October 2024 - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

What’s Up Wednesday

Hi friends, and welcome to What’s Up Wednesday! I hope you’re having a wonderful day. Can you believe how fast this year is flying by? October has gone by in a flash, and we are about to hit November already—whoa! I’m excited to be here today to share a little of this and that and catch up on what’s been happening, what’s coming up, and a few things I’ve been loving lately. Let’s go! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Pot roast Tuesday – Turkey meatballs Wednesday – Barramundi, chips and salad Thursday – Chicken stir fry with cashews Friday – Cottage pie Saturday – Chicken schnitzel Sunday – I don’t know, but I’m sure it will be good 😉 WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I’m not the only one reminiscing about how quickly the years go by—our eldest son, Luke, is feeling it, too! I sent him this cute photo of his younger brother, Sam, and our two cats just relaxing together. Sam is a whole 11 years and 10 days younger than Luke. He sent this photo back of Sam when he was little, saying, ‘He’s so big now. It feels like just yesterday he was this small.’ Indeed it does… indeed it does….sigh. WHAT I’M LOVING I love seeing Christmas decorations in the shops! Not long ago, there were just a few festive items here and there. But when I went to Westfields for my appointment with the optometrist a couple of weekends ago, I saw beautiful garlands, Christmas trees and even a Nativity scene. My stomach did a flip-flop because even though I know Christmas is still weeks away. Those weeks will turn into days in no time! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO We celebrated two birthdays in October; Luke turned 31, and Sam turned 20. We had a very small Cousin Connect because most of the cousins were busy. So far, it seems we have full attendance for our November catch-up. Yay! I bought the Lululemon jacket and leggings that I had my eye on for ages. Both will be perfect for our trip! I continued my trip planning—old school style with a book and colourful pens! I just can’t get excited about digital planners. We also booked all our accommodation, which feels like a big win! My biggest October achievement was working through my preschool term break and doing my work placement in a long daycare centre. I can’t tell you how good it feels to have that ticked off the long list of tasks for my course. I got my hair cut, and I’ve gone shoulder-length for summer. WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing really, so that’s a good thing. WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Everything! It’s spring (even though the weather is all over the place), and fun and festive celebrations will be here before we know it. We are in the last term of preschool (the last term is the best term!). We will be getting ready for our end-of-year events like concerts, parties, and graduation. There’s also our staff Christmas lunch, which we all look forward to. Then, of course, summer will be here, and I’m really hoping the weather gets the memo to turn up the heat! Yep, this is definitely my favourite time of the year! WHAT I’M WATCHING After putting in hours of work for my diploma, I have been treating myself to more TV time than usual. I recently watched Nobody Wants This and absolutely loved it. Senior Year with Rebel Wilson–she’s so funny. A 2014 Cameron Diaz movie, The Other Woman, it was a bit silly but also brain-numbingly good. I rewatched Notting Hill and Monster in Law because they’re such classics! I started Fool Me Once, but it’s stressing me out a bit, so I don’t know if I’ll stick with it. I’m really into feel-good movies and TV shows at the moment! Season 7 of 9-1-1 has its dramatic moments like all the other seasons, but it’s not too intense, so I like it. Plus, I can always skip to the part where people have been rescued if it’s too much. Oh yes! Steve and I are into the latest season of Survivor, and as a family, we are watching the Japanese anime Fullmetal Alchemist–the character voices are so cute!! