March 2024 - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

March Moments

6 Comments / Family Life, Home, What's Up Wednesday

Hi everyone! It’s time to link up with Shay and Sheaffer for the March edition of What’s Up Wednesday. March has been mainly all about work routines and just ordinary everyday life sprinkled with enough fun moments to keep us going! It feels like there were only two weeks in March and it’s slipped by in a flash! Thanks so much for being here today as I share a few March moments. WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Pesto pasta Tuesday – Roast beef and a whole bunch of sides Wednesday – Teriyaki salmon, rice and Asian salad Thursday – Turkey burgers Friday – We are going to my aunt’s house for a late lunch /early dinner. I have also been poaching chicken breast to add to the salads that I take to work. Poached chicken is so tender and juicy! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT The end of summer! Waaah!! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO I loved going along to Oatly baths and seeing my husband compete at the swim club. The BBQ lunch after the races was so delicious and it’s been nice to get to know some of the other swim club members. My husband has been part of the club for over ten years, and I only started tagging along for the season’s social events last year and this year. I’m always pretty good at remembering people’s names. But I’m having trouble remembering the names of the other swimmers. The ladies all seemed to be called either Kerry, Sue or Lyn. The guys are either Pete or Dave! The highlight for March would definitely be going along to see FIVE perform. I haven’t enjoyed a concert this much in forever! Another big March event was surviving two days of Assessment and Rating at preschool. I’m sure the assessor must have written the handbook on how to meticulously assess every detail! My cousin hosted a wonderful March Cousin Connect with an amazing taco bar! I finished off the last weekend in March with a fun day out at Kirribilli markets, a walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and exploring some hidden parts of The Rocks. (You can read all about our sunny Saturday adventure here) We enjoyed home-cooked meals! Meals out with my bestie! Date nights at Allawah Pub. As well as cozy date nights at home. It’s been a pretty good month for us! Sam also just finished four weeks of work placement at a hospital where he was in the colorectal unit. I’m so proud of him for doing his Bachelor of Nursing and I can hardly believe he is in his second year. I tell you, It feels like only yesterday we were taking him to his first day of kindy! WHAT I’M DREADING Thankfully, I’m not dreading anything. Yay! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT The autumn school holidays! WHAT I’M WATCHING I’ve gone back to watching my favourite reality shows from years ago – The Amazing Race and Survivor. They are both on free-to-air catch-up channels. I’m watching season 35 of The Amazing Race and the latest season of Survivor. They are both fantastic shows and I’m completely hooked. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I stumbled across Victor Lundberg and I have been listening to his soothing calm music while I blog during my lunch break at work. Lately, I have been plugging my Airpods in and drowning out all that noise from the preschool playrooms. Man, those little people are loud when they are having fun! WHAT I’M WEARING Ah, you know how it goes when autumn rolls around, and suddenly it’s all about layers, chilly mornings, and unexpectedly toasty afternoons. Recently, I have also been doing the long-sleeve and shorts combo to try and get a grip on the ever-changing weather. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND As you know it’s the Easter weekend and I just got off the phone from speaking to my lovely cousin and she asked if our cousin crew were up for an Easter egg hunt. We sure are! WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH Did I mention the autumn school holidays already? Haha! Yes, I’m definitely looking forward to enjoying two weeks off from work and getting a break from juggling work and life! That sums up some of our March moments and I wonder what exciting possibilities April has in store for us. Happy Wednesday, friends!

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What To Do In Sydney This Weekend

