Together we chatted about independence, life as a single parent, motivation, happiness and success amongst lots of other things, which you can check out here https://www.yarratrail.com.au/trailblazers-barbara

I also had an absolute ball dressing up in some seriously gorgeous Yarra Trail outfits, getting pampered with beautiful hair and makeup, and feeling like a strong, independent queen!

You can check out some of the outfits below and on the link above.

Outfit 1: Cavalry Rib Knit Jumper $119, Classic Blue Boyfriend Jean $109

Super soft, really comfy and stylish. This is something I’d easily wear every day.

Outfit 2: Indigo Leather Jacket $449, Fjord Blue Fine Stripe Tee $89.95 & Classic Blue Boyfriend Jean $109

This leather jacket is my absolute favourite! It looked fantastic and felt even better. This will definitely be on high rotation in my autumn / winter wardrobe for years to come!

Outfit 3: Indigo Check Shirt Dress $129

I was surprised how great this one looked and felt on me! It just goes to show that with style, you should always keep an open mind 🙂

If you love these looks, you can shop them now at yarratrail.com.au (or in-store at Myer, David Jones and good boutiques across Oz).

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Ever since my very first solo-travel days, I have always taken a Lonely Planet guide along with me on my journeys. So when I heard that Lonely Planet also produce travel books for kids, I knew that they would be worth checking out!

The Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys book series

We received the two latest additions to the popular Lonely Planet Kids Unfolding Journeys series. “Following the Great Wall” is all about the Great Wall of China, and “Secrets of the Nile” explores Egypt along the River Nile. Other great books in this series include Amazon Adventures and Rocky Mountain Explorer.

These children’s books are big, bright and colourful – a real hit with kids. My girls Samantha and Brooke, ages 9 and 11, absolutely love their new books – and I must admit that now that I’ve taken a closer look at them, I can understand why.

Beautifully illustrated, Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys kid’s pull-out frieze books take their young reader on a magical trip of knowledge and adventure. They highlight famous destinations, including their ancient and modern sites, fascinating geographical features, plus so much more along the way.

The book pages fold out accordion-style to a 6 feet – or nearly two-metres! This means that kids read them as normal, or open the fold-out frieze to lay along the floor to read. Another option is to pin up the removable frieze as a beautiful wall display. It’s a very adaptable and engaging design, and really sparks a child’s imagination – and their desire to travel!

Even though our family has been lucky enough to have already visited the Great Wall of China, the girls now know much more about it, thanks to their Unfolding Journeys book. They are both very eager to visit Egypt now too, since reading their Secrets of the Nile volume.

The perfect road trip or flight activity idea

A brilliant boredom-buster, the attractively laid-out information is delivered in short, interesting sections by author Stewart Ross. Gorgeous illustrations feature all along the opposite side. This format works really well to help keep kid’s attention focussed, yet not overload them. This also makes these books the perfect road-trip or flight activity companion – occupying young minds with something other than mind-numbing games tablets!

They are a great reading size for children too, yet lightweight enough for kids to carry around with them. Our books have already been all over the place with us – the kids just can’t put them down!

Children will enjoy many hours of discovery and entertainment to be had within the pages of these delightful children’s books.

There’s just so much to read and absorb in Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys books. Two weeks on after receiving theirs, Brooke and Samantha are still discovering new facts.

It’s really rewarding as a parent to hear my children excitedly sharing random geographic or historical facts. They are proud to show-off their new-found knowledge to anyone who will listen!

Now my girls want all the books in the Unfolding Journeys book series – and I’m enjoying that they are unknowingly learning so much, whilst being entertained at the same time.

Lonely Planet Kids Unfolding Journeys books would make a great gift for little adventurers, and are a fantastic addition to any childhood library.

Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys books suit children from ages 7 and up, and retail for $24.99 each. To learn more or purchase Lonely Planet Unfolding Journeys books, or other books in the Lonely Planet travel book range, visit the official website here.

The Let’s Go Mum family received the Unfolding Journeys books from Lonely Planet as unsolicited gifts. We are an independently owned website, and all opinions are our own. This article may contain affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, we will receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

What are your favourite travel books or activities to keep the children occupied on planes, trains or automobiles? Comment below!

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We have a super-cosy product review and giveaway for you!

What’s better than a cosy blankie to ward off those approaching winter chills when you are watching TV or reading a book, snuggled up on the couch? Why, it’s a Mermaid Tail blankie of course!

These luxurious heavy-knit rugs are just perfect to cuddle beneath! My kids absolutely adore theirs, and I have to admit that I often pinch one after they go to bed (half the fun is just sitting their flipping your tail backwards and forwards, pretending to be a mystical mermaid).

Of course they really do serve a purpose – your feet tuck away nicely into your tail pocket, and the rest of the rug is open to tuck right up around you and keep you toasty-warm!

