Give the gift of life - adopt an animal

Christmas is such an exciting time of year; the gift giving and receiving. Of course in this day age everyone has EVERYTHING and so it’s not always easy to buy someone a gift. I’m a real gift person; I love to buy them and of course receive them too. This year I was super organised and bought my gifts throughout the year as I saw them so that it not only made things a little cheaper but it also meant that I had gifts that really made me think of that person.

Something I had completely forgotten about though and I’m REALLY glad my girlfriend at Green-eyed monster reminded me of is the gift of animal adoption. Such a great idea and a wonderful gift that is so easy to do through WWF; you even get sent a super cute adoption pack!

About 5 years ago I adopted an elephant and a tiger for a year. Such a great thought to know I’m helping some special animals out there. So after reading Green Eyed Monster’s blog I adopted a giant panda for a year so Ecochick has a new pet. I think giving this gift to friends or family is a wonderful way to educate children about the need to protect our world but also an exciting gift for adults. I know I would just love it if someone adopted an animal for me so I think I’ll be adopting a few animals for friends/ family next year.     

Merry christmas

Merry Christmas to one and all.

May you all have an amazing day with lots of laugher, love and fun with friends and family.   

Love from us in a winter wonderland.

Bloody good tweezers!!!

I’m a girly girl; I love make up, I love my skin care, I love nail polish, I love dressing up and I love good tweezers! A strange topic for today; tweezers! Why would I want to blog about tweezers? Because these are the world’s most freaking amazingly fantasticly wonderful tweezers!!! Tweezers are a must have in any home; you never know when you might need them. They have so many uses; when you drop the syringe into the gripe water and your fingers are too big to get it out, or when you get a pesky splinter, when you need to get your sd card out of your computer and of course the all important plucking your eyebrows!

Now you can’t just use any old tweezers for this job. I mean your eyebrows are on your face you can’t hide them! You need bloody good tweezers for this job and sorry NZ but your tweezers suck! Every few years when my folks are in Holland I get them to bring me back Pfeilring tweezers (woohoo just found an Ozzy site that sells them so I’ll be able to buy them FOREVER!). That’s right these last for years!!

So I thought right we’re in Holland so I’ll get some more of those gold plated (well they aren’t really but they should be!!) amazing tweezers. The hunt was on we went to De Bijenkorf as that’s where I first discovered theses amazing little gems but the store has all changed so they didn’t have any so about 10 stores and two cities later I found some. So I bought not one or two but three!! Might go get another one for good measure. 

Just did my eyebrows and I tell you they are smiling!!!So next time you put something metal near your face think about what you’re using!  

December Moon tails

We had a really quiet morning as mum and dad had to go out so us “kiddies” got to relax around the apartment and get the little man ready for an afternoon out. So as soon as mum and dad got back we were off. Where were we off to? Haarlem!! Woohoo my birthplace. Such a beautiful town. Was about three quarters of an hour drive from Amstelveen to Haarlem – so beautiful with everything heavily covered with lovely fluffy white snow.

Haarlem - view from V&D

We missed the car park building so after taking the mickey out of dad as we had to drive around in a big circle (damn those one way streets) but got to see some more of the lovely city. We parked the car 2 levels UNDER ground! Creepy. There was even large clumps of snow this far underground; I guess it came off people’s tyres? The car park building and parks were super narrow – I would not have liked to have parked there mind you I hate car park buildings anyway; especially after a certain incident a week after I got my new car – 6 years later my car still bears to scars of that scary moment. I totally understand why everyone in Holland drives teeny tiny cars as apposed to NZ where we all have beasts! Also the fuel bill! €1.61 per litre vs NZ$1.91.

By accident we came across a children’s store that sold Sophie the giraffe. I had to buy two for some girls back home. I just love Sophie. Well John does too. I don’t know how I came across her but she is fantastic. John plays with Sophie all the time. She is so cute and was the first toy John really played with.   

The feast!!!

Lunch time!! What a feast we had too! We went to Vroom and Dreesmann (V&D); a fancy department store that’s a cross between Farmers and Kirks. They have an amazing food court where they have all different sections that sell every food you could possibly want. I had pizza and chips. We had all intended to buy lunch and share it so we ended up with a mammoth feast and had to take the salad home. The food court is on the top floor and so you get amazing views around Haarlem. After gorging ourselves it was shopping time. We did some shopping at V&D I got very excited and bought myself some Nijntje clothing! So cute.

