A perfect outing on a miserable day in Cape Town

One of our favourite things to do as a family is visit the Cape Town Aquarium.  Its such a great place to take the kids, at any age really and I find it really calming to just sit admiring the fish swimming in the water.

We do go often so this time we decided it made more sense to get annual memberships.  A annual membership is equivalent to two visits.  I'm pretty sure we will be making good use of them, especially with the girls learning about the ocean at school.

There is also a kids area on the ground floor with a sand pit, crafts area and at scheduled times puppet shows.  This is also the area where they have birthday parties.

In past visits we have always skipped the Microscope section of the Aquarium but this Sienna took an interest,  She was very curious and fascinated as to how these microscopic beings looked on the big screen.  Here Sienna is watching how the Strawberry Anemone feeds itself.

No this shouldn't be done but because touching the Stingrays in the Durban Aquarium is okay Dad thought he would pat these curious little ones too.  They are just the most gentle creatures, YES alright apart from the tip of the tail.  The girls were very brave too and gave the Stingrays a little friendly pat as they popped their heads out the water.  

This really is an amazing place and they have sleepovers on special days which I think must be an amazing experience that can't be missed.  Cant wait to do that!!

Here are some more pictures of what you can expect to see, excuse the reflections on the glass and the quality of some!!

Moroccan Inspired - Little girls bedroom

I have never been a fan of decorating children's bedroom with cartoon or Disney characters.  For one kids are always changing their minds of who their favourite is for the week and they make better birthday themes anyway...

So I have come up with this design.  A Moroccan inspired girls bedroom which is full of bright colours.  My girls love sparkles and what better way to introduce it in the cushions and lighting.

I just love this upholstered headboard, such a stunning design. With something so simple but eye-catching it can completely transform a room.

Moroccan Inspired - Little girls bedroom by lovemakesthehome featuring colored lights

Having fun during winter break in Cape Town & Durban

Three weeks of school holidays can drive a ONE insane but keeping the kids busy is key.  In Cape Town, as I'm sure in the rest of the country there are quite a lot of fun activities available. Schools do also offer holiday care but I can't justify it being a stay at home mom!  Sure, after the holidays I'm ready to take them back to school but I'm also very fortunate to be able to have this time with them.

Having lived in Algarve for so long and not having the amount of activities available I do get very excited that there is such a variety here and I like the girls to try different things.

Unfortunatly, all the activities I had planned they weren't able to do, only because Dad surprised us with a trip to Durban but we will defiantly try them next time.

So what, where how?
Every month the parents are given a magazine called the CHILD magazine for the area of Cape Town.  This is a free magazine and it cover practically everything regarding kids and their needs. About two weeks before the holidays I grabbed my calendar and the mag and scheduled a couple of activities I thought they might enjoy.

The activities available for their age group were from Building a Snowman at the Grand West Casino, cooking and baking lessons, sports activities for appropriate ages, pottery classes, theatre, dance classes, a visit to a chocolate factory and making your own chocolate and cupcake icing and a few more.

The girls especially enjoyed the pottery class. Sienna loved building a snowman with Dad and the sports activities. Lia loved icing the cupcakes but most of all eating them!

Our trip to Durban was just amazing. We spent a week in an area called Ballito Bay, only about 30min form the airport on the north coast.  The weather was great, a nice break from the cold in Cape Town.
Traveling with kids you are always searching for the most convenient place to stay and Mario found the perfect place.  He is great with things like that! We stayed at the Fairmount Hotel in this fantastic resort called Zambali. This resort isn't short of pools, there is a supervised play area for kids from the age of 4 at a daily or hourly fee and on an evening they offer a movie and craft nights for kids. They are supervised for two hours while parents enjoy time together, this at no extra charge. These nights came in handy!
The Resort have a few lovely restaurants, we particularly enjoyed the Thandi, a restaurant specialising in curry dishes located at the Fairmount Lodge.

Whilst in Durban we had to visit the uShaka sea world.  If you ever go you have to spend the day there because there is so much to do and see, from the shows to the amazing aquarium within an old ship.  There are plenty of restaurants and a water park too.  They loved seeing the dolphins show,  Lia was so excited, her face just lit up as they jumped out the water.

