Family Life

Hey, friends welcome back to this month’s edition of ‘What’s Up Wednesday’. I’m excited to be joining this monthly link-up with Shay where we are sharing some everyday life updates. We are going to chat about fun things like what we are eating, watching, wearing, and doing. As well as a whole lot of other bits and pieces of our everyday lives. So grab a cup of something delicious and let’s get going! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday- Dinner at my aunt’s house Tuesday-Meatballs, mashed potato and veggies Wednesday- leftovers for Sam. Steve and I are going out for dinner. Thursday- Pan-fried fish with chips and salad Friday- Dinner at my aunt’s house for our monthly ‘cousin connect’ Saturday-Roast lamb, potato wedges and salad Sunday- Leftover lamb in wraps with salad WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT As the days have been getting shorter and the weather is starting to cool down, I find myself reminiscing about those long, lazy summer days. The days are still quite warm but I know that soon enough I will be looking for warm sunny spots to sit in the preschool yard during outdoor playtime. But I have to remember that Australia doesn’t get unbearably cold in winter compared to other countries. So this means that there are still plenty of opportunities to get out and about. Having just typed this I still firmly believe that 14°C is freezing!!! I guess it just comes down to what your body is used to. WHAT I’M LOVING As a homebody, I love stepping through the door after a long day at work. There’s just nothing quite like the comfort of being at home. But before I can truly relax, I always do a few chores around the house. Then once I’m done and dinner is cooked, I can finally settle in and enjoy the cozy comforts of being at home. I love to light some candles and put on some soft music to create a relaxing atmosphere, and if I can manage to stay awake then I might even catch up on some TV shows. I always like to make sure that I complete some everyday household tasks first though. Because that way they won’t pile up for the weekend. And I have discovered that once I’ve taken care of my chores and feel like I’m on top of things then I can truly relax because these tasks are no longer playing on my mind. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO Steve and I have been busy with work and Sam has been busy with work and studies. But we have also managed to sprinkle in a few fun events which is really nice. Because we don’t want to be all work and no play. In March we enjoyed beautiful views when we went out for dinner. Fun times with friends enjoying yummy food. And some bright summery cocktails. It’s been a great month! WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing that’s coming up next month thankfully WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT The upcoming school holidays!  It’s been a challenging term working to settle some of the little ones into preschool. I honestly think that this year might just be one of the most challenging years ever and I have been doing this for a whole lot of years! Anyway, I am so happy that the school holidays are just around the corner. And I’m looking forward to a well-deserved break and spending time with family and friends. I’m excited to come back to preschool with a fresh perspective and renewed energy. Yep, it’s been quite a term! WHAT I’M WATCHING I’m still watching Blue Bloods at a snail’s pace. Steve and I always like to have a show that we watch together and we picked Blue Bloods. However, the trouble is Steve works such crazy long hours so this means that we don’t get many chances to watch it. I started watching a Netflix mini-series called ‘Safe’ and I’m really enjoying it. I’m planning on watching the last episode tonight. After finishing ‘The Last Of us’ recently, Sam is now keen to watch ‘The Walking Dead’ with me. I didn’t think that I would ever enjoy watching shows about zombies. But the first episode was really good and I liked it way more than I thought I would. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO Right, this minute I’m listening to the dryer. It’s been a bit rainy and humid this week so it’s almost impossible to get the washing to dry properly. I usually try to hang the washing on the line as much as possible when the weather is good. WHAT I’M WEARING I’m still wearing summer clothes and I’m loving it! WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND I’m really looking forward to our scheduled monthly family ‘ cousin connect’ dinner and this time my aunt is hosting. Apart from that, we have nothing else planned. I have been having so much trouble sleeping lately. And I seem to get hot and sweaty one minute then I’m freezing the next. Could be to do with you know…..ahem….hormones ugh! So I hope that I am able to get some good rest and sleep this weekend. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH As I mentioned before, I’m excited that it will be the school holidays. So I’m looking forward to a few fun outings. We are also in the process of planning some Easter festivities as a family. Oh yes, I nearly forgot. Steve and I are planning to get away on a mini staycation to Manly. I’m excited to visit a few bars, cafes and restaurants in that lovely beachside suburb. Fingers crossed that the weather is still warm in a couple of weeks. So I guess that wraps up a few everyday life updates. Thank you so much for joining me today and I really hope that you have the best Wednesday. I look forward to being back here tomorrow for ‘Monthly Musings’. See ya! Here is my Monday post in case you