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO Well, I’m on my lunch break at work as I type this, listening to a preschooler making a very realistic siren noise. I kinda wish he’d stop–haha! But apart from that (he’s stopped the noise now, thank goodness!) I have been listening to Lovefly podcasts. As I have shared before, flying is not my favourite–shudder! However, I want to squash my fear so I can enjoy our upcoming family trip. My kind and helpful friend shared a Facebook group with me called Lovefly. Lovefly is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to overcome their fear of flying. It features a podcast hosted by Paul Tizzard, a fear of flying coach. He chats with guests about their experiences and offers heaps of practical strategies for dealing with flying anxiety. The Lovefly website also has free, helpful articles and resources focused on flying fears. So, I have been reading the blog articles, and during my walks to and from work, I’ve been listening to the podcasts. You know what? I had no idea so many people, like me (and my friend), struggle with this fear. Most people I know seem to have a sensible approach to flying—they may not love it, but they’re okay with it. It makes me feel better knowing that I’m not the only person who has to sit perfectly still on a flight, concentrating with the pilot to make sure we all land safely. I want to be calm and okay with flying so I can truly enjoy every minute of our trip. So, if you can relate to my flying fears, check out the Lovefly website! It’s very helpful, and when I get on that plane, I want to

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Hello Monday

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Hello friends, and hello, Monday! I’m back today with Holly and Sarah to share a few highlights from my weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by 😊 Friday I had a couple of hours of accrued time, so I used it to go for a hairdresser’s appointment on Friday afternoon. I was meant to go way back in August, but I got conjunctivitis and had to cancel. Then, my lovely hairdresser took a month off to go overseas, so the first available time was last Friday. It felt so good to sit down for a couple of hours. Normally, I’m impatient and don’t love spending too long at the hairdresser, but I really like this salon and the lovely team there. Plus, who doesn’t need a good sit-down on a Friday afternoon, haha? I had a soothing chamomile tea, and it went perfectly with the relaxing ambient music. This salon is great, and I really like it! The hairdresser is so lovely, and she genuinely listens and offers great advice. I never feel awkward there, unlike at some other salons in the past. My hair was so long! I got quite a lot chopped off the back and treated myself to a keratin treatment. The last one had actually lasted quite a while—I got it done back in March. But I knew it was all washed out when it rained a couple of weeks ago, and my hair started to go pouffy. Yikes! I’ll show you my hair in a couple of weeks because the thing with keratin treatments is that it’s a process. I didn’t walk out of the salon with freshly cut and blow-dried hair. Instead, the keratin makes my hair go slightly orange—hmph! My hair is also flat ironed super flat, and I can’t wash it until tonight. Otherwise, the treatment won’t last—it has to stay in for 72 hours! Seventy-two hours of flat, orange hair—nice! Oh yes, and I can’t colour it for two weeks. Still, I love keratin treatments because they mean I don’t have to worry about frizzy, pouffy hair. It takes hardly any time to dry, and my hair looks healthier when it’s smooth. Saturday and Sunday The rest of the weekend was kind of uneventful, but that’s ok. Fun times are coming soon– 10 weeks, 0 days, 5 hours, 28 minutes, and 51 seconds until our USA trip! Yep, I spent most of Saturday and all of Sunday working on my course. Blah! I broke up the monotony of being in front of the computer screen with a slice of pizza for lunch and an episode of 9-1-1. What’s going on with that show? I’m sure I’ve seen the same plot in The Poseidon Adventure when I was a kid. It traumatised me then, and I felt all the panic I always feel whenever I watch a disaster movie. Why do I do this to myself when I’m only weeks away from getting on a plane? Cruise ship or plane—same thing!! Berries for dessert. I started feeling unwell over the weekend with tiredness, a dry cough and sniffles. At first, I thought it was allergies, but I felt really yucky on Sunday night, so I didn’t go to work today. I always feel bad calling in sick, but I know I did the right thing, and I’ve learnt from past experiences. It’s a good idea to listen to your body when it’s saying enough! I never felt guilty about missing school when I was sick as a kid. It was fantastic because I got to watch all the morning cartoons, along with Mr. Ed, My Three Sons, Another World, and The Richard Simmons Show. I still remember the TV viewing lineup! And that wraps up the last few days! Now I’m off to blow my nose and take some Panadol. I hope you have a wonderful day or night, wherever you may be!

