tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36159601627479950292024-02-23T20:03:41.611+11:00Clairey HewittClaireyHewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15709892778460619439noreply@blogger.comBlogger805125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-48110773227803671222019-01-30T10:17:00.001+11:002019-01-30T10:17:37.671+11:00Letter to the world: Ten.Ten.<br />
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I am ten years old. Today.<br />
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In keeping with the tradition of my life, I am writing my letter to the world, to sum up my year and share my tips and advice.<br />
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Out in the big world of 2018 a lot of things have happened.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vnqt6h1KhtM/XFDezfXVZxI/AAAAAAAAGk0/06twhB-w-psMCfNqf41lpS4ZMdPoYvc-QCLcBGAs/s1600/Midshot%2BBrick%2Bwall%2Blow%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vnqt6h1KhtM/XFDezfXVZxI/AAAAAAAAGk0/06twhB-w-psMCfNqf41lpS4ZMdPoYvc-QCLcBGAs/s640/Midshot%2BBrick%2Bwall%2Blow%2Bres.jpg" width="640" /></a>But for me, being nine, living in Australia, things were pretty good. I learnt my times tables, but what is it with the sevens? They nearly get me every time! But not the nines. For nines times tables there are lots of tricks to know you've got it right.<br />
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I started the year off doing singing lessons and soon decided that wasn't for me and took to guitar. It's much more fun. My team won the grade four Mandarin competition held in Melbourne by singing a song in Mandarin about recycling and my acro team won gold for our team performance in the Victorian Fusion competition. I am still learning tennis, but it seems that fuzzy little ball takes quite a bit of effort to get it where you want it to go.<br />
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I found some great new books called <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/kensy-and-max-2-jacqueline-harvey/prod9780143780632.html?source=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQiAurjgBRCqARIsAD09sg-WQGotc5qt9Bv5zkGWFxXDadZu4s_xnF6CaXfxSfM6q2D2Wu9ZdgIaAqEWEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Kensy and Max</a>, and highly recommend them to anyone aged 8-12, the third book is due out in a few months so I'll be getting that one ASAP. As for movies, I've continued to watch a lot of them. I really really love movies. The best two of 2018 are both equally worth your time, first was The Greatest Showman and then Mamma Mia 2. Great songs, funny, and really good.<br />
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After books and movies, if you need to really be entertained I have two words for you. STRANGER THINGS. I am kind of addicted to it. Mum says it's really not suitable for kids as many of them would be scared, but not me, it's clearly not real, there are too many made up things. But you really really should watch it.<br />
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There are things I think should be noted that I DONT have, because, in future, people will be shocked that even though I am now 10 years old my parents have still not let me have the following 1) My own phone 2) My own Instagram account 3) a YouTube channel 4) A horse or even horse riding lessons, and lastly, Fortnite. I am about the only person left on earth without these things. I certainly hope some of the items are amended very very soon.<br />
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I'd also like to make it publicly known that going to Disneyland is on my list of things that I'd really like to do.<br />
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Other cool things that happened this year: I was in my first TV advert. Officially, best day ever. If you live in Sydney you might have seen it on the telly. I watched so much Youtube, but it didn't come up on my stuff. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OikRI5TysJ8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">You can see me here at the 19 second mark! </a><br />
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Around the world, there were some boys who were stuck in a cave for 9 days and they survived. Doubt you'll ever see me in a cave. We got another new Prime Minister, don't know who and Prince Harry married Meghan and they came to Melbourne, both my Mum and Dad saw them but again didn't let me miss school for something this fun.<br />
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I make good scones. From scatch, if you'd like to come over for the afternoon I can whip up a batch, but I like the jam my granny buys from the old people shop. mmmmmm so good.<br />
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When it comes to milkshakes - make mine strawberry. Every time.<br />
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If I don't see you for scones, maybe you'll hear from me again next year.<br />
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Immy.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-88596534858907432742018-05-04T18:57:00.000+10:002018-05-04T18:57:17.556+10:00I've been to Bali, too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If I'd written a places to see before I die when I was 21, Bali would have been very low on the list, maybe not even there at all.<br />
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But some requests just can't be declined. It was time my travel partner, Miss Meg, and I set off on another adventure.<br />
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It's been 17 years since we last boarded a plane, landed in Ireland and explored the rest of Europe. Back then we spent our cash on youth hostels, bread and cheese at every meal and whatever cheap drinks we could get our hands on.<br />
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A lot has happened since then.<br />
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We travelled more. We found husbands. We've had five kids between us. There have been fearful tumours and smashed up ankles. There's been funerals and many celebrations.<br />
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It was time we teamed up and took another trip.<br />
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With time limits and commitments restraining us, we needed somewhere close by. We needed good weather. We needed something new and exciting for both of us.<br />
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There needed to be good food, because we are no longer on a bread only diet.<br />
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And that's how we ended up in Bali, a first for us both.<br />
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First stop - <a href="http://www.thekayonresort.com/" target="_blank">Kayon Resort in Ubud.</a><br />
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It was a little bit beautiful. Set in the mountains at a waterfall, wherever you roam the calming sounds of the waterfall surround you. When you eat, you benefit from the relaxing views of the natural area around you. The service is constantly impressive. There are no children at the Kayon Resort, we decided this was a very good thing. It's designed for grown ups to sit down, refocus, rewind, relax.<br />
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And so we did.<br />
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There's plenty to explore if you want to leave the spa facilities, but personally, it's so good at the resort, you might not need much more.<br />
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Miss Meg went running. She ran and ran in that crazy humidity, she overheated so much that I've never seen a fit healthy lady sweat so many buckets while sitting in a massage waiting room. She borrowed a towel. And another. And a cold face washer. I laughed my butt off. The staff pretended nothing was happening.<br />
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On a walk through the local village you can see a wood carver creating intricate wood work. Of course it's all for sale. Some of it may not meet the rules of political correctness, but it's all tapped out by the one person.<br />
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After Ubud.<br />
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Is Seminyak.<br />
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And <a href="http://seminyak.hotelindigo.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Indigo</a>.<br />
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This place is LOVE at first site. LOVE at the welcome drink. LOVE at the architecture.<br />
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and at the pools<br />
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and the rooms<br />
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the food that's served up<br />
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the beach front<br />
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the service<br />
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the drivers who are available as you need them<br />
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and for the runners you can take a guided neighbourhood run, for the non-runners, ask to do a morning stretching/meditation class, it's probably the best way to start your day.<br />
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There is a lot to explore in Seminyak. But we based our decisions on one vital thing.<br />
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Food.<br />
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On your next trip to Seminyak, you won't regret a trip to Teatro. It's another spot that is not for kids.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teatrobali.com/" target="_blank">Teatro</a> is what happens when the most creative and artistic minds mix food and tastes together, pop in a glamorous dining room and well-informed staff then deliver a special night. Book in before you go if you want to confirm your table.<br />
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Everyone told us to add Potato Head and Ku De Ta and The W to our list of must-see. But every time we drove past we just didn't feel the vibe was ours. We kept deciding to try something else. When we did land at Potato Head it confirmed what we expected. It's a great looking place. It's fun. It's filled with very very beautiful people. It's kind of boring.<br />
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So, hello <a href="http://lalagunabali.com/" target="_blank">La Laguna.</a><br />
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It's a little out of the way. Your driver is best to confirm directions before you take off.<br />
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But it's lovely. If you're seeking pretentious, this is not the place for you. If you want linen table clothes, go somewhere else. But it you want to walk on the beach without hundreds of other people or you want to sit down and laze about, you'll love this place. Enter along the road filled with real gypsy vintage caravans and soak up a relaxed night. Kids will enjoy the space, parents will enjoy the excellent food offering and a cocktail or three.<br />
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Next, we took a chance on Nook. Highly recommended it was.<br />
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Miss Meg really loved it. I ordered for us and went for the traditional Balinese food banquet. I can't really tell you what we ate as the waiter was pretty abrupt when we asked. That's soup. Eat it with rice. What kind of soup, we'll never actually know.<br />
