What’s Up Wednesday

Hi friends! It’s time to catch up on what we’ve been eating, watching, looking forward to, and a whole lot more. I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer for What’s Up Wednesday, and I’m so glad you’re here! What We’re Eating This Week Here’s our menu for the week. Monday – Chicken Stroganoff with rice and veggies Tuesday – Pot Roast Wednesday – Leftovers Thursday – Prawn pesto pasta Friday – Chicken Caesar wraps Saturday – Mediterranean chicken with rice Sunday- Steak sandwiches I’m meal planning like a champ this week! Let’s see how long I can keep it up—I’m pretty good at falling off the meal-planning train as the year goes on! What I’m Reminiscing About Our amazing, incredible, wonderful family trip! We started in California, where we visited family, spent two magical days at Disneyland, and had so much fun at Universal Studios. Then, we set off on a road trip through Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, exploring some spectacular national parks. Words can’t describe how beautiful they are! The photos I took hardly do them justice! I think I truly understand now what it means to have your breath taken away. The road trip will forever be one of the best parts—not just for the scenery, but for the laughs. When we weren’t staring out at breathtaking landscapes, we were cracking up over the most random things. There were so many moments when we were just gone with laughter! We wrapped it all up with a week in Hawaii, which was the perfect way to finish off an already incredible trip. At first, I was happy to be home, but after four or five days, the post-trip blues hit hard. Even looking at our photos made me sad. We had the best time, and travelling with my cousin and her family made it even more special. After spending three weeks together, it felt so strange not seeing them every day once we got back. We already want to do it all over again—maybe we will next year at a different destination. Stay tuned! What I’m Loving I’m loving the summer weather, but I know autumn is just around the corner! Ho hum. What We’ve Been Up To Just coming off an incredible high and settling into our regular old routine over here. That means I’m back at work and getting used to that alarm going off at 6.30 every morning (I need to stop hitting that snooze button!). I’m also looking forward to Fridays again! I was off work for so long that I kept losing track of the days. Now Fridays feel extra sweet again because nothing beats that end-of-the-week feeling, does it? What I’m Dreading I’m not dreading anything, and I’m always thankful when I can say that! I was dreading my eldest having a procedure last Monday, but now that it’s over, I don’t have to worry about it anymore. Phew! What I’m Excited About After so much epic excitement, I can’t think of anything I’m super excited about right now! Haha. I think I’m just happy to cruise along for a while and enjoy the ordinary days. What I’m Watching We’ve been watching Reacher and really enjoying it. Season 3 came out recently and caught our eye, so we decided to start from Season 1. I started watching the latest season of Sweet Magnolias. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’ve lost all interest and thought it was boring, so I stopped halfway through the first episode. I’m excited to start watching the new season of Survivor that starts on Thursday. It’s been fast-tracked from the USA, which is good! Oh, and I almost forgot—I’ve also been watching Married at First Sight. It’s just so awful, but I can’t look away! What I’m Listening To Smooth jazz vibes on Spotify—such a soothing backdrop for when I’m at home. I love it! Steve, on the other hand, can’t stand it. He says it drives him crazy and makes him feel edgy. Haha! What I’m Wearing No photos to show because I always forget. But I’m back to wearing comfy work clothes—ones I don’t mind getting paint, glue, sand, playdough, or, God forbid, other less-than-pleasant things that come with the job of working with little kids What I’m Doing This Weekend As of this moment, I have zero plans. I like the idea of having a quiet weekend. Sometimes, they are the best ones, right? What I’m Looking Forward To Next Month March Cousin Connect! Next month’s catch-up will be a smaller one since some cousins are away on a cruise, others are working, and one is tied up with wedding plans for two close friends. But I love that we never cancel, no matter the size. It’s important to stick to our monthly catch-up because that’s how traditions stay alive! That wraps up some of the things that have been going on in our little world. Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have the best day.  

