Some Scrumptious Treats for the Whole Family to Enjoy!

Mayver’s Recipes
Easter Brekky Toast

Time: 10 minutes excluding freezing time | 1 serve
Dairy Free / Vegan / Sugar Free

Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Eggs & Bunnies:

3 tbs Mayver’s Smooth Peanut Butter

2 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs rice malt syrup

For the Toast:

2 pieces toasted bread of choice

2 tbs Mayver’s Peanut & Cacao Spread

1 sliced banana

Sprinkle of coconut

Method

1. Melt together ingredients for the peanut butter eggs and brownies and pour into mini
moulds, then pop into the freezer to set.

2. Spread toast with Mayver’s Peanut & Cacao Spread, top with sliced Banana, Coconut and
Peanut Butter Eggs & Bunnies.

Thanks to Jodi from Jodis Kitchen for this yummy recipe!

Peanut Butter Pancakes
Time: 5-8 minutes | 2 serves
Gluten Free / Vegan / Sugar Free

Ingredients

Gluten free
1 large ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp Mayver’s Dark Roasted Peanut Butter
2 extra large free range eggs
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed banana, eggs and Mayver’s Dark Roasted peanut
butter. Mix well to combine.

2. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan. Spoon mixture onto pan into small pancake
shapes. Cook for approximately 2 minutes on both sides, or until cooked through.

Tips:

•  To make monkey pancakes like the image, cook different sizes of pancakes to assemble your monkey face.
• Use 1/4 banana cut into rounds, peanut butter and organic dried fruit to
  decorate.
• To make monkey pancakes like the image, cook different sizes of pancakes to
  assemble your monkey face. Use 1/4 banana cut into rounds, peanut butter and organic
  dried fruit to decorate.
• This delicious recipe was designed and created by the amazing Brisbane nutritionist and recipe
  developer Casey-Lee Lyons from Live Love Nourish. (I’m a Brissy based mum too so it’s always lovely to support other local mums!)

More about Mayver’s:

Mayver’s creates the tastiest, healthiest 100% natural nut spreads that kids can’t get enough of.
Available at Coles, Woolworths and health food stores. For recipe inspiration head to
http://mayvers.com.au/recipe-book/

A very big thank you to the recipe developers:

Easter Brekky Toast – Jodi’s Kitchen
Peanut Butter Pancakes – Casey-Lee Lyons of Live Love and Nourish

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, and with most beautiful mummas out there having everything that they need, we have just the perfect gift for your mum, mother-in-law or nanna.

A favourite photo of little Oscar Bear, taken at just a week old. I love the beautiful colours and textures in this photograph. Photo of Oscar captured by Nicola Brander Photography and the beautiful styling photographed by Justine of Perlplex.

Perlplex Acrylic Products are made from sturdy acrylic, which is durable, but designer friendly.

For myself, a wife and mother of two boys, memories mean more to me now than they ever have before. Moments in time, which last a lifetime and become more precious as time passes.

We all know how fast our little ones grow up and having special family moments displayed in our homes is such a special thing. Something you simply can’t put a price tag on! The memories are exactly that… priceless!

Justine, the founder of Perlplex is a family and portrait photographer who was struggling to find any modern frames that could showcase photos for her clients. She had always loved acrylic and decided to source and make her own range. Since then she has never looked back and has her beautifully designed acrylic frames in many Australian homes.

I was so honoured to be able to collaborate, after reaching out to Justine and after kindly being sent some beautiful frames and keepsake boxes to test out. I know that they will be wonderful products which I hope to always keep in mind to gift friends and family.

Whether you are looking for that special Mother’s Day gift, or a special frame to mark your wedding day, the birth of your little baby, a special birthday, or other key life milestone, Perlplex has you covered.

Justine is such a beautiful person both inside and out and has been so very professional to deal with.

I cannot recommend the frames enough. They are easy to use but most of all, display the imagery so effortlessly and would suit all home décor, which in my opinion, is a win-win all round!

We recently had some beautiful photos taken by one of my fave portrait photographers here in Brisbane, Jessiika Wilson, and we were so honoured to have nabbed her last shoot spot before she headed off on maternity leave. Jess is such a stunning photographer and really captures the natural beauty and real-life moments with this journey we all call life. I hope that you love the images as much as my family and I do. The photos were taken at North Lakes community lake, right here in Brisbane in stunning and sunny, Queensland.

I also chose some special memories of the boys and I and us as a little family of four over the years.

A very big thank you again to the gorgeous Justine for gifting our family the array of different types of Perlplex frames. My fave size for Mother’s Day would be the 5 x 7 inch (15 x 20 cm) Perlplex Acrylic Box Frame. The frame retails for $42.99 and comes in other size and price options also. (see below).

4 x 6 inch / 10 x 15cm (currently sold out due to the Mother’s Day rush) – $39.99
6 x 8 inch / 15 x 20cm (currently sold out due to the Mother’s Day rush) – $52.99
8 x 10 inch / 20 x 25cm (available) – $64.99

A few sizes may be out of stock due to the current Mother’s Day rush but expect to see new stock in approximately 6-8 weeks. Feel free to drop the lovely Justine and her team a line for more ordering and timing information, or if you have a special event coming up for which you require the frames.

