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How Introverts Celebrate Their Birthday

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It’s time to join Dara, Joanne, Sarah, Jen and Adrienne to share how we celebrate our birthdays. Yikes! I think I’ve spent most of my adult life dreading birthdays because I really and truly do not like being the centre of attention. So, I thought I’d take a little creative liberty with today’s link-up prompt. Instead of just answering How do you celebrate your birthday?, I’m going to stretch it out a bit to How Introverts Celebrate Their Birthday—because that’s me: an introvert who loves having fun… but please, just don’t put me in the spotlight! A Shift from Childhood to Adult Birthdays I wasn’t always like this. Even though I was shy as a kid (I still am shy), I don’t remember feeling freaked out when my mum organised big birthday parties. They were fun, and I really did enjoy them. So I’m not quite sure when the shift happened. Somewhere along the way—maybe in my teens or once I started hitting the big 0’s—birthdays began to feel less exciting and way more uncomfortable. Just a side note about the photo: Yes, that’s a champagne glass I’m holding—but I promise it was empty, and I’d only been drinking Fanta. Even if my eyes are telling a different story! The Awkward Tradition at Work: Birthday Clapping I think that my lack of enthusiasm for celebrating my birthday was made even worse by one of the more traumatising parts of my job in early childhood education. See, there’s this tradition. When it’s someone’s birthday—whether it’s a child or a staff member—the whole group sits down to sing Happy Birthday. And that’s ok, I can cope with sitting there smiling awkwardly, but then… they clap. One clap for every year of your age. Yep. That’s a thing. One of our past directors absolutely loved this part. So much so that she’d have the children clap out every single year of your age. Yep, every single one, and after a couple of decades, that is a whole lot of clapping. I actually felt sorry for the kids because those little hands must’ve been sore by the end! Thankfully, we don’t do that anymore. Now, no one at work gets older than five. Five claps for everyone. And that is totally fine by me! A Positive Influence: Changing My Perspective on Birthdays A few years ago, I started working with this vibrant, positive colleague who is just full of joy every day. She loves her birthday—and she celebrates it enthusiastically. It does help that she is only 30, but I can imagine she will be like this until she’s 100. She’s just so full of contagious youthful energy. Her birthday is the day after mine (mine’s the 18th and her’s is the 19th of February), and she happily declares it “birthday week” every year. One day, while we were on playground duty, we even joked about declaring all of February “birthday month.” At first, I just thought, She’s young. Of course, she loves her birthday. But the more I watched her truly enjoy it because she was grateful to be here, the more I started thinking about my birthday attitude. Appreciating the Gift of Birthdays Over the years, I’ve lost people I love. I’ve seen friends, younger than me, face illness and hardship. Some are no longer here to celebrate birthdays. And it hit me: birthdays aren’t guaranteed. They’re a privilege. So I made a quiet decision to stop dreading them. To stop resisting them. And to start figuring out how to celebrate my birthday in a way that felt right for me, even if I still don’t like attention. What My Ideal Birthday Looks Like Now Quiet Celebrations With Family These days, I keep it simple. I usually spend my birthday with close family. We’ll go out, or they’ll come over, and we’ll just hang out and eat together. Nothing big and definitely no surprises. If a friend asks what I’m doing, sometimes I’ll go out for lunch near or around my actual birthday—but again, small and relaxed. This is how introverts celebrate their birthday—in a way that feels comfortable, without the pressure of being the dreaded centre of attention. And If I Could Choose Anything… I’d Dance If I had to pick my ideal birthday celebration? It’s simple. A night out, starting with a nice dinner at a restaurant, followed by dancing. Oh, how I love dancing through the decades—from disco to the ’80s, the ’90s, and even the 2000s with some Spice Girls and Ricky Martin hits, all the way to Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa. No speeches. No candles (but yes to pavlova). Just me, the music, and a few people I love, dancing like there’s no tomorrow. I’m a dancing introvert! Celebrating Without the Spotlight: How Introverts Celebrate Their Birthday So nope, I still don’t love being the centre of attention—that part hasn’t magically changed. But I’ve found ways to enjoy my birthday more these days. Nothing over the top. Just keeping it simple, low-key, and doing what feels right. No pressure, no big show… just quietly marking the day with things that make me happy. I’ve also come to love the idea of birthday month—not for the attention, but because it’s a great excuse to consciously treat myself, slow down a little, and enjoy the small things. How Introverts Celebrate Their Birthday: In a Low-Key and Meaningful Way So while I may never be the person throwing a big party. I’ve learned that birthdays don’t have to be dreaded—they can just look a little different. A quiet lunch with family, a cozy evening at home, or even a night out dancing—whatever it is, it’s about enjoying the moment. This is how introverts celebrate their birthday: it can be as low-key or as full of fun as we want, as long as the focus isn’t on us. That’s when we can truly relax and appreciate the day. And that, to me, is worth clapping for—but only five times,

