School Routine And Themes during COVID-19

School Routine And Themes during COVID-19

Posted on by Rebecca

Following on from my blog yesterday on “At Home Activities” to keep the kids busy during our “social distancing”, a number of you asked about routines and structures. I’ve seen a couple of great timetables around on the internet, but I personally wanted to keep mine as close to our South African school day as possible.

I’ve designed an easily printable version of our typical timetable, this is also scheduled around my usual breaks with work. I can leave them to get on with activities, and then set up a new one when I normally take a break. I think we all have to just learn to be a lot more flexible with this new normal and cherish the time we have together. I’ve also created 5 “themed” weeks, for me personally, this is a life saver in terms of planning. So download and read on, and I hope this can help you in some way.

Weekly PlanDownload

Preparation and Themes

Trust me when I say, this is for your own sanity! With a little bit of forward planning and foresight, your days will be a lot easier. If you can print out activity packs ahead of time (I’ll give you a list of my favourite resources at the end), and prepare any sensory activities or mini worlds the night before. Working with a theme every week helps to tie in an activities, and it assists in learning. I’ve tried to keep mine aligned with a preschool/kindergarten curriculum, however, my eldest is in Grade 1 and he still repeats some of these themes.

Weekly Themes:

1. Autumn

  • Ideas: Create an Autumn leaf sensory tray.
  • Art: Create an Autumn Leaf collage from leaves picked up during a walk outdoors
  • Fine Motor: Grab some paper and some crayons and do some leaf/bark shading
  • Create a “Hand print tree” cutting out (practise those cutting skills) an outline of their hand print on different coloured card.
  • Read: “We’re going on a leaf hunt” by Steve Metzger

2. The Ocean

  • Ideas: Create an Ocean layer sensory tray. Use sensory materials such as rice or jello to depict the different layers of the ocean, and talk about what type of fish and underwater creatures are found at various layers.
  • Art: Create a DIY Jellyfish out of paper plates and string.
  • Re-purpose recyclables to create ocean creatures (plastic bags into jelly fish etc).
  • Sea Salt Art.
  • Create some “trapped fish” in ice and let them work to release the animals from the ice.
  • Create an Ocean scene out of cardboard.
  • Cut out the shape of a fish and using bubble wrap, paint the scales on a fish.
  • Create an underwater sensory bottle.
  • Gross Motor: Practice the “Crab Walk”.

3. Lifecycle of a Plant/ Garden

  • Gross Motor: Go on a nature walk and see how many types of flowers/plants you can identify.
  • Math activities – cutting out flower shapes and using paper clips as leaves, count the number of leaves on the flower.
  • Cut some kitchen roll holder/toilet paper rolls into sections and use them to “layer” different parts of the flower.
  • Fine Motor: Pressed flowers.
  • Grow some seeds.
  • Create a garden potion.

4. Wildlife

  • Create an “African” themed sensory tray.
  • Identify and separate the animals into herbivores and carnivores (explain the difference). Let your child put the animals into the correct “habitat”
  • Create some binoculars out of toilet roll and hide some animals around the house/garden. Create a scavenger hunt safari where your children have to find the animals.
  • Talk about the Big 5.
  • Make a giraffe hand-print.
  • Make a lion out of paper plates and pasta.
  • Read: How the Cheetah got its tears by Avril Van der Merwe, how the Zebra got its stripes by Justine Fontes

5. The Five Senses – This can sometimes be a long one, so don’t worry if it goes over a week.

  • Hearing – Make your own music shakers and rain makers.
  • Blindfold them and get them to follow a course by listening to your voice.
  • Smell – Scented Paint activity (add oils or juices into different coloured paints)
  • Create lavender or coffee scented play-dough
  • Homemade paint with spices and seasoning (turmeric, cloves, cinnamon etc)
  • Touch – Make some oobleck or slime, talk about how it feels in your hands.
  • Create a Mystery bag, throw some items into a draw string bag and get them to guess what they are.
  • Create a Texture Tray with off cuts of material. Get the children to describe how it feels.
  • Sight – Play a game of I-Spy.
  • Hide Objects around the room and get the children to find them with a magnifying glass.
  • Taste – Create a Mystery taste tray, blindfold them and give them something sweet, salty, sour etc and try to identify what it is.
  • Apple Test – Get 3 types of apple (red, yellow, green) – children should taste them and distinguish the different flavours.
  • Bake something – Bake some cookies or muffins.

To summarise all 5 senses do the “Popcorn” test – “LOOK at the kernals, LISTEN to them pop, SMELL the delicious aroma, use your sense of TOUCH to fill your bag and finally TASTE the delicious popcorn that you made.

There are some fantastic online resources to guide you for activities, and most of them offer free printables. Some of my favourites are:

https://www.twinkl.co.za/

https://theimaginationtree.com/

https://www.preschoolthemes.co.za/

https://playtolearnpreschool.us/

Stay At Home Activities To Keep The Kids Busy During The Corona Virus Lockdown

Stay At Home Activities To Keep The Kids Busy During The Corona Virus Lockdown

Posted on by Rebecca

Its official, South Africa has declared a state of natural disaster and with that our President has released some pretty hardcore regulations for us all to follow to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Schools will be closed for more then a month to see how things pan out and most families will be practising voluntary self-isolation. Queue LOTS of home time and kids climbing up the walls. I don’t think there has ever been a more apt post then this. Save it to your bookmarks and refer back to it, whenever you need quick easy activities to entertain the kids.

One of the central recommendations experts make in order to maintain some sense of security for your kids is to create a schedule. Focus on educational activities for the morning, or arts and crafts for the afternoon. Make sure your kids are getting enough outdoor time.

Start compiling items like sensory activities for younger children and put together baskets full of activity books and games for older kids. Take an afternoon and head to the crazy store and grab a bunch of items to store together.

