LAST night The Bloke in The Shed and I hosted the Carols in the Blogger Domain Party here on the blog and it was an absolute hoot. Thank you to all those who took part.
You can click on the post to see the transcript of the night. But beware: it gets a little rowdier as the night wears on. I think after Michael Buble was on, we all went a little giddy in the head. There also may, or may not, have been a photo that made one attendee respond with an “oh my’’.
We’re looking at hosting some regular events throughout the year, so if you have suggestions on online parties you’d like to be part of, let us know. Australia Day, maybe? In the meantime, it’s time to win some goodies before Christmas arrives.
If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:
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.
Giveaways must be open to Australian residents.
Grab the button to add to your post.
A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
Join us as Three Li’l Princesses hosts a Carols in the Blogger Domain Party in the palace on Saturday from 8pm. Yes, Carols doesn’t start until 8.30pm, but the delightful (OK, down right adorable) Michael Buble is on at 7pm, so there’ll be plenty of banter early. It’s a chance for those mums (and dads) who can’t get out and attend Christmas events due to family committments (ie, you’re stuck at home with the kids) to have some fruit punch and gossip in our gowns (ah, dressing gowns) and slippers (just so you know, we’re not talking Cinderella slippers, either) as we wait with baited breath for the big fat man (or Hugh Sheridan, rather).
The night will involve Christmas giveaways, silly quizzes, daggy videos, some rather ridiculous Santa photos, courtesy of The Bloke in The Shed, and a live cross to Mr Buble himself (I could possibly be using some creative license there).
Simply click on the link below on carols night and start chatting. Feel free to come and go as you please. We’re all mums, so we understand that getting children to bed comes first.
If you have an iPhone you can also download a free app to use with the blog at the iPhone app store or on www.coveritlive.com
THERE was a post half written on a little tiny notepad as I cooked homemade pizza with Princess Ella for dinner tonight. In between cutting up the sweet potato, zucchini, mushrooms and eggplant, I jotted down thoughts quickly before Ella’s incessant need to tell me the same knock knock joke repeatedly ruined my train of thought. That, or her baby sister waking.
It started off with how the big guns know too well we’ve all got our purse strings loosened a little more than usual at the moment. You see, three big companies filled our letter box this week with rather large bills, each with a due date of, yes you guessed it, December 24. Merry Christmas to us and a frugal New Year.
However, that all went out the window at 7pm tonight. My outlook on Christmas, on life, changed when I read a Letter to Santa in The Advocate Newspaper. The letter was from eight-year-old Staci. Tears are still falling as I write this. Those bills? They’re irrelevant. Suddenly, I just want my little girl to talk my ear off – bad jokes or not.
I’ll leave you with an extract from that letter. Merry Christmas to you all and, please, make sure you hug your babies just a little tighter tonight.
Dear Santa,
My name is Staci … and I am eight years old … I wish I could be one of your elves, because my wish for Christmas is to have my baby brother back. He died in July of HLH. If we could have Joey back, Dad and Mum wouldn’t be sad anymore. Please take a gift to heaven for Joey. He loves teddy bears and cows and trucks.
IT’S hard to believe Strahan’s Macquarie Harbour is six times larger than Sydney Harbour. In Sydney you don’t get to experience the narrow and treacherous Hell’s Gates, see the salmon farms which supply to some of the world’s top restaurants or be entertained by real life stories of cannibalism while on notorious Sarah Island. Oh yes, believe it.
It’s been a while since I’ve done the cruise. It all takes place onboard the Lady Jane Franklin II, which is nothing short of pure class. And this is the cattle class,
not the premium section.
If she was a real lady, she’d be wearing Prada and having her hair set weekly (do ladies still have their hair set?).
Hell's Gates
We scored comfy seats at the front of the vessel – near the toy box. Make a note: take children.
I don’t know how many people with purple rinses told Princess Ella to: “look out, you have a snake around your neck’’. They thought it was funny. Ella thought it was funny. Really, what else matters?
Without exaggeration, the pristine World Heritage area on the world-famous Gordon River is breathtaking and was even more so on the stunning day we headed out (it’s world famous because a fight to save the river in the ‘80s attracted national attention).
Although, a dead whale wasn’t so pleasant. Poor fella.
When we reached the salmon farms, Ella’s main point of question was whether they had pigs at the farm. Hmm, not that sort of farm, darling.
We then came in to moor at the feared penal colony Sarah Island – the highlight of the trip. However, it’s also where we chose to end our trip, because of mechanical problems with the boat. Of all the days.
