July 2025 - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

What’s Up Wednesday

It’s time for the July edition of What’s Up Wednesday. Oh my goodness, isn’t the year flying? Here’s a quick look at what we’ve been up to this month—what we’ve been doing, eating, watching, wearing, and everything in between. Let’s go! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK My meal planning days are almost a distant memory (I need to get back on track), and these days, I’m mostly just winging it. I have a vague idea of what I’m going to make each day, and I know we usually have fish on Wednesdays—but that’s about it. For inspiration, I sometimes ask the kids at preschool, “Hey, what should Miss Ruth cook for dinner tonight?” They usually come back with ideas like chocolate soup or chicken nuggets. Hmm… I guess they’re only four and five, so they’re not exactly culinary experts just yet. On Monday night, I made chicken and mushrooms with a creamy sauce, and we ate it with rice and vegetables. On Tuesday, we finished the chicken from Monday night, and I also made some battered cauliflower to go with it. Tonight, we’ll be having barramundi with chips and salad. I’ve got a staff meeting on Thursday, so I’ll be making a quick chilli con carne with guacamole on the side. We’ve still got plenty of avocados from my aunt’s tree. I’m thinking Friday will be turkey burgers. As for Saturday… hmm, it’s a mystery. So, meal planning is now done thanks to this post! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT When I was 5 and my saddest moment was when Lassie finished, and I had to wait until the next day to watch the next episode. WHAT I’M LOVING A few weeks ago, I popped into Priceline and, by pure luck, found a lovely sales assistant who gave me so many great makeup tips. These people are absolute gems! She knew exactly what I needed and pointed me in the right direction with products that actually suited me. I’ve been to high-end makeup counters before and sadly walked away with products that made me look like an Oompa Loompa. So when my lovely work colleague commented the other day, “Wow, your makeup looks really nice—what are you using?” I knew I’d finally cracked it. I’ll share a post soon about the changes I’ve made and my five-minute makeup routine—for people like me who have no time, no patience, and still want to look a little bit glam (or at the very least, not scary). WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO A spontaneous staycation at The Rocks during my winter school holiday break. A visit to the Christmas in July markets. I did a big overhaul of my office space—and now I actually love it! Christmas in July with my cousins. Date nights. I got a haircut during the holidays, and I’m pretty sure my hair grew two inches the very next day. WHAT I’M DREADING I’ve got to put my big girl pants on because I’m off for a breast screen on Monday. Just one of the many joys of being, ahem, over 50. While I’m at it, I’ll also finally get that yearly blood test done. The last time I did one, they told me my white cells were low, so naturally, I did the most “Ruth” thing ever and didn’t go back for three years. Who needs that kind of negativity? But really, I should get on top of these grown-up tests and stop walking in expecting to be told I’ve got three months to live. WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Four weeks till spring! WHAT I’M WATCHING As many Swedish shows and movies as I can find! I love the sound of the language, and I’m also keeping up with Duolingo. Every time I catch a word in a scene, I feel so proud. Subtitles are still very much on—but I’m working on it. I’m also watching MasterChef Australia, and it’s nearly finals time. All of the contestants are very likable. So I don’t mind who wins. Bit of a funny—my family always say I cook better when MasterChef is on. I’m not about to temper chocolate or cook over a hibachi, but it does get me thinking about balancing flavours and getting that umami happening. Look at me using MasterChef words like I know what I’m doing haha! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I’m typing this during my lunch break, and the noise from the playroom is wild. So, I’m listening to pink noise. Have you heard of it? I hadn’t until I searched for white noise on Spotify, and this popped up. I can’t hear any pink—it just sounds like white to me. Curiosity got me, so I Googled it. Turns out, pink noise is like white noise but with more low-end rumble. People say it helps block out noise and helps with sleep. Mystery solved (though I still think it sounds exactly like white noise). WHAT I’M WEARING During cold winter nights, I often wear my cat to keep me warm while I’m watching TV. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND No plans WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH Cousin Connect and my husband’s birthday. And that’s a wrap for July, which turned out to be a pretty good month (despite the cold). Fingers crossed August is kind to us all! Linking up with Shay