Create a Scavenger Hunt – hide things around the house or garden and write down a list for the kids to go and find (draw pictures of the objects if they are too young to read)

Create an Obstacle course – a friend did this with the kids when we went around for a visit and they absolutely LOVED it. Send the kids to race to the wall, then hop across the yard on one foot, then skip to the tree etc, you get the picture.

Paint Outdoors

Go on a bug hunt

Make your own bath bombs

Wash the car – never underestimate how much the kids love this.

Build a bird house or make a bird feeder

Have a Pyjama party

Watch the clouds

Play with water balloons

Make a batch of home made playdough

Play Charades

Play Hide and Seek

Build Engineering structures

Good old colouring in

Make a sculpture out of cardboard

Paint on Cardboard

Play some board games

Set up a mini library at home and read books

Do some science experiments

Play Cards

Create something with Beads

Make some story stones – the images on the stones become characters in a story that everyone can tell

Play I-Spy

Plant a garden

Build some lego

Create some some salt art

Download and print some worksheets from the internet

Play catch with your kids – seriously, the power this simple game has is extreme

Have a puzzle morning

Stick some numbers or objects into plastic eggs and hide them around the house. As they open up the eggs they can tick things off the list

Grow some veggies

Play a round of bingo

Grab some paper and crayons and do some leaf and bark rubbings

Create your own stress balls – these are great for fidgety fingers!

Host a pretend cooking show (with the kids of course)

Bake some treats

Build a Fort

Make a Marble Run

Do some crosswords

Do some sensory play

Make your own DIY Jellyfish (arts and crafts)

Make your own musical instruments

Create a suncatcher

Create something with air drying clay

Create a nature weave

Make some paper planes and have a competition to see who can get them the furthest

Make some finger puppets

Play with Foam Paint

Create some egg cartoon creations

Draw on the bricks with sidewalk chalk

Make some slime

Make some science crystals

Try some origami

Make a fairy garden (yes even boys will love this)

Make your own “wizard wands” out of sticks

Paint with bubble wrap

Make your own DIY Flip book

Make some chickpea foam

Make your own fridge magnets

Set up some tin can, carnival style throw games

Make your own water wall

Create a town with a cardboard box

Make some lemonade

Play a memory game

Paint with vegetables – potato or apple printing

Create a Dino Dig

Do some mazes

Do some sticker art

Set up some “bath” stations for your toys

Decorate some T-Shirts

I know its going to be hard for people to feel “trapped” at home. Sometimes I get into a space and cant think of anything to do with the kids and I often end up succumbing to TV if it weren’t for lists like this. So save this, print it out and whenever you need to try to stick to the game plan and turn to something more constructive.

We will get through this, one day at a time. Lets cherish this quality time, it’s the worlds way of telling us to slow down a little. Appreciate the small things xx

Instant Pot 101 – A guide for beginners

Instant Pot 101 – A guide for beginners

Posted on by Rebecca

Let me start my saying, the first few days with my Instant Pot were rough! I couldn’t figure out how to put the lid on, I wasn’t used to pressure cooking and it took me a while to actually “fall in love” with this little firecracker. Yet now, I proudly back this product with my life, I use it on rotation at least 3 times a week, so I thought I’d write a few tips on getting you through those early days.

Did you read the manual? Nope, Didn’t think so. The good news is there are a ton of community groups out there to help across social media, so instead of letting it gather dust in the cupboard, join them, read this, and just take the leap to get started.

You can live without it

Yes I know, any good “influencer” would not say that, but you can. You lived without it for all your life. What it does help with dramatically is EASING your life. Things that used to take 5 hours to cook can be cut down to 45 minutes. So, you certainly CAN live without it, but once you have experienced it, you may not want to 🙂 Mine has literally become my mid-week meal lifesaver!

You need to Prepare your meals

Pressure cooking can deeply intensify the flavours of your dish, but because you can’t freely open and close the lid, and chuck in your spices as you go along, you need to pre-think your flavours. Add your spices and herbs in in the beginning, so that they all cook together.

What happens if I want to slow cook?

The main difference between an Instant Pot and a normal pressure cooker, is that the Instant Pot is a “multi-function” cooker. As much as you can “speed things up”, you can slow them right down by selecting the slow cooker function. You can also steam, saute and sterilise at the touch of a button, heck, I have even baked in mine.main difference between an Instant Pot and a normal pressure cooker, is that the Instant Pot is a MULTI-FUNCTION cooker. That’s right, as much as you can speed up things, select the slow cooker function to take a slow ride. Over and above the slow cook function, you can steam, saute and sterilise, all at the touch of a button! Heck, I’ve even baked in mine!

Always make sure you have enough liquid.

Make sure that you always have at least 250 ml of liquid in your pot. The pressure builds up from steam, so if there is not enough, it won’t come up to pressure.
Consider investing in Stackable steamers – This will really give you another take one “one pot” cooking.

Use the “Saute” function to thicken your liquids

At the same time, always use flour or cornstarch AFTER pressure cooking, not before, otherwise you will end up on the “burn” option, and your dish can stick. Sometimes sauces or cans with a high sugar content, like tinned tomatoes, can also make this happen. To fix this, add in ingredients that either release water or add in an extra half a cup of water to make sure that enough liquid is present to steam. the ‘Sauté’ function if you meal has too much liquid. This will help the excess liquid to reduce. Stir frequently while cooking on sauté.

Natural versus Quick Release

This was probably one of the most intimidating things for me. The first time I moved that steam vent for quick release, I had gloves on, a cloth around my arm, AND I used a spoon. The Instant Pot takes a while to build up to the pressure setting called for in each recipe, and, it also needs time to release that pressure. For the QR (quick release), turn the vent counter clockwise. If time isn’t an issue, the Natural Pressure Release (NPR) will happen on its own, most often in 10 to 15 minutes. Use the Natural release with large cuts of meat which take longer to cook and other items which have a good amount of liquid, or a high starch content like dry beans and soups

Cooking times can be deceiving

When you first see a recipe, you get super excited because you’ll see a cooking time of say 8 minutes. However, you need to realise that every recipe needs some time on the front end to come to pressure, as well as time to depressurise afterwards. Think of it like your oven having to preheat.

