The Love Boat - Lego Style

A few weeks back, I took our Lego fan (Monet) into Cairns Central to see a display that was on.  Made entirely out of Lego was a 'lego-sized' ship, based on The Love Boat.  It was pretty awesome.

One half was the exterior of the ship.  On the other side was the interior.

Pretty sure if there was no one else around, we could have easily spent a good half an hour looking at all the cabins and discovering all the things which were built inside the ship.

It is amazing at what some people can build out of Lego.  We loved the 'mini-Berlin' we saw last year built out of Lego in Berlin and hopefully one day we get to see the real Lego Land in Denmark.  One day....

A Lego Built Berlin

When In the German capital, if you feel the need to feel 'ripped off' *ahem*, I suggest you head to the Legoland Discovery Center located just off Potsdamer Platz in the Sony Center.

The Sony Centre - the architecture was amazing

After passing over an arm and a leg, we entered the display via lift, due to having the stroller. It was a 'basement' exhibition, full of a couple of ordinary children rides, big Lego blocks for the kiddies to use, a handful of construction tables, a small cafeteria, a 4D theatre showing something-a-rather, a hundred German children, but the best part was the 'Mini Berlin' they had on display. We felt that the arm and leg we had passed over at the paying counter were partly paid off.

It was pretty awesome...

A Rock Concert on the grounds in front of the Reichstag. (parliament)

The Brandenburg Gate, complete with the Berlin Wall - which electronically opened...

Checkpoint Charlie - I personally loved this.

Checkpoint Charlie

We enjoyed the 'Mini Berlin' but the rest of the Centre was pretty ordinary.  Monet thought it was 'good' and Lily was asleep the whole time....

However, it did get Monet to show interest in Lego and she was fortunate enough to have a father who is a sucker for the blocks himself, so she gained a box of 'girly' Lego a day or two later as a reward for the kilometres and kilometres she walked (without much complaint) over the days spent pounding the pavement in Berlin.

Sally?

This post may freak my big sister out. Why? Cause it kinda freaks me out.

My big sister and I played a lot with this doll...

If memory serves me correct, I'm pretty sure her name is Sally. And now I have my youngest playing with her all. the. time.

But she's one of those dolls that are really fustrating, as when you want her to sit in your toy stroller, her legs do not behave.

Breaks your heart doesn't it?

My Favourite Toy of 2008.

Yes, my favourite toy (for Monet).  Not sure if Monet would agree but if one can sit and play for hours on end with a particular toy, then hey, it is my favourite toy.  It was a toss up of course - there were a couple of beauties I purchased throughout the course of last year which Monet would use constantly and in peace.  

Runner-Up prize would be 'Melissa & Doug's Lace and Trace'.  Many an hour spent on the couch (and planes!) with Monet using the thread to sew around shapes.  

First prize I award to these...

PopBead People.  Not exactly plane friendly (too many little bits to drop and lose) but never the less, hours of fun, endless possibilities and still getting a good workout after having for over two months.  I got a packet each for the nieces as part of their Christmas presents and as far as I know, they liked them a lot.  

Any other worthy contenders out there that you know of worth me looking into?

Something for Everyone.

We went to Marina Mall yesterday - the place where the snow slope is due to open in the first couple of months of 2009.  It also has an ice rink.  This place is crazy. *smirk*

So we went to the mall yesterday, Monet and I peeled off in one direction and Lyndon in another, (the best way to go shopping really, but in all honesty it would have been better if it was 'I' who was alone!)  It is amazing to visit so many shops from so many countries all under one roof.  *heehee*  Did you know Woolworths in South Africa is a clothing store as compared to Woolworths in Australia being a supermarket chain.  (Did I read that the variety store of Woolworths in Britain is closing down?)

I was happy with a couple of purchases from Next for myself.

Monet was happy with the dress she choose from Pumpkin Patch.

Lyndon was happy with the television he choose from Carrefour.

A rather successful shopping day for all actually... (as one waits for the technician to arrive and put the tv on the wall for us.)

What a Surprise!

How surprised we were to receive a belated birthday card (from a lady who has known me since I was 1 year old), in the mail for Monet the other day.

How surprised we were to open the card and find a crisp $10 note in it.

How surprised (I wasn't), when Monet chose to buy one of these with her money.

How surprised I was when she chose that one over another one, which would have given her change to buy a lolly pop with.  