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, and happy Monday! I’m back linking up with Holly and Sarah on this sunny autumn day to share a bit about my weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by! Saturday Saturday was our federal election day, and we walked up to our local polling station to cast our votes. It was all very straightforward, and we were in and out pretty quickly. After voting, I walked to Woolworths to get some turkey mince and regretted not taking my shopping trolley. Yep, here I am again, turning a ‘just one thing’ trip into way more! After my shopping trip, I had avocado, mini Roma tomatoes, and fetta with balsamic glaze on sourdough for lunch–yum! Winter Gala 2025 In the evening, it was time to watch my talented cousin perform at her Winter Gala. This time, most of the Cousin Connect crew came along, and we had a reserved table, with a cheese platter and a drink included in the ticket price. It was great to see so many performances from incredibly talented dancers of all ages. I especially loved hearing stories of people who started dancing later in life—it was such a good reminder that it’s never too late to try something new. I’m not just saying this because she’s my cousin and I love her, but honestly, her performance was amazing. She was definitely one of the best dancers. The way she moved so gracefully, like she was floating across the floor—it looked effortless. Latin dancing is tricky! We had a quick salsa lesson before the performances started, and I couldn’t ‘one, two, three’ my way around without concentrating hard and counting out loud. Sunday I had some milk that needed to be used up, so I made smoothies. I went with the still-drinkable milk, added some water for the right consistency, and tossed in: A handful of mixed frozen berries 1 banana 1 apple A good dash of maple syrup (I usually use honey, but we were running low—and now I think I actually prefer the taste of maple syrup. It’s a bit naughtier, but sweeter and extra delicious.) Then blended it all together, adjusting with water as needed, and ended up with three delicious smoothies. Smoothies are such a great way to use up things in the fridge before they turn into science experiments. You don’t need a strict recipe because you can just throw in what you have and blend away. But if you’re after a few ideas, you can find my smoothie recipes here for more combos and inspiration. The rest of Sunday was pretty low-key, and I didn’t do anything wildly exciting (not that I ever get wild, haha!). I ended up doing a few chores, which isn’t really my thing on a Sunday. Sundays are for taking it easy, and I usually like to avoid stressing about the week ahead. But, of course, there’s always something that needs doing, isn’t there? Oh, I nearly forgot—we ended the weekend with the last-ever episode of Vera, and I’m so sad the show has ended after 14 years! My Sunday evenings won’t be the same without Vera Stanhope solving yet another case. She’s been the perfect end to many weekends. And that was my weekend. How was yours? I hope it was a good one. I’m looking forward to being back here on Wednesday to start sharing the recaps from the last week of our trip, and this time, it’s all about our adventures in sunny Hawaii. Happy Monday!

