Mums gone wild at Big W (and how you can too!)

Update: This contest has now ended. Congratulations to Carmen at Musing Mayhem for her entry:

Well that’s an easy one for me. One of my friends and her two children lost almost everything in the Bundaberg floods and I would gladly buy them some bed linen to replace a minute bit of what they’ve lost. And some chocolate. Just because.

When I was first approached to spent $200 worth of vouchers at Big W and write about it for this post, I almost hit delete. I didn’t think I needed anything that badly that I couldn’t buy myself. But just as my cursor hovered over the button, I remembered a friend. Caitlin is the sweetest, kindest, most lovely person and her almost two-year-old son had just been diagnosed with a mild form of cerebral palsy. I would give the vouchers to her and let her go nuts. She bloody deserved it. And I’m assuming specialists and therapists do not come cheap, so a little extra cash to get some things would come in handy.

So I read the email again before replying. Turns out they wanted me and two friends to go shopping! Well that’ll teach me for skimming emails (oh man, my worst habit… when will I ever learn?)! So I decided to say yes, invite two of my mama mates to stroll the aisles and nab some bargains and I would fill my trolley with clothes for the Foundation 18 orphanage in Bali that this blog helps raise funds for. Big W is having a huge baby-and-toddler item sale at the moment and I thought the orphanage would benefit much more than I (I offered to get toys and other things, but Cate told me they “go missing” in the mail. Isn’t that just horrible?).

Well you could have knocked me over with a feather when I opened the envelope containing the gift cards and there were four. A little confusion in the email exchange meant there was meant to be me and three others! so I spent one gift card on the babies at the orphanage, and got my own babies some general things – undies, socks, pyjamas, slippers and books. I like to get them handmade and natural or unique clothes and toys, but Big W is very good for the basics – I like value and things that aren’t going to fall apart after the first wash.

This is Caitlin. She was overwhelmingly appreciative of my offer to take her shopping. I love her to death. She blogs at Reaching Full Bloom.

This is other Caitlin. We met through blogging (she is Mother Down Under) and she’s so rad. She makes me laugh and we get along like two little old ladies. I didn’t tell either of them what I planned to do with my gift cards, because I knew they would both immediately want to donate some of theirs too, and I just wanted them to treat themselves. Well, treat their kids, both of them bought their boys lots of wonderful things!

As you can see, the books were a hit. Then she wanted to wear one of everything I bought.

And the orphanage gets some warmer clothes coming up to winter.

Big W also wished the mums and me to make a day of our shopping spree, so they gave me $200 to spend on our lunch. We went to The Velo Project in Mooloolaba and ate ourselves stupid – the meals are incredibly generous and very filling. We rolled out of there having spent just over $100 between the three of us. I donated the rest to the orphanage (and if you’re feeling generous you can donate here too. Or even take out a monthly sponsorship – it starts from just $10 a month, and makes a world of difference to children who would otherwise have to go without). Our lunch donation means extra money for an annual medical checkup, immunisations and medications for one child for one whole year, petrol for the scooter that the workers use to visit children in their non-residential program to deliver rice, and enough money to feed one of the children for an entire week.

Lookit her sitting up there in the high chair like a big kid. Swoon.

Anyway, if you’re looking for something special at Big W, or even just thinking about topping up your basics drawer, I have a $100 gift card to give away to one lovely reader. They have a huge range of quality items (I stocked up on brand names for the orphanage babies so they’d get lots of wear out of them, and the sale just meant I could buy MOAR THINGS because they were so well-priced!) and you’re really going to get your money’s worth. The baby and toddler sale is on until February 13. And for those who don’t win, Big W are giving a $10 eVoucher for those of you who want to buy something online – just enter the promo code BABY10. It is valid until March 31. *edit: I apologise, but the code is no longer available.

To be in the running for the $100 gift card, leave a comment describing what you’d spend it on. Entries will be judged on merit, and will end February 13, 2012 at midnight Queensland time. 

Do please share if you go shopping, I’d love to hear how you spent your eVoucher! And let me know if I missed anything… I couldn’t spend all mine, there’s still $15 left!

*Disclosure: My friends and I were given 4x$200 shopping vouchers and $200 cash. If you think this has influenced my opinion in any way, you are an idiot.