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Friday Favourites

Hi there, friends! I’m so excited to be back for Friday Favourites on this sunny, hot summer day! After being away for a few weeks, I thought I’d share a recap of my favourites from the last few weeks. Let’s go! During all of November and until last weekend, I spent almost all of my ‘spare’ time in front of the computer working on assignments. I didn’t love this time, so I was incredibly grateful for the things that kept me going and gave me something to look forward to. Whether big or small, having something to look forward to is so important. We all need those little motivators, right? I know I sure do! A small moment of happiness– coffee with oat milk never tasted so good! And while I can function fine without coffee, I just love the taste! Food! This is a pic of a healthy Saturday morning brunch. And here’s a photo of my treat jar that kept me going. I also ate more than my usual amount of salty snacks. Yikes! I’m not usually an emotional eater. In fact, I completely lose my appetite when I’m stressed. So, I’m not sure why I couldn’t stop snacking—boredom, maybe? FOMO?? I didn’t go out much, but there were a few outings that were non-negotiable, and there was no way I was going to miss them. Cousin Connect was one of them, and we had a fun as well as delicious time. Mexican food and cupcakes for dessert. The Danish Christmas markets! It was such a boiling hot day, but we had a lot of fun, and this year, our group was bigger. So many lovely Christmas crafts. I went to see my youngest cousin perform at this year’s School Spectacular. The whole evening was amazing, and I had the best time. The stars aligned, and all but one of our girl cousins had a free morning to go to the Klook Travel Fest. I’ve got the travel bug, and I haven’t even gotten on a plane yet. But my trip is coming up soon, though! Yay! We each got free personalised Disney bags at the travel fest, and we were all giddy with excitement. I swear, we all turned into 12-year-olds, haha. Leaving my computer to pick up my new glasses was a total sanity saver. When I picked them up, I realised I’d chosen the exact same style of reading glasses as last year. The only difference? The rim is black, whereas my previous ones were gold. I do like them, though, and hey, different is different—even if it’s just a tiny difference. One of my cousins turned 30, and we celebrated with pizzas and a delicious berry cheesecake. Even though it might not have felt like it. Looking back, I did have quite a few fun moments sprinkled in amongst the dreary study days. And for that, I am so thankful!! Today was my last day of work for 2024. Preschool doesn’t finish until Friday of next week, but I have taken extra leave. I knew that being tied down to study would leave me with not much time for Christmas prep as well as for getting ready for our big Cousin Connect adventure in January. While I am very excited for our trip and also to finally have time to get ready. I couldn’t help feeling sad when I said bye to my work buddies today. Those guys are like my second family, and I love them. I don’t think I could ever retire as I would miss them too much! This weekend, I need to put up our Christmas tree! Can you believe I haven’t had a chance to do that yet? This will be the latest I’ve ever decorated in my whole life! Thank you so much for stopping by today— I always appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. Have a wonderful weekend, and I look forward to being back here on Monday (hopefully with photos of my Christmas tree!) Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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How to Unwind During the Holidays

2 Comments / Health and Well Being, Home

Hi friends, and welcome to the final Let’s Look link-up for 2024! Can you believe it’s the last one? Today, we’re chatting about how to unwind during the holidays. Unwinding can be tricky for me this time of year, with all the end-of-year prep at preschool and the usual busyness of the season. Here in Australia, I’m lucky to enjoy a long summer break after Christmas, and that’s when I can finally get into some proper unwinding. In the meantime, I’ve got a few tips to help make it through the manic holiday season. These tips help me cross the finish line, and I hope you’ll find them helpful, too. How To Unwind During The Holidays Do Nothing I really struggle with this one! But lately, I’ve been learning to give myself permission to do nothing. Just yesterday, after the first of our preschool concert and party days, I came home feeling so incredibly tired. Those out-of-routine days really wipe me out. I was all set to get stuck into a big reorganisation project that’s been sitting on my to-do list. Normally, I’d push through and get it done, but instead, I decided to give myself a break. I even stood in front of the mirror and said out loud, “You have permission to do nothing.” (haha, thankfully, no one else was home to see me talking to myself!) I had a shower and tidied up a few things–baby steps because I’m not quite ready to fully embrace doing absolutely nothing. The guilt did creep in a few times, which is crazy because the only one putting