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Hello Monday Weekend Recap

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Hi friends, it’s time to link up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday and recap a few things we did over the weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by! Saturday We had a lovely coffee and Portuguese tart at our favourite place—always a good start to the day. On the way home, I popped into a small fruit shop that sold tiny apples. I didn’t really need apples, but they were too cute, so I bought a few. They’re sweet and crispy–four bites and you’re done! The Last of Us Sam and I have been watching the latest season of The Last of Us, and I won’t spoil it in case you’re a fan. But I did not expect what happened to happen, and I’m not sure I like where the second season is going. I’m in shock! Sam’s played the video game it’s based on, so he wasn’t surprised. Anyway, he’s been really keen for me to play the game because he knows I’m a gamer at heart. I’m a first-generation gamer—I grew up with my Game & Watch and was a champ at Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, and later on Diddy Kong Racing and Mario Kart. But, as much as I love gaming, I never have the time. I always joke with him that if I did, I’d definitely play more—but since I don’t, I’ll have to wait until I’m in the nursing home to get my game on. That said, with a bit of time over the school holidays, I finally decided to give it a go. Oh my gosh, gaming is so much harder now! So many buttons on the controller! But it’s always good to learn new skills. So, I’m giving it a solid try, and it’s actually a lot of fun! I’m getting the hang of it, and it definitely helps that I’m playing on easy mode. Now my characters aren’t running sideways and constantly thumping into walls. Go me! To help with my gaming journey, Sam found this diagram for me. Sunday Gumboots Well, autumn is definitely here, and the forecast says it’s going to rain from Tuesday onwards. It’s actually raining as I’m writing this on Monday night. I’m not going to let the rain stop me from walking to and from work, so I went to Big W on Sunday afternoon to buy some gumboots. I almost bought the ankle-length ones, but decided on the taller ones in the end. Last year, I got caught in the rain on my way home, and my pants were soaked nearly up to my knees. While I was there, I also stopped into Uniqlo and bought two fine merino jumpers. I like that they’re thin but still keep me warm, and they’re good for layering. I owned the same jumpers a few years ago and wore them to death. We ended the weekend with T-bone steaks for dinner, and they were incredible. It’s been ages since I’ve had a big, juicy steak! Yum! Monday It was back to work for me today after two weeks off for the autumn school holidays, and they went by way too fast. The children didn’t start today as it was staff development day, which was a nice way to ease into the new term. We had the chance to reflect, plan, and set up for the week. The highlight? Morning tea and lunch provided by the preschool. Oh yeah! And that was my weekend, plus a little peek at Monday. How was your weekend? I hope it was a good one! I’m looking forward to being back here on Wednesday, and if I get my act together, I might even manage a bonus Tuesday post—another trip recap, and this time it’s all about Las Vegas! Happy Monday!

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Exploring the Beauty of Page, Arizona, and Utah

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After three nights in Springdale/Zion National Park, it was time to pack up, check out of our hotel, hit the road again, and drive to Page, Arizona, with a quick dip into Utah along the way. Yeehaa! I just loved sitting in the van with my family, listening to music and watching the scenery roll by. We would sometimes sit quietly, other times, someone would say something random, leading to a domino effect of silly jokes and random comments that had us in stitches. And then there were the sleepy stretches… I may have dozed off a few times with my head back and mouth wide open, only to be woken up by a loud snore (ahem… possibly mine). Yikes. How embarrassing. Haha! We made a few pit stops along the way for bathroom breaks and, of course, more amazing photo ops. As we got close to our hotel we passed the Glen Canyon Dam. We arrived in Page, Arizona, around 2:00 pm, checked into our hotel, and dropped our bags in