These ones my girls are showing off here are the full-adult-sized crochet/knit mermaid tails. They are generous in size and much more fun than a boring old blanket!

We ordered ours from Gearbest.com for just under *$50 each with free postage (*March 2016 prices – check current rates). Being an international website, I expected them to take weeks to arrive, but they only took 8 days to NSW, Australia.

If you want one of these beautiful rugs for yourself (or your own would-be mermaid!), you can get yours here at Gearbest.com – and postage is currently free!

Win 1 of 2 Mermaid Blankets!

I’m excited to tell you that I ordered, and have here with me, two more, brand-new Mermaid Tail blankets to give away to two of my lucky Let’s Go Mum Facebook Page fans! I have one of each colour displayed in the photos – 1 purple and 1 pink!

To enter this great competition, complete the following three steps:

1. Make sure you have LIKED and SHARED this Facebook post on our Let’s Go Mum Facebook Page HERE

2. Facebook “Like” this competition page!

3. Use the form below to enter- and good luck!

Mermaid tail blanket giveaway

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Four months ago I purchased an Apple Watch. I hated it.

If I’d written this review after the first week of buying my Apple Watch, I would have almost certainly have typed up “Why you shouldn’t buy an Apple Watch” blog! However several months later,  I must admit that my Apple Watch is really starting to grown on me….

So now that I’ve given my Apple Watch a “fair-go”, I’d like to give you a rundown on the good and bad points from a non-techie user viewpoint. Here are my Apple Watch good and bad points….

Bad points

It’s dependent on your iPhone being nearby – the watch is essentially a monitor for your phone. If it’s not connected to your phone (via bluetooth), it will still operate as a time-keeping device – and not much more.

It’s expensive – the lowest price entry-point Apple Watch is the plastic wrist-band version. It reminds me of an old Swatch watch – probably great for teens, but for anyone else over 30, it may not be or look like the quality you expect for a $500 watch.

The battery runs down in 1 day – no matter what. Even less if you are a heavy user – frequently mine is dead by late afternoon. And because of the low battery life, you can’t rely on the watch as an actual watch. Few will remember to regularly recharge it (another annoying task to do every day – just what I need!), plus apart from the little vibrating ping notification (or “Haptic”, as Apple like to term it), it’s easy to miss the fact that the watch is running flat. So once it is flat, you have a very expensive, dead piece of metal strapped to your wrist!

Talking into it makes you look like a bit of a dork – it’s Maxwell Smart territory, and not in a good way! However I found that despite looking like an idiot, I still answer it this way until I unearth my actual phone.

It’s heavy to wear and get used to – I still wear my old-fashioned watch (in case my Apple Watch goes flat) which looks a little weird, but I admit I no longer feel the weight. I guess it’s sort of like a horse in harness getting used to it…

It has it’s own charge cord which is incompatible with anything else – you can’t use your iphone or ipad cord to charge the watch – annoying! That’s an extra cord to carry when travelling, and a spare watch charge cord isn’t readily available like the standard iPhone lightening cable – you can’t just pick one up at the nearest service station if you forget it.

You can’t surf the net on it, answer email, SMS text or Facebook etc. messages other than clicking on a default selection such as “Okay”, “Thanks”, “See you soon”, etc. – Apple Shop staff say that their Apple Watch software update with internet access will happen “in a few months” (still waiting!) and current watches will be able to be updated – but for now at least, there are no watch internet capabilities.

Good points

It’s easy to pair with your iphone, and learn how to use (I don’t do instructions – who has the time to read those?!). Failing this, the Apple Store will happily pair it up for you – if you ever get served there, that is…

It fully charges in less than 1 hour – you can do a quick charge in ten minutes that will last you a couple of hours standby.

It rings when your phone rings – you’ll never miss another notification, SMS text or Facebook message again – as long as you religiously keep it charged up!

My particular watch strap choice is fabulous. The Milanese Loop watch strap I chose looks stylish and seals easily and firmly with an ingenious magnet.

The watch is water resistant – so far, so good! It’s been dunked a few times now and no water-damage.

Your Apple Watch will find your phone for you by pinging it – as long as your phone is not flat, and in range of your watch.

The correct date, time weather are all on your wrist – you’ll never have ask someone for the correct time date or temperature ever again – you are now the information go-to-guru!

There’s a heart rate monitor and fitness app built in – I must admit I haven’t set it up yet (well, okay, possibly never) – I’m not sure I’m ready to give my watch that much power in our relationship – yet!

Sat nav works through it and vibra-pings you when you are coming up to turns – very handy for the geo-challenged folk like me! It’s like saying, “Turn NOW stupid!”

So – am I still using my Apple watch?

Why yes I am. I even feel a bit lost without it when it has gone flat on me or I have forgotten to charge it (All the time).