Hi friends, happy Monday! Today I am joining some lovely ladies for the Not Just A Mom link-up. And the topic for March is “Day In The Life Weekend Edition’. I love reading day in the life posts because it’s so fun to catch a glimpse into someone’s day. I Love My Weekends! But before I jump in I’ll have to say that I didn’t do anything very exciting this weekend and I spent a lot of time at home. But after such a busy week it was exactly what I needed. I have structured weekdays and a set routine during the week with specific times for work, breaks, meals and household chores. So my weekdays are mainly all about keeping focused on fulfilling my responsibilities and meeting my obligations. On the other hand, my weekends are much more flexible and open-ended. Sometimes I like to sleep in and other times I have fun plans to socialize with friends or family. I just love my weekends so much!! For me, they are a time to unwind and do the things that I enjoy without the pressure of a schedule or routine. So let’s get started on what a day or two in the life weekend edition looked like for me… A Very Early Good Morning I really wanted to sleep in on Saturday but Sushi is so used to having breakfast at 6 am 😩. So I fed her and went back to bed for a bit longer. I couldn’t fall back asleep but it was nice to have a bit of extra time in my cozy bed. A Late Breakfast I made some scrambled eggs and bacon for a late breakfast. My new Tefal non-stick pan is amazing for cooking anything. It’s such a breeze when it comes to washing off all the scrambled egg residue. Eggs are so sticky!! Later on Steve and I sat down to watch a couple of episodes of Blue Bloods on Binge. I love this show and I’m so happy that we are watching from season one. Laundry! Steve went to work and I put a load (or two) of washing on. Never-ending laundry hmph! Instagram I sat down for a bit and put together an Instagram reel. I am not great at posting on Instagram regularly but I do enjoy making reels. A Late Lunch Then it was time for a late lunch and I just went through the fridge and heated up some leftovers in a bowl. I threw in a couple of slices of tomatoes for colour and vitamins hehe. Old YouTube Movie While I ate my lunch I watched an old movie on YouTube. I like watching these old ‘midday movies’  that I used to watch as a teen whenever I had to stay home from school because I was sick. Turkey Burgers Then I read some blogs and before I knew it it was time to start making dinner. I made some turkey burgers for our Saturday night dinner. And I also made some homemade wedges but forgot to take a pic. I watched an episode of ‘The Sopranos’ and called it a night. Just before I went to bed Steve texted to say that he had to stay at work extra late. Because one of the other guys he works with had some sort of family emergency. Ah, the joys of working in hospitality! Sunday I woke up at 7.24 am on Sunday and this time I remembered to take a screenshot of my phone. Sushi slept in and didn’t come into our bedroom meowing for breakfast. Thank you Sushi! Blogging Then Church I worked on the blog for a bit while I had a coffee and then it was time to go to church which started at 10.30. New Woolworths Metro After church, I had to pick up a couple of things from the grocery shop. And I decided to go to a new Woolworths metro store that has opened recently. It’s a bit closer to where I live and I wanted to avoid having to try and find a parking spot inside the busy Westfields where they also have a Woolworths. I parked my car in the unfamiliar car park and followed these signs to the store. There was hardly anyone around and it felt a bit strange. The new store looked so good and because it’s a metro it was small. Which makes it great for when you just need a couple of things as I did. No frozen chips and now we have a poultry shortage as well. Would you believe that I got lost when I went back down to the car park? It was so empty and every level looked the same. I backtracked and thanked God for the signs that I had followed earlier. And I eventually found my lonely little car. Phew!! I got home and by then Steve was awake. We had some lunch and then I went to Costco with my aunt. I didn’t really need anything but I can never say no to a trip to Costco! My aunt stocked up on quite a few things. They didn’t have many food-tasting stations because it was a Sunday. But they did have wheatgrass samples. It didn’t taste bad at all, probably because it was mixed with some very sweet apple juice. When I got home in the late afternoon I was really craving pasta. So I made a very simple mushroom and bacon pasta dish. Sam and I had dinner together and we talked politics. We have an election coming up soon and it looks like he’s voting one way and I’m voting another. Haha! He’s excited that he gets to vote for the first time. I cleaned up after dinner and watched a bit of television. Have you guys watched Grand Designs? It’s a British show hosted by Kevin McCloud. He follows some very ambitious building projects from individuals with big ideas for their homes.