That’s it! Start off by cooking the more simple things like the stews or pastas and from there start experimenting. You’ll soon find that using this nifty little tool comes naturally.

Healthy Eating During Pregnancy

Healthy Eating During Pregnancy

Posted on by Rebecca

A healthy diet is important to us all, but even more so if you are pregnant. There is so much conflicting advice out there on what to eat and what not to eat. In addition to all the worry on what you can and can’t take, you also have to deal with 3 or 4 months of having little to no appetite due to nausea, the next 3 months of eating everything in sight, and then your last 2 months of not being able to eat more then a golf ball sized amount before feeling full! Diet and your appetite in pregnancy is a roller-coaster ride!

I recently spent a morning with the team from NUK and Lila Bruk, a Registered Dietician, where we learnt about pregnancy and post pregnancy nutrition, and we got to cook up some balanced, healthy meals that are perfect for pre and post partum mums.

Shante Hutton Photography

Here are some Top Tips to get you through a healthy pregnancy:

  1. Don’t Eat for Two –  I know this one is easier said then done. Whilst I didn’t “eat for two” during any of my pregnancies, I certainly indulged in more then my fair share of ice cream! Excessive weight gain during pregnancy can predispose you to conditions, such as pre-eclampsia, so try to keep up a healthy, balanced diet as you usually would. I varied between gain 12 and 15 kgs throughout my three pregnancies.
  2. Increase your calcium – This is the serious part. Calcium is essential for your baby’s growth and if you don’t get enough calcium through your diet then your body will have to rely on your own stores to compensate for these needs (i.e; your teeth and bones. Yes my teeth suffered the most from my pregnancies). You can get calcium from dairy products (e.g. yoghurt, cheese, milk), but also in tofu, and fish with edible bones (e.g. kipper, sardines, pilchards). If you are taking your calcium as a supplement, be sure NOT to take it with fibre, caffeine or Iron as it interferes with absorption. (Another gem I didn’t know).
  3. Stock up on Healthy Fats – Essential for your baby’s health and brain development. Healthy fats include those found in nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and olive oil. It is especially important to ensure that you eat enough omega- 3 fatty acids, which are essential for your baby’s brain development. Omega-3s are found in fatty fish (e.g. sardines, pilchards, trout), walnuts and flaxseed. I couldn’t take Omega-3 supplements as they contributed to my nausea but I upped my nut and fish intake.
  4. Fill up on Fibre – Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, I cant emphasize his one enough. Especially in my last pregnancy, I really had to actively increase my intake. You can get your fibre from oats, bran flakes, fruits, veggies, wholegrain starches, (e.g. brown rice) and legumes. I used to add a couple of spoons of oat bran to my yoghurt in the morning.
  5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – When you are pregnancy your blood volume increases. Aim for at least 10 glasses per day to meet your fluid needs. Soups, water and herbal teas count as water, but anything with caffeine does not. If you don’t cut out caffeine completely, then keep it to a max of 2 to 3 cups per day. Funnily enough with my last pregnancy I couldn’t even stomach the thought of a cup of tea for the first 4 months!
  6. Pump up the Protein – You are building the muscles of a tiny human! Try to increase your protein by eating more fish, meat, eggs, poultry, cheese, legumes and dairy.
  7. Don’t forget the Folic acid – My doctor once told me, if you take only one thing during pregnancy, make sure it’s folic acid. Some pregnancy vitamins make me more nauseous, so her advice to me was to cut out the vitamins but keep taking the Folic acid. It is important for the development of your baby’s nervous system and is necessary to prevent neural tube defects (e.g. spina bifida). Ideally you should start taking a folic acid supplement 3 months before conception.
  8. Check your iron levels – I struggle with this on a good day, and it is always a concern in my pregnancies. If you don’t get enough iron, you can develop anaemia and you may start to feel extremely fatigued, pale and lethargic. It is a good idea to focus on eating more iron-rich foods, such as red meat. DON’T do what I did and eat livers, because that can actually have bad side effects for your baby.

So what should I eat?

I have put together a table to make it easier for you. Personally, I would only focus on the “No” portion, and keep eating as you normally would, with an increased awareness of upping your vitamin and mineral intake. This was an eye opener for me, when I was in my last pregnancy my Iron levels were extremely low. So I turned to what I normally do when I feel anaemic, good old Nando’s livers. I had NO idea the effects that livers could have on my baby. Thank goodness I only had one or two!

Next week I’ll be sharing some more information from the morning, specifically for post-partum and breastfeeding mums. A healthy balanced diet is crucial to milk supply, so check in next week for more. Let me know below if you would like recipe ideas.

Thank you to the NUK team and Lila Bruk for sharing this knowledge with us!

Vichy LiftActiv Range Review – Honest Thoughts

Vichy LiftActiv Range Review – Honest Thoughts

Posted on by Rebecca

I’m a bit of a sceptic when it comes to testing facial products. I have used the same products for years, with the same routine of wash, tone, moisturise and every now and again I use a mask and serum. I have a bit more of a sensitive skin tone and can be prone to breakouts so it takes a while before I really find something that works.

For the past 3 months I have been reviewing the Vichy LiftActiv range, specifically, the Collagen Specialist Cream and the Hyalu Mask.

I have to admit as excited as I was about reviewing Vichy products (I brand I adore), initially, I was a little apprehensive about the Collagen Specialist Cream.

The packing is glass and heavy, which gives it a deluxe, expensive feel. It has the most luxurious smell, which is synonymous with the Vichy Brand. It almost felt like I was putting perfume on my face. Which is exactly the reason I was unsure of it initially. With my more sensitive skin, the idea of putting a product on my face with such a strong scent left me uncertain. Never the less I carried on, and I am so glad I did!