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Hello Monday

6 Comments / Hello Monday, Home

Hey friends! Another Monday, another chance to catch up. Here’s a little peek at the weekend—that flew by way too fast! It was the best feeling, sitting in front of the TV, eating dinner on Friday night after what felt like a never-ending week. I had the place to myself—Steve was at work and Sam was out with friends—so I made my favourite pasta bolognese. This time I used bow tie pasta, but I’ve decided that I still prefer spaghetti—nothing beats the slurp! I finished watching Midsummer Night on Netflix—a Norwegian limited series. It was entertaining enough to keep me watching, but by the end, I thought the plot was pretty lame. So I didn’t love it. Saturday On Saturday, I started putting together a movie about our January trip. I use iMovie and I’m familiar with it on my iPad, but I hadn’t ever used it on my Mac desktop before. A few things are different, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. The thing with me and iMovie is that I get so immersed in what I’m doing that hours feel like minutes. I used to make movies for end-of-year preschool celebrations, and projects like this really pull me in. I love figuring out the music, transitions, intros, and titles—and, well, I become a little bit obsessed. I’m trying hard to make it interesting because the last thing I want is one of those endless slideshow-style videos. You know, the kind filled with a million pictures that are only interesting if you were actually there. I want this to be fun, fast, and enjoyable to watch. And I definitely don’t want to put anyone to sleep at our next Cousin Connect when I show it. No snoring, please! Sunday Sunday brunch – scrambled eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, and sourdough. I used the bacon pieces I usually save for quiche because we were out of rashers. I cooked everything (except the scrambled eggs) in the air fryer. And to think I didn’t think an air fryer was for me… ha! Now I can’t imagine life without it. Do you know what I got really excited about on Sunday afternoon? Daylight is sticking around a little longer! I snapped this pic during a quick walk to the shops to pick up some steak for our steak sandwiches that night. Even though our fridge and freezer were packed, we were all craving those sandwiches. It was 5:15 pm and not dark yet. Just a little while ago, it would’ve been pitch black at that time. Yes, sir — spring is coming! Speaking of steak sandwiches, here they are—Sunday night dinner, easy peasy. And that was my weekend. How was yours? I hope it was a good one. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you have an amazing day! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends, welcome to Friday favourites! It’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika and share some of this week’s favourite moments. First Day Back Monday was our first day back at work, starting with a staff development session followed by a staff meeting. It was so good to see my work buddies again—even if it was tough saying goodbye to those lazy school holiday days at home. Two hours into the day, I turned to one of my lovely coworkers and said, “I’m tired.” She laughed and said, “I want to read that in your blog.” So here it is—gotta keep it real. Was I complaining? Yep, I sure was! It’s funny how tired you can feel just sitting down all day. On most days when I’m on my feet a lot, I can hardly wait for a chance to sit. But there I was at the development day, wishing I could move around—my legs were so restless, and my back was stiff. Ooops, five days later and I’m still complaining—time to stop now. 😅 Morning tea and lunch were provided, and food always makes everything better, right? Dinner and a Movie Tuesday night, Steve and I went out for dinner and a movie. We can’t stop going back to Lilong – an amazing Chinese restaurant conveniently located near the movie theatre. The food is just too good! Pork buns, Singaporean noodles and beef with oyster sauce. We went to see Superman, and even though I was excited to go and see it after watching the trailer, I can’t say I loved it. I don’t think any of the remakes have topped the 1980s version with Christopher Reeve. A Sweet Surprise On our walk home, we stopped at McDonald’s for a soft serve with a Flake, and I got the nicest surprise—I was served by a former preschooler who’s now well and truly a teenager. I recognised her huge smile straight away—it’s exactly the same as when she was a little girl. She remembered me, too, and I was proud of myself for remembering her name, which is impressive considering I often forget what I walked into a room for. Evening Tea Routine We always end the evening with a cup of tea and watch something on TV. Instead of the usual teabags, I made tea in a teapot using English Breakfast leaves. I brewed it extra strong—just how I like it—and it felt quite fancy pouring it from my not-so-fancy IKEA teapot. Haha! We enjoyed our tea with some homemade biscuits—macadamia with lemon zest, and they were amazing. Thank you, Chef Steve! It’s so nice to have something to look forward to each day—even little things like our evening tea and TV show routine. Currently Watching We’ve started a new series called The Agency: Central Intelligence on Paramount. It started slow but is building up with just the right amount of intrigue, and now we’re hooked. I think it’s hard to find a good limited series these days. Any recommendations? Oh gosh, the first week back has me feeling all kinds of tired—and confused! Today, I told one of my coworkers, “I’m glad week two is over.” Then I remembered—it’s only week one! No weekend plans for me, so it looks like it’s going to be a quiet one. Hope you all have a relaxing weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by! 😊

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How To Stay Healthy While Working in Childcare