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

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

Hi friends! It’s the last Wednesday in July, which means it’s time to link up with Shay and Sheaffer for What’s Up Wednesday. I’m sharing a bit of this and that and recapping what happened in July. I’m so glad you’re here! Just a heads up—this post contains affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK I’m constantly hungry, and I blame the freezing cold weather! Salads for work lunches just don’t cut it anymore, so this week, I have been having soup and toast. This is what our dinner menu looks like for the week. Monday – Mexican chicken Tuesday – Tuna patties with rice and green salad Wednesday – Salmon pasta with string beans and garlic bread (the half that I made and froze the other day) Thursday – Hopefully leftovers and I’ll make a zucchini slice as well Friday -turkey burgers and homemade chips Saturday – ?? WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT Sunny, blooming flowers! Everything feels so dull and grey at the moment, and I’m really longing for the brightness and freshness of spring. WHAT I’M LOVING The pure wool socks I bought from Costco a while back. They keep my feet so warm in the freezing cold preschool playground, and I couldn’t love them more. Bless my socks!! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO Sometimes, I have trouble remembering what I did five minutes ago. So luckily, I can look back on some photos to jog my memory about some of the things we’ve been up to in July. Here’s a snapshot. We saw Boney M in concert and had so much fun singing along and dancing to some pretty cool disco classics My winter school holiday break was a fantastic mix of getting stuff done around the house and enjoying some much-needed downtime. Our short trip to Gosford was a highlight. We had a fantastic stay at The Hotel Gosford! We loved the cozy atmosphere with its blend of heritage charm and modern comforts. Figuring out how to use the heritage lift was interesting and almost a bit scary at first, but we soon got the hang of it. I painted and reorganised our small walk-in closet. Now I don’t mind leaving the door open anymore because it looks so neat and tidy. I enjoyed a few trips to IKEA, and on one of those trips, I bought a new rug for the living room. The cats had made a mess of the other one, and despite using every cleaner, disinfectant, and freshener, as well as scrubbing away like crazy, I couldn’t save it. Although nobody else at home could smell “it,” I definitely could. This new rug is machine washable, and I’ve also had some strict words with the cats! So, fingers crossed that they listen. One of the best things (along with a million other best things) about being on school holidays is having the time to get a bit creative! I made some prints to hang in our dining room with the Canva website and used lots of Bauhaus inspiration. We celebrated Christmas in July I got my passport, and we bought our Disneyland and Universal Studios tickets online on Saturday. We’ve also sorted our accommodation for LA and Hawaii and hired a van to drive from LA to Las Vegas and then on to Zion National Park. Aaaahhhh! It’s all getting so real now! Steve had another procedure on his knee—manipulation therapy—to help with his range of motion. We were a bit down about this setback, expecting more pain and a longer recovery. But he actually did way better than we expected, with not much pain after the procedure, and I see improvements every day. Good job, Steve! He’s got physiotherapists coming to the house a couple of times a week and is also doing his own exercises at our local pool, walking up and down in the water to strengthen his knee. They weren’t kidding when they said it would be a long recovery! July was a pretty good month, with the usual mix of fun moments and a few of life’s surprises to keep us on our toes and remind us to be grateful for the ‘ordinary’ times. WHAT I’M DREADING I’m not really dreading anything at the moment. Hmmm, maybe I’m dreading a little something. I’m up to the second part of my study journey, and I’m procrastinating badly. I have to respond to a few long assessment-style questions to see if I’m eligible for any credits, and it’s been hard to get started. I know that once I get going, I’ll be ok. It’s the get-going part I’m having trouble with! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT August is the final month of winter. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that!! WHAT I’M WATCHING We were hooked on Crossing Lines and loved it until we reached the end of season 2. I totally understand why the show only lasted three seasons! They ruined the ending of the second season and offered a pitiful explanation about what happened to three of the main characters. It was so disappointing that we decided to give up on it. Last night, we started watching DI Ray, a British police series. I was really enjoying it, but then I woke up and saw the first episode had finished. Why can’t I stay awake?! I’m keen to see more, so I’ll definitely be rewatching it and catching up! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO The airconditioner keeping us warm. I wonder what our electricity bill will look like in August…hmmmm?? WHAT I’M WEARING I remembered to take a couple of photos this month! This is my favourite wool jumper. It’s so warm, and I love that it has a zipper on the front, so I have the option of leaving it down or zipping it all the way up

