September 2023

Spring School Holiday Favourites

Hi friends and welcome to Friday favourites! Today I’m excited to be sharing some spring school holiday favourites! So get ready to be bombarded with a whole bunch of sunny pics! 1 I started the week shopping with my super fun cosmetics guru friend. 2 We spotted these hilarious shopping bags and now I know that I want one of these for Christmas! 3 We both bought the same jeans! I love the flared 70’s look with the two front pockets and they were reduced from $79.99 to $49.99. I also had a $10 Myer voucher so I got them for $39.99! 4 After all that shopping we were both starving so we stopped for lunch at a cafe in the QVB. I ordered the delicious chicken and leek pie with Mediterranean salad because I have a clear obsession with chicken and leek! 5 On Thursday I caught up with my lovely friend and her dad for lunch and a visit. Earlier this year my friend gave me a beautiful painting her dad the artist had painted. It wasn’t signed, so when I went to visit him, I took my treasured painting for him to sign. I love going to see him but I always feel sad saying goodbye. 6 I went to Williams Sonoma and loved their Christmas table setting and famous peppermint bark display. I’m still having trouble getting my head around the fact that it’s that fun time of the year again when the shops are full of festive decor! 7 We had a fun game night with some friends. We started by playing Speed Monopoly which wasn’t so speedy because two of us couldn’t get the hang of it. So we switched to Bananagrams and that was way more fun! 8 I had a fun Friday with my cousin and her kids. I also got to meet her sweet mother-in-law who is visiting from Ohio. I could listen to her speak all day long because I just love her accent! The first stop was Ikea to pick up a couple of things and of course to look at more Christmas things! 9 The next stop was a visit to The Grounds Of Alexandria. They always have the best themes and this time it was all about Candyland! It was so warm and sunny! A perfect spring day. Burgers and fries for lunch. They have a florist inside The Grounds. These rainbow roses were so beautiful. 10 Our last stop was Costco, so many favourite places to visit in one day! More Christmas decor. This giant Christmas Mini Mouse was over $1000, we said hi and bye! This week was full of so many spring school holiday favourites. I had the best time hanging out with some of my favourite people and to top it off, the weather was amazing! I don’t think that I will have such a busy second week of the school holidays but you never know! I do however want the time to slow down a bit because before I know it I will be back at work! But I don’t want to think about that just yet! Thanks for hanging out with me and letting me share some of my favourites today. Happy Friday everyone! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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4 Comments / Family Life

Hi friends and welcome to What’s Up Wednesday, September 2023. I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to recap a bit of this and that from September. Thanks so much for being here today! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Well, it’s the school holidays so I have been very relaxed about everything and that includes meals! Monday- Aldi spiced mango chicken with baked potatoes and capsicum slices. Tuesday- I made a big cottage pie and we have enough left over for tonight’s dinner too. Even though I haven’t totally hopped back on the meal-planning train. Making a meal that is enough for two nights makes me feel like I’m winning (at least for a bit). Wednesday- Leftover cottage pie Thursday- Pizza! I am going to a friend’s house for games night and pizza. So that should be fun! Friday-Roast lamb, baked potatoes and salad. Saturday- Chicken casserole and rice Sunday- vegetable pasta Then there is this… Kangaroo Mince Kangaroo mince……I am very conflicted about this. My younger son has discovered that kangaroo meat is incredibly high in protein and low in calories. He is really into Olympic weightlifting and has been practising it for a couple of years. As a result, he is very conscious about his diet and the amount of protein that he eats. According to him, kangaroo meat is the answer! When he first started weightlifting I was worried because I thought that weightlifting was the same as bodybuilding. I’m not a fan of the whole bodybuilding thing and it took a lot of explaining on his part to help me (sort of) understand the difference. I kept telling him ” I just don’t want you to look like a pinhead!”. I’m clearly not going to win any parenting awards! Anyway, he explained that Olympic weightlifting focuses on strength and technique. While bodybuilding is about …… I can’t remember what he said, to be honest- but it must be about building big bulky muscles, I guess. Anyway, he assured me that there is a big difference and as long as it’s not all about body image then I guess it’s ok. So that brings me back to kangaroo mince….ugh! I just can’t do it! I have said in the past that I am happy to eat anything but the thought of eating one half of our national emblem just doesn’t sit right with me. Thankfully my husband has kindly taken over cooking the kangaroo mince. He has made kangaroo patties and kangaroo stir fry for Sam so that he gets the protein that he needs to keep lifting those weights. Bless him! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I went to see a jazz band on Sunday and they played music from movies that I used to watch with my mum. Ever since then, I have been reminiscing about all those sweet and special times when we watched old movies together. WHAT I’M LOVING I love being on school holidays and not having to worry about routine and squeezing in daily chores with full-time work. I love not having the alarm wake me up and I love that the knot on the right side of my neck has gone. It’s crazy how our bodies carry stress in different ways. The right side of my neck always gives me trouble when I am tired and need a break. Five days into the school holidays and my neck feels great! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO In September we celebrated Father’s Day with a delicious lunch at our favourite Italian restaurant followed by a spectacular cake back at home. We welcomed spring. I fought an annoying tummy bug and had to eat a plain diet for what felt like ages! We sadly lost our fur cousin Leo when he passed away. Enjoyed a few fun nights out with friends. Counted down the days until the spring school holidays and ended term 3 with celebration treats at work! WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing…..yay! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Everything! The warmer weather makes me feel excited about anything and everything! I love seeing the pretty flowers blooming everywhere. I’m also excited that my cousins get back from their holidays around Europe next week. I can’t wait to see them and hear all about their exciting trip. Oh yes, and I nearly forgot, daylight saving begins this Sunday. I love longer days even though it takes me ages to get used to it! WHAT I’M WATCHING Virgin River-take four! I have started and stopped this series so many times! But I finally made a big commitment and have stuck with it and I am now up to season 3. It’s pleasant to watch, nothing too terrible happens and I think it’s quite relaxing as the scenery is so beautiful. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO The rain! It’s raining right now and I can hear the big fat raindrops hit the roof of our converted garage/office. WHAT I’M WEARING I would love to say that I am wearing spring clothes but it’s still quite cool. So I have been wearing layers and peeling them off as the day warms up or I have been piling on the layers as the days have gotten cooler. The weather is weird and all over the place at the moment. I have been wearing this light jacket on repeat as it’s perfect for those cool spring days. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND I don’t have any weekend plans at the moment. So I think that I might get on to painting the doorways and skirting boards I sanded back a couple of months ago. It might just be me and my paintbrush hanging out together all weekend long. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH Our cousin connect get-together is on the 7th of October! I can’t wait to see my cousins, eat together and hear all about their Europe trip. My cousin’s mother-in-law is visiting from Ohio for a couple of weeks so she’ll be there. I’m really looking forward to meeting

