My Experience presenting at the MIGAS QLD National Awards Night

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August 4, 2015

Back in the days when I drove to Skillstech Eagle Farm Tafe to do the college requirements of my plumbing apprenticeship, I would drive past a billboard upon entering the long drive way into Tafe. The billboard advertised MIGAS and as an apprentice I wondered who they were, what they did and how they fit in with Tafe. I assumed they were like any other apprentice placement service. My Dad had very little success using apprentices from one such organization (who I won’t name) because the apprentices were often used as labour slaves, rather than being taught skills of the trade.

It was with great surprise that earlier this year I received an email from Laura, the Marketing Coordinator of MIGAS to organise a meeting as they had plans to build the profile of women entering a trade.

The timing of the meeting couldn’t have come at a perfect time. I had already organized for Jacob to have a day off work so I could attend the Problogger Brisbane Event, so I was able to schedule the meeting at a café before Problogger started. I had also been contemplating practical ways I could assist women as they went about their trade career.

The said café was no longer there when I arrived and so I stood on the corner of Adelaide and Wharf Street trying to get a hold of Laura to organise somewhere else to meet.

The team of ladies from MIGAS seemed unperturbed by my café misdemeanor, and we found a local coffee shop where we could discuss their plans for mentoring women in trades and offering support so that the women wouldn’t feel alone while completing their apprenticeship.

They were passionate about what they wanted to create and the meeting was a positive one.

A few weeks later I was asked whether I would present the Female Excellence in Vocation Award at the MIGAS QLD National Awards night and I was blown away by the honor of such a request.

The awards night was about MIGAS celebrating their apprentices and recognizing their display of excellence. MIGAS choose not to have a standard graduation ceremony and instead choose to recognise those who make exceptional contribution to work and training.

What separates MIGAS from the rest of the recruitment and job placing organizations, is the care, attention to detail and support they provide to their apprentices and trainees. This starts at the very beginning by ensuring they get the right person for the right job and recruiting for attitude. MIGAS have a pastoral care and support structure that they implement to ensure they can support quality apprentices and trainees to completion, to the benefit of both the apprentice and host employer. This is the MIGAS difference.

As I watched each Trainee and Apprentice walk across the stage to receive their award, I was able to reminisce when I received my awards as a plumbing apprentice and how they were pinnacle to my confidence as a tradie. The MIGAS team did a splendid job in ensuring their apprentices and trainees were recognized for their hard work.

When it came time for me to present the MIGAS Female Excellence in Vocation Award, I felt a little awkward as my accolades were spoken out. But what an honor to present the award to Emma Zeimer, a 4^th year apprentice completing a Certificate III in Electrotechnology in the Gladstone area. MIGAS explained, ‘Emma has been found to be dependable, conscientious, hard-working and with a great attention to detail. Emma is always keen to take on new challenges and learn about the job at hand. She always asks the right questions to help further her knowledge and continues to grow as part of a team.’

Once the awards were given, Steven Bradbury was the motivational speaker of the night. At first I thought I was at a comedy show because all he seemed to do was crack jokes. And then he announced what I was thinking:

“Does this Steven Bradbury think he’s a comedian now?!”

Needless to say I Iaughed (and sometimes groaned) a lot. But Steven had a lot of gold, solid advice to give on that Friday night. My favourites that I took away from the night were:

You forget 95 or was it 97% of what you hear and learn
Therefore you need to write down your goals and make a plan to reach them
It took 12 years for Steven to become an overnight success
You need a good support network to help you as you go after your dreams – Do you have the right team behind you? To be successful you need help and support from the right people. Working as a team reduces risk.
You have to be dedicated and make habitual steps to make your dream become a reality – for Steven it was getting up at 4:30am, 6 days a week to practice skating.

Steven was generous enough to pass his Gold and Bronze medal around for everyone to hold and look at. The Bronze medal was the first Australian Medal in the Winter Olympics, won in 1994 in Norway for the short track relay. I got to see the Bronze medal and even took a picture of it. I hope he got them back at the end of the night.