The Perlplex Acrylic Keepsake Box is another very popular product. From pretty dried flowers, through to baby momentos from the hospital, bridal keep sakes, or special jewellery, they are the perfect way to display these precious items, and in a safe and preserved way that looks so stunning! You can easily slip a photo of your choice at the bottom and then leave the box free to add special memento items. And if that’s not tempting enough, Justine takes all the hassle out of going to get your photos printed by offering a complementary service to provide your Perlplex frame or keepsake box with a photo of your choice included and already displayed!

If you have any questions around your gift purchase for Justine, she would be more than accommodating to answer them for you. Whether it’s questions about where to get your photos printed to ensure that they are a high quality, what size would be best for your order or intended purpose, nothing is too much of a hassle. Perlplex has the best customer service and Justine is so responsive on the business social media platforms, which in this day and age, is something that is so very important when it comes to ordering online.

Whether it be a gift for yourself for Mother’s Day this year or whether you will be gifting the Perlplex frames yourself, you will know that you have a good quality product that will last, just like your special family memories. Preserving family memories forever. Memories and moments to treasure and cherish.

Styling location tips and ideas from The Pink Jubilee for the Perlplex Acrylic Photo Frames and Keepsake Boxes:-

*Perfect for your bedroom side table
*The family room mantel piece
*On top of the piano
*Your work or home office desk, your partners or parents and grandparents work spaces
*The kids rooms – fill the nursery and the kids rooms with special candid family moments too! (There is an Acrylic Flush Frame that is perfect for this too! This style is a wall mount only design)
*Baby Showers, Bridal Showers, Birthdays, Graduation Celebrations, Retirements, Corporate events, and more!

Justine has kindly given me a discount code especially for The Pink Jubilee readers. Be sure to utilise the special discount code upon checkout, which is: thepinkjubilee15. I know that you will love the frames and keepsake boxes as much as I do! I have styled mine in our home and can’t wait to gift one to my mum and mother in law for Mother’s Day on 12^th May. Be sure to get your orders in quickly ladies to avoid disappointment. The website is full of gorgeous inspiration and different ways which you can style the keepsake boxes and the sort of precious family photos, which can be used.

If you would like a special piece for your daughter’s or granddaughter’s room too,  The “Off with The Fairies” limited editions by Hélène Chassay in an Acrylic Box frame is a magical piece. I know for when my sister and her hubby start their family too, a must-buy on my wish-list from the Perlplex online shop will be one of the “Welcome to the World” display frames. Enjoy browsing everyone. So much beautiful inspiration for home décor.

Wishing you and your family a fabulous Mother’s Day weekend ahead. I hope you all create some very special memories for years to come! For more information on Perlplex, please visit their website: www.perlplex.com.au, or drop them a line via their online contact form. You can also visit their social media pages: @perlplexau on Instagram and Facebook. (For more gorgeous inspiration!)

The below images were captured “with love” by my dear husband who stepped in as our blog photographer. I loved how he captured such candid moments with little Oscar Bear in our home here in Queensland. Photos featured taken by, Sandy Harris (maternity shots), and Nicola Brander (gorgeous photos of the two boys).

*This blog post was a collaboration with the lovely Justine of Perlplex. I am so very grateful to have received a variety of beautiful frames and keepsake boxes to test out and have in our home to keep for many years to come. I can’t recommend the frames and keepsake boxes enough! They are the perfect new addition to our home decor and styling. All pricing and stock levels at the time of publication was correct. If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email.

*All of the views in this blog post article are that of the author, Rachael Elizabeth, of The Pink Jubilee. Rachael is a writer and former journalist who loves to share her great finds with friends and family. Thank you for following us on our journey!

The Day was a great one all around!

Last week I was so very excited and extremely proud to be graduating from university after furthering my studies!

I hope that you enjoy the photos as much as I love them! A big thank you to my beautiful family for your support.

I was so very proud to have completed my degree. Especially with my gorgeous family and two little boys there to support me and cheer me on!

The graduation setting at the local private school, conveniently located just near the university was beautiful. I loved the backdrop, which allowed our beautiful photographer, Nicola to capture some special memories.

My beautiful family (my rock), is everything to me and more. I love them with all of my being. Family is everything. I could not have achieved what I did last year without them!

Love my little fam bam to bits. Don’t know what I would do without them!

My beautiful mum and dad x

I was so very blessed to receive some beautiful fresh flowers as a big congratulations from my parents. A very big thank you guys. Love you both to the moon and back! X

“Graduation Day” – I was so very proud. It was one of the best days of my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to receive my degree. My hard work and determination had finally all paid off! xo

A very big thank you to the super talented, Nicola Brander for the beautiful photography which she kindly took for me on the day. Moments to treasure with family forever! xo.

Family moments together. xo <3

I also was lucky enough to receive some beautiful little furry friends! xo A beautiful teddy and a little dog too. <3 xo So sweet to remember the day with them and the boys, just love them! xo 3>

My husband was my absolute rock throughout my studies. I could not have done it without his ongoing support. For that I am so very grateful. Thank you babe. You and the boys are my absolute world. xo <3 xo,

Everyone who knows me personally, knows just how much, I ABSOLUTELY! adore all things high tea and girly. Pretty and pink with lots of beautiful feminine things is totally my thing! It was only fitting that I just couldn’t wait to attend The High Tea Party for 2019 in Brisbane! I loved everything about the event and could honestly not speak more highly of the event. It was 5-star all of the way and a must-see and do for ladies all around the country! Mark it in your diaries gals, you don’t want to miss out on this one! You will be guaranteed to have the best day with your nearest and dearest. Special memories will be formed, selfies will be taken, champers will be sipped and let’s face it girls, shopping will be an essential must-do!