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A Fun Start To The Spring School Holidays

13 Comments / Hello Monday

Hi there friends, welcome back to Hello Monday hosted by Holly and Sarah! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I am excited to be back today to recap my weekend, which turned out to be a fun start to the spring school holidays! Saturday-A Day in the City What better way to start the holidays than meeting up with my wonderful friend for a day out in the city? We caught the train together. We have this routine where she gets on the train first from her suburb as she lives further away. She usually updates me by text about where she’s at which is either at the station or on the train. I usually respond with “I’m running” because that’s me, usually running to make it to the train! Then I jump on the same train when it arrives at my station and she is always in the first carriage and so that makes it easy to find her. A Delicious Long Lunch We started our day with lunch at a rooftop bar and restaurant called Babylon and we loved it the minute we walked in. The restaurant and bar were decorated with beautiful hanging plants and it had a fantastic relaxed atmosphere even though the bar area was buzzing and noisy with people having a great time. They were there early for the brunch and bottomless mimosas. Hmmm, I’m tempted to try that next time we go! The menu offered Mediterranean food and it was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted so unique, amazing and authentic. I was almost oohing and aaahing after every bite, it was that good! We ordered the tiger prawn skewers, falafel, fried potatoes and fattoush and shared all the dishes. We finished with a scoop of ice cream each. My friend ordered the mandarin sorbet and I ordered the Turkish coffee ice cream which came with ground coffee beans. I don’t think that I have ever tasted ice cream this good before. The combination of the sweet ice cream with a subtle taste of coffee and the slightly bitter ground coffee beans made every creamy, crunchy bite an amazing taste sensation. I can’t wait to go back again! Time To Shop After a long lunch, we hit some shops. I had a dress that I wanted to return at David Jones so we went there first. Last week I ordered a dress online at 1 o’clock in the morning. I’ve learnt my lesson, I should never do any online shopping in the early hours of the morning! The dress fitted me fine but it didn’t suit me at all so back to the store it went. We looked around the clothes sections where everything was discounted by 40-50%. We didn’t find anything we liked but we did spot some Christmas ornaments and we were very excited because it’s never too early for Christmas decor! Coffee break time. Then we went to Zara which was packed full of shoppers. We even had to wait for a good 15 or so minutes to get into the fitting room because the queue was so long! I tried on a pair of cream-coloured pants, a black jacket and a stripy top(here I am trying on the stripy top). I hadn’t planned on buying anything but I ended up buying all three…ooops! Our last stop was T2 where they sell every variety of tea imaginable as well as tea cups, saucers and tea pots. It’s a world of tea! I bought the apple crumble-flavoured fruit tea which I discovered from a sample pack my younger son’s girlfriend gave me for my birthday in February. It tastes and smells so delicious, I’ve had it hot as well as cold with a nice splash of honey and it’s the best! It was such a fun Saturday! Sunday I went to church and then to my aunt’s house to check on things while she is away in Europe. When I got home I had a coffee on the verandah and soaked up the sun. It felt so good to sit there and I was happy to see that the geraniums (I think that’s what they are) are starting to bloom. It’s amazing what water can do to plants! I have been really good about watering my indoor plants every Friday. But I had been neglecting the few poor plants on the verandah until I realized that they were looking sad and thirsty. In the afternoon I lay down and fell asleep for two hours! I can’t remember the last time that I had a nap during the day. Being on school holidays clearly makes me feel very relaxed and I think that my body is catching up on some much-needed rest. An Evening of Jazz In the evening Steve and I had dinner at our local pub and then went to see James Morrison the amazing Australian jazz musician. He’s played with legends such as Ray Charles, BB King, and Whitney Houston to name a few. During the show they played some beautiful music from movies such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Love is a Many Splendored Thing. I grew up watching these classic movies with my mum. So it was so hard for me not to get emotional and I started getting teary remembering all those Saturday afternoons when my mum and I would watch movies together. But I managed to swallow the lump in my throat and compose myself enough to enjoy the fantastic show. There is something so special about live music and the James Morrison quartet played with so much passion and skill. It was a great start to the spring school holidays and I really enjoyed my weekend. It was the best feeling knowing that I could enjoy such a late Sunday night and then sleep in today. I have some more fun things planned for this week. But I also want to get onto some chores that I deliberately left for the school holidays. One of these