3 Comments / Discovering NSW Australia, Home

Hey there, friends! Hope you all had an absolutely fantastic weekend. I’m excited to share our amazing Saturday adventure exploring Sydney with you! We visited the vibrant Kirribilli Markets, strolled across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and uncovered hidden gems in The Rocks. We were surprised that we hadn’t stumbled across these hidden spots despite visiting the area numerous times before! So if you are feeling stuck on ideas for what to do in Sydney this weekend or if you are here from overseas for the first time. I think these spots are absolute must-visits! What To Do In Sydney This Weekend Kirribilli Markets I love that I get to do fun things with my lovely friend. She was the one who had the brilliant idea to explore some weekend activities in Sydney and our first stop was Kirribilli markets. Kirribilli markets are super easy to get to. We just caught the train to Milson’s Point station, walked a few steps out of the station and bam we were right in the heart of the markets. It was such a beautiful sunny and much warmer autumn day than I expected. I just love blue skies! There were so many stalls full of funky fashion pieces, handcrafted jewellery, unique homewares and gourmet treats. There was also live music and we could smell the delicious aromas from the variety of food stalls serving up all sorts of delights from around the world! I thought that this little knitted avocado was so cute! I was almost tempted to buy this eternal pencil. It never needs sharpening and it’s equivalent to 200 pencils. But knowing me I’d put it down somewhere and it would be eternally lost! BTB Kirribilli We enjoyed browsing up and down looking at all the different stalls. Eventually, we got hungry, tired and thirsty so we figured it was time to grab a bite to eat. There was a really nice cafe called BTB Kirribilli just outside the market, and it seemed like the perfect choice to relax for a bit. Turned out to be a great place because it was calm and perfect for a breather. Best of all we managed to grab a table straight away even though it was very busy. I ordered the deliciously cheesy bacon and egg roll which came with an incredibly tasty red gum smoked tomato relish. Yum, my mouth is watering just thinking about it again. My friend asked me if it was the best egg and bacon roll I had ever had. It honestly was! The coffee was amazing too! The Sydney Harbour Bridge If you’re wondering what to do in Sydney this weekend, make sure to include a walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on your list. It’s an incredible experience you won’t want to miss. So much steel! Such a beautiful view as you walk across. Inside the pylon is a museum (sorry about the blurry pic!) This museum offers a fascinating journey through the history and construction of the iconic bridge. Inside, we discovered captivating exhibits, vintage photos, and intriguing artifacts that showed insight into the bridge’s incredible story. Fun fact – Did you know that before making it big in Hollywood, Paul Hogan worked as a rigger on the Sydney Harbour Bridge? We were tempted to climb the stairs to the top of the pylon for the spectacular view, but we decided to save it for another time. For those feeling adventurous, there’s also the option to do the Bridge Climb. Although I haven’t tried it yet, it’s definitely on my bucket list! My friend, who was with me, recently did the climb and absolutely loved it. She described it as a truly spectacular experience. But first, I need to conquer the pylon stairs! Susannah Place After crossing the bridge we ended up in the back part of The Rocks and we were in awe of the historical buildings. Susannah Place is a heritage-listed former grocery store and workers’ cottages and now a historic house museum. The cottages have been renovated and would you believe that people actually live here, can you imagine the view? We spotted a place for sale and wondered how many zillions it cost. Inside the grocery store, it felt as if we had stepped back in time. Ha! I’m not that ancient but my mum used to use Sunlight soap for everything! Then I saw my favourite Ruth Park books that I must have read a hundred times, “The Harp in The South” and “Playing Beatie Bow”. These are fantastic books all about life in early 20th-century Sydney. If you haven’t read them you really should. Ruth Park’s vivid storytelling and rich characters make these novels absolute gems. They are classic Australian literature and they give you a real sense of what life was like in Sydney’s rich past. And that was my Saturday in Sydney! I hope you enjoyed reading along and getting a peek at my beautiful hometown. It’s days like these that remind me why I love this city so much. Thanks so much for stopping by! Here are some other posts about Sydney. Shopping in Sydney! Visiting Beautiful Sydney Linking up with Holly and Sarah.