pressure on me to stay busy is me. But I have to say that doing nothing felt so good! So it’s my mission that as I go into 2025, I will do this whole a lot more often. Pamper Yourself I think that one of the best ways to unwind is to have a pamper session. It doesn’t have to be a full-on spa day. Sometimes, just a relaxing shower is all the pampering I have time for during the busy holiday season. But other times, I love to do things like use a hydrating sheet mask, which means I get to lie down for 20 minutes while the mask does its magic. I also love a manicure or pedicure either at home or a salon. I guess at the end of the day, it’s all about finding what works and making time for a little self-care whenever I can. Watch A Movie or TV Show When I want to unwind, I like to pick an old favourite movie or TV show that I know is a guaranteed win. I find it more relaxing knowing that I am going to enjoy my time in front of the TV, and if I doze off, it’s ok too. Light A Candle I love gentle, subtle-smelling candles that waft through the house. Cozy candles are wonderful during the cold months. but I still light them during the summer because their soft glow and soothing scents create a calm and peaceful atmosphere no matter the season. Enjoy a Treat The holidays are all about indulging a little (it’s a good excuse anyway). I love sitting down with a cup of tea and a piece of something sweet, like a festive biscuit or chocolate. A glass of wine is also a winner, and lately, the hot weather has me craving an Aperol Spritz! Walk I find walking the perfect way to unwind during the whole year. Sometimes, I listen to a podcast while I walk other times, I listen to music. Yep, walking is a wonderful way to unwind, and if you’re feeling extra stressed, just walk faster–it really helps! Stretch The right side of my neck is my stress indicator. Once that starts to ache, soon the whole right side of my body starts to hurt if I don’t do some stretching on the yoga mat. I don’t follow any stretching guides (although I probably should). I just stretch like a cat until the pain goes away. These are the tips I use to help me unwind all year long, as well as during the busy holiday season. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you have an amazing day. Linking up with Shay and Erika

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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!

Friday Favourites

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Hi friends, and happy Friday! It’s so nice to be back, especially on a sunny day like this, to share some of my favourites with you. Spring has been all over the place this year, so getting a beautiful, sunny day like today felt extra special. The other night, I needed a quick dinner and just couldn’t face BBQ chicken. We’d had chicken a couple of days in a row, and I was starting to feel like I might grow feathers! So I decided to try these beef medallions, and they were delicious. My family gave them a big thumbs-up. I was even more pleased because they were discounted from $13 to $10. They cost around the same as uncooked beef and are already prepared for easy heating, what a fantastic find. I will be buying these again in the future, that’s for sure. I made a pumpkin, spinach, and feta salad, then roasted some potatoes in the air fryer—they came out so crispy. Dinner was ready in a flash. On Tuesday, my aunty from LA called just as I was about to leave work—perfect timing! We chatted while I walked home, and we’re both so excited to see each other soon. She’s organising a family reunion, and I can’t wait to see everyone. We’ll have a “Cousin Connect” with our American cousins—how cool is that? One of our work colleagues celebrated a milestone birthday, and our director brought in a cake for everyone to share. What a treat! I had a close call with a black pen. Somehow it ended up in the wash, and if it didn’t have a lid, the ink would have gone all over my white quilt cover. Yikes, that would have been such a mess! I would’ve had to take some of my own advice from my post about laundry stain removal hacks. I submitted Cluster Three for my course, and the facilitator emailed me Cluster Four. Oh my goodness, it’s the mother of all clusters! There are four big checklists to get through—compared to just one checklist for the previous clusters. So this isn’t exactly a favourite, but I guess it means I’m making progress toward the end goal of getting my diploma I’ve been working like crazy to get through at least one of the checklists before this weekend, and I have just one question left to go. The downside of setting myself the goal of finishing by the end of the year is that I don’t have much time for anything else. I haven’t had a chance to read or comment on blogs, and I missed last Wednesday’s Currently link-up. This weekend, I’ll be doing my best to chip away at those intimidating Cluster Four tasks. It’s funny because I’m both loving and intensely disliking this course. On one hand, the cobwebs are being dusted off my brain, and I’m recalling a lot of the content I enjoyed when I did developmental psychology at uni. Then on the other hand, I feel like I’m missing out on things that bring me joy, like blogging and