Emma Cox said it best... "Reading is the most powerful gift we can give a child: it puts stardust in their imaginations." Reading does exactly that, and so much more. It helps us build a better future for ourselves as well as those around us. That's why as parents, we...
Latest post
Free printable Reading Logs to help foster a love for reading
Emma Cox said it best... "Reading is the most powerful gift we can give a child: it puts stardust in their imaginations." Reading does exactly that, and so much more. It helps us build a better future for ourselves as well as those around us. That's why as parents, we...
Just a Mamma’s Summer Must-haves!
December in sunny South Africa means hot summer days, coastal vacationing and poolside fun! By now school is out and most parents are finishing their last week of work. Everyone is ready for some much needed R&R. December is staycation time in our home and you’ll find us lazing about in the pool. Just us and a few summer must-haves is all that’s needed to get the summer vibes sizzling. I’m sharing our TOP 5’s to get the pool party started!
1. Cute swimwear!
This year Lullaby Rock Apparel launched their 1st ever collection of swimwear for littles. The designs are super cool, like only Lullaby Rock can do with awesome pieces for rocking boys and kick-ass little ladies. My favourite is the Tankini Lia is wearing – next year mama needs one too please Amy – but who could resist the sweet full frill cozzie?
Almost impossible to believe but, these swimsuits are 100% local. From design, to the fabric made, printed and used to produce each piece AND the quality and fit is perfect!
I think the girls look adorable, all #twinningplusone in their “Buried Treasure” swimsuits but I also really love the “Grains of Sand” design available online. We might just have to purchase 3 of those too… Can a girl have too many swimsuits?
2. Trendy pool floats
Flamingoes, donuts, cactuses, ice-creams and more… Giant pool floats are all the rage, make for hours of fun and awesome photos too. I was happy to find us our own white swan at Pick n Pay hyper. It was a steal for under R200. Just visit the outdoor section to purchase yours.
We even have tiny flamingo floats (available at MRPHome) for our drinks and other what nots. That reminds me of our next summer must-haves…
3. Yummy snacks
Although home made cookies and advent chocolates are a daily must we add healthy alternative too (less work come January). Have you tried Sarah Graham‘s Nourish Power Balls? Eliana can’t get enough of the Cranberry & Cacao Balls! Made with real, raw chocolate, sweet dates and cranberries, for a tart kick, every bite is deliciously creamy and chocolaty. They are also gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and has no “bad stuff” like artificial flavours, preservatives or additives. All 100% natural ingredients. They come in handy in my diaper bag too!
Faithful to Nature also has me sipping on Zooka Organic Kombucha Tea. The health benefits of Kombucha is something I’ve heard a lot about (read more on the Faithful to Nature Blog by clicking here), but to be honest, it’s never looked very appetising, until now… When served icy cold Zooka Organic Kombucha Tea is pretty refreshing (very reminiscent of the homemade ginger beer my grandma use to make) and don’t you just love the cute bamboo straw by We Care Collective. These can be washed and reused because it’s cool caring about the planet!
Summer wouldn’t be summer without a frozen treat and instead of only grabbing ice cream we make our own fruity popsicles with the help of Pouch Love Ice Pop Moulds. Puree or juice your favourite summer fruits (I fool the girls and add a veggie or two when they aren’t looking), pour into the silicone moulds, freeze and enjoy! They are also BPA-free, so no worries mama and just pop them in the dishwasher to use again later.
(All of the above can be bought online and delivered to your door from Faithful to Nature).
4. A comfy towel
We’ve got the killer swimsuit, fun pool accessories and delicious treats down. Now, cute towels. Madi & Me (another local brand) literally has you covered with their toddler ponchos, perfect for swimmers age 2-6years. Made from 100% Turkish cotton towelling and finished off with hand knotted tassel fringes. These ponchos are soft, highly absorbent and also dries quickly, making it easy to use over and over again. We all know how many times kids get in and out of the pool. Bonus point for being eco-friendly too!
Of course we chose the pink and white stripes but they have loads of other options and were nice enough to custom make Ava a baby one. I could die!
5. Sun safe skincare
While we enjoy the sun, a sunburn ain’t fun. Buying different sunscreens for different age groups and skin types is expensive and finding natural alternatives difficult. We’ve been using the Pure Primal Skincare range for years and nothing comes close. If you haven’t heard of this amazing Bioidentical skincare range, PLEASE visit their about page by clicking here.
