Love is in the Air – Count Down to Valentine’s Day 2019 xo

How will you be celebrating this Valentine’s Day? xo

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, 2019, we thought it would be great to do a fun shoot, showing all things love. The shoot day was last Sunday and the shoot happened very organically. We decided to set up our shoot at the stunning Hamilton Harbour park in Brisbane, and we asked people who were enjoying their special Sunday activities if they would like to be a part of the shoot.

We met the lovely Samantha, pictured below with her gorgeous fur-baby pooch and the beautiful Rachael and Rhianne, as well as their cute little dog too. We were so happy with the shoot and everyone had a great time. The rain clouds held off for us, and the lighting was just perfect!

A very big thank you to the amazing collaboration partners. We could not have done it without you! @GroundedPicnicsandevents, @PrettyFrank, @Edenvalewine and @Lacee-Ann Photography. We hope that you all enjoy this sneak preview below. Wishing you all a wonderful Valentine’s Day ahead for the 14th of February, 2019. xo

Love and hugs,

The Pink Jubilee Team. xo

A Bit About Our Amazing Collaboration Partners:

Edenvale Wines – Alcohol Removed – Australia’s Premier Non-Alcoholic Wine Brand

Edenvale Beverages is a privately owned company established in 2006 and founded on the philosophy of delivering innovative, profitable, high quality beverage brands to consumers worldwide. Edenvale has been developed to offer consumers a superior quality, alcohol removed Australian wine beverage of choice. Underpinning the innovative nature of our brand development philosophy is a dedication to embrace and research the latest technologies to ensure continual product enhancement. As a result of this dedication, the Edenvale range has adopted a leadership position within the Australian drinks sector.

Here at The Pink Jubilee HQ, we think that Edenvale Wines are just perfect for special occasions, such as: Baby Showers, Bridal Showers, Birthdays, Picnics in the Park, Retirement parties, and Barbecues with friends and family! The quality of the product is second to none and we know that from here on in, we’ll be sure to have some of the range stocked in our family fridge! It’s something that the whole family can enjoy together for a special toast.

*(Please note that we don’t have recommendations for a specific age, but there is 0.5% of alcohol in the range available – similar to that of what is used in grape fruit juices)
Please remember: Responsible service of alcohol applies for anyone under 18 years of age for any alcoholic beverages. Consumption is at the discretion of the consumer.

Visit www.edenvale.com.au for more information on their range and for stockists. Available throughout Coles, Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s, Local Heroes IGA, and FoodWorks Supermarkets.

Pretty Frank Candles – Pretty Frank has been in business since 2016 and for the past 3 years, have been making hand-made candles for households around Australia, as well as making some couples very happy with their stunning wedding presonalisation couples candles, as well as custom orders for the corporate sector (see info and inspo on their website for more styles for customisation). In a busy world in which we live nowadays, taking time out to appreciate the little things in my opinion, is so important. That’s why we just simply can’t go past, Pretty Frank, a brand that has it all. Helen, the very talented founder of @lightofleni was very talented with her beautiful collaboration Leonie, the Founder of Pretty Frank. After working with some amazing brands, worldwide, Leonie was very excited to work with Helen and the range for Valentine’s Day, and Galentine’s Day is simply divine in every way!

Learn more about the collaboration here. You won’t be disappointed! And tell them that The Pink Jubilee sent you! xo Be sure to visit Pretty Frank’s website, here.

“Leonie, founder of Pretty Frank…” Says…. “We’ve just launched the first collaboration for Pretty Frank and Light of Leni and could not be more excited! We’ve both worked so hard on perfecting these delightful gifts just for you, and now we’re sharing them withe the world.”

I’ve tested many different soy waxes and mixed fragrance oils to find the best performing products, which now make up The Collection.”

And last but not least, our amazing Grounded Picnics and Events Collaboration Partner, Alana.

 

Grounded Picnics and Events believe that every occasion deserves to be celebrated in style, and we simply, could not agree more!