reading blogs! Aaaargh, I’m so conflicted! But I keep reminding myself that it’s not forever. It just feels like forever at the moment. So with that in mind, I’m going to give myself some grace. If I miss a link-up or don’t post as much as I’d like, it’s ok. I know I’ll be back to blogging and giving it my full attention once this course is over. So if I’m missing this week, you’ll know I’m up to my ears in theories on childhood development. All the fun stuff (haha—not really!!) I do have Cousin Connect tomorrow night, so that will be fun! What are you up to this weekend? I hope it’s a fun one! Thanks so much for stopping by. I always appreciate you reading and leaving your lovely comments 😊 Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, it’s great to be back for today’s Hello Monday link-up! I’d love to say my weekend was chock-full of fun, but it was another quiet one. I was mostly home by myself while Steve and Sam were at work, which actually turned out to be a good thing – it meant I could wrestle Cluster 3 of my diploma course, take it down, and smash it. Yes, I got it done. Yay! Saturday Even though I went to bed late on Friday night, I still woke up early for a Saturday. I don’t know what’s going on, but I just haven’t been able to fall asleep easily the last few nights. I know I’m not getting as much sleep as I probably should, but funny enough, I don’t feel tired. At night, I lie in bed with a preschool song looping in my head: “It’s time to pack pack pack, pack away the toys….” I end up planning my trip, thinking about my course, and then a bunch of random thoughts pop in too. But honestly, it’s all good because I feel so excited about everything! I’m really loving this season I’m in right now. It’s so different from a couple of years ago when I would lie in bed catastrophising and then wake up anxious. Back then, I had a lot going on, taking care of my mum and watching her grow weaker every day. I was also worrying about my thyroid, and I think I must have been going through menopause, too. I was feeling extra loopy back then! Seasons of life, hey? No Procrastinating This Time! Anyway, back to my quiet Saturday recap. I jumped straight into working on my course because I didn’t want to procrastinate like I did last weekend. It’s funny how you can procrastinate doing “good” things. For example, last weekend, I tackled a whole bunch of household chores before I finally sat down in front of the computer. Sure, it was stuff that needed to be done eventually, but I definitely didn’t need to rearrange some kitchen drawers or reorganise the shelves in the garage/office. I knew exactly what I was doing—keeping myself busy to avoid getting started on my assessment tasks! This time, I started at ten and worked until five. I had two more questions to answer, but by then, I could feel my brain was fried. Also, the right side of my neck hurt from sitting with bad posture for too long on my pretty but non-ergonomic chair. I made chicken curry for dinner—well, my version of it, anyway, with zero heat! I took a photo of the handsome vegetables but forgot to take a photo of the curry. It was a cool Saturday night, so it was the perfect meal for the weather. TV Time Steve was at work, and Sam went out with friends. So I ended up eating in front of the TV while I finished watching Fool Me Once. Even though I mentioned, I wasn’t sure if I was going to finish the series. I picked it back up again on Friday night since I already knew the plot and felt committed to pushing through. It wasn’t the most relaxing show, but I did like it. This one is based on a novel by Harlan Coben, and I’ve watched a few of his limited series on Netflix. There’s always a good twist at the end, and this one didn’t disappoint. It was late, but Steve wasn’t due to come home until 3 am, and I felt like the kid from Home Alone, able to do whatever I wanted! So, I snacked on whatever I felt like since I didn’t have to be a good eating example and watched Mystic Pizza with Julia Roberts. Have you seen it? Ahh, don’t you just love the ’80s? I sure do, and this movie had all the ’80s feels. A while ago, I did a post on Cozy Solo Movie Nights, and I am very slowly working my way through it–five down and five to go. Sunday I decided to give myself a break and just relax for most of Sunday. The three of us hadn’t sat down for a meal in ages, so we made sure to have lunch together. After that, Steve and I caught up on a couple of episodes of Survivor. Sam joined us, and we watched an episode of My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist before Steve had to head off to work. Later, I finished the last two questions of my cluster, and Sam and I watched a couple of episodes of Death Note—another anime. We started watching it with Steve, but he wasn’t loving it since the topic was a bit too dark for him. Not so for Sam and me, we’re continuing with it. And that was my quiet weekend where I only took one photo. It may not have been terribly exciting, but I feel better starting the week with another cluster ticked off. I’m still waiting to hear back about my Cluster Two results, and I keep checking my phone at work for emails from the course facilitator. All day, nothing—it’s like waiting for a call from a guy who’s just not that into me. Happy Monday and thanks for stopping by! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends, happy November! Can you believe it’s November already? When I was a kid, a year felt like forever—birthdays and Christmas couldn’t come soon enough. Now it’s the opposite–my birthday sneaks up too fast. And Christmas feels like it’s here before I even have a chance to get ready! So before I blink and it’s Monday again, let’s jump into some of this week’s favourites. I started the week with a cold that hit fast but, thankfully, only lasted a couple of days. I still have a bit of a lingering cough, but I was surprised at how quickly I felt well enough to get back to work. Usually, colds take me down much harder! Five-Minute Win! In what has to be a record, I was in and out of Service NSW in five minutes! I received my license renewal letter a couple of weeks ago (maybe more!), but it went straight into the ‘procrastinate’ pile. Waiting in a queue to get my license renewed isn’t my favourite. But this week, I lucked out—I walked straight in, got my ticket, sat down, and my number was called almost immediately. The guy took my photo, and fingers crossed, it’s less scary than my passport, but I won’t know until it arrives. I paid, and I was out in five minutes. Five minutes—what a win! The Perks of Health Insurance My husband’s doing amazing with his weight loss! Since he has osteoarthritis in his right knee (he had a knee replacement on the left one in May), he qualifies for Medibank’s Better Knee, Better Me program. This program focuses on exercise, weight management, and pain relief strategies to help avoid another knee surgery. He also receives food supplements like shakes, soups, and bars, all covered by Medibank Private. Plus, he has virtual sessions with a dietitian and a physiotherapist. It makes all those hefty yearly premiums worth it! At the moment, he’s only eating one main meal at home. To help him along, his caring wife (me) made him some cauliflower rice the other day, and he was thrilled! 😉 hehe. I bought a great big cauliflower and thought I’d try copying what I saw on reels—just cut it up and toss it in the blender, easy! Well, it wasn’t as simple as I thought. The cauliflower chunks kept getting caught in the blades, making the process messier than I hoped. But on the upside, I ended up with plenty of portions to freeze for later! When I first mentioned cauliflower rice to Steve, he moaned—a lot! I don’t blame him; who doesn’t love carbs? But he ended up enjoying it when I served it with pot roast for dinner. It probably helped that he was starving—everything tastes fantastic when you’re hungry! New Appliances Air fryers have been around for a while, and it seems like everyone I know has one. We finally took the plunge and bought our first one this week! Sam has been wanting one for ages because he lifts weights and is really conscious of his diet—protein, protein, protein! With Steve also focused on losing weight, it just seemed like a good time to buy one. My verdict? They’re fast and convenient, making healthier cooking a breeze. The homemade wedges turned out super crispy and got a tick, but the meatballs came out bouncy instead of juicy. They tasted good, but I could have bounced them off the wall! Maybe I just need to get the hang of the cooking times—we’ll see. I also bought a new hairdryer—the Shark Speed Style. After my haircut, the hairdresser confirmed my suspicion that my old (ahem, cheap) dryer was burning my hair. She cut off the crispy ends, and I didn’t want to keep damaging my hair. She recommended the Dyson, but at around $700, I’ll keep it on my wishlist for later. Instead, I opted for the Shark, which is light, quiet, and comes with various attachments. After a few washes, I’ve finally got the hang of it, and I truly love it! Sam also bought an Apple TV, which he connected to our lounge room TV. I think he wanted it to stream shows from his computer, but I’m not entirely sure since I thought our smart TV was enough. Anyway, he loves it, and that makes me happy. We don’t usually splurge on so many tech items in one week, but since Sam works at a cool electronics store, he gets a generous staff discount. I hope he still gets a shift or two at this store, even when he graduates and becomes a nurse. He agrees! That wraps up this week’s favourites! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a fantastic weekend ahead. Take care, and I look forward to being back here on Monday. Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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What’s Up Wednesday

5 Comments / Home, What's Up Wednesday

