August 2023 - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

August-What’s up Wednesday!

Hi friends and welcome to the August edition of What’s Up Wednesday! I am linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to recap a fun August and share a little of this and that. WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Over the weekend I made a big batch of granola and it tastes so good. It’s actually my favourite recipe because It has just the right amount of crunch, sweetness and slightly chewy pieces of dried fruit. I love to sprinkle some over natural yoghurt or just eat it on its own as a snack. Steve and I went out for dinner on Sunday night but I made a quiche for Sam in case he was home for dinner. You just never know with teenagers because they are always out and about! Monday – I cooked this delicious mango and sweet chilli chicken that I bought from Woolworths. I also roasted some potatoes and pumpkin, made a salad and it was a super easy dinner to put together. Tuesday -I made fall-apart roasted pork. But this time I made crackling and I felt like a hero because it worked! You guys, this is the first time that I have ever had any success with crackling. When I have made it in the past it’s always turned out rubbery. Bleh! Wednesday -We will be having leftover pork with coleslaw on brioche buns. I actually ordered hamburger buns because I wanted to make turkey burgers. But when I received my delivery I found that they had substituted them for brioche buns instead. I prefer brioche buns with pulled pork so I’ll probably make the turkey burgers on the weekend when I have a chance to go to the shops and buy ordinary burger buns. Thursday – Teriyaki salmon, rice and snow peas are on the menu Friday – Chicken schnitzel, roast veggies and lots of gravy. Saturday- leftovers! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT To be honest I can’t think of anything I am reminiscing about. Because I am very excited about the upcoming fun warm months ahead! WHAT I’M LOVING Airtasker! We are not handy people, well I am handier than my husband but he won’t know I said that because he doesn’t read my blog hehe! Anyway, we needed a plumber desperately a few weeks ago because the shower head was dripping. At first, it was a slightly annoying slow drip and I knew we had to have it fixed eventually. Then when I came home after work one day it was leaking profusely. I was able to hire a plumber through Airtasker and he fixed the leaking shower head the next morning. So easy! We have a few odd jobs around the house that need doing so we will be hiring through Airtasker for sure! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO August has been a really fun and busy month. We got together twice this month with all our cousins, once on the first weekend of August and then again last Sunday. Australia went nuts over our Matildas doing so well in the Women’s Soccer World Cup. It was fun joining in all the excitement when Steve and I went to a pub in Newtown to watch them play the semi-final game. We enjoyed cozy date nights at home. As well as some really delicious dinners out. I had a fun shopping trip to Ikea with my lovely friend and was dazzled by all the colours that are trending at the moment. We caught up with friends and enjoyed nice meals together. I went to the local Farmers market a few times and picked up some delicious fresh fruit and vegetables. Which then inspired me in the kitchen. Our preschool got to go on a fun excursion to the local primary school. It was a fun day but it left us all totally exhausted! We had a couple of very low-key birthday celebrations. One for my husband and another for my two cousins who share the same birthday. I went to see Elvis: A Musical Revolution at the State Theatre not once but twice. Haha, which I did enjoy even though I’m not even a big fan. WHAT I’M DREADING I’m not dreading anything and for that, I am truly thankful! WHAT I’M WORKING ON Catching up on all the things because term three has left me beat! This month, I’ve been feeling like I’m constantly playing catch up. My menu planning game? Not so great. The same goes for my blog planning and keeping up with my favourite blogs. But you know what? The one thing that I am still winning at is staying on top of household chores and laundry. It’s been a whirlwind of a month and I am really looking forward to the upcoming spring school holidays. So I guess I am just working on surviving the next few weeks! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Saying goodbye to winter and hello to Spring!! It’s no secret that winter is my least favourite season. And I am just bursting with excitement that Friday is the 1st of September because September is my favourite month. WHAT I’M WATCHING I have gone back to watching Sweet Magnolias after stopping and starting a whole bunch of times. For some reason, I have been having commitment issues with TV shows lately. While I can’t say that I totally love Sweet Magnolias. I am enjoying it enough to keep watching it on my iPad while I am doing chores around the house. Or on the Google Home hub when I’m cooking dinner. I am also glad that nothing terrible has happened to any of the characters on the show so far. Because I’m not in the mood for anything too dramatic at the moment. So it’s kind of a relaxing show to ‘watch’ while I’m busy doing other things. I also made a list of movies that I have never watched before and I am planning to watch them on Friday nights. I’m excited to work through

