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Ultimate cruising Western Australia – Top cruise sites to see

*This is a guest post*

Take a Great Cruise – from Perth! Perth Australia For a terrific holiday, you’ll find a range of lovely cruises from Perth. Perth’s port is Fremantle Harbor, at the mouth of the Swan River. To the north or to the south, there are historic cities, spectacular scenery and exotic wildlife. you’ll be find some of the most interesting shoreline Western Australia has to offer. You’ll want to stop at every destination you can fit into your schedule! Traveling northward, you may stop at the marvelous port cities of Broome, Exmouth or Geraldton. Broome, where to desert meets the sea, was founded in 1883. The area’s attraction was not gold, as it was in so much of Australia, but pearls – that precious and rare commodity. Your ship will will cruise the exotic Kimberley Coast, where you can see spectacular natural wonders. Don’t miss Montgomery Reef, with its lagoons and its mangrove island,12 miles off-shore. You could take a day trip to King Cascades, a lovely terraced waterfall, or see the Horizontal Falls – not a waterfall but a tidal flow between stunning gorges. Ningaloo Reef, a marine park off Exmouth, is a World Heritage site. On land near this city, you can visit Cape Range National Park and its historic historic Vlamingh Lighthouse. Geraldton and the Batavia coastline are a paradise for anyone who enjoys watersports. There are plenty of opportunities for snorkeling and diving. There are 120 island off the coast here, and you can get a bird’s eye view on one of the flights offered here.  St Francis Xavier Cathedral, with its elegant masonry, is certainly worth a stop before you leave. Cruises to the southwest coast may stop at Bunbury, which offers the visitor an appealing combination of maritime history orchards. Koombana Bay and the tranquil Leschenault Inlet meet the Indian Ocean here, making it Known as The City of Three Waters. You can swim here with wild dolphins! And you’ll want to visit the wonderful maritime museum. And at the Big Swamp Wildlife Park, you’ll meet some friendly – not to mention Australia iconic animals, the kangaroos. European settlers first set foot in the west of Australia in Albany. Along the Southern Ocean Coastline you’ll find natural bridge, geysers and blowholes. You can enjoy the exptic flowers and birdlife on a cruise up the Kalgan River – and stop at some fine wine vineyards! The wineries along the Ferguson River may introduce you to some faime Australian wines you’ve never tasted before. The city of Esperance and its environs offer delights for the tourist. You can tour the Woody Island Nature Preserve to visit its fur seals and sea eagles. At Cape Legrand you’ll find one of Australia’s whitest beaches, and you can drink at the natural spring at the nearby Lucky Bay. Cruises from Perth may take you all the way to Christmas Island is Australia’s India Ocean jewel, It’s more than 1,000 nautical miles from Perth, closer toIndonesia than it is to Australia. You’ll want to see the tropical jungle here, and the historic European settlement. North or south, you’ll enjoy every day of your vacation.  

7 Places to Spend the Holidays With Your Family On A Budget

*This is a guest post*

As the holiday season creeps in, most people crave for a vacation. However, financial constraints mean that such individuals
cannot realize their dreams. If you are one such person, it is quite understandable to feel gutted at being unable to go for a
vacation. Luckily, you may still be able to undertake a vacation albeit on a budget. There are numerous destinations that have
always proven to pocket-friendly. This is in addition to guaranteeing a thrilling experience for you and your loved ones. Some of
these destinations include:

1.  Argentina

When you visit the South American state of Argentina, sights of art galleries, fine restaurants and picturesque landscape
will greet you. It is hard to believe that you would not have to strain yourself financially to enjoy the sights and sounds of the
country. Undertaking a vacation in Argentina has stood out for its affordability than Europe or the U.S. Most of the hotels or
guesthouses are moderately priced as is the case with food.

While in Argentina, you must take your loved ones for a visit to the Iguazu Falls. This is just but one of the numerous attractions
that dot the argentine landscape. You could move around the country in rental cars, which are also affordable thanks to the
numerous rental car companies in the country.

2.  Indonesia

Indonesia earns a spot on this list thanks to its cheap hotels and affordable cruise ships. You would also incur little expenses
shuttling between the various tourist attractions in the country. On a budget, you could do well to your loved ones by taking
them to various islands that inhabit the country. Such islands include Java, Bali and Sumatra among others. Here, you could
spend a day at the sandy beaches or partake in fun activities like snorkeling or swimming.

3.  Ko Pha Ngan

If you want an affordable vacation in Asia, then a trip to Ko Pha Ngan in Thailand suits your needs. Thailand holidays are often
synonymous with sandy beaches, friendly locals, rice paddies and Thai massages. A holiday trip to Ko Pha Ngan would be no
different. While on vacation, you must sample the warm refreshing water that lies beyond the beaches.