The Vichy Liftactiv Collagen Specialist Day Cream claims to boost the skin’s collagen production and fights ageing signs by lifting wrinkles and fine lines, redefining contours and bringing a more even skin tone.
The key point being that the cream doesn’t necessarily contain collagen, but rather, the ingredients aim to boost the skins production of it, which for me is even better! It contains Vitamin CG and Collagen protecting biopeptides to smooth out and brighten your skin.

The consistency is rich, soft and velvety. Rich you say?  For a cream so rich in consistency, I was concerned that it would leave my skin feeling oily. Strangely enough though, it actually does the opposite, it almost has a mattifying effect. Probably down to the silicone in it, so if your skin reacts to silicone’s (it can cause break outs), then give this one a miss.

It actually surprised me how much I adore this cream. It nourishes my skin really well, keeping it plump, healthy and smooth and after almost a month of daily application, I noticed an increase in brightness and decrease in overall dryness. There is also an obvious difference in the fine lines on my forehead. I was so bothered by the “African Rift Valley”, in between my eyebrows (caused by squinting to see when I don’t have my glasses), that I actually considered going for botox. Since I have started using the cream it doesn’t bother me as much at all. It certainly hasn’t disappeared completely, but there is a huge improvement.

Would I repurchase this? Yes, absolutely without question. It nourishes my skin exceptionally well, I haven’t had one day of dry or tight feeling skin in the past 3 months and I feel my skin is looking healthier. I’ve also heard that if you combine it with mineral 89, it has a double whammy effect, so in time I am going to try doing that. It also makes the perfect make up base, because it smooths the skin it almost acts as a primer.


Vichy’s LiftActiv Hyalu Face Mask

Lets move onto the mask – now this, I was bowled over from day 1!

Vichy’s LiftActiv Hyalu Face Mask, is formulated with 1% Natural Origin Hyaluronic Acid, Agave Yeast Extract, and 15 Mineral-Rich Water for all skin types. It almost feels like you are applying a pure water gel to your face, but packs a powerful punch. When used consistently it helps to reduce fine lines, and replenish hydration. My skin felt softer, fresher and noticeably “brighter”. The mask is Paraben, fragrance and oil free.

As it’s a gel mask, it doesn’t dry. You apply a thin,layer of the face mask on clean, dry skin, wait for 5 minutes and wipe the excess with a damp cotton pad. Do not rinse with water. Leave the residue on while you sleep .

I have been in love with this product since the first time I used it and without a doubt it now has a place in my weekly routine.

I’m excited to try out the Mineral 89 as well as the Liftactiv serum as I have heard such great things about these as well. If you need a little “lift” (excuse the pun), to your skincare routine, I would certainly recommend Vichy.

Champagne Castle Hotel Review

Champagne Castle Hotel Review

Posted on by Rebecca

It has it all.

Visual impact, luxury of years gone by, activities to entertain everyone, and enough food to feed the pre-slimmed down Royal Family 🙂 We were even blessed with the beautiful Drakensberg “mist” that added to the charm of our stay, giving it an ethereal feel.

Champagne Castle Hotel is pretty close to being an ultimate experience. There is no better hotel positioned with more dramatic and immediate views of the Drakensberg than this one, you are literally in the heart and center. We arrived when it was misty which actually made it even more magical. As the mist lifted you just saw more and more incredible mountains and peaks around you.

Self Catering Chalets

Accomodation

As this is a family blog I’m going to focus from a family point of view first, though if you are looking for a hotel that boasts it all for the more discerning guests, then you have certainly found it here as well. If you are looking to book for a family, you have two options. The deluxe family rooms which are 6 double-storey family rooms, with each having a patio and balcony.

Deluxe Family Rooms at the Hotelh

You can also choose the self catering house, which we did, as we went with a bunch of friends and it allowed us more space to “take over”. The family rooms have a upstairs and downstairs bedrooms each with an en-suite bathroom off the room. Whilst the self catering houses have up to 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room and a lounge with a fireplace. I’m pretty sure they were bigger then my own house and had a fully equipped kitchen, complete with high chairs for the little ones. They were heavenly and from what I understand, a bit more “modern” then some of the hotel rooms. The hotel itself is old but the self catering chalets were added on afterwards, so they have newer finishes to them.

 The Food

If you stay in the hotel then breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus morning and afternoon tea are all included in your stay, except of course, for the self-catering chalets. So if eating and drinking is your thing, then you have scored big time. There is always something on offer, so best to make use of those walking trails to burn all the excess calories off.

Breakfasts include cereals, fruits, and yoghurts to cooked options and continental ones, without forgetting the ever popular pastries, waffles, and pancakes.

The hotel also has two lounges, one casual and one a bit more formal which is an adults only lounge. No shorts are allowed in the dining room after 6 pm. I have to say, this may annoy some people, but for me personally, with 3 young kids I can fully appreciate this. “Old school” rules are actually sometimes nice and people appreciate them. It adds a bit of elegance.

There is no shortage of selection in terms of food, with options from soups and breads, cooked meats, vegetarian, pasta, fish, roasted veggies, accompanied by a whole host of divine desserts and cheeses. We stayed self catering so didn’t personally dine there but from what I have heard the staff in the dining room are exceptional.

The Activities

This is what I rank a “family” resort on. The availability of activities to do, not only for the kids, but for mum and dad too. It doesn’t have to be purely within the hotel boundaries, but near enough to enjoy. Champagne castle has an incredible animal farm for children to explore. Chickens, rabbits, ducks, goats and ducks; petting farms are always a winner with younger kids. They also have stables on site and you can choose from a walk around the paddock for your kids to more advanced rides through the mountain trails. This applies for residents and day visitors to the hotel as well.

They also have an aviary towards the back of reception. I’ll be honest though, this needed a bit of work and seems to have been a bit neglected. Though we did spot a tortoise and some colourful birds, but it didn’t overwhelm us at all.