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Recap Of The Week

11 Comments / Friday Favorites

Hi friends welcome to Friday favourites! It’s great to be back again linking up with Andrea and Erika for a recap of the week and to share some favourites. So let’s get started Monday Monday was a pretty good start to the working week. I felt tired after a long day but I was happy that it was one of those very busy but satisfying days. We had a pretty good day at preschool and I think we have finally hit that time of the year where I can actually see that the children have made so much progress. Even the ones that have needed that extra bit of patience and attention are getting the hang of things. By now we also know their unique little personalities and can understand their needs so much better than earlier in the year. I think it’s taken longer for our groups to settle this year. It kind of makes me wonder if it’s because of COVID. Two years ago, these little ones were stuck at home in a bit of a bubble. So who knows? But I sure am glad to see progress even if it seems to have taken longer than in previous years. Tuesday Tuesday was Talk Like A Pirate Day at preschool so we organised some fun craft activities around this. The kids made pirate hats and eye patches. We also had a treasure hunt and learnt some pirate language. ARRR! Wednesday I worked a half day because I had my last follow-up appointment with the thyroid surgeon. He was very happy with how everything had progressed. My voice is now back to normal, it was a bit croaky for a long time. My scar is also slowly fading. He reminded me to apply sunscreen, especially now that the days are getting so warm. Luckily I have been doing this every day as part of my quick morning makeup routine. I was happy that I got a chance to thank him and his amazing surgical assistant. Before the operation, they spent so much time talking me through the steps and reassuring me. I know that they must perform hundreds of these operations. But they honestly made me feel as if I was the first person in the whole world to have a thyroidectomy. This was my last appointment with the surgeon and I have now been officially discharged, bringing this chapter to an end. It sure does feel fantastic! Grocery Shopping After the appointment, I went to Aldi to buy their boneless spiced mango chicken. It’s the best and I love it because it’s not spicy at all. The chicken comes marinated in a deliciously sweet but not too sweet marinade. Best of all it’s boneless and it makes a fantastic easy meal for a busy week night. I can’t get it anywhere else and I don’t go supermarket shopping very often anymore because I usually order online from Woolworths. So It was a nice change to browse up and down the aisles and look at the special buys. In the end, I filled up my trolley with some old favourites and I did an unexpected mini grocery shop. It seems that I can never leave a supermarket with just one item! Wine Time After my appointment and a visit to Aldi, I got home earlier than I typically would have on a regular workday. Just as I got home. I saw the delivery guy dropping off our box of wine. Ha, perfect timing! Every three months we get a surprise selection of wines from different parts of Australia through a company called Naked Wines. Date Night At Home Steve and I had a date night at home that evening and enjoyed a cheese platter and some wine from the perfectly timed delivery. We have both been very good about staying away from too many snacks. So this was a nice treat! Later that evening, we decided to watch a movie and I chose ‘Max Payne’ because it stars Mark Wahlberg and we like his movies. But this one was a real disappointment. We even gave it a good forty minutes hoping to like it but in the end, we gave up. The plot was weird, it made no sense and the characters were unlikeable. So we went back to another episode of Blue Bloods before we went to bed and that was much more satisfying. Thursday It was a warm morning and then it got so cold in the afternoon. It was a bit of a shock but I guess that’s spring weather for you. Luckily I am now remembering to wear layers. I spent the beginning of the week peeling off my layers as the day got warmer. But on Thursday I spent the afternoon putting on layers as it got colder. In the end, I was wearing my thick winter jacket in the preschool playground. And I was so thankful that I hadn’t taken it home but chosen to leave it at work, just in case the weather turned cold again. which of course it did! Friday Today it felt like winter all over again because it was so cold and windy in the preschool playground. But a couple of my lovely fun coworkers brought some end-of-term treats to share. Food is the key to my heart and it made my day! We were rushing around in the afternoon making sure that we packed and put away all the equipment, toys and bits and pieces. The race was on to leave work and start the end-of-term school holidays! Yes, I am now off from work for two glorious weeks and I am so excited! We don’t have any travel plans but I have a few fun activities lined up. Most of all I’m just so ecstatic about not having to wake up to the sound of the alarm yelling at me! That brings me to the end of my recap of the week. Now I’m off

