Christine Knight, Author at Adventure, baby!

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby!

Sydney Festival: Waterfall Swing, Festival Village & The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

January 13, 2015 / Cheese, Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 7 Comments

The Sydney Festival is on right now (it runs 8-25 January) and they have some really fun events for families. We’ve checked out the Waterfall Swing in Darling Harbour, the Festival Village in Hyde Park, City of Sydney Lawn Library and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. Next, I’m looking forward to Family Week (Jan 20-25) in Hyde Park, with its free workshops, art and music for kids.

The Waterfall Swing in Darling Harbour is super fun for kids and adults. In fact, when we were there, I saw about 50% kids, 50% adults enjoying the swing, so don’t be shy! The intelligent swing creates a cascade of water that opens just in time for the rider to pass through. Be prepared to get soaking wet! (8–24 January, 9am–9pm, daily)

We also stopped by the City of Sydney Lawn Library, which is home to a lot of activities for all ages like calligraphy, circus skills and pop-up crafts. The kids particularly enjoyed the big Jenga-style blocks.
(8–25 January 2015 ,11am–11pm Daily, Closed Mondays)

The Festival Village in Hyde is home to delicious (albeit a bit pricey) eats and treats. Restaurants include Bar Pho, Harvest Trader & Co, Puntino Trattoria, Bite Size Delights, Bar Coco Milk Bar, Jafe Jaffles, the Village cheese shop Cheesesmith, and Porteno and Gelato Messina have joined forces to create The Double Down Diner.

There are also a variety of free and paid events on during the festival. Freebies include live music playing, such as this band.

Gelato Messina “The Royale With Cheese” ($10). The Messina “gelato burger” – milk chocolate gelato patty layered with white chocolate cheese, passionfruit “mustard” and raspberry “ketchup” served on a warm brioche bun. Honestly, I didn’t like this one. The bun was a bit weird and not sweet enough for me. I would have preferred some kind of fake bun made out of biscuit .

Gelato Pie ($8) “The Nutty Professor” – peanut butter biscuit base layered with peanut custard, vanilla gelato, peanut crunch and topped with whipped cream. Pretty tasty, but I’m not a huge nut fan.

Gelato Pie ($8) “Lemon Meringue Pie” – Buttery biscuit base layered with lemon custard gelato, lemon curd and topped with torched lemon meringue. This was my favourite of the three. Really lemony and delicious.

Basket of fries $10. Really good and a big serve to share.

Ricotta and spinach pastizzi ($4 each). They were huge and really tasty. Zero spinach weirdly.
(8–25 January, Closed Mondays. Free entry until midnight, food available from 11am.)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show has got to be one of the best kids’ shows I’ve ever seen. The show features four stories by Eric Carle, combining 75 beautifully constructed puppets with the timeless charm of Carle’s famous stories and illustrations. At 50 minutes it was the perfect length for the attention span of small children. The seamless mix of storytelling and puppetry was mesmerizing for adults and the kids alike.

Stick around after the show to meet the Very Hungry Caterpillar himself. (8–18 January at 10am & 12pm Wed & Sat at 10am, 12pm & 3pm).

Smiggle Back To School Giveaway

January 12, 2015 / Family, Giveaway, Kids, Product Reviews / 0 comment

Cheese is starting preschool in a few weeks and we’re both super excited about the change. She’s been calling her new school “the special school”, which is adorable – less adorable is her calling her current daycare “the bad school” to differentiate them, no matter how many times I correct her that there’s nothing bad about her daycare!

Anyway, in preparation for Cheese starting preschool, the kind folks over at Smiggle sent us some of their awesome back to school range – and have also given us a matching pack to give away to one lucky reader.

Our kit contained the basics for starting school, in an adorable pink and puppy print, which Cheese absolutely adores. In included a Travel Double Decker Lunchbox (RRP $24.95) Travel Tube Pencil Case (RRP $10.95) Travel Wallets (RRP $10.95), Travel Lanyard (RRP $4.95), Travel Holographic Ruler (RRP $3.95), Pop Mini Electric Sharpener (RRP $16.95).