The Pure Primal Sun Away UVA & UVB Protection was the only thing we used last summer and so far the Pre and Post Sun Soothe balm, for “just-in-case” is a winner too.
You’ll also always find a Fat Lips balm in my beach bag / diaper bag /cosmetics bag, any bag. These are fantastic for dry lips.
When we swim, WE SWIM! Wet hair, I don’t care… it’s suppose to be fun! Afterwards I apply a little Skrunch Hair Repair Serum to my own as well the girl’s hair, especially Eliana’s curls. With Tamanu, Neem, Jojoba and Argan oil this helps feed and protect our hair from dryness and damage.
Now, we want you to enjoy summer too and have teamed up with Lullaby Rock and Pure Primal to give you a little treat. One lucky winner will walk away with a Lullaby Rock voucher to the value of R600 as well as a 100ml Pure Primal Sun Away UVA & UVB Protection and their Pre and Post Sun Soothe balm.
How to enter:
- COMMENT below telling us why you love summer!
- Make sure you follow these 3 INSTAGRAM accounts: @lullaby_rock_apparel, @pureprimalskin and @justamamma.
- Also like the Lullaby Rock, Pure Primal and Just a Mamma Facebook pages.
- Gain extra entries by visit @JustaMamma on INSTAGRAM and following the steps below the competition post.
- We haven’t forgotten about FACEBOOK. You can gain even more entries by following the steps below the competition post on our wall.
COMPETITION RULES:
- Competition only open to South African residents residing in South Africa.
- Winner must be 18+ years old.
- A winner will be picked at random and announced on Thursday, December 21st, 2017.
- Prizes are not exchangeable or refundable.
- The greatest care will be taken when mailing your hamper but Just a Mamma and all the brands participating in this giveaway do not accept any responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged items.
- Instagram,Facebook and Twitter is not responsible or associated with this giveaway.
PHOTO CREDIT | Anje-Ilana Nel from Madison & West.
52 Comments
Submit a Comment
Posts you may also like
Capturing us | Family lifestyle photography Johannesburg
It's no secret, we love photography. The gift of freezing a moment in time, when we just can't seem to slow down this beautiful season of raising our girls. It's busy, even when we try our best to go slow. Always noisy, yet following the most amazing rhythm. One day...
5 habits for a happier life
We live in a world that underestimates the value of emotional intelligence and mental health. We are expected to know our feelings, be able to self-regulate and be happy instinctively… yet, so many of us feel the exact opposite. So what if I told you being happy isn’t...
nut-free treats for kids Made with Sunflower butter
* Please note, no nuts are used in making Blooming Butter sunflower seed butters. The main ingredients in all the butters are roasted sunflower seeds. However, it is currently made in a facility that also process nuts. So, while every precaution is taken to prevent...
How to set-up a Homework Station for better learning
* This post is sponsored in part by CNA. We have 2 little ladies in Primary School this year. It feels huge! We are slowly moving out of the baby and preschool season filled with playrooms, puppets, nap times and constant mess... into a new world of formal learning,...
This will be our first summer with our son Hudson. I am so excited to see how he will experience it. He has been swimming in the pool since 14 weeks old and loves the water. We have yet to take him to the beach. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he feels sand for the first time and to see how he will bond with his Dad when he wets his feet in the ocean for the first time. New traditions starting this year with our little one and I can’t wait!
Cisca that sounds amazing. We are also looking forward to a few family 1st with our little Ava. xxx
I love summer because its that time when u can enjoy the beach
I’m longing for some beach days too Sumayya… Enjoy!
Summer = family time! I love water play in the garden with my little, lazy braais and longer days!
Great post, those cozzies are to die for!
Thanks Bianca! We seem to have the same ideas for summer. x
Summer is the best time of the year! I love being outdoors, and summertime is the perfect time for picnics, braais and swimming!
Definitely Tania. We are BIG on picnics too.
The longer days and slower pace.
