A mere two or three years ago, I couldn’t fathom embracing family vacation ideas centred on road trips. Now, with four kids five and under, I dare say, with a smile, bring it on…

Don’t get me wrong, planes no doubt get you there faster; but then there’s all that luggage (along with kids!) to lug around. And once we’re at our destination, we have to figure out a way to get around anyway. I haven’t yet had the courage (and calm frame of mind) to investigate vehicle hiring options for a family with two kids who are still in child seats needing anchor points, and two others in booster seats.

So, while we save our pennies for that big plane trip, (arg… to pay for six seats on a plane?!), we have embraced road trips for our family vacations.

Recently, we drove into Mercedes Sydney Alexandria, and Mr 5 says, “Which car shall we choose?” Ha! Oh life is good at five, I tell you!

Well, thanks to Mercedes Sydney Alexandria, we had the pleasure of test driving a Mercedes-Benz Valente . It took Mr Ian Watts a good half an hour to go through all the features of the Valente. He was mighty patient and thorough and I am most thankful for it – there’s simply so much packed into the Valente.

The Valente is built for families, and hand to heart, my boys still ask why I had to give the Valente back. This Mama secretly asks that too boys.. (all that swish Mercedes styling; sat-nav, sunroof, alloy wheels, rear tinted windows and day-time running lights).

It also has a 5 star ANCAP safety rating, a must, in my mind, for any vehicle that I put my family in.

Now truth be told, the Valente is big. It has eight full size seats and a generous 730 litre luggage space.

When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe that I was going to drive it. I am five foot nothing. The fact that I can drive this beast, (umm… and reach the pedals?!), is testament to how well they built it. 

I really like how high up the driving position is. I have excellent visibility of my outward surroundings at all times when driving. The front and rear parking sensors, and the optional sat nav and reverse camera made parking much easier. 

The turning circle on this vehicle has to be seen to be believed. It has a turning circle of just 11.8 metres. We were driving on a narrow stretch of road in Surry Hills when we had to do a 3 point turn. The Valente did it effortlessly – in only 3 points – much to my relief because there were other cars around.

There’s loads and loads of extra room. Enough room for four kids (plus two more extra guests in the rear passenger area), all the groceries I could possibly need in one week, (even if I stocked up on boxes of nappies because they were on sale), and still enough room for school bags, soccer gear, swimming tote bag, etc. This Valente is like Mary Poppin’s magical bag that fits everything, and can still be so easily be carried, like any ordinary bag.

We took this Valente  out for a day trip to the Jenolan Caves.  Even with our whole family in the car, and an extra adult, the Valente remained strong and easily climbed it’s way through the Blue Mountains. It also easily gave extra oomph when overtaking on the motor ways.  

I was also super impressed (and still super impressed) by its’ fuel economy. It has an average fuel consumption figure between 7-10L/100km. We drove it around for a week and away on a six hour return trip on the weekend. When I topped up the (diesel) tank before returning the vehicle, the petrol bill came to under $80. This is much, much less than what we regularly pay for petrol for our 7 seater four-wheel drive.

We have had our share of road trips for our family vacations. Our longest being a road trip from Sydney to the Goldcoast, (860kms or about 11 hours). So, I wanted to share a few tricks we have learnt along the way, when travelling on the road with young children.

{ONE} Start early or leave late.  Less traffic aside, if you start early (e,g, 3am) or leave late (e.g. 9pm), chances are the kids are still very sleepy and will sleep through a good chunk of your travelling time on the road. Just make sure the driver is well rested for the drive. 

{TWO} Organise your music playlists / podcasts / audio books.  Make sure there’s enough entertaining stuff to listen to, for everyone in the car. Don’t just have kids stuff ready to go – make sure there’s something in there for the adults too. Mix up songs with some funny podcasts and engaging audio books. I still remember listening to the Harry Potter audio books (once our then twin toddlers nodded off), when we drove to the snow.

{THREE} Nappy pants for any toilet training or freshly graduated toilet trained child. Even if your child only wears nappy pants when he or she sleeps, pop one on for the road trip. There’s nothing more stressful than being on a highway and a child breaking the news that he or she needs to go to the toilet… or worse – has already been. 

{FOUR} Stop and play at playgrounds along the way. Kids need to play, and adults need to stretch. Regular stops to stretch and play makes everyone happy.

{FIVE} Snacks. Stuff to crunch and sip on. Be mindful of the type of drinks to give to kids. So far, we’ve stuck with water in their usual water bottles for drinks. We’ve avoided sticky lolly pops and crumbly snacks. Grapes are wonderful, so are apples… (and some snakes).

{SIX}  Be prepared for emergency clean ups. We’re lucky to not have kids who suffer from travel sickness. However, we have been away on trips where they have caught a bug and “messiness” happened while we were driving. Plastic bags and wet wipes. Always have them, because you never, ever, know.