Hi friends, and welcome to What’s Up Wednesday! I hope you’re having a wonderful day. Can you believe how fast this year is flying by? October has gone by in a flash, and we are about to hit November already—whoa! I’m excited to be here today to share a little of this and that and catch up on what’s been happening, what’s coming up, and a few things I’ve been loving lately. Let’s go! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Pot roast Tuesday – Turkey meatballs Wednesday – Barramundi, chips and salad Thursday – Chicken stir fry with cashews Friday – Cottage pie Saturday – Chicken schnitzel Sunday – I don’t know, but I’m sure it will be good 😉 WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I’m not the only one reminiscing about how quickly the years go by—our eldest son, Luke, is feeling it, too! I sent him this cute photo of his younger brother, Sam, and our two cats just relaxing together. Sam is a whole 11 years and 10 days younger than Luke. He sent this photo back of Sam when he was little, saying, ‘He’s so big now. It feels like just yesterday he was this small.’ Indeed it does… indeed it does….sigh. WHAT I’M LOVING I love seeing Christmas decorations in the shops! Not long ago, there were just a few festive items here and there. But when I went to Westfields for my appointment with the optometrist a couple of weekends ago, I saw beautiful garlands, Christmas trees and even a Nativity scene. My stomach did a flip-flop because even though I know Christmas is still weeks away. Those weeks will turn into days in no time! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO We celebrated two birthdays in October; Luke turned 31, and Sam turned 20. We had a very small Cousin Connect because most of the cousins were busy. So far, it seems we have full attendance for our November catch-up. Yay! I bought the Lululemon jacket and leggings that I had my eye on for ages. Both will be perfect for our trip! I continued my trip planning—old school style with a book and colourful pens! I just can’t get excited about digital planners. We also booked all our accommodation, which feels like a big win! My biggest October achievement was working through my preschool term break and doing my work placement in a long daycare centre. I can’t tell you how good it feels to have that ticked off the long list of tasks for my course. I got my hair cut, and I’ve gone shoulder-length for summer. WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing really, so that’s a good thing. WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Everything! It’s spring (even though the weather is all over the place), and fun and festive celebrations will be here before we know it. We are in the last term of preschool (the last term is the best term!). We will be getting ready for our end-of-year events like concerts, parties, and graduation. There’s also our staff Christmas lunch, which we all look forward to. Then, of course, summer will be here, and I’m really hoping the weather gets the memo to turn up the heat! Yep, this is definitely my favourite time of the year! WHAT I’M WATCHING After putting in hours of work for my diploma, I have been treating myself to more TV time than usual. I recently watched Nobody Wants This and absolutely loved it. Senior Year with Rebel Wilson–she’s so funny. A 2014 Cameron Diaz movie, The Other Woman, it was a bit silly but also brain-numbingly good. I rewatched Notting Hill and Monster in Law because they’re such classics! I started Fool Me Once, but it’s stressing me out a bit, so I don’t know if I’ll stick with it. I’m really into feel-good movies and TV shows at the moment! Season 7 of 9-1-1 has its dramatic moments like all the other seasons, but it’s not too intense, so I like it. Plus, I can always skip to the part where people have been rescued if it’s too much. Oh yes! Steve and I are into the latest season of Survivor, and as a family, we are watching the Japanese anime Fullmetal Alchemist–the character voices are so cute!! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO Well, I’m on my lunch break at work as I type this, listening to a preschooler making a very realistic siren noise. I kinda wish he’d stop–haha! But apart from that (he’s stopped the noise now, thank goodness!) I have been listening to Lovefly podcasts. As I have shared before, flying is not my favourite–shudder! However, I want to squash my fear so I can enjoy our upcoming family trip. My kind and helpful friend shared a Facebook group with me called Lovefly. Lovefly is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to overcome their fear of flying. It features a podcast hosted by Paul Tizzard, a fear of flying coach. He chats with guests about their experiences and offers heaps of practical strategies for dealing with flying anxiety. The Lovefly website also has free, helpful articles and resources focused on flying fears. So, I have been reading the blog articles, and during my walks to and from work, I’ve been listening to the podcasts. You know what? I had no idea so many people, like me (and my friend), struggle with this fear. Most people I know seem to have a sensible approach to flying—they may not love it, but they’re okay with it. It makes me feel better knowing that I’m not the only person who has to sit perfectly still on a flight, concentrating with the pilot to make sure we all land safely. I want to be calm and okay with flying so I can truly enjoy every minute of our trip. So, if you can relate to my flying fears, check out the Lovefly website! It’s very helpful, and when I get on that plane, I want to

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Hello Monday