2 Comments / Health and Well Being, Home, Insights Into Early Childhood Education

It’s winter over here in Sydney, and I’ve just gotten home after a very busy day at preschool. If our day had a soundtrack, it would be a symphony of sneezes, sniffles, and coughing. Yep — it’s that time of year again when everyone’s either sick, just been sick, or about to be sick. So I thought I’d share some practical tips on how to stay healthy while working in childcare. Because if you work with kids, you know it’s not exactly easy to stay well when you’re surrounded by runny noses and small hands that touch everything. But looking after yourself isn’t just about dodging germs — it’s also about building in little habits that keep you going strong. So let’s get into it — here are my go-to tips for staying healthy (and mostly sane) all year round. How to Stay Healthy While Working in Childcare Wash Your Hands The number one tip for how to stay healthy while working in childcare is to wash your hands! I don’t know how many times a day I wash my hands, but it’s a lot. If you don’t work with kids, what I’m about to say might sound over the top. But if you know, you know. I wash my hands after I touch anything — toys, equipment, pencils, markers, puzzles, playdough, anything and everything. Because all day long, I see our preschoolers sneeze, suck on things, and pick their noses — then touch everything. Washing my hands so much leaves my skin dry, so I rely on the lovely scented moisturisers I get from preschool families at Christmas — absolute skin savers!Side tip: If you’re ever stuck on what to buy your child’s preschool teacher, a good hand cream is always a winner. A bottle of wine is always welcome, too. 😉 Crouch Smart We educators know it’s important to get down to a child’s eye level when we talk to them — it helps build connection and trust. Unfortunately, crouching often comes with a decent spray of spit to the face. It’s just part of the job. Sigh. And it happens a lot. Over time, you kind of learn which little talkers tend to spray more and prepare yourself accordingly. Easier said than done, though. My strategy now is this: if I know I’m talking to a spraying chatterbox, I still get down low, just not directly in the firing line. It’s a skill, and it usually works. If not… then I run straight to the sink to wash my face. Catch the Sneeze Signal Before It Hits Children have a knack for sneezing straight into your soul, so yes — that tip about dodging the spray definitely applies here too. But here’s something else I’ve learned: If you are having a nice chat with a child and then they pause, it usually means a sneeze is coming your way. They don’t teach this in any diploma or university course, but trust me — that split second of silence is your warning. You need to duck, fall backward, cover your head — or all three. Do whatever it takes to get out of the way.Be a ninja — that’s all I can recommend. Eat Healthy Eating healthy is the way to go to make sure your body is getting all the good things like essential fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and energy to keep you going. In summer, I pack salads with tuna, egg, or chicken. During winter, I like to make a big batch of soup to last a few days. For morning tea, I’ll have a piece of fruit because we eat our morning snack with the kids, and we need to set a healthy eating example. I like fruit, but I have to admit that when I’m at home during term breaks, I don’t always reach for it as a snack. I’d probably end up with scurvy if I didn’t work in childcare! Stay Hydrated I have a gorgeous water bottle with a picture of Princess Leia that I take to work — it’s my motivation for hydration. But drinking enough water at preschool is always a struggle. One reason is that we’re so flat out most of the time that we just forget. And then there’s the other issue: when we do manage to drink more, we just create a new problem — needing to go to the toilet. I think this might be one of the only jobs where you have to announce to another adult, “Hey, I need to go to the toilet,” and then cross your fingers someone’s there to cover you. We have to maintain ratios at all times–meaning the right number of staff have to be with the children at all times. If no one’s free to cover you for five minutes, well… you hold on and hope for the best. Invest in Comfy, Supportive Shoes I love pretty shoes, but I save them for weekends and special occasions. Years ago, when I chose style over comfort at work, I didn’t win. My back ached, my knees hurt, and it was no fun — you can read all about it here. These days, I stick with enclosed shoes I can pop my orthotics into, and just like that — pain-free! Not exactly glamorous, but that’s okay. Pause, Breathe, and Reset No matter how patient and calm you may look and sound on the outside, the inside often tells a different story. The minute Tony Soprano’s voice starts running through my head, I know it’s time to start taking deep breaths. I often click on the mindfulness app on my Apple Watch and do a quick guided breathing session. I also recently came across the QTIP method — “Quit Taking It Personally.” When children’s hands aren’t so friendly or they’re pressing every conceivable button, it’s not personal. It’s usually their frustration or boundary testing. Me getting rattled won’t help anyone. Posture Check Reminders I make a point to check in