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Miss Meg is a lover of dogs. I am not. I did not like the large number of dogs walking around my table, under my table, under my chair and so close to my food. It might be a Bali thing, but homeless dogs at my dinner table just made me uncomfortable. Nook wasn't a favourite of mine becuase of this, but Miss Meg really liked it. The food was ok, possibly better than ok, but as I didn't really know what I was eating, it again took me that extra step too far from my comfort zone. There are many dishes to choose from that are more westernised which I could have chosen, but both of us chose local dishes when we could.<br />
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We swapped shopping time for reading by the pool time. It was too addictive and we couldn't get out of our bathers when the pool was beckoning.<br />
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We listened to Spotify songs about drinking pina coladas and we drank champagne on the beach.<br />
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We've told our kids enough times that they must eat breakfast so we knew it was beneficial to eat everything possible from the breakfast buffet.<br />
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And then we packed up.<br />
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Ordered our cars.<br />
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Returned to real life.<br />
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To lunch boxes and uniform washing. To early alarms and homework battles. To hundreds of work emails and ideas of new things to do, to build, to create and be.<br />
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You can't travel the world with just anyone. You need a very special person to do this with.<br />
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Miss Meg and I live over 2000 kms apart. We go months before she replies to a message. MONTHS. But when we travel, it's always good.<br />
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Now, we've both been to Bali too.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-85862046978755386142018-03-12T14:26:00.001+11:002018-03-12T14:26:47.709+11:00Remember Summer 2018Some years, the weeks fly by and they are just good weeks even though the days are not significant.<br />
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The moments are fleeting, yet they are jigsaw pieced together to form a picture that represents an image of good times.<br />
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In future years we might not remember exactly what happened this past summer that made it something so remarkable for being so casual.<br />
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But the magic of internet sites and the oft considered a gift from the devil - the digital footprint - allows us to place the things we did, right here, right now. A catalogue to refer to and remember, when we need it.<br />
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It was a long summer, that started when school finished in the first week of December. It was also the first time since they were born that I spent a full 6 weeks away from the office and with the girls, which is something to treasure just by itself. Removing the need to find a solution for summer holiday care provided space for so much.<br />
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We had a 9th birthday to kick us off and spent it sliding around and down the most massive slides in all the lands at Funfields. There was ice cream and cake and singing and smiles.<br />
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We had Christmas on the farm, which included horse riding - well kind of horse riding, there was also the 'hang on tight to the runaway horse moment' that we will all remember for a long time.<br />
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When you have no NYE plans and the mister is working there is only one thing to do. Get on the internet and find the last minute deals. Which is how us girls found ourselves in a vintage caravan on the coast. It was perfect and even better when we realised how many people we knew down there at the time.<br />
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And then we celebrated turning 12 with a day at the nail salon and a night at the drive-in and having a turn in the virtual reality egg!<br />
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With the weather still fabulous, we headed north for a week to Yarrawonga. We had blue skies and a billion degrees so it was straight to the water of the lake or the pool in your backyard.<br />
Hiring out boats for barbecues and ski biscuits, climbing through the water park and enjoying Australia Day fireworks. We had the best of company with good friends the whole time we were away and ate delicious local foods as we went.<br />
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Throughout the summer, our theme songs played, each and every one a tune from the movie The Greatest Showman.<br />
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We made the decision to give this acting/modelling/photography thing a go too and Immy now has her very own agent. The first photo shoot was a bit nervy, but she was totally calm by the end.<br />
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Then school went back, the office beckoned and some minor surgery was required to keep Mr H intip-topp form.<br />
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Each weekend we squeezed in more trips to the ocean, which was splendid - until that one time when we had 'attack of the jelly fish' occur at Williamstown beach.<br />
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This photo was about 30 seconds before we raced home to the bottle of vinegar - which we will never leave home without again.<br />
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We've played games of Speak Out, taken lots of family walks, swam every week, started a new school year and had lovely friends to hang out with.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks summer 2018, you've been a gem. </span></div>
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-22084136538477855372017-12-14T07:30:00.000+11:002017-12-14T08:11:10.197+11:00Letter to the World: Now I am 9 years oldI have been 8 years old for an entire year, which means I have quite a lot of advice for you, World.<br />
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Firstly, in every letter I've written to you over the last five or so years, I have requested a puppy. I've not been afraid to beg for a puppy. If there is something that you really truly need to make you happy, don't ever give up. Because this year I got my own puppy. He is the best. He has done a few things like dig up the backyard and chew massive holes in our security screens, but it's totally worth it. His favourite time of the day is to sit on my lap and watch movies with me.<br />
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There was a really big issue in Australia this year. All the grown-ups had to send letters to say that all grown-ups can get married if they want to, no matter who you want to marry. It made me a bit sad that some grown-ups wanted to say no. That sounded really mean and not very friendly. I don't really understand why lots of grown-ups didn't like this. I would like to go to some weddings. They sound like a lot of fun. I'd probably even wear a dress if I could be a flower girl, I've never done that before.<br />
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One of my favourite places in the whole world is my Granny's house. It is VERY old. It's so old that there are lots of fireplaces and we sleep in an attic with a spiral staircase. The garden is huge and there is a mulberry tree that we sit in and play games and eat berries and then you can go down a slide to get out. There is Marty the sheep in the paddock next door and there is a real cellar with scary stairs to go down (I never go down there). There is a creek that you can play in and a pond with frogs. There are fairies that play in the flower gardens. After my Poppy died, Granny said she had to sell the house, but no one wanted to buy it, which made me very happy.<br />
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Until now.<br />
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Tomorrow another family is moving in. I don't want to talk about that anymore.<br />
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I do want to talk about being a voice artist. That's when I get to record stories or words and people use my voice for their videos or for voice recognition projects. I did three of those kinds of projects this year and I really loved it. I got to go in this cool recording studio and read with all different levels of enthusiasm. Sometimes they ask to 'smile with your voice' or 'sound a bit worried' it's like reading a really good book with all the right voices. I would REALLY like to do some acting or some photography work, but my Mum says maybe when I am older. Unless of course she needs me to work for a project she is working on, then I just have to do it. Which is actually fine by me!<br />
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This year I made a lot of slime. It's a good thing to do and highly recommended.<br />
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At my school in grade 3 you get a chance to prepare a speech and present it to the whole year level and teachers and that's about ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE. I was so shaky and nervous but I really wanted to give it a go. That's how the teachers decide who will be the captains of our school next year. Last week I got a letter to say I did a good job and I am vice-captain of my house. Hashtag HAPPY.<br />
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I did lots of drawings this year. Mum likes to take photos of them before she cleans the chalkboard. She then always says, one day, I am painting over this chalk board. But she never does.<br />
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If you're looking for advice here are my five tips for 2019.<br />
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<ol>
<li>Wear your seatbelt. Even when you are on the bus.</li>
<li>Always add honey to your banana smoothie. And cinnamon, don't forget the cinnamon.</li>
<li>Watch movies and read books, they are good for you. Or, listen to them - a voice artist might read the whole thing for you.</li>
<li>Get a puppy.</li>
<li>Don't call people names. It's nasty.</li>
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That's all I got this year.<br />
Be good to each other.<br />
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Immy.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-3084187205966773502017-11-10T14:03:00.001+11:002017-11-10T14:04:47.067+11:00What the cool kids wear to the best parksIf you played your cards right in Melbourne this week then you'll be one of the lucky people to be having an extra long weekend.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Thank you Melbourne Cup. </b></span><br />
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And long weekends are perfect for checking out the new parks around town, so that is exactly what we did.<br />
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First stop was the new Aeroplane Park in Braybrook. This is an old park that was closed a couple of years ago when it was ruined by a fire. The latest version has just reopened and it's an excellent mix of things for kids of all ages. With things to climb on, paths to scoot on, whizzy things, swingy things and space to lounge about on the grass.<br />
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The gardens are still being planted so this park is just going to get better and better over the next few months.<br />
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The next day we headed to a new housing estate on the edge of town.<br />