As you can see, Cheese is into her stationary. I particularly love the Smiggle brand because not only are their products super cute, they’re also well designed. The double decker lunch box, for example, is so useful we take it everywhere. The bottom section is perfect for enough food to last the entire day, and the top section is where I put a cold pack and anything that I want to keep separate, like a frozen yogurt pouch.

I also love the themed ranges with the creative prints. It’s really nice to have gear that isn’t covered in licensed characters – I much prefer designs such as these dog ones, which are age appropriate and have longevity past a short-lived fascination with particular animated characters.

All of the Smiggle products are well-made and durable, making them a great choice for little kids. It makes me happy when things don’t break the first time my preschooler (mis)uses them. Big hardy zippers, strong stitching, sturdy plastic, thick velcro – these products are made to last rough use by little hands.

Is your child starting school soon? Why don’t you enter the giveaway below to win your own Smiggle Back To School pack? Entry is open Monday January 12, 2015, 12:01 am to Sunday January 18, 11:59pm (Sydney-time). Entry is open to Australian shipping addresses only via the form below. You can read the full T&Cs here. The most creative entry will win.

The winner will receive the red Smiggle pack pictured (no other colour option), including:

Travel Double Decker Lunchbox (RRP $24.95)
Travel Tube Pencil Case (RRP $10.95)
Travel Wallet (RRP $10.95)
Travel Lanyard (RRP $4.95)
Travel Holographic Ruler (RRP $3.95)
Pop Mini Electric Sharpener (RRP $16.95)

Loading…

This is Three

January 8, 2015 / Cheese, Family, Kids / 14 Comments

My little Cheeseola is 3.5. Every day she cracks me up and tests my patience to the limits. I’ve stopped keeping detailed notes about her development and cute things she does, so I’m writing it down here so I don’t forget all of the tiny adorable details of my little girl’s childhood.

She collects gumnuts off the footpath and puts them in her pockets.

She says things like “yes, that’s very difficult”.

She asks for water “with ice and a lemon”.

She has a huge heart. I’ve never heard her say a bad word about anyone, and she is welcoming to anyone who wants to play with her.

Her emotions are huge and she can’t yet control them.

She’s obsessed with counting, singing and dancing.

She wants to do everything by herself, and in her own time. Including toilet training.

She loves to make me laugh.

She’s a big mummy’s girl and I love it.

She has so many questions. “Why?”, “What’s that?”, “What’s that called?”, “Where is that?”, “What’s the name of this place?”. Her curiosity is relentless.

She’s empathetic. She’ll notice things like “she looks sad”, and want to cheer her up.

She’s got an excellent memory. She’ll come out with things like “I want to go to our old home. In Brooklyn”.

She’s a bit vague. Just like her dad 😉 She has a hard time remembering where she left things, and it’s hard to get her attention when she’s focused on something like, say, the iPad.

She’s relentless. I do admire that she knows what she wants and keeps on at me until she gets it, even if it drives me nuts at the time.

She has an active imagination. Her fantasy world of princesses and fairies is just amazing to behold.

She gets bad dreams. So bad that she sometimes says “I don’t want to go to sleep, because I get bad dreams”. It makes me so sad.

She barely eats. I feel like I’m always force feeding her because she just doesn’t think to eat, even when food is right in front of her. She’s always focused on something else.

She’s a great performer. She loves dancing and singing in front of an audience. This is not a shy child.

She’s loud. No surprises where she got that from.

She loves watching live shows. I have a wonderful time taking her to performances and plays – she gets so much joy out of them.

She’s crazy active. She’s always been super active, and nothing has changed. She’s always pushing herself to her physical limits.

She’s intense. Oh man is she intense. It’s exhausting, but also entertaining, exhilarating and maddening.