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Just popping in to say a quick hello and share a few snaps from mine—thanks so much for stopping by. Saturday Saturday morning, I woke up with a burst of “wait, I’m not ready for the holidays to end!” energy. I guess it was a mix of motivation and mild panic! Suddenly, I had the urge to completely revamp our converted garage, which doubles as my office space. I lay in bed, mentally rearranging furniture and trying to figure out how to make the most of the small space. I guess you could say I had hit that point where I just wasn’t loving being in there anymore. Which is no good because that’s where I blog. And even though I’m usually good at decluttering, it had (I confess) slowly turned into a bit of a dumping ground–yikes! Our house is small, and since we converted the garage, we lost that extra storage space for things like Christmas decorations, fold-up tables and chairs, car cleaning supplies, fans, boxes of random stuff, and 15 cactus-shaped tall drinking glasses with little Mexican hats and straws. You know, essential items–haha! I came up with the idea of running a curtain from almost the ceiling to the floor along one end of the garage to hide all the boxes. Before that, they were “hidden” behind a cute IKEA screen—which only sort of worked if you’re on the shorter side (like me). I spent a lot of years pretending those boxes didn’t exist. Then I swapped out my desk. I had been using a wooden dining table we got for our first rented flat when we were first married. It’s too good to throw out and, gee, I guess it’s sentimental. We saved hard for that perfect dining table, and I remember being pregnant and my husband and I trying to lug it up three flights of stairs to our flat. My bump kept getting in the way as we turned the corners. Back to my office refresh—I swapped the dining table for Sam’s old desk that we’d been storing there. I made a quick dash to Kmart for a curtain rod, white storage boxes, a rug, a curtain, a lamp, and a couple of fake plants. Then I spent most of Saturday afternoon rearranging everything and putting it all together, and voilà—here’s the result. The curtain solution All the boxes are now behind the curtain. And while you can sort of see them through the sheer fabric, it still makes the space feel so much tidier. The chaos is hidden! And here’s the refreshed office area It feels so much brighter and calmer now. I love how these plants will grow in water and no sunlight. Perfect for a plant assassin like me! I mixed things up with a fake plant like this one. I didn’t take any before photos because this whole project was completely spur of the moment. Initially, I thought if my curtain idea to hide all the boxes didn’t work. Then I’d just give the space a quick tidy and leave it at that. So I didn’t bother with photos. I wish that I had because I’m so happy with how it turned out. All the furniture was already in there, but it was just smooshed in. Now it’s placed in a way that actually works, and I love it! My husband thinks I want to move in there (he’s probably right!). Christmas in July My lovely cousin J and her family hosted Christmas in July on Saturday evening. We wore our ugly Christmas jumpers and enjoyed some delicious turkey, ham, roast potatoes, and cornbread muffins from Walmart. I’ve used up all my Jiffy Packet mix, but my cousin is going back in October for a wedding and will be bringing some more back—yay! And that was my weekend. Nothing much happened on Sunday. I spent the day getting a few things done to get ready for going back to work. A few episodes of Seinfeld also kept me happy and distracted from impending reality! How was your weekend? I hope it was a good one. Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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Friday Favourites

