Paper Planes:: Review and Giveaway (Australian film)

You know those rare movies where you sit down and you're transfixed for the entire film?

This is one of those.

Australian films have a real knack for tapping into authentic, innocent and inspiring stories - and Paper Planes did just that and so much more. It really captured childhood in rural Australia, and tells a simple story of 12 year old Dylan who falls in love with the art of paper folding - and it literally takes off from there. 

A brilliant Australian cast including Ed Oxenbould (amazing!), Sam Worthington (I really wanted to shake his character), Deborah Mailman (she is pure joy), Peter Rowsthorn (hilarious) and David Wenham, this is going to blow your mind! 

In fact, it wasn't just about me - my two kids really, really loved it, and so did Matt. This film is about dreams, the beauty in simplicity - and making something beautiful. And of course the surprise inclusion of Kelis' 'Milkshake'. It was magic. 

I came home from the movie and promptly started folding paper planes, to the delight of the cat and my kids. My cat particularly because he's pretty well mauled them.


If you haven't already seen it, you definitely need to - quick smart. 


I have two Paper Planes prize packs to giveaway courtesy of Roadshow. Each prize pack contains:

1 x double pass to Paper Planes
1 x Paper Planes - the novel 
1 x Paper Planes soundtrack 
1 x paper plane paper pack
1 x Paper Planes t-shirt (size M, youth)
1 x Paper Planes cap 

To win - all you have to do is tell me what one of your childhood dreams. 

Terms and conditions:
Entries open Monday 16th 10:00pm, and close Wednesday 10:00pm.
You must be an Australian resident.
Please ensure I can contact you - please include your email address in your comment.

TRACKS:: Review and Reader Giveaway

We don't get out much. But when we do, we try and see a movie. 

I saw the trailers for 'Tracks' a while back, but a shortage in babysitter supply meant we just never got there. 

Matt and I got to watch it on Friday night, tucked up in bed together (I know, so old, so fogey). It was well worth the wait. 

Starring Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver (my favourite!) and based on the story of Australian woman Robyn Davidson who set off on a nine month journey crossing the Australian desert, with only camels for company. 

The scenery and cinematography is completely breathtaking, the characters compelling. 

Directed by John Curran (The King's Speech) it's a story that will  have you glued to your screen, laughing, crying - and in complete awe. Mia plays the role beautifully, and Adam Driver - well I could never hate him. He's beautiful, gentle and intelligent as photographer Rick Smolan. 

Put in short, it's an inspiration to cram as much into your life, to believe you can, and to do it - even when there are doubters. 

To celebrate 'Tracks' going to DVD I've got three copies of the DVD and the book to giveaway to three lucky winners (each pack RRP $54.99). 

To enter all you have to do is tell me what's the most brave adventure you've ever taken on. And ensure I can easily contact you.

Entries close Friday 4th July at 5pm. 

My Computer Is Dying

Pretty soon I'll be faxing out my tweets, sending a courier pigeon with my blog posts, going old school with a corkboard, some scissors and magazines for Pinterest, and arm myself with a photo album and a pile of Post It notes for Facebook.



My computer is dying a slow and ungraceful death. It stops working at the most irrational times. It plays this game where it doesn't show me the words on the screen, just some boxes. Or it just freezes for ages. And ages. And ages. I could do all the housework in the time between opening a new tab on the interwebz and when it actually decides to open. Or when I am writing a post, the text doesn't appear immediately. I will stop typing, and then slowly - and erratically, letters will start to appear on the screen. However it doesn't always start from when I started typing - it just takes a random spot to pick up from, and then starts typing. It's like a ghost is in my machine editing my blog.

My trusty, faithful laptop looks like it's giving up the goat. Or the ghost. Or whatever that saying is.

So in the meantime I've been off the interwebz and living a real life. I know. I'm a real boy!

Don't forget - today is the last chance to enter my LEGO giveaway. Five people WILL walk away with some LEGO Lord of the Rings today.

