threelilprincesses.com

Blog

  • Elf On A Shelf Ideas

    Elf On A Shelf Ideas

    Elf on a shelf ideas

    We somehow got talked into introducing an Elf On a Shelf into our house, which means each night Oliver needs to come up with Elf On A Shelf ideas.

    After coming up with name ideas for our Elf On A Shelf, the girls settled on Oliver.

    Over the past few weeks Oliver has come up with the best Elf On A Shelf ideas, the naughty Elf On A Shelf ideas and the easy Elf On A Shelf ideas when he clearly just doesn’t have time.

    Here’s what he’s been up to.

    Day 1: Elf on a Shelf beheads teddy

    beheaded elf on a shelf

    To be fair, the teddy had already lost its head and was waiting for me to sew him back together. Oliver just decided to have some fun with it!

    Day 2: Revenge on Oliver

    elf on a shelf revenge

    The teddies formed a posse and put Oliver the Elf under house arrest. These cowboys are makin’ sure no teddies will fall victim to that mischievous elf…

    Day 3: Rice Bubbles Elf

    Rice bubbles elf

    Great to see Oliver is now less serial killer, more cereal thriller. 

    Day 4: Elf On A Shelf Goodnight

    elf on a shelf goodnight

    Booger Nights. Oh Oliver. Clearly being a naughty Elf On A Shelf.

    Day 5: Mischievous Elf

    naughty elf on a shelf ideas

    Oliver the Elf is into the Advent Calendar early. The kids are not gonna be happy. Naughty Oliver.

    Day 6: Casanova Elf

    casanova elf

    So Julian came to bed thinking about how he had to get up the next day and cut the grass, only to find Oliver the Elf thinking about cutting his. Naughty little Elf On A Shelf.

    Day 7: Going to School

    elf on a shelf school bag

    Looks like Oliver is off for his first day of school. Don’t be a bully Oliver. Play nice.

    Day 8: Teepee Christmas tree

    Teepee Christmas tree

    Oliver the Elf went to school and, while the kids were at lunch, he hooked up with the class lady elf. Nicely played Miss Facci 👏 Tonight he’s back to being naughty…. silly elf raiding the girls’ Advent calendar

    Day 9: Jenga madness

    Jenga elf

    It’s official. Oliver the Elf sucks at Jenga.

    Day 10: Elf going crackers

    Elf going crackers

    Oliver. I’m not even going to ask what’s going on here …

    Day 11: Elf at the beach

    elf at the beach

    Think Oliver has made his plans for this weekend perfectly clear. Also, clearly, an easy Elf on the Shelf idea when time is tight.

    Day 12: Elf on a Shelf newsworthy

    Elf newspaper

    Oliver catching up on the news of the week in the Illawarra Mercury. Again, he’s looking for easy ideas. Must be a busy week.

    Day 13: On a trip

    Simple elf shelf ideas

    Think Oliver is trying to say we need a holiday.

    Day 14: Creative Elf

    elf on a shelf creative ideas

    Nice drawing Oliver. Mad skills. I think we have an elf that’s now coming up with creative Elf on A Shelf ideas.

    Day 15: Creative Elf follow up

    creative elf on a shelf ideas

    And then he goes and does this…

    Day 16: Dog Poo Trick

    elf dog poo trick

    Oliver is a good 🐶 owner. He cleans up his doggo’s 💩

    Day 17: Elf in a Skull

    elf in skull head

    No bones about it. If you don’t feed your elf, this will happen.

    Day 18: Elf on a Shelf fart jokes

    Elf on a Shelf Fart jokes

    OLIVER!!! The power came back on and we caught Oliver trying to make the best of a bad situation. Naughty little elf.

    Day 19: Elf and Barbie

    Elf on a shelf and Barbie

    Oliver…

    Day 20: Sports fan Elf

    sports fan elf

    Think Oliver is hinting he wants to go watch the Illawarra Haws basketball.

    Day 21: Elf mirror writing

    Elf mirror writing

    So Julian made the mistake of picking up Oliver when the kids were watching. Don’t think he’s happy.

    Day 22: Naught Elf

    Naughty elf

    Julian to Oliver the Elf: “Oliver you might smile but it will be me laughing when you spend the next 11 months in a box in the garage.” Naughty elf!