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Friday Favourites

6 Comments / Friday Favorites, Home

Hi friends, it’s great to be back linking up with Andrea and Erika to share some Friday favourites! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week and are super excited about the weekend. I know that I sure am! *Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them – at no extra cost to you. Just like that the weather changed and Thursday was the first day when it felt like Autumn. Even though it’s been so hot, humid and sticky, I’m not ready to give up summer because I love long hot sunny days, they’re just the best! Thursday the temperature dropped to 15ºC during the night and only got as high as 21ºC during the day. For us that’s cold so out came the puffer jackets and I had my first hot chocolate for the season. Cold weather might not be a favourite but hot chocolate sure is! As I was walking to work I spotted this beautiful tree blooming with purple flowers. You’d think it was spring! In Sydney, we don’t seem to have a lot of typical autumn-coloured trees. Instead, we have a bit of everything, from evergreen trees to deciduous trees and even trees that bloom like this one. Wednesday night date night at Allawah Pub has become a favourite. It’s so close to home, it has a nice vibe and the food never disappoints. I love these Ikea baking dishes. They come with a lid and they fit perfectly inside the fridge. Having an organised fridge is a huge favourite! Meals like this chicken dish where I don’t have to use more than one baking dish are a favourite. Hot on the heels of my one-baking dish chicken meal success, I thought I would copy some food reels that I had watched on Instagram where they cook the pasta in the bolognese sauce. They don’t bother boiling the pasta separately. Uh uh, big mistake! It made the sauce all thick and gluggy because of the starch in the pasta. Something I had not considered! I was home alone for dinner and I ate a bowl of one-pot pasta bolognese. As much as I love bolognese, this was far from great. In fact, it wasn’t even good. Bleh! So I remembered my husband’s advice whenever there is an epic kitchen fail – just add cheese and bake in the oven. I took it a step further and also added cream. It tasted like lasagna and all was well in the world again. My biggest favourite for the week is this can of Sscat. It’s an amazing motion-activated unscented spray that keeps pets away from off-limit areas. See this girl here. She’s very naughty! Mochi is not like our other cat Sushi who is calm and well-behaved. We have tried everything to deter our newish kitten Mochi from jumping on the kitchen counters and I mean everything. From covering the counters with foil, sticky tape and contact (all the things cats supposedly can’t stand). But nothing worked, what’s even more frustrating is that she clearly knew she was doing the wrong thing. Because she would jump off the counter the minute she heard any of us approaching. So I finally had enough and I ordered the Sscat Spray Deterrent from Amazon. Yes, it’s pricey but boy it sure does work! Now I’m not constantly running in the kitchen like a crazy person every time I hear Mochi jump. After a couple of sprays, she has finally worked out that the kitchen counter is a no-go zone. I’m so happy that now I don’t come home from work to a whole lot of little paw prints all over the glass cooktop, the chopping board and the white counters. Nothing grosses me out more than pets in food prep areas. YUCK! Another unexpected bonus is that it’s deterring Steve from opening the fridge after he got sprayed a couple of times. It’s working wonders for his weight loss journey! That’s a wrap for now, thanks so much for stopping by today and I look forward to being back here on Monday. I hope you all have a wonderful, restful and fun weekend!

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Weekend Food Adventures

14 Comments / Family Life, Hello Monday, Home

Hi there friends welcome to Hello Monday. It’s time to link up with Holly and Sarah for a recap of our weekend. As I looked through my photos, I realised that all of them were snapshots of what I ate over the weekend. So I guess this post is a recap of my weekend food adventures! I was craving pizza all day on Friday and it was seriously all I could think about! So after work on Friday, I walked up to the shops to get some pita bread, pizza sauce and shredded cheese. I already had the other ingredients at home. I absolutely love this cheat version of a pizza because it’s just so easy to make and it tastes great. All I use is pita bread as a base and when it comes out of the oven it’s all crunchy and tastes just as good as a thin-crust style pizza, which is my favourite kind. I also think Mutti pizza sauce is hands down the best! Then I just add any toppings I like. This time around I made salami, mushroom and capsicum pizzas. I threw together a Caesar salad and it was a perfect Friday night dinner! Saturday Saturday morning meal planning and online grocery order with a coffee and ham and cheese croissant for extra motivation! In the evening it was time for Cousin Connect and we had a taco bar! Delicious shredded chicken and beef. With all the delicious ingredients to make our own amazing tacos! Then it was time for our favourite board game. The next Cousin Connect will be at my place and this year we’re changing things up a little. To make it easier we’ve decided that the host will pick a theme and then everyone will bring a dish based on that theme. This means that the host won’t have to provide the whole meal and everyone gets to contribute. The cost of food over here is just ridiculous these days! We’re always excited for our monthly get-togethers, and honestly, it doesn’t matter if we end up munching on bread and butter. Sure, we tend to go overboard with the food and always over-cater ( I think it’s ingrained in our DNA!). But what truly matters is keeping those connections strong. It’s all about making sure that we never ever drift apart like we did up until a couple of years ago. Losing my mum shocked us all back to the reality that family is so precious and life is way too short. We figured that if everyone brings along a dish to share potluck style with a theme. Then that means that the cost and work of hosting won’t be so big. We are also saving for an epic Cousin Connect adventure in January 2025 and this will help us stash away more funds! Sunday While my husband was at swim club I went to my aunt and uncle’s house for lunch on Sunday. We’re not technically blood relatives, but our family roots run deep, stretching back three generations. To us, that’s enough to make us feel like family, no doubt about it! Before I went I stopped off at this cute gourmet coffee shop near our place and I bought a packet of fancy cookies. They were delicious and we had them with tea after a meal of ribs and sides. I was too busy chowing down my ribs and forgot to take any photos. But trust me they were amazing! I ate so much at my aunt and uncle’s that I thought for sure I wouldn’t be hungry for dinner in the evening. But I couldn’t say no to a steak sandwich! After dinner, I shared a Golden Gaytime with Steve, nibbled on some Cadbury chocolate and we sat down to watch an episode of the latest season of Survivor. I remember the intro music and then it was nighty night for me! I think I must have slipped into a food coma. It sure was a yummy weekend! Thanks for stopping by and reading all about my weekend food adventures. I hope you have a wonderful day. See ya!

