Hey ya’ll, I just want to say that it is DEFINATELY worth questioning any of your bills that you feel are unusually high.

I have a $79 cap plan with a phone company for my mobile phone which I have maintained within those limits for many months.

Last month I got a whopping bill for over $700 for 1 months usage!!!!  Arrrrrrrgh!  How does that happen?

I nearly paid that amount thinking I’ll be extra extra over careful with my phone usage over the next month, but then rationally thought how could it possibly be that much!?   So, I spent the time and called the phone company in question who put my account on hold while they investigate.

I am currently on the phone to the company whom, true to their word, have followed up with the investigation.  They believe that I exceeded my cap by over $600 worth of phone calls.  Not convinced, I have asked them for a detailed bill which they have agreed to post to me.

THEN, with very little discussion the operator has offered me a $500 waiver ‘this time ONLY’ from my bill.

WOW!  That’s cool!

I am a little skeptical though…………. why did they casually offer me $500 off? I have checked next months bill and it seems I have exceeded the cap again….  Strange?  I haven’t exceeded the cap on this plan before then all of a sudden I am consistently exceeding the cap….

What is your experience with phone company’s and the inconsistency in your phone bills?

On a positive note, I feel like I have earned my money today through a simple phone call!  $500 in our pocket, NOT the phone company!

OK, so it’s going to take more than 24 hours to ditch an addiction but we’ve all got to trial it and start somewhere, so tomorrow I’m ditching my Diet Coke addiction.

NO DIET COKE for 24 hours (all day tomorrow).

What’s your addiction? 

Can you withdraw for 24 hours?

For other Diet Coke addictees here is a website I have found called Break the Diet Drink Addiction

Are you up for the challenge?

TOMORROW it’s family storytime.

Allow each of the children to choose one story each and read aloud for ‘Family Storytime’

Older children might want to reminisce about their childhood favourites or choose out a story they know one of their siblings will especially like.

Happy storytelling!

What stories did your children choose?  Don’t forget to come back and share your experiences.

Whether it’s decluttering, spending time with the kids or just chilling out AWAY from technology, everyday in September we are going to set a challenge at 8pm the evening before to complete the following day.

Are you up for the challenge?

All challenges are set by a ‘REAL’ Mum living in the ‘REAL’ world bringing up 6 children from Toddler to Tween.

You can either follow our challenge here on our blog, join up to our Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=204310609636256 or follow our #SeptChallenge on Twitter

Read more about the challenge here http://www.familyvalue.com.au/home/200-september-challenge.html

It’s time to change!  I have just declared AUGUST 2011 ‘No Maccas Month’.  The children are aware and we’ve made a deal.

THE DEAl

NO McDonalds for the month of August, starting 12am August 1st and ending 12pm August 31st.

THE EXCEPTION

Only, and ONLY if the children happen to be invited to a McDonalds party during these dates are they allowed to consume McDonalds.  That is the ONLY exception.

WHY?

Why do we always go to McDonalds when we are ‘in a hurry’, or ‘tired after a long day’, or ‘late home after a sporting match’ etc. etc.  McDonalds is high in calories, it’s expensive, 90% of the time we have to wait in the waiting bay or the order is WRONG and our cars get littered with wrappings!  The toys are a waste of space and a cause of many a disagreement between siblings.

So who’s going to join me? 

Every day for the month of August I will NOT have McDonalds.  I have been a victim for too many years…….I am willing to STOP for the month of August and share our experiences with our readers.

 Are you willing to joing me and share?  The more the merrier!

 We have so much going on at our Facebook [Family Value & Large Families] and Twitter [Family Value & Large Families] pages and we realise not all our readers are a member of these 2 social networking avenues, nor do we expect them to be, so here it is - the week in review….

Things to do at home with the kids

• Nicole at Planning with Kids has inspired with some Christmas Themes and planning for Christmas 2011
• Catherine at Squigglemum has an awesome idea having a Backyard treasure hunt
• Childhood101 has listed Playopedia Picks : Play Ideas for BIG Kids
• Tricia from Little Eco Footprints via Childhood101 has written an inspiring article on Creating Children’s Spaces in Every Corner of Your Home
• How to make magic sand
• Lego Quest Kids is a blog dedicated to children and validating their lego creations & imagination.
• Jean has written an article for Toddler Times 11 Activities to try with your toddler
• Ohdeedoh home, design & children has presented a wonderful article on How to make ‘clean’ play slime
• Grace has a step by step guide on how to make Fizzy milk bath bombs

Recipes & Cooking

• Chicken Balls by Planning with Kids
• Nicole has suggested ‘baking days’ with the kids to fill the freezer with lunchbox snacks (yes! we have learnt muffins CAN be frozen)
• Vegie Smugglers is a new blog / website we have discovered which has lots of recipes (lunchbox stuff too!) to sneak the good stuff in!
• The Organised Housewife has a very yummy recipe for Choc Coated Oreos, Oreo Cookies & Carrot Muffins
• Childhood101 has a recipe for a different brekkie Bacon & Egg Muffins

Things to do out and about

• To spend or not to spend on school holidays……… do school holidays have to be expensive?
• Family Capers has listed a comprehensive list of zoos around Australia.  What to do this weekend - playing with animals

General issues & conversation

• Jane from My Life At Home has written a timely article 10 Things I consider in buying toys for my (young) kids
• Awesome article by Kate at Picklebums on Won’t they miss out? , discussing about our children and whether or not they need to do extra-curricular activities.
• Moving Smart has an easy explanation why You can’t run uphill indoors
• Treating worms
• WifeSwap Australia is coming soon to our TV screens, and although I won’t be applying, FYI applications are due by 15th July.  All details for applying are here
• Motherhood the Musical is currently touring, soon to be in Sydney and we have secured a very special offer especially for our readers.  For more info click here
• WIN a night out with your Mothers Group to Motherhood the Musical

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: [5 year old boy]”There’s one thing good about having lots of brothers and sisters!” [Proud Mum] “What’s that?’ [5 year old boy] “Because I get more presents!”