The High Tea Party provides a beautiful high tea with sparkling wine within a gorgeous ballroom at five star venues around the country! Attendees can sit back, and relax with their girlfriends or closest family and enjoy watching an amazing fashion parade, all whilst you sip away on bubbles and enjoy scrumptious petite fours!

The shopping also is an absolute must! There are so many fantastic offers on the day and the retail markets are definitely my fave part of the day, aside from the high tea and fashion parade itself, of course!  The Mini Pamper stations are an absolute must too! Doors open at 9am sharp and close at approximately 7pm.

There are two packages that guests can choose from. The Tradition and Luxe option. Below I will blog about the two experiences that you can have. My friend Liz and I experienced the Tradition package, but I highlight the Luxe package also.

The two packages include:

Traditional Experience

Price: $59 + (booking fee)

The Beautiful High Tea Experience Includes:

*Savour a scrumptious High Tea in the Grand Ballroom including sandwiches, scones, with jam and cream and petit fort cakes.
*Watch a gorgeous fashion show whilst sipping a lovely cup of tea.
*Enjoy a delightful Glass of Sparkling wine on arrival and as you enter the Grand Ballroom you will be able to take in the gorgeous ambience of the ball room styling.
*Take advantage of the restaurant style seating. Always placed with your beloved friends and family!
*Enjoy the exhibition which comprises of pampering and retail therapy! (Girls perfect day out hey ladies?!)
*You get to take home a beautiful little branded, “THe High Tea Party” wine glass as a cute little memento.

Luxe Experience

Price: $59 Traditional High Tea + $40 Luxe Upgrade = $99 (+Booking fee)

The Stunning High Tea Experience Includes:

*Savour a scrumptious High Tea in the Grand Ballroom, including, sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and petit fort cakes.
*Watch a gorgeous fashion show whilst sipping a lovely cup of tea and bubbles!
*Enjoy a delightful glass of sparkling wine on arrival and as you enter the beautiful Grand Ballroom
*Take advantage of restaurant style seating. Always placed with your friends and family!
*Enjoy the exhibition which comprises of pampering and retail therapy!
*Take home a beautiful wine glass as a memento!
*Priority VIP seating for all Luxe guests
*Priority VIP seating for all Luxe guests at the front of the ballroom near the fashion stage
*Access to the VIP Luxe Lounge for 2 hours of relaxation, post your high tea experience! Come and go as you please! A fabulous experience.
*A choice of 4 x drinks on offer.
This will include cocktails and a barista style coffee. (Menu will be provided on the day).
*Pampering and make-up “touch up zone”.
*Hourly workshops for helpful tips on everything from – wellness, travel, to fashion styling, etc.
*Use of private bathroom facilities.
*Exclusive access to our partners discount offers to utilise on the day, within the exhibition.

This year’s major event partners, include: Birds Nest, Lyndal T, Tea and Tableware, Hydrafacial and Intimo. Other partners are also available to view online. You can visit and review all of the further and finer details via the website: The High Tea Party: www.thehighteaparty.com.au.

If you have any questions about the day, you can contact the organisers of the event via mobile phone: 041167621 or email the wonderful tea from The Peppermint Group via: admin@thepeppermintgroup.com.au. Other event info and snippets of past events, can be found via the social media pages for The High Tea Party on Facebook and Instagram – @thehighteaparty, #thehighteaparty.

*For any event/ticket queries, it’s advised not to contact the venues directly, but instead, contact The Peppermint Group directly. The team would be happy to help!

So many amazing exhibitors were at the event! Loved meeting all of the beautiful business owners and seeing their amazing products.

I just adore pearls! Girls and their pearls as they say. Did you know? Once I actually found a real life pearl in an Oyster on Christmas Eve! Unfortunately I don’t have it anymore, but the experience I will never ever forget!

Jewellery, jewellery and more jewellery! Loved the range, loved all of the stalls on offer. It was so great that before you enjoyed high tea, you could enjoy wondering the exhibitors pop-up shop stalls before heading in to the main ballroom.

‘The Pink Carpet’ was such a sweet touch to the event! I just loved it. Who doesn’t love a dash of pink everywhere they go? Anyone who knows me knows how much I just adore everything pink. Pink makes the world go around in my eyes!

The Luxe Lounge was so amazing! There were some beautiful treats on offer for the guests who upgraded to the Luxe Lounge Package. You felt like a real VIP High Tea Party goer. It was so very beautiful inside, very pretty with lots of pink!

The gorgeous cheese platter which Luxe Lounge Guests received.

The Luxe Lounge is a must-do ladies! I know that I will definitely be doing it next year with my ticket.

Rose – the perfect drop for a girls afternoon at The Hilton, Brisbane. It’s so nice to have time out and about. Being a busy mum with the two boys, I hardly ever get out at the moment. I savoured every single moment. Would love to do it all again soon!