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends! Is it just me, or does the year seem to be racing by? I’m excited about all the fun end-of-year activities and social events that will soon kick off. But at the same time, I’m feeling a little bit terrified. Yikes–so much to do! I haven’t even started thinking about Christmas, and is it really Halloween next week? Okay, I’d better stop hyperventilating and get down to sharing three favourites for this week. Thank you so much for stopping by. (Hopefully) Comfy Sneakers I’ve been on the hunt for a new pair of comfy sneakers for our upcoming trip. With all the walking we’ll be doing, I’m aiming for maximum comfort. I’ve spent ages googling reviews, tried on countless pairs in stores, and—like a stalker—even asked random people about how comfy their kicks are! Some articles and reviews recommended the New Balance 327, promising ultimate comfort without needing to break them in. Others completely disagreed, and wrote negative reviews like ‘NEVER buy these, they’re the worst…blah, blah, blah.’ But honestly, I liked them because they looked so nice with a bit of a retro style. I could see myself wearing them with almost anything–shorts, tights, jeans and even dresses. I was finally convinced that they would be a good pick when I saw one of our preschool parents wearing the same model in a different colour. She said they were extremely comfortable and such a great buy. Yes, I’ve been surveying preschool parents too! So, I went ahead and ordered a pair online, and here’s the best part: I got them for free! Our health insurance provider, Medibank Private, has this great perk—if you download their app, you can link your Apple Watch to track your activity. By hitting your daily step goals, you earn rewards in the form of gift vouchers that can be redeemed for things like, you guessed it, sneakers. Isn’t that great? I’m going to test them out this weekend, and hopefully, my feet will love them–fingers crossed. Half-Priced Grocery Items I don’t know if the supermarkets were feeling extra sympathetic about the cost of living this week. But I managed to get a few items that are usually not on special, like Musashi Protein powder. Sam does Olympic weightlifting (though I kind of wish he did swimming instead–I can’t look when he lifts those massive weights over his head, shudder). One of these tubs normally costs $65, but I never pay the full price. Instead, I bounce around different online stores and usually get it for around $45. But we got lucky this week, and they were half-price at Woolworths. So I bought two! Protein powder isn’t exactly essential (unless you’re Sam), but I was excited at the big savings. Other grocery items that I bought at a discount included cereal, milk jam, turkey mince, toothpaste, and a few cleaning products. In the end, my receipt said I saved $95.50–I’ll take that! Keeping Up Appearances Last night, Keeping Up Appearances came on TV, and I stopped to watch it. I love this hilarious show, and it has a special place in my heart because I used to watch it with my mum. We would both crack up at the ‘lady of the house speaking’ with all her crazy antics as she tried desperately to be posh. I miss those days with my mum, and even though I laughed while watching it, my heart hurt at the same time. That wraps up three favourites for the week. I don’t have anything planned for the weekend other than doing another module for my diploma course…hmph. No fun, but it’ll be worth it. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I look forward to being back on Monday. See ya! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, it’s time to join Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday. I’m recapping my weekend, and spoiler alert — nothing much happened! Haha. But that’s totally okay because sometimes you need a little bit of nothing happening in your world. Saturday Saturday morning, I spent some time catching up on a bit of life admin. Then, in the afternoon, I had an appointment at Specsavers. Ever since I can remember, I have always needed glasses for distance because I was always squinting at the blackboard (no smartboards or whiteboards in the olden days). My eyesight had been stable for years, but last year, I had to get reading glasses as well. Now I’m one of those ladies, like my mum, who has to juggle two pairs. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit because I can still get by day to day without glasses–everything just looks a bit blurry. I have also embarrassed myself a bunch of times while out shopping. I’ve seen someone I thought I knew and started waving at them, only to realise, as they got closer, that it wasn’t them at all. At that point, I had to pretend I was swatting at flies instead of waving at a stranger–oops! So, yes, I clearly need glasses for distance if I want to see properly. At my appointment, the optometrist performed all the usual tests and even a few extra ones because, well, you know—ageing. Blah! Plus, there’s a history of glaucoma in my family. The good news is that everything looked good. Yay! This time, I asked about disposable contact lenses because when we go away in January, I would love to be able to see everything crystal clear without the hassle of putting on and taking off glasses. I want to catch every detail on every ride at Disneyland, Universal Studios, and everywhere else we visit! The optometrist put the contacts in for me and took them out. Then I had a go myself, which wasn’t easy because dealing with squishy eyeballs is just ewww! But I did it, and I’m sure with practice, I’ll get better. I don’t think I will wear contacts all the time, but I think they’ll make things easier especially on our trip and for special occasions. I wore the contacts the optometrist gave me to try out and it felt good to walk around the shops and see everything so clearly. He also gave me two free pairs and now I just need to order more online with my prescription. Sunday I spent the whole day working through my very long list of assessment tasks. Then today, I got a phone call from the college telling me to ignore that list. The course facilitator said to forget about the college portal too. She gave me a new list of things to submit, and it looks nothing like the original one I spent HOURS on! Apparently, most of the students are struggling to make sense of the instructions and the portal, so the college decided to change everything up. If I still had my thyroid, I would have cried! So I’m going to sign off and go stick my head in the toilet. Just kidding. I’m going to submit what she requested from the new list and brush off my frustration. Aaaarrrgh!!!! Before I go, I just realised I haven’t shared any photos—mainly because I only took one over the whole weekend! But it’s always good to end on a happy note, and there’s nothing that makes me happier than food. So, here’s a photo of Sunday night’s dinner: chicken schnitzel with vegetables and gravy. Yum! And I’ve got leftovers for tonight too! Happy Monday, everyone. Here’s hoping for a better rest of the week!

