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Currently-September 20224

Hi friends! It’s time to link up with Jennifer from Overflowing With Thankfulness and chat about what we’re currently loving, looking forward to, smelling, watching, and admiring. I hope you’re having an amazing day—thanks so much for stopping by! LOVING It’s no secret that I am not a morning person. I struggle so much to get out of my warm, cozy bed every morning when the alarm goes off, ugh! I play whack-a-mole with that snooze button like a champ! However, my youngest son Sam is doing his practical nursing placement in a city hospital. He has been assigned the early shift and needs to get up early to make it to the station on time for the early train. Did I say early? It means I hear his alarm go off first, so I get up to see him off. I don’t have to, but I like to, and once I’m up, it’s okay! This getting up early isn’t so bad after all. Ha! I’ve had so much more time to do extra things in the morning, and I enjoy the quietness and stillness of the early hours. I can definitely say I’m loving this extra time—a lot! It is certainly easier to get up early in the spring when the sun is shining. I’m not sure I would love it as much if we were in the middle of winter. But who knows, I might become a morning person after all……nah! LOOKING FORWARD TO It’s time for Cousin Connect this Saturday, and I’m excited to see my family! I’m so happy we’ve kept up this monthly tradition for the past two years. Sure, not everyone can always make it, and sometimes we have to change the date. But I’m incredibly grateful that we’ve kept this special connection going strong! SMELLING It has been warm here but incredibly windy and so dry! I wash my hands constantly at work because, you know, kids and germs are usually best friends. All this hand washing and dry weather is making my hands feel rough. So, I keep a tube of hand cream in the classroom and have been enjoying its scent each time I use it—which is multiple times a day at the moment. It has a deliciously sweet scent that makes me hungry, and it leaves my hands feeling soft without any residue. I can’t cope with a hand cream that leaves a residue… shudder! My lovely friend brought it back for me when she visited her family in San Francisco. The yummy smell really brings home what Autumn must be like over there. It’s no wonder Autumn is so popular over in the Northern Hemisphere if it smells like my hand cream! WATCHING I have been watching the days get longer and the sun linger a little later each evening. Perfect! ADMIRING I’ve been admiring the spring flowers blooming everywhere. The beautiful vibrant colours are such a treat after winter! That wraps up a few things I’ve been up to lately. Can you believe it’s September? The year is sure flying by, wow! Happy Wednesday 😀

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How To Inspire A Love Of Learning In Children

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Every parent wants their child to develop a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. But how do you turn everyday learning into something that excites and motivates them? The secret lies in making learning engaging and enjoyable from the start. By tapping into their interests, mixing up activities, and celebrating their progress, you can create an environment where curiosity thrives. In this post, we’ll explore how to inspire a love for learning in children through fun, creative, and practical strategies that make education an adventure they’ll eagerly embrace. How To Inspire A Love of Learning In Children Through Creative Projects To inspire a love of learning in children, start by tapping into their natural interests. What gets them excited—drawing, building, or exploring the great outdoors? Whatever it is, let that passion be the springboard for educational activities! For instance, if they’re into drawing, why not turn it into a storytelling challenge where they create characters and weave tales? This method not only introduces lessons on narrative structure and creativity but also keeps them engaged in activities they adore. By connecting learning to what they already love, you’ll keep their curiosity alive and their minds buzzing with excitement! Mix It Up and Keep Learning Fun The key to making learning exciting and effective is variety. Switch things up with different activities to keep your child entertained and their enthusiasm high. How about setting up a weekly science experiment, crafting art from recycled materials, or starting a mini garden to explore plant life? By offering a range of hands-on projects, you give your child the chance to learn by doing, making the whole experience more engaging and memorable than traditional methods. So, get creative and watch their curiosity blossom with every new adventure! Turn Learning into Playtime with Educational Games and Puzzles Mix a little fun into your child’s learning with educational games and puzzles. These activities can make problem-solving a blast! For instance, try strategy board games or card games that involve quick maths. Not only are these games entertaining, but they also help with critical thinking. In addition, puzzles can challenge their minds in a relaxed way. In no time, they’ll be learning new concepts while having a great time. So, grab those games, shuffle the cards, and watch as your child learns and laughs their way through every challenge! Consider Private Tutors for Those Challenging Subjects Let’s face it—some subjects can be tough to teach, and that’s completely okay! When you’re navigating complex topics like advanced maths or a foreign language, private tutors can be your secret weapon. These experts have the know-how to ensure your child excels in those challenging areas. They provide the extra support you might need. A private tutor won’t replace your role but will enhance it. They add valuable knowledge to your child’s learning journey. So, think about bringing in a private tutor to help make those tough subjects a bit easier to master! Celebrate the Small Victories In your child’s education, don’t wait for the big achievements to celebrate—start with the small victories! When they tackle a challenging task or complete a tricky project, take a moment to acknowledge their hard work. This kind of positive reinforcement is key to how to inspire a love of learning in children. It builds their confidence and encourages them to take on new challenges with enthusiasm. By celebrating these little wins, you create a positive association with learning, making them excited and eager for the next adventure. So, cheer for those small successes, and watch their passion for learning flourish! Focus on Fun and Enjoyable Learning Encouraging a love of learning in your child doesn’t have to be perfect—what’s important is sparking their curiosity and making them eager to try new things. By setting up a positive and supportive learning environment, you help them develop a lifelong passion for learning that extends far beyond the classroom. Think of it as an adventure where creative projects and educational games are just the beginning. The real goal? To make learning an exciting, joyful experience that they look forward to every day. So dive into the fun, celebrate their curiosity, and watch their love of learning grow!

