Sightings! Aussie Food - Almost.

So it's no secret that Australian's can't quite live without Tim Tam's and Vegemite.  All right some can but I am not one of those lucky few.  There so many things I miss about Australian food too - taste, less sugar, no high fructose corn syrup, not having corn in everything a long list but you get the idea.

So, last week after Gymboree I went upstairs to Trader Joe's for a drink and a few groceries before heading home. Imagine how excited I was when whilst picking up some bread (which incidentally doesn't taste like rubbish, has hardly any sugar and actually contains some fibre) when I found crumpets. Yes good old crumpets. Mmm yummy. Crumpets with a little butter and some honey (also purchased form Trader Joe's).  In my excitement I haven't a clue how much they were, but I don't really care all that much!

This week life got even better.

I was shopping with a friend in Target and she mentioned these: 

So I am one very excited person, and right before winter too. Is there anything better than Tim Tam slams?  This little find gets better.  It is a product of Australia. Yep, they must be a repackaged version of the real thing.

And only $2.50. I must admit I hesitated in making this post, I anticipate that my local target will sell out. Have you found them anywhere else?

Have you found anything that tastes like home that you'd like to share?

So, 10 weeks until Christmas?! Eeek!

In the interests of fairness here are my gift ideas for a boy.  I have three nephews all around the age of two so there is some need for this research!

First, and probably what I will go with is the Bilibo.  It's is designed for Children age two to seven, and it is an award winning Imagination Toy.

KidStyleFile reviewed the toy in 2008, you can read the  review here. Probably the most important part of the review -

"Pros - Encourages imagination. Can’t get much safer. Not battery operated. No moving parts. High quality, lasts well. Can be used indoors and out. If you have more than one, they stack, and you can store things inside them. Good range of colours. They look cool!

Cons - None"

There are also some cute videos on YouTube of the toy in action... there really are no limits!

So what does a toy that has no limits cost? In Australia it will cost you approximately AUD$39, in the US it is approximately USD$30

Where do you buy?
Australia: You can buy from Urban Baby, metro mum and IQ Toys and many others. Urban Baby are giving a free bag to go with the toy.
USA: There are a stores in and around DC that stock the toy - Giggle (Friendship Heights, MD) Toys R Us & Target (online only) and Home Rule at 1807 14Th St NW (not available on their website).  There are of course plenty of other sites/stores that stock it.

The Bilibo also comes in mini (above right, approximately US$10 for two)...

Green Toys have a great line of classic children's toys constructed from recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials. The dump truck has a workable dumper, no BPA, no coatings, is non toxic and durable. See Green Toys for a list of stockists both in the USA, Australia and beyond.
They also have many many other designs - Frisbee, Tea Set, Bucket & Spade sand set...

For the little traveler how about a Trunki? UK designed Trunki is the ideal luggage for a little person. It has a hard shell, wheels and a lead, why you ask? Well, that's easy - it is the world's first ride on luggage. Yep, ride on. So load them up with all the gear the little one needs on the plane, wheel the Trunki and the child through airports and stow the Trunki safely in the overhead locker. 

Trunki's come in many colours, er, sorry Characters... Harley the limited edition Ladybug, Tipu (right), Trixie, Terrance and Towgo.  This is perhaps less a 'boy' specific gift and more gender neutral.

There is a Trixie (hot pink, green ears) living in little O's room anxiously awaiting our holiday.
How much? Approx USD$50-$60 (depending on character) the USA and around AUD$80-85 in Australia.

Where from? (USA) Giggle, Target, Amazon...
Australia - Mummy's Favourite, metro mum, Haggus and Stookles, Ekidna Kidswear and The Hip Infant

Practical and fun, what more do you need?

If you're looking for more Mummy's Favourite have a list of gifts for boys...

I'll keep thinking, but I think I'm done for today!

Gift inspirations... for a little girl.

So, my inspirations are probably a little old for Little O, but I've found some things I just love.

There's this amazing tent by Haba, which I think may actually come and live at our house. Little O loves to sit under tables and things, so I think she may actually really enjoy a nice place to 'hide'.  Haba have a small range of very cute tents for both boys and girls. I found this one on moolka.com, it's also available on Amazon and loads of other sites.

I've found that I quite like the Haba brand, it is "a German toy manufacturing company known for high-quality baby and children's toys, as well as for children's games, furniture and room decorations. Well known around the globe as "..toys that last generations..." (from Moolka.com)

This morning I am quite excited about "The Fairy Door" from Monkeytail & Wellington. Oh, how cute. Monkeytail & Wellington are an Australian company based in Queensland, and we do love to support Australian companies.

You can design your own fairy door - I am quite partial to the one I've pictured left, however there are a few different shaped doors. Best of all the doors are one of a kind and painted with child friendly glues and paints.

"Not all fairies like to live in the garden. Some are metropolitan dwellers who take to suburban homes and apartment buildings. But how do they get there and where do they live? Well, if you want fairies to enter your home, you need to install a fairy door and we have just the ticket!"

From the fairy door, I followed a link to the Monkeytail & Wellington blog and found an adorable DIY project. There is a store on Etsy (which I've mentioned before I guess the best way to describe Etsy is to say it's a sales website for cottage businesses) called "Goose Grease" which sells customisable do-it-yourself wooden pocket people. So after painting the family Monkeytail & Wellington made a fabric doll house, using this FREE tutorial.  Here's a picture of the finished product.

This leads me to the next Etsy find - and now I'm really looking for someone who can sew! After looking at the felt food in Pottery Barn kids, in particular the cupcakes I thought this can't be that hard, I wonder if I can find the items cheaper? So I googled and found Haba do some amazing felt food ever thought you needed a felt weiner schnitzel? How about a roast chicken? Not satisfied the googling continues and then this:

Golf Coast Cottage sell patterns for a pantry and fridge full of cool felt food and other fun things. The patterns are just US$5.99. Buy 4 get 1 free, or you can buy 10 patterns, of your choice for US$45.00. Felt sushi anyone?

Let's hope Little O likes to play in a kitchen when she can stand on her own...

Now all I need is to learn to sew!