I got to touch and see a Steven's Bronze Medal — I got to touch and see Steven’s Bronze Medal

What Steven said about having the right support network when you’re chasing your dreams is very important and such a great message to end the MIGAS awards night with. If you are after an apprenticeship or traineeship, check out the MIGAS Jobs board for opportunities in your state. Alternatively, if you’re a business wanting to offer an apprenticeship or traineeship, why not involve MIGAS in the process to ensure you get the right candidate?

Supporting women in trades is an important part of seeing more female apprentices complete their training and work in the job of their dreams. But it takes team work to make a dream work. I’m looking forward to assisting MIGAS as they initialize ways to lift the profile of women in the trades industry. As Steven Bradbury said, it takes the right people to get successful implementation happening.

What is the best bit of advice you’ve been given about success? Have you heard about MIGAS before?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

How Marble-lous: Marble Homewares for all budgets

By

Rebecca Senyard

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July 31, 2015

28

I have to confess I’ve never been a fan of marble. Whenever I’ve seen it installed in the kitchen or bathroom, I turn my nose away because I just don’t like it. I don’t know why I don’t like marble – maybe it’s the pattern? The cold feel of the stone? If I ever renovate a house I know with certainty I won’t be choosing marble benchtops.

I found it interesting to learn that marble, while expensive to install, is a pain in the butt to maintiain. It sounds worse than wooden benchtops!

I recently read this post on The Builder’s Wife by Angela Marks of Interior Solutions Brisbane who explained the difference between Marble and Caesar stone. While Angela admits having marble benchtops adds ‘a touch of luxury, elegance & certainly creates a statement with its individualism,’ there are many disadvantages to using marble in the benchtop. The disadvantages include upfront high expense to purchase, constant maintenance and difficulty to repair due to the softness of the stone. Marble can be easily scratched and can stain easily and react to food acids.

Some people still love the look of marble. I remember dad and I doing some plumbing work at a major client’s home and the client was installing marble on his walls. I hoped the client wouldn’t ask if we liked it. He did ask and thankfully Dad answered and said it was looking good. I remember jumping into the truck with Dad and asking him why do people with lots of money install old fashioned looking materials? I’ve never understood it.

There is a marble trend that I do like and that is Marble Homewares. For me, a little bit goes a long way and I love how these individual marble décor pieces have been styled.

As we all know, I have limited interior styling ability as seen from styling my buffet last week. It is a skill I would like to practice and become better at. I’m always great at selecting pieces, but not so great at putting them together. But I do love how the marble has been introduced in these spaces.

*Image via The Home Journal, Marble Candle

If you want to recreate a similar look, or unlike me you love marble but can’t afford to install it, I’ve found some fabulous marble homewares online from some of my favourite online retailers.

From top left: Behr & Co. Fabric Pouch in Marble, Behr & Co. Fabric Pouch in Black Marble, *The Home Journal Round Marble Tray, Behr & Co. Black Cross Trivet, *The Home Journal Round Marble Trivet, Behr & Co. Marble Hearts Peachy Pink, *The Home Journal Hexagonal Marble Coasters, *The Home Journal Black Marble Chopping Board.

Do you like marble? Which marble interior piece do you like best?

*All items marked are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase an item, I will receive a small commission.

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

Practice What I Preach

By

Rebecca Senyard

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July 28, 2015

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July has been a busy month. It’s been a month of celebrations and hard work. I’ve been dealing with issues that I honestly never thought I’d have to deal with. And I’m hoping in the not too distant future I can blog about them because the issue that I’m dealing with currently can happen to anyone. In a way I’m glad it’s happening to me because I’m learning a lot. Especially about human nature and what it means to turn the other cheek. And I don’t mean that in a ‘hit me once and hit me again’ way. It means, ‘hit me once and I will offer you my other cheek but you will check twice before hitting me again’ way. Do I sound cryptic? I am a bit. And I’m sorry to open a blog post like that but life is just full of surprises isn’t it?

