January 2026 - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

Friday Favourites

Hi friends, happy Friday! So glad you’re here. Oh my goodness, it is so hot and humid over here. I just got home from work and had to jump straight into the shower before I could even sit down to write about a few of my favourite things from the week. Now that I’m feeling squeaky clean, I can think a little better. Ok, so let’s get into it. Today I have five quick favourite moments from my first week back at work. 1 First up, I’m so happy to share that this week has been a positive start at work. After feeling more than a bit unsure, it has been really nice to ease into the week and feel that things are heading in the right direction. I don’t want to say too much and jinx anything, but I’m tiptoeing my way into feeling optimistic about this preschool year. Phew! 2 Hello, shiny new coffee machine! Normally, it’s instant coffee for us at work, so this feels like a major upgrade. I’m enjoying figuring out which strength and blend I prefer, and yes, this machine stores your own coffee profile. I had no idea this was even a thing. This is my first real experience in the world of coffee machines, as I only have a plunger at home. I’ve had more coffee than usual the past couple of days and had to cut myself off before heading down the road to heart palpitations—yikes! 3 On Monday, I shared that one of the positives of going back to work was that I eat a lot healthier. While I often look at my salads and wish that I had the power to turn them into a Big Mac, I know that this is better for me. 4 Thursday afternoon, Sam texted that he had arrived safely in Bali. Maybe one day I’ll get used to it, because I have a feeling he’s going to be someone who loves to travel. But I don’t love it when my boy is way up high on a plane. Even though I know flying is the safest mode of transport, I can’t help feeling anxious. I’m also not sure if it’s helpful to track him on Flight Radar, but I did anyway. 5 Steve and I went out for happy hour at Humphrey’s. Cheers to Sam and his friends landing safely! That’s week one, term one, done and dusted. This work week went way better than I expected, and I couldn’t ask for more. Well… yes, I can—I want more weeks like this one, please! Now it’s time to enjoy the weekend, which looks like a very quiet one at home. I don’t have any plans, and I think I’m ready to watch the last season of Stranger Things. I’ve been holding off because I didn’t want it to end, but the longer I leave it, the more chance there is of getting spoilers, right? Hope you all have a lovely weekend! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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What’s Up Wednesday

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Hi friends, it’s great to be back linking up with Shay for What’s Up Wednesday. The last time I joined was back in September last year. Then everything got on top of me with work, and I had to put a pause on blogging. After a lovely summer break, I’m excited to be back and hoping for a much better year at work. We’ve had two staff development days, and tomorrow we meet the new children starting preschool. Not going to lie, I’m a bit traumatised after last year, but it’s going to be okay, isn’t it? Anyway, I’ll stop the nervous babbling and let’s get onto sharing a little about January. Thanks so much for stopping by. January What’s Up Wednesday WHAT WE’RE EATING One of the best things about staff development days is getting to enjoy a catered lunch as a team. This time, we had salads, mini chicken schnitzel burgers, and fruit. My insides are already thanking me for all of these fresh, healthy choices. Last night, my husband cooked Veal Chasseur with mashed potatoes and green beans. Tonight he made a chicken stir fry with vermicelli noodles. Tomorrow night we’re going out for dinner, and after that I have no idea what we’re eating on Friday or over the weekend. I think I’m taking a break from meal planning this year. With Steve cooking three nights a week, we just chat about those nights, and the rest of the time, I’m winging it. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I’ve been missing the days when my kids were little, and we all lived under one roof. Wow, those days flew by so fast! There’s an eleven-year age gap between my boys, and when they were younger, I often wondered if we had rocks in our heads for waiting so long before having another baby. It wasn’t always easy having a teen and a toddler at the same time, and they weren’t always the best of friends back then. Thankfully, that all changed. Even though my eldest has moved out, they love each other, are in regular contact, and my youngest looks up to his older brother for all things life advice, world political news, and, of course, anything to do with gaming. WHAT I’M LOVING Sitting on the verandah in the warm sunshine. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO We kicked off 2026 by booking a trip to Singapore and Japan. Yay! I painted the living room with a fresh coat of white paint. Over the summer holidays, we enjoyed eating out at our favourite places and tried some new ones too. We tried Jimmy’s Kitchen, a Greek restaurant at the rocks, and I think this was one of our new favourite discoveries. The food at Jimmy’s Kitchen was delicious, and walking around Sydney Harbour at night was magical. Seeing the Opera House lit up never gets old. We enjoyed a small Cousin Connect at our place in January, as most of the cousins were away. WHAT I’M DREADING Sam’s off to Bali for 7 days with his friends tomorrow. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m dreading it, but I know the worrier in me is going to be… well, worried. I know he’ll have an amazing time, and he’s doing what young people do—enjoying an adventure with his friends. It’s all part of life, and I’m really happy he has this opportunity. But I’ll be so glad when he’s back home. WHAT I’M WATCHING I’ve been watching The Nanny, and now I’ve got my husband hooked. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I’m back to listening to Lovefly podcasts to get ready for our Cousin Connect adventure. Did I mention I’m scared of flying? Probably only about a million times. WHAT I’M WEARING Now the holidays are over, it’s back to work clothes for me. I have a capsule summer wardrobe made up of comfortable pieces from Uniqlo. It’s usually a black, white, or green t-shirt with linen pants or shorts… and then repeat. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND I have zero plans at the moment. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH It’s birthday month for me, and I’m keeping up the tradition of doing something special every week for the whole of February. Just a few spontaneous things I wouldn’t normally do, nothing big. I started this after my work buddy, who celebrates her birthday the day before mine, told me all about how she does it. She shared it with me after I was complaining about getting older. And just like that, January is almost over. How was your January? I hope it was a good one 😊