Hi, everyone, can you believe that it’s the first of March? Woah, I know February is a short month but really…March already??? Anyway, I’m happy to be here for this month’s edition of ‘Currently’ so I can share some happy updates. And I’m excited to be linking up with Jennifer from Overflowing With Thankfulness. Today we are looking at what we are currently Loving Starting Finishing Trying Going Loving I have been absolutely loving this summer season!! Summer in Sydney came quite late and I remember wearing layers and jackets as late as November last year. Which was quite unusual! Then once the warm weather finally kicked in. We’ve enjoyed days and days of bright sunny weather. We’ve had storms and rain in between but overall I think it’s been a good summer. I won’t mention the humidity that messes with my hair and sleep. I refuse to say anything negative about my favourite season hehe! It’s been such a treat to be able to hang out with friends and family to enjoy long sunny lunches and dinners. Soak up the warm weather and indulge in some really delicious food and drinks. I find that it’s just so much easier to get out and do fun things when the weather is good. The sunshine, bright blue skies and warmth just make everything more enjoyable. I also love being able to wear light clothes like shorts, sandals and sleeveless tops. Not having to bundle up in layers and coats is so refreshing. Of course, I know that all this is coming to a sad end soon. And today is the first day of autumn. But until the cold sets in. I’m going to make sure that I keep on relishing the warm weather. Starting I’m starting to get used to Sam having his license and driving his own car. Phew…..I said it! As you know I’m still in the process of getting used to this. And the thought of him behind the wheel makes me a bit nervous. I mean I know that he is careful and sensible but the roads in Sydney are just so very busy. I have to admit though that it’s been really great that he has been getting home from his weekend job much earlier than when he was catching public transport. Finishing Well, I’m down to the end of my favourite go-to night-time face cream. I usually use the Lacura brand from Aldi and it is really great. As it leaves my skin feeling soft, hydrated and nourished. When I first started using it I was a bit sceptical. I mean how can such an affordable face cream be as good as the fancy creams? But it honestly is! Every once in a while, I like to treat myself to a fancy cream just to mix things up. But after my little fling with the expensive creams is over, I usually come back to my good old Aldi cream. Trying I’ve been on a quest to be more organised with my meal planning. And so far so good but I have to admit that it’s still only March. My goal is to stick to being consistent for the whole year. And I’m happy to say that I am actually enjoying my new routine of sitting down on Sunday afternoons and looking through the internet for ideas and recipes. I’ve been really focused on making sure that I incorporate more veggies into my meals. The other night I made a satay chicken stir fry and I added a bag of stir fry mix rainbow vegetables. It had a whole lot of delicious vegetables and then I added a red capsicum that had been in my fridge for a while and had seen better days. That’s the thing that I love about stir fries. You can add so many vegetables that might otherwise go to waste. Going We are actually not going anywhere really. I have another five weeks before we are on term break and I have been looking at some local getaways. I would love to go somewhere to relax and unwind for a couple of days. But so far we don’t have any major exciting plans.   And I guess that just about wraps up some happy updates for this month. I love this linkup because it really makes me stop and reflect on what has happened in the last month. Thank you so much for joining me today. And I hope that you have a wonderful rest of the week!      