Being a former journo, I just can’t go past reading the latest Brisbane News magazine! I am so in love with magazines. The best part is that Brisbane News is absolutely free and jam-packed with all of the latest local news and events around town.

The decor styling was just beautiful. High tea, pink, pretty little things, cocktails and the most beautiful decor furniture that I ever did see! I was in heaven all afternoon.

Birdsnest was on-hand for the beautiful fashion show to showcase their gorgeous range. The beautiful Stacey Mcgregs was there as one of the beautiful models, the fashion was all just beautiful and I totally wanted to buy up big!

The customised cheese platters were simply amazing! With three compartments, it had everything that you would ever want in a cheese platter. It was pure perfection! Another must-experience at the Luxe Lounge.

So much pretty lighting and decor. Shine bright like a diamond. The whole event space had you feeling really inspired, feminine and girly. It really was such an enjoyable afternoon. One which I will always remember.

One of my favourite moments of the day was checking out the gorgeous pink forest backdrop wall inside the Luxe Lounge. It was so very beautiful, one of my fave spots on the day!

The venue simply was divine in every way and totally lived up to it’s 5-star status. The venue exceeded my expectations. I hope to return again to bring my family and stay a night one day!

For more information on the upcoming events for The High Tea party, visit: www.thehighteaparty.com.au. You can also stay up-to-date with news via the social media pages for The High Tea party – @thehighteaparty. There is also a gorgeous little mini video that you can check out on the Facebook too! xo

*I attended the event as a blogger and was kindly gifted two tickets. Thank you so much to the beautiful team at The High Tea Party. I feel so very blessed to have been able to attend. I’ll definitely be back again next year! Thank you also to the amazing venue host, Hilton Brisbane! It’s such an exquisite hotel in the heart of the city. I have always had a soft spot for the hotel and I can’t wait to return to experience the hotel overnight one day. Take note, hubby, hint, hint for our anniversary! 🙂

The High Tea Party has some other fabulous city locations on the calendar for the rest of 2019! Please check out the remaining events to go in your nearest capital city. Enjoy! We hope that you get to attend one soon. xo

“Brisbane has already taken place and was held on the weekend of the 17th and 18th of March, 2019 at the Hilton, Brisbane”
Gold Coast :- 18th of May, 2019 – RACV Royal Pines Resort
Adelaide :- 22 – 23 June, 2019, Hilton Adelaide
Melbourne :- 12 – 14 July, 2019
Perth :- 17 – 18 August, 2019
Sydney :- 15 – 17 November, 2019

I am so very tempted to attend the Gold Coast event and purchase some tickets for my school friend and I! Heck, I’m even seriously considering flying my mum and I down to the Sydney or Melbourne locations which are later in the year. Any excuse to catch up with the girls, right ladies!? If I don’t get to another event this year, you can certainly make sure that I will be one of the first to snag some tickets when they are released for next year! I hope you’ll all join me there too! xo

*Disclaimer: Please note that the opinions in this blog post are that of the Editor of The Pink Jubilee, Rachael Elizabeth. All images are copyright and are owned by The Pink Jubilee and Saruska Reedy Photography. Please understand that in order to reproduce these images, the company or contact person would require Approval for the Images to be Released for further marketing and media use. Thank you so much for your understanding regarding this disclaimer.
Copyright, March 27, 2019.

– Rachael Elizabeth, The Pink Jubilee Editor. xo

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Exclusive Special Discount Code for The Pink Jubilee so that you too, can try their delicious meals! – Rachael20 (for a limited time only!) at check out on the Odyssey Lean website. Visit www.odysseylean.com.au. Receive $20 off your very first order! For a limited time only!

Nutritionally Crafted Meals – Delivered Fresh!

Fresh Ingredients, Straight from the Farm, to your Plate.

Why The Odyssey Lean nutrition program delivers the best results

I have absolutely loved the convenience of trying Odyssey Lean. I have received two boxes so far (with a third on it’s way!) and both times, the meals were so super fresh – and most importantly, really full of flavour! I could honestly not fault any of the dishes and cuisines.

If you have any questions about my personal journey with trying Odyssey Lean, I would love to help answer any questions that you might have. If I can’t answer any of them, I would of course put you on to the beautiful team at Odyssey Lean to help.

I hope that you really enjoy the meals as much as I have. Be sure to check back for another blog post again soon. I will be continuing to share my journey with you all. Can’t wait to hopefully see some great results fitness wise too, as I utilise a balanced diet, with exercise to help get my fitness and nutrition back in shape. After having our gorgeous boys, and experiencing four pregnancies in the past five years, now more than ever – it’s time for me to focus on my health and well being.

I have personally tried other home delivery food services in the past and the stand-out for me with Odyssey Lean is that all of the food is so fresh and it’s not frozen. It literally feels like it’s just been made and it’s so easy to prepare. Just two minutes in the microwave and away you go!

One thing to remember is that if you are working or not home at the time of delivery, there is no need to worry, the meals come safely packaged up in a beautifully presented silver cooler box with ice-packs so you don’t have to worry about your meals going off. There is also a reminder text sent out for when you delivery is hand-delivered to your doorstep. I honestly feel that Odyssey Lean is what has been missing from my life as a busy mum of two boys. My husband and I are both very busy, with him working full-time and myself as a stay-at-home mum whilst juggling a marketing and PR consulting business, as well as my blogging! Cooking is not always the top of our priority list, but of course, the health and well-being of our family is so very important. Especially for our growing boys!