We also visited the Crocodile creek in Ballito and what really impressed us was the Flag Farm.  This is quite a big farm that takes in orphan and abused animals.  You can feed the horses and ponies or go for a ride on them.  The goats, pigs, chickens ducks and bunnies are running around, if you are brave enough you may pat the pigs and hug a calf.  Kids just love it there, oh and its really muddy and dusty which is just how they like it!!!

Fun times and good memories!......

The life of Railay.......

Back to school, back to work and back to blogging! It has been a long and interesting three weeks of school holiday. The girls nursery offers holiday care but I can't justify it whilst being at home and available.  There are so many out of school activities to keep them busy and entertained and even though I'm happy driving them back to school I do enjoy spending the time with them.

Apart from keeping really busy this holiday we also welcomed a new member into our family.....   

Meet Railay, our little chocolate Lab.  He is just the cutest little thing.  Railay (in case you are wondering!) is named after a beautiful beach in Thailand, a special place to us. 

Here is Railays story so far.....  

Now lets be honest Railay is just the most adorable thing but this gorgeous pup wasn't chosen based on his good looks!! No..... he had to go through a puppy test before he was able to join our family.  Railay and three of his brothers did the test and he was best suited for our family.

What is a PUPPY TEST you ask!!! Fortunately, Lara our cousin is a dog trainer and she offered to come along and do this test called the Temperament Test done on puppies so that one can be sure to bring home a dog that would suit the home and family.  There are about 6 very simple exercises to do with the dogs and this will reveal if the dog is of a natural, dominate, submissive or independent nature.  Railay was only five weeks at the time but even so I can see how effective this test was.  

He has the sweetest nature and has proved to be really intelligent.  

Our first night with him wasn't as bad as I had anticipated, however the second was just awful.  He cried a bit before bedtime but then relaxed but then he woke up at about 4am crying and whimpering for over an hour.  I didn't want to give in at first but it went on for such a long time that I could not ignore it.  I then learnt that he had an upset tummy and even when spending time with him he still moaned.  

I sorted his tummy out, again with instructions from Lara.  Only to feed him boiled chicken and rice.  This sorted him out in less then 24 hours.  Bed time is now a breeze,  I put him to bed and don't hear from him until the next morning.  My alarm is set for 6:30 and coincidentally so is his.  

He was taught to sit after a week whilst being looked after by our nephew and the house training has been a lot easier then my potty training experience with the girls!!!  

Sienna is totally obsessed with Railay and so proud when taking him out for walks.  She loves to cuddle him and carry him as if he were her baby!  Much to my disapproval!!  Lia on the other hand is constantly chased and her ankles are full of little scratches from his sharpies!! This doesn't stop her from loving him and still wanting to play, and this from a little girl who was bitten in the face by a Alsatian.... She truly is an amazing child!!! 

Railay will be starting training classes next week which I am really looking forward to.  I'll be sure to update you but for now I leave you with some photos of our little boy!

Keeping it Cozy

Its been cold here in Cape Town this weekend.    This is how I like to keep warm.

Keeping it Cozy by lovemakesthehome featuring book boxes

How I decorated my Home Office

Planning and decorating my home office was so much fun.  I visualised what I wanted and used Polyvore to put my ideas together.  Because the office has no natural light I knew I needed to stick with white furniture to keep the office light then I added some girly and colourful accessories to brighten it up.  

This was my plan.......

My Home Office Inspiration by lovemakesthehome featuring Zara Home

I then took my design with me when I went shopping at our local home stores.  Our most popular home stores are @homelivingspace and +Mr Price Home, I find them to be very similar to Zara Home and their prices are reasonable.  Still there is no place like IKEA....

I wasn't able to find the all the exact same items like the desk or rug but I got pretty close.  This is how it turned.    

   

Most of the office accessories I purchase at Typo, I just love this store, they stock really fun and unusual school and office accessories and supplies.  

Oh and how sweet is that little owl, its actually hand lotion.   My husband brought it back from Amsterdam. 