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Five Favourite Things: Summer Holidays and Back to Work

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Hi friends, I hope you all had a lovely weekend. With the holidays coming to an end and work starting again tomorrow (waaaahhh!!!), I thought I’d share my five favourite things about being on summer holidays. And because I’m trying really hard to be positive, I’ll also share my five favourite things about going back to work. My Five Favourite Things About Being on Summer Holidays Time Oh my gosh, having time to do things is probably my favourite. It’s the best feeling when you know that if you don’t get something done one day, it’s totally okay, because there’s always the next day… and the next. No Alarm Waking up naturally without an alarm is pure luxury. Tomorrow I’ll be back to turning on my usual three alarms for 6, 6:30, and 7. Seven is the absolute latest I can get up, and it’s always set to the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly theme music because if I get up any later than 7, it’s going to get real ugly. Getting Things Done Around the House I keep a pretty consistent cleaning routine. But nothing beats having the time to get stuck into jobs like washing the sofa covers and curtains, decluttering a cupboard, or painting the living room. I think painting the living room tops the list for me these holidays. This was a chore that I had been putting off for the last few years. So I feel like a real hero ticking this one off the list! Just Being at Home I’m such a homebody, and I love, love, love being at home. Going Out This homebody also loves to go out, so it was fun to do shopping trips into the city, dinner dates, and even just popping up to the supermarket felt like a treat. Although these holidays, I spent most of the time at home. Five Favourite Things About Going Back To Work Okay, so now onto my five favourite things about going back to work… zero. Oops, I said I needed to be positive. Let’s go. I’ll See My Work Friends I work with some pretty great people, and it’s always a highlight to catch up with them. I know I’ll walk in tomorrow and there will be a whole lot of hugging and excited chatter, and then we’ll begin the countdown until the next term break. Walking I feel a bit like a slug at the moment, and I know I’ve put on a couple of extra kilos. I’m looking forward to getting back to my fast-paced walks to and from work. Back to My Favourite Classroom This year, I get to go back to my preferred classroom. We swap rooms each year, and last year I was in the bigger room, which I didn’t love. It was awkward to arrange the tables and chairs, and much noisier because of the high ceilings and echoey space. Our centre isn’t purpose-built; it’s actually an old historic building converted into a preschool back in 1950. So I’m really excited to be back in the smaller, cozier classroom. Healthy Eating I’m looking forward to going back to fruit for morning tea and salads for lunch. Being at home, it’s so tempting to dip into snacks and treats all day. I need a good, forced detox, and going back to work is the only way. My New Lunch Box and Water Bottle Speaking of healthy eating, I got a fancy Kate Spade lunch box and drink bottle from my boys for Christmas. I love all things food-related, and now with my favourite new lunch set, I have even more reason to count down the minutes to my favourite part of the workday—my lunch break. As hard as it is to let go of the holidays, I’m grateful to have a job, that my body is still able to keep up with the demands of being an educator, and that I work with some really lovely people. Wish me luck! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends, it’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika to share some highlights from my week. Let’s go!! One One of my favourite moments this week was sitting on my verandah, soaking up some Vitamin D (good for my bones as I get older), drinking coffee, and jotting down dates in my new 2026 diary that my friend gave me for Christmas. Two The postman came while I was there, and I received a postcard from my cousin, who went to New Zealand five weeks ago. Haha, that’s snail mail for you! I’ve actually already seen her, but it was so nice of her to think of me while on holiday. Three When my boys were little, I would let them pick a box of sugary cereal for the school holidays. Now that they’re grown men and eat men food, I’ve kept the tradition for myself and buy a box of my favourite cereal, Rice Bubbles. I actually don’t even eat cereal except when I’m on holidays, get up late (won’t say how late), and can enjoy it properly. Four I lit this cute candle I got from one of the preschoolers as a Christmas gift. It has a lovely scent, and the little gold propeller on top spins as the flame burns. The temperatures were much cooler this week, which is why I actually used a candle. I can’t even look at a flame on those boiling hot summer days. Five The cooler temps made me crave soup, so I made a chicken and vegetable one. I always add Parmesan cheese to mine after I heat it up. It’s something I learned as a kid from my mum’s best friend. We would all get together at their house, and while my mum chatted, I would