Ruth(playworkeatrepeat), Author at PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

Highlights and Celebrations

Hi there friends! Can you believe it’s Friday already? The days seem to be flying by faster than I can catch my breath. It’s like I blinked and here we are at the end of the week ready to embrace the weekend. Although I have to admit that when that alarm went off on Monday morning- Friday sure felt like an eternity away! Anyway, it’s great to be here today for Friday favourites with Andrea and Erika to share some amazing highlights and celebrations from the week. 1 We kicked things off with an early low-key birthday celebration for my husband. Since he was working on Thursday evening (his actual birthday) we decided to celebrate last weekend. Sunday was all about a roast lamb dinner and a simple birthday cake. Luke and his partner came over and we had a nice Sunday afternoon/evening together. We got Steve a few presents, mainly clothes and this cute birthday card I bought on Amazon. It lights up when you open it and plays ‘Happy Birthday’. It was cute for about 5 seconds and after that, it was plain annoying! LOL! Then around 3 am Monday morning, I woke up suddenly because the darn birthday card had started playing music all on its own. Oh my gosh, it was so creepy getting out of bed in the dark to turn it off. I threw a book over it, ran back to bed and decided then and there that from now on I’m only ever going to buy plain birthday cards that aren’t possessed!! My not-so-favourite part of the week was a respiratory infection that had me homebound for a couple of days but I’m back on my feet and feeling better. Monday evening my chest felt so tight that it was hard for me to stop coughing. I rang my doctor and I was lucky to get the last appointment for the day. She put me on antibiotics straight away and by Wednesday I felt so much better. A quick turnaround like that sure is a favourite especially since I was really excited to go out somewhere to watch the women’s World Cup soccer semi-finals. 2 Steve and I went to a pub in Newtown to cheer on the Matildas. We got there early to make sure we got some good seats near the big screen and we enjoyed burgers and drinks before the game. It was such a fun night even though our team didn’t snag the win. England won with a score of 3-1 against Australia and now they are through to the finals. Good luck England! It’s been so fun to watch our nation’s spirit on fire as the Matildas progressed through the competition. You can read all about the excitement here. 3 A favourite highlight of my week was watching ‘The Breakfast Club’ with Sam. He wasn’t sure about it at first but he was hooked after the first 5 minutes. I mean how could you not be, it’s such a classic! What was interesting was that after watching The Breakfast Club all the references he had heard on modern shows suddenly made sense to him. I think every teen should get a taste of the 80s, it’s part of being well-rounded! 4 I have decided to try and incorporate a meatless meal into my week, and this time around I went for a flavourful and extremely mild ( I don’t do spicy!) chickpea curry. It’s a healthy, budget-friendly choice that’s also good for the planet. And best of all it got the thumbs up from my meat-loving family! 5 Spring is in the air and I’m getting excited! When I got home today I spotted these roses in my front garden. It’s like they sprung up overnight because I hadn’t noticed them before. And I’m pretty sure we have never had any of this colour in the past. Or have we?? 6 The last favourite that I have for this week is this delicious pack of French macarons. They had a crisp yet airy meringue shell and a soft luscious filling that melts in your mouth. So good! It sure has been a week of highlights and celebrations! And now here we are on the brink of another fabulous weekend. Thanks so much for joining me today, I always appreciate you guys stopping by. Happy Friday!

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The Matildas-Our Aussie Heroes

5 Comments / Discovering NSW Australia

Last night’s semi-final match saw our Aussie heroes, the Matildas, fall to England. While the defeat stung, what’s been amazing is how our entire country has rallied together. It’s a unity vibe I haven’t felt since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. See the pic below, here we were 23 years ago ready to watch Cathy Freeman in the semi-finals at Olympic Park. I have really missed this spirit of unity and pride for our nation and I was so happy that I was able to experience it again over the last few weeks. As Australia advanced in the competition, the outpouring of support has been incredible. From city centres to quiet suburbs, Aussies gather in pubs, clubs, town centres and impromptu arenas. It was like every council area had its own cheering zone. They opened special public areas so people could gather to watch the games on big screens. Our whole country has come together like one big supportive family! My own preschool where I work postponed a meeting so that we could all watch and cheer. And boy we sure cheered our hearts out last night! We decided to go to a pub to catch the game, and I am so glad we did. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. You could feel the excitement in the air the moment we walked in. The whole place was buzzing with fans all decked out in their green and gold all united in cheering for our Aussie Matildas. Every shot, every close call had the whole place either gasping, moaning or erupting in cheers. It was fun and it was infectious! And it’s been a while since I have heard the famous chant Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi!! There was something magical about being part of a crowd so invested in a common goal. I was particularly glad to be there, considering I had been dealing with a respiratory infection earlier in the week. And you know what’s funny? I thought I didn’t have any green and gold to wear as I didn’t have a jersey. But I ended up finding a green top and a yellow cardigan that did the trick. It sure was a fun night and the energy was palpable. Even though the result wasn’t what we hoped for, the memories of that electric atmosphere will stay with me forever!