LEGO LEGO LEGO: And It's the School Holidays

What better way to celebrate the school holidays than with one of our favourite, most enduring toys of all time, LEGO!

These holidays have seen the Doctor madly reading Harry Potter, and falling in love with the characters and the magic. Next stop he wants to read Lord of the Rings. He's already started saving his pocket money for the biggest set of LEGO Lord of the Rings imaginable.

I've never been much for mystical fantasy - however with a seven year old who is crazy for it, I can't help but go along for the ride. I am hooked!

So if you have a like-minded small child who would be keen for some sweet Lord of the Rings LEGO action, this is for you!

You could win 1 of 5 LEGO Lord of the Rings Prize Packs including:



Shelob Attacks RRP $39.99

Gandalf Arrives RRP $22.99
 
 

 
To enter, all you have to do is tell me in 25 words or less if you were the Lord or Lady of something - what would it be? And why?

----------------------------
Open only to Australian residents.
Must be 25 words or less to be eligible to enter.
Please ensure you leave your email address.
Total prize pool is valued at $314.90. Each prize pack is valued at $63.98.
Competition runs from Tuesday 10th July 2012 - Monday 16th July 2012. Winners will be announced on PMM on Sunday  July, 2012 and notified by email.

Katy Perry: Part Of Me 3D - Reader Giveaway

This is a sponsored post.

Last year, watching the Doctor at his end of year school concert was pretty darn emotional. As his mama, I have been through everything with him – and I love who he is becoming. He’s kind of shy (sometimes) – and totally clever, funny, and very cheeky. He is so earnest – and that pulls at my heart strings.



As the finale, the whole school sang Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’. I know I sound like a complete cheeseburger, but I remember getting a lump in my throat – and something must have flown into both of my eyes – simultaneously.


We’d successfully navigated our way through the first year of school. It was hard – there was the distance I felt from being a working mother, coupled with the spate of bullying, not to mention the epic journey that is the first year of school.


It wasn’t how I’d dreamt it, but the Doctor had persevered and gotten through that year.


It’s apt that Katy Perry’s ‘Part of Me’ comes out these school holidays. It’s a glimpse into her life – how she worked hard to be where she is today. Following her dreams, and never letting her individuality waver.

I’ve seen her interviewed and have to say she comes across as such a positive and upbeat person – I think it would be difficult not to like her.

If you’d like a chance to win 1 of 5 double passes to take your kids to see Katy Perry: Part of Me in 3D these school holidays, all you have to do is answer this simple question in under 25 words:

Come on, spill. What’s your favourite Katy Perry song?




For full terms and conditions please click here.

Horrid Henry School Holidays Giveaway

Have you ever read Francesa Simon's Horrid Henry books? Well. Maybe not you, but your kids?

They are very, very good. The Doctor adores them. They are funny, and clever - and just what little people like. Humour that's totally read-able, a little bit of mischief and a few illustrations tossed in.

But did you know they made a film of Horrid Henry? Just like the books, it is super good - and stars the ever-beautiful Angelica Huston, the cerebral and stylish Richard E. Grant. It's a great film - and Tiny loves it (she's four), just as the Doctor does (he's seven) just as Matt and I both do (we're in our 30s).

The good news is I have a Horrid Henry giveaway. One that's perfect for the Winter school holidays.

There will be two winners. One winner will receive the Horrid Henry DVD and a hard cover activity book. The runner up will receive one copy of the HH DVD.
All you have to do to enter is tell me in 25 words or less (and I am strict so I don't get into trouble with the law):

What was so horrid about you when you were small?

---------------------------------
Open to Australian residents only
Entries are open from Saturday 30th June 2012 - winners will be announced on the PottyMouthMama Facebook page on Wednesday 4th July 2012.
You must be easily contactable.
There will be no disputes, no arguing and strictly no haggling over the winners.
PottyMouthMama is the judge of all entries.
PS - I love you.