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends! Friday’s back and it’s time to share some favourites from the week. It feels so good to be here again after a couple of good but ‘out of my comfort zone’ weeks with work placement. I’ve really enjoyed getting back to my regular, ordinary routine—sometimes a little shake-up is all you need to remind you how nice ‘ordinary’ really is. Let’s start with my first favourite—coming home just after four on Monday. Yay!! I love my usual work routine of finishing early enough to actually enjoy some of the afternoon. I can knock off a few chores, get dinner started, and spend a bit of time blogging. Sometimes, I even squeeze in a bit of diploma coursework. It was such a change working at the long daycare centre where I’d finish at five and a couple of times, even at six. The evenings felt so short! My fun work friend went overseas during the school holidays. She kindly brought me back some mango dipped in chocolate—two of my favourite things! I’ve deliberately held off from opening it because I wanted to save it for a Friday night treat. Tonight’s the night! This is not a favourite but I had a bumpy Wednesday afternoon, blah! Doing my diploma course online has its advantages but also some frustrating downsides. I’m going through the RPL (recognition of prior learning) path, so instead of traditional assignments, I submit evidence of my existing skills and experience. It sounds straightforward, but it can get a bit tricky. I’ve had to figure out the college portal, which took some getting used to… grrrr. The real challenge comes when I have questions. I need to email the course facilitator and then wait for a response. Unfortunately, she only works three days a week from 9 to 2. A while back, she was on leave for weeks, and a simple question ended up taking two weeks to get answered! With online study, you just don’t get that face-to-face interaction where you can ask things and get immediate answers. But then again, if I had to go to college in person, I probably wouldn’t have enrolled in this course! So there’s that. On Wednesday afternoon, I really needed to speak to her. We’d exchanged a couple of emails, but her responses felt hurried. I just needed a simple answer about my work so I could keep moving forward. When I called the college, she had already left for the day, and it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to get help until the following Monday. I hung up feeling down. That evening, Luke and his fiancée were coming over for dinner to celebrate his birthday, so I pushed aside my diploma issues and went home to prepare. We ended up having a lovely evening, eating way too much and then watching a movie. I love that Luke always comes over for his birthday. So, even though Wednesday afternoon wasn’t great, the evening was definitely a favourite! For the cake, we had Luke’s favourite–a pavlova. The next day, I finally got some help from another facilitator. She sent me some very positive feedback about my work, and now I feel a whole lot more confident. I’m so relieved to know I’m on the right track and happy that my question was resolved. Hooray! Remember the old Casio watches? My uncle gave me one when I was a teenager, and I treasured it for years. Well, it seems they’re back again as a retro trend. Luke gave his younger brother Sam one as a birthday gift since Sam just turned 20 a little over a week ago. Luke even bought one for himself, so they’re twinning now. I had to laugh because the younger generation is going retro while I’m all about technology with my Apple Watch. Haha! That about wraps up my week of mostly favourites! This weekend, I don’t have any plans other than an appointment with the optometrist. I’m considering getting some contacts for my long-distance vision. I can see distance, but not very well, and as I get older, my world is getting blurrier. Yikes! Hmmm, I’ll see how I go. After that, I want to get stuck into finishing some more course modules because I want to get it done and dusted! I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Happy Friday! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Sweet Touches and Personal Flair for Celebrations and Keepsakes