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Essential Women’s Health Check-Ups

5 Comments / Health and Well Being

Hi there friends, welcome to our second edition of Wellness Wednesday. It’s our mid-week wellness boost where we chat about all things related to well-being and self-care. Today I thought we could focus on essential women’s health check-ups. I’m referring to those vital health checks we ladies need to keep us functioning at our best. Ahem, before we go ahead I have to confess something- I’m probably preaching to myself here. Because when it comes to health check-ups I am the absolute worst! I put them off, I stress about them and I just want to hide under a blanket and never have to step foot inside a doctor’s surgery…ever! The thing is, it’s not just the tests that I’m scared of. It’s mostly the results! I get so anxious worrying about the results, that by the end I have already diagnosed myself with three months to live! Crazy I know!! But after all my nonsense and carrying on (if you know me, you know what I mean) I still manage to pull myself together (eventually) and tackle those all-important health checkups. Here is a list of the health checks I keep on top of and I’ve also got a list of some that I know are important. But I haven’t quite summoned up the courage to go and get them over with. Essential Women’s Health Check-Ups My Health Checks Mammograms Here in NSW once you turn the big 5-0 you get a letter in the mail offering you a free breast screen. Happy Birthday! I don’t know what I was dreading more when I turned 50, the breast screen invitation letter or a card with a big number 50 emblazoned across the front. A few of my friends who had this exam before warned me about what to expect. They were right it wasn’t pleasant but I can’t think of any health checks that really are. Furthermore, I knew that avoiding this health check-up was pretty silly because if you can catch anything early, then the outcome is much better. Well, that’s what all my kind friends kept telling me every time I moaned about it. Anyway, in the end, I was very brave and I went ahead and got my girls checked. Then I not so patiently waited for my results to arrive in the mail. Thankfully everything was clear and now I know that every two years I will get an email reminder to make an appointment for that important mammogram. Pap Smears I wish someone would come up with a better name for this test but pap smears it is! This test is to catch cervical cancer early, which is a good thing. Before it used to be a test we had to take every two years. Fortunately, now it’s a more bearable once-every-five-year commitment. Phew! I have a very nice and patient lady doctor who puts up with me. I just get so embarrassed! After the test, I’m pretty sure the poor doctor wonders how on earth I was ever able to give birth. Honestly, I wonder that myself sometimes! Cholesterol Screening I’m all good with this test as I don’t mind needles. It’s a blood test to check cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart disease. Eye Exam I have been seeing an optometrist since I was a kid because I need glasses for distance. This hadn’t changed for years and I was always able to read small writing, which almost felt like a superpower to me. If we were out with friends and they were squinting to read the menu. They would always ask me to read it out for them and I felt so special. But you know what they say ‘Pride cometh before a fall’.Well, it turns out they are spot on! Now I can’t read small writing as well as I used to because it’s blurry. Heck, Even the food on my plate is blurry these days! I know that I’m overdue for an eye exam. I’m pretty sure that I will need reading glasses as well as glasses to see distance, just like my mum had. Dental Check Up It’s important to maintain oral health with regular visits to the dentist to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. I don’t mind a visit to the dentist too much. It’s usually a fairly straightforward check and so far I only have one filling. But I’m not a fan of all the noisy instruments and the feeling that I’m going to gag. Blood Pressure Check To catch hypertension early and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. The doctor checks my blood pressure as part of the routine exam when I visit. Health Checks On My To-Do List So we’ve covered some essential women’s health check-ups that I’ve got under control, let’s take a peek at the ones I’ve been putting off (for too long, maybe) Bone Density Test: My bestie says it’s easy peasy and not a big deal, so that’s somewhat reassuring. Colonoscopy: I had one done a few years ago but…… Heart Health Check: I had an ECG before I had my thyroid removed so that counts right? While I can’t claim to be a fearless champ when it comes to essential women’s health check-ups. I’m well aware that I have a ways to go. I’m still giving myself a pat on the back for pushing through the fears and getting them done, eventually. Now I need to dig even deeper, summon more courage and tackle those pending health check-ups that have been lingering on my list…..ugh!

