With the cold upon us, its time for warm comfort foods and easy options as its dark so much earlier in Winter and we all can't wait to snuggle in our nice warm beds - okay that's just me wanting early nights, the boys would be happy to play until they drop.

Between the boys and our house, I have my shopping opportunities cut out for me... much to my poor husband's irritation.

I thought I had been lacking some shopping mojo lately ... until I started compiling this post. Some of these are actually essentials and the rest, frivolous of course because who needs a new bikini in Winter (even if I do live on the Gold Coast).


I stocked up on Country Road henleys yesterday in their mid-season sale for the littlest boy for next Winter as he's currently living in them - $12.95 plus an extra 25% off for cardholders! So under $10 for staple basics is a ridiculous bargain. I also bought this embroidered Milk tee because its just so cute and my boy loves his milk.


Witchery knits were an essential. After spending the last 3-4 winters pregnant or breastfeeding, my winter wardrobe is non existent and particularly in knits. I loved the underlays and zip features on these for something different.


Eeeni Meeni Miini Moh sleeping cocoon for the baby (is he still a baby now he's one and walking?) is also an essentials purchase. E never slept in his cot so we never really used sleeping bags whereas this little guy sleeps mostly in his cot and with the temperatures dropping, a winter weight bag became an urgent need. We got a STTN the first time he wore it so in my books, its paid for itself ;)


A definite non essentials buy is this Delta limited edition Quartz bikini. Non essential for so many reasons including that its currently Winter and freezing and I'm am far from bikini ready ... something to work on! The print though sucked me in after I saw them posted on an insta friend's feed.



An essential buy is the Country Road quilted hoodie - see earlier knits explanation. This hoodie is so soft and very cosy, I have already worn it in my office to combat freezing air conditioning.


I could say this is an essential as E looks so cute in camouflage print and has outgrown all of his last Winter pants but he has a bursting wardrobe for Winter already so the stripes & camo for the big boy are purely a 'mummy is a shopaholic and this is outfit is too cute' purchase.


The Country Road texture print pants were an ebay buy. I was pregnant when my sister bought them instore and was kicking myself for not buying them too when I started back at work and realised that since having the boys, I actually like pants over skirts nowadays. When they came up on ebay for $20, I couldn't not snap them up! Essential buy as I severely lack work pants having always worn skirts.


Enough justification for my latest spending spree?

My ongoing confessions to a not so perfect life:


I finished work early last week ... and I went shopping. On. My. Own!
Yep, instead of heading straight home to see the boys like I usually do, I decided to be selfish and call in to the local complex for a browse.
This was motivated in part by the disastrous outcome of finishing early and racing home the week before - the one where the boys sat at my feet and screamed and carried on because they hadn't napped and mummy was home to torture.


I was that mum with the screaming toddler trailing after her at the park over the weekend... E had an epic meltdown and wouldn't come with me while I tried to remove him from the scene so I did what I remember my mother doing to me and walked off and of course he chased me down screaming (told you I was becoming my mother).

Delayed but that's life with a toddler and a baby plus working full time I guess.


Our littlest boy turned one earlier this month and of course it wouldn't have been fair to not throw him a first party like we did with E - I swear the second kid does get a raw deal but that's for another post. Cue a guest list of 70+ and over 50 attendees including a circus of 20+ children under 10 but we love to entertain our family and friends so it was a wonderful day made even better by our amazing backyard that suits crowds and children and fun.


There was no theme and no face painter like Es but we did put up the boys' jumping castle ... although the children has more fun digging in the play yard with E's fleet of Tonka trucks. Kept food simple with a sausage sizzle, cold beers and lots of homemade finger foods the boys love including chocolate crackles - because what children's party is complete without them!


C had a great time and E was in his element running around with all of his 'big' friends (our friends' 5 year olds).