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Hello Monday

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Hi there and happy Monday! I hope you all had an amazing weekend and are ready to embrace a new week. I’m feeling extra chipper today because it’s so warm and sunny—though we won’t mention the 50 km/h winds that nearly blew me away on the way home! Anyway, it’s time to share some weekend highlights on today’s Hello Monday link-up with Holly and Sarah. Thanks for joining me! Saturday Spring is my favourite season! This year it seems to have arrived extra early and that’s more than okay by me!! I just love looking at all the colourful flowers and the bright blue skies. The novelty of going for regular walks with Steve hasn’t worn off and I’m loving it. Haha, he doesn’t completely share my excitement. But he has been a real champ about keeping up with his physio exercises which of course includes doing regular walking. So we hit the pavement on Saturday and walked around the neighbourhood for almost an hour and a half! We stopped for a sticky beak at an open house- we don’t have any plans to move but if I see a house that’s open for inspection, I’m in for a look! It was a nice house but I didn’t like the awkward layout or the quick reno job they have done to probably try and sell it fast. Gosh, I thought I was a messy painter!! We picked up some sourdough on the way home and made some sandwiches for lunch. The rest of the day I took full advantage of the sunny, windy weather and did a few loads of laundry. I’ve quit feeling annoyed about carrying household chores into the weekend. There’s that saying about laundry–that it’s a reminder to be grateful you have clothes in the first place. Yeah, I’m embracing that mindset–namasté! In the evening, we watched a few more episodes of Blue Bloods. If you’re a fan of the show and love food like I do, you might notice the delicious meals at their regular Sunday dinners. I tend to pick up on details like that. I also noticed a couple of seasons ago that the characters hardly eat anything! It makes sense, of course—if they’re filming a scene all day, they can’t be eating all day. But this is what I have seen and now I can’t unsee it!!! Erin always adds masses of salt to her food, Danny eats the cucumbers, Pop always butters his bread the whole time, Frank talks, Jaimie pushes his food around and Jenko chews nothing. Hahaha!! I didn’t share any of this with Steve as he loves the show as much as I do. But …well because it was the final season I couldn’t help myself! And now his Sunday dinners with the Reagans are shattered just like mine were. I kind of wish I’d kept my mouth shut! Now Steve sits there counting out loud how many cucumbers they eat! Sunday Sunday was Father’s Day, and while I always try to focus on celebrating Steve as a dad, it’s a tough day for me. I don’t have a relationship with my own dad for many reasons I won’t go into. However, this year, after many years of working on forgiveness, I reached out to him about a month ago, and we had a chat. It wasn’t deep—just polite conversation and that’s okay. I’ve made peace with that and have stopped hoping for anything more. So, I called and wished him a Happy Father’s Day. I won’t lie—it felt a bit awkward, but at the same time, I’m glad I did it. After that, I visited my Uncle Bill at the cemetery. He was more than just an uncle to me—he was like a father, my hero, and my favourite person in the whole world. His unexpected passing ten years ago shattered my world. He was my mum’s youngest brother, and he was the best. I also visited my mum’s grave, which is nearby. It’s tough when the people you love aren’t around anymore. I got home around midday and Luke arrived with his lovely fiancee. She works most weekends so seeing her as well as Luke was such a highlight and an instant mood-lifter! We got takeaway chicken, chips and salad for lunch and got down to the business of celebrating. After lunch we watched Sonic The Hedgehog-we’re all big kids around here so we loved it! Sonic is so cute!! Sam got home from his part-time job and then it was time to order pizza and watch Aliens. Talk about a change in genre! The ‘kids’ loved it and all agreed that they made better movies in the olden days. Hahaha!! We finished the night with a big box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts delivered fresh from the Mascot store. They were incredible—so much better than the ones from 7-Eleven! I thought I was full after the pizza, but the doughnuts were so fresh and delicious that I ended up having two! And that was our weekend- a few lows but way more highs! How was yours, I hope it was a good one!