For more information on the amazing meals which you can order through Odyssey Lean, be sure to visit their website here. Be sure to visit @odysseylean on their social media pages. I am also going to be sharing my journey via my Instagram stories and The Pink Jubilee page – @thepinkjubilee.

*Please note that this blog post is in collaboration with Odyssey Lean. The opinions of this blog post are the personal opinions of the author, Rachael Elizabeth of The Pink Jubilee. These images are owned by The Pink Jubilee (copyright).

Thank you. xo

Stay tuned for another blog post, soon to go live, with my journey with Odyssey Lean!

Celebrations for Mum’s Special Birthday – A Pop-Up Picnic Celebration Commemorating 6 Decades of Debbie xo Saturday, March 2nd, 2019

Mum’s 60th Birthday weekend was a really special one. I know that it’s one which I will always remember and I’m sure that it’s also one which my Mum, Dad husband and two boys (with their age not too sure) will remember also!

Anyone that knows me personally, or for those who follow the blog, will know just how much I love and adore styling and party planning! It’s totally, “my thing”. I don’t know what it is, but it’s in my blood. I get so excited (and sometimes for bigger events, a wee bit stressed, eek!), but this one was so perfect in every way. It was stress free, minus a tiny bit of spilt vase water and a quick dash to the dryer (thank goodness for events at home I say!) The colour scheme of pink and white was just perfection and Mum loved it so much! She was super surprised. There were most definitely tears, but happy tears of course as she walked in!

Should You Invest in a Professional Photographer to Capture Your Events?

My answer to that question is most definitely, a big fat “YES!” Even though we only captured the styling, my trusty iPhone and older Sony camera just won’t do the styling the justice that it needs.. not to mention my back luck with technology! I took some photos today actually to try and msg them to myself. I should have clicked send first as no sooner did I minimise the msg for a second, they flashed up before my very eyes and deleted once again! Technology and I do not mix, hence, I love a photographer who I know that I can trust. My dear friend Lacee, who I had the pleasure of meeting second time around at uni, she has captured a number of special occasions since the middle of last year, and mum’s birthday styling was no exception!

xo Pop-Up Picnic Love xo

 

The most beautiful styling set up with rose gold and pink tones. <3 xo

Pretty in Pink

This was the gorgeous place setting. Dad’s is displayed here. We purchased our personalised sugar cookies from 2Chefsandacupcake. We opted for the white and pink and purchased six cookies in total, one for each place setting. <3 xo

The pretty set-up was done in conjunction with the beautiful Alana of Grounded Picnics. I received the two tables, one picnic table and a cake table, as well as the beautiful white peacock chair, which was an absolute hit with my “Queen” – my mum, Debbie. She loved the whole set up. Her reaction was so beautiful. She burst in to happy tears walking in to see everything, which was so wonderful.

By Rachael Tickner

Opinion Piece

The past five years have been a journey that I never thought that my life would take me on… I am a mum of two beautiful boys, but in order to grow our family, we endured what many families sadly also experience… the loss of our two beloved babies that grew and existed before them.

I have been a mother now for four years. Technically though, I’ve really been a mother for five years. The day which I learnt that my husband and I were pregnant for the first time, really was an incredible day. Little did I know that the weeks that followed would change me as a person. I am no longer the women that I once was. Am I a better person? In some ways, yes, in other ways, no. Am I a stronger person? You had better believe it! I have learnt to be resilient. I have learnt to deal with daily anxiety. I have learnt to love than I ever thought possible. Would I change a thing as heartbreaking as 2013 and 2014 were? That answer is also no. For if I hadn’t been through what I went through, I would not have our two beautiful boys, Ollie and Oscar. They are my world, my absolute everything. They are my husband’s everything too. I honestly can’t imagine life without them, and I know that my husband feels the same way. Doesn’t every parent?

I know we are all so guilty of missing them when we aren’t with them. Take the recent celebrations of Valentine’s Day for instance. It was our first night away, not being pregnant for as long as I can remember! I have been pregnant four times in five years, but sadly, two of our little babies didn’t make it safely earthside. I know that I’m not alone. So many other couples out there are in the club that you never thought that you would receive an automatic membership to. When we first lost our first son, it was truly devastating. I still remember every single detail of our pregnancy journey. The day those first two positive pink lines appeared, how I told my husband, how we told our family and close friends. Hearing our son’s heart beat for the first time. It’s something that will never leave me.

The joy of seeing the very first sonograph, despite our little “Chickpea” only being so small. Little did we know back then, that he was in fact a he. Our first son. That’s right, I’m actually a mother to three beautiful boys, just one of them is in heaven. He is not alone though… he is also in heaven amongst the angels with his little brother or sister. In my heart, I believe he had a little sister. They were close in age. From medical terms, they were 7 months a part in gestational age, but would have been both four and one due on July 29^th, 2014 and the other due on January 5^th, 2015, (also my Dad’s 60^th birthday). Life had other ideas though. Life chose us to have a harder journey to parenthood. I know that people say, things happen for a reason and that those babies “sadly where not meant to be”. But, in my heart, and my husband’s heart, they were always meant to be. I still truly believe that. They taught us love like no other. Going through a missed miscarriage soon before the “safe” 12/13 week mark was extremely tough. Devastating in fact. I will never forget the words ”Was there a heartbeat?” “When did you have your dating scan?” Deep down, I think that I knew something was a-miss. I had confided in my husband and family, but of course, everyone brushed it off. It will all be okay. As you never think that it will happen to you. It happened to us twice. In a row.