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Friday Faves!

9 Comments / Friday Favorites, Home

Hey there friends! It’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika and share some Friday faves! Last Saturday I caught up with my former boss at a nearby café. She used to be the director at the preschool where I work. I vividly remember when she announced her retirement at a staff meeting: we were all completely taken aback, thinking, “You’re joking, right?” Needless to say, we were all pretty sad to see her go. But fast forward 10 years and I think it’s pretty cool to be able to call your ex-boss your friend, isn’t it? Gosh! Time just flew and before we realised it, four hours had passed without us even noticing because we had been chatting nonstop! We had met up at 10 and ordered a coffee with something sweet – I had a delicious blueberry friand and we completely missed lunch! Never mind, I guess we’ll just have to catch up again for lunch another day. It was a beautiful and very hot Autumn morning at Oatley Baths. Yep, it was another fun Sunday morning watching my husband race at the swim club. I spotted a cute duck family of four. Cute duck families are a big favourite! After the races, it was time for a BBQ lunch. Yummo! We grabbed an early dinner at Allawah Pub on Sunday before heading into the city to see FIVE perform. Double gravy for me!! When we got off the train I noticed that it’s getting darker a lot earlier these days even though it’s still so hot. Hmmm, I’m not really excited about shorter and cooler days that are just around the corner. FIVE performed at the Metro Theatre in the city, and Steve and I had the best time! I think everybody there knew all of the words to all of the songs. So the crowd pretty much drowned out the band! Haha, I had so much fun singing and dancing along with everyone else. By the time we left, I could hardly hear or talk and we were so sweaty!! On the way home on the train, my Apple Watch told me that I had doubled my move goal. I wasn’t surprised!! Fun moments at work are always a favourite. One of the best things about working at preschool is that even on tough days, we will always find something to laugh about, like this gingerbread man. The other day the kids from the other class made gingerbread men and this little guy looks as if he came out of the oven dancing. Good-looking avocados are a favourite! Wednesday night it was time for nachos and more guacamole. A box of Favourites for Friday faves! The chocolates were a thoughtful gift from a kind preschool parent to say thank you and well done on surviving A&R! I’m excited to get together with my family tomorrow for our March Cousin Connect. Then on Sunday, I’m going to my aunt and uncle’s for lunch. The last time I visited them was back in November last year, so it will be great to see them! I also want to catch up on some of my favourite blogs. There are never enough hours in the day and I’m always behind. Then to top it all off, this year I am also doing further study. But I’ll share about that another day – It’s Friday night over here and now it’s time to relax! Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have the best weekend!

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What’s Inside My Shopping Trolley

5 Comments / Family Life, Home

Hi friends, welcome to the March edition of ‘Let’s Look’ with Erika and Shay. It’s time to share what’s inside our grocery carts! I love a good sticky beak at people’s grocery carts (or shopping trolley as we commonly call them). Another thing I find interesting is seeing food products and packaging from different parts of the world that we don’t have in our supermarkets. I guess that’s why I’m so intrigued by crescent rolls and coffee creamer. We just don’t have these two fascinating products over here! What’s Inside My Shopping Trolley These days I mainly do my grocery shopping online. I used to pop into the shops after work and do small quick shops but these days it’s a whole lot easier to do a single online grocery order. Shopping online gives me a huge breather from the daily hustle, particularly since my days are packed with full-time work. I think this small luxury is what’s keeping me sane! Haha! In my shopping trolley, there’s typically a mix of the usual staples such as dairy, meat or fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, cleaning products, cat food and protein items. Oh yes, and maybe a bottle of wine as well! Extra protein products are also a regular addition to my shopping trolley because my son lifts weights, and it’s all about consuming a certain quantity of protein. Hmmm. Me, I just want to be like the people who come from the Blue Zones and live to 100! So I try and stay away from processed food and too many fatty, salty, sweet (and oh so delicious) snacks. But I’m not a sergeant major about it, so there will always be a couple of treats in my shopping trolley. Here is what I ordered the other day. Can I just say, the price of food these days has gotten crazy!! Anyway, that is usually what I have in my shopping trolley. Of course, it varies depending on what we have run out of and what’s on the menu for the week. What’s inside yours, I’m so curious to know! Let’s Look Here is what we have looked at so far this year In January we looked at how we cleaned our closets. February was all about the little things we do every single day.