Growing up I remember always running to check out a resorts “playroom” and I still get excited when I see hotels that advertise them. I think it’s a charm of years gone by and I love that the boys are at the age now where they really enjoy a game of pool or table tennis. The hotel has a playroom, although again, its in desperate need of a bit of an update. There’s table tennis, a pool table and a lounge area for board games to keep up the entertainment if the weather outside is miserable. There is no shortage of outdoor activities either, the pool, tennis and badminton courts, volleyball, lawn bowls, giant chess, a jungle gym and well as a dam to fish. It really does cater to everyone’s needs. Let’s not forget that the majority of guests do come to do a little hiking in the pristine countryside.

The entertainment room is in need of a little update
Beautiful outdoor chess set

The hotel offers guided walks at 09.15 every morning, with a return promised before lunch. Maps and routes are also available from reception should you wish to do a self guided walk, though I’m not sure if I trust my sense of direction.

Swimming Pool with a view

Sadly I didn’t get a chance to check out the spa facilities, but fully intend on maximizing on this for our next stay. (Yes, I would return in a heartbeat).

The surrounding area has no shortage of activities either;

  • The Drakensberg Canopy Tour is a fun adventure for the whole family.
  • Falcon Ridge Bird of Prey Center is right next door to the hotel.
  • There is no shortage of golf courses in the area, both a 9 hole as well as an 18.
  • Champagne castle Adventure Centre is within about 5 minutes of the hotel and offers team activities such as archery, abseiling, paintball, river rafting, zip-lining and quad-biking as well as a younger kids area (3-7).
  • Explore some of the beautiful home industry bakeries

My focus for the last 2 years has been on finding local places for our family to travel, finding locations across South Africa that are affordable, and family friendly with activities and amenities for the whole family to enjoy in comfort. If you are looking for a great weekend away, then Champagne Castle Hotel ticks all of these boxes and then some.

If you are looking for a truly magical weekend away, less than 4 hours from Johannesburg, Champagne Castle Hotel is magical. There are other hotels nearby that may cater more for children, but for us, and our children, Champagne Castle Hotel was perfect. It was particularly misty when we were there, which just added to the magical charm. With the horses grazing in the paddocks, overlooked by the giant mountain peaks,  I felt like I was walking through a storybook.

Finding Romance In Rome

Finding Romance In Rome

Posted on by Rebecca

With its beautiful cobbled streets, historical fountains, picturesque piazza’s and grand monuments, Rome is without a doubt one of the most romantic destinations in the world. That’s not a word that gets used often on this page, “romantic”. It gets put on the back burner with 3 kids and 2 careers. Everyone had their own unique “love language” and mine are actions and travel. Travel… ahhhh… something else that has been put on the back burner since the arrival of our little munchkins.

Italy is an absolute must-visit country and undoubtedly, one of the most travelled to destinations in Europe, with so many unique highlights in one country, you certainly need more then one trip. I still haven’t touched the beautiful Tuscan Countryside, or the most romantic canals of Venice, but I have done the picturesque, cobblestones streets of Rome and the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.

Positano is the absolute gem of the Amalfi Coast and is undoubtedly one of the most charming, romantic towns in Italy. The views are what storybooks are made of (literally), and it is well worth taking 3 days to visit if you go to Italy, but lets leave that for its own blog. Here I want to focus on Rome, and my top romantic must see’s in this historical city. (I’ll take you there one day soon baby, I promise).

If you are going to visit Rome, I would recommend at least 3 full days. You could do it in two but allow for three to fully appreciate every single inch of history this cultural haven has to offer.

Where to stay:

Rome has no shortage of accommodation. My one piece of advice would be to choose something central, where it is easy to walk between the historical sites. Be careful though, the further “in” you go, the more pricey they become. Every time I have gone to stay in Rome, I stay in the same hotel, its right up the street from the Colosseum and a fairly easy walk to most landmark sites as well as the train station. The Grande Hotel Palatino, on Via Cavour. It’s not the fanciest, but its 4 star, is in an awesome location and has a certain “Ritz” feel. It’s also right across the street from a beautiful Basicilia that has the most incredible statue, Mosè di Michelangelo.

As you stroll through the postcard streets, these are some of my “must visit” landmarks:

Visit to the Colosseum

Seemingly obvious, but I had to include it. If you really are interested in seeing inside and learning the history it is absolute worth joining a tour. You can wait a little longer but I don’t regret this for one minute. Standing tall and proud next to the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine, you can’t miss it. It is one of the largest of Rome’s ancient triumphal arches. It celebrates Emperor Constantine the Great’s victory and the battle that made Christianity the religion of Rome.

Stroll through the Roman Forum

Visit the Roman Forum – The “excavated heart” of the City. You can literally feel the history in every corner. The Trajan markets were the first “multi level shopping ‘Mall’” in the world. The views in the Roman Forum are absolutely breathtaking and you can imagine what the city looked like in all its glory.

Palatine Hill

Palatine Hill houses the ruins of the Imperial palaces. It is one of the most ancient parts of the city and still has the beautiful gardens and fragments of all the ancient wealth.

Trevi Fountain

You didn’t think I would miss out on one of my favourite landmarks do you? No trip to Rome is complete without tossing a coin into this majestical beauty. You should prioritise this for first thing in the morning, or later in the evening to get a good view and avoid the crowds. It’s far too busy midday so plan your day around it. After making your wish, stop by one of the local gelato stores to indulge in some authentic Italian ice cream.

The Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica

Starting to see why I say three days now? Plan an entire morning for the Vatican and once again, GET THERE EARLY! We went first thing and didn’t regret it for a second. St Peter’s Basilica opens at 7am so you can start there and move onto the breathtaking Sistine chapel which houses Michelangelo’s masterpieces. Once again, I would recommend joining a tour group for this one. The knowledge that you gain is worth every cent, you can always peel off if it doesn’t suit your fancy, but we found it very valuable.

Watch the Sunset from Capitoline Hill

At the end of your day visit the historic Piazza del Campidoglio, which is considered to be one of Romes most beautiful squares. If you go around the back of the central building you can get the most beautiful city top panorama, with all the domes and Colosseum in the background. It is truly breathtaking.

