Snack Station for new mums

I have already talked about feeding a new mum for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but snacks for new mums are so important too.

I put together this snack station full of food that can be eaten on the go, with one hand and provide energy, sustenance and hydration.



Dole Fruit Cups are great for breakfast with cereal but also make a yummy snack when fruit is too hard to chop up! I also added some Dole Snackers nut clusters, which are delicious and provide energy. Popcorn is another favourite, and of course I had to have some Whittaker's Chocolate!



A few more of my favourite snack products made it in too- Annies Wiggle fruit bars, The Collective yoghurt suckies and Frooze Balls.



The finishing additions were some cans of sparkling flavoured water to keep up the fuid intake, and of course some home baking!



This basket provides some healthy, convenient and tasty snacking options for those quick moments between busy newborn duties.

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's Day is coming up, and I am excited to share some ideas with you today for a gift that will show your mum how much you appreciate her- or if you are a mother you may want to treat yourself to one of these!

The Gardener Mum
Why not put her green thumb on display with this beautiful rose necklace from Whitehot Jewellery? Available in silver, gold or even with a teardrop accent added on, this necklace is dainty enough to be worn everyday.

Silver Rose Necklace

The Bookworm Mum
A good book is always appreciated, and this new novel by Bill Clegg is a real page-turner. Even before being published, it appeared on the longlist for this year's Man Booker Prize, and the subject, although grim, explores the bond that is family.

Did You Ever Have a Family

The Fashion-Forward Mum
This gorgeous tote bag is sure to get admiring glances, and will go with everything!

Ooh La La Graphic Floral Top Tote

The Coffee-Drinking Mum (isn't this all of us?)

A perfect coffee in under a minute can be yours with the Nescafe Genio Coffee Machine. I have one of these and enjoy the Americano pods or the Chai Tea Lattes, yum! If you purchase this machine and use the coupon code NDGMUMSGENIO you can also get 20 boxes of capsules for free!

Genio 2 Black Coffee Machine

The Crafty Mum
A card kit is always good for those mums who want to get some craft time in but may not have a couple of hours to come up with ideas. This kit gives you all the embellishments, cards bases and even the envelopes to create 10 cards.

Beautiful Blossoms Card Kit

The New Mum
Winter is coming, and the night wake-us can be rough for a new mum, especially when she is sitting up for an hour or so to feed, change and comfort the newborn. A fabulous dressing gown that can also be worn during the day is a great idea to make new mums feel a bit more glamorous.

Spot Cuddle Gown

The Movie Buff Mum
The Dressmaker is a great Australian based movie that was just released on DVD on Wednesday, so this movie should be something new for your mum to enjoy! With fashion, man-candy and a fabulous storyline, this is a perfect chick flick to watch with your mum over a glass of wine.

The Dressmaker DVD

Which gift do you think your mum would most like to receive- or are any of these on your Mother's Day wishlist?

Teacher Appreciation Gift

We are currently in the midst of school holidays, and my 5 year old has really enjoyed his two terms at school. He has had a truly wonderful teacher to start him off on the right foot with his education. However, he is a bright wee button and is being moved up to the next class when school starts back (proud mummy moment!) and so we had to say goodbye to Mrs Lee as he will be in a different studio.

We started off by making this card, which gave us the idea to create a tea themed gift basket.



We also got a tea carry mug for those cold winter mornings, as I always like to start my day with a warm drink and I am sure teachers do too!

I got some chocolate spoons from Theobroma, and made my own tea inspired cookies using these cookie cutters. This was my first time making royal and flood icing, and while I wasn't 100% satisfied with the end result, they still came out presentable!



Lucas also wanted to help with this gift basket, and so after seeing this idea on Pinterest we created our own crayon canvas for his teacher.



It all went in a gift basket, ready for the last day of school.



We hope that Lucas will have more amazing teachers like Mrs Lee as he continues his education. Teachers really can make a difference- Lucas has taken leaps and bounds in his learning since he started school and I definitely have Mrs Lee and the other wonderful teachers in his learning studio to thank!

Christmas books for Children 2014

Christmas books are always popular stocking stuffers, or a great idea to add to a Christmas Eve box. Here are a few books that my sons have enjoyed at Christmas time, as well as a few new titles that have been released this month.

Christmas Book Ideas for Children by laurenmoore-ii on Polyvore

Christmas Alphabet is a beautiful story that this year celebrates it 20th anniversary and comes complete with a gold collectible ornament. A great gift idea for those who know a child who loves Christmas.

Stick Man is a funny, whimsical story that my boys discovered this year, which happens to feature Santa! 

The Smallest Gift of Christmas is a beautifully illustrated story that will be in my son's Christmas Eve box this year. The illustrations appeal to most ages, and older children will be able to appreciate the message behind the story.

The Christmas Stick has been described as a "fun little picture book" but it also has a powerful message behind it. 

Merry Moosey Christmas is a hilarious tale of a substitute reindeer, sure to get a giggle out of anyone. This book is a new release and I have already heard some great things about it. 

The Nutcracker is a Christmas classic that has now been released in paper-over-board format. The lavish illustrations bring a new level to the story, and event the font is whimsical and appealing.

The Runaway Santa is another book that my boys will look forward to this year, as Fireman Sam is always popular in our household! 

Lego City: Save This Christmas is another book that will be immensely popular with any Lego loving children- my nearly 5 year old loves Lego books and this one looks to  be the same high quality and as well thought out as the other Lego books we own.

Another Lego book well worth getting is the Christmas Caper Activity Book, which comes complete with a minifigure. These books are amazing- we have three other versions of these activity books and they are used over and over again. Plus, the minifigure adds that extra excitement!

Lynley Dodd's book are a classic New Zealand read, and Slinky Malinki's Christmas Crackers is a book that would make a fantastic gift from grandparents or other family members to a young child. This book will be treasured for years, and I know all of my Lynley Dodd books are still going strong after 27 years!

Lastly, another New Zealand classic is We Wish You a Kiwi Christmas. This book would be lovely to send to New Zealanders living overseas, or to people who have relatives or friends living in New Zealand.

I hope these books have given you some great ideas for expanding a child's library this Christmas. Reading is such an important part of my life, and I love that now I can share my love of books with my children. 

Linking up with Motivational Monday, Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop, Wow Me Wednesday and Time For Mom.