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Celebrations are all about creating memorable moments, and what better way to make those moments stick than by adding your own personal touch? From birthdays to weddings, graduations to anniversaries, a little creativity can transform any event from ordinary to extraordinary. If you’re looking for celebration decoration ideas, read on for some delightful ways to infuse your personality into your celebrations and preserve those memories in unique, meaningful ways. Celebration Decoration Ideas Sweetening the Deal: Creative Uses for Bulk Candy Nothing says celebration quite like a splash of colour and a touch of sweetness. Bulk candy offers a versatile and budget-friendly way to add charm to your events. Consider creating a custom candy buffet that matches your event’s theme or colour scheme. You could also use candy to craft personalised party favours, edible centrepieces, or even candy garlands for unique decorations. Buying candy in bulk not only saves money but also ensures you have plenty to play with when designing your sweet touches. It’s one of the most fun and easy celebration decoration ideas that can add a touch of sweetness to any occasion. Personalising Your Space: Decor That Tells Your Story Your celebration venue, whether it’s your home or a rented space, is a blank canvas for personal expression. Create a photo wall showcasing the guest of honour or the couple’s journey together. Display family heirlooms or meaningful objects as part of the decor. Use custom banners or signs with inside jokes or meaningful quotes. Setting up a memory table with items that represent milestones or shared experiences can also add a deeply personal touch to your celebration space. These celebration decoration ideas ensure your decor truly tells a story, making the day even more memorable. Interactive Elements: Engaging Your Guests Involve your guests in creating memories by incorporating interactive elements into your celebration. Set up a Polaroid station where guests can snap a photo and write a message as an alternative to a traditional guest book. You could also have guests contribute to a time capsule or participate in a collaborative art project. These activities not only entertain but also contribute to the creation of unique keepsakes. If you’re searching for celebration decoration ideas, interactive elements are a great way to engage everyone and create lasting memories. Crafting Memories: The Art of Scrapbooking While digital photos are convenient, there’s something special about a tangible keepsake you can flip through. Creating a celebration scrapbook is a wonderful way to preserve memories and add a personal touch to your event documentation. Here’s how to create a personalised scrapbook that truly captures the essence of your celebration: Choose a theme that matches your event’s mood or decor Include a timeline of significant events leading up to the celebration Add pockets to hold extra photos or mementos Use theme-specific embellishments that reflect the celebrant’s interests Incorporate quotes or lyrics that are meaningful to the person being honoured Leave space for future additions, making it a living keepsake A well-crafted scrapbook becomes a treasure trove of memories that you can revisit for years to come. Lasting Impressions: Keepsakes That Keep On Giving Consider creating keepsakes that serve a purpose beyond the celebration. A custom recipe book compiling favourite recipes from guests or family members can be a treasured item for years to come. You could also create a signature quilt by having guests sign fabric squares that can be assembled later. Plantable favours or customised wine labels for future anniversaries are other great ways to extend the joy of the celebration long after the event has ended. Preserving Memories in Unique Ways Think outside the box when it comes to preserving memories. Create a custom playlist of songs that were meaningful during the celebration and share it with guests. Commission a piece of art that represents the event or the person being celebrated. For outdoor events, consider planting a tree or creating a garden space as a living reminder of the special day. Conclusion: Celebrating Your Way Adding personal flair to your celebrations and keepsakes is about infusing your unique personality and story into every aspect of the event. From the sweet touches of bulk candy displays to the intimate details of personalised mementos, these celebration decoration ideas create a rich tapestry of memories. Remember, the most meaningful celebrations are those that reflect the individuals being honoured. So, let your creativity flow, involve your loved ones, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. After all, it’s these personal touches that transform a simple gathering into an unforgettable experience and create keepsakes that will be cherished for a lifetime. This post is sponsored and may contain links to products or services.