    Day 23: Christmas cracker elf

    Christmas cracker elf

    Ella made homemade Christmas crackers complete with jokes and trinkets. She freaked when she found Oliver had added one.

    Day 24: Elf cooking up a storm

    elf cooking

    No, you silly boy. ROAST duck, not RUBBER duck. Sigh. His name is Oliver but clearly Jamie Oliver he is not.

    More ideas for Elf On A Shelf

    Here are some other things Oliver has been up to…

    Elf on a Shelf with shaving cream

    The addition of a girl elf on a shelf, whose name is Olivia.

    Our Elf On The Shelf accessories include ten pin bowling for Oliver and Olivia’s first date night!

    But Oliver doesn’t always buy things. Sometimes he uses what’s already in the house – like skiing down the stairs using candy canes.

    Don’t have your own Elf on A Shelf yet? This one is pretty good value. There is also a girl Elf On A Shelf.

    Please note: Some links may be affiliate links.

  • The safest cars you can buy in Australia

    The safest cars you can buy in Australia

    Sponsored Post

    Driving with kids can be one of the most challenging aspects of parenthood – especially in hefty ol’ Australia, where we must often travel unreasonably long distances by car.

    Between concentrating on the road, following sat nav directions and trying to keep the kids from killing each other in the back… it can all get a bit too much, and actually quite dangerous.

    Indeed, a 2013 study of Melbourne drivers found that parents who drive with young children in the back seat spent an average 18% of the time with their eyes off the road!

    With this in mind, it’s clear that parents need all the help they can get. The first step is to get a car that’s properly up to the job, so here are the safest cars you can buy in Australia as rated by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

    Toyota Prius

    prius

    The 2016 Toyota Prius combines excellent crash test scores and an impressive range of high tech safety features, making it one of the safest cars on the road in Australia.

    The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded this model ‘Top Safety Pick+’, meaning that there was minimal risk of injury to the driver in a standard crash test. All variants from November 2015 onwards have an ANCAP safety rating of 5 stars.

    Meanwhile, the Toyota’s impressive safety features include a number of automated technologies. The smart cruise control system uses sensors to continually monitor the speed of the car ahead, automatically adjusting your speed so you maintain a safe distance at all times. If an imminent crash is detected, the car will alert the driver and apply the brakes automatically.

    Combine all these features with this hybrid’s fuel efficiency and you have a top pick for a thrifty family car.

    Mazda CX-9

    mazda cx9

    This excellent SUV combines the sporty performance of a sedan with the safety and control of a 4WD, making it an excellent choice for nipping about town with the kids in tow.

    All models from July 2016 onwards have an ANCAP safety rating of 5 stars, meaning that in a test crash both the driver and passenger had a high level of protection and survivability.

    The Mazda CX-9’s enhanced safety relies on maximising visibility for the driver. Controls are carefully positioned to avoid driver distractions and a high tech array of cameras and sensors gives the driver a 360 view of the road at all times.

    The size and space in this Mazda, coupled with its excellent safety record, make it arguably the best choice for larger families.

    Subaru Levorg

    Subaru levorg

    Taking third place on the list is the brand new sportwagon from Subaru – the Levorg – with all models receiving an ANCAP safety rating of 5 stars.

    This is the third Japanese car on the list, showing that the country’s manufacturers are really putting safety as their highest priority. Subaru have succeeded in making one of their safest cars yet, with the Levorg scoring 35.85 out of a possible 37 points.

    All three available models have automated emergency braking built in as standard, activating both in car on car and car on pedestrian accidents.

    With its sleek style the Levorg has got to be the car of choice for those with older families. No teenager would be embarrassed being dropped off at school in this beauty!

    Mercedes-Benz E-Class

    mercedes benz e class

    The final car on our list is the incredibly swanky E-Class from the German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. All variants from July 2016 onwards have received an ANCAP safety rating of 5 stars.

    Behind its handsome exterior the E-Class is jam packed with cutting edge safety tech unique to Merc.

    The ‘Impulse Side System’ inflates air chambers to push front seat riders inwards by 50mm in the event of a side collision, lessening the chance of direct impact. Meanwhile, the model series 213 features a system that plays ‘pink noise’ from the car’s speakers just before impact, protecting the inner ear from damage during the crash.

    This car’s the number one pick for the driver that wants a full luxury experience without compromising on safety.