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Fun and Busy Weekend

6 Comments / Hello Monday, Home

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had an amazing weekend. It’s time to link up with Holly and Sarah to share a few things that I got up to over this fun and busy weekend. A Fun Evening at The State Theatre Friday after work I raced home to finish my Friday favourites post. Then it was a mad dash to get ready to go to the city to see Elvis: A Musical Revolution at The State Theatre with friends. I’m not a huge Elvis fan but when my friends invited me along. I was more than happy to do something fun on a Friday night. And I decided that my plans for a cozy solo movie night could wait until the following Friday. I love the city any time of the day. But it’s especially pretty when all the buildings are lit up at night. We had planned to eat dinner before the show but we were running out of time and didn’t want to scoff our food down in a hurry. So we decided we would rather wait and eat a very late dinner after the show. We grabbed some light snacks to eat inside the theatre to keep those tummy growls at bay! The State Theatre is heritage-listed in Sydney. And it is just so beautiful! The show was great and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. It was lively and fun with a great cast of very talented dancers. The finale was spectacular, and the whole cast came out wearing gold sequined costumes. They did an amazing medley of Elvis’s greatest hits and I decided then and there that I might be an Elvis fan after all! A Late Dinner The show finished at 10.30 and by then we were all starving! We knew we didn’t have many options as to where to eat. Because by then most places had stopped serving food. But I had a light bulb moment and remembered that there is a place called City Extra which is open 24/7. So we caught the light rail to Circular Quay and enjoyed a nice cozy dinner. Saturday Saturday morning I made another trip to the farmers market. The previous weekend I had bought some mandarins and they were so sweet and delicious. Even my husband who probably eats two pieces of fruit a year loved them. This time I bought a big bag because we can’t stop eating them! I also bought a few other leafy green vegetables. And as I was heading back to my car, I walked across the park just as I normally do. Then all of a sudden I felt a big noisy whoosh over my head! Then another whoosh. I put my shopping bag over my head because I realised that a magpie was attacking me! Luckily I had parked my car close by and I made it inside safely. Nesting magpies can be dangerous, a few years ago a friend of mine was knocked off his bike by a magpie and he hurt himself pretty badly! Food Prep I was feeling very motivated and energetic when I got home from the market. So I got busy making some granola. I always add dates and cranberries but this time I added dried mango I bought from the market as well as the usual dates. I love this granola recipe as it is easy, tasty and healthy. I’m sure you would love it too! You can find the recipe here. I also used the leeks that I had bought to make a chicken and leek pie filling. I froze the filling in a zip-lock bag to keep for a night when I need to put together a quick meal. Then all I have to do is throw the filling into some shortcrust pastry for a delicious chicken and leek pie. Bon Voyage Cousins! Most of my cousins are heading off to Europe next week for a fun five-week holiday. So my aunt organised a farewell cousin connect dinner on Saturday night. I won’t see them until October and that seems like such a long time away. I will miss them for sure! We decided that we might still have a small cousin event for the cousins who are not going on the trip. We are planning to maybe do something fun like laser tag. For dinner, we had delicious pasta, garlic bread and salads! Then we gave our usual board game we like to play a rest and decided to play Jackbox TV instead. Oh my goodness it was so much fun and I laughed so hard my tummy was hurting! Sunday Would you believe that I went to see Elvis again on Sunday? You see my husband is a huge Elvis fan and I mean huge! I was sad that he missed such a spectacular show on Friday night because he was at work. So I was able to get some tickets for the matinee performance on Sunday. And he absolutely loved it! I have to say that I really thought Sunday’s performance was even better than Friday night’s because the audience was way more enthusiastic. After the show, we went to a pub for dinner. We both had the chicken schnitzel with chips and salad. And two servings of gravy because you can never have enough gravy in my opinion! For dessert, we shared a berry crumble with ice cream. Yum! And that was my fun and busy weekend! I can now safely say that I’m all Elvised out! Happy Monday friends and thanks so much for stopping by to read my blog!

