Family Life Archives - Page 4 of 12

What’s Inside My Shopping Trolley

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

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Friday Favourites

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

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Highlights and Favourites

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Hi there friends, welcome to Friday favourites! It’s time to share some of the highlights and favourites from the week. As usual, I am linking up with Andrea and Erika. Thanks so much for stopping by! Look at this amazing basil plant I discovered growing in a pot plant full of soil on our verandah(I had neglected the poor old pot for a while!) This healthy, vibrant green basil sprouted all on its own! I think it probably received seeds from the basil plant nearby, which I originally planted. However, this miraculous basil looks much healthier than its parent plant! I bet it’s because I didn’t touch it. Ha! I made a slightly different version of my usual spinach, ricotta and feta pie for dinner this week. This time I used puff pastry instead of filo and I forgot to sprinkle sesame seeds over the top before I popped it in the oven. But it was still a family favourite. I bought a Sally Hansen nude-coloured nail polish from Amazon. Neutral colour everything is my favourite! I went to see the Endocrinologist for a follow-up appointment. As I don’t have a thyroid I need to have blood tests to check levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). While I was waiting to see the doctor I saw this sign on the wall in the reception area and I had a chuckle. It must have been there a long time! I mean there’s no way, right? Even before going over the results with my doctor, I could tell that my levels were slightly elevated because I’ve been feeling super amped. It’s like I’m constantly buzzing with excitement. Another fun fact is that I can’t seem to cry! Oh man, before I had my thyroid removed I would cry about everything, and I mean everything. Worse still, once I started I couldn’t seem to stop! Now it’s as if the faucet has been turned off. I’m happy to report that my blood test results showed only a minor elevation. So the doctor made a slight adjustment to my medication. I have to confess, that I absolutely love how well I’ve been feeling with all this energy. It’s like I have a superpower and I don’t want to lose it! Such fantastic progress means now I only need to see the doctor once a year instead of every six months. Yay!! Tuesday felt never-ending because of our preschool Annual General Meeting. This meant that we had to go back to work at 7.30 pm. Bleh! Fortunately, my wonderful friend who also happens to be my coworker came up with the brilliant plan to do something fun to pass the time between finishing work and the meeting. We had about 3 hours to spare so we decided to go to our local RSL club where we could relax in the cool air conditioning and catch up. It’s crazy how busy our days are working together in a small preschool; we barely have a second to stop and chat. It feels like we’re constantly on the go the whole day! After a particularly hectic day, It was so good to treat myself to a refreshing piña colada and enjoy dinner together. I ordered the chicken souvlaki, and to my surprise, it was a giant portion! I managed to eat only half of it and decided to take the rest home for my son who was very pleased with this unexpected treat. It seems that this week most of my highlights and favourites are food-related. Another fun friend and work buddy brought me this snack to try. It’s so sweet how she often surprises me with little treats, which truly brightens my work day. I also love how I’m lucky enough to work with two of my besties! I’m pretty sure that she said she bought these from Costco and I want to make sure I get some the next time I go because they’re so good. The packet had two light and tasty crackers sprinkled with trail mix. And here comes my last foodie favourite to share. Last night, we had burrito bowls for dinner. This time, I made sure to stop at the fruit shop on my walk home from work to grab some fresh coriander. I know a lot of people don’t love the taste of coriander, but we sure do! I added them to the guacamole and also sprinkled them on top. Those fresh chopped greens took our bowls to a whole new level. So delicious! And that’s a wrap for this week’s Friday favourites! The week flew by so fast, didn’t it? I hope you all have an amazing weekend. Happy Friday!