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Ikea August 2023

6 Comments / Home Improvement Ideas

Hi friends, today I’m sharing the fun we had last Saturday. My sweet friend and I decided to indulge in a little retail therapy and interior decorating inspo at none other than our local Ikea. We headed over to the ever-convenient Tempe store which just happens to be a breezy ten-minute drive from my place. I love how its close proximity means that I could pop in there any time. Even though I don’t, it’s nice knowing that I could. Living so close to Ikea came in incredibly handy a couple of years back when we renovated our kitchen. There were a few times when I needed to make quick trips to either return or exchange items. Having the store almost just around the corner was a real lifesaver and it’s a convenience I love! What I Love About Ikea Endless Inspiration: When I walk into Ikea it’s like going into a world where every corner oozes creativity and style. The room setups are so beautifully designed and I always get fresh ideas for my own home. Ikea always has endless possibilities and so much decorating inspiration. Affordable Finds: Although I did notice some price increases, you can still find so many stylish and practical gems at Ikea without emptying your wallet. Smart Design Solutions: I’m all about making my space work for me, and Ikea totally gets it. They’ve got loads of clever designs, perfect for small homes like mine. Ikea is my go-to for making my place feel organised and cozy. Cafeteria Delights: The cafeteria is a nice spot to take a break and enjoy a bite of some delicious Swedish fare. My Recent Visit To Ikea What struck me the most about this visit was that there seems to be a shift in design direction. It was like a blast from the past with big bold pops of colour and patterns that transported me back to the groovy vibes of the 70s and the funky freshness of the 80s. Neutrals and greys have now taken a back seat as vibrant hues and daring prints are moving into the limelight. I’m not sure how I feel about this as neutral tones have my heart forever. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see so many colourful decor items, furniture and textiles. Trends usually make a comeback, don’t they? And it seems that we are now heading in a very colourful direction when it comes to home decor. So many colourful textile and bedding choices! Even some of the furniture now comes in bright bold colours. Orange and a soft shade of green seem to be the predominant colours at Ikea in 2023. Colourful Marketplace Finds Moving onto the marketplace where tablecloths, kitchen gadgets and decor items all featured bright colours too. I can’t help but think of the kitchen from ‘The Brady Bunch’ when I see this shade of orange and green combo. There was a very bold 70s vibe in the kitchen section at Ikea! I felt tempted to buy this vegetable spiralizer but I resisted (If only they came in white!). These eco-friendly string bags now come in two different colours to make your shopping experience happy! I spotted some big quirky green cactus-shaped watering cans. Even though I can’t say they would be my preferred choice, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw them because they are so fun and silly! A water container that doubles as a kettlebell. Why not? I guess it’s a good way of staying in shape and hydrated. Ikea thinks of everything! These horses seem to come out yearly featuring on-trend colours. I think last year they were grey and this year they are green of course! The lighting section also offered some fun and colourful strip lights. The Ikea Cafeteria One of my favourite things to do while on a big shopping trip to Ikea is to stop at the cafeteria for a bite to eat. I was on the lookout for the delicious open sandwich but I couldn’t find any. Ikea seems to have really simplified their menu and the fridge section was pretty bare. I really hope they bring back more of the old favourites they offered before covid. My friend and I ordered the delicious and healthy salmon. I know it looks kind of bland but trust me-it tasted awesome! I couldn’t resist a cup of this delicious fizzy pear drink. It was really refreshing and not too sweet at all so I went back for more. Walking around the huge Ikea maze was like a workout and it made me thirsty! So there you have it friends, a little peek into my very colourful Ikea adventure. I absolutely love this place and never get tired of visiting. It’s an amazing world of endless creativity and design magic where I am guaranteed to uncover inspiration, storage solutions and some fantastic affordable finds (as long as I resist the urge to fill up my trolley!)