play with her daughter, who is now my longtime friend, and for lunch we would have soup with Parmesan cheese. I caught up with her last year at her dad’s memorial. Somehow, we got onto the topic of soup, not sure how, and we both said at the same time, “With Parmesan cheese!” She was amazed that I remembered. How could I forget such an incredible taste sensation? Six I saw a huge jar of pickles at Aldi and took a pic to send to the family group chat. We are a close family divided by our love for pickles. About half don’t like them, and half do. I’m team pickle all the way. But I didn’t buy this massive jar, that would be a bit too crazy. Seven Yum, a glass of Merlot and chocolates on Wednesday evening. We didn’t have any dark chocolate, so we cracked open a box of another thoughtful Christmas gift from a preschooler. Working as an educator has some big benefits, don’t you agree, hehe. Eight My favourite evening this week was when my eldest son and his partner came over for dinner. We started with some mini quiches and crumbed prawns before tucking into some family favourites. I made South American food, which I don’t normally make because there are too many steps and I have to follow a recipe. While we enjoyed our entrees around the coffee table… we watched a YouTube clip of Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, and his speech from the World Economic Forum in Davos, and oh wow! I think this might be my most favourite of all the favourites. I loved that, as a family, we watched a truly memorable, historic speech, and it gave us hope. And just like that, my five-week end-of-year break is coming to a fast end, bah! I start back next Tuesday after Australia Day. But shhh, let’s not talk about that and just get on with enjoying the weekend. Happy Friday!

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Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Bake

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Hey friends! I thought I’d share my Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Bake recipe, which my family loves. Because if your family gives a recipe two thumbs up, you know it’s worth sharing, right? It’s the perfect winter warmer, though I make it all year round, and when it’s super hot I serve it with a salad for an instant summer dish 😉 If you’re after a comforting, hearty dinner that’s full of flavour, this creamy garlic chicken and mushroom bake is for you. Tender, golden-browned chicken thighs, a luscious sauce, tender potatoes, and mushrooms all come together in one oven dish. I have to say upfront: I don’t follow exact measurements. I cook by taste and sight, but here’s a rough guide. Remember, you can always tweak it as you go. Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Bake Ingredients 6–8 chicken thigh fillets 4–5 medium potatoes, chopped in quarters or sliced (optional, but they get incredibly tender and soak up the sauce beautifully) 1 onion (red or white), chopped 3 sticks of celery, chopped 4–6 cloves garlic, minced (plus extra for rub) Mushrooms, sliced (as many as you like! I use 500 g) Olive oil Paprika, salt, and pepper Cream (or a mix of cream and chicken stock) White wine (a good splash) Plain flour to thicken the sauce Optional: a chicken stock cube How I make it: Pat the chicken dry and rub it with garlic, olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat a little oil in a pan and brown the chicken on both sides—those golden bits are everything. Set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion, celery, extra garlic, and mushrooms. Scrape and mix in all the little brown bits from the chicken as they’re pure flavour gold. Sprinkle in a bit of flour, then gradually add cream (or cream + stock) and a splash of white wine, stirring until it all comes together. Taste and adjust as you go—a little more salt, pepper, or a stock cube if you like. Just be mindful not to get carried away and make it salty. Putting it all together: Drizzle olive oil in a large baking dish and layer the sliced potatoes. Place the browned chicken thighs on top. Pour the creamy mushroom sauce over everything so it’s all coated. Cover with foil and bake at 180°C / 350°F until the chicken and the potatoes (if you are adding them) are cooked through. I always go by my thermometer because I’m terrified of serving undercooked chicken. As a rough guide, this usually takes around 50–60 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes if you like a slightly golden top. Finishing touch (optional but delicious): Right before serving, if you have parsley or spring onions, chop and sprinkle them over the top. Spring onions add a lovely little crunch, and parsley gives a fresh, bright flavour—together they make it extra tasty and look great. If you don’t have either, a sprinkle of dried herbs works just as well. Serving ideas: My family loves this with rice, as it soaks up all that creamy sauce beautifully. It’s also perfect on its own with bread or alongside a fresh salad. The magic: This Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Bake recipe is all about cooking by taste and sight, tasting as you go, and trusting your instincts. It’s easy, comforting, and made with love, just like my mum’s cooking, but with my own twist.