Sign the Register at the Pantheon

The only ancient Roman temple to survive almost completely intact, this is one absolute must see! Take in the incredible stature of the building from the piazza before heading inside and staring in awe at the height and architecture of the building.

Piazza del Popolo

No trip to Rome is complete without a bit of “people watching”, and Piazza del Popolo or “the peoples square” is perfect for this. Grab a cappuccino and take in the sights. Always be careful of pickpockets!

Have a seat on the Spanish Steps

Would it be a romantic list without the “lovers steps”? Set in the beautiful Piazza Della Spagna, the fountains, buildings and ambience make it such a buzzing place to be with your loved one. In summer beautiful bougainvillea cascade down the steps, it’s the perfect spot to sit and have some gelato after indulging in a little shopping on Via dei Condotti.

The Tiber River

This river defines the city of Rome. Take a stroll along its banks along the beautiful St. Angelo Bridge as you literally walk through history. There are some fabulous cafes along it where you can enjoy a sundowner or coffee with your lover while watching the sun set across the ancient city.

Source

Get Lost!

I had to add this one in there, because this is how I first “stumbled” across the Trevi Fountain, by “getting lost” along the tiny cobbled streets. It’s the best way to find the most authentic restaurants and traditional Italian shops minus the touristy stuff. With your map in hand you can be certain you will find your way again at some point.

If you need a quick escape from the hustle of the city, hop on the train to check out Sperlonga Beach. It is about an hour train ride from Rome and makes the perfect day trip. Its sandy beaches and crystal clear shallow waters make the perfect refresher after 3 days exploring the city.

If you are looking for the perfect romantic trip for you and your partner, or in my opinion, the perfect babymoon then Italy is one of your safest bets. I wouldn’t rush to take young kids to Rome, but I long to roam the streets hand in hand with my hubby. Travelstart has some incredible deals on trips to Rome, check out https://www.travelstart.co.za

Whats good to know:

Credit Cards and ATMs: Keep small cash handy for things like street souveniurs, on the go cafe lattes or gelato, but most of the tour operators and cafes accept foreign credit cards.

Electricity: European standards, so I would definitely recommend taking a travel adaptor.

Safety: Italy is generally a safe destination. However be on the look out for pickpockets and “gypsy” beggars. Mainly around the busier Piazza’s.

Getting Around: Rome is incredibly easy to walk around and there are loads of scooters to hire if you are brave enough to as well. If you venture a bit further, I loved travelling by train and it also makes you feel a little more “local” 🙂 It also gives you the opportunity to sit back and relax as you cross the beautiful countryside.

*This blog post was written in collaboration with TravelStart

** All photographs are my own, unless stated otherwise, and are subject to copyright.

***PPS: Cobbled streets? Not so great for the stilettos 🙂

When Baby Goes On A Bottle Strike

When Baby Goes On A Bottle Strike

Posted on by Rebecca

We are well back into the swing of things at work after a beautiful 2 week break. Not having to worry about the rush of the school run, not having to worry about expressing in between breaks and while driving, not having to worry about how much milk I have left in the freezer for our precious baby girl.

Enter our second day “back to work” however and I got an urgent call from our childminder to say that our 9 month old was refusing to drink from the bottle. It all happened out of nowhere, she had always taken the bottle like an absolute champ, but suddenly, she was pushing it away, playing with it or simply sealing her mouth shut and shaking her head (this girl knows what she wants).

I briefly remember experiencing this with my first born, but it was a brief phase that passed very quickly. So I put a poll up on my instastories on who has experienced this and gathered together most of the advice received.

What to do when your baby goes on a bottle strike:

Apparently its more common then you think, especially between 8 and 9 months. They are starting to get more mobile, more distracted during feeds in general. Its way more fun to crawl and reach out to everything then sitting through a feed.

If your baby is going through the same thing, don’t worry. We tried a couple of combinations that worked for us, but these are the most common suggestions I received.

Offer smaller amounts more frequently

Drinking is not their priority. Try offering smaller amounts more frequently. It’s not ideal, but at least you are getting the mls in. “Snacking” throughout the say. Warm up half the amount you would normally do and offer that at different times throughout the day, or when they are eating their meal. Either way, you’ll want to measure the bottles in smaller amounts so you don’t waste the milk. This goes for both breastmilk and formula fed babies. If you are freezing milk, freeze it in smaller batches. With formula measure out half of what they usually take.

Change up the environment

Try feeding your baby in a different place. Take them outside or in a different bedroom the novelty of drinking in a new place may be enough to get them to finish their bottle. In the same breath you could move to a quiet room with less distractions. No TV’s or radios or pictures on the wall to look at. Sit in a darker room or draw the curtains to create a calming environment.

Change your bottles flow

Bottle teats have various different flows. What worked initially as a newborn may be too slow and difficult to suck. Change up one level to see if it has an impact.

Offer the Milk in a different bottle

We shifted to a sippy cup instead of the typical bottle and its worked wonders. Start with transition sippy cups to make the move from bottle to cup smoother. 

Changing the temperature of the milk

Yep – this worked for us weirdly. I think it might have been the shock factor. Expecting something warm and then getting it cold that peaked her curiosity.

It often makes sense if you step back and just think about changes occurring in your life and how that may have impacted them. For me it was definitely all the time spent at home, feeding on demand and not having to worry about a schedule. Youll often find with a little persistence and time things will get back to normal. Sometimes babies may get into more of a reverse cycle feed and they will often end up drinking more at night whilst you are away in the day. As long as they are staying hydrated you shouldn’t worry. If they are refusing to drink even at night I would advise seeing your pediatrician.

What worked for us:

Babygirl is back to drinking her milk while I’m away at work. What worked for us was offering it to her in smaller amounts, out of a sippy cup, and in smaller amounts. She plays and crawls, and takes a sip. Plays and sips until the bottle is finished. Like most phases, this should just pass. Its more common then you think and persistence is key. She is still hugely distracted, even when feeding directly from me. She drinks for 2 minutes, pops up to look around and play and then carries on. Its almost a game now, with each time she comes up, a huge smile forms across her face.