The odds were not in our favour. The hardest part was finding out that there was no reason for our loss. Deep down, and still to this day, I worried if a reaction that I had contributed to or caused the loss, but despite confidential circumstances, we will never know. I just have to be at peace that our baby boy was so very loved and still is so very loved. I know that other families have been through so much too, and everyone’s journey is so different. It’s all so personal too. For a long time, I didn’t know how to express my thoughts and feelings, my hurt, anger and frustration. I was and still believe that I am a happy and bubbly person, but I went through some dark times after our loss and my anxiety was triggered from the experience, without a doubt. I didn’t see a psychologist for a few years. It was only when I was expecting our second son, that I finally got a referral to see a wonderful psychologist. Sadly though, She passed away after a few sessions with her. Dr Lisa, I will be forever grateful to you. Dr Lisa understood – she too had lost three angel babies. I truly believe that speaking to someone helps, you might not be ready straight away, but you will know when you are. There are so many amazing support groups available these days, which is so much more than even five years ago. It’s incredible how many friends and family members that you speak to and confide in that have also been through loss. It’s healthy to talk, to open up. To not be afraid to share your feelings. For I feel that bottling them up in the long run, is not healthy for you, nor your partner.

There are wonderful support groups out there for men also, as we can’t forget what they go through as well. It was their child too. They also need love, care and support.

We had booked a trip overseas before we found out that we were expecting. It was a trip to Paris and Italy for our 30ths. I should have been holding our newborn son in my arms for my 30^th, but the universe had other ideas. Luckily we didn’t cancel our trip, in the end, we did still go, as by May 2014, we also suffered our second loss.

I had found out that we were expecting again, the very same day that we bought this house. Our first pregnancy, I had morning and all day sickness, I had the embarrassing vomiting at my work’s morning meeting café, the works… but with our second pregnancy, I didn’t feel sick, tired, but not sick. On Mother’s Day of 2014, at a close friend’s wedding, right before their ceremony, I started bleeding. I had never had that with our first loss. I was worried, but I didn’t let it completely ruin the night. In hindsight, I should have really gone to see the hospital doctors that night. In the week that followed, I did phone our doctors, emailed and also went to a private scanning facility on my own accord in conjunction with care with my GP, and the emergency of a local hospital. I also had blood tests taken every few days. Everything was off when it came to what the doctors were seeing. “Did I have my dates wrong?” “It could be a natural miscarriage.” “There was no baby in my uterus”. Google was telling me that it could be ectopic. It was only when it ruptured and I called the home doctor and my husband to come home with some anti-inflammatory medication that I realised things were not looking good. I had experienced excruciating pain at work. It was getting worse, like a stabbing pain in my right side. The home doctor thought it could be ectopic. He asked if I wanted an ambulance. We didn’t have a car at the time as we lived inner city. One regret I did have was not taking up that offer, as waiting for a cab and then waiting in the waiting room, I imagine added more time to the process. After a scan with the sonographer before too long, it was confirmed that I had a “mass”. The mass could really be two things. Worst case scenarios they both were. The mass was my ruptured right fallopian tube. I now only have left for luck. Thankfully, both of our boys were conceived naturally with some medication in the earlier days once we found out we were expecting with our eldest and blood pressure medication later in pregnancy for both. You would think that I would have been due some luck to have a smooth and hassle free pregnancy, but of course, this would also not be the case! I think that I have experienced most text-book examples of pregnancy conditions.

We were recommended by a friend who had also suffered two losses, to see the amazing doctor who delivered both of our boys (via c-section). I cannot thank him enough. He is simply incredible.

Our very first appointment with him around the four week mark with our eldest, I loved his preventative approach. He was caring, but clinical. Just the right balance that you hope to have in your doctor. Our former doctor was lovely too, but I do believe that we were meant to be introduced to our new doctor as well.

I took medication which did help me conceive a happy and healthy baby boy, at 37.2 weeks gestation. It was a rollercoaster ride. Gestational Diabetes, Hypertension, a Fibroid, a Low Lying Placenta, and bubba being breech. Just a few little things to add to the mix. You know what though? It was all worth it. Every single pin prick, every single appointment and scan, the reassurance to know that our bub was doing well. Despite being predicted to be a bigger baby, he was tiny 6 pounds and 11 ounces. His younger brother, was a similar size, just under 7 and 1 ounces. Both born at 37.2 days, but little Oscar didn’t arrived in a more dramatic way. He arrived via emergency c-section and had to spend the first 9 hours of his life on breathing support and having blood tests done after having trouble breathing. (He hadn’t had the steroid shots), whereas his older brother had done.

My journey to being a mother has not been an easy one. I am so very grateful to my husband and family and close friends for being there for me throughout the journey and the tribe of people we have in our live who have supported us and stood by us. You really do learn who your true friends are in life when you go through adversity. We are so very blessed. I know how lucky we are.