What a surprise!

Where's Mine?

Lyndon had some important stuff to organise at home on Saturday so Monet and I got out of his hair by going into Cairns for a few hours.  

It was nice to browse (seems like ages since I had done so) and Monet was okay doing the same after she got a belly full of McDonalds.  (Happy Meals aren't called Happy Meals for nothing you know!)  

We visited Toys'r'Us, where last week we bought Monet this...

Yeah she's spoilt but gees it is fun playing Barbies once again! *heehee*  This week I told her she could look but we weren't buying her anything.  Instead we chose lots of presents that she wants for her birthday!  We also spied something for her cousin Heidi, who turns 4 five weeks before Monet.  I know Heidi will love this...

(She's Dora mad that niece/cousin of ours! I hope Sarah is prepared for her own little Dora the Explorer running around the house!)

On the way home we popped into KMart, browsing per usual, when Monet and I both spied at the same time and both said the same thing, so I just *had* to buy this...

We both thought it looked very much like a Minnie Mouse dress (you'll agree right?)

At under $13 I thought it was a bargain and now quite pleased we didn't fork out the $50-odd for a Minnie Mouse dress at Disneyland. 

I wonder when I'll buy myself something for a change?  Lyndon is wondering the same. 

What a Doll...

Ever since Monet taught herself to dress properly, she has also (at long last) worked out how to dress all her dolls, including Barbies. We've been seeing a lot of this lately...

Monet sitting there dressing and undressing her Barbies (after dressing herself in her fairy/ballerina outfit!) It keeps her occupied. I don't complain. The concentration (and sometimes frustration) is amazing.

Lyndon and I came in from having a couple of 'sippers' (*ahem* Saturday afternoon beers) on the balcony the other night, to discover Monet had set up a picnic for all her dolls in the lounge. All complete with a new packet of bibs I had bought many moons ago but had never opened. We wondered why she wasn't outside annoying us. *snigger. snigger*

Monet was quite thrilled earlier this afternoon when I suggested to her to take along her doll, Lulu, in 'her' stroller for a walk up to the local shops. Oh my, was she excited. She dressed Lulu in her little tracksuit and matching shoes, she then packed her little bag and slung it over the stroller handles and away we went. Happy as Larry was my Monet.

You can only imagine the smiles and grins we got as Monet stopped and showed Lulu certain things in the shop windows. It was honestly too cute for words. Too cute!

I always wondered when this would happen. I don't have to wonder any more.

Two Hours of Peace and Quiet.

How good are Fisher Price 'Little People'? If you've got a child under the age of 5, I'm sure you'll know what I'm talking about.

Monet is always playing with hers; sorting them out, lining them up, placing here, placing there, driving around in the 'Little Bus' etc., She got quite a collection now.

A couple of weekends ago, as a reward for good behaviour, Lyndon and I bought her this;

Sonya Lee's Pet Salon.

Well, didn't Monet think it was the 'best' thing she had ever played with? And so did we! She sat quietly for two hours solid (TWO HOURS!) and 'played' with it. I swear it's the best 30 bucks I have ever spent. And not only on that one evening either, she's constantly playing with the little 'Salon'.

And because it's small enough to fit comfortably in one of my bags we took it to the pub last Saturday afternoon, where Lyndon met up with some work friends for Christmas drinks. Monet sat and played with it and even shared it with a 11 month old.

Monet has asked Santa for the 'Little People' Caravan set. Can you guess what's sitting in my wardrobe all ready and waiting for a little girl next week?

What's Another Few Years?

So, you remember this post from a couple of weeks ago? Now the joke goes something like this...

Did you hear the one about the couple who thought they'd set a wedding date, but ended up scrapping the idea because they didn't want a wedding getting in the way of a fabulous holiday?

You didn't?

You have now...

Hey, we figure we've been engaged for sooooo long, what's another year or two? It seems there is a lot for us to accomplish in the next 5 months before we head overseas (a possible move south included) and planning a wedding in all this was ludicrous. (What was I thinking?) We figure a holiday at this point of time is 'right' for us, before Monet goes and gets an education and while she is still pretty much 'free' when we travel around Europe (I've been researching!)

In fact, I have been researching a lot of things on the internet lately. Do you know how good the internet is when trying to research reviews on possible Christmas presents for a 3 year old? Bloody brilliant I tell you. There will be no wasted money in this household this Christmas.