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Friday Favourites

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Hey everyone! I’m so happy to welcome Friday back today—are you the same? It always feels like Friday is an eternity away when the alarm goes off on Monday morning, but then the week flies by so fast! And here we are again, ready to share a recap of the week and some favourites that make life más bueno. Thanks so much for being here! It’s always a great start to the week when our favourite casual teacher comes to work—and it’s not just because she brings us snacks! That super germ that took me down also hit two of our usual lovely staff members. Thankfully, we were all back by the end of the week. Our energy levels are still a bit low as we recover, but I think we’re all on the mend. I made our favourite guacamole for our Tuesday night burrito bowls. Along with some Mexican Street Corn Salad. My family loves some Mexican food on a Tuesday or any other day of the week too! Our preschool children went on a Book Week parade excursion to a local primary school. As expected, the kids were extra excited and couldn’t wait for the bus ride. I think that’s always the highlight of any excursion! It makes me wonder if we should just hire a bus and go round and round—maybe the kids would even fall asleep, haha. The school entrance was all colourfully decorated. The children watched as each grade took turns parading their costumes around the playground. When it was our turn they had a blast high-fiving the big school kids as they walked around. It was very cute! The school provided us with a delicious morning tea of sandwiches and cupcakes. We were famished and everything was so tasty—it was practically all gone in 60 seconds! As fun as excursions are for the kids, it’s always a relief when we’re all safely back on the bus and everyone is accounted for. My group was the first on the bus, so we got the back seats to ourselves. Hooray, we made it! I’ve discovered Oust, and I love the smell. It’s much nicer than Glen 20, which has such a strong scent that you can even taste it in the back of your throat after spraying. The only downside is that I can’t find Oust at the regular supermarket. I have to order it online from Officeworks and do click and collect to avoid paying postage, which costs as much as a can. Onto some cleaning products. I’ve found a simple way to cut down on plastic packaging: Bath and Shower refills. It’s a great way to reuse the bottles you already have instead of buying new ones all the time. Plus, it’s better for the planet and my wallet. Win-win! Same thing with this laundry refill. I never buy frozen yoghurt, but a few online shopping deliveries ago, I ended up with part of someone else’s order. They have great taste—we all tried it and loved it. Once we finish this small tub, we’ll definitely be buying it again. It’s perfect with pancakes because it’s lighter than ice cream and has a delicious, mild coconut flavour. If you love berries and coconut, this one’s a winner! It has been incredibly windy the last few days. The other day, when I was walking home from work, the wind was so strong it gave me a huge shove. I pushed on and got home safely, but there were branches and debris scattered everywhere. I was a bit freaked out about the possibility of a branch or tree falling on me, especially since a huge tree came down at the end of my street on a windy day a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, no one was hurt and no property was damaged because that was one huge tree! CPR training on Thursday wasn’t exactly my favourite, especially after a long day at work. But the trainer was really nice, and we only had to do a one-hour yearly refresher course. So we were finished by 5 pm. And that was my week, thanks for catching up with me! I hope you have a fantastic weekend ahead, and I look forward to being back here on Monday. Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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What’s Up Wednesday

