Garage Games...

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Personality Garage Doors.

People are generally curious when you've a large family. There are so many questions directed at us wherever we venture, about things such as our professions, the cars we drive and our home. Namely - how do we fit in to all of it?!

With six kids in our family, you can well-imagine how cramped our standard three-bedroom home must be. We've four boys in one room together, our teenage daughter in her own room and the toddler sharing our space indefinitely in the master bedroom.

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JORD Wood Watches Review #SLHFeaturedThursdays

In a modern world filled with gadgets and gizmos to help us get by, how refreshing is it to return to the simple and elegant pleasures, such as those a traditional watch can bring?

Our mobile phones and latest 'smart-watches,' may provide us with endless information at a glance in addition to telling us the time of day, but there's no beating the beauty and class of the real thing - a time-piece to wear that makes a statement without all those electronic bells and whistles.

JORD recently and invited me to explore their beautiful range of wood watches. I can't tell you how excited I was to discover these stunning timepieces. I had heard of the JORD brand before but I'd never explored their website, which has a lust-worthy collection of fashion watches. (Oh go-ahead and check it out here, but pop right back okay!)

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A Seasoned Parent? Wading Through the Seasons of Childhood... and Flailing!

I've just finished a marathon two hour session of cleaning in my boys' room.

The four of them, aged 7 to 13, share a room together. They've two sets of bunk beds and for the most part, they're a happy lot sharing this space. My sons get along well despite the age ranges and enjoy gaming together, Lego and other kid-stuff in their bedroom.

Anyway, I got to thinking while I was engrossed in the epic task of cleaning their mutual space, how my rules don't seem to apply anymore, when it comes to my growing kids.

As I poked about their bedroom (which was hideously littered with clothing, lolly wrappers, lollipop sticks and an array of food items which they've at some point in time, smuggled into their space), it became apparent to me, that I am no longer an effective influence over my kids on the discipline front.

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Coconut Biscuits - Simple, Quick and Delicious Home Baking

Everyone loves a good coconut biscuit don't they? They're dead-easy to make, require little preparation and they take around three tiny minutes to whip up the dough. The taste? (After all that hard work!) Amazing!

I have been baking plenty of these lately. In the lead-up to Christmas there's just so many events and functions happening at every turn around our busy family. There's little time left to shop and get organised. Certainly there's no time for bigger, more involved bake-offs.

Kids enjoy eating these delicious little gems and they're also a great recipe for children to conquer in the kitchen. No hard mixing, no difficult ingredients and perfect results every time. They're capable of instilling a sense of baking pride in the very youngest of family members. Make sure you grab a kiddo or three when you make these!

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Love to Dream Nuzzlin Sleep Bag Review and Win One of Three Sleeping Bags for Kids! #SLHFeaturedThursdays

We seem to have become experts on baby sleeping bags of late - we've been fortunate enough to review a few of them here in as many months. Not surprisingly, my youngest is becoming a very fussy Miss when it comes to settling in the evenings now. She's after a different sleeping bag every night, making choices based on her favourite colour, texture and pattern! It's part of the nightly ritual now and kind of cute, so I let her indulge her whims. Anything for a good night's sleep for all!

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Warner Bros. DC Kids - Batman Unlimited the Animated Series and a $100 Amazon Giveaway!

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with DC Kids Batman Unlimited.

Love Batman?
Do your kids love Batman?

Silly questions I know - who isn't into this crime fighting super hero and his exciting adventures in the battle against injustice!

With four boys in our home, trust me, we're very involved in the epic tales from this famous character.

Little fans of Batman will be thrilled to learn that DC Kids have released a new animated Batman Unlimited series, where Batman and his crime-fighting side-kicks battle it out against cyber robotic animals to keep Gotham City safe.

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A Bit Hippy Review - Natural Formulas for Natural Types Plus a Giveaway

 

Straight up, I'm going to shout that I love this new discovery for our bathroom cabinet! I'd never heard of the brand A Bit Hippy, until they reached out and suggested a collaboration. I'm all for skincare, hair care and beauty anything here on Six Little Hearts, so an emphatic yes to trying out this new, (to me), line.

 

A Bit Hippy is a family range of natural care products that are proudly Australian owned and made using all-natural ingredients. There are no synthetic nasties, Petroleum, paraffin oils or parabens within their luscious goodies for the face, hair, body and baby.