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February Fun – What’s Up Wednesday

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Hi friends and welcome to the February edition of What’s Up Wednesday. It’s time to share a little of what we have been up to during our fun February. It’s the last month of summer and we’ve soaked it up big time! So let’s jump right in shall we? WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK On the menu this week Monday – Chicken casserole and rice Tuesday – Spinach pie with leftovers from Monday night Wednesday – Teriyaki salmon with Asian salad Thursday – Chilli con carne Friday – Spiced mango chicken with veggies Saturday – Pesto pasta Sunday – Chicken schnitzel with roast potatoes, veggies and lots of gravy WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I think that I’m reminiscing about how quickly time flies! It’s March next week and it only feels as if we had Christmas about five minutes ago! I can’t help but reflect on all the fun we had during the summer school holidays, and now here we are, already five weeks into the new school year. WHAT I’M LOVING I’m still loving the hot weather and I know it won’t be long before the seasons change and it will be our turn for some cold weather. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO February has been all about getting back into routine. I went back to work after the long summer break, Sam started back at uni and he is now in his second year studying for a Bachelor of Nursing. Steve just kept ploughing through the busiest time in the hospitality industry. I guess you could say that we are well and truly back into the swing of things. I’ve adjusted my meal planning routine and it’s working great. I meal plan and online grocery shop on a Saturday morning and I’m hoping that because I am enjoying this. I will keep it up and not fall off the meal-planning train halfway through the year as I usually tend to do. Goals!! Along with the usual work-related stuff we have also enjoyed some fun times and I’m back to looking forward to the weekends. This is something I try not to do because I really want to be grateful and enjoy the little sprinkles of joy every day. But I still count down to Fridays! Can you see a big contradiction here? haha! Some of the fun February moments we have been up to include- Our monthly Cousin Connect dinner. Valentine’s Day treats Celebrating my birthday with a nice family lunch in the city at the old Fortune of War pub. Dinner and games night with friends WHAT I’M DREADING Our preschool received the news that all the staff have been waiting for since last year. We are going to be assessed and rated next month. In NSW preschools, assessment and rating are all about ensuring top-notch quality! Preschools are evaluated on their educational programs, safety measures, staff qualifications, and management practices. After the assessment, preschools receive ratings, ranging from ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’ to ‘Significant Improvement Required’. We have always received an Exceeding Rating which is fantastic but it’s no fun being observed by the department for two whole days. So I’m already dreading it and feeling nervous knots in my stomach. All the team are, and we can’t wait until it’s over! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Do you remember the British boy band from the 90s called FIVE? They had fun hits like “When The Lights Go Out” and “Everybody Get Up”. Well, they are coming to Sydney to perform the second weekend in March and Steve and I are going to see them. Over the years the five band members have disbanded and then reunited. Now the band is made up of three members but it’s still called five. Which I think is kind of funny but maybe that’s just me. Anyway, I’m excited to go and see them perform and it should be a great night reliving my 30s. WHAT I’M WATCHING I’ve been really getting into European shows lately. One of my recent finds on SBS Australia is ‘The Shift,’ a Danish series set in a maternity ward. It’s a great show full of interesting characters and engaging plots without too much drama. I used to love shows full of action, and adventure with a good dose of drama. But my preferences have shifted and lately, I prefer less drama and more good storytelling. I’m excited to hear they’re making another season and this time it will be set in a pediatric ward with new characters as well as some old favourites. I think European shows offer a fresh perspective and they are different from what I’m used to so it’s been a nice change. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO My older cat snoring! She is twelve years old and has had a hard time adjusting to our new kitten, Mochi who is just like a toddler who can’t keep her hands to herself. She is constantly invading Sushi’s space and loves to jump all over her and annoy her! I think Sushi gets exhausted from so much hyperactivity around her. So now she’s enjoying some quiet time here in the office/garage as I type away. She is peacefully sleeping and snoring so loudly! WHAT I’M WEARING I’m still wearing lots of summer clothes but I can feel that it’s beginning to cool down a little in the mornings and evenings. But having said that, tomorrow we have temperatures forecast to reach as high as 38ºC. We are definitely on the brink of transitioning into Autumn and the weather is going to be all over the place again until the cold weather sets in. Hmmm, I’m not a fan of the cold! On the upside, I guess cooler weather means I get to wear my favourite pair of comfortable Levi’s jeans that I’ve had for 18 years! WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH We have been discussing the possibility of going on a big overseas trip with some from our cousin group. However,

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Hello Monday!