Project #homeoffice complete,  can't wait to start on my daughters bedroom...  

Kids have so much fun packing for a trip..

Traveling with kids is not always easy and packing for them may sometimes seem an overwhelming task. You always feel the need to be prepared because you want your children to be happy and comfortable.   Happy children = happy parents.  But you need to be wise or you could end up taking just about everything with you.  So why not get the kids involved? 

I really enjoy packing for a trip, I always get excited, whether its 3 days or a 3 week break and now that my two girls are at such a fun age to enjoy it with me, I thought it was time to introduce them to the basics of packing.  We were only going away for the weekend but this was actually prefect to get them started.      
    
Usually I pack one large suitcase for the four of us for short trips but this time I was going to put their Trunki's to good use.  We bought them each a Trunki when we relocated from Portugal, it was mostly to keep them entertained during transit but since then they have just been sitting in the garage!  

I bought them each a small toiletry bag, two travel size bottles one for body wash and the other for body lotion. I also added a travel size hand and mouth wipes, mini hand sanitizer and lip balm. Just small bits to get them excited (these are items I usually pack anyway).  I think its also important they learn to look after their own personal items.  

We started off by filling the bottles, my eldest who is four did this herself and absolutely enjoyed it. Kids love these kinds of tasks. Once she was done I labeled each item with their names so they could identify them and keep them together.   With two kids you have to label everything to save all the arguments!  

We then spoke about what they would like to wear and what was important to take followed by what they would like for entertainment.  We then made our list together.   Once we had our list ready I called out each item and the quantities and they collected them from their cupboard and laid them out on a bed.  We checked that we had everything on our list and then they packed them into their suitcases.  It was amazing to see how well they work together .  

When their suitcases were packed we then moved onto the entertainment.  They each picked three items and this was packed in a separate bag that we could carry around with us.  

We really had a great time doing this together and they started getting really excited for the trip too.  They both loved that they each had their own toiletries. Of course the lip balm didn't last long but whats important is they had fun while learning and they got involved.  

While we were away it was lovely to see them so proud of their suitcases and they kept them tidy too!  

You may end up giving yourself a bit extra work doing this but the results are worth it!! 

I hope you enjoy packing with your children as much as I did.

5 Great links to beat the Blogging Blues

Hello again!!    I'm back... No, I haven't been active for some time now.  It seems I had reached one of those testing periods that bloggers get to.  Call it bloggers block or bloggers blues...  You know the moment you wonder if you are cut out for this, if your blog is any good, if the time and efforts you put into your posts are enough, if you are interesting enough and so the list goes on......

Its amazing once you start looking into it you find that you aren't alone.  So many bloggers experience the same thing but aren't we lucky to be able to search for some help online and we find other blogger with some pretty good advice!

Today I'm going to share 5 great links that have helped me get back on track and realise why I started my blog in the first place.  The reality is,  I'm not going to please everyone but its something that I enjoy....
Enough about what I think people want to read and more about what I feel I would like to share.   Its too easy to quit but where is the fun in that....

So if you ever get to a point when you aren't sure if blogging is your thing,  don't throw in the towel right away, click on the links below and get motivated....

1.  www.johnpaulaguiar.com - How to stay motivated when your blog is invisible


2.  www.bwww.blazingminds.co.uk - New blogging don't give up


3.  www.thedwellingtree.com


4.  www.kylemjones.com  - Don't give up - blog advice first six month bloggers

5.  www.dexmedia.com  - Don't give up on your blog

And now back to blogging.......

Take care and chat soon

xox

Best Gel Effect Nail Varnish

Best gel effect nail varnish by lovemakesthehome featuring L'Oréal Paris

Are you're looking for a long lasting nail polish?...... look no further.....

I'm in love with this L'Oreal Color Riche nail polish,  its the closest to a salon shalac that I've tried.  You only really need to apply one coat over the base and its enough.  Usually I'm applying two or three coats to get a good colour.  I have tried so many products and this is one of the longer lasting nail polish i've used.
TIP: I always use a top coat which helps with shine and helps polish last even longer.

These are two of my favourite colours.   Ideal for summer.....  