 

It's A Little Bit Hippy!

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VTech Little Love Baby Peek-a-Boo Review #SLHFeaturedThursdays

After four boys in a row, you can well imagine that these days, I adore watching my youngest girl play with a doll! I loved watching my eldest daughter play mummy to her babies back when she was a toddler and second time around, it's just as special to this mum of six.

Witnessing a young child play parent is so wonderfully sweet and I too, can still remember the joy of being a mum to my own dolls during childhood. Little imaginations run-rife with some beautiful stories set in various scenarios and are enacted with lots of love and care. It's the magic of childhood all over again for me and one of those things that makes parenting so rewarding.

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The Light in Our Lives...

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Urban Lighting.

When we first inspected our current home prior to purchasing it, we were blown away by the huge windows on the upper story. These windows upstairs are literally floor to ceiling, take up most of the wall space as well as framing spectacular views. We bought our home in part, based on the bright, scenic perfection of it all.

It's such a beautiful place to be when you are in a room filled with natural light. Even today the upstairs area of our home remains one of my favourite places to dwell and I love to take photos of my family in these rooms. Thank goodness I have great interior lighting to take these precious family photos in, for we must have been blinded by love at the point of sale:

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Myer Giftorium Melbourne Grand Opening...

 

 

Myer Melbourne is synonymous with Christmas for so many Victorians. This leading department store is close to the heart of most and is usually first to spring to mind at the suggestion of all things Christmas. It wouldn't be off the mark to say Myer is the place to go at this time of year for shopping, December festivities and family excitement. It's a given - and a proven.

While Myer is undoubtedly known for its annual themed and animated Christmas window displays which have delighted Australian families for six decades, this famous department store is also gaining a reputation for its one-stop-Christmas store - the Giftorium.

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IMK Pro Colour Toaster Review and a Cointreau Marmalade Recipe to Try

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Nuffnang and IMK.

Our toaster is, without contest, the busiest appliance in our over-filled household. Daily I witness the kids climbing on our kitchen bench at least twice each, stuffing our existing four-slice, Italian masterpiece of a toaster with their fill of bready snacks. (More on that one in a minute.)

Believe it or not, there's often a queue for this appliance with 6 kids in the house (and a toast-obsessed husband), so you can well imagine I was more than willing to take on a toaster review here when the call came - because I'm yet to come across a 6 slice domestic toaster. (Which incidentally, would really cover our needs!)

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Santa's Magical Kingdom 2015 Melbourne - Win a Family Pass Worth $140! #SLHFeaturedThursdays

Ho! Ho! Can you believe Christmas is fast approaching?! There's no ignoring it anymore, it's now November and we're plummeting towards the big day with each passing minute. It's time to get into the swing of the season!

The ever-popular Santa's Magical Kingdom is returning to Melbourne this November to kick start the Christmas period officially and for kids everywhere, this means it's time to get truly excited!

From the 21st of November until December 24th, Santa's Magical Kingdom is set to delight young and old at its Caulfield Racecourse location. If you've never attended this special event, you simply must get to it this year to see what the hype is all about!

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House Hunting - To Buy? To Rent? Or Invest?

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Homesales.

If you're a regular reader here, you'll know all about our intention to move home. It's been on the cards forever now and taking just as long.

We've been working hard at throwing away, cleaning up, packing possessions and dreaming about our new home - wherever and whenever that might become a reality in the days ahead.

The kids are excited in anticipation of what may eventuate and throwing in their individual expectations for a new abode - they all want their own bedrooms, a large level yard for bike-riding and skateboarding and lots of garden foliage for hiding in and climbing trees. Plus of course, a new and larger trampoline to sit at its centre. (Ours has become weather beaten and aged and is well overdue for replacement.)

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Hivita Vitamins - An Everyday Range for Everybody Plus a Reader Discount Offer

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Digital Parents and Hivita.

Ever since I can remember, I have taken vitamins to supplement my diet and boost my immunity. My own mother was obsessed with the health-giving benefits of a daily dose of multivitamins and the early ingrained habit has remained, only it's now myself who actively encourages the whole family to not only eat well, but to support their diet with a few little helpful additions.

We were introduced to the great range of vitamins by Australian made and owned Hivita very recently and they've a large selection of beneficial supplements to boost both your own health and that of your family's.

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