5 Comments / Discovering NSW Australia, Friday Favourites, Home, Travel

Hi friends, and welcome to Friday Favourites! Normally, I’m very excited to welcome Friday—but this one means it’s the end of my two-week winter school break… waaahhhh!! Geez, the week went by so fast! Anyway, I’ll wait until Sunday before I launch into the full-blown blues. For now, I’m going to pretend Monday doesn’t exist and recap highlights from my second week of the holidays. Let’s go! Kirribilli Markets Last weekend, my lovely friend and I spent the morning at Kirribilli Markets. We had a great time wandering around and checking out all the stalls. They had everything from handmade crafts and candles to artworks and second-hand clothes. I bought a couple of cute birthday cards and a packet of stickers that will probably last me until I’m a little old lady. I’ve loved stickers since forever, and I don’t see that changing—even when I’m 99 and putting them on my walking frame. Lunch We left the market and walked to a nearby café for lunch—the same one we went to last time we visited the markets. It was cosy and lovely back then, so we were more than happy to return. When you’re onto a good thing, you stick with it! We both ordered the same meals as last time, but jazzed things up with a different tea selection. I had the bacon and egg roll, and what set this one apart from every other I’ve had is the red gum smoked tomato relish. Normally, it’s just tomato sauce (or BBQ sauce). But this relish was next level with the perfect balance of tangy and sweet. I took a photo of the menu because the meals featured native Australian ingredients, which I thought was interesting. After lunch, we walked over the Harbour Bridge and wandered around The Rocks Markets and Circular Quay. I had such a fun day! Staycation Surprise When I got home, I was telling my husband all about the day and some of the places we’d seen. I mentioned a cute little boutique hotel called The Harbour Rocks Hotel, and then he surprised me by suggesting we stay there since he had some days off coming up. He didn’t have to say it twice—I booked us a one-night staycation in record time! We aren’t normally this spontaneous—haha. Staycation Time After I hit “Book Now,” I checked the reviews. Some said it was amazing, while others weren’t so impressed. Classic mixed bag—but I don’t know what the unimpressed guests were on about because we had the best time. The room was compact and clean, and I loved the whole heritage atmosphere of the hotel with its exposed brick walls, timber beams, and warm, inviting feel. The location was perfect too—right in the heart of The Rocks. Interestingly, the hotel was once a wool store back in 1887 called Evans’ Stores. It’s built right where Sydney’s first hospital used to be, and there were some framed photos on the walls showing bits of that history, which I thought was a nice touch. Yikes—this is what one of the rooms must have looked like before it was renovated. In my excitement over the hotel’s historic charm, I forgot to take a photo of our room. My husband did, but it’s on his phone and he’s at work. I did take a pic of the cute lobby and pretty hanging lights. We checked in just after midday, then headed straight to The Fortune of War Pub for lunch. Good old fish and chips! Then we walked all around Circular Quay, the Opera House, and the Royal Botanic Garden. I zoomed in to catch a photo of some people doing the Bridge Climb. Haha, from a distance, they looked like little ants scrambling up there. In the evening, we had a snack in the restaurant attached to the hotel. Fried feta-stuffed olives, carrot dip and pita bread with a couple of glasses of wine. Christmas in July Markets After our snack, it was time to get festive at the Christmas in July markets. We were in full holiday mode and didn’t realise the restaurants closed early since it was a Wednesday. Over the holidays, every day feels like Saturday to me! Luckily, we made it just in time before the kitchen closed at this burger and ribs place. I had a beef patty with salad and sweet potato fries, and Steve went for the burger–ribs combo. Day Two–Breakfast and Bridge Walk The next morning, we had breakfast at a Mediterranean restaurant called Tayim. I had the shakshuka with the most delicious crunchy chickpeas—so yum! Then it was time to walk off all the food with another big walk—this time across the bridge to North Sydney. Steve tried to convince me the bridge was closed for the day. In fact, he said all walking was banned across Sydney, and we should just relax back at the hotel. Nice try! I didn’t buy any of it and told him it was time to put that new knee to good use. After we crossed the Bridge to North Sydney, we wandered around for a bit before catching the ferry back to Circular Quay. We just missed one, but with views like this at Milsons Point Wharf for the next 22 minutes, it wasn’t exactly a struggle. This was our view from the ferry—I’ve seen this bridge a gazillion times, but I never get tired of it. What a fun, spontaneous staycation we had and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was cold, but oh so sunny! I thought I’d get more blogging done while off work, but instead, I swapped work for rest, catch-ups, and a really lovely night away. So, I missed blogging on Wednesday. But it felt great to be back today. Thanks so much for stopping by! Happy Friday 😊 Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Best Holiday Memories