To all of the beautiful Mums and Dads out there who have been through a similar journey, I salute you. My heart breaks for you. Despite everyone’s journey being so unique, we can empathise with each other. I hope that all of your dreams come true. Thinking of you. Stay strong and have faith.

If you are looking for support, going through a similar journey, you can visit –

*The Pink Elephants Support Network – https://pinkelephantssupport.com
*Sands – https://www.sands.org.au/
*Cope – http://cope.org.au/
*Bears of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support – http://www.bearsofhope.org.au

Rachael Elizabeth – Editor and Founder of The Pink Jubilee xo

xo Thank you so much for taking the time to read this article. xo

This blog post article was also featured on Mamamia on May 30th, 2019.
Thank you to Mamamia for sharing my story. It means the world to me to help raise awarness.

I am one in four women. #miscarriageawarness #miscarriage #loss #family #support #blogging #sharingmystory

https://www.mamamia.com.au/pregnant-after-miscarriage/

Whatever you are doing today to spend your special day, I hope that it is everything that you have hoped that it would be. I have spent today with our two boys at home, which has been just perfect. We have eaten yummy cookies, handmade, right here in Brissy! Check out the gorgeous creations from @2chefsandacupcake. <3 xx I woke up to a beautiful Forever Friends Valentine’s Day card from hubby, which is very special for us as I was gifted a Tatty Teddy card when we had only been together a few months and still love it very much! Brent, you are my soul mate, I love you so much. Thank you for doing life with me. I am so very lucky to be spending another Valentine’s Day with you. Can’t wait for many more to come in the future!

The gorgeous red roses are from Woolworths and the Lindt Choccies (our fave, yumo!) are also from Woolies. xo

I can’t wait to share more with you all about our upcoming weekend away to The Mecure at Clear Mountain this weekend. Stay tuned for a full review and write-up, coming soon on the blog!

Lots of love,

and big hugs,

Rachael, The Pink Jubilee Editor. xo

Love is Love

What Will You Choose to do to Spoil Your Loved One this Year?

We hope that you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. xo

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
Sugar is Sweet,
And so are You!

 

What Does Valentine’s Day Mean to You? xo

I remember at high school when friends or people that might have had a crush could purchase Valentine’s Day roses, either with a name or anonymously and I remember the excitement that came with that! As silly as it might sound… (hehe) Can you just hear the inner-school girl in me right now. I was blessed to have most years (in the older years) received a rose. I felt very lucky to be surrounded by beautiful people who cared. I see Valentine’s Day, or Galentine’s Day, as a really beautiful way to show that you love someone. I know it’s commercial, yes, that’s one way of saying it and how some people might see it all and I completely get that. For most people, they are lucky to have one soul mate for life. Others might even have more than one. For the years that I had past boyfriends, sure those Valentine’s Day celebrations at the time were special too, but you simply can’t go past a Valentine’s Day with your one true love, and for me, that’s my husband of 7 years. We have been together for 12 and have known each other for long. I love you Brenton and you are my everything. You and are boys are my world. I am so very blessed to call you my Valentine each and every year. Sure, our celebrations have changed slightly over the years. From extravagant dinners, trips to New Zealand, picnics and Bollinger by lakes, you name it, we have done it. But you know what I’m really looking forward to this year?! A simple arvo/night with my hubby and our two gorgeous boys. Complete with special red and pink love heart sugar cookies, and lots of cuddles and kisses. Laughter, love and happiness is all that you need in life. And you know what? It’s absolutely free. xo <3

You don’t need to go out and buy the most expensive perfume on the self, or the latest technology gadget (I’m usually one to try and get something hubby will love) but I do love a simple red rose, or a special bunch of my fave flowers, something that shows you care, but it doesn’t have to be 12 dozen long stem roses from the most expensive online florist in the country! I think that there is so much pressure on finding the right gift or the right card, that is becomes very stressful for lots of couples. And with social media the way it has continued to grow these past few years, the expectations of what others also receive, puts pressure on couples too! For some, it might be their man or special lady proposing, or not proposing, it might be them wanting to send flowers to their beloved’s workplace. Whatever it might be, whatever hints have been dropped, be sure to do what you think is right, you do what you want to do, not what an advert says you should.

The boys and I also look forward to making some special craft gifts, with the help of our friends over at Bostik Australia. We have everything that we need, with Clag Glue and Blu Tak at the ready! I can’t wait to see the boys home-made cards, how cute that will be! There will be lots of pink (mummy’s fave colour), lots of yummy treats (pink cupcakes and cookies eat your heart out!) and lots of giggles. These are the memories and moments that will last a lifetime. Wishing you all a wonderful Valentine’s Day week. From our family to your gorgeous gang, I hope that this week is full of rainbows and sunshine. Full of yummy treats to all enjoy together and most of all, full of love, love for one another, love for others that you care so deeply for. So this week, make sure that you tell your hubby or partner that you love them. Tell your parents that you love them, your sibling/s and friends. We only get one life and I know I am one to say “I love you” a million times a day… But Valentine’s Day in my eyes is the one day that the world celebrates together. Let’s rejoice together. For one day, to have peace with everyone. How special that would be? We can only dream. In the meantime, you will find me dreaming of fresh red roses, freshly baked cookies and a glass of bubbles that I have most definitely earnt this week! Heck, before this post, I have cleaned the house and it’s sparkling. Let’s just see how long that will last for! Love and hugs. xo