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My Top 10 Sweet Tooth Cravings

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Hi friends! It’s time to join the Share Our Lives link-up and chat about sweet tooth cravings! When it comes to cravings, I’ve always considered myself more of a savoury girl. I can tuck into a platter of cheese, olives, salami and crackers like a champ! I am usually more than happy to choose savoury treats over a slice of cake (especially chocolate cake) any day! But I have to admit, there are a few sweet treats that I can’t resist. Because even this savoury snacker has more than an occasional sugar craving. So, here are my top sweet cravings from someone who’s in denial about being a sweet tooth! Top 10 Sweet Tooth Cravings 1. Chocolate I can’t resist Cadbury hazelnut chocolate or any chocolate that has nuts in it. If I’m going to enjoy some chocolate, it definitely needs to include a nut—whether it’s hazelnut, cashews, or peanuts—yum! But I also have a couple of non-nut chocolates I love and these are Flakes and Cherry Ripes. Oh yes, and I love Dark Chocolate too (with red wine!) 2. Créme Caramel I absolutely love crème caramel, and it’s my go-to dessert whenever I see it on a menu. My aunt, who lived to be 104, gave me a simple recipe for it years ago. I don’t make it often, but I really should because it’s not that hard. In true South American style, the recipe calls for a dash of this and that, but it lacks clear measurements and cooking times, so I always have to take a few chances. It usually turns out delicious, but I often leave it in the oven too long, which makes the consistency not as smooth as I’d like. Figuring out the recipe properly is definitely on my to-do list! 3. Creamy Rice Pudding My mum used to make the best creamy rice pudding (again with the dash of this and that method). I’ve tried to copy it, but I’ve had no luck. Earlier this year, I discovered Wicked Sister Creamy Rice Pudding when I accidentally received a small bag from someone else’s online shopping order. Since we can’t send back wrong orders, I decided to give it a try, and I’m so glad I did! That order also had a couple of other sweet things, like frozen yoghurt, which we now buy regularly as well. Whoever ordered it had good taste and a serious sweet tooth because everything was so good! Now, I buy rice pudding occasionally as a treat, and it tastes very similar to my mum’s, which is surprising, especially since it’s not homemade. 4. Frozen Yoghurt Thanks to the online shopping mix up, I also love frozen yoghurt. It’s lighter than ice cream and has just the right amount of sweetness. If I’m going to enjoy something sweet, I definitely like it to be really sweet! 5. Apple Pie and Ice Cream This classic combo is pure bliss, whether it’s winter or scorching summer. Who cares about the weather? I can eat apple pie and ice cream any time of the year! 6. Snake Lollies My favourite ones are from the Natural Confectionary Company because they’re healthy—only kidding, they just taste better than the other brands. 7. Whipped Coffee Coffee with a thick, creamy layer of whipped goodness on top? Yes, please! I love the combination of strong coffee and the sweet, fluffy texture. So good! 8. Nougat It’s almost that time of year when Aldi starts rolling out all their Christmas sweet treats! Any day now, I’ll be able to grab some of that delicious cranberry, pistachio, and cherry nougat. It’s been a long eleven months without it! 9. Iced Doughnuts I’m all about the strawberry iced doughnuts. I don’t mind the chocolate ones, but nothing beats that pink strawberry glaze! Every time I have something with strawberry flavouring, it makes me feel like a kid again. 10. Strawberries Dipped In Chocolate Hmmmm, the way the sweet, ripe strawberry bursts in your mouth once you crunch through the layer of Cadbury (it has to be Cadbury) chocolate is just heavenly! And there we have my top 10 sweet tooth cravings! Sticky, sweet, and downright delicious treats that somehow always tempt me, even though I think I’m a savoury girl at heart. Linking up with Adrienne, Dara, Jen, Joanne and Sarah.