We decided not to continue on with the other boat that was offered for a few reasons: the Bloke in The Shed and I had done it before (actually, I’ve done it twice – that’s how much I enjoyed it) and the boat we were being transferred to already had a full load (we weren’t keen on battling the girls on a crowed boat).
But please, don’t be put off by our decision. I highly recommend doing the entire tour. You would not want to miss witnessing the ruins from the old penal buildings. Nor hearing about how the convicts built incredible boats from Huon pine. And don’t miss the gory tale of cannibalism by one very desperate convict. This is not your average history tour. To top it all off, there’s a chef prepared buffet lunch.
The kids will love wandering around the island and it’s a good way to get them to be good – if you’re naughty, this is where we’ll send you. Maybe. As far as family experiences go, this one is hard to pass up. The staff onboard were so accommodating, especially with the girls. The toys are plentiful. Space is abundant. And the penal settlement is unlike what you’re likely to have seen before. Truly sensational.
How to travel: Cruise in Comfort with two-levels of seating and buffet lunch; or Captain’s Premier Upper Deck, with leather seats, Tasmanian produce and beverages and private deck.
Duration: 5.5 hours. Leaves at 8.30am and, in peak season, 2.30pm.
Christmas Day: 10.30am to 4.30pm
Children: Aged 3-14 are entitled to child fares. Aged 2 and under travel free. Child fares are not available on Captain’s Premier Upper Deck, but children and infants may travel on an adult fare. See the website for more details.
Cost: Between $85 and $210, depending on the time of year and travel class.
DISCLAIMER: We received Cruise in Comfort tickets to board the Gordon River Cruises, thanks to Pure Tasmania. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
ONE of my wonderful friends and fellow biz mums, Alli Price from Motivating Mum, posted about how you don’t ask, you don’t get. She then went on to tell a rather inspiring tale of what the asker received. So, with that in mind, I’m taking a deep breath and going to ask you all in my nicest possible voice for a little something. Here goes…
This morning I’m sharing the Australian Women and Social Media survey on my Facebook page. By 9pm I’m hoping to see under the “share’’ section of the status the number 50. Yes, I want to see it shared FIFTY times on Facebook. Can we do it? YES, WE CAN! Was that last line lame? YES IT WAS!
Of course, filling out the survey would also be kind of helpful. It only takes a couple of minutes. Unless you’re a super slow clicker. Although, the little carrot at the end might help you click faster – a $200 Coles/Myer voucher for one lucky reader. That’s our little way of saying thank you. In all seriousness, doing this really would mean a great deal to us.
If you’re reading this AFTER 9pm Sunday, then might I suggest you simply ignore the above and concentrate soley on the below. If you would love to give yourself an early Christmas present, start clicking on the wonderful giveaway links below.
If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:
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.
Giveaways must be open to Australian residents.
Grab the button to add to your post.
A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
I KNOW there is a new scourge emerging on Tasmanian streets as summer approaches. It needs to be stamped out and this is not just a crime against humanity, it’s a crime against good taste.
Some of you may remember the infamous Bras are for Boobs post on this site where I revealed the horrifying emerging trend of women using their mammary cradles as mobile phone holders. That post drew plenty of comments and plenty of traffic (albeit some of it looking for perhaps a little more than what the post offered).
Now, like that bra lesson, methinks that very few wives are guilty of this latest sin. In fact, I’d go as far as suggesting these latest sinners are single ladies or those who go out with blokes who wear their peaked caps to the side, have their favourite dirt bike brand stickered on their back window and feature numerous misspelled words tattooed on various parts of their beings.
Okay, that out of the way, what is this new crime? When in the heck did it become okay to wear very high cut, skimpy shorts with knee-high ugg boots? Seriously, maybe you might be able to get away with it at home, but in the main street of town in the middle of the day? I’m not sure I’ve seen a better case for the return of corporal punishment.
It’s like the women (okay, mostly teenage girls) can’t decide whether it’s warm enough or not outside so they have five bucks each way. Having been a fan of the ugg boot over the years, in the right environment, this seemingly growing fad must be nipped in the bud before it gets out of hand lest it damage the lambs-wool shoes’ brand irreparably.
Please, for the good of humankind, say no to ugg-ly shorts combos.
Have you witnessed this fashion disaster? Or are you brave enough to admit you’re part of the trend?
LAST night The Bloke in The Shed and I hosted the Carols in the Blogger Domain Party here on the blog and it was an absolute hoot. Thank you to all those who took part.