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These areas seem to have clued on to the concept that people will pay more to live near great play areas. Which means that they seem to be competing to have the best playgrounds and facilities and the parks are the first things built.<br />
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Perfect!<br />
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We headed out to take a look at the Woodlea playground.<br />
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I found a wonderful big log and played "Lay Like a Lizard in the Sun". In this game, you must lay very still, just like a lizard that hopes no one will you see you. I am very very good at this game.<br />
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Miss 11, spent a lot of time climbing. On ropes, logs, stairs to the top of the cubby thingo.<br />
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She was also pretty happy to be decked out in the new Harry Potter t-shirt that was gifted to us last week. It's a never-ending struggle to find clothes for girls that are not 8 years old. The options go from toddler clothes to nightclub with very little in between, making the Harry Potter fashion line one of the best choices for us.<br />
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Mr H is not one to miss out on any chance of having a bit of fun, so he was first up the stairs to climb through the rope tunnel - yep, it holds grown-ups.<br />
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When it comes to Harry Potter fashions there is no chance Miss 8 is missing out. When our parcel arrived she grabbed this t-shirt with both hands, put it on and has barely taken it off since. She needs her clothes to be the right fabric, the right fit, the right feel. If there's anything with an itchy seam, a wonky tag, sequins sown in...it's not going to get out of the drawer.<br />
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This slogan was also pretty spot on. She'll be waiting for that letter and off to Hogwarts in the new year.<br />
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Have to say I really like this new spinny whizzy thing at this park. You just can't fall off it. If you do get in to such a state that you are rolling off, it will be a gentle roll on the rubbery soft floor. It's also something kids of all abilities can get on to.<br />
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Woodlea Park has a space for waterplay too - if you take small kids, you better take spare clothes as they are not going to be able to resist playing in the sand and water and fountains.<br />
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As all good weekends should, we finished up with a night out at a new restaurant and ate as much as we could squish in - which was quite a lot because hanging at the park all afternoon made for many hungry tummies - even that of the lizard.<br />
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Harry Potter t-shirts were gifted to us, but they are available at Big W, along with a range of other items for the tween ager in or HP fan in your life.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-3630702469669498122017-10-20T19:24:00.000+11:002017-10-20T19:24:05.057+11:00The Good Luck GhostI don't believe in ghosts.<br />
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Except for those ones that haunt old lunatic asylums and prisons and places of great historical significance.<br />
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I don't believe in spirits of those that have died. Other than the ones that I sometimes talk to.<br />
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I don't believe there is a God for you to pray to who is going to have magical powers and change what is going to happen anyway, but I am not going to miss the chance to try and barter my way for a better result if I can - just in case.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago I saw a Facebook competition. That is not a big deal, you see them all the time. But as a social media manager who hangs on Facebook more than you ever should, I also know that it is against FB policy to ask people to TAG OR SHARE your post and when I see that day after day I have to eat cheezels to make myself chill out about it. So I have been eating hundreds of cheezels and this is not really a good thing, anyway, I am not writing about cheezels. But I do have some if you want one.<br />
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Anyway, back to the competition I saw. It was offering 200 bucks to spend on some Yarra Trail clothes and it did NOT breach the Facebook rules. So I did what I do whenever I see these competitions, I entered to win.<br />
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I entered to win because my Mum loves herself a few Yarra Trail clothes and she is not shy of an iron, which is important because most of the stuff is made from beautiful linen. Beautiful linen that requires a commitment to being ironed.<br />
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This is also not a huge thing, I often enter competitions like this, I love them. They are free to enter, make me think about what to write, introduce me to a new product and then I scroll on and carry on with my day. Haven't seen a prize for a couple of years and the last one I won was a high chair, but I don't have a baby.<br />
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Did you know it's been five years today since my Dad died? I am not sure if he is a ghost or a spirit or if he is looking down on us shouting to stop moping around and bloody do something. Perhaps he's hanging out in heaven waiting for us, or maybe he's just dead, the end.<br />
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But last night, I got an email. I won the <a href="https://www.stylingyou.com.au/" target="_blank">Styling You</a> competition and Mum now has 200 smackers to spend on herself. I think it's my Dad still looking out for my Mum. And the rest of us. Telling us that he's still around. He's trying to tell me he's like my good luck ghost and when the good things are happening, that's when he's here, I just need to look about more. But then, I don't believe in ghosts. Do I? <br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-66811719041236554092017-09-29T21:47:00.000+10:002017-09-29T21:47:44.613+10:00Big 4 Apollo BayWhen there's an invitation for a weekend away, we're the first people to say yes.<br />
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Which is why we found ourselves having a long visit to We've headed that way ourselves but always stopped a few towns before Apollo Bay.<br />
Apollo Bay last weekend. It's three hours drive from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road. But it's three hours that most people find that bit too far. <br />
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If you don't make that extra effort, you're really missing out on some beautiful scenery. The ocean, the trees. So fabulous.<br />
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We booked into the Big 4 Holiday Park because we are kind of groupies to the Big 4 park. Our cabin was looking straight at the beach, we could walk from our door to the beach in seconds.<br />
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The cabin was spacious, with plenty of room for friends and family to join us for meals, for all the kids to lay out and watch a DVD or a movie on Foxtel. We had three bedrooms and the cabin could sleep 7 very comfortably. The spa bath was a very welcome addition and the perfect place to sit and relax and read my book while the kids were out playing in the park area.<br />
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The weather was freezing. It was cold and wet and not so spring-like conditions. But the kids still made it into the heated pool. It was heated well, but it is an outdoor pool so be prepared for warm showers straight afterwards if the weather is arctic, like we had.<br />
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We did manage a small amount of time walking along the beach, but the wind was working hard to discourage us. Instead, we headed out in the car and found the beautiful Otways to walk through. With trees hundreds of years old sheltering us we had a break from the wind and enjoyed the lush green ferns. There is nothing bad to say about spending time in the trees.<br />
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Apollo Bay has plenty of places to eat, parks to run around in and we tried out two of the local pubs. My favourite was the Apollo Bay Hotel - because I had the Pumpkin and Blue Cheese Pizza, and let's be honest, I've never met a blue cheese I didn't love.<br />
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This is not a sponsored post. We visited, paid, checked things out and researched what to do all by ourselves.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-87789547880506451462017-09-14T21:31:00.003+10:002017-09-15T12:36:25.856+10:00A sneaky snow day - Lake MountainIt's no secret I never cope with winter.<br />
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Around the corner from us is a street that we have renamed Blossom Street. Each spring time, the trees in the street blossom a few weeks before every other. They are the indication that I have nearly got through winter. But this is Melbourne. So Blossom Street has already turned to leaves but the snow fall is also continuing. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U0HM3pCImnM/Wbpmu4o1JhI/AAAAAAAAGOs/WifQOdRzy8AINIqeSY-Vp5-5wBzZqBR7gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U0HM3pCImnM/Wbpmu4o1JhI/AAAAAAAAGOs/WifQOdRzy8AINIqeSY-Vp5-5wBzZqBR7gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1234.JPG" width="640" /></a>Mr H loves the snow. LOVES IT. In this, we are not a match. I find very little about snow lifts, bulky clothing, wet socks and frost bite to be fun. He sees nothing but happiness. </div>
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Last week when the snow was just too good to resist, Mr H got up early and told the girls he was cancelling school and they were going to the snow. </div>
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They were dressed in minutes and on the road to Lake Mountain. </div>
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If you're in Melbourne, Lake Mountain is a very easy trip to take. Leave at 7.30 am and you'll be on the mountain for morning tea. </div>
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They made one quick stop for some snow boots for the girls and grabbed some extra ski goggles.</div>
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Lake Mountain did not disappoint. They spent six hours playing in the snow, tobogganing, making a snowman and exploring the bush. </div>
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They had snowflakes that stayed on their nose and eyelashes. </div>
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For lunch, Mr H had packed a thermos with hot dogs and thrown a bag of bread rolls in the car, that's his version of packing a picnic. </div>
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We had some toboggans they took with them, but because Mr H can't share, he also hired an extra one for himself. You can get whatever you need on the mountain, but we've always found the best service is in the towns before the mountain - like Marysville. These are usually small businesses with excellent service and information, on the mountain customer service doesn't seem to be a KPI for most job descriptions - they'd probably prefer to be out in the snow rather than serving you. Don't let this stop you from getting your kids up to the land of the white fluffy stuff. They are going to really love it. </div>
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HOT TIP - Teach your kids to stop before they take their first trip down the slope.<br />