Hi friends, and welcome to What’s Up Wednesday! This is the monthly linkup hosted by Shay and Sheaffer, where we get to share a few highlights from the past month. Today is all about June, and I’ll be sharing a few of the things we’ve been up to, starting with… WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK We’ve been trying to keep warm and enjoying some cozy comfort foods. There’s nothing like a warm meal to make these chilly days a little brighter! So, here’s what our menu looks like this week. Oh yes, I’m also happy to report that it’s June and I still haven’t fallen off the meal-planning wagon! Although I had a hiccup during the last term break, I got back to meal planning ASAP. Monday- Chicken stroganoff with rice and string beans Tuesday- Teriyaki salmon with rice and Asian salad Wednesday- Football food! The State of Origin is a great excuse for meat pies, mashed potato and peas with lots of tomato sauce Thursday- Nachos Friday- Chicken schnitzel with baked potatoes, vegetables and gravy Saturday- Dinner with friends! Yay! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT Hot summer days! WHAT I’M LOVING Well, up until the last four weeks, I was living the life of a toddler with no rules. With Steve at work almost every evening, I would eat late, stay up way too late, and I didn’t have to share the remote control. Now that he’s home, I’ve been eating earlier, going to bed at a decent time, and sharing more. I’ve always been a night owl, but after this dramatic change in my routine, I’ve discovered sleep and I’m loving it! Now I sleep a proper 7-8 hours, and I feel so much better. I always knew that being sleep-deprived was a big no-no, but I was just being naughty. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO Despite the winter weather, June has been great. My favourite thing about June is that we finally booked our Cousin Connect Adventure 2025, and I’m so excited! I’ve started a planning journal, writing down all the places we want to visit and a long list of fast-food dining spots we want to try. We hardly ever eat fast food, so we plan to make up for it by visiting all the famous American spots we’ve heard about for so many years! Speaking of food, here are some of the delicious meals we enjoyed in June. We had soups to keep us warm. Meals with veggies to keep us healthy. And sweet treats to keep us happy! Some June highlights included. Pretty sunsets Weird cloud formations over Sydney skies. And cozy dinners together at home. June was filled with mostly ordinary moments, and I’m totally okay with that. WHAT I’M DREADING Thankfully I’m not dreading anything. WHAT I’M WATCHING I’ve been watching Attack on Titan with my boy, Masterchef Australia by myself, and Seinfeld with Steve. The three of us watched Deadpool the other night, and now that Steve is recovering at home, we’re eager to have more movie nights together. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I’m at work and I’m on my lunch break. It’s rest time but I don’t hear a whole lot of resting going on! WHAT I’M WEARING I always forget to take photos of what I’m wearing, but lately, it’s been all about layers to keep warm. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND Our friends invited us over for dinner and a games night. I love these get-togethers because they are always so much fun. I can’t wait for Saturday night! WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH The July school holidays are almost here! Starting from the 8th of July, we are off for two glorious weeks. That means sleeping in, staying warm, and not having to stick to any schedule! We are going away for a couple of nights to the beautiful coastal city of Gosford. It will be fun to visit galleries, museums, and the farmers market. Steve always works on weekends, and the last time we got to go away was over a year ago. Ha, that’s the upside of him having a knee replacement—we get three months together while he recovers. It’s a nice change from our usual routine of a quick hello and goodbye as we cross paths on our way to and from work. That wraps up some highlights from the month of June! I hope yours was a good one. Thanks so much for stopping by today and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Hi friends and welcome to this month’s edition of What’s Up Wednesday! It’s great to be here today linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share a little of what we have been up to in May. WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday night we had what I call Mexican chicken. I didn’t follow a recipe but