Now My Dad Is The Deputy Editor

Since Sunday things have happened at PottyMouthMama. For one thing, I've appointed my Dad as Deputy Editor. Welcome aboard Dad!


Last night on his list of jobs as PottyMouthGrandpapa he had to judge the four winners of the LEGO competition. So without further ado, here are the winners, as hand-selected by my Dad. With Mum's help of course:


Christina Lowry:
I love LEGO. It's like a school lesson for my son without him noticing. Math, architecture, atoms, colours, shapes etc. It's all there in the humble LEGO block.


Cindy:
I love LEGO because age doesn't matter and no one can be wrong.


Dancing In the Rain:
Inheritance! My girls love playing with hubby's childhood LEGO?!? The love of 'Barbie' combined with the love of LEGO - head spinning with excitement!!


Carolyn Booty (I have some booty to send you):
I love how LEGO inspires imagination. 
I love it's interchangeability and timelessness. 
I love the priceless memories it provides and provokes from generation to generation.


Thank you to everyone for entering the LEGO competition! 


image via Green Diary - Dad did not get to choose the accompanying image for this post. Sorry Dad. 

There's No Better Way To Start A Week:: LEGO Giveaway

The Doctor and Tiny were ridiculously delighted to come home last week, after a long slog at school to discover a LEGO parcel for them.

Mama was delighted too - because the afternoon activity was completely taken care of.

We live, eat and breathe LEGO. Doctors may warn against this eating and breathing LEGO, but it's a way of life for us. And what's not to love?

The Doctor spends hours putting together LEGO kits, saves up his pocket money and Tooth Fairy money to save up for LEGO kits. LEGO LEGO LEGO. He wants to work at LEGO Land when he's big - and though he'll have to move to Denmark, he'll still come and visit me in holidays - so he says.

Yesterday Tiny busted out her Duplo and they had a LEGO 'expression session*' together, with their cousin Phoebe, building freestyle creations. It's pretty fun. And if I hadn't torn the house apart in an attempt to tidy it - I would have plonked myself right down next to them and created with them.

To celebrate everything good that is LEGO, LEGO have given me two sets of each of the below kits to give away to four completely, absolutely lucky people:

From one of the Doctor's favourite sets LEGO City:
Police Dog Van $49.99

The forest policeman has followed the robber to the cave where he’s stashed the stolen goods. It's time to release the dogs and lock him in the back of the police dog van before he gets up to any more mischief! Includes 2 minifigures: forest policeman and a robber.

From the new LEGO Friends range:
City Park Café $49.99

Andrea works at the City Park Café and loves dishing out tasty treats, when she is not singing into her broom and daydreaming of her big performance (I am clearly Andrea's kindred spirit). It’s the perfect place in Heartlake City for all of the LEGO Friends to meet for milkshakes and burgers or to chill and have fun! You can bake goodies for the girls in the café kitchen, complete with everything you need to serve up café cuisine instyle! Then hang in the outdoor dining area and have a milkshake in the sun! Order up a sweet snack, serve the customers and pay with LEGO money bricks!Includes 2 mini-doll figures: Andrea and Marie.

All you have to do is tell me in 25 words or less why you love LEGO for your chance to win.

Four winners will be drawn next Monday 1st April - no joking.Winners will be announced on PottyMouthMama as well as being contacted. 
Please ensure you include your email address. 
Competition open to Australian residents only. Sorry international peeps. 

EDIT:: Entries are now closed. Winners will be announced this afternoon. Thank you!

Caught In The Rain

Weekends. Ah weekends. How I love you!

Yesterday we went to the beach, hung out on the sand, enjoyed some time just the three of us. Bliss.

Today we went to see my MIL for her birthday. Then came home. Did a frenzied "tidy" of the house - and when I say "tidy" the term is very, very loose - but you can now see we have floor. We went walking in the afternoon - a brave move, the Doctor on his bike, everyone else walking. And of course, on our return trip, it bucketed down. Thunder cracked. Sheet lightning. The works. Tiny cried. I carried Tiny under the umbrella, like a koala. The Doctor kept riding his bike. Matt was soaked. We all were soaked. But it was fun. And funny.