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Friday Favourites

6 Comments / Friday Favorites

Hi there friends it’s great to be back to share some quick favourites. It’s been one of those super busy weeks that has left my head spinning. So even though it has been a really fun week I am excited that it’s the weekend. Because even fun things can be super exhausting! Food Favourites Monday night I made a chicken and snowpea stir fry. I didn’t use a recipe instead I just did what my mum used to do. She would add a splash of this and a sprinkle of that. My mum never followed recipes, she used to say she preferred her tastebuds to guide her. And clearly, her method worked because she was an amazing cook! On Tuesday I made a big spinach and ricotta lasagna. Making a generous portion was a real win because it meant that I didn’t have to worry about cooking dinner the next two nights. I’m lucky my family aren’t fussy eaters and we’re all happy to eat leftovers. In fact, I often joke that if I served rocks, they’d probably eat them too! Preschool Excursion On Wednesday our preschool went on an exciting excursion. Our local public school invited our preschool to join their costume parade for Book Week celebrations. The kids from both schools dressed up as their favourite book characters. It was such a fun and vibrant event and the anticipation was at an all-time high! This was because we hadn’t experienced an outing like this in three years due to the impact of COVID. The kids were so excited to be riding on the big purple bus! So many colourful costumes at the school. Our kids had a blast when it was their turn to parade their costumes in front of the big school kids. I loved seeing the older students giving high-fives to the little ones during the parade. It was a lively adventure! Our brief excursion had us back on the bus by around 11 o’clock, heading back to the preschool. The morning was packed with so much excitement that a few of the kids were starting to doze off – a sure sign of a day well spent! Counting and keeping our energetic bunch safe was a true mission and oh boy was I exhausted. The entire preschool team felt like we had squeezed two days of work into one! Staff Dinner Every term our parent committee kindly treats our preschool staff to a dinner out. This time we went to a Japanese restaurant and enjoyed some really delicious food. This entree looked pretty spectacular with those glowing chopsticks! It was a fun night eating and chatting with my work colleagues. Pretty Necklace I was bursting with excitement to finally wear my pretty layered silver necklaces, which I bought a few days before my thyroid surgery. After years of avoiding necklaces to downplay my growing nodule, I was so looking forward to the day when my nodule was gone and my scar was less visible. Wearing my necklaces to the staff dinner was a real highlight because it really made me appreciate how happy I am that I don’t have to worry about those thyroid nodules ever again! And that’s a wrap, friends. It’s short and sweet today as I’m just about to run out the door to see a fun show at the State Theatre. !I’ll be sure to come back on Monday and tell you all about it. I hope you have an amazing weekend everyone! Happy Friday! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Cozy Solo Movie Nights