Today I opened a discussion on Facebook about the expense of school holidays and some of the activities that add up quickly.  Here is a list of activities that our members have been doing these holidays.  Although some may not be local to you, there are plenty of good ideas to assist in grasping the creativity to enjoy the school holidays without getting too stressed and overspending.  With a little planning and a touch of creativity, school holidays do not have to be expensive.

Here is a list of all the activities our families have been doing which will give you a rough idea of expenditure required for each activity.  ENJOY!

• $120 [6 kids - $20pp] Ten Pin Bowling at one of the Oz Tenpin Centres, for 6 children including 2 games & lunch (hot dog & fries, or nuggets & fries) it cost  $120 for 2 - 3 hours entertainment.
• FREE PJ day at home, lots of Wii ‘Just Dance’ and board games
• $25 PLUS $7.50pp Queensland Air Museum OPEN Cockpit Day & Caloundra Central Cinemas
• $22 Family Ticket at your local indoor heated pool (check your local pool for prices)
• $100 [for 4 people]  to go to the movies (cheaper alternative - each of the kids can choose a new DVD for $10 each)
• $2 if you have one locally go to the an All Abilities Adventure Playground (sometimes gold coin donation entry), cook up a bag of popcorn for $1 for snack and the day has cost just $2!
• FREE get each of the kids a TOY CATALOGUE from one of the big toy stores and they can cut & paste into their scrapbooks or on recycled paper from old school books.  Will keep them occupied for hours even if it is indulging them with their ‘wants’ (they can dream can’t they!)
• PICNIC LUNCH Museum of Brisbane & Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art [GoMA]
• $59.95  KidPix Deluxe 3D for MAC available at the Apple store keeps the kids occupied for hours on the laptop making movies and pulling lots of funny faces!
• $20 Village Cinemas Coburg Drive-In is offering $20 per carload every Monday night! (Check out your local drive in for some cool deals!)
• FREE  Locals within the shires of Townsville, Charter Towers, Burdekin, & Hinchinbrook enjoy FREE entry at the Museum of Tropical Queensland , then head on down to one of the playgrounds in the shire.
• $6 [$1 pp] Pilot’s Cottage Museum, Kiama
• FREE City Circle Tram
• $15 per family PCYC [Police Citizens Youth Club] NSW , QLD , WA , TAS , NT , ACT , SA ,VIC
• Kids FREE, Adults $8 Immigration Museum School Holiday Program July 2011
• Kids FREE, Adults $8 Melbourne Museum
• FREE State Library of Victoria

 The great outdoors

• camping
• bushwalking
• parks
• playgrounds
• beaches
• bike riding

Handy items to have on hand in an emergency to entertain

• craft stuff (don’t have to purchase, just save stuff around the house)
• science kits
• DVDs
• jigsaw puzzles
• chalk (for outside drawing) & liquid chalk (for drawing on windows)
• dress-ups (kids can practice for a concert that takes all day, then it’s only a short time the parents endure the ‘performance’)
• playdough

Family Value Article: Keeping the children entertained on school holidays without sending you broke!

Do you have any other ideas?

Motherhood the Musical, Australia is currently touring and we have secured an awesome deal with HIT Productions to offer our readers tickets at only $49.50 (save up to $20 per ticket).

 So grab a friend and have a laugh! 

Laughter Is Good For You!

Ticket Information

Venue: Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre, Cnr City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale, NSW

 Dates: 26th July 2011 - 13th August 2011

Tickets: Weekend: $69.90; Weekday: $59.90

Bookings: TICKETEK online or TICKETEK call centre 132849  www.ticketek.com.au QUOTE ‘Family Value’

At Family Value we are teaming up with Motherhood the Musical, Australia to give YOUR Mothers Group the opportunity to WIN 5 Double Passes (10 tickets) for the performance on Wednesday 3rd August at 8pm at the Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre in Sydney, NSW

To be in the running to win all you need to do is tell us in 25 words or less……What do you love about your Mothers Group?

HURRY!  Comp closes on 15th July at 5pm.

CLICK HERE to ENTER

Winter school holidays at Kids in the studio

ACMI (Australian Centre of the Moving Image)

4 - 15 July [11am - 3pm]

Working with local artists Rachel Feery and Lisa Stewart, who will lay the ‘foundations’ of the city, participants will use cardboard and everyday materials to create a new world.

Build your own piece of ‘utopia’ and watch as the cardboard city grows bigger each day in the ACMI Lightwell.

Recommended for families and kids aged 3 years and up.

Note: first in best dressed - no phone or online bookings are taken in Utopia.