Last week I didn’t have the best parenting week with my girls. I turned into a bitchy, screamy and teary wife and mother. I was tired and sick and a bit over life. I was over my girls not listening to me and having to repeat everything I said. I was over the house looking like a construction site – except with bits of paper, pipe cleaners and glitter EVERYWHERE. I try to be the ‘fun mum’ which I enjoy doing, but I don’t enjoy having to clean up the mess. And while I was being that ‘fun mum’ crafting with the girls, Phoebe grabbed the newly opened PVA glue bottle and drank half the bottle while my attention was on Magdalene and her disaster of a craft that had glitter sprayed on the coffee table and floor. Sadly Bentley doesn’t eat glitter so I had to get the vacuum out to clean up the mess, but not before ringing the poison’s hotline to find out if Phoebe would be ok after ingesting 25ml of PVA glue. Both Phoebe and Magdalene have had conjunctivitis this last week. I may have laughed at the irony that Phoebe not only had gluey eyes from the conjunctivitis but she had attempted to glue her insides as well.

Heart attack central. If we don't strap Phoebe into her chair, she will turn around to see what else is coming from the kitchen!! — Heart attack central. If we don’t strap Phoebe into her chair, she will turn around to see what else is coming from the kitchen!!

The poisons hotline advised just to monitor her for any reactions like vomiting or diarrhea but there was nothing majorly poisonous in the PVA glue to worry about. That was a relief. And Phoebe was fine. Thank goodness.

I was looking forward to last Friday night where I had been asked to present the Female Excellence Award at the Migas Apprentice and Trainees Awards Night. I bought a new dress just for the occasion last weekend. Which was a task in itself because I have a belly and sadly, dresses that I used to be able to wear, are no longer wearable on my current frame. I ended up finding this shift dress at Veronika Maine and belted the middle to show my shape.

In my Veronika Maine Dress, ready to attend the Migas National Awards Night

I knew which heels I was going to wear with my dress and on Thursday morning when I went to slide my feet into said shoes, they were too small. In fact all the heels I had for winter were now too small. I also noticed my $20 cheap ballet flats had holes in them. A quick call to mum was all that was needed to get my feet looking and feeling the goods. We headed to Garden City with the three girls in tow – still recovering from their conjunctivitis, and bought… 5 PAIRS OF SHOES. The sales were ridiculous and it would have been crazy not to have taken them up. I’m now a size 10/11 in the foot department. I should try out for the Australian Swimming team because I officially have flippers. But with a dugong middle.

Maggie and her new Frozen shoes. These weren't part of the 5 pairs of shoes bought either. — Maggie and her new Frozen shoes. These weren’t part of the 5 pairs of shoes bought either.

Anyway, I will do a separate post about the Migas Awards once I get more photos. It was an interesting night. I wished I had thought to bring someone along with me because I literally knew no one when I arrived. I had to rely on my extrovert socializing skills to make conversation. Which is not a bad thing but it made for an awkward conversation at the table I was seated at. I was placed between a couple who refused me to sit further along so they could sit together. Fun times.

Steve Bradbury was the speaker of the night and I could write a separate post from the gems he shared in his speech, but one thing I remember him saying was how important it is to write your dreams and goals down. It’s great to visualize, but it’s important to write them down.

The thing is, when you’re busy with family and other responsibilities it can be hard to put time aside to dream and write down your goals. I haven’t done it for a while and I wonder if that’s why I’ve been feeling a little stale lately?

Next week Jacob has a week off where I can get to do just that. Time to work on my blog and catch up on the Brandlicious course which I am officially 3 weeks behind on.

I’ve also been mindful about putting into practice what I preach about having a margin in my life and stressing less if there are no ticks on my to do list.

August is looking to be another busy month but I’m hoping July’s run will make August less stressful and overwhelming. Here’s hoping.