our rooms. Less than an hour later, we were back in the van and off to explore. Every precious minute counted, and we didn’t want to miss a thing. There was no time for dilly-dallying—and I’m so glad we stuck to that! It would’ve been such a shame to miss out on some of the spectacular sights because we didn’t stay on track. Living in Australia means we’re about as far from the rest of the world as you can get! That’s why we were all in for squeezing in as much as we could. The Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona Oh my goodness, yet another spectacular sight and another pinch-me, I-can’t-believe-I’m-here moment! See that river? It’s the Colorado River, and it bends around those towering rock walls. I’ll say it a million times—I feel like the luckiest person alive to have seen views like this! After a huge day of sightseeing, we were ready for something hearty. We finished the day with dinner at The Grand Canyon Brewing Distillery, where I had my first real American Mac and Cheese. I’ve been meaning to do a post on all the American foods I tried and my thoughts on them. But for now, I’ll just say this: I’m a big eater, and I can usually smash through any meal without a problem. But Mac and Cheese? That was a whole other level. I kept eating and eating, and that bowl stayed full. Full, I tell you, and I seemed to get nowhere. So in the end, I had to ask the server to pack it up so I could take it back to the hotel for part two of my Mac and Cheese challenge. Around 9 pm, I won! Carl Hayden Visitors Centre in Page, Arizona Our first stop the next day was the Carl Hayden Visitor Centre. Haha, it’s funny for me to spell “center” this way because in Australia, we spell it “centre.”Oops, sorry, I digressed with a grammar fact — let’s stay on track! At the Carl Hayden Centre, we learnt so much about Glen Canyon and water conservation (fantastic information to take back to my preschool). I stopped to listen to a video where Elders from American Indian Tribes spoke about the Colorado River and what it means to them. It was incredibly moving, and I loved how they spoke so passionately yet gently in their rich, melodic voices — so beautiful! Again, this is another visitors’ centre where I could have stayed the whole day. John Wayne Point at Monument Valley Oh my goodness, the views as we drove through Monument Valley were absolutely breathtaking! And what better way to take in views like these than with an old soundtrack from classic western movies like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly playing? Then, of course, we had to play some America—A Horse with No Name at my request. Hehe, even though I know my husband really dislikes this song because he loves horses and insists that all horses should have a name. But it’s such a fantastic song, right? When we got to John Wayne Point, my husband had his special dream-come-true moment, just like I did when we went to Death Valley and I walked the same route that R2D2 did in Star Wars: A New Hope. Steve absolutely loves western movies, and of course, his favourite actor is John Wayne. I’ve sat through many a western film with him in our 35 years together, and I can tell you, the man loves his westerns big time! Forrest Gump Point We stopped for a quick packed lunch in the van. Then we were off to Forrest Gump Point, which was only a short drive from John Wayne Point. I didn’t even know about this place! My cousins are absolutely the best tour guides, and if it weren’t for them, we would never have visited these amazing spots. This was such a fantastic memory, and as I type this, I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry—let’s do both! Laugh because it was so funny, and cry because I wish we could do it all again! We got out of the van, and my husband made sure to watch for cars and trucks on the road. Then, we did it! Sam, my cousin J, and I recreated that iconic moment from Forrest Gump where he suddenly stops running. It was HILARIOUS!! Would you believe that night, back at the hotel, Forrest Gump came on as I was flipping through the channels? I stayed up to watch the moment in the film, even though it was late and we were oh-so-tired! It was just too much of a funny coincidence. Page, Arizona Caves This is a hidden gem that, again, if it wasn’t for my cousins, I never would’ve dreamed of visiting. It’s a lesser-known spot, but the photo opportunities here are absolutely incredible. If you’re in the area and love capturing unique shots,