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Hello friends, and hello, Monday! I’m back today with Holly and Sarah to share a few highlights from my weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by 😊 Friday I had a couple of hours of accrued time, so I used it to go for a hairdresser’s appointment on Friday afternoon. I was meant to go way back in August, but I got conjunctivitis and had to cancel. Then, my lovely hairdresser took a month off to go overseas, so the first available time was last Friday. It felt so good to sit down for a couple of hours. Normally, I’m impatient and don’t love spending too long at the hairdresser, but I really like this salon and the lovely team there. Plus, who doesn’t need a good sit-down on a Friday afternoon, haha? I had a soothing chamomile tea, and it went perfectly with the relaxing ambient music. This salon is great, and I really like it! The hairdresser is so lovely, and she genuinely listens and offers great advice. I never feel awkward there, unlike at some other salons in the past. My hair was so long! I got quite a lot chopped off the back and treated myself to a keratin treatment. The last one had actually lasted quite a while—I got it done back in March. But I knew it was all washed out when it rained a couple of weeks ago, and my hair started to go pouffy. Yikes! I’ll show you my hair in a couple of weeks because the thing with keratin treatments is that it’s a process. I didn’t walk out of the salon with freshly cut and blow-dried hair. Instead, the keratin makes my hair go slightly orange—hmph! My hair is also flat ironed super flat, and I can’t wash it until tonight. Otherwise, the treatment won’t last—it has to stay in for 72 hours! Seventy-two hours of flat, orange hair—nice! Oh yes, and I can’t colour it for two weeks. Still, I love keratin treatments because they mean I don’t have to worry about frizzy, pouffy hair. It takes hardly any time to dry, and my hair looks healthier when it’s smooth. Saturday and Sunday The rest of the weekend was kind of uneventful, but that’s ok. Fun times are coming soon– 10 weeks, 0 days, 5 hours, 28 minutes, and 51 seconds until our USA trip! Yep, I spent most of Saturday and all of Sunday working on my course. Blah! I broke up the monotony of being in front of the computer screen with a slice of pizza for lunch and an episode of 9-1-1. What’s going on with that show? I’m sure I’ve seen the same plot in The Poseidon Adventure when I was a kid. It traumatised me then, and I felt all the panic I always feel whenever I watch a disaster movie. Why do I do this to myself when I’m only weeks away from getting on a plane? Cruise ship or plane—same thing!! Berries for dessert. I started feeling unwell over the weekend with tiredness, a dry cough and sniffles. At first, I thought it was allergies, but I felt really yucky on Sunday night, so I didn’t go to work today. I always feel bad calling in sick, but I know I did the right thing, and I’ve learnt from past experiences. It’s a good idea to listen to your body when it’s saying enough! I never felt guilty about missing school when I was sick as a kid. It was fantastic because I got to watch all the morning cartoons, along with Mr. Ed, My Three Sons, Another World, and The Richard Simmons Show. I still remember the TV viewing lineup! And that wraps up the last few days! Now I’m off to blow my nose and take some Panadol. I hope you have a wonderful day or night, wherever you may be!

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends! Is it just me, or does the year seem to be racing by? I’m excited about all the fun end-of-year activities and social events that will soon kick off. But at the same time, I’m feeling a little bit terrified. Yikes–so much to do! I haven’t even started thinking about Christmas, and is it really Halloween next week? Okay, I’d better stop hyperventilating and get down to sharing three favourites for this week. Thank you so much for stopping by. (Hopefully) Comfy Sneakers I’ve been on the hunt for a new pair of comfy sneakers for our upcoming trip. With all the walking we’ll be doing, I’m aiming for maximum comfort. I’ve spent ages googling reviews, tried on countless pairs in stores, and—like a stalker—even asked random people about how comfy their kicks are! Some articles and reviews recommended the New Balance 327, promising ultimate comfort without needing to break them in. Others completely disagreed, and wrote negative reviews like ‘NEVER buy these, they’re the worst…blah, blah, blah.’ But honestly, I liked them because they looked so nice with a bit of a retro style. I could see myself wearing them with almost anything–shorts, tights, jeans and even dresses. I was finally convinced that they would be a good pick when I saw one of our preschool parents wearing the same model in a different colour. She said they were extremely comfortable and such a great buy. Yes, I’ve been surveying preschool parents too! So, I went ahead and ordered a pair online, and here’s the best part: I got them for free! Our health insurance provider, Medibank Private, has this great perk—if you download their app, you can link your Apple Watch to track your activity. By hitting your daily step goals, you earn rewards in the form of gift vouchers that can be redeemed for things like, you guessed it, sneakers. Isn’t that great? I’m going to test