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What’s Inside My Handbag

14 Comments / Cleaning and Organising

Hi there friends! Welcome to the August edition of ‘Not Just A Mom’ hosted by Adrienne, Dara, Joanne, Lauren and Sarah. The topic for this month is What’s Inside My Handbag. If I had written this post many years ago the title would have been What’s Not Inside My Handbag, You see, back then my handbag could have easily doubled as Mary Poppins magical carpet bag! I was always prepared for any emergency and my bag was full of items for just-in-case. On top of that, my kids used to love collecting things when we were out and about. So I would always have things like dead flowers, rocks, sticks and leaves laying at the bottom of my handbag. Yep, those were the days! But now my kids are all grown up and my handbag has gone through a huge transformation – from a bottomless pit of kids’ supplies and junk. To a minimal crossbody bag that holds only the essentials. So gone are the days of lugging around a tote that could fit a small child. Now all I carry is a small crossbody bag that not only helps me stay organised but is also perfect for my daily walks to and from work. No more annoying shoulder strain and no more looking like I’m packed to go on a two-week trip! My Everyday Cross Body Bag Let me introduce you to my everyday leather crossbody bag. I bought this cute bag from one of my favourite shops Funkis. A Scandinavian design store in Paddington, Sydney. I deliberately chose a small bag so that I would never be tempted to fill it with things that I didn’t absolutely need. Let’s Take A Peek At What’s Inside My Handbag Wallet The most important item is my wallet and I have a small one that fits neatly inside my bag. I love that it has a zipper that goes all the way around and keeps everything secure. It also has different sections for bills coins and a few cards. It’s a great design that helps me stay organised and makes things easier. Phone Again I stuck to the theme of keeping things small and compact. So when I updated my phone back in 2020 I went for the iPhone SE. Keys I have two keys on my key holder, my car key and my house key. The great thing about this larger key holder is that its easy to grab without rummaging through my things. Small key holders somehow like to sink to the bottom of even the smallest bags, making them harder to find quickly. Lipstick I keep my favourite shade of lipstick nestled in my bag. Tissues Sometimes I get allergies and I also have gustatory rhinitis. This is a big name that means my nose runs whenever I eat LOL. If you’re curious to learn about this quirky aspect of my life then you can read this in my post 25 things you don’t know about me. Fold-up Carry Bag It’s so handy to keep a foldable bag that holds so much. It’s perfect for impromptu stops at the grocery shop and a really practical must-have. Pen You never know when you might need one! Small Card Wallet I keep most of my cards on an app on my phone but I still have a few cards that I keep in this cute card wallet. Hand Sanitiser I can’t keep hand sanitiser inside my small handbag because it won’t fit. Instead I have this cute case that holds a small bottle of sanitiser and clips to any bag-its a perfect solution ! And that sums up what’s inside my bag. I absolutely love my crossbody bag-it’s my trusted companion in helping me to keep things simple. Thanks so much for joining me today and taking a peek into my bag. You can click here if you would like to read another post about 8 Essential Handbags for Women. Have a wonderful day!