8 Comments / My Favourite Movies and TV shows

Most Friday nights I’m home alone because my husband is at work and my son is usually out with his friends or girlfriend. So I have decided that it’s become the perfect opportunity for me to enjoy cozy solo movie nights. Featuring thrillers, drama, science fiction and romance as these are my favourite genres. I’ve got a lineup of all-time favourite movies that I like to watch on repeat. They’re like old friends-reliable, entertaining and they never disappoint. But I feel like shaking things up a bit, stepping out of my cinematic comfort zone and injecting some new excitement into my movie nights. So I have come up with a Friday night movie plan. Cozy Solo Movie Nights Guided by my love for thrillers, drama, sci-fi and a hint of romance. I have put together a list of movies that fit the bill and that I have never watched before. My plan is to get all cozy either on the sofa, beanbag or floor ( I love sitting on the floor). Grab some favourite snacks and get down to satisfying my movie night cravings. Oh yes and let’s not forget the beverages- maybe either a small bottle of Bundaberg ginger beer, a cup of tea or a glass of wine will add a touch of luxury to my cozy solo movie nights. But I am fully aware that a glass of wine might just turn movie night into a snooze fest! I’m really excited about my movie night plan. It’s the perfect recipe for me to unwind, be entertained and try something refreshingly new. These nights are more than just about movies. For me, they are going to be a great way to embrace relaxation and also enjoy my own company! It will also be so helpful to have a list of movies to be guided by. Instead of spending ages flicking through Netflix or some of the other subscription channels. I usually waste so much time doing this and then I feel so indecisive that I just end up rewatching an old favourite. Here’s What’s Currently Lighting up My Movie List Amélie The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants Mystic Pizza Marry Me Interstellar Dune Fall The Gray Man Fried Green Tomatoes The Big Sick These cozy solo movie nights will add a sparkle to my Friday nights and I’m really looking forward to enjoying ‘me time’. I’ll be sure to come back and share my thoughts and reviews on each movie. Also if you guys have any recommendations that aren’t on my list, I’d be thrilled to hear them. Please feel free to share your suggestions in the comments, I would really appreciate it!

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Lower Back Pain Solution

5 Comments / Health and Well Being

Hi friends and welcome to Wellness Wednesday. Life gets crazy busy, right? And sometimes taking care of ourselves ends up at the bottom of our never-ending list of things to do. So I thought why not have a special day just for us? Wellness Wednesday is all about finding simple ways to feel good, both inside and out. I’m excited to share personal tips, stories, and little things that can make a huge difference. I hope to keep it going regularly and it can be our midweek wellness boost. Ready to dive in? Today I’m sharing my own experience about my quest for lower back pain solutions that came in the form of an unlikely saviour-a podiatrist! Dealing With Stubborn Lower Back Pain A few years ago I had the most annoying and persistent lower back pain. The dull pain would shoot down my right leg and knee. It basically made my life a misery….Ugh! The pain would go away if I sat or lay down and I was always pain-free first thing in the morning. But sure enough, as the day went on the pain would creep in and then settle in for the whole day. And of course, working in childcare meant that I was on my feet all day long. Sometimes the pain would get so bad that I would have to lie down on the deck in the preschool playground to stretch my back. The kids thought it was hilarious but I was just trying to make it to the end of the day! No Luck With The Physiotherapist I went to see a physiotherapist who worked on my back weekly for about two months and still, I got no pain relief. Now don’t get me wrong I think physios are great. Years ago I had a back spasm and the physiotherapist did wonders for me and the treatment really did the trick. But this time around my pain just didn’t improve. Just by chance, I met another physiotherapist at my husband’s swim club and I told her all about my woes and she suggested that I might have spondylitis, which is an inflammation of the vertebrae. When I got home I googled spondylitis then panicked and pictured myself in a back brace forever. The Unexpected Turn: A Focus on Orthotics for Lower Back Pain Solution It was my husband who suggested I visit his podiatrist and I was so sceptical! I was convinced that there was no way a podiatrist could offer me any solution. After all, I thought they just dealt with feet and my feet were fine (or so I thought)! My back was the problem! But by then the pain was really getting me down and at that point, I was willing to try anything. The amazing podiatrist I saw took the time to examine me thoroughly and delivered the final diagnosis. It turned out that my nagging lower back pain was all due to the lack of proper arch support in both my feet, with my right foot being the main culprit. He explained that the discomfort on the right side of my lower back was a result of my right foot’s tendency to roll inwards with each step I took. This in turn caused my right knee to be misaligned, which then sent pain signals to my lower back. It was like a chain reaction of discomfort! Orthotics The podiatrist prescribed custom-made orthotics, he took moulds of my feet using plaster and then special orthotics were made just for me based on these moulds. I went back a couple of weeks later once the orthotics were ready and I honestly didn’t expect any great results. I was full of doubt and seriously sceptical. But guess what? They worked like a charm. Once I put them in my shoes and started walking things changed almost immediately. The pain went away and it was like a mini miracle! Who would have thought that something as straightforward as orthotics turned out to be the answer I needed? Take a look at my orthotics. If you look at the bottom picture you can clearly see that the right one provides more arch support compared to the left. And that is exactly what I needed-that extra arch support on the right side to tackle the pain in my lower back, leg and knee. The podiatrist advised me to wear the orthotics mainly during working hours. So now all I wear to work are comfortable shoes that will fit my orthotics. As you can see they may not be the most glamorous, but comfort is boss! In a nutshell, that’s my story. Wearing orthotics during work hours and opting for shoes that accommodate them has been a total game changer. Their impact on eliminating my back pain is undeniable. So if you’re grappling with back pain, consider consulting a podiatrist. It could be a worthwhile option to explore!