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, happy Monday. Today I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah and sharing a little about my weekend. Thanks for being here 😊 Well, this weekend sure was a quiet one, and that’s all ok. I love me a quiet weekend, especially when it’s raining, and oh boy, did we get a tonne of rain over here. Saturday We had a lot of eggs in the fridge, so I thought I would make a quiche. The only problem was that I had no bacon. I googled what else you can add to a quiche when you have no bacon. And although a few options came up, none of them sounded as good as the ones with bacon. So I thought I’d walk up to the local fruit shop, where they sell more than just fruit. They also have a whole lot of things from places like Italy, Greece, and Macedonia. It’s like a little continental deli, full of dips, olives, cheeses, sausages, tins of goodies from all over and good old bacon. I’ve hardly walked anywhere while I’ve been on holidays, so I was excited to get out and get some steps happening. But when I walked out of the house, it was drizzling, and the sky looked pretty dark. I went back in, grabbed my keys, and decided I’d better take the car. By the time I turned onto a pretty major road, it was bucketing! I could barely see what was in front of me, even with the wipers on full blast. Great, I thought, this is where I die… all for some darn bacon! It was only a short drive, but it felt endless. I was too scared to even try turning back, so I may have muttered a few bad words and just had to keep going. The puddles were huge, and I was so glad nobody was on the footpath, or they would have been soaked by the tidal waves everyone’s tyres were making. On the way home, it was still pouring, but not like it was on the way there. I took the back streets this time and made it back safely. I also bought a few other things, because that’s just what I always do whenever I go out for one thing. Do you do that too? Sunday Guess what? After all these years, I discovered The Nanny! I’m loving it and spent most of Sunday binge-watching it. I remember when it first came on TV, all the way back in 1993, and it never really appealed to me. That was the year my oldest son was born, so maybe I was a bit distracted and not paying attention to the world of comedy back then. If you have watched the show, you’ll know the theme song. She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing, Queens. ’till her boyfriend kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes. What was she to do? Where was she to go? She was out on her fanny. Fanny! Do you know what fanny means here in Australia? It’s rude!! I won’t give you a definition here because, blush 🤭 You’ll have to look it up, and then you’ll understand why we call fanny packs bum bags over here. Anyway, that was my weekend. Now I’m off to watch more episodes of The Nanny and sing that very catchy theme song, hehe. I hope you have a wonderful day or night, wherever you may be.

