a donation! 💉
I guess it scared me. I have tiny little veins and I’ve always had trouble with just the blood tests. I’ve even had to have a doctor known as the “Vampire” 🧛♂️ get called in to find a decent vein! I shit you not! 😬😂
Well, today I decided to think about others rather than myself!
I’m not going to lie; I was nervous. So nervous that I got my husband to take me (incidentally he’s never actually donated either). Anyway, we BOTH decided to go through with it ... and well, here we are! 🎉☺️ 500ml less blood but feeling great! I actually feel somewhat ashamed for not having the guts to do it earlier. Better late than never though, I guess! ❤️
Have you donated blood before?
What made you want to donate?
And if not, how come?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#donateblood #blooddonor #positivethinking #positivity #helpothers #goodkarma #lovethelifeyoulive #bloodbank #dosomethinggood #makeachange #mumlife #mumstyle #mummybloggerau #melbournelife #liveyourbestlife #momlife #40something #loveyourlife #melbourneblog #liveauthentic #mummybloggersau #melbournemum #mumbloggerau #lifestyle #melbourneblogger #melbournemummy #discoverunder10k #streetlook #urbanstyle #enjoythelittlethings
Anyone else have step kids?
Blended family? 🙋🏼♀️ My hand is up ... that’s what we have. I have twin 11 year old boys and my husband, Clayton has a 12 year old boy and a 10 year old girl. That gives us 4 kids, aged 10, 11, 11 & 12. I’ll admit whenever we’ve visited a foreign country; particularly an Asian one, the local people all look shocked and then high five me. They think I’m a breeding legend 😂 It’s too hard to explain they’re not all mine so I just return the high five and soak up my legend status! ✌🏽😂
Anyway, I don’t know about anyone else but I love my step babies with all my heart. I know I’m not their mum - but I promise to love and protect them with everything I have whenever they’re in my care; just as though they are my own. ❤️
I feel blessed to have them in my life; not only for me, but for my boys too. ☺️
The four kids get on amazingly! Thank God! They all share similar traits; they’re sweet natured, gentle and quietly spoken. And best of all, they bring out the best in each other. Not going to lie ... 4 kids is honestly easier than 2.
I see so many kids who seemingly run beserk, speak boldly, who are rude, defiant and rough and I thank God every day that my beautiful step babies are so kind, caring and well behaved.
Anyway, to those of you who have step babies ... I hope you’re as lucky as I am! I can’t wait to share more adventures with our 4 amazing kids - bring on Africa in September!!! 🙌🏽💙 .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
⠀⠀
#mumlife #mumstyle #twinlife #twins #stepkids #stepchildren #stepbabies #biologicalkids #blended #blendedfamily #blendedfamilies #luckymum #mumoffour #twins #besties #mummybloggerau #melbournelife #liveyourbestlife #momlife #40something #loveyourlife #melbourneblog #liveauthentic #mummybloggersau #melbournemum #mumbloggerau #lifestyle #melbournemummy #melbourneblogger #discoverunder10k
We’re all proud parents, right? ☺️
But do you ever ask yourself why though? Why are you proud of your kids? Simply ‘cos they’re yours? They’re good at sports? Well behaved? Academically successful? Good looking? Popular? What is it that actually makes us proud? 🧐
I’m not sure about anyone else but I see a lot of kids who quite honestly behave like assholes! They’re usually teenagers to be fair; but none the less I’m sure they have parents who are proud of them. And I wonder why? 🤷🏼♀️
Truthfully, I think so many parents these days are more interested in being the popular parent. They’re too busy being friends with their kids. They stick up for their kids crappy behaviour rather than hold them accountable.
Anyway, like pretty much every other mum out there I’m proud of my babies too.
Here’s why though - they’re gentlemen. They hold doors open for people, stand up for adults, listen without interrupting, speak politely, show respect, they’re kind, well mannered, and well, they’re cute! 😍
The thing is, they’re absolutely perfect to me but in reality they still have things to work on; we all do. 🙌🏽 They’re shy ... very shy actually and sometimes that makes them look rude, as they become quiet and it appears they ignore. I’m aware of it and so are they and it’s something they’re working on.
I’m actually really proud of the way they can reflect as well. Recently one of them even wrote in his letter to Santa that he had tried to be a good boy but he knew he still had things to work on! 💙
I’m proud that they recognise how to be better people; because, more than anything, that’s what we’re aiming for when we raise our kids! Surely we want them to be the best people they can be!
What makes you proud?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#proudmum #twins #twinlife #wisdomquotes #simplereminders #wordsoftheday #notetoself #parentfirst #wordsofwisdom #workhardstayhumble #disciplineequalsfreedom #dailyreminder #realtalk
#mumlife #mumstyle #mummybloggerau #melbournelife #liveyourbestlife #momlife #40something #loveyourlife #melbourneblog #liveauthentic #mummybloggersau #melbournemum #mumbloggerau #lifestyle #melbourneblogger #melbournemummy #discoverunder10k