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Work-Life Balance: Maximising Post-Work Time

2 Comments / Home, Life Hacks

Feeling overwhelmed with work-life balance? Do you rush home from work only to find there’s hardly any time before you’re back in the cycle again? You’re not alone! Whether you’re employed or running your own business, the struggle to find quality time out of those post-work hours is real. Even when you’ve got upwards of 6 hours left of the day, the time we get after a full day of work can feel miniscule. How are you supposed to enjoy life when it feels like there’s never going to be a balance between these two worlds? Here are 3 tips that might just work for you. Pexels Image – CC0 Licence Work-Life Balance: Maximising Post-Work Time Cook Easy Meals (or Plan Ahead!) Let’s face it, whipping up a three-course meal after a long day at work? Not happening. And who has the energy to figure out dinner on the spot, especially if you’ve got a hungry family to feed? Instead of wrestling with these challenges, why not streamline the process by planning your meals ahead of time? Take a moment on the weekend to map out your meals for the week. Then hit the shops to grab everything you need or save even more time by ordering your groceries online. With your meals planned and ingredients stocked, you’ll breeze through dinnertime without the mid-week grocery runs. You can also say goodbye to spending an hour or more in the kitchen preparing meals. That means more relaxation time on the sofa for you! Another way to balance work and life is through batch cooking. Spend time on weekends preparing large batches of meals to freeze and reheat during the week, reducing daily cooking stress. You can also explore meal delivery services for pre-portioned ingredients and recipes, eliminating meal planning and grocery shopping. Opt for simple, quick recipes with minimal prep time to further streamline your cooking routine. By adopting these strategies, you’ll save time and energy in the kitchen, leaving more room to relax and unwind after work Realise That Not Everything Depends On You Handling demanding projects, whether in business or at home, can be tough. Whether it’s managing a big event or keeping your living space clean, the pressure to succeed can weigh heavily. But here’s an important truth: You don’t have to carry the entire burden alone. In the business world, where deadlines loom and expectations run high. It’s quite common for companies to go into overdrive when they’ve got something big in the works, such as attendance at a summit or a new client that requires a lot of time and attention. Hire a professional to help plan your event, such as Catalyst Event Solutions, and make sure you’re properly staffed round the clock to cope with new project demands. Similarly, when it comes to managing your household, think of it as running a small business. Delegate chores among family members or roommates to lighten the load and maintain a harmonious living environment. Outsourcing tasks like cleaning or lawn care can also provide valuable relief, freeing up precious time for activities that bring joy and fulfilment. By sharing tasks and managing resources effectively, you’ll understand that success doesn’t solely depend on you. Remember, you’re just one part of the equation. Strike a balance between work and life, knowing you have support to thrive in both areas. Don’t Be Hard On Yourself For Taking Time to Relax Do you ever find yourself feeling guilty for simply unwinding at home after a long day of work? It’s a common sentiment, but dwelling on it isn’t productive. Remember, you’re not wasting time – you’re taking the opportunity to enjoy yourself! Relaxation is key, even if it’s just for a short time before bed. Don’t feel bad about taking a break – it’s important! Embrace it, and you’ll feel much happier than if you spent the time worrying about being busy all the time. If you’re constantly feeling like your evenings vanish in the blink of an eye, these tips could be just what you need to reclaim your after-work hours and strike that perfect work-life balance!