How have you been feeling lately? Have your kids been sick this winter? What are you looking forward to next month?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Two maintenance checks you should get done during winter

By

Rebecca Senyard

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July 21, 2015

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During winter, our electricity bill is lower than throughout summer. We have the ducted air conditioning on 24/7 during summer but in winter, we only put the heating on in extremely cold spells – like now.

It makes sense in the down time of our electricity usage to get maintenance checks on two of the hardest working appliances on our property. These are two checks that most people don’t get done until they have an issue. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it right? Well this is wrong on two major appliances in your household. I’m going to share with you two maintenance checks you should get done during winter and how they can help you save money in the long run.

Hot Water Units

Did you know your hot water unit should be checked regularly? Harley Plumbing recommend getting your hot water unit checked every 2 years to ensure valves are working properly and to ensure the hot water output is at the recommended temperature of 50 + degrees set by the tempering valve. Valves don’t always hold the same temperature nor do they have a lifetime guarantee so it is important to get them checked regularly.

Getting your hot water unit checked every two years not only ensures everything is working as it should, it also allows your plumber to give you a timeframe on when the unit may need to be replaced if it’s older or starts to become temperamental. I don’t know how many times I felt for my own customers when their hot water unit would stop working in the peak of winter when hot showers and baths are a necessary convenience and they would bit hit with an unexpected four figure bill to replace it. Had they gotten a regular service check they could have at least had a 6 to 12 month warning so they could save for the new purchase and install.

In recent years, the government has relaxed laws on the type of hot water unit you can install on your property. Majority of the greener hot water units available are more expensive than a typical mains pressure electric hot water unit. Your plumber will be able to give you advice on the right hot water unit for your property and ensure it regulates with the ruling in your area.

Regular maintenance could add years to the life of your hot water unit. When organizing a routine check on your hot water unit, have a list of other plumbing issues your plumber can fix for you at the same time to make use of the call out fee.

Ducted Air Conditioning Units

It’s important to get your ducted air conditioning unit checked during its non-peak season. Generally Spring and Autumn are good if you use the heat for winter and air conditioning during summer. But if you don’t use the heating during winter, now is the perfect time to get a maintenance check on your ducted air unit. Don’t ask me why but the time when an air conditioning unit decides to stop working is in the peak of summer when you need your house to be cooled. Leaving the check until Summer may mean you might not get an appointment for a couple of weeks because its peak season for mechanical plumbers. Sometimes priority is given to properties whose air conditioners aren’t working but this may not be the case for all plumbers.

The maintenance check will look at the filter, ducts and the unit outside. One of our technicians once found a dead rat in the fan compartment of our system. Our neighbors were kind enough to tell us our system kept making a thudding noise when we had the heating on. Thankfully our routine maintenance check hadn’t been booked and the issue could be removed!

The year we didn’t organise a maintenance check on our unit meant we were without air conditioning during 1 week in February right before I was due with Magdalene. Thankfully the weather was cooler in that week, but we found out our unit had a gas leak and needed more gas. It was an $1100 bill we did not expect right before the birth of our baby and if we hadn’t of skipped our usual check during winter, the potential leak could have been spotted.

Do you ever get your appliances checked during winter? Have you had any unexpected bills lately? I’d love to know.

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Why having a margin is essential in life

By

Rebecca Senyard

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July 17, 2015

27

Life has been crazy busy since Phoebe was born. At the beginning of this year I was able to source some writing work which has often kept me up until the middle of the night to complete as well as trying to keep my blog going on here. Both these freelance opportunities bring in a small income which has allowed me to stay at home with the girls. But honestly, I’m huffing and puffing and not getting anywhere close to where I want to be. The days with three little girls at home are hectic. The housework is never-ending and the bills keep coming in like the tide. And while I don’t regret the life that I’ve chosen and the curve balls that have been thrown my way, there are many days where I wonder is life going to get easier? Will I ever feel ‘ahead’?

You see I’m a planner and a doer and I can’t relax until ‘all the work is done.’ Which frankly is a terrible predicament to be in when you become a mum because the work is NEVER done. Those standards I set for myself haven’t been reached for a long while and it’s taken me time to be kind to myself and realise that I am only capable of so much. Can you relate?