Top 6 Kitchen Gadgets

Whether you enjoy cooking or not its always handy to have some help around the kitchen.   These 6 little gadgets are use everyday and I would not be able to function without them!!  

Number 1 needs no introduction as I'm sure a kettle is on the top of every ones list!   

I've tried all types and styles of lemon and orange juicers but this simple yet effective little lemon squeezer is my favourite.  Its so easy to use and to clean!

The domestic espresso machine..  This is the best invention since the toaster, if you like coffee as much as I do you will appreciate this machine.  There is nothing like a GOOD cup of coffee to start your day and even better when you aren't left with all the mess.  Those capsules are genius. 

OK I am going to be straight here...... I honestly would not be able to peel vegetables without a peeler. It just so fast and easy to use and still leaves you with a decent size vegetable!!!  oh and also great for flaking Parmesan cheese...

These little graters are perfect for garlic, I hate having to chop (smelly garlic fingers!).  They are also brilliant to zest lemons and limes! I also use mine for finely grated cheese...

I'm sure you've heard of Jamie Oliver's 30min meals....  They would not be 30min meals in my kitchen without the help from my multi-purpose blender...  It chops and blends and whisks and even crushes ice! The parts are machine washable so another hassle free bonus!!

What super gadgets do you have in your kitchen that you use everyday and couldn't cope without?  Why not share them with me, leave me a comment below I'd love to hear from you.... 

A Healthy yet Delicious Cooked Breakfast

I love good food and I love to cook but its not always great on my scale so I'm always trying to come up with recipes that taste good and kind to my hips!!  

Today I'm going to share my take on a low fat and healthy Bacon and Eggs breakfast!!! 

With only a total of 323CAL this is a winner.  

FAT:  21.63       CARBS:  14.43    PROT:  19.05        CAL:  323

This recipe is based on serving for 1 so double up on ingredients if needed.  

Ingredients 

Two Eggs 
1tsp Vinegar
4 Mushrooms - sliced 
1 Tbsp red onion - chopped 
1 Quarter Avocado - sliced 
salt 
Pepper
chives
Jalapeño sauce (optional)

Firstly you will need a pot, fill it halfway with water, add salt and vinegar and bring to a boil.   

Fry the bacon in its own fat using a nonstick flying pan on a medium heat.  Once the bacon is done to your liking set it aside covering it with some foil to keep the heat   Fry the onions and mushrooms until soft in the same pan so they will infuse with the flavours left over from the bacon. Once done set aside and cover with foil as well.  

Once your water has come to boil turn down the heat to halfway.  Crack two eggs into a  bowl.   With a mixing spoon and start to swirl the water in the pot into a vortex then gently drop the eggs into the centre of the pot. Let them cook for about three min. 
(I have left a link below of a youtube video to assist you)

Whilst the eggs are poaching start to plate the other ingredients.  Begin with the avocado, lay then down then place the bacon on top. Add the mushroom and onions.  The eggs should be done at the point, remove and place on a paper towel two to drain the water before placing onto of your tower of awesomeness! 

Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and chives.  I love a bit of spice so i add some jalapeño sauce for a kick!

I hope you try it and enjoy and let me know what you think!.


Please press here for a youtube link to help you with the poached eggs.

My Friend Lily

Last week I attended an open house day at My Friend Lily.  For those of you who don't know My Friend Lily is an online boutique that offers beautiful children's clothing sourced locally and international.  With brands like Lief, JoJo Mama Bébé, O'Shea, Bluebelle and the latest addition Vintage Belle. 

An open house is held four times a year so you can visit and see the beautiful garments up close. This was great for me because I'm a bit sceptical when it comes to shopping online, you just can't be sure of the quality.  
It is true that My Friend Lily honour their statement by offering only the highest quality products.  I loved all the fabrics, especially the pyjamas, very soft and cosy.  It was so nice to see a fresh look.  I bought two little dressed detailed with the Shweshwe fabric by Sojo.  

But My Friend Lily don't only offer clothing, they also have accessories, toys and linen.

Why don't you visit My Friend Lily, I'm positive you won't be disappointed.