4 day weekend

How I wish every week is a 4 day weekend with friends , family and good times . I know I haven't written in some time , however two special occasions occurred this weekend and I could not let either go by without a mention . A very close friend's wedding in the Yarra Valley a beautiful setting for a beautiful day . I think the photos speak for themselves . The other was Mr T 's Birthday . Whilst with the wedding festives and many km travelled the cake was a day late - better late then never . Our Little boy helped bake it for his dad and could not wait for the cake to cool before he had a piece .....

flat packed car

Love this idea of a flat packed toy car - what an amazing idea created by Joyride by Per Brolund unfortunatley only in concept at this stage but when it does become avaliable it will be the first on the list of must have items .

Artist in the making

One of our favorite things to do is paint . I love it have done since I was a little girl and now I think it is great that Sebastian Loves it . I have included some photos of some of his master pieces in the making . I have also included a photo from Jan Eleni which shows a clever way to display these masterpieces - I am so excited now all i need is some more paintings to create our very own original college of paintings . The last painting of an African women is a very special painting that we had done by sebastians Ouma who visited us last year from south Africa . She is an incredibly talented artist - we feel lucky to have one of her masterpieces in our home . enjoy the viewing .

seminyak

O.k so sorry on the hold up on the last of the posting about our trip to Bali . Last stop was Seminyak more for the benefits of Restaurants , pampering and a little shopping . As you can see from the photos we had a great time here are some great places to visit and things to do whilst stayinging Seminyak
1.we stayed at villa Lumbung great villa style accommodation with a great pool for the kids would definatley recommend .
2.La Lucciola - great place to catch an early dinner watch the sunset - this place has great views / food and also high chairs .
3. Get a massage and pedicure we had these in our hotel whilst our son slept we took turn it was bliss .
4. Grocer and grind - great little delicatessen for an early dinner great place to get some treats from home and also a great place for kids highchairs / kids menu and toys would really recommend this place .
5. Pandora Ristorante Italiano - on jin Petitenget rd great place to take kids for an Italian feast have a great outdoor area and good food.


these are just a few . We also took a drive down to Jimbaran for beautiful ocean views .
I hope everyone loves this post and it inspires people to get out there and travel with kids a great experience to see the world through there eyes definatley recommend . Enjoy .

bali oasis

So we finally did it!! We have now convinced ourselves that we can still do it TRAVEL ,with a child/ infant ... It was liberating and we enjoyed every minute sharing one of our big loves with our son . We met travelling and it has been a big part in our lives so far . I hope that you enjoy this post as much as we did discovering Ubud.
Ubud is a remarkable place in the middle of the island of Bali. For more than a century, it has been the island's preeminent centre for fine arts, dance and music. Ubud is arguably the best place to use as a base if you're visiting Bali; if you're looking for culture, comfort, nature and inspiration. Ubud is surrounded by most of the things that bring people to Bali -- scenic rice fields, small villages, art and craft communities, ancient temples, palaces.
Another surprise was our trip co-insidered with one of Bali’s big holidays. We watched the beginning of an Ogoh ogoh parades. The aim is to confuse the bad spirits of the island. At the end of the processions, the effigies are burned in big fires.
Nyepi follows the next day. Bali's new year is marked by a day of silence when people stay inside their homes and in our case a hotel. Part of the tradition of this is intended to confuse any remaining bad spirit, making them think that the island is deserted and they too, should leave.Bali in its entirety is deadly silent for the whole day.There is no traffic, no work, and no entertainment, and no lights illuminate the night. It really was a day of rest and weird to hear the bustling street noises in complete silence for a whole day.

Our favourite things to do in ubud include :
1. Ubuds monkey forest
2. Wonder the many streets and find cute alleyway resturants
3.Greenfields hotel
4. the new year street parade
5. shopping

Enjoy .

Great end to a great day

Ever had one of those days that is filled with so much fun and laughter that you really have to pinch yourself to see if it is real . I know it sounds cliche and corny .To be honest this is a new found happiness and the big secret is SLEEP ! I cannot tell you what a difference a sleeping baby has made to our weekend and family time .Seb is literally jumping from the ceiling and I even have had the energy to try a new recipe one I have been wanting to cook for a long time Beef San Choy bau - yes it was delicious and whats more my toughest critic ( a 20 month old little boy ) gobbled all his up and wanted more . Defiantly one for the family menu.

The Great Saturday