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Weekend Events

7 Comments / Hello Monday

Hello friends and hello Monday! I hope you all had an amazing weekend and are now geared up for the new week ahead. I’m back today linking up with Holly and Sarah to recap the latest weekend events. Let’s jump in! Friday Night Movie Have you seen ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody’? It had been on my list of movies to watch for a little while, so I watched it on Friday night. I had read some of the reviews which said the movie wasn’t great. But I thought it was a good movie that showcased Whitney Houston’s amazing “once in a generation” voice. Boy could she sing! I spent most of the weekend singing right along with Whitney Houston and now I feel like I should go and apologise to all my neighbours for my dud voice! Saturday Morning At The Farmers Market We caught up with some friends at the Ramsgate Farmers Market on Saturday morning. It was such a sunny morning even though the temp was around 16°C which is low for us Sydneysiders. We grabbed some coffee and snacks and found a good spot to sit which had just the right amount of sun for me because I’m always cold. And just the right amount of shade for Steve who can’t handle getting too warm. It was nice to sit around chatting and eating. The time flew by so fast and we could hardly believe that we had been sitting there for over two hours! We then went for a walk around the market and there seemed to be more stalls than usual. Probably because the weather was so beautiful. The flower stall was full of gorgeous colourful flowers which made me so excited because it’s another sign that spring is on the way! Here is my farmer’s market mini haul. I love exploring the markets and bringing home fresh colourful produce. Soccer Semifinals Saturday evening we got together at our friend’s house to watch the semi-final of the women’s world cup soccer. We sat around the TV eating and our friends spoiled us with so much delicious food. Sunday After church, I came home and tackled a few nagging tasks around the house that had been bothering me. I cleaned the washing machine filter, organised my cleaning caddy, tidied up the laundry, and made sure the remaining odds and ends of laundry were folded and put away. Despite having a cleaning routine, these little jobs were necessary and had been on my mind. They didn’t take much time, and once they were done I felt so relieved. Small victories can feel so good! My reward for all my effort was a steamy pot of apple tea and then I sat down to do a bit of blogging. Dinner with Friends In the evening we had a fun dinner outing with our friends, another lovely couple, and we enjoyed a wonderful time together. We tried a restaurant called Vecino that serves up an interesting fusion of Korean and Mexican flavours. We got a kick out of the table water being served in a tequila bottle. It was a fun touch that made it seem like we were chugging down endless glasses of tequila! Steve and I ordered the beef nachos each and I was relieved that it wasn’t spicy. The beef had a hint of sweetness to it, which I guess comes from the Korean influence. I much prefer sweetness over spicy! After dinner, we made it home in time to watch the last few minutes of the Women’s soccer final. Our cat Sushi was only interested in cuddles. And that’s it for my weekend events. Here’s to carrying those good vibes into the week ahead. Take care, everyone!