We’d love to hear what you and your family have planned to celebrate. For hubby and I – this year we are hoping to still go away for a night this weekend. It’s been over a year. I was pregnant last time that we had a night away and it was for my friend’s wedding, so we can’t wait and are secretly super excited. We will for once, have a clear schedule. No, “to-do” lists, but let’s face it, my hubby who loves to have his in his wallet, probably might still have his on him. Hehe. But I can’t wait to have time just us. Back just being Rachael and Brenton. Our boys will enjoy some quality time with their grandparents and I know my mum and dad will be delighted to spend some time with their grandsons. Life’s simple luxuries are the best. It’s the things that money just simply can’t buy…

Our Top Suggestions for the Perfect Valentine’s Day Celebrations:-

*Make a little picnic for the two of you, or just your little family. Whatever you fancy! The whole family can get involved!
*Head out to dinner with your partner or the whole family (a low key soiree is often just as special as a fancy affair!) xo
*Bake Valentine’s Day cookies together, or an extra special Valentine’s Day cake
*Pick your loved one some special flowers from the garden, or order their fave balloons from your local florist (supporting local wherever you can is spreading the love throughout your community!)
*Show your friends you care, especially your single ones, by sending them a sweet message wishing them a great V’Day or G’Day and if catching up in person, get them a little gift that you know they would love!
*I love photos, it’s all about the moments and memories that make up our lives. Be sure to make a special collage for your loved ones. Choose a gorgeous frame for their bedside table. It’s the little things that are often the big things!
*Choose an experience over “things”, if you are looking to spoil your soul mate with something to “wow!” them, why not whisk them away on a romantic weekend away and arrange with their work for them to have a Thursday or Friday arvo early mark?
*Make a photo book with one of the awesome online book companies, or your local department store and tell the “Love Story” that is you guys. It will be something that you can both treasure forever and have one each! (often there are great two-for-one deals) We love Snapfish and also Kmart and Big W, as well as Harvey Norman) locally, right here in Australia. They often do canvases, as well as photo blocks, so the options are endless, you could even do a bit of everything! xo
*Head to the movies or spoil and surprise your loved one and significant other with Gold Class tickets! Hubby and I, we love nothing more than our fave movie coming out and often the big Cinema chains will do special Valentine’s Day packages.
*Head to the beach and enjoy a special seafood feast, complete with a glass of bubbles in hand from your local fish and chip eatery. Often they have cute little tables set up for special occassions such as V’Day with sweet fresh blooms too!
*Purchase your loved ones fave book, or DVD and they can snuggle up and enjoy their new gift. <3 xo
*Do something adventurous like rock-climbing, kayaking, or head to ten pin bowling for hours of fun! Ten Pin Bowling was our first date, so it certainly holds a special place in our hearts and our kids really love it too! (Especially our oldest, Ollie!)

Happy Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day for the 14th of February 2019 Guys <3 We hope that it’s a really smashing one for you and your special someone, or in my case, my special little people, my fam bam of four. xo So beyond blessed as a mumma indeed and a very proud wife xo.

Rachael, The Pink Jubilee Editor. xo

P.s: Be sure to share our V’Day fun with us and tag us – @thepinkjubilee #thepinkjubileespreadingthelove hashtag this Valentine’s Day on Facebook and Instagram. We can’t wait to see how you spend your special day, with loved ones around the globe! xo <3

*This blog post is my own personal opinion. It is not a sponsored post. The Pink Jubilee however is collaboration with Bostik for a craft activity with our sons for the blog and our social media platforms.

Wearing a few different hats can be hard work. Now matter what people say, it’s a juggle. Each and every single day, we are doing so many things these days. From maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, and trying to fit in some sort of exercise regime, through to raising our beautiful children, being a doting wife, and keeping a clean household, it’s so easy to get bogged down in the daily tasks of life. Even answering emails and checking social media can be things we simply don’t have time for. Somehow though, we do make time for that. We also make time for trying to be a good friend, a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on when our friends need it the most. Some people come in and out of your life at different times, and for various reasons.

I know of late, I have spent quite some time reflecting this. We might not get to see some of our older friends as much as we would like to, but it’s not because we don’t want to, it’s just that sometimes distance, or busy lives, simply – gets in the way. Over the weekend, I caught up with my best-friend who is visiting from overseas. It was so nice to see her, to put on a nice dress and to go out and get dressed up. We didn’t necessarily “hit the town” per-say, but we enjoy a drink or two, with a nice cheese platter and talked. We chatted about everything and anything. Just how it should be in a true friendship. It was like no time had passed. Sometimes in life, it really is just what the doctor ordered. Life isn’t perfect. And quite our family relationships aren’t perfect either. Those closest to us can often hurt us, and vice versa. We sometimes let those closest to us affect us the most and you know why? Because they are usually the ones who we care about the most. That’s why we care.

On that note, I hope that whenever you read this, you remember to be kind to your loved ones. Treat people with the respect that they deserve. Don’t settle for behaviour that you think has to be a certain way – you deserve respect, you deserve the best. Do be open and honest with what you want in life. The relationships that you want to continue to nurture. Your immediate family is everything. For me, that is my husband, and my kids. They are my everything. My world. I love them dearly. xo