4.  Eastern Europe

Most people have always thought of Europe as a holiday destination that requires a lot of money. This perception has grown
thanks to Western Europe, which is home to prominent destinations like Paris, Barcelona and London. However, Eastern
Europe posits as an alternative if Europe is a must-visit place for you. It offers the same thrills as the western side but at an
affordable cost. This is exhibited through cheap transport, moderately priced accommodation and dining. Examples of Eastern
European destinations include Ukraine, Estonia and Bulgaria.

5.  Honduras

In Central America, there exists a pocket-friendly vacation spot in the name of Honduras. Its attractions far outweigh the
financial implications of touring the country. Such attractions include the sandy beaches, national parks and the Mayan sites.
While holidaying in Honduras, you could enjoy fun activities like scuba diving and snorkeling.

6.  Luangprabang

Located in Laos, this town provides a serene environment away from the hullaballoo associated with the festive season. This
is in addition to saving you from many expenses. The sight of Buddhist temples should definitely be exciting. Also, a trip to this
place brings you in contact with the Buddhist culture through the monks.

7. Peru

Peru is a country worth visiting not only for its attractions but also for its affordability. It boasts of cheap accommodation,
transport and food. By operating on a tight budget, you can still sample attractions like the Sacred Valley, Arequipa and Nazca
lines.

Holiday Savings on Appliances at Sears #spon

* This is a sponsored post with http://brandfluential.com, I am a Sears blogger, though all opinions are my own.*

Over the last few weeks as we have been working on our kitchen remodel, Alex and I have been shopping online for some new appliances. We recently swapped refrigerators with my parents old basement refrigerator since it offers more room for our family of 6. While it offers more room, we definitely do not plan on having it in our kitchen on a very long term basis. We both have visions of a beautiful french door refrigerator with a freezer on the bottom, an over the range microwave and somewhere down the road, a new gas range with a griddle burner.  Somewhere in my dream, a portable dishwasher magically appears too along with visions of a new washer and dryer!

Ah….the dreams, they are so big but we will have them someday!

It is possible our dreams may come true sooner than later thanks to Sears and their awesome sale!
You can Save 30% off our favorite appliance brands. Plus, you’ll get an extra 5% off when you use your Sears Card. Now what are you waiting for, go give your Kitchen some much-needed love. Online & In Stores through January 5th.
http://bit.ly/ZPtqlN

I’m off to start doing some shopping now! Who knows, maybe I will cave and get our appliances now rather than later!

 

Ellie’s 1st Birthday Party: Decor by Discount Party Supplies {Review}

*This post is made possible by Discount Party Supplies. I received a promotional item in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.*

This past weekend our family gathered in our home to celebrate Ellie’s 1st Birthday. For months I have been trying to figure out what type of theme she should have. I have been searching Pinterest for different ideas for decorations, cake designs and more. I spent time surfing different party supply sites getting different ideas as to what we should do.

After all of the searching, I turned to my friends at Discount Party Supplies since we had such a great experience working with them for Ellie’s Baptism back in May.

Discount Party Supplies has so many different options for celebrating 1st Birthdays and I wanted to find one that was perfect for our little Ellie. We decided that since we have a bunch of different nicknames for her, including Bug that we would go with a Ladybug theme. Thankfully, there we lots of Ladybug Party Supplies to choose from!

We decorated the house with a Fancy Ladybug giant sticker Banner along with red and black balloons, we all donned party hats and the custom Ladybug cake that I made for Ellie was served on adorable ladybug plates with matching cups and napkins.

Everything looked wonderful, from what I am told the cake tasted great and most of all, Ellie had a great time and a very memorable first birthday!

Thank you again Discount Party Supplies for coming through and helping us throw another great party and create some wonderful memories!

 

EXPIRED **FLASH** Shutterfly Holiday #Giveaway- Ends 12/14

*This post is made possible by Shutterfly. I received a promotional item in order to facilitate this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.*
One of my favorite things to give as a gift over the holidays is a photobook of memories throughout the year.  When Alexander was born, giving Great Grandma a photobook for Christmas started and we have carried on the tradition since.

I love the idea on a photobook because it is easier to share with others and memories and photographs are protected. Great Grandma enjoys them because she can bring it along to church and show her friends. She calls these her brag books.

Shutterfly Photo Books: The Best Gift Ever allow you to give a unique, creative and thoughtful gift and we want to help you give the gift of a 8×8 hardcover photo book (20 pages) this holiday.

You can enter for your chance to win one of two 8×8 photobooks from Shutterfly using the form below.

Be sure to complete ALL MANDATORY entries or additional entries will be voided.