Whatever method works for you, persistence is key. At times, baby can also start to “reverse” feed. Taking in more milk at night when they drink. It’s all part of growing up I guess. One thing is for sure, the way that they can adapt and the way they have such determination in what they do; babies amaze me!

Mid Week Instant Pot Meals

Mid Week Instant Pot Meals

Posted on by Rebecca

My choice of a midweek meal has to be something that is quick, tasty and require minimal effort on my end. This selection are speedy, delicious and super easy to make. Family friendly meals designed to be on the table in record time.

You see, my evenings go a little like this “aaaaahhhhhhhhhh” (picture Macauly Caulkin screaming in home alone). If I’m working in the office I get home after 4pm, to 3 children all demanding attention in some way. A baby that wants milk and love, and two boys that are eager to tell me about their days and what they did. I listen and try to connect but I know in the back of my mind I need to decide what to make for dinner asap.

I wish I was one of those people who could decide the night before what to make, but I’m not. It’s almost always a last minute decision on what meat to take out the freezer. Anyone else relate? By 5 pm the prep work needs to start. Baby gets her dinner at 5h30 pm and then its bath and bed time around 6h30 pm for her. That gives me about an hour max to sort dinner out as the rest of us normally eat between 6h30 or 7 at the latest. Safe to say I am ALWAYS looking for quick, tasty, easy meals that can get onto the table in without fuss.

Instant Pot really has changed the way we eat. It has also changed WHAT we eat, with things like stews and dhaal made in record time. These three recipes are on constant rotation in our home, I know they work and I know they are tasty.

Rotisserie style Roast Chicken

You may have seen me mention this one on my “Insta stories”, but 35 minutes (and natural release time), is all you need to create the most juicy, tender, fall off the bone chicken. You will never make your chicken another way again.

It is so versatile, and has so many variations. Serve it on its own or with roast vegetables,  I chuck veg into mine to make a hidden veg gravy at the end. It’s made in the Instant Pot completely from beginning to end, with a quick sear on both sides to create that beautiful golden colour.

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Roast Chicken

35 minutes to the most succulent, tender Roast Chicken you have ever had. Instant Pot Whole Chicken is juicy, tender and incredibly easy to make. Add your vegetables to the bottom of the Pot for a complete one pot meal in under an hour.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Main Course
Keyword: chicken, instant pot, roast chicken

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 Free Range Whole Chicken
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 2 tsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 cup Chicken Stock
  • Vegetables of choice

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, paprika, garlic and onion powder with a little olive oil. Rub onto the chicken skin and in the cavity.
  • Set your Instant Pot to the high sauté setting, add a little oil and brown chicken on both sides, about 4-5 minutes a side.
  • Remove the chicken and set aside.
  • Place your metal trivet in the bottom and add chicken stock. Place your veggies (if adding) in the bottom and place the chicken back on top. Select Manual, change pressure to high and set time for 35 minutes. Natural release for approx. 10-15 minutes (while you are prepping your sides).
  • If you prefer a super crispy skin, you may choose to grill it for another 5 minutes, but it is perfectly fine without it. Use the remaining sauce at the bottom, together with the soft veg to create your gravy.
  • Serve with Vegetables of your choice.

Now lets move onto my next “go to” recipe. It’s a winner across any household, and always a firm favourite with kids.

Spaghetti Bolognese

My love affair with Italy knows no bounds. I’m obsessed , and dream of the next time I can return. Any chef knows that a secret to a good Bolognese or Ragu is to cook the mince for hours on a slow, steady stove top. Definitely no time for that mid week! My kids could live off pasta, so bolognese (with as many veg as I can sneak in) is always a winner. When I first heard of “one pot” spaghetti bolognese I was a little more than dubious. The idea of the pasta cooking in the same pot? I wasn’t sold. But this is a game changer! The pasta comes out perfectly “al dente” and absorbs all the delicious flavour.

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Spagetthi Bolognese

This classic family favourite just got a little easier! Flavour packed bolognese sauce (with as many hidden vegetables as you can squeeze in) and tender spaghetti noodles cook beautifully in the Instant Pot®, all in one pot. In under 15 minutes!

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time9 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Instant Pot Spaghetti, One pot pasta, pasta, Spaghetti, spaghetti bolognese

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 500 grams Lean Steak Mince
  • 1 tin Crushed Tomatoes
  • 500 grams Passata Sauce
  • 1 Onion finely diced
  • 2 Carrots finely diced
  • 2 Baby Marrow (or Celery) finely diced
  • 1.5 cups Water
  • Salt + Pepper
  • 1 tsp Green Chilli
  • 1 tsp Crushed Garlic
  • 2 tsp Italian Herbs

Instructions

  • Set your Instant Pot to Sauté Mode. Add in some Olive Oil and brown your mince together with garlic, salt and pepper.
  • Set aside browned mince.
  • Sauté onion, carrot, baby marrow together with garlic, celery salt, pepper and chilli until soft.
  • Add browned mince back in, together with tomatoes and passata sauce.
  • Break spaghetti in half and place on top of mince, add in one cup of water.
  • Cook for 8-10 minutes (depending on your preference) on high pressure with a quick release.
  • Voila! Questa Pasta e perfetta !

Lastly we pay homage to our “Taco Tuesday” dish. I put everything out on a big platter in the middle of the table and everyone makes up their own according to their own preference.

Shredded Chicken Tacos

This shredded chicken recipe is possibly the easiest of them all and is perfect for Tacos, Nachos, Sliders. I almost feel guilty calling it a “recipe” because it is so simple to make.