Grounded Picnics and Events are beautifully styled pop-up picnics and gatherings with friends and loved ones, with are designed to reflect personality, style, flare and celebrate the abundance of love between guests.

All of Grounded Picnics and Events – both picnics and gatherings are custom made and designed individually. No two events will ever be exactly the same.

Pop up picnics are perfect for a couples date night, baby shower or sprinkle, kids party or birthday celebration, post wedding day recovery, a girlies get together, family gathering or a relaxing low key afternoon at your favourite location.

Grounded Picnics and Events have Two Packages to choose from:

Option 1: Back to basic Package

 

This option is great for those interested in minimal design.

This includes: low lying tables, rugs, cushions, table runners, and minimal decor

Option 2: Silver Luxe Package

 

This option includes: low lying table, rugs, cushions, dinnerware, glassware, cutlery, cloth napkins, decor, fresh flowers and cake stand.

Grounded Picnics: Deliver, setup, style, packup, clean up and collect within 30km of the Brisbane CBD. They can also cater for special events outside of the Sunshine Coast with a small delivery fee.

If you prefer a bit of DIY, Grounded Picnics + Events offers a selection of affordable items for hire – Peacock Chair, Lawn Games plus a whole lot more!

Contact the Grounded Picnics and Events team today… You can visit them on Facebook and Instagram – @groundedpicnics

“Life’s too short, so make it sparkle and have a party!”

 

The Shoot Photographer. Meet Gorgeous Lacee Ann Froeschl Photography

 

Photographs for the shoot were taken by Lacee Ann of Lacee Ann Photography. Lacee and I met at uni and have become great friends. She is so super talented, as you can see! Her work really does speak for itself. I love her photography style. We really enjoy working together and have worked on numerous shoots together since meeting. We can’t wait to work on some exciting collaboration shoots in the future with the lovely Alana of Grounded Picnics and Events also.

Lacee is a journalist and as you can see, a super talented photographer, who has a natural passion for all things that make memories last. From when Lacee was a little girl and was gifted her first camera from a dear neighbour, she has not looked back! Lacee is all self-taught, which in my opinion is even more impressive! Her business is self-funded and she is her one and only employee, for now. We are sure that will change in the near future as her business continues to grow, and word of mouth gets around that she is an up and coming South East Queensland photographer, who is making waves in the industry.

If I could hire Lacee full-time, I would in a heart-beat, but for now, we absolutely love working with her, for both family personal photography and also for our, The Pink Jubilee blog photography. Lacee began her journey taking photography more seriously back in 2013, “when one afternoon on a rainy day, the backyard looked so very appealing and pretty with a gorgeous rainbow shining in to the pool.” At the time, Lacee said she owned the small waterproof, compact camera and she used to the time to run around the backyard capturing some of nature’s beautiful moments after mother nature had opened the heavens for some much needed Queensland rain. It was since that very day, that Lacee has continued to build on her skill, developed her business and turned in to her very own, “start-up!”.

I completely believe that in life, you meet some people for a reason and if I hadn’t gone back to university at 34 years of age, I would never have had the opportunity to meet such a beautiful photographer and person, who I now call my friend. Our whole family loves Lacee, including our boys who get so very excited when she comes to visit. So, if you are looking for a super-talented South East Queensland photographer, then look no further than Lacee’s business. I can guarantee you, you won’t be disappointed.

You can visit beautiful Lacee Ann’s photography work via social media on Facebook and Instagram. Enjoy everyone! xo

@laceefroeschlphotography.

In Lacee’s words: “I hope what you see is enjoyable, as I love to share the memories which I capture”.