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Hi friends! It’s time to link up with Shay and Sheaffer for What’s Up Wednesday! Can you believe how fast August flew by? Woah, but I’m excited because it means we’re heading into my favourite months of the year. I love September to December— the weather warms up, colourful flowers pop up everywhere, the days get longer, and there’s only one more term until the end of the school year. Right after Father’s Day this Sunday, Halloween and Christmas decorations will start appearing in the shops. Then, before we know it, the festive season will be here! Oops, maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself, but I love this time of year so much. Before I get too carried away, it’s time to share a little bit about what August looked like for us. Let’s go! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Chicken Schnitzel, Veggies, Baked Potato with Big Dollops of Sour Cream and Gravy Tuesday – Burrito Bowls Wednesday – Pasta Bolognese Thursday – Mango Chilli Chicken with Rice Friday – It’s a surprise for everyone, including me! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT Today, our preschoolers went on an excursion to a local primary school, where they were celebrating Book Week with a “Dress Up as Your Favourite Book Character” parade. The school we visited is the same one my youngest son, Sam, attended from Kindy to Year 6. He’ll be turning 20 in October, so it sure has been a while since those school days. Anyway, while we were there, I couldn’t help but do a whole lot of reminiscing. I thought about his first day of Kindergarten with his lovely teacher, Miss Choi. I remembered the last day of Year 6 when the children from the younger grades created an arch of honour, forming a tunnel for all the students to walk through to the song the ‘Cup Song’ from Pitch Perfect. I also thought about all the school events, like the times I went to watch Sam at his own Book Week parades, and the day he won a big trophy for being Swimmer of the Year. Sigh, it all went by too fast. WHAT I’M LOVING The early warm spring weather! It felt more like summer than spring and not like all the other freezing cold Augusts I remember. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO In August we enjoyed some lovely evening walks We connected with our cousins! celebrated Steve’s birthday and saw some pretty spring blooms appear. WHAT I’M DREADING Hmmmm I’m not sure if I’m dreading this-dreading sounds a bit strong. but I’m definitely not looking forward to it and I’m more than less than excited about it! Ok, maybe I am dreading it and I’m trying to convince myself I’m not. As part of the requirements for my Diploma course, I need to log a total of 80 hours of placement in a long daycare centre. This includes 40 hours working with children aged from birth to two years and 40 hours with children aged two to three years. I already work with three to five-year-olds, so that part of the requirement is already covered. I have no choice but to do this during our preschool Term 3 school holiday break, which is in four weeks. No holidays for me. Waaaaah! I could postpone it and do it during the summer break, but I’d rather get it over and done with now, rather than have it hanging over my head. It’s like eating your veggies first as a kid so you can get to the good stuff and truly enjoy it. The thing that really annoys me is that I’ve worked with this age group for years before landing my current preschool role, but it doesn’t count. I still have to cover these age groups during my enrollment period in the course. I’m sure I’ll enjoy working with all those babies and seeing how another children’s service operates. But sacrificing school holidays? That stings! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT It’s Father’s Day on Sunday, so it’ll be fun to have Luke come over for lunch. We’re staying home and ordering Steve’s choice of takeaway. We also have Cousin Connect the following weekend and then I’m going to see my cousin perform with her dance group at Canterbury RSL on the 21st of September. Oh yes and I nearly forgot, we have our staff mid-term dinner next Friday night so that will be fun. WHAT I’M WATCHING I discovered a new Swedish series called Meaning of Life and it’s great! If you’re in Australia, you can watch it on SBS On Demand, and I thoroughly recommend it. It strikes the perfect balance of drama and humour. I’m also watching the latest season of The Block, where five (I think it’s five) couples compete in a massive home renovation challenge. So far, I don’t really like any of the couples much. They’re often rude to each other, and there’s so much drama and arguing. I can’t help but wonder how they feel when they watch themselves on screen once it’s aired. Cringe! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO The wind! It’s so windy today, and I can still hear it howling as I type. As I was walking home from work this afternoon, I felt like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. At one point, the wind pushed me back so hard that I thought my AirPods and sunglasses were going to fly off! Hahaha, it was kind of funny! There was a lady standing in her front garden who watched the whole spectacle, and we ended up laughing together as I walked past. WHAT I’M WEARING As usual, I forgot to take any photos of what I wore in August—I’ll try harder in September! But here’s today’s fancy ensemble for our preschool excursion. High-vis vests and all the name tags—just to make my identity ultra clear. All the staff had to wear them, hehe. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH I’d usually say I’m