February 2023-Hi friends! February is such a short month! And when I checked my planner the other day I could hardly believe that it was already the last Wednesday of the month. It sure crept up so fast! Anyway, I’m here today linking up with Shay for the February edition of ‘What’s Up Wednesday’. And we are looking at what we’ve been up to during this very short month. So let’s dive right in. What We’re Eating This Week I’m happy to report that I have kept up with my weekly meal planning! Yay, go me! Now I just have to be consistent for the rest of the year. Monday- Chicken pie with mashed potato and veggies Tuesday- Grilled Barramundi with chips and salad Wednesday- Lamb cutlets with vegetables and jacket potatoes, sour and chives. Thursday- Turkey bolognese with garlic bread and salad Friday-leftovers because I’m going out Saturday- Roast chicken with baked potatoes and salad Sunday-Teriyaki salmon with rice and vegetables What I’m Reminiscing About My super fun birthday weekend which you can read all about here. My sweet colleague whose birthday was the day after mine (but she is decades younger!) has declared this week as birthday week too. She inspires me happy all the time. So I think I might do the same 😊 I’m also reminiscing about when Sam was little. It feels like only yesterday that he was wheeling around the house in his plastic car. And now after passing his driving test he is looking to buy a real live car with a motor and everything! What I’m Loving We have been having some really hot days this month! Summer arrived late this year so hopefully, this means that it will also leave late. I just love the hot weather so much. The only thing that I dislike about the hot weather is the bugs and the spiders! Thankfully I haven’t had any major run-ins with giant cockroaches this summer. But I nearly walked into a huge spider web that sprung up overnight. Isn’t it massive!! Luckily I sprayed the awning where the web was hanging from and ran inside the laundry. Sure enough, I heard a scuttling sound and then this dropped down. I think it’s a huntsman spider which isn’t deadly. But it could surely scare me to death!! It doesn’t look huge in the pic because it’s all shrivelled up from the bug spray. But believe me, it was BIG !! What We’ve Been Up To Just the usual things like work but with lots of fun times spent with family on the weekends eating delicious food. Ha! I guess this is why I called my blog play, work, eat, repeat. 🤗 What I’m Dreading Thankfully I’m not dreading anything at the moment. What I’m Excited About I’m going to the Ed Sheeran concert on Friday night with my bestie! What I’m Watching I’m still watching The Sopranos and I’m up to Season 2. I haven’t had a lot of time to watch much else. Although I’m really enjoying The Sopranos, I would really love to watch a feel-good show. I need a good viewing balance so if you have any recommendations I would really love to hear them. What I’m Listening To Right now I’m listening to the rain and thunder. It was a really sunny day until this afternoon and now it’s all humid and rainy. I checked the weather forecast and it looks like we are in for some much cooler days ahead. Oh well, I guess Autumn is coming. What I’m Wearing Here is a recap of a few things that I have been wearing this month. It’s been all mainly about summer clothes!! What I’m Doing This Weekend I’m going to a surprise birthday party on Sunday. Don’t worry the person who is being surprised doesn’t read my blog so I haven’t spoiled anything. What I’m Looking Forward To Next Month Sam starts uni next month and he has chosen to do a Bachelor of Nursing. So I’m excited for him and praying that he likes his course, is able to keep up with juggling part-time work as well as study and that he can cope with the commute. The uni he will be going to is one hour by car or nearly two hours by train. He doesn’t need to go in every day which is a good thing! What Amazon Purchase Did I Love This Month I found these fantastic grey microfiber cleaning cloths that I use only for the kitchen. They are amazing for cleaning up any spills, they are also super absorbent and they wash really well. I really like having neutral-coloured cloths and dish towels for the kitchen so these are perfect! I also bought these coloured ones for the bathrooms, laundry and other messy areas. They are fantastic and they leave my bathrooms all fresh and shiny. Plus I love that they are all different colours because that means that they will never be confused with the kitchen ones. We bought Sam a new gaming monitor as a combined Christmas and high school graduation present. He had been researching the best value-for-money monitor for the longest time and he decided that this one was the best. So far he has been so happy with this monitor and he tells me that his gaming experience is out of this world! So I guess that just about wraps up this month’s edition of ‘What’s Up Wednesday’. Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope that you have the best day!