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends! I’m excited to pop in and share one big favourite for the week, and that is–I finished my placement at this cute long daycare centre!! Wooohooo!! Although I had a wonderful experience and met some passionate, energetic and friendly educators. As well as some gorgeous children who stole my heart. I feel totally wiped out! There’s a good reason why we call daycare centres ‘long daycare centres’ over here: the days are definitely LONG! I’m used to preschool, where we run sessions, and the kids can only attend two or three days a week. The days are much shorter, too, as they can arrive from 8:20 and need to be out of the centre by 3:40. But at long daycare centres, the hours are from 7:30 to 6:00. Some kids are there for full days, five days a week. When I said goodbye today, I felt sad but also relieved and happy that I’ve finished this part of my course. So many mixed emotions. Walking home to start the weekend has never felt better than it did this afternoon! I know all my preschool colleagues are probably groaning because it’s the last weekend before preschool opens after the term break. But I’m excited and can’t wait to get back to my old routine and see all the familiar faces. I’m keeping it short today. I’m excited to be hosting Cousin Connect tomorrow night. So there are a few things I need to get on top of before I can veg out in front of the TV. As Julia Roberts says in Pretty Woman, I want to “be still like vegetables. Lay like broccoli.” Yep, that sounds good to me! Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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How I Prepare For The Holiday Season

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It’s time to link up with Erika and Shay to chat about how we prepare for the holiday season. Over here in Australia, Christmas takes the main spotlight because we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. While I do enjoy getting together with family and dressing up for Halloween, it’s not as popular as it is in other parts of the world. So, when we refer to the holiday season, we really mean Christmas. It’s no secret that the holiday season is my favourite time of year! I honestly feel that half the fun is in all the prep that goes along with it! I love scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram for fresh ideas on tablescapes, new recipes, and decorating inspiration. So much creativity out there! I have to admit, that most of my holiday prep happens about two weeks before Christmas. I do kick things off by putting up and decorating the tree on the first weekend of December, but apart from that, my holiday season prep is pretty nonexistent until panic mode kicks in. Once mid-December hits, my holiday prep goes on steroids! How I Prepare For The Holiday Season So here’s how I prepare for the holiday season once I get into it: Christmas Music I love a good Christmas playlist to get the season going! Although I’m slow to begin my holiday prep, I start playing Christmas music around the end of November or even earlier. Lists There’s the gift list, the food list and the ‘where is everyone going to sit’ list! When we host, I also make a list of how I’m going to rearrange our small house to fit everyone in! Decorate As I mentioned before, I decorate the tree on the first weekend of December. Then I gradually decorate the house adding things like cushions, my Willow Nativity scene, wreaths and fairy lights. Shopping When my kids were little, I would start my shopping in August because that’s when Target had their ‘Great Toy Sale.’ I’m not even sure if they still do that anymore. Now that they’re all grown up, I get them a small gift (usually clothes) and then give them money. I was never a fan of giving money as it seemed a bit impersonal but it’s what they prefer, it saves me a headache and they get to choose what they want. But I sure do miss the days when they would open up their toys. So to keep the nostalgia going. I like to go all out with stocking fillers and I fill them up with things they loved when they were kids. My boys may be all grown up, but items like Lego mini-figures, lollies and treats they loved as kids as well as anything Star Wars-related are always a big hit with them. They laugh and think it’s funny, and it brings back such great memories for all of us! Christmas Games Minute to win it style games have become a big tradition for us! Everyone looks forward to these, and since I’m the one in charge of organising them, it’s one of my major holiday prep tasks. Every year, I think I won’t find new games as fun as the ones from previous years, but somehow I always do. Phew! The year before last, Tortilla Slap was a huge hit, and last year it was Musical Candy Canes. Watching everyone get into the games is one of my favourite parts of our Christmas Eve celebrations because it’s always hilarious! The Food If I see some Christmas ingredients I know I’ll need for the big day, I add them to my online grocery order. Woolworths also has a fantastic rewards program where you earn money off your shop after reaching a certain number of points. I save my points for Christmas and then do one big shop full of festive goodies! My whole family pitches in, and we all contribute to the feast. We work out who brings what close to the day. But it’s always a no-brainer as my aunty cooks the turkey because no one makes it quite like she does, with the best stuffing you could ever imagine. One of my cousins is a charcuterie board master, so he organises a spectacular one for us. I make the lime and macadamia glazed ham, and my other cousins bring delicious sides and sweets to enjoy! My mouth is watering just thinking about our Christmas menu! Christmas Movies Watching Christmas movies is definitely one of the big ways I love to prepare for the holiday season. Some years I feel more Christmassy than others, while other years, the holiday season can feel a bit overwhelming. A sure way to get into the festive spirit is by watching all the gloriously cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies. I love how the endings are always predictably happy. That just about covers how I prepare for the holiday season once I get moving. Thanks so much for stopping by today—I hope you found some inspiration! If you’ve already started your holiday prep, happy prepping!