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Hi friends, welcome to this week’s edition of Hello Monday where we link up with Holly and Sarah to share some of our weekend highlights. My weekend was a nice mix of a fun and busy Saturday followed by a very relaxed and lazy Sunday. Then as usual it all went too fast and here we are again ready to begin a new week. Saturday Saturday morning I wrapped up a few household chores left over from a busy week. I’m relieved that I don’t have to do mountains of chores on the weekend. I try so hard to make sure I get on top of everything during the week. But of course, there’s always something to do. Ugh! I’m excited that I’ve kept up a nice routine of meal planning and ordering groceries online every Saturday morning. Then I schedule them to be delivered in the afternoon. Same-day delivery is the best! After all the household stuff I went out and caught up with some friends for morning tea at 11. We had so much to chat about so it felt as if the morning flew by in a flash! I ended up leaving my friend’s house just after 2 because I had to get the car back for Steve to go to work at 2.30. In the afternoon, my grocery order came and after I packed everything away. It was time to head to another friend’s house for dinner and games night. We had gazpacho as an entree. I had heard of it before and knew that it was a cold soup made with blended tomatoes, cucumbers onions and garlic. But it was the first time I had ever tried it. Then it was Greek-style roast chicken, vegetables and salad as mains. So good! To finish off my friend made a spectacular-looking mango cheesecake. When she brought it out we were all oohing aahing. It tasted amazing too! Then it was time for some games. We played Taboo first and then moved on to Cranium. Games nights are so much fun and there was the usual funny yelling and laughing till our sides hurt. It was a fun night with our group of friends. Sunday I needed a Sunday like the one I just had where I did next to nothing. Apart from going to church in the morning I just camped out on the sofa and watched TV with Steve for most of the day. We watched a few episodes of Grand Designs then we moved on to two movies. One was American Underdog and the other was Ford Vs Ferrari. I stayed awake for the whole of the first movie. But after a glass of wine with dinner it was lights out for me and I slept through most of the second. And that was my weekend, some fun times and a good dose of downtime. How was yours, I hope it was a good one! My friend is looking into the issue with my website. As I shared with you on Friday, some comments are not going through and coming up with either a blank page or a weird message that says ‘Error 403’ or something frightening like that. Fingers crossed that everything will be working as it should very soon. Tech woes always do my head in! I hope you have a great week and I look forward to being back here on Wednesday.

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Fun Birthday Weekend

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Hi, friends! Wow, that weekend sure flew by in the blink of an eye, and now it’s Monday again. I’m here to link up with Holly and Sarah and share some of the fun I had celebrating my birthday over the weekend! Cousin Connect We had a late cousin get-together this month because some cousins were away and we decided to reschedule to mid-February when most could come. My aunt hosted and cooked up a storm. Even though we ate so much we could barely move, we still had a tonne of food left over and we all agreed that it looked as if we had barely made a dent! We finished by playing Jackbox TV games and we had chocolate birthday cake for dessert. Can we all agree that four candles on a cake are plenty when you are over a certain age? Haha! The Rocks in Sydney On Sunday (my actual birthday ) the four of us went to The Rocks for lunch. It was an incredibly hot and humid day, starting off sunny before turning cloudy. When we got off the train at Circular Quay we saw a massive Royal Princess Cruise ship. I’m always amazed by the size of those huge vessels, to me they look like moving apartment buildings. We’ve never been on a cruise, but if we ever did I’d be happy with just a short getaway. Maybe one day. I spotted a Sydney tourist bus along the way. If the prices didn’t start from $65.00 a ticket I’d definitely hop on for a ride! Birthday Lunch We ended up at The Fortune of War pub. A guy was playing guitar and singing some well-known tunes and I really wanted to sit outside but it was just too hot. Poor Steve looked like a human fountain, so we decided that it was better to go inside and eat in the air-conditioned restaurant instead of the steamy courtyard. We all ordered fish and chips! Dessert At The Opera Bar Afterwards, we walked over to The Opera Bar for dessert. Everyone ordered a ricotta cheesecake and I also had a frozen coconut margarita which tasted like a deliciously refreshing slushie with a kick. We sat indoors, which turned out to be a good choice as it was cooler than outside. Then not long after it began to pour down rain, such strange weather! We found a cozy booth and I loved the way they had decorated the length of the bar wall with potted plants and vases. We came home at around 7 pm, just in time to watch Married at First Sight. It’s one of those shows with so much drama and topics that always leaves me wide-eyed and almost horrified. Yet I can’t stop watching! We had ham, cheese and tomato melts for a light dinner after a big lunch. Then Luke went home, Steve went to bed and Sam and I stayed up way too late watching a movie. I didn’t want my fun birthday weekend to end! It was such a perfect weekend and I struggled so badly to get up to go to work this morning! But I made it through the day and I have promised myself that I’m going to go to bed at a decent time tonight. Thanks so much for being here today! I hope you have a wonderful day.