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Hello Monday

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Hi friends! Welcome to this week’s Hello Monday link-up with Holly and Sarah, where we share a little bit about our weekend adventures. My weekend wasn’t exactly adventurous. I spent most of it recovering from a yucky cold and a dose of conjunctivitis. I had already taken three days off work last week. But the extra time over the weekend was exactly what I needed. By Sunday, I was finally feeling like my old self again. Yay! I realised how run down I’d been before getting sick and how I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be truly well. Has that ever happened to you? Anyway, it’s great to be here on this gloriously sunny Monday feeling great! Thanks so much for stopping by. Saturday Strawberries and blueberries are back at reasonable prices again! It’s wonderful to see that we don’t need a bank loan to enjoy these delicious berries now that they’re in season. They were perfect to enjoy with our pancake breakfast on Saturday. I found a new Swedish comedy-drama called Meaning of Life on SBS. After loving Bonus Family so much I didn’t think I would find another one that grabbed me (I tried a couple). This one did and so I watched a couple of episodes on my iPad and now I’m addicted. The thing with foreign shows is that you have to sit and watch closely to catch the subtitles. But it’s a great excuse to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee too! I’m not sure why I love Swedish shows so much, but it might be because, according to Ancestry, I’m 1% Swedish—hehe. In the afternoon Steve hosed down the car on our front lawn and gave it a vacuum. He said it was a good way to water the garden at the same time. I’m not sure the grass appreciated getting squished. But I guess I could see his point, sort of. Anyway, it was good to see him being so mobile and doing everyday stuff. We enjoyed a short sunset walk on a warm evening. By the time we got home, it was time for dinner. I made steak sandwiches with mayo, mustard, and tomato sauce for me, and BBQ sauce for the guys. We might not share the same taste in sauces, but we all agree on one thing: a big slice of pickle in our sandwiches is a must! We spent the rest of Saturday night relaxing in front of the TV before calling it a day. Sunday I needed a couple of things from the supermarket and felt up to a big walk instead of driving. Steve joined me this time, and we walked about two kilometres there and back—something we wouldn’t have done before he got his new knee. Steve is still adjusting to enjoying walking since it used to be so painful. I can’t blame him for that! We made it home pain-free! I didn’t go to the supermarket for my favourite lollies, but they were half-price, so now my treat jar is full again! We also didn’t go for rosé, but we grabbed a bottle to celebrate the warm weather and toast to feeling well and a great weekend. We are having the best spring weather even though we haven’t quite hit September. But I’m still fully prepared for a change back to winter. So I won’t be storing away any of my warm jumpers just yet. For now, I’m loving the sunny blue skies, and on Wednesday, the forecast is a top of 28ºC—a heatwave in some parts of the world! I can’t wait!! Happy Monday!