Be sure to stay tuned for upcoming blog posts with future styled shoots. We have lots in store for the rest of the year and can’t wait to share the excitement with you all! <3 xo

A sneak peak of the gorgeous photos, with more to come soon!
Watch this space. xo <3

DATE NIGHT DONE RIGHT – Bella Box Presents Date Night Box – Just in time for Valentine’s Day 2019

I know that since becoming a mumma of our two beautiful boys, date nights are few and far between. We used to have date nights weekly back in our pre-kids days of living inner city in our river-side apartment. We had the best cafes and restaurants that Brisbane had to offer, right on our door step. Our eldest is going to be four this year, and I can count on my two hands how many date nights we have had over the years of being proud parents. Life gets busy, we all get tired, but making time for the man that you love, or the woman that you love, does also need to take priority. This Valentine’s Day, we are heading away for the night. Thank you Nan and Pop for looking after the munchkins! We can’t wait to get dressed up, go out for dinner, have a spa treatment, eat breakky in peace and enjoy a toast of what will be our 12th Valentine’s Day together.

One thing that I struggle with at the moment, is finding that perfect outfit, heading to the shops little one free to pick up the lippy that has run out. It often is my husband trying to pick something up for me on his way home from work. Thanks hubby for being such a good sport! He really is quite good at knowing all about make up these days. (Not that he would like to admit that to his mates!) But trust me babe, you are a keeper, not many guys would stand in the make-up aisles of Priceline, Woolies or Chemist Warehouse. I salute you! Which brings me to why the Date Night Box is so amazing! All of the very best brands, and all conveniently delivered to you, right on your doorstep, and in such beautiful packaging! It’s a winner in my eyes. I know that I have already hinted to hubby as I would love something like this for my gift to tie in perfectly with our special romantic night away together. And heck, my mumma tired eyes sure do need it too! Fellow mummas out there, who agrees that a bit of lippy simply makes you feel alive again after a big night with the kids, you want to feel beautiful, you want to feel alive again and beautiful. In my opinion, Bella Box does that. Well done to Sarah and Emily, the founders of Bella Box, I love the concept and I am sure that your business is going to continue on to have great success. The Date Night Bella Box is such amazing value! Only $59.95 with product value worth $230! AMAZING! xo

More About Bella Box – The Only Choice Your Loved One Needs to Make When Gift Giving this V’Day! They will be Getting Bonus Brownie Points for Getting this Gorgeous Package Sneakily Delivered to Home or Work!

Date nights are stressful enough without worrying about your makeup – something leading beauty box subscription service bellabox Australia knows all too well. Collaborating with international makeup artist Sharon Farrell, bellabox has launched its limited edition Date Night box, containing everything a girl needs to put her best face forward on any date.

Available to purchase separately to subscription, and featuring a range of so-hot-right-now products that work together to create the perfect look, literally every step of your date night prep has been thought of for you. From moisturiser to face masks, false lashes to a lip shade that will literally suit every skintone, and from the ultimate fragrance to hairspray that makes flyaways a thing of the past, the Date Night box has been curated by a pro, and the step by step instructions from Sharon will ensure you’ll also look like one.

“One of the things I’ve seen over and over during my years as a make-up artist is the stress women go through getting ready for a date,” Sharon says. “It’s been wonderful to work with bellabox to curate a fool-proof collection of beauty products that will ensure women will look their best regardless of if they’re heading out for a first date, a date with friends, or a night out with their long term partner.”

Complete with product tips and a step-by-step get the look tutorial, the Date Night box is the result of careful consideration and expert selection, and means that instead of worrying about your make-up before you head out, you’ll spend your date knowing you look incredible.

Check out Sharon’s Date Night how-to here.

Available:           Out Now

RRP:                   $59.95 (product value $230)

Buy now:            https://bellabox.com.au/date-night-limited-edition-box

Bellabox was founded in 2011 by twin sisters, Sarah and Emily Hamilton, who wanted to give Australian women a way to treat themselves every month to a beauty box that takes the guess-work out of searching for their new favourite products. With so many options in stores, they found a way to introduce their customers to the best products that suit a busy lifestyle, with the delight of a gift just for themselves every single month. Now every woman can be at the forefront of beauty trends and techniques from Australia and across the globe.