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Five Friday Favourites

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Hi friends its time to share five favourites on this sunny Friday. Thanks so much for stopping by! One I really love sitting out the front of our house to drink my coffee or any other beverage. But until this week, we didn’t have anywhere to sit. The chairs we’d had there for years went out with the council clean-up about six months ago, and we hadn’t got around to replacing them, so I was using the front steps. This week, we finally got a small three-piece set, and it fits perfectly. Now we have somewhere comfortable to sit, drink, read, and enjoy. Sure beats the steps, which weren’t very comfy! Two You know you’re a full-grown adult when you get genuinely excited about a shiny, clean shower screen, right? About five years ago, my husband got a Karcher Window Vac for his birthday, and I think he used it once. I pulled it out this week and thought, why not try it on the ensuite shower screen? Bingo, what an aaahh moment, and I’m never going back. That Karcher Window Vac is all mine now. Three The other day, it was my turn to pick a movie, actually, it’s always my turn, which is totally okay with me–hehe. A couple of weeks ago, I picked a real dud called A House of Dynamite, so this time I had to regain my top movie-picker status. I chose Everybody’s Fine with Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, and Kate Beckinsale. Some of my favourite actors, and the movie was so good! I won’t spoil it, but it’s about a man whose wife has died and who wants to reconnect with his grown-up kids. I think it really hit me because of where we are in life. One of our boys flew the nest years ago, and the other, while he has no plans to go anywhere, I know the day will come. The movie had me sobbing at the end. I haven’t cried this much since I watched Titanic! I don’t usually like films that make me sad, but this wasn’t a bad sad. It was a heartfelt sad. Maybe I could relate because it feels like only a minute ago our kids were little, and now they’re not. Watch it. I’m sure you’ll love it. Four We walked up to a local Japanese restaurant for dinner on Tuesday night. I’d been there before with a friend and had told my husband how good it was. Since we’d just booked our trip to Singapore and Japan on Sunday, we were both excited to enjoy some Japanese food. A little pre-trip treat before the real experience. Only 80 days to go! The countdown is officially on. Yikes! It’s the holidays. Well, I’m still on holidays, so we’re doing things we wouldn’t normally do. Like going to a dessert bar for a sundae as big as my head. It had half a waffle, brownies, and little crunchy things. It was delicious, but I would never go back again. Big desserts scare me, and I was glad we shared. Five This week, my husband and I had a lovely couple of days away in Gosford for our 36th wedding anniversary. Whoa, that’s a lot of years. We had a fun time eating our way around town, and it was great to enjoy a change of scenery. Funny enough, on our way home, I saw something on Instagram that really stuck with me. Someone said the highest form of love is friendship, and that felt so true. Steve and I actually started as friends all those years ago when we met at church. We’re still good friends, and I’m pretty sure that friendship is what carried us through the inevitable bumpy times. Having a good sense of humour has helped too. I love to laugh, and I love people with a good sense of humour—it’s just easier, isn’t it? One of my very first memories of Steve is that the day I met him, he made me laugh a lot, so that was a big win. He will argue that he’s funnier than me, but he’s wrong. Obviously 😉 We stayed at the Hotel Gosford, the same place we stayed a couple of years ago. It’s an old pub that has been renovated, but they’ve kept the original lift that you have to operate yourself. I love that they’ve preserved this historical feature, even though it freaked us out a bit every time. You have to operate the doors by hand, turn the room key, and press the button. So much coordination! The first night we had steak for dinner, and it was so tender. The menu said tender, but they don’t always tell the truth. This restaurant did, and I was so happy. Chewy steak is not my favourite. I had the crème brûlée, and Steve had the cheesecake. They looked so pretty! The next night, we shared a cob loaf and salt and pepper squid as an entree. Steve had the fish for mains, and I had the prawn linguini. It was so delicious I couldn’t stop moaning as I ate, and Steve was grateful there weren’t many diners around. The friendly waitress asked if we were celebrating anything special, and we told her it was our anniversary. She kindly surprised us with a complimentary dessert, dark ale pudding with ice cream. It even came out with a sparkler! What a lovely touch. And that’s a wrap for this week. It’s been a long time since we’ve eaten out at so many different places! It’s my last week of the school holidays, and I can’t believe how quickly the weeks have flown by. They always do during the holidays, Ugh. Anyway, I’m not going to think about it now. I’m going to enjoy the last of it before term one starts. Oh my goodness, I’m really hoping for a better year than last year. The trauma is real! Enjoy your weekend, friends. See you

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Cousin Connect Adventure 2026