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5 Things I Can’t Live Without

13 Comments / Home, Life Hacks

Hi friends it’s time to share 5 things I can’t live without on today’s ‘Share Our Lives link up’ hosted by Adrienne, Dara, Jen, Joanne and Sarah. Some are practical and some are personal and they all help me out every day. While I could add essentials like food, water, family, love etc to the list. I’ve narrowed it down to the five items that make my life easier and brighten my days. So, let’s take a look! 5 Things I Can’t Live Without 1. MOBILE PHONE I remember way back in the dark ages when mobile phones first came out and they were known as ‘bricks’. They probably weighed about the same and looked clunky like a brick. I also remember thinking “Who on earth would need to carry a phone around all day. As if anybody ever needs to be that contactable…hmph”. Well, wasn’t I wrong!! Now here I am in 2024 and the mobile phone has made it to the top of the list of things I can’t live without. This tiny little device has become my lifeline! It connects me to friends and family (as well as the occasional scammer). I can check emails, set reminders and alarms, I have endless information and entertainment at my fingertips. It’s almost impossible to imagine life without a mobile phone. Who would have thought? Certainly not me! 2. AIRPODS My kids surprised me with a pair of AirPods for Mother’s Day last year, and I love them! I use them every day when I walk to and from work. Sometimes I listen to a podcast or music, other times I have hands-free conversations. It’s funny how common it is nowadays to see people out and about seemingly talking to themselves with earphones in. I used to think it was so weird, ha! But now I’ve joined the club! 3. THE INTERNET I can’t imagine a world without the internet and it definitely makes it on my list of things I can’t live without. I know that I’m not alone either. Because on the odd tragic occasion when our internet service hasn’t been working. My whole family (myself included) behaves as if we have had our oxygen supply cut off and our very survival is at stake! 4. ORTHOTICS A while ago, I shared how I suffered from annoying lower back pain that made every day a misery for me. Thankfully, I saw a podiatrist who saved me with custom-made orthotics that support my arch and align my knees, meaning no more back pain for me! Now that I wear orthotics inside my comfortable work shoes, I could never live without them. While my everyday footwear isn’t the fanciest because I have to buy shoes that fit my orthotics, no pain trumps fancy shoes! Plus, the good news for me is that I can wear any shoes I like whenever I go out and on the weekends. Wearing orthotics every workday does the trick in keeping my dodgy knees aligned. 5. COMPUTER AND LAPTOP My computer means that I can do what I love and that is blogging! For the longest time, I held back from starting a blog, partly due to shyness and mostly because I didn’t have my own laptop. Then, I inherited my son’s old Macbook he used for school when they had to upgrade in year 12. It changed everything and I finally took the plunge and started blogging. Then last year I got an iMac and I felt like such a grown-up because it’s so sleek and fancy! That’s a wrap for today! Thanks so much for being here as I shared the 5 things I can’t live without. What are some of yours? Please share, I’d love to know!