Summer!!! Sun , Sea & Salty hair! #dontcare
This will be the first summer with my baby girl 10months old! Cant wait to dip her toes in the salty sea and see her enjoying a soft serve on the sandy beach*
Cindy that amazing! Eliana was about that age when we 1st took her to the beach. I’m not sure who loved it more… Eli or I? It’s such a fun 1st. Enjoy!!!!! xxx
I love summer because for us in the Southern hemisphere, it means Christmas and festive cheer! A time when family gets together, has fun, relax and rewind from a busy year, and a chance to make memories we never forget. Also, this Christmas will be me and my husband’s last one with just us 2 in our family, as we are expecting a baby in May, so that’s so exciting! Just another reason to celebrate.
I remember our last Christmas… I have to say looking back it was special but now with the littles it’s a lot more magical!
Summer to me means outdoor fun and quality time with my little family. It’s the time of year we get to unwind and create memorable moments.
Exactly what it’s all about Stacia! Enjoy every moment.
I love the long days, being able to wear my favorite summer dresses and being able to spend more time outdoors
YES! Summer dresses for the win Janel!
I love that I have time to spend with my family at our beach house
Oooh Liezel, you’re making me jealous!
Being able to spend time outdoors and in nature is so awesome. Just love it
That is the best Thea!
I love summer time especially having kids and watching the smiles on their faces enjoying the beach , sand pool and swimming and making sand castles and eating watermelon and making ice lollies
Cirsten all of that sounds pretty darn perfect! Thanks for entering.
I love summer for the swimming, watermelon and sundowners!! x
Ooh yes, let’s not forget the sundowners. I like your style mama. x
In summer I love late lazy afternoons when the sun takes a little longer to set, eating watermelon in the lawn and jumping into the pool. I love the relief and joy of a thunderstorm in the late afternoon after the heat of the day and I love walking into the garden in my pjs in the morning without getting cold!!
Sunsets, watermelons, thunderstorms and pj mornings. I don’t think summer can be summed up any better. Thank you Janet. x
So for us, Summer holidays means the whole family is together again. Like a lot of South Africans our family is scattered all around the World & each Summer holiday everyone comes back so we can all be together for Christmas. This year is special as we have a new baby cousin joining us from the UK. Summer is already here and the whole family has already been spending every minute in the pool. Such a treat!
That is amazing Shannon. My brother lives in England and i miss him and his family so much this time of year. Enjoy your summer!x
We love our durban summers whats not to love – and we are off on our first kruger venture this summer-swimming-tanning-animal sighting with our little girl Maddie♡
Wow Cay. It’s going to be so special. Enjoy every second!
Thank you♡
Aah SUMMMER!!!! Ice creams, swimming pools, family braais, picnics in the parks, long days having fun, playing in the rain, best of all being outdoors with the family and making memories❤
Ice cream! Yes! Loving the longer days too.
Swimming all day
Umbrellas, sandy toes, salty skin
Memories with the family
Mojitos and strawberry daiquiris
Endless fun and joy
Relaxing on a lounger with a magazine
Yes Nicole, a Mojito on a lounger with a good read, sounds about right.
Summer means no days in the office, time spent with our daughter & most importantly tons of fun family functions! We may even fit in a quick trip to the beach as little one loves to “dig” =)
Amazing! I wish Mr. Perfect wasn’t working anymore.
1. No school
2. Beach outings
3. Bikini
4. Flip flops
5. Sun kissed skin
6. Cocktails
7. Braai
8. Bare legs
9. Slumber and night parties
10. Wearing more bright colours
I love everything about your top 10 Dorianne, just skipping the bikini this year.
Absolutely gorgeous ?
Sibash_n instagram
Thank you Bashee!
love summer because it’s a time when we can all relax and spend time together as all family. All our family from around
SA comes to us in cpt it’s just amazing to be with everyone again.
So special when everyone can come together in one spot and just reconnect. Enjoy every second Andrea.
Stunning pics!! Summer is my favourite time of the year, so nice being able to spend more time with the family! Swimming, ice lollies, running in the sprinklers, tons of braais outside and seeing how much fun the kids have! Best ever
That sound awesome Adele, such a special time of year for families.
Sun, sea and summer fruits!!
I’m longing for some sand in my toes Saabz.
Long sunny days spent on the beach with friends and family is why I love summer sooo much. I love the cool breeze in the evenings and the cool nights for sizzling bbq. #summer #love #bbq #braai #sun #beach
The smell of summer bbq’s… amazing!
Sun, sand, the ocean and lots of guilt-free reading time to catch up om my Summer reading list… these are just some of the reasons I love Summer 🙂
How I wish I could find the time for some summer reading…