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Hey there, friends! I hope you’re having an amazing Tuesday. I wanted to pop in and share our exciting travel plans! On Sunday, my travelling cousins and our family got together and booked our flights. Once we made that financial commitment, I thought, “Yep, we’re locked in,” and now I can finally share. Our next Cousin Connect adventure will be in April, and we are off to… Singapore and Japan for 11 days! Eeek!! It’s the same crew as our USA trip—my cousin, her husband and two kids, plus our family of three. Yay! Up until our last trip, overseas travel wasn’t really on my radar. I’d been to North and South America when I was younger, and that felt like enough for me at the time. I was happy to live on those fun memories. But ever since my travelling cousins opened our eyes to overseas adventures, I think we may have caught the travel bug. Nobody is more surprised about this than me, because I was totally happy to leave flying for the birds—they’re made for it! But here’s the thing: post-holiday blues are a real thing. As soon as we landed back in Sydney after our last trip, the excitement of being safely home lasted about five minutes. Then I started missing everyone. The adventure was over, life would go back to normal, and I wouldn’t have anything to look forward to. Dramatic much? I thought it was just me, but nope, we were all feeling it. Then, not long after, my cousins said, “We need to plan another trip,” and just like that, I was cured. Our Trip Plans So Far On the way to and from Japan, we will have roughly a day in Singapore each way. That should give us just enough time to stretch our legs and explore Jewel at Changi Airport, a huge mall with an indoor waterfall, a rainforest, and plenty of shops. It is all inside the airport, can you believe it? I think we also talked about maybe visiting Marina Bay Sands. And it should come as no surprise that this Disney-loving family is planning to visit both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. Universal Studios Japan is also locked in. That’s about all we have planned so far. It’s still early days, and our mission now is to work out what we can squeeze into the time we are there. Planning is so much fun! Places On Our List These are the places we’re currently talking about. Some are locked in, others are still a maybe. Singapore Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Some Places We’re Thinking About Here’s a mix of places and experiences that have caught our eye so far. Tokyo Tower or Skytree (views) Shibuya Crossing (famous busy street) Ueno Park/Shinjuku Gyoen (pretty cherry blossoms) Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (tall bamboo) Fushimi Inari Shrine (red gates) Dotonbori (street food) Osaka Castle (castle) Shinkansen (bullet train) I’m sure we’ll have a few planning meetings in the next couple of weeks, and my cousin J and I have already been sending each other some ideas we’ve spotted on Instagram Reels. Apparently, there’s a trend of running through the busy Shibuya Crossing solo and striking a pose. Haha, I wonder if the seven of us will be brave enough to try that one! The travel YouTube videos I’ve been watching say it’s a good idea to learn a few handy Japanese words. So far, all I know is ohayou gozaimasu (good morning) and arigatou gozaimasu (thank you). Looks like I still have a ways to go! I’ve also picked up a few cultural tips: jaywalking could apparently cost you a $5,000 fine, and eating while walking is considered rude. On trains, everyone keeps it super quiet, so we’ll need to remember our manners. It’s probably also a good idea to figure out how to use their high-tech toilets, so I think I need to watch a few more YouTube tutorials on that. I know, right? I had no idea toilets came with so many options besides just flush. And apparently, there’s a drink that can get you more than tipsy in no time called Strong Zero. I’ll taste the sake, but I’d better keep away from that one. T-Shirt Drama We are all super excited, and I just can’t believe we’ll be visiting another Disneyland so soon! One of the first things we need to sort out is our personalised T-shirts. I think the drama from our last family T-shirt plan has finally passed enough that I can talk about it. For our USA trip, we ordered the cutest personalised T-shirts for Disney and Universal. They had amazing graphics, and we ordered them about six weeks before we left through Printerval. As the trip got closer, and they hadn’t arrived, we started to worry. We sent emails and WhatsApp messages, but nothing. Zero response. Do you know when they finally arrived? When we were already in the second week of our trip. Excellent. Luckily, just before we left, my cousin organised a quick plan B and got some T-shirts from Target delivered to our hotel. They weren’t exactly what we planned, but it all worked out, and we all matched. And the original T-shirts? I haven’t even opened the package. I just shoved them in a closet, and I still can’t look at them. So that’s my exciting news! If you have any tips about Japan, places to see, things to try, or even travel hacks, I’d love to hear them. Every little idea helps. I’m off to watch more YouTube videos about Japan, and yes, I also need to listen to some Lovefly podcasts to get myself ready for flying again. If you have a fear of flying like I do, you might want to check out their website too. My word for 2025 was brave, and for 2026 I’m adding a new one—confident 😬 Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Ways to Stay Warm in Winter (From the Other Side of the Globe)