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Hello Monday

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Hey there, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It’s great to be back on this warm and sunny Monday (hooray, it finally feels like spring again!) with a little weekend recap. Saturday I didn’t have any big plans for Saturday, just catching up on a few things here and there. It was so nice not having to wake up to an alarm! I always sleep better when I know I don’t have to get up for work the next day. Lately, though, falling asleep has been a bit tricky. My brain just won’t switch off! I’m either thinking about my diploma course, planning our trip, singing new nursery rhymes on an endless loop, or stressing about why I’m not asleep yet—then panicking about how many hours I have left before the alarm goes off… ahhhh! But once I do drift off, not even an earthquake could wake me! (well, maybe an earthquake would). Saturday afternoon, I got busy working on my trip planning. I’ve gone completely old-school, reviving my 80s teen self with a notebook, fluoro sticky notes, highlighters, and gel pens. If decorating notebooks had been a subject for the HSC, I would have blitzed it back then! My cousin, who we’re going on the trip with, must have been vibing on the same frequency. She called and asked if they could come over in the afternoon so we could book the accommodation for our three nights at Zion National Park and three nights at the Grand Canyon. Saturday evening turned out to be so fun! I was happy that my cousins could stay for dinner. I made – ravioli with meatballs, salad and garlic bread. My cousins brought doughnuts, and we talked about the USA trip for hours. Now that everything is booked, we’re all excited, ecstatic, over the moon, and every other word in the dictionary that describes elation! We’re also relieved to discover that booking most of our accommodation way back in June was a smart move, as prices have since increased significantly. Go us!! Sunday On Sunday, Sam turned 20! Wow, that’s a big number, and I just don’t know how the years went by so fast. Luke came over, and Steve had to work in the afternoon and evening. We sang a quick ‘Happy Birthday’ before he left for work, but we didn’t cut the cake until hours later, after dinner. Sam had asked for his favourite cake- a cheesecake with blueberries and whipped cream (from a can) on the side. Haha, he loves canned cream! Then Luke, Sam and I went to Sam’s favourite burger truck, Chebbo’s, and had some burgers with fries. They serve amazing burgers and fries! The fries are sprinkled with a delicious seasoning that I haven’t tasted anywhere else—yum! It was a sunny day, and I really loved spending time with my big boys, chatting and catching up. As they get older, it’s harder to find time together, so these moments are pure gold. We came home, and even though I was completely full, I made dinner because there was no way I’d feel like cooking later. Once dinner was done, we did what we always do—spend ages trying to find a movie that none of us had ever seen before. Not an easy task! In the end, we chose Gladiator because neither Sam nor Luke had seen it, and I watched it 24 years ago when it first came out in theatres. I assured them that I wanted to see it again, and I really couldn’t remember it very well. Twenty-four years is a long time! Then, because it was a long weekend and we’re all night owls, Luke picked another movie called Role Models. It had a type of humour that made me want to block my ears many times, but I have to admit, it was funny—crude but funny, sort of. Then Luke went home, and we went to bed. It sure was a relief knowing that I could sleep in the next day! And that was our weekend. What did you all get up to? I hope it was a good one! Thanks so much for being here, and I look forward to being back on Wednesday. Life is pretty busy at the moment with study, work placement, and everything else. I’m trying to keep up with blogging because I love it, but if I’m not here, it means I’ve been inundated with ‘all the things’! I’m giving myself a bit of grace on the days when I don’t get everything done—hello, pile of washing; I see you looking at me! Happy Monday! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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