9 Comments / Home, Travel

Hi friends, it’s time to link up for the July edition of Share Our Lives. Today, we are sharing our best vacation memory. I’m a champion overthinker, so when I read the prompt, I thought, “Hmm, one vacation memory — only one? That’s a bit like picking a favourite child.” Also, we don’t usually say vacation here in Australia — we say holidays. For us, anything that involves not being at work or school is a holiday! But of course, I understood what the prompt meant. And I also love that one of the fun things about these link-up prompts is that there’s room to make it your own. So instead of choosing just one, I’m sharing three of my best holiday memories. It’s no surprise that every one of them involves family or friends — travel memories stick best when they involve your favourite people. So, here are three of my best holiday memories — starting with a trip from way back. Budgewoi I wish I had some photos to share, but this trip happened way back in the good old ’80s — when cameras were chunky and mobile phones didn’t even exist. I guess nobody thought to bring along a camera for this trip, because I don’t have any photos. That’s okay, though, because the memories swirl in my head like snapshots from one of the best childhood holidays ever. Let me take you back. Picture this: Sydney, 1985 — it was a scorching hot summer, and Madonna’s Like A Virgin album on tape (yes, cassette tape) was my favourite! My family went on holiday with two other families who had daughters around my age. We were all friends, and we rented caravans at a caravan park in Budgewoi. I had never heard of Budgewoi before, but I remember being so excited because I was going to hang out with my Madonna-loving friends. Back then, Budgewoi was a quiet, laid-back spot on the New South Wales Central Coast. I don’t think it’s ever really become the beach holiday destination, even today. But I did a quick Google search, and I can see the caravan park has had a good makeover. When we were there, it had a bit of a Bates Motel vibe — not in a creepy way. But the décor was definitely from that time. The four of us girls spent the whole trip giggling, swimming in the pool, playing the only arcade game in the milk bar, and talking endlessly. I remember one night we were playing a board game and laughing so hysterically. A lady from the caravan next to us banged on our door and told us to keep it down. Yikes — we were good girls who weren’t used to getting in trouble! So we had to keep laughing in silence, which of course made it even funnier. We laughed so hard we snorted! Fast forward to a completely different kind of holiday and one that’s very close to my heart. Hawaii in the year 2000 My uncle (my mum’s brother), aunt, and their three grown-up kids moved from Australia to New York and eventually to Hawaii in 1982. So, for the first 12 years of my life, we had family living close by. We spent weekends together, celebrated Christmases and birthdays, and went on camping trips. They were my world. Then one afternoon, my uncle came over to tell us they’d finally had their U.S. visas approved. WHAT??? Amazing news for them… but not so much for me. A few months later, they packed up and left. Waaaahhhh! My mum and I visited my family in Long Island, New York, two years after they left Australia, in 1984. That was a wonderful trip full of fantastic memories. But the visit that really stands out is the time we saw them in Hawaii in 2000. We spent a whole week with them, and once again, I felt like a kid, surrounded by family I loved and had missed so much. This is me with my mum and my uncle, standing right outside my uncle’s home in Hawaii Kai. It also stands out as one of my most treasured holiday memories because, little did we know, it would be the last time we saw my uncle. He passed away in 2004 from a massive heart attack, leaving us all devastated. And then there’s the most recent trip — an epic adventure with my family full of incredible moments. Cousin Connect Adventure 2025 Oh gosh, if I never went on another trip again, that would be okay — because this one was everything! So many memories, all still fresh in my mind — how do I even pick just one?? The road trip, meeting up with my family in LA, walking the same paths where Luke, C-3PO, and R2-D2 roamed in Death Valley, driving through Las Vegas, hugging Minnie, getting dropped at what felt like 100 km/h on The Guardians of the Galaxy ride, snorkelling in Waikiki, hiking The Narrows… But out of all those amazing experiences, there’s one day that truly stands out for me. So, here goes — I’ll pick one of the best memories from the trip: walking through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland. The Force is strong with our family — we’re huge fans, especially my cousin J and me. But I never, ever in a million years thought I’d get to experience this with them. I can confidently say it was one of the best days of my life (shh — just between you and me, maybe the best day!). I know, I know — that’s a big call, and I don’t want to take anything away from my wedding day or the birth of my children. But this day really tops all the rest, and it’s definitely my number one best holiday memory. Thanks for coming along on this little trip down memory lane with me. I hope it brought back some happy memories for you,