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Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-18308927747800857542017-08-16T13:55:00.001+10:002017-08-18T12:16:38.980+10:00The Aching GluteOver the last few weeks I've been writing blog posts in my head again. I haven't done this for ages, which is why you'll notice that I have not really written any blog posts.<br />
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The only thing that's happened in the last few months was the random day my back went out. A random day after I had joined an online fitness training program and thought it was a great way to get fit.<br />
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OH THE PAIN.<br />
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Invisible pain is excruciating for many reasons, but one of them is that you look quite ok. There is no blood, no stitches, no bruise, no fever. JUST ALL THE PAIN.<br />
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It's awful.<br />
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It lead me to join weird Facebook groups in the middle of the night when I was lonely and sad and not sure what I was going to do. This was good for a few weeks, but most of the people were American, and I tell you, a group like that shows you what a totally useless medical system they have. There were people living in agony for years, they were sympathetic and considerate, but they mainly told me that this was now my life. Give up work. Prepare yourself for friends to slowly accept you can't join them and one by one they too will disappear.<br />
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I couldn't accept this was going to be it for me. First I hit Dr Google, and Youtube and I started to read and listen to everything. All the snake oil salespeople, the people who have never been injured but knew what I needed, they were easy to find. It was all so shonky but I was also so ready to BUY IT ALL. Let me have it, what ever it takes to be pain free, I was ready to hand over my cash. But my credit card was a little sad looking so I waited a few days and kept reading and realised most of what I needed I already had.<br />
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My doctor said - be patient.<br />
My osteo said - this is going to get better<br />
My Neurosurgeon said - you can have surgery if you want, but why don't you have a think about it first.<br />
My natural remedy friends had all the potions I could take but I listened to those who have been down this road before and I purchased all the ones I needed.<br />
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And I got a diary.<br />
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I started writing about what I was doing each day, what I might try and do the next day, the information I had found and exactly how much medication I had found. I wrote down the things I found hardest (grocery shopping/sitting on wooden chairs) and found ways to avoid them (Thank you online shopping and cushions).<br />
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They say that necessity is the mother of invention and this is never truer than for the person in chronic pain. I've sticky taped towels together and positioned cushions in the perfect way, I have finally realised why Crocs shoes were invented - they are for people with chronic pain to take showers because they absorb some of the impact that hard surfaces put on your body.<br />
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My glute muscle still feels like I've been kicked by a horse or hit by a car. It's best I don't walk for long periods of time, or stand still too long. I have to wear very very ugly shoes, even to work.<br />
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But it's getting better. It's going to get better. If you also have chronic pain the main thing you need to know right now is that it doesn't have to be forever. You're going to find a solution, it's just probably not going to be in a Facebook group at 2 am.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-87837314746330849552017-05-11T22:51:00.002+10:002017-05-11T22:51:22.722+10:00The story about a girl learning to swim.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJqLm8LYP7-EFRyhEoHT7aY0ivNsIr_mUCQ4dVWolhI8GPsUX1yMYRyQ0quRLfcpIUINGpsJGa-9OPu08zhj7MsMbTAK3MdOSjvVKkwpeeAZTizuAa21OJi7eLXqW4HEjj0lqTl8JDKk/s1600/IMG_5860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJqLm8LYP7-EFRyhEoHT7aY0ivNsIr_mUCQ4dVWolhI8GPsUX1yMYRyQ0quRLfcpIUINGpsJGa-9OPu08zhj7MsMbTAK3MdOSjvVKkwpeeAZTizuAa21OJi7eLXqW4HEjj0lqTl8JDKk/s320/IMG_5860.JPG" width="320" /></a>As our second child, I must admit we didn't start official swimming lessons from when she was a few months old. Actually, she was about two.<br />
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And then, in winter times, we stopped because it was so cold in Melbourne. Then aged five she got whoopping cough and we had another term off, at age seven, it was Glandular Fever and we had to stop everything.<br />
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So really, Miss 8 has had a bit of an average attempt at swimming lessons compared to her sister and over the summer it was clear that while she was confident in the pool, we needed to sort out her actual swimming stroke and improve her style.<br />
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We booked into our local swimming pool, a no-frills local pool where you do your lessons and are free to have a swim or a play afterwards.<br />
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After her first lesson, Miss 8 was excited that she was probably the best in her group. On week 2 the teacher called a supervisor over to suggest this was the wrong group for her and they sorted out getting her to swim a full lap of the pool to show her freestyle. But, she quickly told them, no. She couldn't swim that far.<br />
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A little encouragement to give it a try saw her take off and swim the best lap ever.<br />
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Ten minutes later she asked me how many laps it would take to swim a kilometre. I did some quick maths, told her it would be TWENTY laps but it was great she could now do one all on her own.<br />
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When all of a sudden she took off swimming. Miss 8 decided that she was going to swim a km, because a kid in her class did it that weekend.<br />
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I suggested she aim for six and then re-evaluate, but she just kept going. Slowly, in her own style of stroke, lap after lap until she hit 20. We high-fived and did underwater somersaults to celebrate.<br />
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And then I re did my maths calculations and sighed, saying it was actually 40 laps, as this was a 25m pool. ARRRGGGh.<br />
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So off she swam. ANOTHER 20 laps.<br />
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I really didn't think she was going to make it. I walked behind her every lap, getting more and more exhausted because the reality is that I haven't swam 40 laps in, well, ever.<br />
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And just like that, we have a kid who loves swimming. Who isn't afraid to swim a lap of the pool or stress out when she can't touch the bottom for a long time. She's happy to try every stroke and knows she can swim for as long as she likes.<br />
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We've still got a way to go with making those strokes look the way they should, but right now, she's swimming along.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-30104697248158912062017-03-22T23:04:00.002+11:002017-03-22T23:04:33.536+11:00Maybe my favourite tween book<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sGI9NySTq2E/WNJl1LdD0BI/AAAAAAAAGI0/82uQWoHnQk4r2s7RsUnvuDQEWxXGkI0zwCK4B/s1600/IMG_6535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sGI9NySTq2E/WNJl1LdD0BI/AAAAAAAAGI0/82uQWoHnQk4r2s7RsUnvuDQEWxXGkI0zwCK4B/s400/IMG_6535.JPG" width="300" /></a><span id="goog_380121222"></span><span id="goog_380121223"></span><br />
I've always felt that once you stop reading picture books to your kids you are missing out on some of the best books, artwork and stories that get written. The gorgeous illustrations, quirky humour and exciting dreams of future worlds.<br />
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Well, the same goes with books written for bigger kids.<br />
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Maybe the words are bigger on the page.<br />
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Maybe you'll read the book in one night.<br />
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Maybe you will love it so much you can't wait to share it with your kids.<br />
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Maybe a Fox is worth the read by you and your kids.<br />
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It's a little different to anything else available right now. It's not about fitting in at school or dealing with the latest social media crisis, it's not complete fantasy.<br />
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Maybe a Fox is sad. As an adult and as a parent, my heart was breaking in sections of this as 11 year old Jules talks about the little memory she has of her mum.<br />
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But the magic of this book is the community around Jules and her family. The support she has from the people and the environment around her.<br />
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There is magic in wishes, magic in believing, magic in hope for answers and better days.<br />
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This book is all about dealing with grief but it is also so much more. I don't want to spoil it at all by saying too much, but if you're looking for a book to share with kids 9-13, Maybe a Fox should be on your list.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-43302996018038679942017-02-14T22:22:00.001+11:002017-04-28T12:52:16.017+10:00Middle School; what's it all about?I used to read books about kids in middle school and I had no idea what it was. We are used to primary school and secondary school. It's the way of things here in Australia. It's how our schools are run.<br />
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Well, most of them. But not the one we go to.<br />
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This year we started in Grade 5 and that means middle school. It's a big deal. Everything changes. No longer do you have a tub or a chair bag or containers of shared pencils on your table, instead, there are lockers and locks to navigate. There are classes and timetables and the requirement that you eat your food when you need to. There's no brain food or smart snack or nude food, it's time to get that stuff sorted all on your own.<br />
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Middle school is for kids aged from around 10-14, or years 5-8 for us. It means there is no moving to secondary school and being the smallest kids in a big massive place. It means you get to use the good stuff, the science labs, the bigger sports grounds, interschool sports and swimming carnival days. You have music festivals and big bands. It's not such a bad deal, but it can be overwhelming.<br />
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You also kick off the year with a bonus day camp. A day for everyone to get to know the new kids, or new kids to them, for teachers to get to know you better and to learn some extra skills about teamwork, resilience and gaining confidence.<br />