I was thinking of getting Monet a digital camera for Christmas (to take on her impending European holiday - sorry I keep repeating that but its my blog and I can say what I want!) but it seems the ones on the market for her age group are basically crap, especially when we're used to getting quality (?) photos out of my Sony Cybershot when taken by her. (Example below - she took that last Sunday at Thorton's Beach.)


A 'kiddie' digital camera for her has been crossed off the gift list.

Also reviewing hotels on the internet too. And itineraries. And prices for travel etc., Fabulous. I can't imagine how I travelled to the UK on my own in 1996 without doing all the previous research I am doing now.

(And for those of you who said "Rome, go to Rome", well....)

New Toys

I recently made my own pasta for the first time a couple of weeks ago. AND rolled it by hand, which wasn't that hard really, just a bit of a pain more than anything.

I knew about it the following day when I went to roll out my homemade pizza dough (yes, I do like baking!) and my hands killed me. The palms of my hand where the rolling pin hits when you roll. Ouch. My Mother-In-Law-One-Day recommended me buying a pasta machine. A lot easier she said.

She was right.

On Saturday I bought my pasta machine from 'House'. (As much as I love 'House' I am not a fan of the one in Cairns. It doesn't feel right being served by a early twenty-something male/boy who wears rock t-shirts and no apron. In stores like this I expect to be served by people like this...) I put the boy/man through his paces by questioning the difference between the 3 pasta makers on offer and why the price difference. I ended up with the Avanti one. Mainly because a) I have heard of that brand and b) it was $5 cheaper than the other one in my budget range and c) it is the most popular and no one has returned it to the store.

I didn't just buy a pasta machine however on Saturday. I also bought a Food Processor. I've been wanting one since I got my mix master for Christmas last year. It seemed before I had my mix master every recipe I wanted to make said 'mix with electric beaters' (of which I didn't have any!) Then after getting my mix master, every recipe seemed to state to 'place in food processor and beat'. Typical eh? I think I have all gadgets now. For the time being any way...

I bought the Sunbeam Multiprocessor from Good Guys, only to return it the following day. I did buy the last one on offer (ie. demo model) which I won't be doing again. I got home to find it was missing some of the most important pieces. The main chopping blade, the whisk attachment, the dough attachment and the middle 'spindle' part.

I rang up and said that "I'm not happy".

They offered to replace the processor for another brand (No, I do research on these things! I know what I want!)

Order in the missing parts. (No, that would mean a 5-10 business day wait before I could use my new toy)

Get my money back (Yes please, so I could go up the road and buy exactly the same processor at Myer for the same money AND earn Myer One points!)

You can only guess what I did on Sunday then.

I walked out happy. I came home happy. I used my processor happily.

The pasta I made and cooked yesterday was delicious! The machine worked a dream and I cannot wait to make spaghetti next time!

Ahh...the life of a Domestic Goddess. Just call me Nigella.

The Story of How The Jet Ski Turned Into A Boat

So, Lyndon wanted to buy Monet a 'pool toy', so we stopped at one of those cheap 'Warehouse' stores, which sell everything from 50cent books to $15 towels. You know the kind of store.

They have one whole aisle committed to pool toys. Well, practically one whole aisle. He walked out with a $15 'blow-up' jet ski.

After coming home and blowing it up (lucky we have an electric-type air pump!) he gave it to Monet who thought it was the best thing she had played with ever.... well, for the day anyway! She played with it like you would a rocking-horse.

And she thought it was just as much fun in the water too, with Lyndon helping her and our friend who stayed for a couple of nights whom I will call Joel. (Because, well, that's his name.)

I'm not sure who had the most fun playing with the blow-up jet ski.

I'd probably say Lyndon and Joel. Even one of our neighbours who was laying by the pool asked the same question of who was enjoying the new jet ski more.

Lyndon exclaimed it was the best thing he had ever bought, he was having so much fun. Joel commented that 'imagine how much fun you'd have if it had a motor!'

I haven't laughed so hard in ages watching the antics of all three in the pool with the jet ski.

I especially laughed the hardest when the jet ski actually 'blew up', literally. It was like a bomb went off when Joel attempted (and was successful) in doing a backwards somersault from the side of the pool and landing on the jet ski which was in the pool. He (literally) popped it and the noise was so loud, it was pretty hilarious. I swear most people at home in the apartment complex would have looked up from what they were doing, wondering what the loud explosion was.