them out this weekend, and hopefully, my feet will love them–fingers crossed. Half-Priced Grocery Items I don’t know if the supermarkets were feeling extra sympathetic about the cost of living this week. But I managed to get a few items that are usually not on special, like Musashi Protein powder. Sam does Olympic weightlifting (though I kind of wish he did swimming instead–I can’t look when he lifts those massive weights over his head, shudder). One of these tubs normally costs $65, but I never pay the full price. Instead, I bounce around different online stores and usually get it for around $45. But we got lucky this week, and they were half-price at Woolworths. So I bought two! Protein powder isn’t exactly essential (unless you’re Sam), but I was excited at the big savings. Other grocery items that I bought at a discount included cereal, milk jam, turkey mince, toothpaste, and a few cleaning products. In the end, my receipt said I saved $95.50–I’ll take that! Keeping Up Appearances Last night, Keeping Up Appearances came on TV, and I stopped to watch it. I love this hilarious show, and it has a special place in my heart because I used to watch it with my mum. We would both crack up at the ‘lady of the house speaking’ with all her crazy antics as she tried desperately to be posh. I miss those days with my mum, and even though I laughed while watching it, my heart hurt at the same time. That wraps up three favourites for the week. I don’t have anything planned for the weekend other than doing another module for my diploma course…hmph. No fun, but it’ll be worth it. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I look forward to being back on Monday. See ya! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends, it’s time to join Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday. I’m recapping my weekend, and spoiler alert — nothing much happened! Haha. But that’s totally okay because sometimes you need a little bit of nothing happening in your world. Saturday Saturday morning, I spent some time catching up on a bit of life admin. Then, in the afternoon, I had an appointment at Specsavers. Ever since I can remember, I have always needed glasses for distance because I was always squinting at the blackboard (no smartboards or whiteboards in the olden days). My eyesight had been stable for years, but last year, I had to get reading glasses as well. Now I’m one of those ladies, like my mum, who has to juggle two pairs. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit because I can still get by day to day without glasses–everything just looks a bit blurry. I have also embarrassed myself a bunch of times while out shopping. I’ve seen someone I thought I knew and started waving at them, only to realise, as they got closer, that it wasn’t them at all. At that point, I had to pretend I was swatting at flies instead of waving at a stranger–oops! So, yes, I clearly need glasses for distance if I want to see properly. At my appointment, the optometrist performed all the usual tests and even a few extra ones because, well, you know—ageing. Blah! Plus, there’s a history of glaucoma in my family. The good news is that everything looked good. Yay! This time, I asked about disposable contact lenses because when we go away in January, I would love to be able to see everything crystal clear without the hassle of putting on and taking off glasses. I want to catch every detail on every ride at Disneyland, Universal Studios, and everywhere else we visit! The optometrist put the contacts in for me and took them out. Then I had a go myself, which wasn’t easy because dealing with squishy eyeballs is just ewww! But I did it, and I’m sure with practice, I’ll get better. I don’t think I will wear contacts all the time, but I think they’ll make things easier especially on our trip and for special occasions. I wore the contacts the optometrist gave me to try out and it felt good to walk around the shops and see everything so clearly. He also gave me two free pairs and now I just need to order more online with my prescription. Sunday I spent the whole day working through my very long list of assessment tasks. Then today, I got a phone call from the college telling me to ignore that list. The course facilitator said to forget about the college portal too. She gave me a new list of things to submit, and it looks nothing like the original one I spent HOURS on! Apparently, most of the students are struggling to make sense of the instructions and the portal, so the college decided to change everything up. If I still had my thyroid, I would have cried! So I’m going to sign off and go stick my head in the toilet. Just kidding. I’m going to submit what she requested from the new list and brush off my frustration. Aaaarrrgh!!!! Before I go, I just realised I haven’t shared any photos—mainly because I only took one over the whole weekend! But it’s always good to end on a happy note, and there’s nothing that makes me happier than food. So, here’s a photo of Sunday night’s dinner: chicken schnitzel with vegetables and gravy. Yum! And I’ve got leftovers for tonight too! Happy Monday, everyone. Here’s hoping for a better rest of the week!

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