I threw in a few ingredients with Mexican flavours. I started with some juicy chicken that I marinated in zesty lime, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Then I added colourful capsicums, tomato wedges and red onion. Threw in a handful of chopped coriander and served it with rice. Bingo! Dinner was ready! Tuesday night I made my mum’s version of a Spanish tortilla. I was so proud of myself for flipping it over in one piece! Go me!! I’ve been home from looking after Steve as he recovers from surgery so I have been also making lunches as well. Usually, everyone fends for themselves and will have leftovers, or sandwiches. Steve often makes himself an omelette before he starts work in the late afternoon. Scrambled eggs with avocado Pumpkin soup Cesar salad with poached chicken Tonight for dinner we’re having Teriyaki Salmon, Asian salad and rice. Thursday- Chilli con carne Friday- Chicken schnitzel, baked vegetables and lots of gravy Saturday- It’s Cousin Connect and this time we are going out for dinner. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT To be honest, I haven’t had a chance to reminisce about anything. I have been so laser-focused on getting through this month with assessment tasks for my course and Steve’s surgery. But now that all that is behind us, I’ll be reminiscing all the good stuff for sure! WHAT I’M LOVING I have all of this week off from work, and being the homebody that I am, I have loved being at home! Even if I have been working hard taking care of Steve. Haha! There is so much to do when you’re caring for someone. Between making sure he’s comfortable, helping him do his recovery exercises, assisting him when he walks and making sure he’s safe — although, God knows what I would do if he fell on me! He’s a bug guy!! As well as preparing meals, and keeping up with the household chores, my days have been pretty full. Thankfully, he’s a good patient. As I said to my friend the other day when she texted me to see how I was doing. I haven’t felt the need to swipe his leg…..yet! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO It rained so much at the beginning of this month but we still went along to the Farmer’s market the first weekend of May. I love going to the market and I’m glad they run it all year round and even in the rain. We celebrated May the 4th with my Star Wars-loving cousins and saw The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of the Jedi all on the same day. We had a break in between movies and had lunch at a dumping place. It was another dreary and rainy day so this dumpling soup sure hit the spot! We went to see my cousin perform at the Winter Gala. Sam came home from Japan after spending a week there with two friends. He had a wonderful time and brought home a pile of snacks to share with the family. We’ve munched our way through a few packets and there are some very interesting flavours! Steve and I had a lovely time in the city. We had some drinks at a pub and watched some talented people dancing to a live swing band. We had dinner at a cute and cozy Japanese restaurant. I explored a little bit of Kings Cross as I waited for Steve to get out of surgery last Friday. It’s such an interesting place! WHAT I’M DREADING I’m not dreading anything and I couldn’t be happier. Everything that I was dreading has already happened. Yay! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT I think I’m just excited about not dreading anything! WHAT I’M WATCHING I am still watching the Swedish comedy/drama series Bonus Family. I love it and if you watched it, I’m sure you’d love it too! We finished the latest season of Survivor and I was happy with who won. But I won’t say who in case you’re watching. I accidentally found out who the winner was before I saw the last episode, thanks to my Google Home feed Grrrr! I’m also watching the latest season of Masterchef Australia, it’s such a good show! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I’m listening to Radiohead because Sam is listening to Radiohead and that’s all I hear lately. WHAT I’M WEARING I love my Lululemon bag! I’ve pulled out the coats! WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND It’s Cousin Connect this Saturday and this time we are going to eat burgers at a food truck! Then we are all coming back to our place for dessert. I’m not sure what to do for dessert yet, but I’m considering maybe putting together a small dessert bar. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH I have some fun dinner plans on two consecutive Friday nights and I’m very excited. The places we are going to have DJs so you know where I will be after dinner! And that wraps up May. It sure went by in a flash and I can hardly believe that we are now halfway through the year! I’m happy to say goodbye and thank you to May, it was a challenging month but we made it through and now I can breathe a sigh of relief! Thanks so much for being here today and I hope you have an amazing day. I look forward to being back here on Friday to share some favourites! See ya!  