Represented by Sydney-based Kin, Sharon Farrell is a professional makeup artist and Founder of The Online Makeup School. With over a decade of experience as a pro makeup artist, she shares insider makeup and beauty tips with followers from around the world through her YouTube channel and online makeup courses. As a new mum, she has perfected the 5 minute makeup look and loves to share her shortcuts to looking and feeling fabulous. Kin Community represents talent with the mission helping women feel positive about the lives they are building, Kin’s creator community also includes Tina Yong, LaurDIY and Canna Campbell.

The full list of Date Night box contents and tips is as follows:

• Jergens Natural Glow + Firming Daily Moisturiser
• Real Techniques Mini Expert Face Brush
• Blaq Mask Hyaluronic Acid Eye Masks
• Lancome Advanced Genifique Serum
• MAC Cosmetics Strobe Cream
• Clinique High Impact Mascara
• Eye of Horus Bio Lipstick in Vesta Red
• Eye of Horus Smokey Black Goddess Pencil
• Ardell Faux Mink Lashes
• Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist
• Aveda air control™ Hairspray
• Acqua di Parma Nobile
• Clarins Lip Comfort Oil
• Manna Kadar Paradise Blush

Sharon’s Tips:

Exfoliate in the shower before using the Jergens Natural Glow + Firming Daily Moisturiser and be sure to wash your hands after to avoid tanned palms!

Try the Real Techniques Mini Expert Face Brush for all your base products, I love to use mine for everything from primer to cream blush.

Keep your Blaq Mask Hyaluronic Acid Eye Masks in the fridge for extra de-puffing power. They feel especially good on tired eyes.

Take a minute to really massage the Lancome Advanced Genifique Serum before applying makeup to stimulate blood flow and get skin looking extra plump and fresh.

MAC Cosmetics Strobe Cream is a gorgeous on the face – either all over or as a strategic highlighter – and it looks amazing on the body too. Who doesn’t want shiny collarbones?

Try wiggling the Clinique High Impact Mascara wand into the roots of the lashes before pulling through the ends to deposit maximum product near the lashline – smoky eyes in a flash.

Eye of Horus Bio Lipstick in Vesta Red is the perfect classic red on the lips and also makes a beautiful rosy blush. Apply a small dab to the apples of your cheek before powdering and blend with your Real Techniques Mini Expert Face Brush

 Line your inner water-lines with the Eye of Horus Smokey Black Goddess Pencil and smudge with the attached sponge for a 10 second smoky eye that will not budge all day or night.

If you struggle to apply false lashes try snipping your Ardell Faux Mink Lashes in two and applying them in halves.

Spritz skin with Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist before and after makeup for extra hydration and fresh dewy skin.

Hold the Aveda air control™ Hairspray about 15 cm away from your hair before spraying for a fine mist that holds but won’t feel sticky or crunchy.

 Apply Acqua di Parma Nobile to your pulse points (wrists, neck, behind the knees) for fragrance that lingers all day.

Wear Clarins Lip Comfort Oil alone or over lipstick for a high gloss effect that’s not sticky and keeps your pout hydrated all day.

Try sweeping Manna Kadar Paradise Blush lightly over your lids for a subtle rosy tone that ties in perfectly with your cheeks.

Get in quick ladies and gents, as this gorgeous limited edition Date Night Bella Box won’t last long! Order now, to receive in time for Valentine’s Day!

Living the Magic of Europe – Experiencing Paris and Italy

Through the eyes of former Lifestyle Magazine Journalist
(A Railways membership magazine), Rachael Tickner

Circa 2014

In my own words..

This winter I embarked on a month long tour of beautiful Paris and Italy. Having been to Paris a few years ago, it was my first time returning as a married woman and with the memories of our romantic engagement as clear as day in my memory, being back in the world’s most romantic country was very special indeed! It was only June 2011 that we had last enjoyed the beautiful city of Paris and all that it offered, and three years on, the city was just as amazing. This time though, we were able to truly immerse ourselves in the culture and its hidden secrets!