And this weekend we kicked off a new family tradition. I've been feeling out of the loop on family life for a while now. Struggling to get involved. Exhausted by my four days of work, sad that I'm missing out, desperate to still be in touch with my smalls.

So I picked up my copy of Amanda Soule's 'The Creative Family'. I'm no Soulemama, but when I need some inspiration - who am I gonna call? And it ain't the Ghostbusters.

Our new family tradition is one that was picked up with gusto and the Doctor has already asked to do it every single night. Halleluljah! We sat and did family drawing for 45 minutes. So. Much. Fun. I can't wait to reprise this as often as possible.

WINNERS::

These peeps should email me (lexipmm (at) gmail (dot) com) ASAP to receive their tickets to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre. Hope to see you there!

- Permanently Twenty Three

- Aneets: Meandering Through Motherhood

- Lisa Tilse: The Red Thread

- Sarah at The Super Whites

- Sarah at ChoccyBangles

Handmade Revolution:: Special Giveaway

I'm pretty excited to learn about the Powerhouse Discovery Centre at Castle Hill. I didn't know something so cool existed - and just a stone's throw from me.

To amp up the cool, they're hosting UK contemporary artist and designer, Shane Waltener, to create an amazing, awe-inspiring outdoor art installation titled 'Outdoor Weave In' at the Discovery Centre's Open Day on Saturday 13th August.

But that is not all folks. As part of the Handmade Revolution program there's so much on - and I am sure there's something to pique your fancy: weaving, spinning, bobbin lace demonstrations, and activities for children including paper lace and mini rag-rug making - oh my!

The good news for YOU - dear reader, is that I have 10 family passes to give away. Tell me what you like doing with your smalls that is part of your very own handmade revolution. Lego? Playdough? Sandplay? Do tell!

To enter:

- comment (25 words or less)

- must be an Australian resident

- enter before Friday 5th August at 11:59pm

- winners will be contacted on Saturday and announced on pottymouthmama

LEGO Ninjago: Go! Go! Go!

As we all know, the Doctor digs on LEGO like there's no tomorrow. What topped the Doctor's birthday list this year? LEGO Ninjago. He's a man obsessed. He's been madly building and planning what he's saving up for. You can never have enough LEGO (unless of course it's embedded in the bottom of your foot).

But now I have some good news for you dear reader. As tried and tested by the Doctor - I have one Nintendo DS console and one LEGO Ninjago game to giveaway to one lucky winner. The Doctor can vouch that this is a very good game.

Are you feeling lucky punk?

All you have to do to enter is answer this question in 25 words or less:

If I was a Ninja, my Ninja name would be:

Terms & Conditions:

Open to Australian readers only

Only one entry per person

Entries close Monday 30th May, 2011 at 11:59pm.

All entries must be 25 words or less.

MAMA! MAMA! I Got Candy!

Every now and then I have the great joy of passing on some pretty great gifts to some pretty great gals. That's you. Well it could be you.

To celebrate Mother's Day, Travel Candy are giving away a night at The Mansion House Hotel + Spa. Plus a spa treatment. Plus a high tea for two. Gulp.

Oh well, sorry ladies, the winner is Lexi (aka PottyMouthMama). Oh dang. That will never do. Alright, this is what you have to do:

- three cartwheels on the lawn (please ensure you're wearing knickers. And that the postman is driving past as you're into the second)
- Become a member of Travel Candy (no waiting list for friends of PMM - we're VIPs baby)
- Finish this sentence IN 25 words or less. And I am strict, I count those words as though they're my last pennies. (Matt advised I observe a 10% leeway, however I've declined. It's hard and fast around here. 25 words or less or else!)

The last thing I expected about being a mum is/was: (over to you).



Terms & conditions:
- Australian residents only
- Must be over 18
- Must be a member of Travel Candy
- Entries close Friday 6th May at 11:59pm

Babies. Babies. Babies.