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Warm and Sunny Spring Weekend

12 Comments / Hello Monday

Hi, there friends it’s great to be back for ‘Hello Monday’ with Holly and Sarah. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, they go by way too fast, don’t they? Today I’m recapping our very warm and sunny spring weekend. Thanks so much for dropping by! Saturday We had the best warm and sunny spring weather this weekend and the temps hit around 32ºC. I was in heaven but my husband and son were all ‘Oh no!’. They don’t like the heat at all and the minute the temp gets over 25ºc they get hot and uncomfortable and want to turn on the air conditioning- brrrrrr. I sat out on the verandah for a bit to soak up the sun and admired the pretty lavender bush. This bush grows so wild! I like to cut some to put it in a vase because it makes the house smell nice. But it’s not always easy as it’s usually surrounded by buzzing bees collecting the pollen. I don’t like to compete with the bees for lavender! I had no plans on Saturday so I just hung around at home doing not much at all and it was fun! Watching Instagram reels took up most of my Saturday morning. I tell you, once I start watching reels, I totally lose track of time. Some of them are so funny, it makes it hard to stop. My stomach felt so much better after feeling off for most of last week. But I was not taking any risks so I mainly ate vegemite on toast. I also had some plain pasta and added a bit of parmesan cheese to jazz things up a bit. Plain diets are not much fun! I watched an episode of Blue Bloods with my husband before he went to work in the afternoon. When he left I started putting together a short iMovie for the preschool kids to watch this week. Over the year I have been filming our Wednesday to Friday class as they have been busy playing. The classroom teacher and I thought the kids would get a real kick out of watching themselves on film. I added the song “It’s Always A Good Time” by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen, I think it turned out pretty well and I’m excited to show it to the kids. Later on, it was time to get rid of those annoying grey roots. I really like using Garnier Olia in light brown because it leaves my hair soft and shiny, at least for a few days. Then it’s usually back to me applying all sorts of products to cope with the constant frizz! Pork and beef meatballs for dinner. Then it was time to look for some spring outfit inspiration on Pinterest. Later on, I watched another episode of “Who is Erin Carter?” I love all the action and mystery. I have two episodes to go and I can’t wait to see how it ends. Have you seen it? Sunday I went to church and then I dropped in to see my aunt on the way home. She needed to give me some keys to her house because she’s going on a holiday around Europe. She put her spare keys on this R2D2 key ring. It makes the R2D2 sound when you press the button on the back. I may not want to return this cute key ring when she comes home!! I’ll be dropping in to water the plants and collect the mail. My cousins (her kids) are also in Europe holidaying so she’ll be catching up with them for a bit. I’m sure they are all having an amazing time but I miss them. Our next cousin connect in October when we are all back together is going to be so fun! Sunday Evening We had plans to meet up with some friends in the city for dinner. We went to a restaurant in the Sofitel Hotel called Atelier by Sofitel. It is a bit fancy, so it was a great reason to dress up. I did the whole trying on different outfits routine and picked between black, black or black. Yikes! So much of my wardrobe is black! Normally I wear pants but this time I went with a skirt and an off-the-shoulder top. For dinner, we shared a huge rib-eye steak with sides. Three of us picked the apple with caramelized puff pastry dessert. My husband picked the strawberry parfait. It was a fun get-together and the dinner was delicious. I originally met my friend through work and when she left about seven years ago I was so sad. But I’m so glad we have kept in contact and we still catch up. The best part is, that our husbands have become friends over time too. When we left the restaurant all the lights were on in the buildings around Darling Harbour. I love the city any time of the day but it’s even more spectacular at night. It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed having a calm Saturday and then getting to go out and do something fun on Sunday evening. I’m very excited about this week as it’s the last week of term before the spring school holidays. Yay!! Anyway, I hope you all have an amazing week and I’m looking forward to being back here on Wednesday. See ya!