So the jet ski turned into a boat.

I think Monet thought that was, if not as much fun, even funner than the jet ski. (And yes, 'funner' is actually a word from the Melody dictionary, if you were wondering!)

Easter Sunday, Our Way

Monet slept in this morning, she was a 7:30 am riser today! But when she woke and told her that we thought Easter Bunny had been, well, didn't her eyes light up. They even lit up more when she noticed the trail of six gorgeous little Easter Puppy Toys leading down the hallway to a Dora Toiletries Bag and a Princesses Bowl and Spoon... Her eyes seriously got so wide I thought they might pop out of her head!...

Monet 'woofed' down in quick succession, three Easter Eggs before moving onto her normal breakfast of Yoghurt and Toast, which took her to lunchtime to eat...
Lyndon spent the afternoon painting the feature wall in our bedroom (lounge was done yesterday) whilst I spent the afternoon 'supervising' (someone has to do it!)

How did you spend your Easter Sunday?

Nanna Muzza Gone

So we said 'Goodbye' to Nanna this morning. She flew home to Melbourne at early this afternoon. You may remember this post I wrote when my mother left. It never gets easier, but I know she left after having a nice time away from 'normality'.

Thanks Marianne for your company over the past week. You know Monet wasn't her usual bubbly self but she was pretty good yesterday and today, as you know. Poor little button. She has already been pretending that she has been speaking to you on the phone.

Many, many thanks too for our house warming present, our new dishwasher...

...ahh! How lovely is that? And how lucky are we?

Many thanks for those delicious cups of tea too. I'll be lost without my Marianne 9:30pm Cuppa tonight!
We know you had a nice time away, we enjoyed having you here, and we look forward to seeing you again real soon, hopefully with Poppy! Hehe...

Charley The Hobby Horse

There is a little shop down the road from where we live called 'The Green House'. It sells the most gorgeous items in there, from cards and books to children's wooden toys and clothing. In fact it sells lots and lots of gift items. It is a gorgeous little shop that I kid of forget about when I am in need of buying someone a gift! (Don't you hate that?)

However, Monet was a very lucky girl to receive a Hobby Horse, bought from this shop, from her visiting Nanma this week.


We've nicknamed him Charley Horse and Monet walks around the apartment trying her hardest to make a Clip Clop noise... Very cute. It is one of those toys that will get lots of use and will last. And the type of toy you keep.

This morning when Monet and I were out walking back from the library, Monet pointed across the road to 'The Green House' and pronounced very loudly to the world "That's where I got Hobby Horse from". She's an advertisers dream my girl, she really is. I must tell the shop keepers of the store this because she said it to a group of people waiting for their bus to arrive and they all seemed to look across the road to see what shop she was talking about! I wonder if they had an increase of Hobby Horse sales this morning?! Hehe...

Monet's Kitchen

Monet can be funny sometimes. Not ha ha funny. Just funny. You know what I mean. Don't you? She goes through phases of activities.

Somedays she'll happily sit in her room and read book after book, until they cover her floor and then she'll go through them all again. For a good hour or so she will do that.

Somedays she'll grab all her teddies and dolls and place them, one by one, on her floor, or, worse still (because that means I have to put them back), on the lounge room floor. Hours of entertainment there.

Then there will be days when she wants nothing to do with books or teddies or dolls. She'll lounge on the couch or sit and (attempt to) draw.

Today's activity has been to play with her 'Elmo Kitchen'. It was a Christmas gift from my parents that is certainly worth its weight in gold...today anyway.

She's been pottering around with it this morning. Preparing meals for me, making cups of tea for me, making Pickles (my, sorry, Monet's teddy) breakfast, washing the dishes in the little sink, opening the cupboard and the oven, turning on the hot plates, actually using the toy for its main purpose (which isn't just to sit and take up valuable space in our apartment!)

Sometimes when Monet is using her kitchen she tells me to go and use my kitchen. She doesn't really tell me as such, she demands it! It's because she knows I happily spend time in the kitchen preparing meals and baking goodies.

Hopefully in years to come Monet will happily potter around in my kitchen and prepare meals and goodies for me to eat. Just like I did in my mother's kitchen.