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Lydham Hall Historic House Open Day

8 Comments / Discovering NSW Australia, Hello Monday, Home

Hi friends and happy Monday! Wow, that weekend went by fast! And now, here we are in the first week of March already. I hope you had a great weekend! Mine was a good mix of some super chilled TV time on Saturday and a visit to Lydham Hall Historic House in Rockdale on Sunday. I’m excited to tell you all about it, so let’s get started! Saturday Steve and I walked to our local café for some delicious Portuguese tarts—so good! I had an iced coffee, and Steve went for an iced chocolate, which was perfect for a hot day. I was about to say a hot summer’s day, but since Saturday was the first day of March, we’re officially in autumn now. Not that it means much yet—I’m sure it’ll be a while before the temps start to cool down! Once we got home, I pretty much camped out in front of the TV for the rest of the day and into the night! I haven’t done that in ages, but I think I’m still adjusting to being back at work—I was exhausted. Plus, the right side of my neck was sore from tension and probably jaw clenching. My body was begging for a lazy day, so I listened. Steve worked in the evening, so I ate dinner and started binge-watching Big Little Lies. When it first came out, I remember hearing so much about it, but I never got around to watching it. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the first couple of episodes, but if I had to sum it up in one word—disturbed comes to mind. It’s an intense series that dives into domestic violence, complicated relationships, and just how fake people can be. The more I watched, the more I got into it, and by Sunday afternoon, I’d finished Season One. It’s definitely not a feel-good show, but I’m hooked, and I’ve already started Season Two. Sunday – Lydham Hall Open Day This year, we made it to the Lydham Hall open day! It’s something I had been wanting to do, but somehow I had missed it. Lydham Hall was built in the late 1870s and is one of the oldest homes in the St. George area. I live in the area, so it was very interesting to explore this piece of local history. Every room had a volunteer who shared their knowledge of the house and gave us some great insights into its history. It was so interesting to hear about the different eras the house has been through and the people who’ve lived there. Each room had its own little story, and it was all so fascinating. We were even encouraged to touch things, which made it feel really interactive. I opened a few of the books on the shelf and couldn’t help but wonder who George Southern and Aunt Maggie were. I kept thinking, what did they look like? What were their lives like? Dining Room Dinner was served! Haha, Lydham Hall definitely gave off some serious Downton Abbey vibes. The dinner time gong. I just had to try it out and gave it a little clang. The Kitchen This nice man explained how a kitchen of the time functioned and showed us where they kept their meat. I meant to ask him how long the meat was stored for. But I got distracted looking at the butter churner and forgot. I did lift the irons, and they were so heavy!! The Bedroom This gentleman shared some really interesting information about the beds. Apparently, the mattresses were made with layers of horsehair and topped with a feather mattress topper. The bed frames had legs to keep bed bugs out, and the mattress was held in place with crossed rope—kind of like modern-day slats. But here’s where it gets interesting: the legs weren’t enough to stop the bed bugs from crawling onto the beds. So, they came up with the idea of spreading horse dung under the bed! The bugs were attracted to the dung instead of climbing onto the bed. Back in the day, the ropes used to hold the mattress in place would loosen over time with the weight of the mattress and the person sleeping on it. If the ropes got too saggy, the bed would become uncomfortable, and—well, you might end up sinking toward the horse dung underneath! So, to avoid that, people had to regularly tighten the ropes to keep the mattress firm and the bugs at bay. It’s funny to think about how much effort went into something we take for granted today, like a comfy bed. And this next bit of information just about blew my mind– that’s where the saying “Goodnight sleep tight don’t let the bed bugs bite” comes from! It’s all about tightening the ropes to make sure the bed stays firm and the bugs don’t get to you! Haha! Wow, I never knew this! Lunch Time After the fantastic history lesson, we made our way to the back of the house for something to eat. I loved how they had set up the little tables. Most of the tables were taken, and I thought we’d have no luck finding a spot. Steve walked over to one of the benches in the garden while I stopped to check out the menu at the counter. Just as I turned around, I saw a couple leaving, and I quickly made my way over and snagged the table. So there I was at the table, and Steve was at the bench further away. I tried to discreetly call him over—”Pssst…hey, Steve.” Nothing. “Over here, Steve!” Still nothing. Of course, everyone else around me could see me waving my arms in the most ladylike way I could (not). Then I had a brainwave and called him on his phone: “Hey, turn around I got a table!” hahahaha!! We ordered the Tattie scones with smoked salmon and sour cream. The other things on the menu