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Friday Favourites

10 Comments / Friday Favourites

Hi there friends! It’s time for Friday favourites with Andrea and Erika and I’m so glad you’re here. I am super excited that it’s finally the weekend because it sure felt like a long week. I think that the reason why it felt so long was maybe because I had a bumpy start with Monday putting my resilience to the test. Working at preschool is always an adventure and when you throw in a rainy day. Well, you get the picture! Anyway, now it’s time to welcome the weekend and share some of this weeks favourites. 1 Monday night we caught up with a group of our friends and we went to the local RSL to enjoy a nice meal. We had finished eating and we were chatting when the women’s soccer game came on the big screen that was right in front of us. It was Australia versus Denmark and Australia won! It was fun watching the game together, cheering for our team and hearing the whole club go wild when the Aussies scored a goal. 2 This week I got a Mac desktop computer and I love it. The screen is so huge compared to my laptop! 3 This work truck has been parked on my street all week. I walk past it every day and it makes me smile because it reminds me of how much Sam loved Lightning McQueen when he was a toddler. He used to carry a little Lightning McQueen car in his hand all the time. We must have watched the movie a zillion times and I’m sure that back then I could probably recite the whole movie word for word! 4 Wednesday night Steve and I treated ourselves to a fabulous dinner. We both had lobster mornay, crunchy golden chips and salad. We decided to skip dessert and chose to go home and watch more Blue Bloods. Can you tell that we are so addicted? I popped the cork on a nice bottle of red wine from California. It’s been ages since I’ve used a corkscrew as most wines now seem to come with a screwtop lid. We enjoyed a glass (or two) while savouring the rich flavours of Lindt dark chocolate. What an amazing combination and surely it must count as a healthy treat with all those antioxidants in the red wine and dark chocolate! 5 Thursday night I nearly stayed home and skipped bible study because I felt so tired. But I’m glad that I went because it was super encouraging and challenging. This term we are looking at a book called ‘The Generosity Project’. This weeks study was all about how we can be generous with our time and efforts towards those people in our lives who are less than pleasant to be around. And that’s a wrap! I’m keeping it short and sweet today but I want to say a big thank you for stopping by to read about a few favourites from the week. I have some fun things planned for the weekend but I’m also looking forward to some relaxing downtime. And I feel like I could really use a fresh start and recharge. I didn’t blog as much as I wanted to and I got all confused with the timing of a couple of link ups. This is what happens when I miss writing my monthly plan. See here – it’s empty! Normally I write down all of the posts that I plan to write for the month. But somehow I missed August so one of my weekend goals is to get back on track. Better late than never! Hopefully I will post more often next week. I hope you have an amazing weekend and I look forward to being back here on Monday. Happy Friday and happy weekend!

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Family Weekend Highlights

8 Comments / Family Life

Hello there friends. It’s time to link up with Holly and Sarah for today’s edition of Hello Monday! And today I’m sharing all of my family weekend highlights. August Cousin Connect I always look forward to the first Saturday of every month. Because that’s when we get together for our cousin connect dinners. This Cousin Connect dinner will be our last one until October because most of the cousins are heading to Europe for an amazing holiday next month. I will miss them so much but I’m sure that they will have a wonderful time. And I’m really looking forward to hearing all about their adventures when they get back home. Look at this delicious charcuterie platter, courtesy of my lovely cousin! It was full of dips, soft and hard cheese along with a variety of crackers and bread sticks. Yum! For dinner, she treated us to pizzas and we all got to choose our favourite toppings. We had pepperoni, supreme and ham and pineapple pizzas. But I think pepperoni won hands down as the most requested choice. Then it was time to play our favourite family board game and boy did we get loud! My voice was hoarse from all the fun. We always joke that we’re glad the neighbours don’t call the police with so much noise going on! We got home late and Luke decided to stay over because his fiancee had a night shift. Having our big boy stay the night was a huge highlight! He lives with his partner about 40 minutes drive away so we don’t get to see them as often as we’d like, especially with her demanding work hours. We clearly weren’t ready for the night to end because instead of going to bed. We snuggled into beanbags and the sofa to watch ‘Don’t Look Up’ with Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo Di Caprio. It was a mix of comedy, drama and disaster. We ended up going to bed super late because – hey, we are a family of night owls for sure! Sunday Sunday we slept in and I made everyone a late breakfast. We had scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, hash browns, fried mushrooms and tomatoes. It was so good! We sat around the table chatting for a while and then everyone pitched in to help clean up. It was a rainy Sunday and it was so nice being at home together. I really miss the days when Luke was still living at home. I mean I’m really happy that he has a lovely fiancee who we all love and they have their own place. But I still miss the days when my kids were little …sigh! Anyway, I’ll stop being melancholy and get back to the family weekend highlights! Yes, where was I? Oh yeah, we decided to watch another movie. This time after taking ages to decide what to watch, we picked ‘The Martian’ with Matt Damon. It was a great movie but it got so intense in the last thirty minutes. My heart was pounding and I don’t know why I get so emotionally invested in movies but I do! In the end, there was about five minutes left before the movie finished. But I couldn’t cope so I discreetly googled the ending. It didn’t spoil it for me, it just meant that I could relax and enjoy the last few minutes. The weekend with my family was amazing. We had so much fun and I didn’t want it to end! I’ll certainly treasure these memories until our next fabulous family gathering. Thanks a million for being here and reading my blog. I look forward to being back here on Wednesday. Have a great Monday!