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Highlights and Celebrations

5 Comments / Friday Favorites

Hi there friends! Can you believe it’s Friday already? The days seem to be flying by faster than I can catch my breath. It’s like I blinked and here we are at the end of the week ready to embrace the weekend. Although I have to admit that when that alarm went off on Monday morning- Friday sure felt like an eternity away! Anyway, it’s great to be here today for Friday favourites with Andrea and Erika to share some amazing highlights and celebrations from the week. 1 We kicked things off with an early low-key birthday celebration for my husband. Since he was working on Thursday evening (his actual birthday) we decided to celebrate last weekend. Sunday was all about a roast lamb dinner and a simple birthday cake. Luke and his partner came over and we had a nice Sunday afternoon/evening together. We got Steve a few presents, mainly clothes and this cute birthday card I bought on Amazon. It lights up when you open it and plays ‘Happy Birthday’. It was cute for about 5 seconds and after that, it was plain annoying! LOL! Then around 3 am Monday morning, I woke up suddenly because the darn birthday card had started playing music all on its own. Oh my gosh, it was so creepy getting out of bed in the dark to turn it off. I threw a book over it, ran back to bed and decided then and there that from now on I’m only ever going to buy plain birthday cards that aren’t possessed!! My not-so-favourite part of the week was a respiratory infection that had me homebound for a couple of days but I’m back on my feet and feeling better. Monday evening my chest felt so tight that it was hard for me to stop coughing. I rang my doctor and I was lucky to get the last appointment for the day. She put me on antibiotics straight away and by Wednesday I felt so much better. A quick turnaround like that sure is a favourite especially since I was really excited to go out somewhere to watch the women’s World Cup soccer semi-finals. 2 Steve and I went to a pub in Newtown to cheer on the Matildas. We got there early to make sure we got some good seats near the big screen and we enjoyed burgers and drinks before the game. It was such a fun night even though our team didn’t snag the win. England won with a score of 3-1 against Australia and now they are through to the finals. Good luck England! It’s been so fun to watch our nation’s spirit on fire as the Matildas progressed through the competition. You can read all about the excitement here. 3 A favourite highlight of my week was watching ‘The Breakfast Club’ with Sam. He wasn’t sure about it at first but he was hooked after the first 5 minutes. I mean how could you not be, it’s such a classic! What was interesting was that after watching The Breakfast Club all the references he had heard on modern shows suddenly made sense to him. I think every teen should get a taste of the 80s, it’s part of being well-rounded! 4 I have decided to try and incorporate a meatless meal into my week, and this time around I went for a flavourful and extremely mild ( I don’t do spicy!) chickpea curry. It’s a healthy, budget-friendly choice that’s also good for the planet. And best of all it got the thumbs up from my meat-loving family! 5 Spring is in the air and I’m getting excited! When I got home today I spotted these roses in my front garden. It’s like they sprung up overnight because I hadn’t noticed them before. And I’m pretty sure we have never had any of this colour in the past. Or have we?? 6 The last favourite that I have for this week is this delicious pack of French macarons. They had a crisp yet airy meringue shell and a soft luscious filling that melts in your mouth. So good! It sure has been a week of highlights and celebrations! And now here we are on the brink of another fabulous weekend. Thanks so much for joining me today, I always appreciate you guys stopping by. Happy Friday!

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The Matildas-Our Aussie Heroes