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Friday Favourites

3 Comments / Family Life, Home

Hi everyone! welcome to Friday favourites. I am super excited that it’s Friday and we can say a huge hello to the weekend. Because friends it sure has been a week!! Up until Thursday afternoon, I probably had zero favourites. This week was mainly all about getting over the huge hurdle called assessment and rating. In New South Wales, this process is a thorough evaluation to ensure compliance with quality standards for early childhood education and care. I know that the preschool where I work is really something special! Our team consists of wonderfully kind, patient, caring, and passionate teachers, many of whom I’m lucky to count as friends. We’re also incredibly fortunate to have the best director anyone could ask for! Our learning environment is truly fantastic, especially since the big renovations over the summer holidays. Despite all the hard work to make sure everything was spot on, the upcoming assessment and rating process has been looming over us like a dark cloud for what feels like an eternity. So, it’s fair to say that most of this week was all about getting ready for the big assessment days – Wednesday and Thursday. Assessment Days The assessment itself was incredibly intense! The assessor was so meticulous as she examined every single little detail and I’m convinced she would make an excellent detective! As she observed she also took notes. At one point she came over to where I was sitting in the playground reading a book to a group of children. I felt so stressed because I could see that she was taking notes as she observed me. I started seeing little lights flashing in front of my eyes and quickly realised that as I was reading I was also holding my breath. Hahahaha!!! I’m laughing now but I wasn’t then. I remember thinking, Oh no I’m going to pass out in front of the assessor, I’m going to traumatise the kids and then we will fail for sure!! Well, the good news is, I composed myself, took some deep breaths and then she moved on. Phew!! Finally, Some Favourites! Thursday afternoon couldn’t come fast enough and I almost ran out of work in the afternoon, I think we all did because we were all so happy that the assessment and rating days were finally over! Now we have to wait for the results and fingers crossed we get the rating we know we deserve. I had booked a hair appointment for 4 pm at a nearby salon conveniently located halfway between where I work and where I live. It was my first time there and stepping into the cool air-conditioned salon felt heavenly after a hot and stressful couple of work days. The staff at the salon were so friendly and welcoming, they had soft relaxing music playing in the background and gorgeous big mirrors and comfortable chairs. The lovely hairdresser listened to my woes as I told her all about my constant battle with frizzy hair and damaged ends. In the end, we both agreed that a partial keratin treatment was the best way to go. I felt so pampered and spoilt the whole time I was there! They even had a refreshments menu and I chose a coffee that came with a cute heart-shaped chocolate. So many sweet touches! Keratin Treatment The keratin treatment was quite the process. I spent about two hours at the salon, the hairdresser applied the treatment mainly to the top layer of my hair, including my fringe. She explained that this approach would help maintain some volume and prevent my hair from looking too flat. However, the downside is- I can’t wash my hair until Sunday, which means that for now, I can’t style it the way I’m used to. Additionally, the keratin stripped the colour from my hair, leaving it a much lighter shade of brown. I’m convinced it’s orange, but my work friends disagree (I think they are being kind). I have to wait two weeks to colour my hair back to the shade of brown that I am used to. But despite the unexpected colour change, the upside is that my hair is now smooth and completely frizz-free for at least six months, and that’s definitely a win! Treats Today with A&R over we were back to our usual fun relaxed vibe at work. Many of my colleagues brought some treats to celebrate and it was a fantastic way to finish off a stressful week. Thankfully we won’t have to go through this whole process for at least another three years! I’m celebrating a relaxed Friday evening with one of these! Cheers to the weekend! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Hi, friends can you believe that it’s March already? The last couple of months have just flown by and I can hardly believe that we are halfway through the first term of preschool. It’s now Autumn and before we know it, it will be Easter! Anyway, I better stop and focus on today instead of getting ahead of myself! I’m excited to be back for this month’s edition of Currently hosted by Jennifer from Overflowing With Thankfulness. Today we will be chatting about what we are currently loving, looking forward to, planning, wearing and eating. Thanks so much for being here! LOVING I can’t tell you how much I love walking everywhere! Last year when my husband totalled his car but saved two silly cats from being run over, we went from two cars to one. We instantly made plans to get another car but I’m so glad we held off and didn’t. Instead, we decided to wait because everything was so expensive coming out of COVID times. I gave Steve my car to drive to work and because my workplace is within walking distance I started walking to and from work. It has been the best decision ever! These days I feel healthier and even managed to lose about 5 kilos that wouldn’t budge. Walking home in the afternoons gives me a chance to destress and I just feel so good by the time I get home. Now we don’t have to pay for two lots of car insurance, registration or fuel. I walk an average of 7km a day so I feel as if I’m exercising without exercising if you know what I mean. I think it’s always more fun to get a good workout when you don’t even realise you’re doing it! Eventually, we will have to get another car because my little Suzuki Alto is from 2012 so it’s getting on in years. It’s also not the most comfortable car for anyone taller than 162cm like myself. Six-foot Steve does look a lot like Fred Flinstone all squished inside the tiny car when he drives it! But I’m pretty sure that we won’t ever need two cars again. LOOKING FORWARD TO I’m catching up with my former boss on Saturday, she is such a lovely lady and I’m so glad that even though we don’t see each other often, we are still in contact. I’m also going out on Sunday to see the old 90s band FIVE perform live. I think it will be a fun weekend after a couple of much-needed low-key weekends. PLANNING I just got off the phone with my lovely cousin and we are planning our next cousin connect for the 16th of March. Somehow we have gotten out of sync as far as meeting on the first weekend of every month. But the first item on the agenda at our next get-together is to get back on track! WEARING Jeans! It’s been too hot for jeans for such a long time. But there’s been a slight shift towards Autumn and the weather has been cool enough for me to wear jeans again lately. EATING Avocado in everything. Well, not really, that’s an exaggeration. But we have been making the most of what seems to be an abundance of avocados selling quite cheaply. I add it to salads, slice it up as a side, eat them on their own for morning tea at work and of course, we have enjoyed eating lots of guac! That’s a wrap for now and a peek at what we have been currently up to. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead and I look forward to being back here on Friday to share some favourites!

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