She loves putting pieces together. Like Playmobil and Minnie Mouse Bowtique. She’s not into blocks, but she loves making character-based worlds come alive.

She has started to take an interest in what she wears. She loves dresses, particularly tutus, and anything sparkly. She loves bow hair clips, tiaras, ballet shoes and accessories. She also likes having her fingernails painted.

Her favourite shoes have gingerbread men on them.

She has just mastered the scooter. After a year of refusing to even give it a go because it was “too hard”, the other day she just decided she wanted to do it, and so she did. Minutes later, she was off like a pro.

She’s still a terrible sleeper. If she’s not coming into our bedroom at 4am and climbing into bed with me, she’s up between 5:30 and 6am. Alec and I are so tired.

She wants to wear a dress every day.

She loves watching Barney, The Wiggles and Strawberry Shortcake.

She loves dressing up as fairies and princesses.

She wants to fly “Oh I wish I could fly!”

She loves her grandparents and says “I miss them terribly” when they leave.

Good Night, Sleep Tight: Oricom Night Light

January 7, 2015 / Family, Kids, Product Reviews / 0 comment

At around 2-and-a-half, Cheese developed a fear of the dark. Ever since, I’ve been looking for the perfect night light for her bedroom. One that isn’t plugged attached to the wall so Cheese can carry it around or take it to bed, something that is easy to operate,and that doesn’t go through hundreds of batteries a year. We’ve been through a lot of night lights in the past year.

Enter the Oricom animal night light collection. This new multi-colour night light collection comes in four animal designs – a cat, dog, monkey or pig (Cheese has the dog).

The night lights are safe for little hands, and are durable, so you don’t need to worry about them getting broken by the little hands playing with them. The night light’s casing is soft and BPA-free, making it gentle bed companion if that’s what your child needs.

Each night light comes with a base that plugs into the wall. The night light character sits on top of the base to charge via the wireless charging system – no clipping or buttons, it literally just perches on top, making it easy for kids to remove and replace during the night. The night light can be taken into bed, or used as a torch if your child wakes during the night needing you, or the bathroom. A 10-hour battery life, means it can stay on all night long if your child needs it to, and a timer control helps to save energy.

To turn the nightlight on, simply press down the head. Keep pressing the head to change the night light into a rainbow of colours – red, blue and green.

The Oricom animal night light collection” target=”_blank”>Oricom animal night light collection retails for $49.95 each.

Thanks to Oricom for providing me with a night light sample for reviewing purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.

Travel Guide: The Gold Coast With Kids

January 6, 2015 / Australia, Cheese, Queensland, Travel / 6 Comments

As a child, most summers my family made a trek to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast for our annual holiday. I have great memories of wandering up and down the boardwalk, playing in the sand and going to the theme parks. Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast in general are still great destinations for families wanting an easy beachy holiday, as we discovered when we visited for some fun in the sun.

Getting there
We booked a cheap flight online (try Webjet or Zuji) and had a very easy, fast trip. Pros: it’s fast. Cons: if your hotel isn’t walking distance from everything you want to see, you’ll need to shell out a lot of money in expensive shuttle buses or take public transport. You can also do the traditional driving route. Pros: you have a car at your disposal when you get there. Cons: you might have to pay for parking at your hotel, and the drive up is loooooooong.

What to do on the Gold Coast with kids:

Beach
The number one attraction in Surfers, and it’s FREE! Take a sun shelter, sand toys and plenty of sun screen.

Sea World
Out of all the theme parks, this was the best for little kids. Lots of animals exhibits and shows like the seals pictured above, a few rides such as the carousel and the Viking Revenge Flume, and great character shows and meet and greets with Dora The Explorer and Spongebob Square Pants.

Warner Bros Movie World
Movie World has a great section for younger kids with smaller rides and a splash area for hot days. Several of the rides require kids to be over 100cm still, so for kids age 3 and under the ride choices are limited. The character shows and parade however are a lot of fun for littles, and run all day long.