After touching down in Paris, it wasn’t long before we felt like we had never left, checking in to our comfortable boutique hotel in Saint Germain, Saint Germain Hotel. Greeted by the friendly French concierge, we were settled in before no time. After exploring the big icons for the second time, the Eiffel Tower was still a favourite for both my husband Brenton and I. We met up with my lovely friend Renae for our 30^th birthdays and treated ourselves to a private driver for the day and a trip to the “Champagne Country” wine regions. To our delight, we were not disappointed one bit! It exceeded all of our expectations. From the Moet and Chandon tour to the Verve wine tasting, it was surely a day to remember! (Would highly recommend it on your must-see list for your next trip to Paris.)

Another day was spent exploring Disneyland’s two adventure parks. We were game enough to go on all of the rides, which included the famous “Space Mountain and Tower of Terror”. The day was surely one to remember and we experienced the train ride home with fellow tourists and French locals. It was an experience, trying to navigate our way out of the station with 50 exits that all looked exactly the same! A lovely local lady helped us out and as you do with Paris, we discovered a truly breathtaking building which we took in and enjoyed for the rest of the day.

“Disneyland was such a fantastic experience and one which we would highly recommend. I am a big Disney fan and so is my husband. Paris is a magical park with lots to do and see!”

Other sight-seeing in Paris included the city’s tallest building (Tour Montparnasse), which gave us stunning views as far as the eye could see, the Arch de Triomphe, which is just an amazing structure and the Army museum which we spent hours looking at all of the historical armour wear from the soldiers. The Pantheon and Montmarte (also known as Sacre-Coeur), were also popular spots – both offering so much history to learn more about.

We also dined at the country’s oldest restaurant, Cafe Procope, which offered wonderful old-fashioned service and quality French cuisine, including tasting snails for the second time in my life. They were delicious but the garlic marinade certainly does help the taste-buds approval!

After our amazing time in Paris, we hopped on an early plane flight to one of Europe’s other well-known romantic cities – Venice. Here we were absolutely blown away by the truly amazing hotel which funnily enough, was the oldest hotel in Venice, built in the 1100’s. We were treated to first class 5-star service and it was a few days which we will never ever forget. From the private water taxi ride and driver from the airport, we enjoyed every single moment of immersing ourselves in the culture of Italy. We were blown away by the “uniqueness” of a city that was built on water all of those years ago.

The museum was incredible as was the “must do” Gondola ride. We most definitely ate our way through Venice with their delightful Gelato flavours from all of the Gelato parlours on offer.

After an incredible few days in Venice, we caught the train to Florence for six days of exploring the Tuscan countryside and the city of the Renaissance. Here our Italian improved as we started to feel at ease, speaking with our hotel staff and locals as we went along. Florence is amazing for shopping too! We stocked up on plenty of quality leather goods for ourselves and friends and family. The Duomo and the Cathedral interior was incredible to see and walking to the top of both the Duomo and the Bell Tower was something which we will never forget!

 

“We loved every minute of our time in Florence, it was truly incredible and something which we will never ever forget!”

Two of our most memorable day trips including visiting the Tuscan towns of Siena and San Gimignano. The Medieval towns were so interesting and our tour guide Michelle was so knowledgably talented. It was there that we learnt about the Medici family who have had a long history with Italy and had created a lot of wealth in the country. “The Medici balls” are prominent in many parts of Italy and are featured in plenty of the museums. Another wonderful travel memory is of our day trip out to Cinque Terre. We visited 5 fishing towns on the Coastline of the Italian Riviera. The towns were gorgeous and the perfect place for tourists to relax and unwind.

Following our amazing time in Florence, our next stop on the trip was the city of the Pope, Rome. There we visited Vatican City were we fell in love with St Paul’s Batsilica. We also visited the Military Museum Monument which was incredible and also offered a wonderful birds-eye view of the city. Would you believe that we actually bumped in to a lovely couple there from our Tuscan tour, Italy is quite a small country when you think about it! (Especially when tourists are concerned as we love to explore the same well-known sights when we arrive).

Rome also opened our eyes to the array of amazing churches and chapel which were on offer to explore at every street corner. Daily we were blown away by the incredible architecture.