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A Week of Ups and Downs

9 Comments / Friday Favorites

Hey there friends welcome to this week’s Friday favourites! I hope you all had a great week and are ready to welcome the weekend with wide open arms! I know I sure am because, to be honest, this week wasn’t really a big favourite. It was full of ups and downs, but I guess life is like that, right? Anyway, I sure am glad you are here today! Thanks so much for stopping by and joining me as I share a bit about my week. Monday The week started off promising. I was all motivated in the kitchen on the weekend and I made a silverbeet, feta and ricotta pie for Monday. Over the weekend I also managed to get on top of some preschool work that had been hanging over my head. I felt a huge relief to get that over and done with. Getting the work done on the weekend meant that I wouldn’t be scrambling during the week. There is just never enough time during busy preschool days. Then Monday was just an ordinary day at preschool until I started to come down with some kind of tummy bug during the afternoon and by the time I got home…..well you get the picture! So I took Tuesday and Wednesday off from work. Wednesday Wednesday turned out to be the worst day of the week because my aunt and cousins lost their beloved dog, Leo. For the past two weeks he had been battling with illness and my aunt had to take him for multiple visits to the vet for treatment. On Monday Leo wasn’t himself, he was lethargic and off his food. Then he really seemed to perk up on Tuesday night, he ate and seemed to be doing better. We were all relieved and hopeful that the antibiotics he was prescribed were doing the trick. So it was such a shock when he passed away during the night. Steve and I raced over to my aunt’s house when she rang, distressed and upset after she found poor Leo on Wednesday morning. We helped her to take Leo to the vet where he will be cremated. My cousins are holidaying in Europe at the moment and so they were on video call. Well, you can imagine how upset they were and it just about broke my heart hearing them say goodbye to their beloved Leo over the video call. Here is Leo the Belgian Shepard enjoying Christmas a couple of years ago. Stomach Troubles Part Two I didn’t eat much on Tuesday or most of Wednesday because of my upset stomach. It was just vegemite on toast and plain crackers for me. Then Wednesday night I was feeling better so I foolishly ate a normal meal for dinner. That turned out to be a huge mistake because it sent me right back to square one in my recovery… ugh. I did go to work on Thursday because I had no other symptoms and I went to see the doctor on Thursday afternoon. I was exhausted from Dr. Googling and stressing myself out. The real doctor recommended I give my stomach a 2 to 3-day rest and only eat plain things like toast, crackers and apple sauce. To be honest, by then I didn’t feel like eating anything because I was too afraid of the consequences! A Very Warm Spring Day The days are getting really warm now and I love that. However, I failed to take the advice of wearing layers when transitioning from winter to spring and wore all the wrong clothes to work on Thursday. I wore my long-sleeved top, thick winter pants, socks and winter shoes. It was really cool in the morning but as the day went on it got so warm. By the afternoon I was so hot and uncomfortable that I rolled the legs of my pants up to my knees. It was lucky that it was just the kids and my coworkers around because it wasn’t my best fashion moment. But at least my legs cooled down a bit. Kids Are So Funny! During my lunch break my funny colleague had us in stitches telling us about one of the preschoolers in her class and his version of the song ” I’m a Barbie Girl”. He was singing it in the classroom and it went something like this… “I’m a Barbie girl in a Barbie world……..You can brush my hair and bash me with a chair” Hehe, I’m not sure which version is worse. This one or the original ?? News Crew Almost Came to Preschool On Friday morning our preschool was going to be on the news! There was a media announcement about Child and Development Checks the NSW government are introducing in 2024. These checks would be done within preschools aiming to to identify any concerns and offer support to children before they begin primary school. Our preschool had been selected as the venue to host this announcement. Anyway, we had known about this exciting event since the beginning of the week. Everybody was extra busy on Thursday afternoon, cleaning, tidying up and generally making sure that the preschool was ready. We had chased up all of the parents to sign not one but two consent forms. One from the preschool and one from the government. So it was kind of a big deal! We were all looking forward to hosting a TV crew, a journalist and government officials. We were even set to arrive at work a whole hour earlier than usual for a 7 a.m. start. I had picked out a decent-looking preschool outfit because there was no way I was going to be hitching my pants up to my knees in front of any camera crew! Then our director messaged us at 6:30 a.m. to say that the whole thing was cancelled because the government minister who was set to host the media release was sick. Pfft……what a letdown! Talk about highs and lows.