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Fabulous Friday Faves

6 Comments / Friday Favourites

Hey there friends! It’s Friday, and you know what that means? Yes, it’s time for another edition of Friday favourites. This week’s list is all about some things that have brought me joy. So please grab a cup or glass of your favourite drink, sit back and let’s jump into this week’s fabulous Friday faves. 1 First up, here is my cousin’s little bundle of cuteness. I saw her when I went to my aunt’s place for dinner the other night. She gets nervous around people she’s not used to. So I gently stroked her with my finger because she’s still so tiny at eight months old. It was a cold night so a warm jumper was a must! 2 I adore frothy coffees and the frothier the better! 3 I went to the city with my lovely friend last weekend. We caught the train and got off at Museum Station. Museum Station in Sydney is a heritage-listed underground commuter rail station. It’s located in the central business district of Sydney and it’s an absolute gem. This charming underground station is a unique blend of history with a contemporary vibe. It has a stunning architectural design that beautifully showcases the station’s heritage. When I’m there, I feel as if I’ve stepped back in time! I love going to the city and the walk along Hyde Park is really pretty. Especially on a sunny and warm winter’s day! 4 Exploring the city of Sydney always brings me joy! We discovered a little mall in a hidden alleyway off George St. I had never been there before but I can’t wait to go back again and try some of the food from the delicious-looking eateries. Sydney is such a fantastic multicultural hub with incredible food from all around the world. 5 Eating delicious takeaway seafood pasta and watching TV was a big favourite this week. 6 Ice cream and Hershey’s strawberry syrup with a few walnuts to keep things healthy ha! 7 My friend Marianne invited us over for dinner on Wednesday night and she made my favourite spaghetti bolognese! For dessert, we had a very delicious and saucy chocolate pudding with fresh strawberries and ice cream. It was so fun to get together midweek but I had to keep reminding myself that even though it felt like a Friday night, it wasn’t! 8 We used to have regular chairs in the staff room/kitchen at work but this week we got some office chairs with wheels. The space is really small and now I don’t even need to get up off my office chair during my lunch break. I just wheel myself around from my laptop to the sink, microwave or back door if someone knocks from the adjoining playground. I know this sounds lazy but when you are on your feet all day. Wheeling around during my lunch break is kind of really fun and it means I can stay sitting! 9 Sesame snaps, yum! My work friend who spoils me with treats brought me a packet. 10 Even though it’s not the healthiest option, I prefer soft drinks with real sugar. My family like no-sugar options but I’m not a fan of the aftertaste. Give me my regular old favourite sugar-filled Schweppes lemonade any day! When I smell the nice laundry liquid on my freshly washed clothes, it brings me so much joy! I love catching the scent as I fold the laundry. Do you guys feel the same? I used to use fabric softener but I’ve heard that it can damage your washing machine so I stopped. I have been on the hunt for a nice-smelling laundry liquid without much luck. Until I bought these laundry capsules at Woolworths the other day. They really do leave my clothes smelling so nice! This week has been amazing! The weather has been warm and sunny, like spring in winter. At preschool, I got to team up with two of my favourite people, making it a great and enjoyable week overall. It’s been so much fun and I think that one of the things that I love about working at preschool is that we can be playful and silly! On Tuesday we did a conga line with the kids and we danced all around the two classrooms. Today we danced to the Macarena and the YMCA. It really has been a fantastic week but I sure am glad that it’s Friday because I’m beat! Have a great weekend friends and Happy Friday! Linking up with Andrea and Erika.