“From Tuscany through until our time in Florence and then on to Rome, our time in Italy was truly amazing in every way possible. There were so many wonderful highlights.”

After Rome, we were whisked off to the Amalfi Coast. The windy roads and the stunning scenery certainly prepare you to the true beauty that awaits. And as the holiday drew to a close, we took this time to relax and unwind. With a boat trip to the beautiful “Positano” we spent our days indulging in home-made family owned Italian restaurants and exploring little alley ways.

What can we say Paris an Italy, it was truly our pleasure. We hope to meet again someday.

Until next time, Amore! Yours in European history, Gelato and stunning Italian sunsets. Xo

The Find Your Fierce event yesterday was simply amazing in every way and everything that I had hoped for. I had wanted to attend for quite some time now, and when my beautiful friend Alana said that she could come with me. I jumped at the chance to attend, and I’m so very glad that we did! We enjoyed an afternoon full of style, good vibes and great company. In parts of the afternoon, I found myself getting quite emotional, as did other women in the crowd. We all got to take home a great little goodie bag too which was fabulous! I loved the complimentary Mama Disrupt magazine and the beautiful coral lip liner from the Curtis Collection especially!

As you can see the styling of the event was second to none and the venue was absolutely beautiful in every way too! A fabulous afternoon and one which I will always treasure. Thank you Find Your Fierce for putting on such a beautiful event and helping empower women, creating a safe space for us to all come together, and walk in feeling like we are all there in the room for the exact same purpose. Anyone who might be thinking of attending in the future, it’s most definitely the best decision that you will ever make. I would highly recommend the investment. I know that this week I’m going to be on a hire from the event. It was my fave event ever and it’s only January! I am sure that the rest of the Australian tour for Kayla and her team will be simply amazing also. I hear that Rockhampton is next on the list! Ladies of Rockhampton, enjoy every single minute! Just like we did. Well done Kayla on a flawless event. It was just perfection in every way. I wish that there were more events like this for women to attend. I feel so inspired after a good night’s sleep. I’m ready to take on the world! x

Images that I love so much – The Little Ones Grow Up so Very Fast – I loved this day so very much! <3 xo

I hope that you enjoy these images as much as we do! A huge, big thank you to our dear friend that I have known since my journo days, Cade of Cade Mooney Photography. You can follow him on his social media pages:- @cademooneyphotography on Instagram and Facebook. His website will be launching in the near future, so stay tuned!

So many precious photo snap memories – I know these moments will be ones that I will look back on and be so very thankful that we captured them. Thank you so much Cade. It means so much to us to have them.

Photos by Cade Mooney Photography. The most amazing photographer and family friend.

Memories and Moments Like These Become More Precious with Time. xo

We love to try and update our family photos every 12-18 months! <3

 

Photos of both the boys, us altogether and us as a couple we had taken on the day.

To top of a great shoot day, we headed to a family fave tourist spot to take the boys for a fun afternoon together visiting the wildlife. It really was such a “tip-top” day. Definitely one I think for the best day ever memories!

Thank you so much for following along on our journey, it means so much to us. We hope that this year, you as a family also have the opportunity to book in a family shoot with your nearest and dearest loved ones! xoxo

Rachael xo

A Really Great Day Out for the Whole Family to Enjoy! We Rate it a Five out of Five Family Experience! There is so much to see and do for all ages.

Saturdays with the Fam Bam!

We will most definitely be back and might even have to look at investing in some annual passes for the future! I hope that you enjoy our Saturday family arvo trip wrap up below with all of the tips and tricks for visiting!

Memories and special moments from today’s fun visit at The Workshops Railway Museum! xo

We paid just under $40 to get in to the Museum. It was $38.50 and it was well worth the money! Kids Under 3 are free too which is great for Little Oscar Bear!

Be sure to follow @theworkshopsrailwaymuseum for updates on activities for School holidays and events throughout the year.

Open 9:30am-4pm Daily, excluding some key Public Holidays. Please visit the website to check on official opening times throughout the year.