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends! It’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika to share some favourites for the week! I only blogged on Monday, so it feels like I’ve been MIA for ages. But one of the things I love about Friday favourites is that it helps me look back on those not-so-favourite weeks and still find some highlights! So even during those less-than-ideal weeks (like this one), it’s amazing how you can still uncover a few bright spots. Yay! Monday On Monday I just felt off all day and I was tired from the get-go and couldn’t shake it off. Ugh, so annoying especially when you work with kids and you need to be energetic and engaged. Or at least engaged. I was neither! Dinner was good though. We had ravioli with meatballs-nothing wrong with my appetite! I went to bed later than I should have and when I walked into my room this was the time on the clock. I had my phone in my hand because I was about to set my alarm so I snapped a photo. What does this mean, is it a sign? Hehe Tuesday After my brisk morning walk, I made it to work thinking I’d be okay. But as the day went on, I started to go downhill fast. It was clear that the germs I’d managed to dodge nearly all winter had finally caught up with me. They took me down hard, and that was it for my working week. I spent the next three days at home, taking kids’ Dimetapp like tequila shots! I think that Kid’s Dimetapp is way more effective than adult cold and flu tablets. It tastes great too! Wednesday to Friday I’ve spent the last three days recovering and sipping on this delicious honey ginger tea. It’s so simple to make—just add a teaspoon to some boiling water. The tea is nice and sweet with a subtle lemon flavour and chunks of ginger that clear my nose when I munch on them. Definitely a favourite this week! A friend of ours (the same kind friend who replaced my bread basket) had invited us over for dinner on Wednesday, but unfortunately, we couldn’t make it—boo! Thankfully, she’s kindly rescheduled so we can get together in a couple of weeks. She surprised us by dropping in some goodies -Tompouces from Aldi and mandarins from the farmer’s market! Once a year, Aldi sells Dutch food, and these Tompouces (vanilla slices) are absolutely delicious. I have no idea how to pronounce the name, and neither does my husband, even though he’s Dutch. His parents spoke English at home, so none of his siblings learned Dutch. I had no clue about his Dutch heritage when I first met him because he has a true Aussie accent. When I met his parents for the first time, their thick Dutch accents completely blew me away! Anyway, I digress—back to the favourites for the week: mandarins from the farmer’s market. They were as sweet as ever! Another favourite that made us laugh was this belated birthday card Steve received. It was very appropriate—si! Drum roll, please… Steve got the all-clear from the surgeon on Thursday and can go back to work. Ta-da! After his knee replacement, he’s pain-free, and it’s been life-changing for him—and for all of us! It’s amazing to see him moving so comfortably now. He even says he feels good enough for the next Olympics in LA. Well, if Raygun made it, he might just have a chance! And that’s a wrap for a few favourites from this strange week! Thanks so much for being here. I’m looking forward to feeling better and being back next week. Happy Friday!