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Friday Favourites

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Hello friends, and welcome to Friday Favourites! I’m sharing some of the highlights from my first week of the school holidays—it was a fun one that flew by way too fast! Dinner With Friends We had a nice evening catching up with friends for our monthly get-together at the local RSL. The bistro is usually quiet on a Monday night, but this time it was buzzing with a big crowd celebrating someone’s special occasion. They’d taken our usual table, so we ended up sitting at a long one, which made it harder to chat with everyone. I sat next to the friend I’m closest to in the group, and we caught up on life. Time had flown by, and I realised we hadn’t had a proper conversation in ages. The bistro is under new management, and this was my second time trying their updated menu. I’ve been impressed both times, even though I liked the food from the old menu. The portions were huge, and everything was fresh and full of flavour. I had the grilled fish with chips and salad. One of our friends brought a cake to share, which is one of the great things about eating at this RSL—you can bring your own dessert, and they don’t mind. RSLs aren’t exactly my favourite places, but for this kind of casual catch-up, it works perfectly. The food is nice and reliably good, we always get a table, and it’s never too noisy, so we can talk and hear each other. Shopping Day On Tuesday, I caught up with my fun shopping queen friend. Whenever we go shopping, we seem to have a mission. Sometimes it’s finding the perfect lipstick, sometimes hats, and other times clothes. This time, it was to find a new fragrance. Can you tell? This was us at lunch with all our sample cards. In the end, our noses got confused, and we aborted the mission for another time. Stay tuned! Lunch Lunch was so good! We tried a French brasserie called Manon, which a work friend had highly recommended. I ordered the tuna baguette, and it was so delicious, I didn’t expect it to be that good! I love tuna on sandwiches and rolls, etc., but this baguette was on another level. It had big flavours like anchovies, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, all drizzled with a zesty green dressing. The egg on top mellowed out those big flavours. Yum! I would have loved to pick up the baguette and eat it with my hands, but that was a no-no. So I ate it with a knife and fork instead, which wasn’t easy. I was trying to keep it classy, but I felt like George Costanza eating a Snickers bar with cutlery. Have you seen that Seinfeld episode? 😂 My friend ordered the escargot and kindly offered me one. I like to think I can eat almost anything—even rocks—but I’m not quite there yet when it comes to snails. I’ve heard they are very delicious, so maybe one day. Hot Chocolate Then I ordered the thick hot chocolate, which, according to Instagram, is the best hot chocolate ever. As in, “don’t leave Manon without trying it.”Umm… not for me. It was thick—like ganache-on-a-cake thick. I added a small dollop of cream… and I’m pretty sure my arteries started hardening the minute I tasted it. I might’ve risked a coronary if it had tasted amazing, but the Swiss Milk hot chocolate I have at home is way better. So I had a few sips and left the rest, which is totally unlike me. I usually polish off everything. That’s okay—the baguette was great, and I’m glad I gave the hot chocolate a try. A Sunny Walk Wednesday was a lazy day, and it was so sunny! After doing a few chores around the house, I went for a long walk. Oh my gosh, I can’t tell you how fun it is to do chores during the day instead of rushing around getting them done before or after work. I enjoyed it! I did a fast-paced, hour-long walk, and even though it was sunny, I didn’t feel warm until about 30 minutes in. On the way, I passed the fruit shop and picked up some apples because I suddenly started craving a smoothie. When I got home, I made a green smoothie. It kind of looked like split pea soup, and you should have seen my husband’s face when I offered him a taste. But it was delish! I laughed when I checked my step count after my walk—9999 steps! Just one step short of 10,000. Missed it by that much! I was meant to go out with another lovely friend today, but I woke up with a sore neck and a headache. So, we rescheduled for Sunday. We’re planning to visit the Kirribilli Markets, and the weather forecast is promising a sunny 20ºC. I can’t wait! And that’s a wrap for this week’s favourites. And just like that, the first week of the school holidays is over… waaaahhhh! I’m hoping next week goes by at a snail’s pace. Fingers crossed! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you have a great weekend. See you on Monday! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Things I Enjoy About Winter — From a Non-Winter Lover