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The thing with middle school is that as a parent, you've gotta be getting things right. Especially if your kid tends to be the type that worries. If the note says bring roll-on insect repellent you DO NOT pack the pump spray. If it says pack suncream, it is NOT OK for you to pack the Peppa Pig one you found rolling around in your bag.<br />
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I learnt this the hard way. I also learnt that you should lay out the things you want to pack, check they are ok and allow time for your kid to pack the stuff they want. Because, hey, this is middle school, not kindergarten and they don't want you packing crap in their bags anymore. No, not even the spare hat or sunglasses or a couple of band aids for emergencies.<br />
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However, pencils and paper will forever be cool. And lip gloss. You can never have enough of that. And bucket hats, the ones that have not changed in a gazillion years.<br />
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We're just three weeks into our middle school days and we've got four years to go. I 've still got a lot to learn. I am still not even sure I like this whole concept. I think I do, but I am also still thinking I'd like to have these babes in primary school for two more years. Either way, this is where we're at. Let's hope as the term rolls on we grasp the fun and excitement of new things and the love of packing 48 bags a week for acro, swimming, guitar, library, sport...<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-35741480757376657022017-01-24T12:48:00.000+11:002017-01-24T12:48:52.933+11:00Harry Potter Tween Clothing in action<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Two girls doing gymnastics wearing Harry Potter tween wear" height="375" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6L9I92ioiY4pYhJGEgkjfiiNF5qFH_lRQgy-KXWaH0cEK-bvK7xGTdMazrgTugkHJTUeiTVyduUQc6Vgmk-p1txxkSRl1MPlXaW9xKVTG2Pbsj-tjPhozW1OBcjSzFrxjjwaSAtWPQuySedMIQ" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" title="Harry Potter Tween Clothes " width="640" /></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have walked to every shop that sells clothes for kids over eight and stalked too many websites. Ask any parent of a kid aged 8-12 about buying clothes and most will tell you the same story, there is barely anything decent. Finding clothes that suit the tween aged kid is tough. Finding clothes they want to wear that also allow them to be kids is close to impossible. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thankfully, right now, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Big W have released a new range, which has a few pieces that my kids couldn’t wait to get their hands on. We’ve been Harry Potter fans for a few years – We even had the <a href="http://claireyhewitt.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/the-harry-potter-birthday-party.html" target="_blank">best </a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://claireyhewitt.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/the-harry-potter-birthday-party.html" target="_blank">Harry Potter birthday party</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a couple of years ago so I was hoping they’d be happy to see these. But to be honest, they are so fussy with clothing I wasn’t sure what they would think. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We were gifted a package of clothing from Warner Bros. Consumer Products, containing tees and track suits which arrived when we had visitors, so I let them all grab a few pieces and try them on. Not only did they love each item, they kept talking about how comfortable they all were. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because this is Melbourne we get the pleasure and pain of dealing with multiple weather situations every day. Luckily for us, this meant that we got to try out all the options in one day. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“They’re so comfortable” was the comment they repeated every time I asked for an opinion. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Girl wearing Harry Potter tshirt while sitting on a swing." height="640" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mXrclQpkZ6YLCnfqCRI9sSRP3XrI9QlMlwu1EC-1tg3aQWbzf_xibCTQ5osvCpPUBeRpKlEADUWHHxu18EXMJ1lGTc5PfPJVYjC9o-spP8WTgPf3Aix6am9f_LyYKw1FpNN4711Zzo04-A8Ivg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" title="Harry Potter t shirt on 8 year old child" width="480" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miss 8 prefers the Harry Potter Raglan Tee teamed with her denim shorts, which is pretty much her summer uniform. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miss 10 is often found lounging around in an armchair with a book or her iPad and likes to snuggle into her hoodie. Both of them have been grabbing the Harry Potter Track Pants each evening when they come in from playing outside. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are a lightweight tracksuit material, perfect for the summer/autumn. For our friends in the lovely northern states they could be great for your winter (just don’t wear them in Melbourne in July!) I also found the items very true to size/age range. My kids are on the taller side, Miss 11 wears the size 12 and Miss 8 is wearing the size 8 in each item. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Tween Girl watching Ipad wearing Harry Potter tween wear" height="480" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/vuJPPKOmMRCJ2D2mxiF4lxHC4W7vE6_oAyBa4_xsMd5gPwv0ZSE0vDLrJX8t4Xj0K5m_Yvw5HqmztigDLgxxByInMUl7V8DFFCgzVNwHu4M4YOIal-e-N5b9hJ077Sj0CqnBqkFsbLAH9esQPA" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" title="Tween wearing Gryffindor tee using iPad" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finding something for your kids to wear is much tougher than it should be, but the Harry Potter tween range at Big W makes finding an outfit easier, and it’s also priced at a level that’s affordable. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The items we tried out include: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harry Potter Track Pants - $19 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harry Potter Raglan Tee $15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harry Potter Hoodie $25</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harry Potter Long-Sleeve Tee $15 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">The girls loved these items so much that I’d like to give some away, and the Warner Bros. Consumer Products team agreed that it would be great to share the love further. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">If you’d like to win some for your own kids, pop over to my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/claireyhewitt/" target="_blank">Instagram page</a>, leave a comment and you’ll be in the draw to win. Check out #WBPromotion for other chances to win some goodies too.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Please note: I received the Harry Potter Tween clothing items to try and decided to write about them because I think my readers would be interested in them. The giveaway will be held on my Instagram page, items will be sent directly to the winner from Warner Bros. Consumer Products. </span></div>
<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-51709478614779878652017-01-10T21:56:00.000+11:002017-01-10T21:56:45.841+11:00On our Book Shelf: Tweens and KidsWhat did ya get for Christmas?<br />
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I hope you got a book.<br />
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One of the best bits of every Christmas in this house includes the new books that we all get to read.<br />
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This year the presents were a great success.<br />
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<b>For Tweens and Teens: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</b><br />
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Forget the movie, this book was rated 'THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ' by Miss 10. It even got rated better than Harry Potter, which was something we didn't think would ever happen. This is the book that dragged her from her iPad, left her begging to not get ready for just five more minutes so she could read a few more pages.<br />
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Initially, we had suggested that it was a book best read in the day time as it might get a bit scary. However, while she admitted the thought of watching the movie could be a bit scary, the book does not provide the fearful, anxious inducing worry that some movies do.<br />
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This is just the first in this trilogy by Ransom Riggs, and we are heading straight to the shops with our Christmas money to buy the next ones.<br />
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<b>For Primary School Kids: Hot Dog, by Anh Do</b><br />
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From the creator of Weirdo, we have a new series, starting with Hot Dog. As expected Miss 8 read it super quickly and then read it again. Then her cousin read it, then another kid and another, all in three day. Kids have become confident that books by Anh Do will provide them with an instant laugh, and an easy read that has some comic illustrations to entertain them. The newest book continues to provide exactly what they want.<br />
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Miss 8's review was 'it's a wonderful book, it's not very long, it could be longer, there are no people in it, but the cat dresses up a lot because his humans dress him up all the time. I think other kids will love this.'<br />
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<b> What's your favourite read this summer? </b><br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-91565001279814189382017-01-04T17:48:00.000+11:002017-01-04T17:48:39.175+11:00Circus 1903<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Things have changed at the circus over the last century. Well, just a little bit, but really not all that much, Circus 1903 shows a bit of a glimpse of circus life in 1903, with costumes, acts and entertainings similar to the old days.<br />
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But the circus will always be filled with people who do things with their bodies that the rest of us just will never ever manage to do. They bend, stretch, balance, throw, flip, twirl and bounce.<br />
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Our circus acts are now minus the animals, but that didn't stop the team at Circus 1903 from having an elephant on stage. With the clever clogs who make enormous puppets, they built a life-size elephant and the cutest baby elephant to run about on the stage with them.<br />
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Circus 1903 is filled with great acts that you expect the circus to have, with performers from all over the world. There aren't any clowns, which is a good thing for most of us, but there are lots of laughs.<br />
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A major highlight for me is just the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, rather than a big tent out in the middle of nowhere, instead you get to enjoy one of the most beautiful locations in Melbourne.<br />
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Your kids will love it, grown-ups will enjoy all the acts and it doesn't go for too long so the small ones are not out all night long.<br />