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Hello Monday

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Hey everyone, I’m so excited to be back today! I’m joining Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday. It’s time to catch up on a super fun three-day weekend that just flew by way too quickly! Friday I had Friday off from work because I had accumulated enough time for a day off. It was amazing not having to get up so early and I spent most of the day enjoying my time at home. I even got a head start on a few weekend tasks and it felt like I was winning! We went for a walk and saw some beautiful spring blooms that I shared on Friday favourites. Spring is coming! Surprise Dinner Destination Then in the evening, we went out for dinner to celebrate Steve’s birthday. I kept the location a surprise and didn’t tell him I had booked a table at Mr Wong’s a famous modern Cantonese restaurant in Sydney that we’ve both been wanting to try. He was convinced we were going to Hungry Jack’s which is our version of Burger King. Hahaha!! I assured him we were definitely not and to wear something nice! We caught the train from Allawah station so by then he knew we were going to the city. While we were on the train, he kept trying to guess where! He was like a kid and he was making me laugh so much. In the end, when I wouldn’t give anything away, he made me promise that if we didn’t eat enough at the restaurant “could we please go to McDonald’s as well”…sheesh!! It was a good 10-minute walk from Martin Place station and Steve walked like a champ! Before his knee replacement, we would have taken it real slow or even caught an Uber. So that’s massive progress and it makes the whole surgery so worth it! When we turned into Bridge Lane, Steve still had no clue. The alleyway was dark and mysterious—exactly the kind of place where you’d expect something shady to happen. He was completely confused! But as we reached the end, there it was, tucked behind a wall—the famous Mr Wong’s. Steve’s expression was priceless and the surprise was worth every bit of the secrecy. Mr Wong’s Before we went, I had spent some time looking at the menu and decided that the best option for us was the Banquet menu. There were just too many delicious dishes with incredible ingredients to choose from. Steve felt relieved that we didn’t have to make any decisions and could just sit back and enjoy a variety of dishes. He was still in shock that we weren’t sitting at a fast food joint—such little faith! Just like all the reviews said, the food and service were amazing! It was definitely a feast, and we loved everything from the delicate kingfish sashimi to the Angus beef cubes that melted in your mouth. One of the standout dishes for us was the Balmain bugs. In case you’re not familiar, Balmain bugs are a type of Australian slipper lobster with sweet, delicate meat. They were so good! We enjoyed ten dishes in total, including dessert, and no, we didn’t need to hit McDonald’s afterwards! I loved the little touches, like how they brought out the dessert with ‘Happy Birthday’ written on it. Palmer & Co After dinner, we decided to continue the celebration and head to Palmer & Co. A prohibition-style bar where all the bartenders were dressed in 1920s attire-so cool! There was also a jazz band playing some contemporary tunes. Steve had a cider, and I sipped on a glass of bourbon that felt like it would have been perfect with a cigar. I’ve never had a cigar, but the whole atmosphere really got to my head! I also tried straight bourbon with ice for the first time and was surprised I enjoyed it (maybe a little too much!) Cousin Connect Saturday We were set to host Cousin Connect on the 10th, but Steve thought he had shingles (it turned out to be eczema) and Sam had a bad cold. So, we rescheduled for this past Saturday, which was also Steve’s actual birthday. It turned out great that we could all be together to celebrate! Cousin S put together another one of his amazing charcuterie boards. I made pulled pork that we enjoyed with bread rolls and coleslaw. Oh, and I also made rice for my little cousin E, who, apart from my mum, is the biggest rice lover I’ve ever met! Cousin T made pigs in blankets, and my aunt brought guacamole. We played our usual board game and laughed so hard at some of the things the cousins came up with. Cousin J even suggested making Cousin Connect T-shirts featuring some of the hilarious one-liners! I think it’s a great idea! Sunday Sunday was recovery day after all the eating and fun. We watched a couple of episodes of Blue Bloods and then thought we better get started on our “homework”. As I shared in another post, we’re heading to L.A. next January. Along with Disneyland, we’re also planning a visit to Universal Studios, which I’ve heard has an incredible Harry Potter-themed area. The thing is, none of us have ever watched or read anything Harry Potter-related. So, we figured it was high time to start! We watched Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone and we loved it! I was surprised to see The Dowager from Downton Abbey in the film! We’ve also realised that we better get started on watching The Simpsons, as Springfield is also such a big part of the Universal Studios experience. I know, I know—clearly, we’ve been living under a rock because we must be the only ones who haven’t watched these two major pop culture hits! And that wraps up our very fun three-day weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by today, I’m jumping off the computer to go have dinner and catch up on some more homework! Happy Monday!

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Friday Favourites

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Hi friends! I can smell spring in the air today, and when you combine that with a Friday and a day off work, it’s looking like a pretty fantastic start to my three-day weekend! I’m just popping in quickly to say hi and share some photos I took recently that have me excited for spring. I’ve been counting down since the first day of winter and now there are only 15 more days until the 1st of September. Yippee! I snapped this photo at 5:45 when we went out for a walk on Tuesday. Look, it’s not completely dark at this time anymore! This gorgeous rose seemed to appear out of nowhere and I spotted it in our front garden when I came home from work the other day. We went for a walk in the sunshine and spotted even more colourful flowers along the way. Spring, I love you so much! Tonight, I’m taking Steve out to dinner at a surprise location. Tomorrow night, we’re having a combined Cousin Connect and birthday celebration for Steve since it’s his actual birthday. After some wonderfully low-key weekends, it’s time to celebrate and make the most of this one. I’m excited! Thanks so much for being here today and I hope you have an amazing weekend. I look forward to being back here on Monday! Happy Friday and happy weekend!! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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What’s In My Pantry