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Universal Studios

12 Comments / Hello Monday, Home, Travel

Hi friends, today I’m recapping our day at Universal Studios! Yay, we finally made it there after initially thinking we’d miss out because of the devastating LA fires. Universal Studios closed for two days and reopened on Friday, and we were lucky enough to go on Saturday when the sky was so blue you’d never guess the area had been covered in smoke just days before. Before I start, I have to say that we were in a happy travel bubble. While we knew about the fires, we didn’t fully grasp how bad they were. We weren’t following the news at all. We were just focused on what was right in front of us. And on Saturday, that meant nothing but glorious, clear blue skies. What we didn’t realise was that back home, our family and friends were glued to the news, watching the unfolding disaster and worrying about us. It wasn’t until I caught up with a friend a week after I got back home that I understood just how serious things had been. She told me the coverage was on all day, on almost every channel. It also made sense why my son had called me that Saturday morning, practically begging me to get out of LA and avoid Universal Studios since it was closer to the fires. No matter how much I reassured him we were safe, he wasn’t convinced. I could tell that if the roles were reversed, I would have definitely felt the same way. After the call, I didn’t feel great because it was hard to hear how worried he was. I also felt a little like the naughty kid who had disobeyed their parent! But once we worked it out (after many texts and conversations), the excitement of the day took over. So now it’s time to share all the amazing moments from our day at Universal Studios. Along with another gazillion photos! Nintendo World First stop Nintendo World where it felt like you were in the actual video game! Springfield I’m not a huge Simpsons fan, but part of my “research” for the trip involved watching a few episodes. Walking through Springfield at Universal, I was amazed by how they brought the show to life. Even as a casual viewer, it was so fun to see it all in person. Transformers I’m a huge Transformers fan, so meeting Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and Megatron was so cool! Megatron was the cheekiest and came out with the funniest lines. I was a tiny bit nervous around him, haha! It was such a fun experience, and we all loved how the characters stayed true to their on-screen personalities. The Transformers ride was so much fun, too! We were lucky that we got to go on it because not long after, it was shut down for the rest of the day! Jurassic Park Ride My clever cousin brought ponchos for all of us so we wouldn’t get wet on the ride. We ended up looking like walking Bunnings ads (an Australian hardware store)! But we stayed dry and were totally prepared for the splash zone! Thank you, Cousin J! I’m scared of dinosaurs—even though I know they’re not real, they sure look and sound real! So, I may have ridden this ride with one eye open and one eye closed. By the end, though, both eyes were definitely shut tight. If you know, you know! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter My younger cousin couldn’t believe I had only watched the first Harry Potter movie. She’s watched them all and read some of the books! But luckily, I did watch at least one so I could appreciate the experience of being in such a realistic Harry Potter world. The ride was amazing, and I fully enjoyed it with mostly two eyes open! Studio Tour I think the Studio Tour was the highlight of the day for me. I loved seeing all the sets and hearing all about what movies were made there. It was fascinating! But it also wasn’t like your usual tour with a guide doing a lot of talking. You didn’t just sit back and listen. No sir! You got to experience it all firsthand. There were special effects, interactive exhibits, and even moments where you felt like you were part of the action. It wasn’t just a tour–it was like you were in a movie! Truly amazing!! Haha! At the Bates Motel, an actor came out, stuffed a pretend body in the boot, and then chased our tour tram with a knife! The Psycho house-yikes! I think this is where War of the Worlds was filmed—the plane crash disaster set-up looked a little too realistic! Can you hear the soundtrack as soon as you see this? The iconic pillars from Back to the Future! We had such a wonderful time! Sigh! It was sad to leave, and once again, we made so many wonderful memories. I always feel so nostalgic writing these recaps, but it’s a great way to document such an amazing time! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends! It feels so good to be back, linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday after such a long break. I missed you guys and am excited to catch up with everyone again! We just returned from our amazing Cousin Connect Adventure last Tuesday. Since then, I’ve been busy doing laundry, restocking the fridge, packing things away, and cooking meals (I can’t believe how much I craved a simple home-cooked meal!!). I’ve also been doing a whole lot of reminiscing about our incredible trip. A few memes about how long January feels have popped up on Facebook, but for me, it flew by. And I have to keep reminding myself that we are, in fact, already in February! Gosh, where do I start? First, I just wanted to pop in and say a quick hello. Then, over the next few posts, I’ll be recapping our amazing adventures. This was our first big trip in over 10 years, and it was THE best! I caught up with family from L.A., visited so many incredible places, and conquered a ton of fears–like flying! I did cry, not hysterically—just big, fat, sad tears during every takeoff and gripped Steve and Sam’s hands as we landed. But hey, I did it, along with so many other things I never thought I could! The best part was getting to experience it all with not just my husband and youngest son Sam but also some of my cousins from our cousin crew. They were so much fun to travel with—super organised, flexible, and always able to think outside the box in a heartbeat. These are the qualities you need when two families are on an adventure! Oh, and they can also drive on both sides of the road—the right side like in the USA and the left side like we do here in Australia. Geez, I don’t know how they do it. During our trip, I had trouble crossing the road on foot because I couldn’t figure out which way to look! So Steve and I totally agree that they should go on The Amazing Race because they’d win for sure! See this mess? It’s my travel journal! Haha, I started my trip planning here, and I took it with me. I had every intention of writing down what we did each day. I even bought a glue stick in Walmart (holy cow, I went to Walmart, and it blew me away!!) to paste in every receipt, map, and booklet—everything. And nope, I only wrote in it once the whole time. But I’ve taken a million photos. Don’t worry, I won’t be posting all of them here—only a few (hundred). Over the next few days and weeks, I’ll also be putting together a movie about our trip. I’d like to have it ready to share for our March Cousin Connect. I’m going to add some fun music, and we can enjoy it while we eat popcorn. I have big plans, and I can’t wait! Thank you so much for stopping by today. Now that I’m settling back into the real world again, I’ll be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Keep having a blessed day! A lovely lady in Hawaii said that to me, and I loved hearing it so much that I want to make it part of what I say more often. Both here on the blog and in my day-to-day life.