Aquaduck
For a short outing (it goes for an hour, departing from the middle of Surfers Paradise), the Aquaduck is great for for kids. The duck takes a drive along side the beach, and then takes to the water to give a tour of the glam houses on the lagoons. The best part for Cheese was getting to drive the boat.

Other attractions:
Currimbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Wet ‘n’ Wild
Dreamworld

10 Questions To Ring In The New Year

January 5, 2015 / Cheese, Family / 6 Comments

I saw this great post over on Maxabella’s blog on 10 questions rather than resolutions for the new year, so I thought I would similar do the questions for my new year’s post. I’m rubbish at resolutions anyway.

1. What word do you think best summed up 2014?
Change. The whole year was a chaotic mess really, with a family health emergency bringing us back to Australia at the end of January and prompting our move back in June. We basically spent the entire year deciding to move, preparing to move, moving and then settling into Sydney again. Epic and not fun.

2. What did you do for the first time this year?
I had a blog post go viral, and several pieces published in the Huffington Post. I also tried new kinds of exercise, like antigravity yoga and booty barre, and bought my first bike!

I also took my blogging in a different direction. My previous focus, Brunch With My Baby, ended, and all the writers went their separate ways. I merged my old content from BWMB with my old personal blog, A Kiss Goodnight, and created this new site, Adventure, Baby!, to be home to all of my travel, parenting and food blog posts from now on.

3. What is one thing that happened that will have lasting consequences?
Making the decision to move back to Australia, for sure. I was nowhere near ready to leave New York (and I still miss it like mad!), but it was the right decision for our family at this time of our lives. The decision effected not just Alec and myself, but Cheese, too. She’s changed from growing up as a little New Yorker to life as an Aussie kid. It’s been a really positive change for Cheese in particular. Her relationship with my parents has blossomed, whereas previously she didn’t know them very well, and she’s super attached to them now as a result. She is also loving the beach, learning to swim and wants to ride her scooter everywhere. Thanks to the Australian climate, she can play outside every day, too. No hibernation for six months of the year!

4. Was there anything you wish you’d done differently? Why? How?
I let a situation get out of control that I wish I hadn’t. I took the path of least resistance thinking it would all turn out ok, and in the end, it was an absolute disaster. In future, I’ll have difficult conversations when they need to when a problem is still small, instead of hoping for the best and letting issues escalate to the point of no return.

5. Do you have a favourite moment from the year? What made it special?
Christmas day with my family. After being away for a few years I really missed spending Christmas with my parents in their home. I also didn’t think I would get the chance to spend a Christmas with my dad again after his health issues, so it was special in a lot of ways. Cheese was old enough to take over a few family traditions, too, like decorating my mum’s Christmas cake and the gingerbread house.

6. What lessons has 2014 taught you about yourself? About others?
I generally am the kind of person who hates upsetting others, and will go along with what people I care about want if it doesn’t effect me much to do so. I tend to put the needs of others before myself. This year I learned the hard way that this is not the path to my own happiness, and that I really need to speak up more for myself and what is important to me.

I also learned that you can’t change people’s minds, either. No matter now rational or logical I might think what I’m saying is, if the person I’m speaking to has a differing opinion, I’m better to state my feelings and then let it go. Differing opinions are ok – they don’t make my thoughts wrong, or the other person’s right or wrong, they just are what they are.

7. How will the lessons from this past year change the way you approach the new year?
Being upfront and honest about my feelings, even if it’s hard. Making better, smarter decisions.

8. What do you most want to do in 2015?
I want to regain a sense of purpose for myself. I’ve focused a lot on Cheese’s needs in the past 3.5 years, and now it’s time to balance her needs with my own. I hope to start a small business, grow my blog and continue freelancing.

I also want to travel again for pleasure. We have a big trip including Europe planned for mid year that I hope will come about.