6 Comments / Cleaning and Organising, Home, Home Improvement Ideas

When we revamped our kitchen and added a pantry, it was like a dream come true. I’d never had a dedicated pantry before, so the idea of having all our pantry essentials in one spot—rather than crammed into different cupboards—was super exciting. Fast forward three years, and we haven’t done too bad at keeping it tidy. Go us! Most of our essentials manage to stay in their place. It’s amazing how much easier meal prep is when you can actually find what you need without digging through a mess of jars and cans. Believe me, we did plenty of digging around looking for stuff before we got our new kitchen! Our Pantry Essentials Our pantry is tall—our whole galley-style kitchen is pretty compact! Getting a photo that shows just how tall the pantry is was a bit tricky, so I snapped it from an angle to give you a better view. The pantry has some pretty great storage options, like drawers, shelves, and pull-out baskets. Our entire kitchen is from Ikea, and they really know how to make the most of every bit of space. The pantry might be on the smaller side, but it’s packed with all the essentials we need. Here’s a peek at what’s inside: Staples At the very top of the pantry, I keep passata, long-life milk, Krummies, coconut water, and a few other things I don’t need to reach for very often. It’s the perfect spot for those items I use less frequently, so they’re out of the way but still easy to access when I need them. We’ve got a stash of pasta, rice, and grains. Because these are pantry essentials we need for everyday meals. I also keep my Massel stock cubes in there because I use them all the time, they give meals an excellent flavour boost. Canned Goods We also usually have canned tomatoes, beans, and tuna. The cupboard’s a bit bare at the moment since my shopping order is coming tomorrow—canned Mutti tomatoes are definitely on the list. The pull-out baskets need some attention and I’m thinking I will buy some clear containers so that the random bits and pieces look more organised. I always keep a carton of long-life cream in the pantry. Cream is one of those ingredients that’s great to have “just in case.” Since we don’t use it very often, the fresh version tends to go off quickly. And I always feel bad wasting food. But when you need cream, you really need it! Long-life cream is the perfect solution for those times. Jars The first pull-out drawer is full of jars containing nuts, almond flour, seeds, coconut and other dry goods. Condiments and Other Bits In the next pull-out drawer, we have olive oil, vegetable oil, and a variety of vinegar. Sam also keeps his all-important protein powder in there. The lonely jar of peanut butter is there because…. I have no clue why but that’s where it lives. And the tall spaghetti jar doesn’t fit anywhere else. I spy a treat jar! My cousin made each of us a treat jar for Christmas one year. Mine’s usually filled with snakes, while Steve’s has licorice (bleh). But I think right now his jar has some Japanese snacks that Sam brought back from his trip. The last pull-out drawer is where we keep more containers of dry goods such as brown sugar, caster sugar and corn flour. There are also wooden boxes with onions, potatoes and fruit that needs to ripen. Once the fruit is ripe enough but not over ripe I transfer it to the fridge. Avocadoes are usually the trickiest and I check them regularly. One minute they are as hard as my head and then the next they’re ready to eat all at once! What I Love About Our Pantry I just love that we have a pantry after so many years without one! The solid pull-out drawers are wonderful because you can clearly see what’s inside right to the back. I love that I can fit almost all of my pantry essentials in one place. The tall shelves are perfect for storing those items I use less frequently. I get a kick out of seeing all the jars lined up neatly and clearly labelled. What I Don’t Love About Our Pantry I’m not sure how I feel about the pull-out baskets. Things tend to slide through the gaps, which can be a bit frustrating. On the flip side, if we had solid pull-out drawers, I wouldn’t be able to see what’s in them when they’re pulled out as I’m not tall enough. At least with the baskets, I can pull them out and see from underneath. But after writing this post and taking photos, I can see an obvious solution—get some clear containers ASAP, Ruth! The two top shelves are very deep, and sometimes things get pushed to the back. I need to remember to check what I have back there in the beyond before buying things unnecessarily. I’m 162 cm tall and can’t reach the two top shelves without my trusty $4.00 step stool from Kmart. It folds, so I can easily store it in a small gap beside the fridge—it’s the best! These are minor inconveniences, and I almost feel like I’m hurting my pantry’s feelings by criticising it in any way. Overall, I think it’s just totally amazing! Thanks so much for stopping by for this month’s edition of Let’s Look. I’m excited to take a peek at what everyone else has inside their pantries! Have a great day! Linking up with Erika and Shay

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