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Currently-August 2023

13 Comments / Family Life

Just like that, It’s bye-bye July and hello August! I can hardly believe how fast the year is going by. And here we are back for this month’s edition of Currently hosted by Jennifer from Overflowing With Thankfulness. It feels like only yesterday we were looking at what we were currently up to in July. Anyway, it’s great to be back for this fun link-up and this month we are looking at what we are currently loving, looking forward to, starting, thinking and wearing. Let’s go! Loving I am loving this artwork that my friend gave me recently when I visited her during the winter school holidays. Her dad painted it a long while ago. I was so touched when she said that her sisters have his artwork and she knew he would want me to have one as well. I love the colours and I also love that every time I look at it, it reminds me of my friend and her lovely Dad. Here I am with my friend’s dad – the artist! Looking Forward To Spring! I am so excited that it’s the last month of winter and we can say hello to spring in September. Now I have to admit that so far we have had one of the warmest winters that I can ever remember. So I can’t really complain. But I just love spring because it’s a time of renewal and optimism. When I see the budding flowers, vibrant colours and the weather starts to feel warmer it really lifts my spirits. Starting I have started to go back to limiting snacks during the week. I used to wait for the weekend before I got stuck into the chocolate, bags of chips and Bundaberg ginger beer. Then gradually I started snacking on treats all week long. I don’t know what happened, maybe it was because I was off from work for four weeks. Or maybe I was so excited and relieved that I no longer had to worry about my thyroid. So I decided that I wanted to celebrate this every night by cracking open a bar of chocolate! Thinking I am thinking that it’s crazy how the price of everything is increasing! Interest rates have gone up, groceries, electricity, and health insurance. You name it, it’s increased! Wearing I wore my pale pink jumper on the weekend when I went to see Barbie. And it was fun seeing so many other people wearing all different shades of pink at the cinema. Even though as I mentioned before it’s quite warm for this time of the year. I have still been layering up because the mornings and evenings are still quite cold. I’m counting down the days to embrace warmer weather outfits! And that’s a wrap for the August edition of Currently! Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my blog. Until next time, cherish every moment and stay fabulous!

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My Weekend and Thoughts on The Barbie Movie

13 Comments / My Favourite Movies and TV shows

Hi everyone! It’s time for Hello Monday with Holly and Sarah. I’m excited to share a bit about my weekend and chat about what I thought of the Barbie movie. Friday night I did a super quick Friday favourites post which was mainly all about my favourite topic – food! Then I went to my aunt’s house for dinner. Two of my cousins were there and Sam joined us later. It was such a great way to spend a Friday night and a fun way to kick-start the weekend. After dinner, we watched a movie based on Stephen King’s book ‘The Mist’. It’s from 2008 and some of the special effects were a bit dated. But the ending, oh my goodness what a twist!! It had one of those endings that leaves you still thinking about the movie days later. If you haven’t watched it and don’t mind a bit of horror-thriller. Then I really recommend it. I’m not much of a fan of horror but I didn’t mind this one. And interestingly, the movie starred five actors from The Walking Dead! Saturday I had been looking forward to Saturday all week long! My lovely friend and I went into the city and we started our day with a late breakfast at The Palace Tea Room in the QVB. It has a cozy elegant vibe that really matches the QVB’s old-world charm. Eggs benedict and a pot of Earl Grey tea. We chatted for a while and then wandered around the shops gradually making our way along George St until we got to the Cinema for the 1.30 pm session. Once we were inside the movie theatre I was so surprised with how many people there were. I don’t think that I have been in a packed movie theatre for years and it felt like pre covid times again which was great. My Thoughts On The Barbie Movie Well, I absolutely loved Barbie and I would watch it again! Even though before I went I had heard comments such as. It was too much about feminism. It was boring. Ken was awful. The movie is not for kids. These comments almost put me off watching the movie. But the only comment that I agree with is the last one. I really don’t think that it’s for kids. While the first part would have been very visually appealing for them. Overall I don’t think that it is appropriate for children. I mean I’m sure that all of the ‘grown-up stuff’ would probably go over their heads. I watched ‘Grease’ as a seven-year-old when it first came out at the movies. My mum loved it so much that she took me twice. It wasn’t until years later, and I mean a lot of years that I realised Greased lightning is not just about car talk! Cringe!! Anyway back to the Barbie movie, the last part of the movie would definitely have been a bit boring for the little ones. And I think that it would have been tricky for kids to sit through a movie with so much dialogue. Unless of course, they were perfectly happy to sit there munching on a big ol’ box of popcorn What I loved About The Barbie Movie The Actors Margot Robbie the amazing Aussie actress was a perfect Barbie. First of all, she has been blessed with Barbie’s DNA and she also played the part beautifully with the right mix of innocence, warmth and wit. Ryan Gosling, well he was just the perfect Ken in my opinion. He was a bit of a ham and he owned the part like a champ. I thought that Gosling played the part so well, he brought Ken’s insecurities to life. I don’t know how you felt about Ken but I was never interested in owning a Ken. He only existed because of Barbie and I could sense Ken’s insecurities even when I was a kid, if that makes sense! The Set The set design of Barbie Land was amazing and I hope that they make a Barbie museum or theme park. Or better still they do Barbie Land set tours! I was completely bowled over by all of the attention to detail with the props. It was like I was watching my Barbie memorabilia come to life. And the visually appealing colours were absolutely spectacular. The set designers deserve an award for this asap. The Wardrobe I have no words! Other than I’m jealous of Barbie’s meticulously selected outfit for every occasion. The Dance Numbers They were just good fun and I want to learn the moves. Gloria’s Monologue I started getting teary halfway through Gloria’s speech about how hard it is to be a woman. And the way the actress America Ferrera delivered it was just spot on. It gave me little choking sobs and goosebumps and the lady sitting next to me was sobbing at this point. It Was Deep Yes, it was deep but just the right amount of deep for me. It wasn’t too one-sided on any subject and you could take it at face value and not get too caught up in political statements. Overall I think that Barbie was a fun, quirky, girlie movie that men should also see. And judging by the number of guys at the movie on Saturday, a lot of men are going to the movies to watch it. I totally loved Barbie and I laughed out loud so many times. I also cried, which totally surprised me as I guess I just wasn’t expecting it to be the kind of emotionally relatable movie that it was.