House Rules- Hi everybody! I hope you are all feeling bright and ready for a fantastic new week. It’s tough hitting the grind again but there are many reasons to love Mondays. And joining in with the monthly ‘Not Just A Mom’ link-up is always a great way to start off the working week. Today we are going to chat about ‘House Rules’. I honestly feel that a happy home really needs a solid foundation, and that’s where house rules come in! If we set clear, positive and fair house rules then this helps to create a safe, harmonious and enjoyable environment for our family. House rules give us structure as well as stability. They make our home a safe space where we can express our values, priorities and expectations. In addition, having house rules sets the tone for healthy communication and also encourages responsibility. I live with my husband and our eighteen-year-old son and we have a few simple rules that help us coexist in harmony. Of course, realistically speaking not every day can be sunshine and rainbows but these rules certainly do help! House Rules Respect Each Other’s Belongings This means no borrowing my phone charger without permission! Clean Up After Yourself If everyone pitches in and doesn’t leave a mess after themselves then the mess doesn’t pile up. So we have a few rules that really make a difference. If you make yourself something to eat in the kitchen then pack everything away and wipe any spills Squeegee the shower after each use to keep it shiny and free of water spots. This makes cleaning the bathrooms so much easier! Put your dirty clothes in the clothes hamper. Communication Is Key If something is bothering us, we talk about it instead of letting it fester. And if someone needs alone time we try and respect that. Now that’s the rule but here is the reality. I’m not great at expressing what is bothering me and I’m working on it. However, my husband and son are both much better at it! Seriously sometimes I think I brought the wrong kid home from the hospital. Because Sam is so calm and communicates very maturely. He doesn’t let things build up and really values times when we sit down as a family and talk. Wait I just realised that I did indeed bring the right kid home from the hospital. It’s just that he clearly takes after his dad. Hehe! Chores For All We all have a few household responsibilities to keep things running smoothly. From taking out the recycling and rubbish, emptying the dishwasher, and feeding the cat. Mind Your Manners It’s much more fun to be around people who are polite and respectful. So we really value good manners by using “please” and thank you” and treating each other with kindness and consideration. Knock Before You Come In! This house rule is a high-priority one. And we all make sure that we knock before we enter a room if the door is closed. This shows respect for privacy and respect of personal space. None of us wants to have someone walk in on us if we’re half-dressed! No Swearing I guess no swearing is not really a ‘rule’ as such. It’s more that we just don’t swear at home (not out loud anyway 😂) Check-In We check in with each other if we are running late or out longer than expected. This helps to stop mama from catastrophising! Having a set of house rules in my home with my husband and eighteen-year-old is the key to creating a harmonious household. Whether it’s taking turns feeding the cat, putting out the garbage or checking in when we’re out. These small actions all add up to create a good vibe at home. But it’s important to remember that no one is perfect and believe me we do mess up from time to time. However it’s not about being perfect, it’s about trying. After all mistakes and rough times are an opportunity to learn and grow. Linking up with Holly and Sarah Sharing with the Not Just A Mom Ladies And Sharing on

Hi everyone I hope you all had a great weekend and are feeling ready for a brand new week. Do you feel the same as me that the weekends fly by just way too fast? I always long for more time to relax and enjoy my free time. But Monday just rolls around in a blink of an eye. Anyway, I’m so happy that you have stopped by today. I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah to share a few highlights from my weekend of family fun. Monthly Family Dinner It’s always so great to spend quality time with the family and this weekend was no exception! Saturday was all about good food, laughter and catching up. One of my cousins hosted our first monthly family get-together for the year at her house. She went away to Hawaii for a couple of weeks with her husband and two kids. And It was so great to see them looking all tanned, happy and relaxed after their fun holiday. I could hardly believe that we hadn’t seen each other as one big group since Christmas. Time does fly by so fast!! We started the evening by toasting with Prosecco and enjoying some cheese and crackers. Then we all sat down together for a lovely meal. And enjoyed some delicious chicken, chips, mac and cheese, corn on the cob as well as cornbread. My cousin’s husband is from America and he introduced us all to cornbread. It’s the first time that I have tried it and it was just so delicious! Thankfully they have shared the recipe with us because I can’t imagine my life without cornbread ever again! A Surprise Birthday Cake For Me! It’s not my birthday until later in the month but my littlest cousin who is nine years old surprised me with a beautiful cake and everyone sang me happy birthday. It was such a lovely gesture! She baked the cake all by herself with a little help from her mum. The cake was so delicious and moist with vanilla frosting and sprinkles. Ocular Gaming System After dinner, it was time for some more fun and my other cousin pulled out the Occular gaming system that she brought over for us to play with. The ocular gaming system is a virtual reality headset designed for gaming. I had a turn and it is such an amazing gaming system. It transports you to a different world and you interact with the game using hand gestures.  It was absolutely mind-blowing and I would love to buy one. But they don’t come cheap so I don’t think that I will be getting one anytime soon. Sunday It was such a joy to walk to church on Sunday morning. I loved feeling the warm sun on my face and looking at the brilliant blue sky. As I walked along it was different to my usual walks to work when I am usually in a hurry and going at a fast pace. This time I soaked in the beauty of my surroundings and the peaceful quiet of the neighbourhood. It was a big change from the noise of the weekday traffic and I could even hear the birds chirping! I snapped a quick photo of this quirky garden that is a few houses away from the church building. The front lawn is full of garden ornaments, plants and whirly things that move with the breeze. I always wonder who lives there. The fun continued on Sunday evening as my oldest son and his lovely fiancee came over for a visit. We sat down together for another family dinner and it was wonderful to see everyone having such a great time and enjoying more lively conversation. And just like that, our fun family weekend came to an end all too soon. We’re already looking forward to our next big family catch-up as they are always the highlight of every month. I hope you all enjoyed a great weekend. Happy Monday!    

