iphone italk :: p tracker

while getting lost in app world, as you sometimes do, i came accross some fertility and pregnancy apps that i found kinda fun. there are a heap of free ones (i don't like to spend money on iphone apps), and this one took my fancy the most.

the period tracker lite is a very simple and very cute little app that lets you view your current and future period dates, your ovulation and your fertile days on a monthly calendar. it firstly uses a default setting of a 'normal' menstrual cycle to determine the dates of your next period and fertile days, but you can go into the settings and change the default around to set your period length and ovulation date. after you have logged in your info for 3 cycles, that's when the app will calculate an average and take it from there. you can also add moods and notes and really get into it.

the home screen for this app is of a whimsical tree with a little butterfly, and what i find the cutest is that when your fertile days are on, the tree starts flowering. a fun app to remind you of your fertile days if you are trying for a baby! did you map or take note of your ovulation when you were trying for a baby?

hot spot :: creative craft centre

last week we met up with some friends for a morning of craft with the little ones. you remember my super star friend, keeley from savvy mama, well she finds the best places around town to meet up. i always have my mini me with me as she doesn't go to daycare, so meeting up at child friendly places is a blessing.

the creative craft centre in west burleigh is the coolest place, and done hardly any damage to my wallet. what it is, is a walk in sit down craft centre. so you literally can walk in any time during the day, no pre arrangements needed, and sit down and get crafty. we were there nice and early, when the centre opened at 9am, and let the 3 little crafterina's stimulate their minds and imagination. around the walls of the room are over 200 craft activities to choose from, so you pick your activity and take it back to the tables and start decorating.


it was heaps of fun, we were there for about an hour and a half and the whole morning only cost me $6. summer picked out a hanging board that has 2 pegs on it so we can hang up her future artwork (and other very important 2 year old stuff), then we sat down and started painting it. we don't normally get paints out at home, i find summer just a smidgeon too little yet to actually want to do paintings. we draw with pencils, play play-doh and do other craft things, so it was good for her to get down and dirty with the paints and it made our visit that extra bit special because we don't do much of it at home.

after we had finished with the paint, we sat them down in front of the fan to help them dry out, then we decorated it with all sorts of lovely bits and pieces; shells, silver and gold stars, fluffy pom pom thingy's, glitter... you name it. when i sent a picture of the finished product to summer's grandma later on that night, the reply was "what the hell is it?". hehe.

fun was had and we highly recommend the creative craft centre if you are gold coast based. for the little ones, for the scrap bookers, for the mum's and dad's, for everyone. an excellent spot to take your kids to over the school holidays too!

can you tell which one summer's is...?!

feel good tunes :: back and forth

do you have one of those songs that when you hear it, you cannot help but sing it, really loud? this is that song for me. it normally comes on while i'm in the car with my daughter. i sing and we both dance in our seats, with lots of shoulder moves! i love starting the days off with a good song!

i'm a winner :: art by jaz

do you like to enter competitions? do you ever win anything? i used to be the competition queen. pre mummy. pre time poor. i even won a 0.28 carat diamond through a napisan competition quite a few years ago, that was the second chance prize, the first prize was a 1 carat! when i got the letter from napisan saying i had won... the 0.28 carat... i almost shat my pants. i thought i had won the 1 carat! but was still very happy with winning a diamond fullstop.

i've been entering and joining in again on competition and giveaway fun. and look at my latest winning, gorgeous or what! this is the work from art by jaz. i found jaz through her blog and won these through her facebook page. ahh the online world and the people and work you find, i love it. i love jaz's work, and not just because i won something either! this image below is my favourite, lurve that peacock feather. now that i have these divine prints, i don't know what i should do with them. frame and mount them perhaps? i'm trying to start on a display wall in summer's room, perhaps one can go up in that? how do you suggest i display them?

hot spot :: gov's espresso

last week we met up with local super star, keeley from savvy mama. we tried out the newest hot spot on the gold coast, gov's espresso, for a cuppa and a chat, little ones in tow. i always love hanging with keeley, not only is she all over what's happening around town, but she is an absolute crack up, always making me laugh.

gov's is a big ol' house that's been converted into a meeting spot that oozes in vintage style. you can relax inside with a game of chess or sit and read your current novel. sit in the rustic courtyard at the front by the fountain. book the studio room for a baby shower or the private room for your business meeting. or how about organising your next mother's group in the back sunroom or yard! we sat out in the backyard in the morning sun so miss addi and miss summer could draw on the big chalk boards or play in the cool boat in the sand pit (even though they preffered to play grown ups and sit with us and sip babycinos). my favourite was the old bed frame in the yard to lounge on (the vintage day bed, love it). there are also lots of collectables available for purchase in the front collectables room.

with loads more additions being added, including a new big chalk board along the back fence and story time for the kids aged 2-5 on mondays, gov's is a great place to meet with friends, no matter what the occassion. they are open every day from 7am - 3pm and are located in mermaid beach at 2457 gold coast highway. i recommend!

review this + giveaway :: chooks in stilettos

with a title like chooks in stilettos, i knew this book was going to have a few chuckles in it! carolyn donovan (aussie model, mother and observer of everyday life) has written a book that gives an honest look at the glamorous side of life. this is one funny read and not only did carolyn send myself a copy of her book, but she popped in an extra one too, so i'm giving the extra one away to one of you!

the book is a crack up, there were multiple paragraphs that made me giggle, like this one ::

"my mummy uses those to bath us with," my pre-schooler daughter announced to the man brandishing a pair of barbecue tongs in each hand as he turned sausages at the school fete's burger grill stand. a quick glance either side of me reveals that i am the only adult she could possibly be referring to. my mouth opens and closes a few times. a long pause hangs heavily in the air. "once!" i stammer in defence. "... and only because i was covered in fake tan!"

it's a funny take on the life dealings of carolyn's modelling career, family life and everything else in between. carolyn not only entertains us with the words of an industry insider, and shares with us some clever tips, but links us together with the many-sided scenarios of being women! she writes amazingly well and any woman will enjoy reading her book, i know i did.

if you would like to win a copy, just leave a comment below and your email address (if you prefer to not leave your email address public, just send it to me in an email info@yummymummies.com.au, just so if you win it i can contact you). i'll draw someone out from a hat this friday. if you don't want to bother about trying to win one, you can pop over to carolyn's website and grab yourself a copy.

wanted :: shoe booth

like loads of other women, this weekend i put on my heels and went and watched sex and the city 2. i don't know what was more exciting, having some adult time without the mini me, the actual movie or meeting the babooshoe booth! i didn't actually notice the shoe booth first, my partner did, bless his soul. sitting right alongside the coffee van was this gorgeous black glossy cupboard with one gorgeous pair of hot pink heels in it. instant love. oh how i want one of these!

since moving to queensland and becoming a mum, i have to admit that my heels ever so quickly got ditched for the havaianas. i just felt really out of place wearing my heels to the beach, hehe. and then being mum is much more easier in thongs and flats. but 2 years on, and after watching satc2, i'm feeling an urge to find the old me, an urge to reinvent myself. i looked around at my shoes sitting on open racks at the bottom of my cupboard, dust settled upon most of them, crying for attention! i decided i definately need one of these glamourous shoe booths. not just for me, but for my shoes. they deserve better.

i think i am leaning towards the black. looks so sleek. the smaller shoe booth is named the carrie and it holds 25 pairs plus bags and boots. the taller booth is the imelda, which holds 55 pairs plus bags and boots. which one would you need?

the booths are designed by an australian woman, they have tinted glass, lights, remote, thick rods, angled shelves, movable shelves and sliding doors. check them out for yourself!