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My Evening Routine

3 Comments / Beauty and Self Care

In the whirlwind of daily life, my evening routine is like my daily recipe. Combining essential chores with a good splash of relaxation. After all, life shouldn’t be all about work, work, work! So grab a cup of something fun. And join me for this month’s edition of Let’s Look, hosted by Erika and Shay. The topic for this month is Our Evening Routine, Let’s get started! My Evening Routine Getting Things Done: The Start Of My Evening Routine The minute I step inside my home, I kick start my evening routine with a round of household chores. The last thing I want is to let them pile up and turn my weekend into a cleaning marathon. No sir! So to avoid this I make sure to get a few things done every evening. Daily Bathroom And Laundry Tasks: I’ve discovered that giving the bathroom a quick clean and doing laundry regularly is crucial for my sanity, and the best part is, that it doesn’t take long. Just a bit of effort each day keeps everything fresh and in check. Cooking With A Side of Entertainment: After the cleaning tasks, it’s time to get on to cooking dinner. To make this more enjoyable I like to listen to some of my favourite music or indulge in a TV series that doesn’t demand my full attention to follow the plot. I never used to think that cooking was very relaxing. Especially when my kids were young. Back then it was all about getting food on the table ASAP. But these days, cooking while being entertained is surprisingly very relaxing! Starting my evening routine with household chores may not be the most fun. But it’s the only way to make sure that I don’t have a mountain of things to do on the weekend. And I’ve learned (the hard way) that if I even so much as glance at my phone or sit down, my motivation completely fizzles out. So no phone, no sitting- I stay on my mission! The good news is, I always get a burst of energy and a second wind when I walk through the front door. It’s such an ahhhh moment. Probably because I’m so excited to be home after such a noisy and long day at work! Time To Unwind! Once dinner is ready it’s time for some well-deserved relaxation time! Shower Time: Before I eat I desperately need to have a shower because I like to wash the stresses of the day away under the relaxing hot water. Then I put on my comfy home clothes and I feel squeaky clean and very content. Dinner Time: My husband’s work schedule varies and my son’s study and work schedule varies too. So most evenings I dine solo, except for Wednesday and Sundays when we are all home together. Favourite Part Of My Evening Routine This is the time that I look forward to each day – it’s my ultimate reward! After the kitchen is all clean, I get to do what I love. Blogging: My absolute favourite hobby is blogging, and I make sure to dedicate some time to it every evening. Although I don’t post every single day, my routine includes posting on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. While I wish that I could have a few posts up my sleeve, my current approach of sharing mostly in real-time has become my go-to. But that’s mainly due to my busy schedule of juggling work and life. I really admire bloggers who work full-time and post every day. How do they do it?! Time For Some Entertainment: After blogging, it’s time for some entertainment in front of the TV. I make myself a cup of tea, get comfy on the sofa and dive into a series. Right now, I’m hooked on “Who Is Erin Carter?” on Netflix, it’s such a great watch. I prefer limited series because well, they’re limited, and it keeps the excitement high! My Simple Evening Skin Care Routine When it comes to skincare, I’m all about keeping it super simple. Firstly I wash my face with a gentle gel wash. Next, I reach for a trusty cotton pad soaked in micellar water for a refreshing wipe. It’s fantastic for getting rid of the last bits of eye makeup. To wrap it up, I use this nourishing nighttime cream. While I do occasionally splurge on those ‘magical’ creams, my tried and true favourite is the Aldi Lacura brand. It not only leaves my skin feeling fantastic but also keeps my wallet happy. And that’s a huge win as I tend to be very generous with the cream because age is a demanding boss! Night Owl Dilemma I have shared with you guys before that I am a total night owl. Although I do have good intentions to get to bed earlier, it never really happens! I’m usually brushing and flossing my teeth at around 11.20 pm and then it’s lights out for me at around 11.30 pm. So, that’s my evening routine in a nutshell – a mix of chores, relaxation and skincare. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my evenings! Happy Wednesday friends!

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Hobbies: A Blast From The Past And The Fun Of Today

16 Comments / Beauty and Self Care

And just like that we are back for the September edition of Not Just A Mom. Hosted by these lovely ladies – Adrienne, Dara, Jen, Joanne, Lauren and Sarah. Didn’t August just fly by? I mean it honestly feels like it was just last week when we were all sharing the contents of our handbags. Today we are diving into the world of hobbies, so let’s jump right in! Hobbies Cottage Crafts For me, the interesting thing about hobbies is that they change as our tastes and lifestyles evolve. Once upon a time, I loved covering notebooks, tissue boxes, baskets, and anything else that stood still with padding, lace and floral fabric. I think this hobby was called cottage crafts or something like that. Cringe! I spent so much money on all the supplies that I needed. And my friend and I even went to an evening community college for a whole term to learn this hobby! When we talk about it now, we practically roll around on the floor laughing! I’m laughing right now thinking about it!! I even gave these padded, lacy things I made away as GIFTS because I thought they were so beautiful 😂. Cross Stitching When my oldest son was a baby, I also loved to cross-stitch. Luckily I could see well back then, now I would probably go cross-eyed! I made Luke a hand towel trim with his name on it. So that he could take it to preschool to dry his hands. Back then, kids were encouraged to bring their towels because paper towels weren’t a thing. I was taking a trip down memory lane to write this post. So I went digging around and I found my old box where I kept all my cross-stitch threads. I discovered that I had never finished the trim for Luke’s bath towel. I did finish the small trim for the hand towel but not the big one for his bath towel. I almost wanted to cry. What kind of a mother doesn’t finish her first baby’s bath towel trim? I showed my husband and he was very comforting. He said, “Don’t worry, finish it and give it to Luke for his 30th” (Luke turns 30 next month). Bahahahaha!! Seriously? Zumba Fast forward several years after I snapped out of the cottage craft phase. My much younger cousin and I discovered Zumba! I guess you could call Zumba a hobby. Anyway, we just loved Zumba. And sometimes we would go three times a week. I even got my friend (the same one who crafted with me) to come along and she loved it too! They were fun times and I miss going but COVID hit, the classes stopped and the amazing instructors quit teaching. But that’s a hobby I would be happy to pick up again for sure. iMovie My more recent hobbies have been making movies with iMovie. I have spent endless hours lost in the editing process while I put together end-of-year movies for our preschool families. It was so much fun and I think the families appreciated them too. The last big slideshow/movie I put together was for my mum’s funeral. I knew that there was no way that I would be able to stand up and speak on the day. But I wanted to say something about her amazing life. So I created a eulogy video and I spoke on the film. Although it was emotionally tough to put together. I was proud of the result as it allowed me to honour my mum’s life through a visual tribute. I could convey exactly what I wanted to say and include some of her favourite music. Which of course included ABBA’s Dancing Queen! Instagram Reels Now I like to create Instagram reels. Although I enjoy making them, I have only done a few because I don’t have a lot of time. In addition, I’m just totally hopeless when it comes to social media. Sometimes I’ll post a bunch of things in one day and then weeks will go by and I don’t post anything. But I’m going to make an effort to be more consistent. So if you’d like to follow me you can click here. Blogging And this brings me to my present-day hobby which is…..blogging! I just love it so much and I hope that I never lose this passion. It’s tricky squeezing in full-time work, family stuff and blogging and I wish that I could devote more time to this favourite hobby of mine. My younger son asked me the other day “Mum why do you like blogging so much?”. He sees me typing away every evening. I said, ” I don’t know, I just love everything about it!” Then we both laughed because he said he hated writing when he was at school and I said that I did too! But for me, blogging is more than just writing, although I have grown to truly love it now. And I’m baffled because even though I was good at English in school. Writing creative essay assignments was equal to agonising torture for me back then. But I just love every aspect of blogging-for me it is the complete package when it comes to hobbies. It satisfies my creative side, I get to journal about my daily life, I write articles on things that I find interesting, and best of all I have made new friends and I am part of a fantastic blogging community! So a big thank you to you guys for taking time out of your busy days to read my blog. I appreciate all of you! And thank you too for dropping me a comment. They always make me so happy! I hope you have an amazing Monday! Sharing on