{SEVEN} Toys & games. Make sure you have a bag, even a small one, of stuff kids can fidget and play with. E.g. crayons and paper pads, small action heroes, sunnies they can put on, stickers, stamps, etc.

{EIGHT} Be realistic about the time it will take to get there. No matter how long I think it will take to get out the door, it always takes longer with kids. Now for road trips, augment that delay a few times over, because road trips are a much more complicated logistic manoeuvre than getting out the door.

{NINE} iPads / DVDs / movies of any kind. I consider this the “when all else has been exhausted” and they are still awake and on the brink of an uprising, option. I won’t deny it, because I wouldn’t leave for a road trip without it.

{TEN} Remember, what holidays with young kids are really about. Expectations set the tone and can make or break holidays. I found it so helpful to be reminded that holidays with young kids, isn’t about the holiday, (because let’s face it, it’s beyond exhausting), it’s about making memories.

Our boys have been fascinated with rocks and bones and fossils for awhile now. This road trip to the Jenolan Caves has just fed their curiosity and wonder about the world around them.

This particular road trip was extra special, because thanks to the eight full sized adult seats, we could comfortably bring Grandpa along on the road trip. Here’s my favourite photo from our family trip to the Jenolan Caves.

It was a candid shot, but captures such a precious memory. That’s Mr 3’s hand in Grandpa’s hand, (while one of the twin 5’s tried to “have a look” too). How lovely that Grandpa could be there with his grandsons when they were lucky enough to score a limestone crystal from our tour guide during our tour of the Imperial caves.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Family Vacation Ideas: Road Trips by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

You say Autumn, I say crisp cool breeze, hot cross buns, warm slippers and a season of wonderful easy slow cooker recipes. I love easy recipes, but I have a very soft spot for easy slow cooker recipes; the whole concept of putting stuff in a pot, letting it cook itself, and ending a day with a delicious, no fuss, comforting meal – just bliss!

With ever growing kidlets running around these school holidays, I was glad to take my slow cooker out from storage. This easy slow cooker recipe for honey soy lamb chops has once again reminded me what Autumn feels, smells and tastes like; lamb, rosemary, gravy, on a bed of the sweet steamed veggies and a side of potatoes (in chip form, because I have a soft spot for that crunch factor).

Honey Soy Lamb Chops

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 large red onions, peeled and cut into thick wedges
6 lamb forequarter chops
handful of fresh rosemary sprigs
1 tablespoon cornflour
1/2 cup water

Method

1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, garlic and sesame oil.

2. Place the onions in the slow cooker.

3. Put the lamb chops on top of the bed of onions.

4. Pour the sauce over the lamb chops.

5. Place the rosemary sprigs on top of the lamb chops.

6. Cook, covered, on low for 6 hours.

7. Throw away the rosemary sprigs.

8. Remove the lamb chops and cover with foil to keep warm.

9. Mix the cornflour with cold water. Pour this into the slow cooker and stir.

10. Place the cover back on and cook on high for half an hour, stirring every now and then.

11. Strain the gravy. Season to taste.

12. Serve the lamb chops drizzled the gravy. Some possible accompaniments include sweet steamed veggies and a side of potatoes.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Easy Slow Cooker Recipes: Honey Soy Lamb Chops by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

The time has come. Miss K will begin daycare this week. Mr E will head back to preschool this week. Mr M and Mr N will be starting Kindergarten next week. I will be heading back to school as a Kindergarten classroom teacher this week. The thought of a strong cup of coffee has planted itself in my mind as I just typed all of that. There are uniforms to be washed, bags to be packed, kisses to given and lunches to be packed…. (for the next 15 years). Lunch ideas for the next 15 years. Again – a strong cup of coffee, please.

To start us off, here are 38 everyday snacks, tried, tested and loved by my brood of four.

These 38 everyday snacks are easy, quick, no cooking/baking required healthy snacks. Perfect lunch ideas to help fill those lunch boxes and tummies. Yummy goodness to keep those bodies and minds happy.

Most schools / preschools / daycares in Australia promote a nut-free environment. As such, I have not included nuts on our list, (even though Mr E loves them to no end). Some of the items below may contain nuts (e.g. muesli bars), but I have found nut-free versions of these items at the grocery store, and as such have included them on the list.