5 Comments / Discovering NSW Australia

Last night’s semi-final match saw our Aussie heroes, the Matildas, fall to England. While the defeat stung, what’s been amazing is how our entire country has rallied together. It’s a unity vibe I haven’t felt since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. See the pic below, here we were 23 years ago ready to watch Cathy Freeman in the semi-finals at Olympic Park. I have really missed this spirit of unity and pride for our nation and I was so happy that I was able to experience it again over the last few weeks. As Australia advanced in the competition, the outpouring of support has been incredible. From city centres to quiet suburbs, Aussies gather in pubs, clubs, town centres and impromptu arenas. It was like every council area had its own cheering zone. They opened special public areas so people could gather to watch the games on big screens. Our whole country has come together like one big supportive family! My own preschool where I work postponed a meeting so that we could all watch and cheer. And boy we sure cheered our hearts out last night! We decided to go to a pub to catch the game, and I am so glad we did. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. You could feel the excitement in the air the moment we walked in. The whole place was buzzing with fans all decked out in their green and gold all united in cheering for our Aussie Matildas. Every shot, every close call had the whole place either gasping, moaning or erupting in cheers. It was fun and it was infectious! And it’s been a while since I have heard the famous chant Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi!! There was something magical about being part of a crowd so invested in a common goal. I was particularly glad to be there, considering I had been dealing with a respiratory infection earlier in the week. And you know what’s funny? I thought I didn’t have any green and gold to wear as I didn’t have a jersey. But I ended up finding a green top and a yellow cardigan that did the trick. It sure was a fun night and the energy was palpable. Even though the result wasn’t what we hoped for, the memories of that electric atmosphere will stay with me forever!

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Ikea August 2023

6 Comments / Home Improvement Ideas

Hi friends, today I’m sharing the fun we had last Saturday. My sweet friend and I decided to indulge in a little retail therapy and interior decorating inspo at none other than our local Ikea. We headed over to the ever-convenient Tempe store which just happens to be a breezy ten-minute drive from my place. I love how its close proximity means that I could pop in there any time. Even though I don’t, it’s nice knowing that I could. Living so close to Ikea came in incredibly handy a couple of years back when we renovated our kitchen. There were a few times when I needed to make quick trips to either return or exchange items. Having the store almost just around the corner was a real lifesaver and it’s a convenience I love! What I Love About Ikea Endless Inspiration: When I walk into Ikea it’s like going into a world where every corner oozes creativity and style. The room setups are so beautifully designed and I always get fresh ideas for my own home. Ikea always has endless possibilities and so much decorating inspiration. Affordable Finds: Although I did notice some price increases, you can still find so many stylish and practical gems at Ikea without emptying your wallet. Smart Design Solutions: I’m all about making my space work for me, and Ikea totally gets it. They’ve got loads of clever designs, perfect for small homes like mine. Ikea is my go-to for making my place feel organised and cozy. Cafeteria Delights: The cafeteria is a nice spot to take a break and enjoy a bite of some delicious Swedish fare. My Recent Visit To Ikea What struck me the most about this visit was that there seems to be a shift in design direction. It was like a blast from the past with big bold pops of colour and patterns that transported me back to the groovy vibes of the 70s and the funky freshness of the 80s. Neutrals and greys have now taken a back seat as vibrant hues and daring prints are moving into the limelight. I’m not sure how I feel about this as neutral tones have my heart forever. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see so many colourful decor items, furniture and textiles. Trends usually make a comeback, don’t they? And it seems that we are now heading in a very colourful direction when it comes to home decor. So many colourful textile and bedding choices! Even some of the furniture now comes in bright bold colours. Orange and a soft shade of green seem to be the predominant colours at Ikea in 2023. Colourful Marketplace Finds Moving onto the marketplace where tablecloths, kitchen gadgets and decor items all featured bright colours too. I can’t help but think of the kitchen from ‘The Brady Bunch’ when I see this shade of orange and green combo. There was a very bold 70s vibe in the kitchen section at Ikea! I felt tempted to buy this vegetable spiralizer but I resisted (If only they came in white!). These eco-friendly string bags now come in two different colours to make your shopping experience happy! I spotted some big quirky green cactus-shaped watering cans. Even though I can’t say they would be my preferred choice, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw them because they are so fun and silly! A water container that doubles as a kettlebell. Why not? I guess it’s a good way of staying in shape and hydrated. Ikea thinks of everything! These horses seem to come out yearly featuring on-trend colours. I think last year they were grey and this year they are green of course! The lighting section also offered some fun and colourful strip lights. The Ikea Cafeteria One of my favourite things to do while on a big shopping trip to Ikea is to stop at the cafeteria for a bite to eat. I was on the lookout for the delicious open sandwich but I couldn’t find any. Ikea seems to have really simplified their menu and the fridge section was pretty bare. I really hope they bring back more of the old favourites they offered before covid. My friend and I ordered the delicious and healthy salmon. I know it looks kind of bland but trust me-it tasted awesome! I couldn’t resist a cup of this delicious fizzy pear drink. It was really refreshing and not too sweet at all so I went back for more. Walking around the huge Ikea maze was like a workout and it made me thirsty! So there you have it friends, a little peek into my very colourful Ikea adventure. I absolutely love this place and never get tired of visiting. It’s an amazing world of endless creativity and design magic where I am guaranteed to uncover inspiration, storage solutions and some fantastic affordable finds (as long as I resist the urge to fill up my trolley!)