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Some days have been rainy, windy, dark… and just plain freezing. I’m not loving it, BUT every time I start to spiral into dramatic thinking—like, “That’s it. It’s been four weeks, one day, 18 hours and 39 minutes since the start of winter, and I cannot take it anymore!”—I try to catch myself, turn it around, and squeeze out a few positives. I mean, surely there are things to enjoy about winter… right? So this season, I’ve set a goal: to (gulp) embrace winter.With that in mind, today I’m sharing seven things I love. Wait—no. Seven things I like. Actually… let’s go with enjoy. That feels like a safe middle ground between love and like, and far, far away from hate. Don’t you agree? So here we go – seven things I enjoy about winter. 7 Things I Enjoy About Winter No Insects, Anywhere! Yep, it’s too cold even for the bugs–so that’s a huge bonus. I’m terrified of anything that crawls. Ladybugs and ants are acceptable, but anything bigger and I’m outta there! It’s no secret that I love hot summer days — but the moment a giant cockroach crosses my path, the first thing I think is, ok, maybe winter’s not so bad. We have our place sprayed for bugs, so I’m pretty safe at home. But there’s always that one Terminator-type cockroach that takes the catchphrase “I’ll be back” way too seriously— shudder. Warm Lights As you know, sadly, winter means shorter days, and it starts getting dark around 5 to 5:30 pm. But the upside is that I get to light all the pretty tealights and switch on the lamps. I also love burning scented candles, along with the simple white ones I buy in a box of 20 from IKEA. The house just feels so cozy with all the warm, flickering light. The Scandinavians really know what they’re doing when it comes to surviving long, dark winters. I like to take a leaf out of their hygge manual and make the house feel warm, cozy and glowy with soft lighting. Hot Drinks I’m usually a tea drinker in the evenings, but in winter I like to mix things up a bit. Sometimes I’ll have a cup of Swiss Miss hot chocolate because it’s the best! Cozy Throws I keep a basket of throw covers in the lounge room, and we all love using them when we’re snuggled up watching TV. We also have throws on the lounge, but we don’t use those — they belong to Mochi, our cat, who loves to chew on them. She’s so naughty… cute but naughty. Comfort Food I think I could eat comfort food all year round because it’s just so delicious, but I especially love it when it’s cold. We’ve been eating soup lately — correction, I’ve been eating soup. My family doesn’t like soup (I can’t understand this!), but they love everything else. So we all have been enjoying things like casseroles, pot roast, cottage pie, lasagna, and roasts with gravy — always lots and lots of delicious gravy. Mmmm, I’m getting hungry again. Winter Fashion Okay, I have to give it to winter fashion. Even a non-winter-lover like me has to admit it’s one of the things I enjoy most about winter. Once I get past the shock of peeling off my pyjamas in our chilly bedroom to put on something a little more exciting, I love playing around with layers — mixing and matching cosy jumpers, scarves, and boots. There’s just something quite elegant about bundling up in a classic coat. Sometimes I wonder if I could get away with wearing pyjamas all day, as long as I added a stylish coat and scarf. Maybe not. Oh well. Winter definitely wins for classy dressing. Movie Marathons and Binge-Watching Winter is the perfect excuse to stay in and enjoy movie marathons or binge-watch favourite shows, minus the guilt. I mean, what else can you do when it’s too cold and miserable to go anywhere unless absolutely necessary? Yep, I love wrapping myself up on the couch and zoning out while the cold rages outside. Plus, snacks. Always snacks. So there you have it — seven solid reasons to enjoy winter this year. Wow, I’m proud of myself. I honestly didn’t think I’d come up with even one! When I started this post, I thought, “Why am I even bothering? I don’t like winter at all.” But these seven reasons are straight from the heart, and now I’ve got them ready to pull out whenever I need a little reminder. I’m working on swapping out complaining for a bit of gratitude over here — brrrrr! What’s one thing you enjoy about winter? I’m always looking for new cozy ideas to add to my list.

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, and happy Monday! It’s time to link up with Holly and Sarah to share a little weekend recap — thanks so much for stopping by 😊 Pizza and Netflix for Friday Night. We rarely have takeaway, so this felt like a special treat to celebrate the start of the winter school holidays. I plonked myself on the couch and watched episode after episode of a Norwegian show on Netflix called Pernille, which is about a middle-aged single mum raising teens and looking after her own father. It’s a drama-comedy — mostly comedy, so I guess you’d call it a dramedy. I like that it’s light and fun and doesn’t stress me out with any heavy plots. It’s exactly what I need at the moment. I’m using these holidays to recover from Term 2, which — as I mentioned in my Friday Favourites post— is never my favourite. But this year, it was extra challenging. I won’t say anymore except… sigh. Saturday I only had a short evening to relax before heading back to work for a couple of hours on Saturday. The PMC organised a family event at the local park, so I went along to help out. I didn’t have much to do except chat with my coworkers and the preschool families. The children enjoyed getting their faces painted and filling up on sweet treats. They also thought it was a hoot to see their teachers in the wild — haha! It was a funny way to start the term break — going to work on a Saturday. But that’s okay — now I can get on with some serious holiday fun! Sunday I went to my aunt’s house for lunch. She made the most delicious pot roast with mashed potatoes — excellent winter comfort food. Before I left, she picked some giant avocados from her tree and gave me a whole bag full. What a treat! Gosh, those avocados are nearly as big as my head! Here’s a size comparison with a regular supermarket avocado. Big, huh? Monday No alarm this morning — except I guess I’m used to waking up at 6:30, because you guessed it, I woke up right at 6:30. I’ll have to shake that habit off quick smart. A yummy brunch. Then in the afternoon, I watched Irish Wish, starring Lindsay Lohan, on Netflix. It was light and cute — did I really love it? Well, no, but I did like it. It’s a good, easy watch, and I recommend it if you’re in the mood for that kind of movie. I’m about to get ready for dinner with friends at the local RSL. I’ll be back here on Wednesday — hope to see you then. Take care.

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