I can hardly believe that it’s the 1st of February. January just went so fast for me but that’s because I was on summer break. And I find that the days just go by in a flash when I’m on holiday from work. But I’m happy to be back today with the February edition of Currently and I am linking up with Jennifer from Overflowing With Thankfulness. Today we are looking at what we are currently loving, feeling, posting, receiving and seeing. Loving I have been loving summer!! It’s been humid and sticky. My hair has been suffering from a shocking case of frizz but I just love the hot weather so much! Even though I have absolutely loved being on summer break. Now that I am back at work I love that tired feeling after a long busy day. And when I go to bed I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. During the holidays I had trouble falling asleep even when I went to bed really late. This was totally fine because I didn’t have to go to work the next day and I had the luxury of sleeping in. But I know for sure that I don’t sleep as well during the holidays as I do now that I’m dead tired after work. Feeling I am feeling so positive about this year! Last year was the worst and I figure that if I can survive a year like that then I can probably survive almost anything. I am seeing everything through fresh eyes and grateful for a new year. And I have also been feeling very blessed. I have a wonderful family and the most amazing friends. I feel like I have come out of a very long tunnel and this year I have found the sunshine. Posting I have been posting more often here on the blog. But that’s because I have been on summer break. Now that I am back at work I’m not sure that I will be able to keep up. But that’s ok, I’ll try my best and see how I go. Receiving I guess the first thing that comes to mind is that I have been receiving a few online shopping deliveries. But they are not for me. They are for my oldest son. He lives in an apartment and so it’s just easier if his things get delivered to our house. Then he picks them up when he comes over to visit. Seeing I have been seeing lots of new little faces at preschool. Many of the last years preschoolers have moved on to kindergarten this year.  And now we have new children beginning preschool. It always amazes me how at the start of the year what a huge deal it is for them to get to know us and then eventually trust us. After all, we are strangers to them and it must be so overwhelming for them to come into a new environment, say goodbye to their parents, and trust that we will look after them until their loved ones come to pick them up. Some children are fine with all of this and they walk into preschool so excited and ready to explore everything. But others take more time so I have also seen a few sad faces at preschool too. This week I have also seen quite a few familiar little faces. We have welcomed back children who were too young to start primary school. And it’s incredible how much children can grow over five weeks. Some of them have had major growth spurts and they have just shot up. And that’s a wrap for the February edition of Currently. Thank you so much for stopping by today. I’m sure that before we know it we’ll be back here again for the March edition because the days just fly by so fast! I hope you all have a great Wednesday.    

Hi friends I hope you guys had a great weekend. And are all ready to jump into a brand-new week. I’m happy to be back again today on this very rainy and humid Monday evening. As usual, I am linking up with Holly and Sarah and sharing some of my weekend fun. Weekend Fun Saturday Saturday morning I had a few errands to run. So I made a quick trip to the shops and I saw some displays and decorations for the Lunar New Year celebrations. I didn’t have time to stop so I just took a few quick pics. In the evening we went to my aunt’s house and we got to meet my cousin and his girlfriend’s new baby. Isn’t she just so precious? I picked her up for a cuddle and was instantly smitten. I don’t think that I have ever gone so gaga over a puppy before. But I just loved this little one instantly. Isn’t she so tiny!! Her name is Zilla which is short for Godzilla 😂. Here she is having a cuddle with Sam. Zilla is a miniature chihuahua and I can hardly believe how small she is. Here she is asleep in a tiny cat bed. We all had fun cuddling and stroking Zilla as well as being very careful not to step on her. We all froze every time she moved from her tiny bed to her doggie carrier. We stayed for dinner and my aunt made a delicious Chinese dinner to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Then for dessert, we enjoyed some fruit tarts and egg custard tarts. Yum! Sunday On Sunday I caught up with my friend who I met 23 years ago when she worked at preschool with me. She joined us on a one-year contract filling in for a maternity leave position. We clicked instantly and have been friends ever since. Over the 23 years, we have had huge gaps where we didn’t hear from each other. Mainly because she went to live in Europe for a long time. She has been back in Australia for a number of years now and we catch up every so often. I love how we can always just pick up where we have left off. She always makes me laugh