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What’s Inside My Handbag

14 Comments / Cleaning and Organising

Hi there friends! Welcome to the August edition of ‘Not Just A Mom’ hosted by Adrienne, Dara, Joanne, Lauren and Sarah. The topic for this month is What’s Inside My Handbag. If I had written this post many years ago the title would have been What’s Not Inside My Handbag, You see, back then my handbag could have easily doubled as Mary Poppins magical carpet bag! I was always prepared for any emergency and my bag was full of items for just-in-case. On top of that, my kids used to love collecting things when we were out and about. So I would always have things like dead flowers, rocks, sticks and leaves laying at the bottom of my handbag. Yep, those were the days! But now my kids are all grown up and my handbag has gone through a huge transformation – from a bottomless pit of kids’ supplies and junk. To a minimal crossbody bag that holds only the essentials. So gone are the days of lugging around a tote that could fit a small child. Now all I carry is a small crossbody bag that not only helps me stay organised but is also perfect for my daily walks to and from work. No more annoying shoulder strain and no more looking like I’m packed to go on a two-week trip! My Everyday Cross Body Bag Let me introduce you to my everyday leather crossbody bag. I bought this cute bag from one of my favourite shops Funkis. A Scandinavian design store in Paddington, Sydney. I deliberately chose a small bag so that I would never be tempted to fill it with things that I didn’t absolutely need. Let’s Take A Peek At What’s Inside My Handbag Wallet The most important item is my wallet and I have a small one that fits neatly inside my bag. I love that it has a zipper that goes all the way around and keeps everything secure. It also has different sections for bills coins and a few cards. It’s a great design that helps me stay organised and makes things easier. Phone Again I stuck to the theme of keeping things small and compact. So when I updated my phone back in 2020 I went for the iPhone SE. Keys I have two keys on my key holder, my car key and my house key. The great thing about this larger key holder is that its easy to grab without rummaging through my things. Small key holders somehow like to sink to the bottom of even the smallest bags, making them harder to find quickly. Lipstick I keep my favourite shade of lipstick nestled in my bag. Tissues Sometimes I get allergies and I also have gustatory rhinitis. This is a big name that means my nose runs whenever I eat LOL. If you’re curious to learn about this quirky aspect of my life then you can read this in my post 25 things you don’t know about me. Fold-up Carry Bag It’s so handy to keep a foldable bag that holds so much. It’s perfect for impromptu stops at the grocery shop and a really practical must-have. Pen You never know when you might need one! Small Card Wallet I keep most of my cards on an app on my phone but I still have a few cards that I keep in this cute card wallet. Hand Sanitiser I can’t keep hand sanitiser inside my small handbag because it won’t fit. Instead I have this cute case that holds a small bottle of sanitiser and clips to any bag-its a perfect solution ! And that sums up what’s inside my bag. I absolutely love my crossbody bag-it’s my trusted companion in helping me to keep things simple. Thanks so much for joining me today and taking a peek into my bag. You can click here if you would like to read another post about 8 Essential Handbags for Women. Have a wonderful day!

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