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How I Met My Husband

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Hi, friends welcome to the February edition of ‘Share Our Lives’, hosted by Adrienne, Dara, Jen, Joanne and Sarah. The topic for this month is ‘How You Met Your Significant Other or Best Friend”. So I’m sharing how I met my husband, Steve. I have to admit that I had a giggle when I saw the topic. Firstly it feels like it happened a hundred years ago. Secondly, because it’s kind of a funny story. A long time ago, at a church camp far, far away in a small town called Bundanoon, I first met Steve. Now, here’s the thing: he is six years older than me. This doesn’t seem like a massive age gap now, but it sure did when I was a teen. So, when we first met I was 14, and he was 20. There was absolutely ZERO connection or romantic interest or even a single thought about anything to do with any of that AT ALL. I’m emphasising this because when my kids found out how we first met they teased us incessantly. “‘Dad!! She was a kid!!!’ Hahaha!!” Anyway, there I was at church camp way back in 1984. I was having dinner with about 60 other kids from the youth group. I can’t recall how it happened, but suddenly, Steve appeared and sat next to me and my friend when it was time for dessert. He was one of the youth leaders, always friendly and hilariously funny! Whatever he was saying to me had me in stitches and I couldn’t focus on my canned fruit and ice cream (when it comes to food, I don’t forget the details!) Then, out of the blue, he said to me “You don’t want that, do you?” and he picked up my dessert and ate it. Looking back, I must have thought he was incredibly charming because no, I didn’t mind that he just devoured my dessert right in front of me. Now of course I’d probably pummel him to the ground if he ever dared. So for the next few years, I vaguely remember seeing him at church and youth group. He would usually bring along one of his girlfriends who were all very nice. Except for one who was scary. My friends and I would giggle and wonder who ‘Pootie’ was dating now. That was his nickname back then but that’s another story. Then when I was 18, by pure chance, we were paired up to go door-to-door handing out free Bibles. It was 1988, and Australia was celebrating its bicentenary. Churches distributed special bicentenary bibles to share with the local community. So we spent hours walking from door to door chatting the whole time. I felt so comfortable around him and I loved that he made me laugh a lot! I guess it was after that, we started hanging out more whenever we were at youth group. Then a few months later he asked me to go for a drive and a picnic. I was so impressed that he packed lunch. He brought along cheese and ham on the softest bread rolls I had ever tasted and even some sparkly apple juice. See, I told you that I don’t forget details about food. We dated for about just over a year and then we got married in January 1990. It feels like I’ve known him forever (because I have) and we’ve gone through fun times, happy times, sad times and incredibly tough times. While I know for a fact that we haven’t always made each other laugh. Now we are in that sweet spot in our marriage where the kids are all grown up and it doesn’t feel as if we’re in the trenches. We enjoy each other’s company and we like to hang out together. He still makes me laugh a lot, but I know that I’m funnier! I don’t have any photos of us dating! We dated in the dark ages when there were no mobile phones and cameras and film was expensive. So we only really took photos on special occasions. But here is one of our engagement party and the other is at our wedding. Thanks so much for being here today! I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about how I met my husband.