Fruit

1. Apples
2. Bananas
3. Combination Fruit Cups
4. Dried Apricots
5. Fruit Puree
6. Fresh Fruit Salad
7. Kiwifruit
8. Mandarines
9. Mangoes
10. Nectarines
11. Pears
12. Prunes
13. Strawberries
14. Sultanas
15. Watermelon
16. Rockmelon
17. Blueberries
18. Raspberries

Dairy

19. Yoghurt
20. Cheese
21. Custard

Biscuits

22. Crisp bread
23. Crackers
24. Rice Sticks
25. Fruit Slice Biscuits
26. Oatmeal Biscuits
27. Rice Crackers

Misc

28. Fruit Bars
29. Muesli Bars
30. Fruity Bites
31. Popcorn
32. Fruit Juice
33. Carrot & Celery Sticks
34. Hummus Dip (for carrot & celery sticks)
35. Beetroot Dip (for carrot & celery sticks)
36. Toast with vegemite
37. Raisin toast with jam
38. Cereal (eg cheerios, weetbix honey bites)

I’m sure this list will grow over the next 15 years. I’ve been having so much fun sharing our lunch ideas on Instagram and Facebook. Thank you to all of you who have commented or liked our lunch ideas. I would love to see your lunch ideas too. Please tag me on Instagram (@pauline_lessonslearntjournal) – 15 years worth of lunch ideas is a very long time and I can use all the help I can get. What other everyday snacks should I add to this list?

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Lunch Ideas: Everyday Snacks by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

I’ve recently touched base with some old high school friends, who are now mothers. I haven’t seen most of these girls, (now women), since high school. Seeing photos of all our kids, somewhat solidifies the fact that we are indeed in a new stage of life. (I just sighed as I typed all that).

We are about to enter what feels like another stage of our family life. In about two weeks, Mr N&M will be starting Kindergarten, (their first year of formal schooling). There will be many changes to our family life, and with that, and what strangely stresses me out a bit, is the thought of making school lunches every day. How on earth will I come up with school lunch ideas, every day? (Insert huge sigh).

I’ve known people who have gone through years of the same school lunches. While I love that concept – not having to struggle with new school lunch ideas everyday – I just can’t stomach it. When I was dieting, to simplify things, I would eat the same things every day to stick to the calorie count. Drove me batty. Given the right combination of food though, I’m pretty sure my kids would love to have the same school lunches every day – (their combo being chocolate bars, cookies, lollies, etc – you get the idea). Pity their suggested combos don’t rate highly, nutrition wise.

My game plan for lunch ideas is to have a bunch of staple lunch options that’s healthy and that I know my kids will eat, and to mix and match various lunch ideas everyday. These honey muesli slices will be one of our staple lunch ideas, to include as a snack in those school lunch boxes.

It’s super easy to make. You probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. This is one of those kid friendly recipes too, so kids can be involved in making it too.

It’s delicious and healthy. In the words of Mr 3yo… “Mmm… smells just like honey!”. For diabetics, it’s low GI and a serving is also just a single carb exchange (15g carbohydrates), making it a great snack or sweet treat to include in those school lunch boxes.

The slice will keep in an an airtight container for three to four days.

What are your tried, tested and loved lunch ideas for school lunch boxes?

**An updated note about this recipe: Most Australian schools encourage students to NOT bring in food with nuts because some students can have anaphylactic reactions to nuts. Please note that most muesli products available at supermarkets include nuts. If you are making these honey muesli slices for school lunches, please check the muesli ingredients and choose products that do not have nuts in them.

Honey and Muesli Slice

2014-01-15 23:30:34

Serves 16

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

62 calories

12 g

23 g

1 g

1 g

0 g

27 g

105 g

9 g

0 g

1 g

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

27g

Servings

16

Amount Per Serving

Calories 62

Calories from Fat 11

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 1g

2%

Saturated Fat 0g

1%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 23mg

8%

Sodium 105mg

4%

Total Carbohydrates 12g

4%

Dietary Fiber 0g

1%

Sugars 9g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A

1%

Vitamin C

0%

Calcium

2%

Iron

3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Does this look wrong?

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup honey
2. 100g Olive Grove spread (or margarine of choice)
3. 2 eggs
4. 2 cups natural muesli
5. 1/2 cup self raising flour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C / 339F.
2. Melt butter in a pan on the stove over low heat and mix honey in until well combined.
3. Take butter and honey off the heat, allow to cool a little before pouring it into a mixing bowl.
4. Add the eggs into the mixing bowl and stir well.
5. Add the muesli and flour and stir well.
6. Pour into a baking pan lined with baking paper.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
8. Set aside to cool and cut into 25 pieces.

By Pauline @ Lessons Learnt Journal

beta

calories

62

fat

1g

protein

1g

carbs

12g

more

Lessons Learnt Journal http://lessonslearntjournal.com/

More Activities for Preschoolers

Three to Five: Playful Preschool is stuffed to the brim with tried, tested and loved playful learning ideas for preschoolers. There are 25+ ideas for preschoolers, ten printable resources and additional links to over 50 more activities. A great resource for parents. Download your copy here.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Lunch Ideas: Honey Muesli Slices by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.