9. What do you most want to change about yourself? The world?
I want to yell less. I’m quick to anger and snap easily, particularly at Alec and Cheese. I’m really working on this trait this year, hoping to improve it.

I would love to effect people on a bigger scale – and I hope that I can do this through my blogging and freelance writing. As an introvert, I find it hard to be 100% open and honest and leave myself vulnerable in my writing, but this is how I reach the most people and help them feel like someone else is going through the same thing. So being braver and putting myself out there in a more honest and open way is another goal.

10. What one word do you hope will sum up what you hope to achieve in 2015?
Peace. Mostly I’m aiming for inner peace. To change what I personally can, to do the best I can, and then to try and be at peace with the outcome. Letting go of the past, coming to terms with things that have made me sad but that I can’t do anything about, and moving towards a happy future.

What are your goals for 2015?

Coco Chocolate High Tea: Sydney’s Best High Teas

January 5, 2015 / Mosman, Sydney, Sydney Food / 8 Comments

Chocolate high tea! These magical words popped up in my Instagram feed one day and I was sold. Coco Chocolate, on Sydney’s Middle Head, produces handmade, high quality organic chocolate. Basically they sell “real chocolate”, so the good stuff with high cacao content and all of the all of the expensive & delicious cacao butter and real vanilla. Coco Chocolate is gluten free and all dark chocolate is vegan, so they basically cater for all dietary requirements too.

While you can shop at Coco Chocolate’s Kirribili store, their Middle Head location is where the chocolate magic happens. All of the chocolate is made here, and if you’d like to try your hand at making chocolate yourself, you can take a class here at The Sydney Chocolate School. If eating chocolate is more your thing, then book yourself in to the Middle Head location for a decadent chocolate high tea.

The chocolate high tea at Coco Chocolate is unlike any other high tea you will experience. Located on the balcony and grassed forecourt outside The Sydney Chocolate School, it’s an informal and also intimate affair. The harbour view is sensational, and the atmosphere relaxing (just watch out for hungry magpies!).

There are several types of high tea to choose from – we chose the Coco Classic High Tea ($40pp). It included: tea or coffee, shot of hot chocolate, chocolate pistachio shortbread, florentines, scones with jam & cream, melting moments, chocolate selection, flourless orange cakes, chocolate cakes with berry & cream.

You can upgrade to a Coco Classic Sparkling High Tea for an extra $10, which includes all the above, plus a class of bubbles, or the Coco Moet Chandon High Tea for an extra $20, which includes Moet Chandon Champagne by the glass, tea or coffee, shot of hot chocolate, cucumber sandwiches, salmon & dill sandwiches, scones with jam & cream, chocolate selection, flourless orange cakes, chocolate cakes with berry & cream, vanilla cake with fresh cream & seasonal berry, chocolate strawberries.

Kids are also welcome at this high tea venue, and can enjoy their own Coco Children’s High Tea ($28pp). It includes a mini chocolate milk shake or apple juice, handmade sausage roll, handmade large freckle, chocolate Alice in Wonderland cupcake, and a cookie.

If you’re after a high tea but aren’t the biggest chocolate fan (ummm, then we can’t be friends) you have the option of a Coco Cream Tea ($15pp), which includes scones with a selection of jams & freshly whipped cream & tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

For this high tea extravaganza, I enlisted my dear friend Violet Lily (no, not her real name). We had an extremely relaxing, pleasant high tea experience, sitting under our own umbrella watching the boats sail by. Our host was friendly and informative too – she happily answered all of our many chocolate questions.

The high tea was made to order, so the tea is by booking only – no walk ins. Everything was fresh and beautifully made. Our favourite part was the chocolate on top – no surprise considering we were at a chocolate shop. The chocolate selection included a variety of Coco Chocolate’s speciality choccies. It was wonderful to sample so many different chocolates from the Coco range, including one with coconut that was my favourite, and the ginger in dark chocolate that Violet Lily loved.