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How To Build Family Resilience During Tough Times

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Image Credit Facing difficult times as a family is a natural part of life’s journey, yet it’s how you navigate these moments together that truly defines your bond and builds resilience during tough times. While some families emerge from adversity with unwavering strength and unity others may falter. Naturally, you aspire for your family to belong to the former category. Whether grappling with financial strain, coping with the loss of a loved one, or experiencing conflict in the family, understanding how to rally together, endure, and heal collectively is crucial for learning how to build resilience. The following tips can help your family remain resilient when going through tough times. How To Build Family Resilience During Tough Times Unite Around A Shared Belief Or Value Having family beliefs does not necessarily have to be about religion or spirituality. Sometimes, it’s about having a set of values or a vision you share as a family. These can guide how you approach hard times and determine the meaning of each difficult experience. These values provide a bigger picture to consider instead of just focusing on the problems. They can help you put your tough times into a proper perspective and motivate you to deal with or overcome the challenges of any traumatic event. Additionally, a family belief system cultivates unity, ensuring that everyone feels included and supported. Discover Effective Ways To Alleviate Stress In tough times, stress can weigh heavily on families no matter how united they are. It’s essential to alleviate this stress to protect everyone’s mental well-being. Two key strategies are vital: Firstly, address responsibilities together rather than individually, regardless of their size. This nurtures unity and prevents anyone from feeling isolated. Share tasks such as caregiving, financial planning, and household chores to reinforce your bond. Secondly, prioritize quality family time for relaxation and bonding. Yes, times are hard, but spending quality family time together will make the situation a lot more bearable. Support Each Other To Recover Having the support of family makes navigating hard moments less challenging. On the contrary, allowing each member to recover independently can prolong the healing process and even lead to the family drifting apart. Therefore, it’s crucial to support each other during difficult periods. For instance, when dealing with the loss of a family member, face the stages of grief together as a unified front. Comfort each other through the tears and ensure that no one is left to grieve alone. Additionally, collaborate as a family to manage every aspect of dealing with the loss, from arranging meetings with a funeral director to bidding the final farewell. Don’t Hesitate To Seek Professional Counselling When Necessary In times of stress, pain, and hardship, professional assistance in the form of counselling can be very beneficial, especially when it comes to building resilience as a family. Family counsellors, therapists, and various support groups can offer invaluable insight into how best to handle any trying situation. Their presence, advice, care, and support can also offer something solid to lean on, helping you feel like you’re not alone in the struggle. Contrary to what some think, reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness. Instead, it’s a testament to your commitment to your family’s well-being, showing that you prioritize their needs during challenging times. In Conclusion In the journey of family life, tough times are inevitable, yet they offer opportunities for growth and resilience. While adversity may shake us, it’s our collective response that defines us. Strive for your family to emerge stronger, united and more resilient. This guide on how to build resilience offers valuable strategies for navigating challenges together, from embracing shared values to seeking professional support when needed. Remember, you’re not facing these struggles alone. Together, you can overcome any obstacle and emerge even stronger on the other side.

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Currently In February

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Hey everyone it’s time for the February edition of Currently hosted by Jennifer from Overflowing With Thankfulness. Today we are taking a peek into what we are currently loving, looking forward to, doing to be romantic, changing and celebrating. Thank you so much for joining me! LOVING I have been loving walking into our preschool and seeing Antique white walls! I shared the other day that it used to be painted in a kaleidoscope of bold colours. However, during the summer holidays, it was transformed into a new space with fresh WHITE paint and new flooring. It feels so zen – peace out man! I keep forgetting to take photos of the classroom when it’s set up. But here it is after it was all packed up for the day. We also have plans to get all new furniture, so I’ll be sure to share some pics when it’s all done! LOOKING FORWARD TO I’m looking forward to the weekend and then beyond that I’m looking forward to the next term break. It’s been exhausting settling the new kids into preschool this week. Almost feels like I’ve spent the last few days rounding up confused sheep! DOING TO BE ROMANTIC I can’t say that I have really been doing anything to be romantic. Steve and I enjoyed a whole lot of fun outings at cafes and restaurants when I was off during the summer break. But now I think that we will be enjoying cozy nights at home with a glass of wine in front of the TV when he is off from work two evenings a week. That counts as romantic, right? CHANGING Hmmmm, I had to think about this one! All I could come up with is that I’ve been changing channels and streaming apps a lot on my TV. I can’t seem to find any good series to binge-watch lately. Any recommendations? CELEBRATING I have a very young and fun work colleague whose birthday just happens to fall on the day before mine in February. Well, she is probably one of the happiest and sunniest people I know. Her zest for life and celebrating any occasion is downright contagious! So these days I can’t help but be excited about my birthday too. I don’t know how I will be celebrating on the day. But I do know that since I’ve been working with her I’ve stopped being all silly about getting older. I’m going along with her enthusiasm and I like her idea that February should be birthday month. Haha! This means that every weekend in February, we are each going to do something big or little for ourselves to celebrate. So I decided that the coin and card wallet I got with my $30 rewards voucher from Country Road last Saturday, was a birthday present to myself! That wraps up a few things that I have been up to. Happy Wednesday!