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends! I just wanted to jump on real quick to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Can you believe how fast December has flown by? It feels like I blinked and missed most of it. This weekend has been a mad scramble trying to get everything organised, but miraculously, it’s all come together—a Christmas miracle for sure! I’ve got all my groceries sorted, and they’re being delivered tomorrow, which is such a relief. For gifts, the Cousin Connect crew decided to do Secret Santa. We kept it simple with a low budget of $25. I also picked up a few extras for my boys, but it’s mostly practical stuff they’ll need for our trip. Exciting things like jackets to keep warm and compression socks for our long flights–hehe. Amazon saved the season! Today was such a treat! I met up with my wonderful friend, and we spent the day shopping in the city. Everything looked so festive, and while the shops were busy, they weren’t crazy busy, thankfully. We started at Martin Place to see the big Christmas tree. We then wandered towards Town Hall and stopped for lunch. After months of being cooped up working madly on my Diploma, it was so nice to finally get out and have a proper catch-up. I was starving, and this delicious club sandwich was just what I needed. As well as the chips, I always need a nice side of chips! I hope you’re all feeling ready for Christmas—or at least close to it! Sending you best wishes for a holiday filled with love, laughter, and plenty of good food. And if you’re like me and missing your special people, I’m sending you an extra big hug. Happy Monday and Merry Christmas! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, and happy Monday! Thanks for stopping by—it’s time for a quick weekend recap. On Saturday afternoon, I made a quick trip into the city to return a few things I’d bought during the Black Friday sales. Online shopping can be hit or miss, and this time, it was mostly misses. So back to the shops they went. Getting into the city was a bit different this time. The trains weren’t running to Town Hall station—my usual stop for city shopping. The train only went as far as Sydenham, and from there, I hopped on the metro. Even though the metro’s been running since August (it was all over the news when it launched). I hadn’t been on it yet. A few kids at preschool were so excited when they rode it on opening weekend and couldn’t stop talking about it. Now I can finally say I’ve experienced it too! I felt like a lost tourist trying to find my way around and even had to ask a friendly station assistant for directions. The Sydney metro station is incredible–so sleek, modern and very futuristic looking. Honestly, I must have been living under a rock because I had no idea Sydney had added this new mode of transport. The metro is fully automated, and the carriages are spacious and air-conditioned. Which was a good thing because it was an incredibly hot and humid Saturday. I’m not complaining about the heat because summer is my favourite season, and I do enough complaining over winter, my least favourite season! It was a very fast ride to Gadigal Station. I have discovered that there are a whole lot of new stations with new names that I need to get to know. I returned the things I needed to return, and then I wandered around for a bit. It was so nice to be in the city and soak up the buzz. Before I went home, I went to Lululemon and bought myself a hoodie to take with me on the plane. Yikes! I’m getting on a plane soon–maybe having a nice hoodie will make me braver! I got home just in time to receive my online grocery order. Then my cousins came over—the ones we’re going on the trip with—and we all sat down to apply for our ESTAs together. Ticking off travel admin as a team!! Once we were all done, we went to Chebbos for burgers and fries. I always love hanging out with my cousins and can’t wait to spend three weeks travelling with them. Sunday I meant to put the Christmas tree up, but I wanted to do some reorganising first. My office/garage needed it desperately, or at least I think it was me who needed it done desperately! It was bothering me, and I wanted to cross it off my to-do list ASAP. As with all reorganising and decluttering projects, it took way longer than I expected. Especially when you do what I did and pulled everything out first. I’m not one to keep things, and I’m consistently decluttering, yet still, there was stuff that needed to go! I listed quite a few things on marketplace and loaded up the car with items to donate to the Salvos. So, there is no Christmas tree up yet, and this year, I’m calling myself a total Christmas flop! To top it off, I mailed my overseas Christmas cards this afternoon, and the postie said I missed the Christmas cut-off date. Hmph!! It’s Monday evening, and I’m determined to get the Christmas tree up tonight before I blink and it’s Easter! Have a wonderful day and wish me luck! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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Top 10 Favourite Smells