Is it worth the big bucks – and would I buy it again? Probably not, but seeing I have it, I may as well make use of it…at least until I lose or break it!

The Apple Watch is definitely a want, not a need. If you love to own the latest in tech toys and have the disposable cash to purchase what is pretty-much just a large piece of costume jewellery, why not? It’s only a bit of fun, after all!

Apple Watch info

I bought my Apple Watch from the Apple Store – see my watch model here

Model: 38mm Stainless Steel Case with Milanese Loop

Size: 38mm (Small) – Large also available

Band: Milanese Loop – magnet closure

Price: $949 (July 2015)

Optional insurance (Apple Care): $109

Do you have an Apple Watch? What do you like (or hate!) about it? Perhaps you’re thinking about buying one – comment below!

The post Should you buy an Apple Watch? Quick-guide appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Here’s a brilliant new gift idea – Cupcakes Delivered!

Beautifully packaged, these cupcakes are a gorgeous surprise gift to receive. They are absolutely perfect for so many occasions too – birthdays, new baby arrivals (order pink or blue icing!), a congratulation gift (graduations, weddings, new job…) and of course, love – who needs boring old flowers and chocolates when you can have cupcakes?!

Samantha savours her Cupcakes Delivered cupcake

it’s tough to think of a celebration where these wouldn’t be a great surprise! Even corporate branding is available as a cupcake-topper, which makes them a really unique business catering idea or gift. Plus these cupcakes are so pretty to look at that they would be perfect for super-stylish party display tables too.

Cupcakes Delivered cupcakes don’t just look good – they really are delicious! There are a lot of bland-tasting cupcakes out there nowadays, but these taste just like they should – the real bakery item.

We had a Mixed Dozen box with both vanilla and chocolate mud, plus a Choc Decadence box of all chocolate mud. The vanilla was deliciously light, and the chocolate mud was rich and chocolate-y – real mud cake, not pretend!

All of the cupcakes were beautifully decorated with a melt-in-the-mouth icing swirl – some with choc sprinkles – some with party-confetti sprinkles, topping them off nicely.

Cupcakes Delivered packaging is top-quality and stylish

But how do the Cupcakes Delivered crew manage to mail these cupcakes without them losing their shape, icing or freshness? It’s quite ingenious really. The cupcakes themselves are packed within individual cells which keep the cake, icing and sprinkles exactly where they should be.

The cupcakes sit inside a pretty pink cupcake box of superior quality, packed within an insulated satchel with a cool-pack bag inside. This whole package is packed within yet another lovely gift box. It all looks great and works like a charm – cool, scrumptious cupcakes that taste super-fresh.

My whole family loved these cupcakes, including my extremely fussy 7 year old, Samantha – if something passes her taste test, it has to be good! She normally just licks the icing off cupcakes, but she ate the whole of her Cupcakes Delivered cupcake and asked for another! Indeed, both kids were clamouring for more cupcakes and I must admit that I went for seconds too – they were just too hard to resist!

I’m excited to tell you that I have been given an exclusive discount for my Let’s Go Mum readers! You can use the below voucher and discount code to get $5 off a Cupcakes Delivered purchase! To check out all the yummy options to order, you can visit the Cupcakes Delivered website here

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As soon as I navigated to Love That Pet, I found myself drawn to their pet information sections, using the left-hand menu navigation buttons. There is information on an extensive range of pets – from the smallest to the largest domestic pet! The tips are interesting and useful – and even unexpected! We have a new baby rabbit, and in about one minute I had learned several facts about rabbits that I had had no idea about previously (For example, put hay over the rabbit’s toilet tray – ah! So that’s why he wasn’t keen on using it!). After a combing through the pet info, I decided to check out what else Love That Pet had to offer – as it turns out, quite a lot! There are pet communities and forums (with a resident vet!), and even a funny pet photo section that had the whole family laughing! Check out the mouse with it’s teddy for ultra-cuteness…

Then it was time to go shopping by clicking into the Love That Pet online pet store. The first thing that was obvious, was that this pet store sells quality pet products. The cosy-looking dog and cat beds, the solid and attractive leads and harnesses (pink hearts – so cute!) – plus a stack of toys and other accessories. The best thing though, was the fact that they sell all the top brands of wormers and flea removal products for both dogs and cats – so you can do a proper flea or wormer (or combined) product comparison on the one website – and a quick Google reveals just how price-competitive Love That Pet is, too.

The thing I really liked about this website was the easy, clear navigation menu. I could find exactly what I wanted, pricing was clear and each product I purchased was a simple price selection click into the cart. Upon check out, I was really happy to find that Paypal was accepted as well as credit card (saves typing in all those numbers – I’m lazy!). The next morning I received an email with my delivery estimated times, which were more than reasonable at just one week from my order date.

A great online pet store ordering experience.

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