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Relaxing Weekend Recap

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Hi friends! It’s great to be back today linking up with Holly and Sarah to share my relaxing weekend recap. Thanks so much for stopping by to have a read! Friday Night Last week was my first week back at work and I had a lot of trouble sleeping. My brain was in complete overdrive and buzzing. To top it off, I was also obsessing over the impending alarm and I couldn’t fall asleep. I tossed and turned constantly thinking about how I needed to sleep fast or else I was going to feel tired the whole day and oh no why was I still awake and blah blah blah! The hot and humid nights didn’t help either. Thankfully our Silvercool sheets kept us much cooler than our regular cotton sheets. They are such a lifesaver! So it wasn’t just the heat that was stopping me from falling asleep. My brain would not shut down! On some days I would finally doze off around 3 am and then the alarm would go off at 6 am. Ugh! By the time Friday night rolled around, I felt completely exhausted and that night I crashed hard! Waking up on Saturday I felt much more refreshed and so much better. Fingers crossed that this week I won’t be so focused on the darn alarm! *Update: Last night I fell asleep at 1 am – I’ll take that as a sign that things are improving! Saturday Saturday morning was nice and slow just the way I needed it to be. I caught up with Steve because we are back to mainly communicating by text due to our conflicting work schedules. I enjoyed sipping my coffee slowly, instead of chugging it down. Then I did some blogging, organised my meal plan and placed an online grocery order. I felt like I was winning again instead of playing catch-up! In the afternoon after Steve went to work, I made a super quick trip to the city. I walked about 15 minutes to the next suburb to catch the train. When I got to the station I was surprised to find a lively Lunar New Year festival in full swing. The whole main street was blocked off and there were people everywhere. I did a quick lap around the food stalls, snapped a few photos, and soaked in a little festive atmosphere before jumping on the train. The reason for my quick dash to the city was that I had a $30 reward that I wanted to redeem at Country Road before it expired in the next few days. I knew that I wouldn’t have a chance to get to the shops during the week and there was no way that I wanted to miss out on my reward! But the thing with these reward vouchers is that you can’t buy very much with $30 so it’s easy to get sucked into spending way more. But I stayed strong and found a cute card and coin wallet that cost $39. So I just added the $9.00 difference and was pleased with myself for not spending much. Go me! Sunday After church, I went home and made a quick lunch. Finally, Steve, Sam and I sat down to our first meal together all week! Sam is once again very busy with uni and work so we don’t get to see him as much as we did when he was on summer break. He was chatting about his first overseas trip he booked the other day. The half-price deal that was on offer for one day only on Thursday of last week was too good to pass up. So he and two other friends seized the opportunity, booked their tickets and are making plans to head off in late April As he sat there telling us about all the things he wanted to do in Japan. I had flashbacks to when he was little and would sit in the very same spot at the dining table. Except back then he would talk about Lego and Pokemon. Where did the time go? I spent the rest of Sunday catching up on this and that. The dream of chore-free weekends is exactly that – a dream! Still, it’s not so bad because I do keep up with the bulk of things during the week. Steve had to go to work for a few hours so I jumped on the computer to do some blogging. When he came home a little after 8 pm, we opened a bottle of wine called “Sunday”. Very appropriate, no? We enjoyed dinner (again the three of us – two meals together in one day. Yay!!) Then we wrapped up the day with an episode of Vera. All in all, it was a lovely weekend that ended way too fast! How was yours? I hope it was a good one. Thanks so much for being here today – can you believe it’s February? Have a wonderful Monday.

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