 We then walked around the lovely city of Haarlem, looking at all the amazing architecture. Haarlem has been around since about the 12 century but was first mentioned in history in the 10 century!! That’s a long time ago! We spent several hours just looking in all the tiny streets, peering in people’s houses and even walked past the red light district; which of course every good Dutch city has. We then had a cup of coffee as in my family you can only go for a few hours and then we have to have a coffee break. We went to the Grand cafe Brinkmann; it is just beautiful with high ceilings, mirrors around all the walls and beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.  The café had a grand ball room upstairs that my parents used to go to; they were a grand affair.      

After a bit more walking we decided to go home via a trip down memory lane. So past the houses my parent’s lived in and one that I lived in when we lived in Holland. Sadly we had been out too long and the poor little man got very upset and was inconsolable and ended up throwing up and getting fluid in his lungs. Was very sad that I could not help my little man, luckily Mr Ecochick could calm him down and he went to sleep when we got home. After a very restless night as little John woke up a few times and had a bit of a fever, he seems fine this morning so we’ll stay home.

Snow!!

Woke up to this on Friday morning!!! Been enjoying it every since.

Woohoo will have a White Christmas.

A white Christmas!!!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas 

Choosing a tree was no mean feat

Just like the ones I used to know.

Where the treetops glisten,

And children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write.

May your days be merry and bright.

And may all your Christmases be white.

I LOVE Christmas time!! Especially when we really get a real white Christmas!! Bing Crosby always makes me think of Christmas time. White Christmas is one of my favourite movies and when I feel it’s Christmas time my parents have an LP (that’s right a record!) of White Christmas and I always play it. I just love the lead up to Christmas; buying presents for everyone and the shops look so amazing. Everything feels better at Christmas time – normally you have a few weeks holiday so that’s exciting too (though now that I don’t work it’s almost like every day is Christmas!).

This year’s extra special as we really do have a white Christmas; the advantage of being in Holland at Christmas time. In New Zealand we would be sitting around in the sunshine with the BBQ going (maybe), it’s still Christmas but nothing says Christmas like snow!!! It’s been snowing here for a week and we’ve been making the most of it. Going out, having snow fights and walking in the snow. No snowman yet but we’ll make one soon. John has made a tiny snow angel but I haven’t so have that on the list to do.

Did I mention I LOVE Christmas? I love everything about it; the smell (the tree of course), the food, the gifts (I love buying and giving presents), the family time, just everything. Things are a little different having Christmas in Holland for a start there is snow! Even buying a tree is a totally different experience. In NZ you go to the local garage and buy a $25 tree off the back of someone’s truck. Though last year we bought a real Christmas tree in a pot and then planted it outside (we’re going to dig it up again) and will bring it in every year so we don’t have to cut a tree down.

The tree!!!

Christmas tree buying in Holland is well expensive to say the least but exciting too. You go to a garden centre which is completely Christmasted up and “choose” your tree. There are LOADS to choose from; big, small, green, blue, Norfolk pines, and about a million other different pine trees. It smells amazing going in there to choose your tree.

After about half an hour of discussions we found one we liked but couldn’t fit it in the car; so mum, John and I were dropped off at home while dad and Mr Ecochick went back to get our tree. There had been a huge snow blizzard that day and so the roads we difficult to drive on and there were traffic jams everywhere - so with only about 10 minutes to get to the shop before it closed dad sent Mr Ecochick to run ahead to get the tree. I think he arrived with seconds to spare – got our tree, was picked up by dad and then home James to decorate!!

Holland trip

A tradition in my family is when you arrive at Schipol airport you HAVE to have a zak patat met (a pointed bag of Flemish chips with heaps of mayonnaise). This is Mr Ecochick being “forced” in the tradition. Nomnomnom   

Little John all wrapped up and ready to go out. Was a little cold yesterday -1 I think. Such a cutie.

  

Eating poffertjes at a market in Ede.

So much yummy food and so little time!! We’re working our way through the list of traditional food! Hard job someone’s got to do it. So far we’ve had Chinese tomato soup (it’s a sweet and sour tomato soup), Erwtensoep (Dutch pea soup), stroop waffles, loads of Dutch cheese, stamppot and pancakes. As you can see we’re getting there.    




Lunch with Oma



We went to a traditional really old Dutch restaurant after a wonderful walk along a dyke. Everyone had Erwtensoep (well I had tomato soup as Erwtensoep has meat in it). Was so wonderful to walk past all the beautiful traditional houses (was a REALLY rich area so the houses were AMAZING!), they were all done up for Christmas and got to see giant blue herrings standing in the water. There was still some snow on the ground. Sadly this was all gone by the next day.      

Flying to Holland; John and me!