Well the big news in our house is...

Drum roll please.

Are you excited?

Yes. Yes you are.

Well the big news in our house is... I'm not pregnant.

BUT - I do have four family passes to a preview of BABIES thanks to Madman Entertainment, to give away to four rad people. (Event Cinema Macquarie, Sunday 1st May, 1pm).

A huge success in the US and Europe last year, it's now making its way to our own sunny shores. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Thomas Balmes, and dubbed the cutest film of the year, BABIES follows four babies around the world (Namibia, Mongolia, San Francisco and Tokyo) - from birth to first steps.

If you'd like to win a family pass to sneak all you have to do is comment on this post (25 words or under) and give me a tip on getting Matt to add another baby to our family. Easy az bro! And hey presto.

I'll draw the winner on Thursday at 8pm. Open to Australian readers only (sorry party peeps!).

PS - what the heck is blogger messing with my formatting for? I'm going insane. Slowly, but surely.

Sleep Is For The Weak

I used to think about this saying all the time when the Doctor was a baby. But I flipped it so it read: Sleep is for the week, and I'd imagine sleeping, uninterrupted, for a week. Reading. In bed. Breakfast. In bed. Flipping lazily through magazines. In bed. Painting my nails. In bed. Life was luxury in my mind. No leaky boobs. No babies calling out to me in the fog of darkness. No tripping over toys in my sleep haze. Sleep is for the week. And then some.

And so it is, this is a call out to those sleep deprived mamas who need a break. Who need a night away. Maybe for a date night, maybe for a night flying solo. Medina are to the rescue!

Do you need blissing out? Well here's the giveaway that's made for you mama! This is made for pampering you, giving you some time to relax, kick back and be more than a mama. Medina are giving 3 lucky mamas the chance to win one night at the Medina (in a one bedroom apartment for two adults). How's that for blissed out baby?

And if you are taking the smalls, the Medina have some ace services, such as a toy chest to keep the smalls entertained. And I'm all about keeping the smalls entertained. So are they - we're kindred spirits.

So let's get to the guts of this. You totes want to win this thing, right?? I do. But I can't. But I do. And yet I still can't. But you can friends!

Tell us in 25 words or less which Medina you'd stay at and why you deserve a night away for your chance to win a night at the Medina?

Terms and conditions:

Entries close on Sunday 10th April 2011 at 11:59pm. Winners will be contacted within 2 days. You must provide contact details, whether that's via a blog, or an email (is better!). You must take me with you. Ok actually I made that up. But you can. I will make myself available. I'll carry your bags. Whatever it takes!

Open to Australian residents only

Must be 18 and over to enter

Terms and conditions here.

Prize must be redeemed at a Medina Apartment Hotel in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Wollongong or Darwin.

Please email me for full Terms & Conditions.

EDIT: Check out the fab Easter deals Medina have on offer here.

Giveaway: Get Shopping!

Do you write down a wish list for Christmas? The Doctor has compiled one list. Then lost that list. So now we're editing and finalising his second version of the list. It's miles long. Totally Lego-ified and boy oh boy is that small boy excited!!

But I am here to make wishes come true, and like I'm some kind of giveaway giving Christmas Fairy, Westfield have bestowed on me a $100 gift voucher to give to one lucky reader.

Spend it how you will. You could:

• Buy something special for yourself
• Put it towards Christmas gifts
• OR you could put it on a Wishing Tree and make someone's Christmas a little more special.

No matter what - however you spend it is up to you! Dream big peeps!

As an aside you can also head to the Westfield site and make your own Westfield Wish List that you can share with friends and family via Facebook. One lucky little Christmas elf will win a $10,000 gift card. Me likey.

So PottyMouthMama wants you to enter by leaving a comment here. On this little post. The winner will be drawn at random. BUT to enter, you must sit on my lap and tell me something you'd like for Christmas. Ho-ho-hooo!

Winner will be drawn on Saturday evening.