If you’re a chocoholic, then this is the high tea for you.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: No – a few steps.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Coco Chocolate High Tea
Past Burnt Orange and HMAS Penguin
at Chowder Bay Rd turnoff
Building 21
1110 Middle Head Road
Mosman NSW 2088
Phone: (02) 9960 6540 or (02) 9960 5848 to book
Email info@cocochocolate.com.au
Prices: $$$
Hours: Open by appointment only
Get Directions

New Year’s Eve: Sydney 2014

January 1, 2015 / Cheese, Family / 9 Comments

This New Year’s Eve was a bit special for our little family. On every previous one, we’ve either stayed in and watched half a movie until we fell asleep (the one right after Cheese was born), or hired a babysitter so we could go out for a few hours.

This year, however, we were invited over a friend’s house to watch the 9pm fireworks, WITH THE CHEESE. Unprecedented. Also, until this year, I would have considered it a disastrous idea. The Cheese is a terrible sleeper, as I’ve been saying since she was born. We never let her stay up late as it results in an extremely tired and cranky child the next day – making it not worth the night out.

I desperately wanted to join the party we were invited to however, and we managed to make it work by getting Cheese to take a very late afternoon nap in the car – something I usually avoid at all costs since it means her bedtime gets pushed back a few hours.

She woke, refreshed and ready to party, at around 5pm. Perfect timing.

Our wonderful friends have an apartment that has a great view of Sydney Harbour, so fireworks at their house is a truly generous invitation.

We had a lovely time pre-fireworks eating, drinking and chatting, and then eating more and more, while the Cheese busied herself making friends with all of the adults at the party. By the end of the night, they were all her new best friend, and had seen her perform “Oh Mister Sun” about a hundred times, and enjoyed a ballet recital too.

When it came time for fireworks, Cheese was excited, and was amazed at what she was seeing in the night sky (something she rarely sees actually, since we’re always home before dark).

While we were home and in bed by 10pm, it was our first New Year’s Eve actually doing something as a family, making it a really wonderful and special night for us all.

I hope you had an equally memorable night with your loved ones. I’d love to know how you celebrated, too.

Happy New Year, let’s see what 2015 brings with it!

Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa: Queensland’s Best Kid-Friendly Hotels

December 30, 2014 / Australia, Cheese, Queensland, Travel / 2 Comments

When you have a three year old, your holidays are a little different than they were pre-kid. My needs in accommodation, for instance, have changed significantly. What I now look for is a fantastic pool, close proximity to the beach if we’re on the coast, a suite of some kind so we can close the door to our sleeping child after we put her to bed and watch some TV together while we eat, breakfast included and friendly, considerate staff. The last one obviously is pure luck. The others, I discovered through extensive research, were all features of the Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa.

As members of the Entertainment Book, we were able to get a great deal on a 1-bedroom Executive Suite. It included a king sized bed (we asked for a rollaway bed for Cheese), 1.5 bathrooms, a corner ocean view, complimentary valet parking and access to the Elandra Retreat Club where we were treated to a complimentary continental breakfast every morning, and wine and hors d’oeuvres in the evenings.

First impressions of the Surfers Paradise Marriot – it’s a large hotel, only one or two blocks from the beach, but also right on a lagoon, so it’s basically surrounded by water on all sides. The pool is a huge drawcard for families, probably because they have not just one pool, but two. One is a saltwater pool that has live tropical fish in it and a waterfall feature. Guests can swim among the fish – BYO snorkel or buy one at the hotel. The salt water pool is fantastic because it had a large shallow area, perfect for little kids who can’t swim yet to be able to splash and play confidently in the water.

Every morning at 9:30am, guests can meet poolside to watch staff feed the tropical fish. Guests with snorkels can watch from the water as the fish gather in big clumps for their morning feed.