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Hi friends, it’s time for the first Share Our Lives for 2026, and today we’re sharing all about ways to stay warm in winter. So, here in Australia, it’s full-on summer, like really full-on. On Saturday, it hit 43ºC, that’s 109ºF for my friends in the Northern Hemisphere. Thank God for our air conditioner, which we had running all day, though ours isn’t ducted, so the bedrooms were still super hot. I’d walk in and bam, get hit with the heat as if I’d just opened the oven door. I spent most of the day trying not to move much because any activity made me break out in a sweat, and I don’t usually feel the heat. My husband and son do, and they strongly dislike summer. Saturday morning was a good time to hop around blogs. I saw pictures of snow, people wrapped in cozy jumpers, and winter fashion. But it made me hot just looking at the photos. Haha, the contrast is so wild. It’s funny living in the upside-down world over here. But since this link-up is all about ways to stay warm in winter, I thought I’d still play along. After all, time sure does fly, and before I know it, it’ll be my turn to be shivering over here. Ways to Stay Warm in Winter Layer Up I don’t usually feel the heat, but I definitely feel the cold. So I layer up, and my Uniqlo thermals are my best friends during winter. They’re thin and soft, but they work hard to keep me feeling much warmer than if I didn’t wear them, which never happens, because I wear them every single day during winter. Then I layer a long-sleeved cotton top, a wool jumper, and a quilted jacket if I’m at work, or a wool coat when I go out. It’s my winter wardrobe formula. Tuck Myself In I tuck my tops and thermals into my pants, and I don’t care if I look like Harry High Pants. If I’m not tucked in, I don’t feel warm. Plus, I still hear my mum’s voice from when I was a kid saying, “tuck yourself in,” which sounds way scarier in Spanish. She always liked to make sure her people were warm. Hot Drinks One of the nicer things about winter is drinking all the cozy drinks. Just holding a mug of something steamy warms your hands, and sipping it warms your nose. I usually have a cup of coffee during the day, and in the evenings, either tea or hot chocolate with a marshmallow or two. Warm Feet A couple of years ago, I bought some woollen socks at Costco, and they changed my life. Up until then, I had only ever worn cotton socks. You see, the playground at work is the coldest place on earth, and the cold seeps up from the ground into your feet and right through your bones. I know it sounds like I’m exaggerating, but that’s exactly how it feels. I also wear chunky socks to bed, along with the rest of my Eskimo attire. If my feet are warm, then the rest of me is warm. Walk Monday to Friday, I fly out of the house for a brisk 17-minute walk to work, so by the time I thunder through the gate, I’m very warm and sometimes even hot! It’s like I’ve built my own internal furnace just from walking. My goal this year is to leave home a little earlier so I’m not rushing like I usually do. I’ll still walk fast, but not frantic to make it on time. Hot Showers I crank up the hot water tap like I mean business. The hard part is getting out of the shower. Wear my Cat I love my cats, but I’m not the type of person who enjoys patting animals or having them all over me. I love them from a distance. But during winter, I’m more than okay if one of the cats wants to sit on my legs or lap while I’m on the lounge or at my computer. Not on my bed, they know my bed is off limits. Winter Smells I light candles, have my diffuser going with essential oils, or make stovetop potpourri to make the house feel cozy. Fake Fireplace I know this might sound crazy, but I truly feel warmer if I have a fireplace with a crackling sound playing on the TV. It makes the room feel cozier, even though it’s not actually heating anything. Apparently, my brain is very easy to fool in winter. Winter Foods Oh my goodness, do I truly not love winter. But I do love winter food. Stews, casseroles, carby everything, and soup (for me, not my very anti-soup family). That’s how I stay warm in winter. But, I’m not going to lie, I’ll take melting over freezing any day. 😉 I’ve got something exciting to share about our next Cousin Connect trip. Yep, we’re all booked and excited (feeling a little green about the plane rides, but I’ll start working on getting my brain back on track asap—positive vibes only). I’ll be sharing all the details tomorrow, hope to see you then! Linking up with Adrienne, Dara, Joanne and Jen

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Easy DIY Home Projects for a Fresh, Minimal Look