Please note competition only open to Australian residents. One entry per person.

image via SMH

Giveaway: There Are Only 18 Sleeps To Go!

To Northern Hemispherers this may sound odd. Because it hasn't been hot, bone scorchingly hot, I don't feel like it's Christmas.

I'm doing my best peeps. The shops are packed with bodies throwing caution and $$$ to the wind. Our house is festive. I've been making lists and checking them twice, heck who do I think I am, Santa? I'm out to a Christmas party tonight and I will be wearing sparkles.

We have no Advent calendar. Egads.

However, I do have something exciting for you gals to get you in the spirit. Come closer, nope closer still, I promise I don't have halitosis.

We all know how I love Fruit Mince tarts. I've just taken delivery of some Baker's Delight Fruit Mince Tarts and Lemon Tarts, and I will not disclose how many I have already consumed. (But scroll down and you'll realise I didn't learn a thing from the Supersize me post).

To get you in the spirit, Bakers Delight have given me 5 vouchers (so you can get in the mood and get your own Fruit Mince or Lemon Tarts) to give away to Australian PMM readers. All you have to do is share your favourite Christmas song that gets you in the mood... For Christmas.

Mine? I love the Cocktail Christmas CDs. I always sneak them on. And then my FIL takes them off and puts on some old-timer Christmas carols that make me feel like I am at the morgue.

I'll draw the five winners on Friday night.

Lego + Sunshine + Sydney = A GIVEAWAY!

If you're a Sydney-sider or visiting Sydney this weekend - well you're in luck!

As part of the Sydney Architecture Festival, and to celebrate their 40th anniversary Lego DUPLO have built a wee little house for the smalls to play within. How cute is that?

It's open Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd, Sunday 24th (9-5pm), it's free and it's on the forecourt of Sydney's Custom House. I'll be there fo' shizzle. The Doctor has already eyed it off and declared that we're there! Will you?

And for everyone else* (and of course Sydney readers too), I have the sweetest of spoils to giveaway.

Leave a comment here before Monday (25th) 8pm (EST) and tell me what you'd make out of Lego DUPLO, and you'll go into the draw to win one of three Lego DUPLO Large Brick Boxes valued at $49.99. It's a great starter kit that provides unlimited creative fun!

* Sorry - Australian readers only!

* 3 winners will be drawn at random.

EDIT: I have extended the giveaway to close on Monday 25th at 8pm.

MumSpace:: Sydney & Adelaide Mums

Here's the last chance to win a double pass (one available in each city) to see David Campbell perform.

Sydney:: 20th August at the Opera House
Adelaide:: 28th August at Adelaide Festival Theatre

Please comment and tell me which city you're in.

Winners will be drawn tonight at EST 9:30pm. It's a quick draw McGraw!

This is for MumSpace members only. You must be at least 18 and an Australian resident to enter.

Competition closed! Thanks to everyone for playing.

Perth MumSpacers

Hello ladies!

If you'd like a chance to win tickets to see David Campbell perform at the Perth Concert Hall, leave a comment here and I'll draw the winner tonight 10pm EST.

You MUST be a MumSpace member to enter. And you must be over 18. And you must be an Australian resident.

I Bags Books

I need a new handbag. Mine have either:

1. Been eaten by the rabbit, and have no more straps due to large teeth
2. Somehow managed to get rips which makes me look like a hobo
3. Look about a million years old. Which they are.

What the heck am I going to do about it? I've been virtually shopping. That's what the heck I am going to do about it.

Jerome Dreyfuss from Off the Runway

This is the only one I have found that I like. HELP ME! (Well actually, the Universe already helped me because it's sold out - not that I was about to hop off and buy it, but by golly, I'd like to).

Do you have a secret handbag den that I should know about? A handbag providore that you want to share?

Winners of the Beanstalk Books are: 6, 33, 34, 23, 2. (Lis, Mama Bear, Megan, Lilliboo, Sam). Can you email me your postal addresses and your books will be posted out to you! Thanks to everyone for entering!