    All images via Gumtree

  • Spirit of Tasmania versus flying: Which do you prefer?

    Spirit of Tasmania versus flying: Which do you prefer?

    Sponsored Post

    spirit of tasmania
    Right now, as I write this, I’m looking out the window at the Spirit of Tasmania sitting out on the Mersey River. It’s such an awesome sight on a still night.

    It’s one of the reasons we first bought his house. You never tire of watching the Spirit sailing in and out of the mouth of the Mersey.

    I’m going to be honest and say it’s been a while since we last sailed on the Spirit. Pre kids actually. I remember doing a day sailing over and getting to explore the ship, while on the way back we opted for a night trip with a cabin.

    A few years back, just before one of our previous trips to Melbourne, Julian was talking to Ella’s child carer. Ella repeated her usual “yes, we’re going to Melbourne to see Uncle Rick, aren’t we Dad?’’.

    “We hear so much about Uncle Rick. Apparently he has a really big boat?’’ the child carer said.

    Julian then had to explain that the “big boat’’ is actually the Spirit. The child carer had more than a little chuckle at that.

    Due to the boat being so visible, there’s been repeated requests we go to Melbourne on “Uncle Rick’s big boat’’ since instead of the plane.

    Watching this video I’m questioning why on earth we don’t go on the Spirit more often. Especially with trying to organise kids. I know they would think it was such an adventure.

    Tell me: do you prefer to fly or sail?

    DISCLAIMER: I was paid to write this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own.

  • While we’re away…

    While we’re away…

    Build A Blog That Matters

    As many of you know, we’re taking a six-month break from this blog due to the sheer volume of work that has resulted from our business blog, Kellie O’Brien Media.

    While we’re away, I thought you might be interested in learning how to start your own blog.

    Blogging can take as much or as little time as you want it to. Ultimately though, it can open some amazing doors for you. It has for me.

    Learn how to make money from blogging with our free course coming soon.

    If you’re a business or PR, please note we won’t be responding to your blogger outreach emails. There’s just too many to filter through on a daily basis. We hope you understand.

  • Aussie Giveaway Linkup #130: An announcement about this blog

    Aussie Giveaway Linkup #130: An announcement about this blog

    Peeking through window

    As the headline suggests, I have a little announcement to make about the Three Li’l Princesses blog. We’ve decided to take a six-month break from the blog due to huge growth with the Kellie O’Brien Media brand.

    Unfortunately, late last year I struggled to keep both the personal and business blogs going and do them justice. I admit, I’m a perfectionist and if I’m going to do something, I want to do it well.

    However, we’re not going to leave you in the lurch with the Aussie Giveaway Linkup. Instead, it will be moving to the Kellie O’Brien Media blog.

    So you still get a dose of me every week with your linky. And I promise, there’ll still be a bit of a laugh, something about the girls or some stupid thing I’ve done.

    The linky code has changed slightly, so you may want to grab the new one and update your old linky, so you can easily click through to the right address each week.

    If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

    Otherwise, head over to this week’s Aussie Giveaway Linkup…

  • Aussie Giveaway Linkup #129: We wish you a Merry Christmas

    Aussie Giveaway Linkup #129: We wish you a Merry Christmas

    Christmas angel

    Well, it’s come to that point in the year. This little blog is signing off for a few weeks, but will return again January 18.

    The below linky will stay live for a little longer than usual, just to allow you to come back next week and link up again if you have more giveaways to promote.

    Thanks so much to all of you who come and link up each week, enter others’ giveaways or leave a comment letting me know that, despite the crazy things that happen in my life, I’m still (relatively) normal!

    We wish you all a safe and happy Christmas. Please, please, please stay safe on the roads, take time to enjoy your kids and stay away from Auntie Jenny’s punch. That stuff can be dangerous!

    Now, onto this week’s Aussie Giveaway Linkup…

    Aussie Giveaway Linkup instructions:

    If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

    1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately. If you need to delete it, hover over your link, wait until the red “x’’ appears and click.
    2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents and be run by Australian-based bloggers or businesses.
    3. Grab the button below to add to your post.
    4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
    5. Start entering the giveaways! Entry is at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for unfulfilled prizes or a blogger/business not abiding by their own terms and conditions.

     


    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses