I'm a bit excited about  Abeeco but I have to admit that I'd only recently heard about this company but had never actually tried their products.  So when they approached Jay and I to give them a go I was really curious...and I have to say the effect it has had on me the last 3 months is amazing! Abeeco has come along way since it started as a mail order company in 1996 with the original bee pollen supplement. Growing over the years to add more supplements and eventually expanding  to skin care in 2011, which happened to coincide with repots of Kate Middleton using ..read more

Children can be baffling at the best of times. Since the moment they are born we are often left guessing about what they want from us, we think it will get easier when they can talk but when they become verbal it can all be just as confusing as their language struggles to keep up with their busy minds. Sometimes I watch my boys run around the house in disbelief, they seem like crazy little nutters jumping from one activity to another. Jay’s family is largely made up of educators. His Mother is an incredible Early Childhood teacher, his younger sister Chloe the same and Jay trained as a primar ..read more

As a population, we are generally all stuck in this awful habit of putting people into a box to make sense of their decisions. But our bias of what we think fits in that box or what we deem "normal" depending on gender isn't something we should force upon others. One of my sons is into all things pink, unicorns, rainbows and mermaids. For Christmas all he wanted was a mermaid Barbie. Being on Santa's nice list, he received one and promptly called it Rainbow. He adores it. Read the rest of the blog here.  ..read more

The idea of moving to the Mount first came about about a year and a half ago. I'll admit, when the topic of conversation first got brought up, tears would roll down my face. It scared the living daylights out of me. We were leading very social lives in Auckland, always out and about. All my best friends who have been in my life since I started high school where there, and my family. Click here to read the rest of the column ..read more

I've been asked to be a monthly columnist in the Bay of Plenty Times Indulge magazine and in my first I introduce myself, so here we go...meet, well, me!  Click here for link to the column.  ..read more

Two very adventurous boys have led to many mishaps in the health and safety department. Let’s see…a fractured skull, broken nose and gash to the forehead have been the worst. But it’s not always massive injuries like that that keep this mum busy and the pharmacy in business. The number of cuts, scratches, scrapes and bruises this little family has had in our 4 years is incredible.  This is why I have a massive, First Aid Kit fully stocked at home and a mini matching one for out and about. As let’s face it, being out and about exploring is where most of the accidents tend to happe ..read more

I’ve been sitting on this blog for weeks. Waiting for the “perfect” topic, searching for the “best” books or articles for inspiration, hoping something “clever” delivers.  **Cue tumbleweed** Through the frustration, procrastination and judgment, there’s been no action. In search of perfection (which we all know doesn’t actually exist) I haven’t any sooner been able to simply share my simple story about one of the most GAME CHANGING experiences of my life.   And so, without a plan, or structure, I’m going to start writing and see what unfolds.  A few weeks ago, Oprah’s speech at ..read more

Recently I have found myself holding onto the boys in a hug that little bit longer, smelling their hair and holding their hand as I sit next to them. I'm basically holding onto them more than I used to and I think it's because mentally I'm trying to hold onto their tiny selves as they are almost 4 and really turning into BIG boys. My babies, in short, are most definitely not babies and not toddlers anymore and it breaks my heart. Why? Because I spent the first year and a little bit of time after that wishing away the time. We went through so many rough patches with the boys in terms of their ..read more

If I ever need to smile I just watch our wedding video. It seriously makes me grin ear to ear ..read more

CHICKEN MARBELLA   I have been making this Chicken Marbella for over 10 years and it is still one of my favourites and a crowd pleaser. It's so easy to make, which means it's perfect for when you have a lot of people to feed but still has that wow factor. I know some of these flavours sound like a weird mix but it gives the perfect sweet and sour flavour. A few people said they hated olives, if that's the case then they can be left out and it won't ruin the dish. I find this best served over cous cous with the extra juices spooned over the top.  The longer you marinade the better bu ..read more