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The backdrop at the front of the theatre also makes for a really great photo shoot location, so make sure you snap a few pics of yourselves before you go in.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-6774286582743147982017-01-03T16:42:00.001+11:002017-01-04T17:53:44.836+11:00Strawberry forests forever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week the girls and I took a little drive just out of Melbourne to a place called the Strawberry Forest.<br />
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It's a new way to pick your own strawberries that doesn't include crawling around in the dirt to find them. Instead, they are grown vertically. Really, this just all seems so simple and normal that I am not sure why no one has been doing this for the last gazillion years. Or maybe they have, they just didn't invite the rest of us to come and pick them.<br />
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At the Strawberry Forest the berries are all organic and they look fantastic. There is a big sign begging people not to eat them as they pick them and I have to admit I was very very close to just testing them a few times. It was only my fear of being caught that stopped me!<br />
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The Strawberry Forest is located along one of the most beautiful roads I know, the Avenue of Honour in Bacchus Marsh. There are other fruit growing places along the road where you can stop and pick or purchase fruits depending on the season, one place also had an ice cream van which is a pretty good match to go with all those lovely strawberries.<br />
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If you're driving from Melbourne you might want to plan a lunch stop in Bacchus after you've picked your strawberries, as it doesn't take more than 10 minutes for three of you to pick 3kgs worth.<br />
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Prices per kilo change throughout the year, but currently they are $15 per kg. Check their Facebook page for details on open days, as the farmer closes to keep the farm looking spic and span.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-67573875430314026412017-01-02T17:14:00.000+11:002017-01-02T23:43:49.704+11:00New App for Kids 2017: Toca Life Vacation<br />
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Holiday time equals downtime for everyone and that means the kids might be using their devices more.<br />
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I much prefer my kids to be creating not consuming while the use their iPads, it's way too easy for them to just sit and watch rubbish that other people have uploaded.<br />
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Toca Life is the latest in the Toca Boca line of apps. I've been a fan of their stuff for awhile now. They are well known for making things gender and cultural neutral without resorting to animals.<br />
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With Toca Life Vacation kids can 'play' by moving things around and being the owner of their own vacation creation. Dress your characters, head to the airport, go to the beach or the hotel, check into your room, go to the ATM, head out for a meal. Whatever you end up doing, the child is in charge.<br />
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This is not a 'game'. You can't go out for mucking up, and you're not aiming for different levels, you just play.<br />
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You can also just reset and start all over again if you want to.<br />
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You will need to pay a few dollars for this one, it was AU$3.38 on 1 January, I prefer to pay for the apps and know that there are not going to be any adverts or in-app purchases to worry about. Once you have downloaded this one, you have everything you need.<br />
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You can get <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toca-life-vacation/id1114886979?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2" target="_blank">Toca Life Vacation</a> from the app store.Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-68108600764476876452016-12-16T18:07:00.001+11:002016-12-16T18:07:16.718+11:00Review: Museum Alive IMAX 3d<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-47Gf-q63GP8/WFOR7TK0R3I/AAAAAAAAGEM/4FxG_o11CWM2bw1M9oU7bhcXKr5KT8gnQCLcB/s1600/IMG_4287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Girls in front of Museum Alive IMAX sign Melbourne" border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-47Gf-q63GP8/WFOR7TK0R3I/AAAAAAAAGEM/4FxG_o11CWM2bw1M9oU7bhcXKr5KT8gnQCLcB/s640/IMG_4287.jpg" title="Museum Alive" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sunniest day in Melbourne 2016: IMAX</td></tr>
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We went to check out the latest at Melbourne IMAX this week and got to see David Attenborough's new feature, Museum Alive 3D.<br />
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WOW. It was fabulous.<br />
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It's a short film, less than 45 minutes from start to end and every moment is just lovely.<br />
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Walking through the British Natural History Museum, you might at first just sit back and admire the architecture of such a building and wish that there were many more like it around the world. So beautiful.<br />
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But soon you will be learning about some extinct animals, what we now about them, and what we don't, how they might have lived in millions of years ago, or even just centuries ago, like the Dodo bird. These animals are brought to life in a very talented way, making the animals seem extremely real.<br />
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Kids with an interest in anything related to animals, science, history, dinosaurs or cool stuff will really enjoy this one, and all adults will love it. You will certainly be disappointed in the short running time and wish that they could have shown you more around the Museum. (I have added it to my places I must visit one day list).<br />
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While Museum Alive 3D is something that you could take your kids too, please be aware that while the content is suitable, there are moments of suspense that might scare very small children, the Abominable Snowman does no harm, but the viewer isn't sure if he just might be feral. There are also a couple of loud bangs, children who are sensitive to loud noise may struggle at a couple of moments in this feature, these are not always scary noises, but dinosaurs stomp and creatures break out of glass cabinets, many children will not be fazed by this, but sensitive ears could be.<br />
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Museum Alive 3D is playing at I<a href="https://www.imaxmelbourne.com.au/movie/museum_alive_3d" target="_blank">MAX right now in Melbourne</a>, see it if you can.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-49710137056842681442016-12-14T15:33:00.001+11:002018-12-10T21:13:28.426+11:00Letter to the world: 2016 <div class="MsoNormal">
Dear World</div>
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I am eight.</div>
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Today I learnt to ride a bike. No training wheels.</div>
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I’ve had<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>heaps of bikes in the past but I just never wanted to ride them. Today I decided I would and in just a few spins of the car park I was hooning off on my new wheels.</div>
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2016 has been a pretty good year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfh954edOKLdMsKEza_JPlLlE8_bPOkOdWfB4hJIGY-6B59O7EF-_tXsQMXTO5kSWqpoKX6bo-qJPoASIBO3T1gJe40ey70lWZc7BwOCPMpSV0ywcLHuFJZn3fBFg11sLVBZToGnUNAc/s1600/IMG_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfh954edOKLdMsKEza_JPlLlE8_bPOkOdWfB4hJIGY-6B59O7EF-_tXsQMXTO5kSWqpoKX6bo-qJPoASIBO3T1gJe40ey70lWZc7BwOCPMpSV0ywcLHuFJZn3fBFg11sLVBZToGnUNAc/s640/IMG_0351.JPG" width="640" /></a>I travelled to Jakarta and had a holiday there. It was pretty different to Australia, they have a lot of people and a lot of cars and there is LOTS of sitting in your car. But the people were all really nice wherever we went. We swam heaps, we ate yummy food and I saw my cousins which is also really really good.</div>
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I got a new cousin. She is the cutest baby that ever was born and we all love love love her.</div>
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I also got glasses to wear at school, they are pretty cool.</div>
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I went to Queensland and met some great friends there, the weather wasn’t great so we made really funny music.lys because 2016 has kind of been the year of making music videos for me. They are so easy and fun to do with your friends. We dress up, makeup dances, and film them over and over again. Mum has my account on private and thinks more kids should have their accounts on private too, but my mum still locks down all our devices so we can’t access everything. It can be annoying but at least I don’t see anything scary on YouTube now that I only have YouTube Kids.</div>
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I am still asking for a puppy. And I will never stop asking. We go to the pet shop a bit to just hold the puppies but we never ever get to buy one. Parents can be disappointing sometimes.</div>
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This year at school I was in grade two. It’s not a bad year. Not too hard. But we did have to do learning the time and I really wasn’t a fan of that. Too many tricky questions. We had our first school camp and it was pretty good, I must admit it was more fun than I expected.</div>
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I also got Glandular Fever. Don’t ever add that to the list of things you want because it really isn't very nice. I don’t ever want to have panadol again, I had to take so much of it to keep my fever below 40 that it was like my main food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even had to have a blood test, it wasn’t really too bad, but the doctor said when kids are as sick as I was that day, the blood test is the least of their worries. I am not sure if that is true, I am not planning on another one anytime soon. But when you get that sick you do get to watch a lot of movies and that is a good thing if you are a movie buff like me. I really love to watch movies, all types, (not grown up ones with kissing in them) and I think I would like to be in a movie too. I just don't want to do acting and dancing classes where people tell you what to do all the time.</div>
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I am now thinking I will be a zoologist when I grow up. At the moment, my favourite colour is yellow and my favourite animal is a giraffe. I love to eat spaghetti bolognaise. I now rate them out of 10 whenever we go out because every place you go uses a different recipe. One meal, but you never know exactly how it's going to taste.</div>
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I don’t really have any advice for the world this year. But I think people should be more kind to each other.</div>
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Last week at school one of the kids in my class said to me, in her mean voice “You just keep trying to make bad things good”, I told her that was a good thing and she just screamed at me, “You’re doing it again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, her thoughts are not the boss of my thoughts so I could just walk away and talk to someone else. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what mum said was the best thing, to always remember someone else’s thoughts are not mine and so I don’t have to agree with what they say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t have to either.</div>
