If you like dogs you will love this.

Remember I told you all about this years must have Christmas DVD...click back here if you forgot. It's The Search for Santa Paws.

While Popps couldn't watch it at the time, we happened to go to a market the next week and the Disney promo team had the most gorgeous Santa Paws puppy there for the kids to pat and say hello to. Those that know me also know I am not a big animal lover, but this dog was the kind that even I would consider letting step inside.

It was beautiful.

Popps is now convinced she has met Santa's puppy, and she wants to watch just the end of the movie where it might be happy (of course it is).

You can also get your hands on a copy of this DVD by winning one right here.

Tell me, does the idea of having a dog sleep in/on/within 50metres of your bed freak you out, or have you convinced yourself it is normal?
You also need to be a follower of this blog to be in the running.

This will run till Wednesay 24 November. Winner will be picked by SS, we will call him Secret Santa for this week, cos he is more exciting than random.org. If it makes him laugh like Santa, it will be a winner.

This will have to be for happy little vegemites in Australia only, it may not play on international electronics.



NOVEMBER 24 2010

Added to this post....

Secret Santa has made his decision, anyone who has the bad luck to have a ferret on their member deserves a prize. He also liked how much it freaked me out that someone would actually allow a rat in their bed...Jasmine, you win, don't ever visit here though, I have a rat bait box in the shed for just in case! True Dinks

If you love a market

and you are in Melbourne, don't forget that this Sunday the Williamstown Market is on. And if you love decent priced and fabulous photos as much as me, pop into see Karen from Kas Studios and have some shots done.

here is my little Immy again.

If you're really lucky, you might even see me there having some more done!

Aussie Wordless Wednesday: 17 November 2010

It's nearly summer in Melbourne. Sorry for the blur, it was raining, I had to use the camera zoom from inside, as that is not my idea of fun!

Helping out a new Mum

One of my bloggy friends has just given birth to her new son Jasper. To ensure her blog was not left blank for a few weeks while she gets used to life with three small children Becky put out the call asking for others to send in a story relating to birth, labour and newborns. See, if you are organised you can get all the help you need!


Today she is featuring a post from meeeeee.

But don't panic, I didn't gross you all out with stories of how Popps and Immy arrived in the world, just left a few tips that might be handy for anyone who has a bun in oven.

And as I love pictures of newborns, here is one I found from Iris Creations Photography, check them out to get your fix of cuteness, but not if you are in any way clucky.

The Filthy Car.

I am not sure when it happens but I think people have been sneaking their rubbish into our car, it is also possible some filthy rodent critter lives in there.

 this is not our car, but feel free to decorate it like this if you see it.

You can barely see the floor, the car seats are full of crumbs and sultanas, those trendy new drink holders are full of dirty tissues with rotten flowers. The windows have been smeared with god knows what. Special treasures that just MUST be kept sneak in and never leave, sticks, dead insects, balloons that have popped, lolly wrappers, socks that get pulled off and thrown under seats.

The car is foul, it stinks, I want a new one.

And that's just the inside.

I have been silently asking SS to address this issue for six months. Not wanting to nag about it, I have only suggested once that perhaps he could clean the car. But the poor old car has not seen a drop of water that didn't splash out of a sippy cup.

Yesterday I was sneaking off to the local shrine for shopping and couldn't stand it anymore. Being a bit of a feminist, it was time to just do the job myself.

So I snuck into one of those car wash parks, where you leave the car, shop and return to cleanliness.

I hardly recognised the beast on my return, so sparkly and fresh, I handed over an arm and leg to the cleaners, jumped in, soaked up that taxi smell deodorant stench and was oh so glad to be able to see out the windscreen.

SS was not happy, he asked if I thought we were made of money, how could I be so wasteful to pay someone else for what he could so easily have done himself!

Like he hadn't had enough notice.

But one drive where the pedals didn't get jammed because there was an empty drink container rolled in behind the accelerator, and his attitude changed, we don't need a new car, just a clean one.

Is it just my kids, or do other people seem to have furry things living in their cars? Please say you do.



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The Grown Up Check list

I think I have just taken the final step to confirm I am a 'Grown Up'.

But first let us tick off the essential items from the "I am now an official Grown Up list"

1) Grown ups don't drink Passion pop or spew-mante or west coast coolers.

2) A grown up does not smother themselves with Coconut Reef Oil and lie at Bells Beach for eight hours when it is 42 degrees.

3) Grown ups will not line up to get into a club, pub or restaurant at 2 am wearing hot pants and a halter neck top while it is -2 degrees.

4) Grown ups don't wear ripped jeans a with a t-shirt that says "Wanna see my HOOTERS" written across it to casual day at work. (unless you work at Hooters of course!)

5) Grown ups know what a tomato plant looks like.

6) Grown ups don't share a house with 15 Pommie back packers who steal your food, or live in a house where you have to mark the shampoo bottle to discourage your house mates from using your stuff.

7) Grown ups remember if they have pets.

8) Grown ups have an iron, a food processor and possibly a bread maker, the items will generally be shiny from lack of use, but still possessed by the grown up.

9) Grown up woman accept that they are not going to live the life of a Sex and the City cast member. You will never be Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte or Miranda.

and lastly, what I have agreed to:

10) A person is only considered a complete grown up when they accept to host a family Christmas.

At their own place.

With real crockery, cutlery and homemade food.

For more than 10 people.

I might not make it to the other side, but Christmas Day 2010 the Babble House will be full of Christmas craziness Spirit.

Are you a grown up?



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First across the line

The winner of the Santa Clause two giveaway was the first comment, who was by Anonymous. But lucky, they also emailed me to tell me who they were. Anon, I will email you to get your address and send you some Christmas viewing.

These are a few of my favourite things...

Photography - done by other people

Handwriting

Christmas - what is not to like!

Join all this together and with the help of my new friend Karen who did the photos for my blog and the super photos of the girls and I have the best Christmas cards ever.

Yep, I sent Karen a few photos from the BabbleOn house photo ablum of 2010. As we subscribe to the shoot and run photography style most of our photos are blurred, red eyed, one person not looking, bad lighting, eyes closed.

But with her super skills Karen turned our shockers into this:

and also this:

I am printing them out at the local photo shop and can then get busy handwriting some personalised cards to all of our family and friends (sorry for those of you who now know what to expect!)

So, do you wanna get some of these done for yourself? It is all so easy.

And Karen has sent me a special note:

As a special for your blog followers - I will edit and create a personalised Christmas card for AU$15.



To order just go to -- www.studiokas.com.au and click 'view your photos'. The password and discount code for is babbleon (case sensitive). Then just select your preferred template and make payment.

Instructions on emailing photographs will then be supplied to you.


The fine print: the price includes, professional editing of 3 photographs (lighting, tone, basic touch up of images & converting to black and white), adding a personal message to the card, the supply of a high resolution jpeg image for printing.


So, off you go, search through your phone and digital cards for those images that are semi good but not great and turn them into a Christmas Card for everyone to share.