so much and is just so much fun to be with. Shopping For Makeup She is also my makeup guru. And I am always so amazed by her knowledge of different brands of makeup. And I love how she’s always so honest in telling me what suits me and what doesn’t. So on Sunday, we zigzagged around the city visiting Sephora, Mecca, Myer and David Jones. My friend had a list of specific products that she was on the lookout for. She introduced me to Chantecaille eye shadow and I was so tempted to buy this colour but I didn’t because I recently bought the NARS palette. Oh, man! It took all of my willpower to walk away. Then we looked at the amazing range of nail polish in David Jones. I was almost in a trance looking at all the pretty colours. And I nearly bought a really nice bronze-coloured nail polish but they were out of stock. In fact, everything seemed to be out of stock. Apparently, there are major issues with the supply chain. Which probably saved me a lot of money! And in the end, neither of us bought anything. But to be honest there weren’t any products that I needed. It was so much fun just browsing and getting lots of make-up tips from my friend. Free Kombucha! They were giving away cans of kombucha in Pitt St Mall. And the young girl gave us two each. We didn’t realise it was kombucha until we read the cans. And we both said at the same time ” I hate kombucha”. But hey it was free! My friend had me in hysterics as I watched her trying to fit her freebies into her LV bag! Lunch We ended our day by going to the QVB and enjoying a nice long lunch while we caught up on what’s been happening with us since the last time we met. We talked non-stop for ages reminiscing about when we first met and all of the funky fashions we used to wear to work. Back then we didn’t have to wear enclosed granny shoes as we do now. We were allowed to wear any type of footwear we wanted. So she and I would wear strappy platform shoes that were all the rage back then thanks to the Spice Girls. Haha, such fun times! For lunch, I ordered a chicken and leek pie with kale and quinoa salad. Because I have an obsession with chicken and leek pies at the moment. And my friend had an Italian panini with a lentil and edamame salad. I tried my free kombucha and it didn’t taste like anything so I was happy to drink it. Plus I was very thirsty! On the way back to the train station I bought some caramelised peanuts to enjoy at home. It was such a fun Sunday! Setting Up The Classroom At Preschool Today it was all hands on deck as we continued to move the furniture around and finish where we left off on Friday. We set up the classrooms and prepared the craft and all the other activities ready for tomorrow when the children start. We had a training afternoon scheduled as well. So we were racing to get everything finished by 2 pm. The day just flew by so fast but I found it so satisfying to declutter and organise the room. I love how spacious everything is now and I think that all the staff did such a great job setting up the learning areas. Especially because the preschool is in an old building that has so many limitations. I’m looking forward to meeting the new children tomorrow. As well as welcoming

Hey everyone it’s so great to be back for the first ‘What’s Up Wednesday’  in January 2023! I am linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share a bit about what’s been going on in my little corner of the world. And today it’s all about what we’ve been eating, watching, listening to and wearing. Plus a whole lot more and I am so happy that you have stopped by! January-What’s Up Wednesday **Disclosure: The links provided in this post are affiliate links. I will be paid a commission if you use these links to make a purchase Let’s start with 1. What We’re Eating This Week I have been really enjoying doing lots of cooking during January. It’s been so great not having to rush home from work and hurry up to get dinner ready. Instead, I have been taking my time and enjoying the whole process. So far this week we have had Turkey Bolognese on Monday Tuesday we had chicken and chickpea casserole with cashews and rice. Tonight we are having quiche Teriyaki Salmon with rice and Asian salad are on the menu for Thursday. Friday we’ll probably get takeaway because it will be my first day back at work and it will be a nice treat to look forward to. 2. What I’m Reminiscing About Christmas! Wow, it almost feels like months and months ago when we were all prepping and then celebrating Christmas. We had such a fun Christmas Eve eating way too much delicious food and playing crazy fun games. In case you missed it you can read all about our Christmas Eve here. Although I don’t go back to work until this Friday. I’m already reminiscing about the wonderful time I spent at home during my summer holiday. It’s been such a great January and even though we didn’t go away anywhere. I still enjoyed heaps of fun day trips, hanging out with my family and a couple of fun overnight staycations. Yep, there’s a lot to reminisce about. 3. What I’m Loving Staying up late and waking up late! I have thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of having time to enjoy every day in January. 