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I gotta go make yellow cupcakes for my friends who are coming over today, so that’s it from me for 2016.</div>
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Immy.</div>
Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-16329829248274204852016-11-22T23:11:00.000+11:002016-11-24T10:45:59.336+11:00On our Bookshelf: For Teens and Tweens Christmas 2016Miss 10 and I have been reading like crazy recently. So many great books out there that we decided to share a few of them with you. It can be difficult to find books for reluctant readers, for teens who think nothing relates to them and tweens who are lost trying to get away from fairies and dinosaurs to something more mature, but not to old.<br />
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So here you go, here's a list of great stuff to stuff the stockings with this year. Or just to read from the library when you get your hands on them.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oH8FKBSERMQ/WDQzMjeemTI/AAAAAAAAGCQ/wtOh38hbkLUOB9IJIqtaj_okxabYpuhbACLcB/s1600/SpontaneousCover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oH8FKBSERMQ/WDQzMjeemTI/AAAAAAAAGCQ/wtOh38hbkLUOB9IJIqtaj_okxabYpuhbACLcB/s320/SpontaneousCover.jpeg" width="213" /></a><b>Spontaneous</b><br />
by Aaron Starmer<br />
This is a TEEN book.<br />
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Mara is in her senior year when a classmate actually spontaneously combusts. Bam. She's gone. But that's just the first of many students who just up and bust. Why is this happening? Who will be next? What does a community do when fear hits and they can't work out why only the senior kids are blowing up?<br />
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Well, if you're one of the teens then it won't take long before sex, drugs and a youtube channel take over.<br />
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This book is for teens right now. Or for parents who want to read about life as a teen right now. The characters are using snapchat, making a fortune from their story on social media, they are smart, scared and hopeful.<br />
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This book is ideal for a reluctant teen reader who needs something very modern, very now and makes them want to keep reading. The ending was a disappointment to me, but perhaps that's because I am not the audience for this book.<br />
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<b>Highly recommended </b>by me, who may have missed some of the references in this book because I am so old.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7BBk4gpENhQ/WDQzKflqlxI/AAAAAAAAGCM/P5GaoU0cOSsvOEuaAyyh0rcVBgHias6ngCLcB/s1600/Soon_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7BBk4gpENhQ/WDQzKflqlxI/AAAAAAAAGCM/P5GaoU0cOSsvOEuaAyyh0rcVBgHias6ngCLcB/s320/Soon_2015.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Soon</b><br />
by Morris Gleitzman<br />
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Soon is the fifth book in this series that follows a boy called Felix.<br />
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We have previously read Once, Before, Now and After which share what happens to Felix, a Jewish boy left in a Catholic orphanage before the second world war. With Soon, the war is over, Felix is 13 and stuck in a city that is a shambles, coping with limited supplies and no law and order.<br />
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Gleitzman writes each of these books so that kids without prior knowledge only pick up what they can, and adults who know so much more can easily read between the lines and enjoy the books.<br />
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In Soon, Felix is older, and it's possibly presumed that his readers have aged with him. Unlike in the previous books, in this one, the concepts are discussed more, and we hear a lot more about medical experimentation and how totally vulgar and cruel such practices are. There is also a storyline about a young girl who has been raped by Russian soldiers and is now pregnant. Miss 10 was not prepared for these concepts to be in the book and I suggest parents of younger tweens read the book first.<br />
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<b>Recommendation</b>: 13 and up will enjoy this book as much as all the others, while those who have not started the series can easily read any of the books without reading them in any order. Adults will read it in a day.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxVhWQXZlw8/WDQzGCsPwwI/AAAAAAAAGCI/WSu828e2y1wusrfqkZCjSWEZTgPiSXWZACLcB/s1600/blink-and-you-ll-die.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxVhWQXZlw8/WDQzGCsPwwI/AAAAAAAAGCI/WSu828e2y1wusrfqkZCjSWEZTgPiSXWZACLcB/s320/blink-and-you-ll-die.jpg" width="237" /></a>Ruby Redfort: Blink and you die.<br />
by Lauren Child<br />
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May all the book fairies bless the writing hands of Lauren Child. She gave us Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and also Ruby Redfort. This is the last in this series and Miss 10 grabbed it and read it in a week. It's a longer book than some other novels but will keep readers tuned in.<br />
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Miss 10 provided the following review:<br />
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"There is no need to have read all the other books in the series to enjoy this one. At times the book seemed to be going in all sorts of directions and I couldn't work out why we had to read some bits that kind of made no sense, but it didn't make me want to stop reading it. Towards the end the pieces all started to come together and the parts that seemed so random made perfect sense. This is a really great book, the ending is just the best and totally makes me want to go and read the others in the series that I haven't read yet."<br />
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<b>Recommendation</b>: Great book for kids in upper primary school and above, teens and tweens will both enjoy reading the last of Ruby Redfort. Those who have been reading Ruby for the best few years will be very keen to read this one, even if they are now adults.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AfKBxEHLbQ0/WDQ1lGkbJ4I/AAAAAAAAGCc/Icuua8dEDZA8EimJcPhRK6Qk7CcA2kYkACLcB/s1600/21965123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AfKBxEHLbQ0/WDQ1lGkbJ4I/AAAAAAAAGCc/Icuua8dEDZA8EimJcPhRK6Qk7CcA2kYkACLcB/s320/21965123.jpg" width="209" /></a><b>My Best Friend is a Goddess</b><br />
by Tara Eglinton<br />
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This is a new novel in the Young Adult arena that is written possibly more with a female market in mind. I really enjoy novels set in Australia to help make them more relatable to Australian kids. In this book, we go through a lot of standard teen issues, school, boys, parents who don't understand and mostly friendship. It's written in a very contemporary way, some of it in diary form, some in Instant Messenger form. This is not going to be loved by most adults, simply because it is not written for you, you're too old, you don't get it, you don't understand. It will be loved by females over 14 and under 21 who may relate to the different conversations that occur.<br />
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<b>Recommended</b>: Grab this for the teen girl who you just don't know what to buy for this Christmas. She'll be surprised you picked a book so like her.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-58133689615078041962016-11-05T10:56:00.001+11:002016-11-09T21:04:28.695+11:00How to do Halloween when you don't do Halloween.Halloween makes some Australians cringe. The concept of a highly commercial sugar filled American custom becoming the norm here can be upsetting, eye rolling, frustrating.<br />
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Too bad.<br />
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It's arrived and it's growing and it's best that you jump on the scary train with your witches broom in hand and find a way to make it fun for you.<br />
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Go on, be a joiner. I promise it won't hurt a bit.<br />
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You will get to see kids in your street that you never even knew existed. Our kids are so cooped up inside their picket fences these days that this can be the only night of the year that they get to walk the streets, (even if there are still adults only five steps behind).<br />
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You don't need to buy pricey outfits. Turn the dress up box upside down, let the kids use what is in the house and you'll be surprised what's already there. Book day outfits, end of year concerts costumes, face paint, and creativity can go a very long way. Teased hair and an old tee shirt with red paint and rips is really all you need.<br />
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We called over some friends, dusted off the camp chairs and a bottle of red wine and while the Dads and kids walked the streets, the mums happily manned the treats to give out to local kids. We meet people from school, people from the next streets, the neighbours and more.<br />
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By the time 8.30pm came along we were all packed up and done. All I had left to do was deal with the glitter. So MUCH glitter, because every witch/devil/ghost/ghoul looks better with sparkly faces, yes?<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-61405424067273643812016-10-19T13:32:00.002+11:002016-10-19T13:32:36.593+11:00Family Fancy Dress up Night: Inside OutThese days if we get an invite to a party for a Saturday night well the answer is YES!<br />
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If the kids are invited and we don't need a baby sitter it's a giant fist pumping YES!<br />
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When the party is six days away and you find out that everyone is going in fancy dress and there is no theme to help you decide what you should wear, well, then it's a bit bloody stressful. Until your kids ask if we can all go as characters from their favourite movie, Inside Out.<br />
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This is such an easy way to get ready for a fancy dress party and I ended up having so much fun planning our outfits. All day Saturday the kids helped to get the outfits ready.<br />
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I went as Joy and found a long blue wig and just cut it short to be more like Joy. I also managed to find a short yellow dress and some great blue shoes. Yes, Joy wears flats, but I decided Joy also loves great shoes. Because Joy is a little orange skin toned I finished my outfit with a fake tan the day before, going for an orange glow!<br />
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Mr H went as Anger, which again is really easy to do. You just need a red tie, a red face, arms and hands and some red hair spray.<br />
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We found the red hair spray worked best for the face paint too, not soo wet and slimy.<br />
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Ms 10 went as Disgust - if you have a tween, Disgust is perfect for them. I had a green dress in my wardrobe so I dusted off the sewing machine and took it in at the seams, then just added a green wig and some easy accessories and you have all the attitude you need.<br />
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Miss 7 wanted to go as Riley, the little girl in the movie. Riley is a jeans and hoodie kid who carries around her backpack a lot. Mainly, she wears a yellow hoodie. Miss 7 got some new jeans a new hoodie and she was done.<br />