We had lunch at the cafe too, kid friendly meals, coffee and cool drinks for the parents and the little ones. Tick, tick in our books! Even the high chairs were super cute, in red and blue Thomas The Tank Engine colours! The boys were treated to a special show bag for $39.95 to share too, jam-packed with awesome Thomas goodies. In Ollie’s words, “I love my bag Mummy!”. He didn’t want to leave after playing in the indoor playground with the little train that Daddy took the boys for a ride on, and he just loved the school holiday “Circus” theme and activities! Daddy and Ollie had fun practicing whilst Oscar and Mummy enjoyed a copy of the local area magazine, Discover Ipswich, which by the way, is a great little read!

Be sure to continue to follow our family adventures. Each weekend, we will aim to be heading out to fun places and ones which are family friendly. Some with admission prices and some not. We look forward to sharing our special adventures with you all. If you ever have any suggestions of where we should visit next, be sure to drop us a line! – editor@thepinkjubilee.com.au. Thanks so much for your ongoing support (it means so much to us all!), and from our family to your beautiful family and most importantly, your gorgeous little ones, “Happy Weekend!”. If you ever see us on your travels, be sure to say hi. We can’t wait to meet all of our blog readers.

XXOO – Rachael, Founder of The Pink Jubilee. XXOO

Loving Ollie’s little faces on the train! Super cute, just seconds a part xo My Big Little Boy. Don’t ever change. Love you so much buddy!

Lunch with the Girls is Sometimes All You Need!

I really enjoyed my day in to the city today. It’s been a while since I popped on a Summer dress on a weekday and enjoyed time with an old girlfriend. It was great, just like the good old days!

I got to enjoy a tour of my friend’s beautiful house. It’s super stunning and I can’t wait to see it all finished once the renovations have been completed!

It was great to see what had also changed in the city. There was so much to see and do! I just adored the new restaurants and cafes on King St. It was so vibrant. I really want to encourage hubby to venture out that way more in the coming weeks and months for special occasions, or simply, as they say, “just for date night!”. We shouldn’t really need an excuse. Even taking the kids to some of the restaurants will work and they will have ball too!

Here are some little snap shots from my adventure’s today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to check out the beautiful Atelier Brasserie at their official website below. We are sure that you will love it as much as we did! We opted to share two of the lunch specials ($20 each) and for $5 each extra, enjoyed a beautiful house class of wine! Sarah opted for the red and I opted for a white. It was wonderful service, a beautiful atmosphere, perfect ambience and the food was 10/10! I must not forget, we also enjoyed a yummy dessert to share together, none other than a delicious Creme brulee! And to finish off our lunch, we enjoyed a cup of tea. I opted for my all-time-fave, Peppermint! I can’t wait to take hubby and the family one day! xo

https://www.atelierbrasserie.com/

Be sure to follow Atelier on Instagram too! @atelierbrasserie

 

I hope that you all had a beautiful day also! Be sure to share with us in the comments section, what restaurants and cafes that you just love around Brisbane and South East Queensland! We can’t wait to hear were we should try, thanks to our valued, ‘The Pink Jubilee readers’! <3 Whether it’s a low key cafe by the water, a bar for kicking up your dancing shoes, or a romantic dining setting for two, or perhaps even a casual number for the whole family to enjoy, we would love to share your tips and tricks with fellow readers. It really is word of mouth, which helps when booking a beautiful restaurant or cafe. Thank you everyone! You are all so inspiring and we love hearing from you. Be sure to drop us a line sometime and tell us what you would love to see more of on the blog. This blog is your blog too. A space to share, inspire and create happiness wherever we go! That’s our little motto here at TPJ HQ editorial office anyway! Life is too short to not enjoy the finer things in life! To treat ourselves to nice little cafes, to indulge, relax and unwind…

Until next time. xoxo Love from Rachael xoxox

It has been 11 years this month since I was blessed with once working at Australia Zoo as their former, Deputy Editor of Australia Zoo CRIKEY! Magazine. I started after the beautiful Jessica Townsend had left for her London adventure and had the pleasure of working alongside the beautiful Sally and Kate, who I now call two dear friends. Kate and I had even worked together before at The Sunshine Coast Daily, which was awesome!