4. What We’ve Been Up To Lots and lots of lazy days at home. 5. What I’m Dreading Going back to work. Now I must say that I am lucky to have a great job in a wonderful preschool with a fantastic team. BUT going back to the working routine is so hard….boooooo! 6. What I’m Working On Mindfulness! I declared mindfulness as my word for the year. So I have been really conscious about making sure to stay in the moment. Because life is just way too short! 7. What I’m Excited About Going back to work…..haha! No only kidding!! I’m actually very excited about squeezing in one more bit of fun before I start back at work on Friday. My lovely friend and I are treating ourselves to a long lunch in the city at a lovely restaurant tomorrow. Yes, there will be cocktails for sure! 8. What I’m Watching I have been exploring shows on Binge and watching lots of episodes of ‘The Sopranos’. Which I am thoroughly enjoying. We are also watching ‘Blue Bloods’. I have always really enjoyed this show on TV. But we only ever caught episodes here and there. Now that we have subscribed to Binge we have started from the very first episode. And finally, storylines are making more sense. 9. What I’m Listening To Eve St. Jones on Spotify. I have loved loved loved listening to her Jazz and bossa nova renditions of popular songs. Some of her songs are very current and others are classic contemporary favourites. She has such a beautiful smooth voice and it’s so relaxing to have her music playing softly in the background. 10. What I’m Wearing Some days I’ve been wearing shorts when it’s been really hot. Then other days when it’s been cooler I’ve been wearing jeans. The weather has been so weird this summer. 11. What I’m Doing This Weekend I am getting together with my family for lunch on Saturday and on Sunday I’m going shopping with a friend. 12. Favourite Amazon Purchase This Month DVD Case I have been doing a lot of decluttering in January. And I still had way too many DVDs in their original covers which take up so much space. So I bought this fantastic DVD case on Amazon. And now I can fit the rest of my DVDs neatly inside. I like to keep my DVDs because some of them are old favourites that I can’t always find on streaming services. Yep, I love those old cheesy Danielle Steele movies! Grooming Brush Our cat Sushi loves to laze about leaving her black fur behind on the furniture. So I thought that I would give this cat/dog grooming brush a try. Oh my goodness what a great buy this was! I was able to brush out a lot of her loose fur. And one of the best features of this brush is that you press the button at the back and it ejects the fur. PERFECT! Sushi loved it so much and I don’t think that I have ever heard her purr so loudly as did this time when I brushed her fur. When I finished she followed me and was all like……why have you stopped. Funny girl! If you have a furry friend then I thoroughly recommend this brush. That wraps up January! It’s been a fantastic month and thank you so much for stopping by to read about some of the things we have been up to. Take care and I hope that you all have the best Wednesday

Hi everyone I’m so glad that I can join in this week’s Word Of The Week link-up. My word of the week is FAST. Because this week has just gone by so fast! I think that I have been feeling super conscious of the days flying past because my summer holidays are coming to an end. Waaaaahhhh!! And I’m pretty sure that the working weeks never ever go by as fast as holiday weeks do! End Of The School Holidays I mean it only feels like a minute ago that I was wishing my work colleagues a happy summer holiday. And now next Friday I will be back at work again. The summer break really did go by so fast! Even Christmas and New Year feel like distant memories now. Is it just me or does time seem to go faster the older we get? I remember when I was little. Waiting for fun events like birthdays felt like an absolute eternity. I wish for those days back because now I feel like my birthday comes around so soon. A New Job I think that a big reason why this week felt like it sped by particularly fast. Is because my younger son Sam got a part-time job and he is so excited. In fact, we were all excited for him! He had been waiting to hear about a job that he interviewed for last week. Monday and Tuesday went past and he hadn’t heard anything so he assumed that he was unsuccessful. Then on Wednesday, he found out he got the job. After that everything seemed to go by super fast. He had another meeting with the boss Wednesday afternoon. And then three hours of online training on Thursday. The next thing he received his uniform as well as his roster and he started work on Friday! I think all our heads were spinning by the end of the week. He also got his tax file number in the mail which was really lucky because he needs it now that he is working. He had been told that it could take up to 28 days to arrive in the mail. So I’m glad that it arrived much faster than expected. I think that we all got caught up in the frenzy that goes along with starting a new job. The excitement of the last few days made the week feel like it sped by even faster than usual. So now I have exactly five more days until term one of preschool begins. And I would really like those five days to go by really slowly! Fingers crossed!!