The second pool is chlorinated and runs in a long, winding shape. One end features a grotto with spa – you can enter it through another waterfall. This pool also has a current that sweeps swimmers in a loop – a lot of fun for kids in floatation devices to get swept around the pool with zero effort.

Older kids will enjoy the water slide feature, too.

Our room was fantastic. The view from the living room, bedroom and even bathroom was spectacular.

The bedroom and living areas were well furnished in an elegant, minimal fashion. The bathroom was spectacularly big and featured a massive spa bath with a killer view. The bed was comfortable, pillows a little on the soft side for us, and the only bad thing I can say about the facilities was that while most of the bathroom had been renovated, the shower was a bit old and could have done with a refurbish. The living room included a little kitchenette area which was great for preparing basic meals for Cheese. A little fridge, sink and tea/coffee-making facilities – no toaster though.

Since Cheese is an uber picky eater, most nights we would return to the hotel and make her a simple dinner like a sandwich and fruit, and then, after she was put to bed, either order room service or local takeaway. The hotel was great with providing us with extra plates and cutlery to make her meals each day.

The inclusion of the Elandra Retreat Club access turned out to be one of the best parts of our stay. A lot of the guests who also had access to the club also had kids, so each morning we would arrive at breakfast and Cheese would disappear to play with other children while we ate. The food was a simple buffet, all fresh, including breads and spreads, warm pastries, bagels, meats, yoghurt and fruit, plus hot dishes like eggs, tomatoes and hash browns. Two staff members were usually on duty each morning – usually the same two – and they were just the sweetest people we could have possibly hoped for. The staff were always so kind and considerate, and really enjoyed engaging with the kids. As a result, breakfast every day was a really fun experience.

In the evenings, from 5:30pm – 7:30pm, the Elandra Retreat Club held a kind of drinks hour, with complimentary wine and snacks. While I was concerned initially that this wouldn’t be the best idea to take a rambunctious 3-year-old to, it turned out that all the families came and had a drink while their kids downed the cheese, crackers and fruit each night. It was a pretty chilled out affair, and the club had a great layout that meant adults who wanted a bit more adult time rather than toddler time could sit far enough away that they could admire the view and enjoy a drink in peace.

During the day, when we weren’t swimming we headed on down to the main area in Surfers Paradise (a 10-15 minute walk) to grab lunch or took a trip to one of the nearby theme parks for a change of scene. The location was perfect for an extended stay on the Gold Coast.

To sum up, our stay at the Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa was just about perfect. We had such a wonderful, relaxing and fun time, and can’t wait to return for another Queensland stay.

Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa
158 Ferny Avenue
Surfers Paradise QLD
Phone: (07) 5592 9800
Get Directions

Christmas Day with the family 2014

December 27, 2014 / Cheese, Family, Kids / 6 Comments

We had a really special Christmas this year for a few reasons. Firstly, Cheese is now the right age to “get” Christmas, so she’d been getting more and more excited over the past few weeks, building up to a fever pitch on Christmas Eve. She’d run into no less than five Santas over December, who, this year, was a celebrity spotting rather than a scary weird looking person when Cheese realised he was going to give her presents.

It was also the first Christmas we’ve spent back in Sydney since Cheese was only four months old. As fun as it was celebrating in Hawaii and New York, spending it in Sydney at my childhood home, with all of my family traditions passing down to Cheese, was really special.

Christmas Eve – can you tell that Santa came?

Christmas morning.

My mum’s brother and his partner joined us for Christmas lunch this year. Due to my uncle’s ill health we rarely see him, and it was the first time he’d met Alec and also Cheese. It was a really wonderful lunch – simple and full of laughter and great conversation.

My parents had a wonderful day with Cheese. Seeing the big smiles on their faces really made this whole move worthwhile. After the big scare in January when I thought I’d never get another Christmas with my dad again, it was doubly special this year to have the chance for one more (and hopefully many more!) Christmases with Dad.

Merry Christmas to and from my loves. I hope your Christmas was equally joyful with your friends and family.