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A Few Quick Favourites

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Hi there everyone! It’s so great to welcome back Friday, isn’t it? I have a few quick favourites from the week that I wanted to share with you. It’s Friday afternoon over here and my aunt texted me not long ago inviting me over for dinner. Impromptu dinner invitations are a huge favourite. And as if I wasn’t already excited about Friday, the invitation from her just took my excitement to the next level! So let’s jump right into some quick favourites before I dash off to get ready! Warm Winter Days It feels like early spring over here and I’m loving it. The last few days we have had very cold mornings (by our standards anyway) and then warm afternoons. We have even reached temps of around 23°C. This is pretty unusual as July is typically a cold month for us. Delicious Snacks This week my friend who has joined our team at preschool on a casual basis has brought some snacks to share with me at work. I already love working with her as she is so fun to be around and to top it off she brings me food. I couldn’t love her more!! These seaweed snacks are so good! I hadn’t had them in forever because when I had all those thyroid issues, my doctor had advised me to stay away from foods high in iodine. So I tried to limit eating things like tuna and seaweed and I also cut back on sushi which I love. She also brought me some macarons and I enjoyed them in the evening with a cup of tea. More Food Favourites Another favourite is eating tinned tuna (now that I can) and salad for lunch at work. Of course some days I wish I had the power to turn my salad into a Big Mac. But most days I’m happy with a healthy salad. I think most of the things on my list of quick favourites are about food! I made some homemade garlic bread the other day and it tasted great! Will definitely go back to making my own instead of buying it from the supermarket. It was easy and convenient to buy but also expensive. $7.00 for garlic bread!! crazy! These zucchini noodles are great. I had plans to just eat them with my turkey bolognese instead of having pasta as a healthier option. But those carbs were calling me so I gave in and mixed the zucchini noodles with the pasta. I couldn’t resist! Steve and I decided to stay home on Wednesday night instead of going out for dinner. It was fun eating dinner in front of the telly. We had leftover turkey bolognese with salad and a glass of really nice red wine. I got this box of fruit and nut mix as part of a Christmas hamper and we devoured it while we caught up on more Blue Bloods. I made a chicken and leek pie on Thursday night and it was perfect for a cold night. Yep, it’s warm days and cold nights at the moment. Longer Days! One final non-food related favourite is that the days are getting longer. It isn’t pitch black at 4.30 pm anymore…hooray! The other day I looked at the clock, it was almost 5.30 and it was still daylight! Spring is coming! This week has just gone by so fast and I feel like I have been playing catch up! I think that this time around it is taking me longer to snap back into my work routine after the break. I’m really looking forward to seeing the Barbie movie and spending the day with my lovely friend tomorrow. And I’ll be back here on Monday to tell you what I thought of the movie. It’s been out for a few days now and I have heard a few mixed reviews. I have a feeling that it’s going to be a bit different from what I was expecting! Have a wonderful weekend! Happy Friday! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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