13 Comments / Hello Monday, Home, Home Improvement Ideas

Well, hello there, lovely friends! It feels so good to be back after what feels like forever. At 6:09 pm last night, I answered the final question for my Diploma in Early Childhood Education. Hooray! While I still need to go over a few things before I hit that submit button, I can happily say that I’m pretty much done. I’ve missed blogging and this friendly blogging community (as well as so many social things). But I knew I needed to step away for a while to focus entirely on my diploma. Spreading myself too thin was leaving me frazzled (and trust me, I was very frazzled). But now that the shackles are off, I can finally say yes to fun things again! For the past few months, and especially the last four weeks, it’s been all work and not much play. From the moment I woke up, through lunch breaks at work, and right into my evenings, all I’ve done is work on those assignments. But now that’s all behind me, and it feels so good to be here, joining Adrienne, Dara, Jen, Joanne, and Sarah for the final Share Our Lives link-up of 2024. It’s great to be back, and what better way to return than by talking about something that always lifts my spirits–my favourite smells! My sense of smell is my superpower. Sometimes, I’ll be talking to someone, and I’ll say, “Hey, can you smell that?” and they’re all like, “No, what smell?” Maybe my heightened sense of smell has something to do with being born in the year of the dog. Who knows? But anyway, here’s a list of my top 10 favourite smells. Top 10 Favourite Smells Coffee Number one on the list of my top 10 favourite smells is coffee. I especially love the smell of ground coffee beans. Whenever I open my jar of coffee, I usually stand there inhaling it first before I scoop it out for the plunger. But do you know what I love even more than smelling ground coffee beans? Percolated coffee! It just about sends me into a trance. Freshly Washed Laundry Yep, I sure do love the smell of fabric softener lingering on freshly washed clothes. Many years ago, one of my little students used to come to preschool with the most gorgeous-smelling clothes. She would often cry when her mum left, and I’d hold her on my lap, comforting her, and take in great big whiffs of her clothes that smelled divine. Haha, she came back for a visit about a year after she left preschool, and the first thing she said to me was, “Miss Ruth, I always remember how you always liked to smell me.” How embarrassing. Oops, I didn’t realise I was so obvious! New Cars Brand-new cars always smell amazing. Just the other day, I stepped into my cousin’s new car, and the smell of the leather seats and whatever else they make cars out of smelled so good. Apple Pie Baking in the Oven There’s nothing like the smell of apple pie baking in the oven. The mix of apples, cinnamon, and vanilla is just heavenly. Aftershave or Perfume I’m not a fan of super strong aftershave or perfume, but just enough to catch a whiff when someone walks by—now that’s the sweet spot. Right now, I’m still loving Coco Mademoiselle, and Steve occasionally wears Ralph Lauren. Though, I have to say—he never wears enough. I think he and I might need to have a little chat about that. Hotel Air Freshener A couple of years ago, when we stayed at The Parkroyal Hotel in Parramatta for a wedding, they had the most amazing air freshener I’ve ever smelled. You could catch the scent as soon as you walked into the lobby, but it wasn’t overpowering—just a subtle fragrance. I can still remember it vividly. Other hotels have great air fresheners, too, but none have topped the one from the Parkroyal. Leather Especially leather handbags– they smell so luxurious! Garlic Sizzling in Olive Oil Yum! Garlic sizzling in olive oil takes me back to when we would go to a Spanish restaurant in the city. They served the best garlic prawns, which came out in clay pots with the garlic sizzling right under my happy nose. Jasmine Flowers They smell so sweet! My neighbour has jasmine growing in her front garden, and when it blooms in the spring, I love being greeted by its scent as I walk up to my front steps after work. I’ve been meaning to plant jasmine in my own garden for years—it’s been on my to-do list forever! Spices Some of my favourites are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. So it’s no surprise that I love Glogg, which is a warm, spiced Swedish mulled wine. All those spices with red wine and dried fruit are such a heavenly combo! With the Christmas season in full swing, it means that I will be enjoying some Glogg very soon! I love talking about all things scents and smells and am always on the lookout for ways to make my home smell good. If you’re interested, check out my stove-top potpourri recipes for some deliciously fragrant ideas. I’m sure I’ll remember more of my favourite smells later on, but for now, that wraps up my top 10 favourite smells. What are yours? I’m about to jump off the computer and create some more of my favourite smells in the kitchen—it’s time for chicken schnitzel tonight! Maybe I should’ve included that on my list! Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m excited to be back on my old posting schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Who knows, I might even have time for a few extra posts in between. Happy Monday!