Hey there friends! It’s time to link up with Shay and share a bit about what we’ve been up to during April. Is it just me or do you think that April went by so fast too? Anyway, here we are back for What’s Up Wednesday and I’m so happy you’ve stopped by! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK I was doing amazingly well with my meal planning until this week! I went away to Canberra for a night and got caught up in enjoying the school holidays so much that I ended up skipping my usual meal-planning routine. Sunday night I made a LOT of chicken schnitzel so there would be plenty of leftovers. I wanted to make sure that while I was away, Steve and Sam wouldn’t starve. I know, I know…crazy right? They are both grown-ups and Steve is a chef! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT Our fun Easter weekend which was only last month but already feels like a lifetime ago. I love this pic of some of my younger cousins and me. We went hunting for chocolate eggs in Oatley Bush Park and managed to find them all before they started to melt completely. What a win! WHAT I’M LOVING I have been loving the Autumn school holidays! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO April has been a great month which has literally disappeared before my eyes! Here are a few things I enjoyed in April. Dinner with friends. Cousin connect dinner with my favourites. Sunny walks. Shopping with friends. Brunch with the family. Homemade banana milkshakes. Pretty flowers because it still feels like spring over here! I got back last night from an amazing trip to Canberra with my cousin and her family. Here we are in front of the War Memorial. I will do a recap of our short but fun-packed 2 days away soon. WHAT I’M DREADING I’m kind of dreading this and I’m also kind of not. A long while ago I shared that Steve needed a double knee replacement. Sigh! Well, we have been back and forth with specialists over many months. And finally, we have found a surgeon we are happy with and also have a surgery date – 24th of May. The first surgeon we saw was very reputable but also charged an arm and a leg (excuse the pun!) even though we have top-cover health insurance. He suggested performing a double knee replacement and getting it all over and done once. Initially, this sounded like a great plan to both of us. But then when we consulted with another surgeon. He didn’t recommend that at all because of the potential risks involved. He even said that double knee replacements weren’t allowed to be performed in some countries! We were a bit confused as to why the first surgeon suggested a double in the first place. Who knows?? Anyway, Steve’s left knee is a mess and the cartilage has completely worn away. I don’t know how the guy manages to stay cheery all day with the level of pain he’s in! So the plan is – he will have his left knee operated on first and then it’s a three-month recovery period. The surgeon will give his right knee a steroid injection and then see how long he can go on before he needs that one operated on. It could be this year or it could be next. So while I’m dreading him having to have surgery and then of course there’s always the unknowns that I don’t want to mention. I’ll be happy when he can walk without limping and flinching. That will be a happy day! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Talk about mixed feelings this month! Sam is going to Japan next Friday and I’m excited for him as well as not excited because you know…my baby is going overseas on a plane!!!! Gulp! WHAT I’M WATCHING I love European shows and recently discovered a heartwarming Swedish TV series called Bonus Family. It’s a down-to-earth and quite realistic portrayal of  what a messy blended family life looks like. It’s funny too! WHAT I’M WEARING Layers! And just recently I have started to wear warmer clothes in the evenings. The weather is still all over the place and as I mentioned earlier most days still feel like spring! But as usual, I have forgotten to take photos of my outfits. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND I’ll be trying to keep busy and think happy grateful thoughts for my two weeks off from work. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH At the risk of sounding repetitive-I’m looking forward to Steve getting his surgery over and done with and Sam back home telling us all about his adventures in Japan. WHAT AMAZON PURCHASES I LOVED THIS MONTH I love this coffee grinder! This simple shower cap is pretty amazing too. And just like that, it’s almost time to say goodbye to April! I hope you guys had a good month and fingers crossed that May is kind to all of us! Happy Wednesday friends!