Print Recipe

Shredded Chicken Tacos

The BEST EVER Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos! These are so incredibly easy to make and the chicken is so versatile you could create at least 4 different recipes from it.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time7 mins
Total Time12 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, Shredded Chicken Tacos, Taco Tuesday, Tacos
Servings: 4 people

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 4 Chicken Fillets
  • 1 tsp Chilli Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • 2 Garlic cloves crushed
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Jar Salsa (of your choice and heat intensity)
  • Tortilla's to serve
  • Guacamole to serve
  • Grated cheese to serve

Instructions

  • Place marinated chicken breast inside the Instant Pot. Add the jar of Salsa on top.
  • Seal the lid and set the pressure knob to sealing.
  • Press “Poultry” and select between 7 and 10 minutes. (Depending on size of fillet).
  • Quick release and then shred the chicken breasts with two forks. Add back into sauce. You may want to saute it a little to thicken up the sauce, but it's completely up to you.
  • Serve with toppings and garnish of your choice.

There it is! 3 incredibly easy, low fuss “mid week” meals to inspire you to get creative with your Instant Pot! I honestly find I use mine more and more every single week and it has transformed our meals.

Happy Cooking! I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Ultimate Lunchbox Tips

Ultimate Lunchbox Tips

Posted on by Rebecca

Whether you are ready or not, the new school year is upon us, and with that approximately 197 lunch boxes to pack! Yep you read right, the average school year had 197 days in it. I don’t know about you, but I always start off the year strong, with a nice variety of options and creativity and then it dwindles with fatigue and exhaustion as the year progresses. Two heads are better then one, so “Mommalikeme” and I decided to get together and write about our top lunch box ideas, some of our store bought favourites and a few hacks to make your life easier throughout the year. Be sure to check our her blog post here.

I also have two other Articles that you can refer to for inspiration, find out all about my original lunch box inspiration here and check out some healthy options here.

My kids tend to “snack” more, and between all the playing at break time, bento style boxes work better for us, so most of my boxes are smaller portions with more options.

Daily Lunchbox Inspiration

Monday

  • Pesto Pasta – I list this every year but it really is a winner with us. If your child prefers warm pasta you can buy those nifty flask type containers that keep your food warm as well.
  • Nectarine
  • Yoghurt Pot
  • Biltong Strips

Tuesday

  • “Deconstructed Pita” – Basically Pita Bread with some Meatballs, Hummus and Cucumbers served separately.
  • Grapes and Berries
  • Carrots
  • Nut Muffin

Wednesday

  • Cheese Quesadilla (I toast two tortillas in a pan with melted cheese in the middle and cut into 4.
  • Served with Avo (I have one that likes Avo and another that cant stand it, so I may omit the Avo as well)
  • Strawberries
  • Yoghurt Choobie (Yoghurt tubes from woolies)
  • Trail Mix – My kids love the one with little yoghurt drops in from woolies

Thursday

  • Chicken and Cheese Roll up Wrap
  • Watermelon
  • Mozzarella String Cheese
  • Banana Muffin – you can view my recipe for banana muffins here.
  • Berries
  • Carrots/Sugar snap peas

Friday

  • Egg Muffin Cup
  • Cheese and baby tomato skewers
  • Granola Bar
  • Apple
  • Chocolate Covered Raisins as a treat

We’ve designed an easily printable “cheatsheet” list for you. Allowing you to quickly pick out options from each of the suggested food groups to create a healthy lunch box. Grab one thing from each category and you are good to go!

Click here to download and printDownload

Store Bought Favourites

Now lets look at some of my store bought favourites. These are lunchbox fillers that I buy to make my life easier. Some friendly on the pocket, and some are definitely more of a splurge so it just depends on how we are for the month 🙂

In no particular order:

  • Oven baked munchies (salt crackers)
  • Playful Penguins (South Africa’s answer to goldfish)
  • Granola and Nut Bars
  • Biltong/ Dry Wors
  • Yoghurt covered rice cakes
  • Cheese flavoured rice crackers
  • Fruit Bites
  • Kiddylicious Cheese Straws
  • Kiddylicious Coconut Rolls
  • Kiddylicious Fruity Bakes
  • Happy Kid Banana and Chocolate Bars
  • Trail Mixes
  • Nature Valley Granola Bars
  • Chocolate covered raisins
  • Laughing Cow cheese cubes
  • Mozzarella Cheese String
  • Yogi Choobes
  • “Oh My Goodness” Moon Melts

Lunchbox Hacks

Lastly here are some of my personal lunchbox “hacks”. Things that I do to make my mornings run as smoothly and as quickly as possible (and this is still a huge work in progress).

  1. Get your kids to “pack” their own lunches; “make a snack station”. Okay okay, my kids are a little young still, but this was a responsibility that I had from the age of about 12. So what I do is have a “snack shelf” in the pantry, where the kids can pull out their “store bought favs” from. Easily accessible they can choose what they would like to pack. If you are a little more organised then me, you could sort these into categories like proteins, fruits etc.
  2. Prepare what you can before hand– Pack all fruit, yoghurts etc the night before ready to go and on a Sunday night I normally prep what I can for the week ahead. For example; I will cook a whole bunch of drumsticks and sausages, ready to pop into lunchboxes when needed.
  3. Use Drinks as Ice packs – Freeze your water bottles and it will double up as an Ice Block in your cooler bag.
  4. Compartmentalise – if you don’t have a bento style lunchbox, use silicon muffin cases to hold and separate your foods.
  5. Use Skewers for small meats or cheese – Presenting things in a smaller, prettier way makes it more appealing for the kids to eat. I got some super cute skewers from Lily and Lace.
  6. Use Cookie or Sandwich Cutters (But don’t waste) – My pet peeve about using cookie cutters to shape bread is the amount of bread it wastes. Cloud and Co stock some awesome shapers that almost fit to size, ensuring that you don’t waste alot of the bread. I have my eye on the rocket ship!
  7. Make Use of a thermal flasks – again, Cloud and Co sell some super cute Thermal flasks which will increase what you are able to pack as lunch options.
  8. Send a little love note – Make use of pre-printed stickers like the ones from Tower Labels.

There you have it! I hope you have found these helpful and you use them in your daily planning. Don’t forget to head over to Mommalikeme for some more lunchbox inspiration!