8 Comments / Home, Home Decor, Home Improvement Ideas

Hi friends, and welcome to Friday Favourites. Today I thought we could chat about one of my favourite things to do during my summer break. That is, tackling little DIY home projects. Think redecorating, painting, reorganising and a bit of declutter. I know, I know. Some of my friends and my husband think I am a bit mad. After working full-time during the year, you would think I would want to completely switch off and take a proper break. But I really enjoy these kinds of projects, and they don’t feel like ‘work’. Of course, I love a good do-nothing day or three. But those days come after I finish my projects. Why I Love Easy DIY Home Projects for a Fresh, Minimal Look I love making spaces feel good to be in and want rooms to feel calm, welcoming, and lived in. The kind of places you actually want to spend time in. I get such a kick out of seeing how even the smallest change can make a big difference. A fresh coat of paint, moving furniture around, clearing a cluttered corner, or even adding a hook, it all adds up and it just makes me happy. I guess you could even call them DIY home projects, as self-care. Ha, why not ay? Podcasts, Audiobooks, and Background Noise While I’m DIYing, I like to have something playing in the background, like a podcast or audiobook. This time around, I couldn’t find one that hooked me in, so I was skipping around a lot. Lately, I’ve also been listening to political commentators, which probably sounds like an odd choice for someone who gets major anxiety about world events. Strangely, though, I am okay with it these days. I don’t get as worked up as I used to, even though there is plenty going on in the world to get stressed about. When all of this got too heavy, I switched over to Doc Martin. I have watched it so many times that I can visualise the scenes, so I just listened to all the hilarious things that went on while enjoying that soothing show. Small Projects, Big Joy I love how these little DIY home projects make such a difference. I can’t fix the world, but I can paint a wall, sort a space, or tidy up a corner. Doing these small things makes me feel calm and in control, and that’s exactly the kind of break I needed. Where It All Began Okay, so let’s go back to where it all began. Ikea, of course! It’s always my source of inspiration because all the displays look so welcoming and cozy. I’ve heard that if you have more than a couple of Ikea pieces in your living room, it makes it look cheap. Oops, I have way more than a couple, so that’s too bad, haha. I went to Ikea with a friend for the free gingerbread house-making event, and we had a wander around while we were there. The curtains in my living room were starting to look tired, and some even had tears where the cats had tried to claw their way onto the windowsill. Silly girls. So, I ended up buying some new curtains. The thing I love about Ikea is that almost everything is pretty affordable. One Thing Always Leads to Another When I got home, I decided that if I was going to hang new curtains, I’d better take down the Christmas tree, wash the sofa covers, the mat under the coffee table, and give the whole area a deep clean. A few days later, everything looked tidy, except for the awful pile of papers on my husband’s small desk in the living room. He needed a new desk, or maybe I did, because I was sick of looking at the stacks of papers on his ugly brown desk. The Desk Solution So I made another trip to Ikea, which, lucky for me, is only a 10 to 15-minute drive from my house. I picked up a white Micke desk and a Råskog trolley, which would solve the problem of those piles of papers. Before I went, I measured everything carefully to make sure it would fit in the small area where the original desk had been. Here’s the original clunky desk, which I managed to sell in a day on Facebook Marketplace for $20. What a win! Ikea now has step-by-step instructions on YouTube. Still no words, but it made putting everything together so much easier. One Small Problem The new desk looked great, but I noticed that the wall where it stood had some marks from me hanging pictures a zillion years ago, and a tiny patch of paint had chipped away. Ugh. The Room I Kept Avoiding Truth be told, the living room was the only room I hadn’t gotten around to painting white like the rest of the house. I started about two and a half years ago with the goal of painting all the rooms white. They had previously been a sandy colour called Grand Piano in half strength. But I stopped and never got to the living room. Honestly, I had no desire to paint it, even though I kept saying I would. That patch on the wall didn’t look pretty, so I thought, bingo, I’ll go to Bunnings and get a sample pot of the Grand Piano colour, and nobody will ever know. Wrong. See, the thing with paint is that even though I got the exact colour, when I painted the patch, it was way lighter than what was already there. I don’t know if it was age, the light, or the paint batch, but something wasn’t right. Going All In So instead of painting just a little bit, I thought, that’s okay, I’ll go all the way up further and it will all blend in. Easy peasy. I went to bed thinking positive thoughts that when I woke up, everything would look blended. Wrong

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