Last Monday I got the call from my father that my Oma had passed away. All very sad; though it’s better as she is now with my Opa so they can play together. Since Mr Ecochick was away in Albania for work I decided that little John and I would fly over for the funeral and meet him and my parents in Holland. So with less than 24 hours to pack and sort everything out before we jumped on a 24 hour plane ride to Holland I got busy. Since it’s almost Christmas time flights back to NZ, before Christmas, were impossible so we decided that we would stay till January and make the most of the time in Holland; probably one of the last times I’ll be going back. So a day of busy packing and trying to get everything into one suitcase which is never going to happen when you have a 5 month old child! Who was I kidding! So two suitcases, two backpacks and 24 hours later we were on the plane.

One of the first things I had to think about was nappies. I’m a cloth nappy junkie one could say and John has only ever had cloth nappies so I was going to use them on the plane. I’m glad though that my mother said to use sposes on the flight over as I was just going to use cloth but then I would have had to cart around all these dirty nappies. I hate using sposes and felt almost dirty using these nappies and then throwing them in the rubbish. I winced every time I threw a nappy away. Though at least these were moltex nappies so they are made from paper pulp so I’m sure that’s not as bad(?!?).

So apart from having to use sposes the flight went really well. John was amazing and slept most of the way. The Air New Zealand crew were super fantastic and so super helpful they got us an extra seat so John could sleep as no basinets were available (he looked so super cute - wish I had got a photo). I just tied him in with his tiny seat belt and he slept most of the way. He did so well and was so super cute asleep on his chair. He had a cold so was a little scary when he got a fever on this leg of the flight. As mentioned the Air NZ staff were amazing; they helped to strip him off and cool him down with cold flannels. Thankfully I had my homeopathic first aid kit with me.

The last leg of the flight we had the bassinet to use and this was great as John could just sleep. Though we had turbulence a few times so had to take the little man out of his bassinet and put him in the seat belt with me. Sadly this woke him up but he went back to sleep quickly.

Makes flying very interesting when you’re on your own with a small person; a totally different experience than flying on your own or as a couple. Even going to go to the toilet is complicated as you can’t put him down anywhere. So normally I would have a shower at airports but I couldn’t do this, so a very smelly person turned up at Schiphol airport two days after take off.  

Tips when flying with a little one: when you take off have the little ones drinking. I gave John his bottle on take off so his little ears didn’t cause any problems. Take EVERYTHING you think you might need and you might not need with you. I had quiet toys, food/ bottles, bonjela teething gel, clean clothes, blankets, nappies/ wipes, creams, front pack, first aid kit, you think you might need it. Take it!!!    

Otherwise as always John was a little angel. 

Break it down! Stop, it’s honey time!

My first product review; Woohoo what great fun and even better it’s edible!! When Sarah called for reviews I constantly put my hand up but it wasn’t to be my turn but now we got to review some yummy Airborne honey and guess what we get to keep it! Nomnomnom. Was very exciting when the honey arrived by courier - there was a lovely squeezy bottle called honey for kids and clover honey – my favourite!

I have muesli with home made yoghurt, fruit and honey for breakfast. Well the yoghurt machine, as I like to call it, makes the yoghurt. It drives Mr Ecochick crazy; he hates that I call it a yoghurt machine but it makes yoghurt so thus it’s a yoghurt machine! (pokes tongue out). I think the compromise has been reached and now it’s a yoghurt factory.  

The squeezy bottle was so super easy to use on my morning muesli (which Mr Ecochick usually makes and brings me in bed most days! I am so spoilt). Just hold upside down and pour over one yummy muesli, fruit and yoghurt delight. The bottle was great I love it! It has a wonderful little silicone(?) cap that sits inside the plastic lid that stops the honey running out super fast and even better when you’re finished with the honey it gobbles the remainder of the honey back into the bottle; so no mess! The honey was nice maybe a tiny bit strong for my muesli but great on toast. I have to say boy do I love that bottle. Will be keeping the bottle and maybe pouring my clover honey into it?

The clover honey was a lovely rich white colour. It looked like real honey and was oh so tasty. I was so glad that I was to review the clover honey as this is my favourite and is the honey I personally buy so killing two birds with one stone; I get to eat my favourite honey and then write about it. The Airborne clover honey is a lovely thick tasty honey, I would definitely be buying this one again.

It’s such a luxury to have good quality honey in the house. Since I’m the only one that eats honey and I generally only have it on my muesli I tend to buy whatever is on special so it’s really great and I feel very spoilt to have such yummy honey with my breaky. Thanks Airborne. 

Enter to win your very own Airborne honey over at Kiwi mummy blogs. So go on over and be in quick maybe you can win your own yummys for your muesli too.