Friday, 31 July 2020

Birthday 2020

Here in Bacchus Marsh, while we do have some restrictions, we are not in isolation (but it wont be far off). This pandemic has been a scary process and looking after myself and my family has become my priority leading me into fear of the unknown and the outside world. These past few weeks I have naturally been leaning on God more and more to help me live by faith and not by fear. So unlike our surrounding suburbs, we still have some freedoms. We can go fishing and camping and on weekend getaways. It comes with risks of course but with all that being said; this past Monday it was my birthday and had there not been restrictions the kids and I would have made our way up to sunny Queensland for my birthday weekend. So with the money in the back and no chance of heading to Qld we decided to get a luxury suite at the Great Ocean Road Resort

It felt so good with the car packed again.

 I live for these type of adventures!! 

The first day of our trip we rearranged the furniture to accommodate Jie's Xbox. We unplugged their complimentary foxtel so Jie could play his favorite game while Nevaeh and I went for a swim in the heated pool!











When we returned to the room Nevaeh and I both had a shower and got dressed nice for our reservation at The Coast Restaurant  











After dessert and a few wines we went back to the room and had an early night.

Day two consisted of driving the Great Ocean Road out to Lorne for Brunch, more swimming, walking around the lake in Anglesea and worshiping at the beach. 









That night I ordered room service and the kids ordered pizza from a small local business we all sat together to eat our favorite foods!









Monday was my birthday and also the day we were checking out of the resort. So we were up early to pack and re-rearange the room back to its original form. I woke up to the most beautiful message from my niece Jeanette and some of my close friends.



Before leaving the resort, the kids and I went for a walk along the beach and checked out a few rock pools as the tide was out. 






As we packed up the last things into the car I bought a big bag of microwave buttered popcorn from the neighboring servo and popped it in the microwave before we left. 

We drove home along the great ocean road listening to my playlist and munching on popcorn.

Home sweet home for my birthday! Back to the land of fast wifi, comfy beds and peace and quiet!

Nevaeh made mini pizzas for us for lunch while Jie made a yummy carrot cake for my birthday! 

I caught up on all my fave recorded shows.
 
Farmer wants a Wife
Below Deck
Home and Away
and Bachelor in Paradise

Before having a nap! 

It was good to get away but it was just as good coming home!

Two songs we loved to listen to on this trip were.. 




And right when I thought my day couldn’t be more perfect, I got a phone call and a knock at the door from two thoughtful friends. Thanks Rachy and Chell for taking time out of your days just for me and making my birthday just that little bit more spesh!! 
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Monday, 13 July 2020

Make Up Monday

Today I did something some people would consider crazy! Something I have done before and afterwards felt exhilarated! Today, I put my hair in a ponytail and snipped it off.

Afterwards, I pulled out my make up bag, grabbed my laptop and looked up a few make up tutorials. I am embracing my age, my lines and wrinkles but have never been awesome at applying my own make up. I can do the basics but wings, liquid liner and smokey eyes are just a few things I'd like to be able to master. 

Isolation has got me stuck at home and while the kids love being home, doing their own things - I struggle. I remember when there weren't enough hours in a day to get all the washing done but these days, life is so much simpler, and everything that needs doing is done!

So I love having this time to spend on me, I don't love that I have no place to go but hopefully by the time this crazy pandemic is over I will have mastered a few more make up tricks of the trade!


If you have any make up tutorials you think I'd like please post them in the comments below. What the one thing you do now that you never did before isolation?
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Sunday, 12 July 2020

Hello Fresh & Dinnerly




After a beautiful friend of mine, Rachy, gifted us a free Hello Fresh Box for the price of postage I signed up right away! I ordered 5 nights dinner for two for Nevaeh and I which came straight to our door yesterday!! Jie is not adventurous (yet) in what he eats but as you can see above, Nevaeh has already embraced our new cooking and eating well adventures. 

Last night Nevaeh made our first Hello Fresh recipe and more than that.. She ate all her Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Spaghetti! Actually cleaned her plate. I couldn't be happier. 

I had a mixed reaction when I shared our new adventure to instagram yesterday. One friend recommended Dinnerly and gave me a discount code to try it out for myself saying it works out cheaper then Hello Fresh so I'm excited to see how that goes next week. Another friend said that when she tried Hello Fresh the ingredients weren't always "fresh". 

But so far I'm enjoying the variety of new recipes, using ingredients I have never used before and learning new ways to cook. But most of all I am loving being in the kitchen with my daughter. I love that she is willing to try new foods with me.

Today while the kids had chicken wraps and wedges for lunch I cooked the Hello Fresh Sesame Chicken recipe. It was amazeballs! 

I look forward to cooking and sharing more of our food creations on Insta here.. 




What has been your personal experience with Hello Fresh or Dinnerly? or what have you heard?

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Friday, 10 July 2020

Counting my blessings pt 1

When you know, love and believe in God, when you serve and give and live a good Christian lifestyle the blessings should pour on us right? 

It’s not always easy to see them when things around us seem to be falling apart but they’re there. 

I have been in a transitional stage in my life, I have been hurting and healing in silence. So much has changed in and around my life and I have been powerless to stop/control it but one thing I do know is how incredibly blessed I am! 

So here is where I’m going to start counting my blessings. 

When things go wrong our blessings get overshadowed but even through life’s trials and tribulations God is in the midst. 

As that song goes, “He may let you bend, but He won’t let you break”. I firmly believe that! 

So here are a few blessings and prayers being answered from this past month.
  1. Spending time with my niece Justine 
  2. Our health in this pandemic 
  3. Being in a “safe zone” and still having the freedoms others don’t have at this time
  4. Employment opportunities 
  5. Friends who love and care about me
  6. Memories. Beautiful memories and photographs
  7. Food in the cupboard 
  8. Clothing
  9. A roof over our heads. A home.
  10. Each other
  11. Pets who love us unconditionally 
  12. Supportive people around us
  13. A night out with friends
  14. My son seeing a psychologist 
  15. Love and helping hands at home
  16. Phone calls and being able to communicate with friends through this pandemic
  17. Music. 
  18. A supportive support worker
  19. Cool weather keeping us nice and close and cosy
  20. Time together
  21. New self care routines
  22. Awesome neighbours who love and care about us
  23. Friends who check in on us
  24. A community who supports its people 
  25. Doctors who reach out after hours 
  26. Help without having to ask when I have needed it  
  27. Positive people around us
  28. Heating during winter
  29. Warm sunshine on my skin
  30. Friends who respect the distance I have needed to be here for myself and my kids 
  31. Distance in general 
May I continue to always notice the blessings around me..

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Wednesday, 8 July 2020

Homemade Bruschetta

Anyone who knows me knows I love love love bruschetta! I often call restaurants in advance to see if they have it on their menu before dining in! Since the Corona Virus Pandemic, I have enjoyed trying to cool some of my favorite meals from scratch. 

My kids are very bland in what they like to eat so I’m usually cooking for one! 

Tonight they had Potato Gems, fish fingers and baked beans while I made this!!.. 


Butter and crushed Garlic spread on Turkish Bread topped with cheese

Toast in 180 degree oven until cheese is nicely melted

Then add a small handful of rocket, diced cherry tomatoes, diced onion and top with balsamic vinegar 

Enjoy!





What is the one meal you have missed since being in lockdown? 
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Blogging from Bacchus Marsh, Australia