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Everyone brought along a plate of food to share at the party, and I have to admit I cheated by getting some help with the cake - but take a look at that Anger cake at the top, it looks fantastic.<br />
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We did fail to get decent photos before we left home, so if you do dress up, remember to get some photos before you hit the party and the disco ball lighting ruins your shots.<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-36626583354374673202016-10-14T12:33:00.001+11:002016-10-14T12:33:34.876+11:00A Gatsby Night Out.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the weekend we got the gig as Professional Seat Fillers at a fundraising ball.<br />
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What a fun thing to do! Being a Professional Seat Filler is not for everyone, but for us, it's a great way to do something you just didn't have planned. You need to be happy to arrive at a function not really knowing who you're going to be sitting with and just enjoy the event.<br />
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Fundraising balls come with the addition of live auctions, silent auctions, raffles and requests for cash, but there isn't any pressure to mortgage your house to fund the charity.<br />
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The theme for our night out was "With a hint of Gatsby", with only 24 hours to pull our outfits together, organise babysitters, decide on transport and get our names on the table seating list we had to move fast. The key is to accept that you might not have the perfect outfit, but your attitude and enthusiasm to attend will take you the rest of the way.<br />
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Event organisers always want you to enjoy their function, they go to great lengths to try and make everything run smoothly, so with the right attitude you should really have a good time.<br />
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We met new people, were entertained by some fabulous performers, nearly won some wine in the silent auction, heard about some truly extraordinary research being done by medical types who just do the most superb work and had a really good laugh with the people on our table.<br />
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We quite enjoy the excitement of last minute plans, finding yourself at an event you never even knew existed, speaking with people at a table who you might not know at all. It's not for everyone, but it can be really good fun.<br />
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I am not sure if there is a career in filling seats for event organisers, but if there is...count me in!<br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-18638259483753489962016-10-02T20:38:00.000+11:002016-10-02T20:38:45.433+11:00Facts about making wishes<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You should never stop making wishes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">As you grow up, you may not have as much hope that your wishes might come true, but you should still never waste a chance to make one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Not everyone is lucky enough to get the chance to make a wish so never take it for granted. Some people give up on wishing altogether, but wishing is good. Wishing is powerful. Wishing never hurt anybody. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are a few standard places and times that people know you should make a wish and a few things you might not know about making wishes. Here're a few tips on getting the best out of your wishes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>1) Blowing out the candles on your birthday cake: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is the most popular wish and it should be used yearly. It's your reminder to make a wish for the year ahead. Don't waste it by making wishes for someone else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>2) When throwing money in a wishing well</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is known as good karma wishing. If you throw your coins in a well, chances are high that those coins are going to be doing something that helps other people. Karma is what makes the world go round, so your wish is highly likely to come true. Unless you over wished. Over-wishing can be a good thing, but don't be greedy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>3) Seeing the first star in the sky. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This one even has its own little rhyme. You get more power in your wish if you are looking out the windows in the car as you drive home from a night out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Star Light, Star Bright, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">First star I see tonight, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Wish I may, wish I might, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Have this wish I wish tonight...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">As stars are magical twinkly giant balls of red-hot fire, they are very powerful. Make your biggest wishes, whisper them to the night sky, close your eyes and think about your life when that wish comes true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>4) Chicken Wishbones</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Wishbone wishes are not very powerful. If you are not an only child you have to fight with people in the family to get to have a turn on the wishbone, then you have to fight to be able to pick the side you want and then you know that your sibling is going to cheat and make it hard for you. The wishbone wish is flawed because someone's wish doesn't come true, but what most people don't know is that the parents are making a wish as they watch their children wish on the wishbone and it's the parent's wish that usually comes true. That wish is usually that their children would stop fighting and that someone will throw that wishbone in the bin before the dog chokes on it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>5) Double Yoke-r</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you crack an egg and it's a double yoker, it is your lucky yokey day. Making a wish before you eat them, you've got double the chance it might come true. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>6) Dandelions</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Pick that precious little weed up as you walk along the street and blow those fairy seeds all over the place. Fairies live in dandelions and fairies are who help make dreams and wishes come true, the more of them released to fly around the atmosphere, the better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>7) Find a penny</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is not a wish, do not get confused between good luck and wishes. Remember the saying, 'Find a penny, pick it up, all day long, you'll have good luck.' So if you see a coin laying on the ground, you might have a lucky day, but don't go getting greedy and having a good day AND expecting wishes to come true too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vital information about wishes: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wishes can't hurt you. You can make as many as you like unless you have a genie who is only going to give you three wishes. You can make a wish every day. You can wish for things for other people, for things you hope for today or for things you want to happen in years to come. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Remember, don't just rely on the universe, karma and fairies, keep trying to make your own wishes come true too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /><br />D</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">isclaimer: This is not scientifically researched information. If you wish for it to be untrue, your wish might be granted. However, should you wish for it to all be true, you might be rewarded.</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615960162747995029.post-26629782604399152422016-09-08T22:27:00.001+10:002016-09-08T22:27:51.289+10:00Review: A Beautiful Planet - 3D<br />
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This week we went to see A Beautiful Planet in 3D at IMAX Melbourne.<br />
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To kick off the show it was introduced by a real live Nasa Astronaut! After completing many space missions covering a total of 55 days in space <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">Marsha Ivins, </span>shared with us that the footage we were about to see was not animated, it was all exactly what an astronaut sees in space. At times I had to remind myself of this note as the images look like they could truly be that of someone's imagination.<br />
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A Beautiful Planet is only a 45 minute film, but it feels longer as you see so many brilliant images of earth. Cut between scenes are snippets of life for the astronauts living on the space station, how they exercise, sleep, and even grow lettuce. The moments with the astronaut walking OUTSIDE the space station made me hold my breath as I just imagined him falling off and floating off into space, never to be seen again.<br />
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It's a great film to see with your friends who might be climate change sceptics. Take them to see it, let them see Earth from far far away where the brown baron lands are extreme, where land has sunk in vast places from people taking underground water for just a few decades.<br />
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There is a section where you learn what it would be like on Mars, and with the 3D glasses in full effect, I actually felt a little like I was on a ride at the show. The effects are just extraordinary.<br />
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Outside the cinema there is a giant blackboard encouraging people to share the things that they think are beautiful on the planet.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dnEsEx4lPuQ/V9FWdfyFZ8I/AAAAAAAAF98/_DxUiFkIxyUUMq0-6ioow1oaDuutZoBfwCLcB/s1600/LisaFrieling_IMAX_ABeautifulPlanet_2016-1057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dnEsEx4lPuQ/V9FWdfyFZ8I/AAAAAAAAF98/_DxUiFkIxyUUMq0-6ioow1oaDuutZoBfwCLcB/s640/LisaFrieling_IMAX_ABeautifulPlanet_2016-1057.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is very much a documentary, smaller kids might find it a little too documentary like but Miss 7 enjoyed the entire show. If I had any complaints about this film it would be the heavy focus on USA, it's clear that the people making this film are American, while other countries are shown, it is just a tiny glimpse of the top of Australia and not a great deal of Asia. But you do get to see things you could never imagine, like the difference between North and South Korea in perhaps the image that best describes two countries who are physically so close, but in every other way, so far away.<br />
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This is certainly a film worth seeing on the big screen and in 3D, no matter how good your TV is at home, it will never give you the feeling you get when watching it on an imax laser screen.<br />
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Add it to the list of things to check out these school holidays.<br />
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<i>We were guests for the opening night of A Beautiful Planet in Melbourne, photographer Lisa Frieling was there to take photos, including both the images in this post. </i><br />
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<br />Claireyhewitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04848058653374768316noreply@blogger.com0