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Bright Moments From My week

6 Comments / Friday Favorites, Home

Hi there friends welcome to this week’s Friday Favourites. I sure am excited that it’s the weekend. The weekend always feels like a sweet reward for making it through the week’s ups and downs, don’t you agree? This week was just another typical week for me, with its fair share of work-related ‘stuff’. But even in the most mundane moments, I am learning to find the bright moments. One of the things that I absolutely love about blogging is that it’s like having a digital journal where I can reflect on the little things that brighten up my days. Because there are always favourites to find every week! So let’s take a peek at the things that made me happy even in the most ordinary moments. Bright Moments From My Week Educator’s Day It was Educator’s Day on Wednesday and our preschool director organised some cute gifts as tokens of appreciation. I thought that it was such a sweet gesture. Sam’s New Computer My son’s computer tower changes colour constantly. So every time I walk past his room it’s almost like a mini disco (without the music). Technology sure is fun these days! Botanica Air Freshener It’s no secret that I am constantly finding ways to make my home smell amazing. So I’m very excited about this delicious-smelling room spray. It has pomegranate and bergamot and the combination leaves a lovely subtle lingering scent. And it instantly freshens up my living space. Lime Cordial As the weather is getting warmer I find that I am craving cool refreshing drinks more and more. So a splash of Bickford’s Lime cordial mixed with soda water and ice is perfect. Body Yoghurt Ha, body yoghurt, the name sounds funny to me. Anyway, I have been loving this British rose-scent body yoghurt from The Body Shop. I think maybe the change in season is making my skin feel super dry and itchy. So I have been applying this to my arms and legs after I shower and it makes my skin feel so much better. I also love that the scent is nice and subtle. I have this thing about scents, they need to be subtle or my nose can’t handle them! Oat Milk I really enjoy my coffee with oat milk and the other day I ordered this one in a funny-looking carton. It tastes great and best of all it was half price (which is the reason why I bought it). It’s funny how sometimes little things like quirky packaging can boost your day. Laundry Bucket I know this might sound nuts but I really love the laundry bucket that I bought from one of my favourite stores, Muji. One of the things that I love about it is that it is a neutral colour so it blends in with everything in the laundry. And the other thing that I love about it is that it comes with a lid. So when I have my dishcloths soaking in there. It stops my little cat from drinking the water. I give her fresh water every morning so I don’t understand why she likes to drink water with detergent and soaking dishcloths. Yuck! Water Bottles I have some blue bottles that I use as water containers and they honestly make the water taste so good. I’m not kidding! Even visitors have commented on how delicious the water tastes from the blue bottles. They were originally vodka bottles so maybe they have some magic. First Aid Training Thursday we all had to stay back after work until 7.30 pm to update our First Aid training. You can imagine that after a long day at work, it was just so hard to push on. So this was not a favourite for this week. But during the training, I sat between my two work buddies who always make me laugh and make even long days so much brighter. And now that the training is over it means that we don’t have to sacrifice a day during the holidays to get it done. So that definitely is a huge favourite! Spring The biggest favourite for the week is knowing that it’s spring! And here are a few happy spring pics I snapped while I was walking to work. And that’s all for today friends – a few bright moments that made my regular week a bit more special. Happy Friday! Linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favourites.

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