Today we headed to the Zoo just after 1pm and in my opinion, it was the perfect timing with the weather. I think it would have been far too hot if we had opted for any earlier so I’m glad that it worked out a bit later to go with our family plans. The breeze and shady areas as well as the misters and cool water spots make it a comfortable and cool walk around though. I would highly recommend comfy shoes and a hat and to “slip, slop and slap!”

Ollie, our eldest son, absolutely LOVED the tigers! (We spent at least 30-45 minutes at Tiger Island!)

I would highly recommend visiting the Zoo for a family day out and we can’t wait to come back again soon! We will make sure we pack our swimmers next time for the water park.

A very big thank you to my beautiful parents for the generous Christmas gift voucher – which we redeemed for our annual passes. Such a god investment I say!

Our fave snap-shot of the day!

The gorgeous giraffes were just so magical to watch! I really did feel like we could have been in stunning Africa. I would love to visit Africa one day and see the beautiful wildlife in their natural habitat.

Our eldest son, Ollie, (aka, Mr 3.5-year-old) absolutely loved seeing the beautiful tigers!

The beautiful tiger we got to see at Australia Zoo. xo

The boys had a wonderful time in the pram and Ollie went walking to! They were so tired out after the big day. It was a hot one! xo

Father and Son – Daddy and Ollie. xo

Saying hi to the big crocodile! xo

Fast Facts: Kids under 3-years-of-age receive free entry. Oscar bear is only one so he was complimentary for our family annual passes.

We had a mixture of snacks and purchasing lunch at the lovely big cafe. It was great with the big fans and nice and clean cafe amenities. We missed the show with Terri, Bindi and Bob, but hopefully next time around!

We would highly recommend the trip “a must-do” for the school holidays for families. During the week would be great for mums, bubs and dads, and the siblings, if you are after a day out of fun and animal education.

Next time, we also hope to visit the Wildlife Hospital and show the boys all where their mummy used to work on CRIKEY! Magazine stories, back in the day when their mummy and daddy had first met on the Sunshine Coast.

Be sure to follow @australiazoo and @thepinkjubilee and @thebabyblossom on Facebook and Instagram for more blogging adventures of the fam bam. We look forward to continuing to share our life and journey with you!

Our Boys Coming into the World

“The Love which You Have for Your Kids, Truly is a Love Like No Other!”

“Being a Mum of boys is the proudest part of my entire life. I’m so very blessed!” Beyond belief. I never take my family for granted. We are the awesome foursome now. Enjoying this crazy journey of life together.

– With Love, Rachael Elizabeth. <3 xo

Today was full of soaking up the moments with my gorgeous boys, Ollie, 3,5 and Oscar Bear, 1. How lucky a mumma am I? I really truly am, in every single precious essence of the words. I know that I am blessed. I know how much I have wanted to be a mumma and to be a mum that can work with clients at my own pace, in my own time and around my family is another big blessing that I am truly thankful for in 2019. I look forward to sharing some photos this week of some more adventures. From Clay, (aka Play Doh Making), through to reading Peter Rabbit books in bed, to watching FireMan Sam with my eldest, to cuddles and rocking to sleep with my youngest. I will treasure today’s moments for the rest of my life. For every single day in which we wake up on this beautiful earth is a blessing. A blessing like no other. Don’t take life for granted. Enjoy it. Embrace it.

Our craft supplies were from Target and Kmart. <3

Love this beautiful Christmas gift that we received from the Best Aunty ever, aka, My little sister for the boys! Look at the pure joy on gorgeous Oscar’s face! Love it. Side note – Our trusty high chair from IKEA! <3 xo

The below beautiful moment in time and memory from Facebook popped up today. It was taken early in December in 2016 – I absolutely love it so very much and know that I always will! It’s one of my favourite shots ever.