When I went down to Melbourne for the Kidspot Masterclass, I ran into a good friend while entering the female bathrooms. This seems to be a common occurrence walking into friends in the toilet. Anyway, we got to chat and have a good catch up while we waited for our flight out in the lounge(and would you believe we were flying on the same flight with a few rows of seats between us!). We talked about the busyness of being a mum and why having a margin is essential in life for when the unexpected happens or when the unexpected happens to others.

I have been living life with a limited margin. If I’m honest, there has been no margin at all. I don’t have time to help people because quite frankly, I don’t have enough time to help myself.

It’s been refreshing to read Kelly Exeter’s book Your Best Year Yet and two recent blog posts that resonated with me. How to achieve big goals when you’re a mum and 5 Easy things we can all do to look out for each other better. Both of these post spoke to me with where I’m at.

The thing is, if you don’t have a margin in your life, you have no time to look out for others and help them where you can. You miss opportunities to bless others and most importantly you miss out on the satisfaction of being able to help someone.

If there is no space in life to just be, how can we hear from God? I have no doubt God can speak through noise to get our attention but how many soft messages are we missing out on if our schedules are full to the hilt and our brain is constantly ticking over on what needs to be done next?

Being a Christian in this world is counter cultural. While the world says work harder and be better, God says talk to me, rest, stop striving, I’ve got this.

While I don’t think God will send down an angel to hang out my washing, clean the floors and watch my girls to give me more time to work on my goals, I know if I make a margin in my life to spend quality time with Him, I will be at peace when I do those things that need to be done and I will get clarity on what can wait.

I think it’s also important to see if the expectations we place on ourselves correlate to the expectations God has for us.

It doesn’t matter if you’re running a business or a stay at home mum or a dad working long hours to help make ends meet. We’ve all been placed in our current situation for a reason and while those grand goals and big expectations can be Godly driven, our timing and expectation to see these come to fruition may not be in time with His.

The more out of control I feel with my life, the more I’m prompted to stop and be. And if I believe God is for my good (and He certainly is for yours whether you believe it or not), we can do the little that we can and choose to ‘float’ because God is in control. He can gently lead us to the right place at the right time where an opportunity will present itself to take us further than where we could have ended up striving on our own.

I’m working on ways to create that life margin. It’s a little easier now that Phoebe is older but it will take effort to say yes to the right things and no to those that will hinder the presence of that margin.

Do you have a life margin? How do you fight to keep a margin in your life?

If you’ve enjoyed reading this post, you may enjoy Don’t Let today’s disappointments shadow tomorrows dreams or 31 Things I know which has a Birthday Giveaway.

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

Our Phoebe & Co. 1st Birthday Party

By

Rebecca Senyard

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July 14, 2015

49

Our Phoebe turned 1 on Saturday. The big 1. How did that happen? It doesn’t feel all that long ago that I brought her home as a darling newborn. I do yearn for those newborn days, but I don’t miss the sleep deprivation or sore boobs or sore… well everything. But the pain is worth it. I couldn’t imagine our family without our gorgeous curve ball. I’m not sure why I was so worried. This last year has been wonderful and I’m looking forward to each day after even if the days are now more chaotic because I have a 1 year old on the move and a 2 year old who thinks it’s fun to join in with the 1 year olds antics!

When I planned Phoebe’s 1st Birthday, I decided to do something special and base it on a Tiffany and Co. theme. The colours were easy and the play on Phoebe’s name was a lot of fun to create. Our Phoebe & Co. 1st Birthday Party was a fun success.

Jacob bought most of the party ware from a local discount shop called Stacks. They had a great range of Tiffany and Co coloured plates, tablecloths, cupcake patties, cups, straws, serviettes, pompoms, bunting and pin wheels. I gave Jacob a list of what I wanted and he bought everything for me. Except the lolly bags which he promptly purchased on Friday when I realized I had nothing to put the lollies and fake diamond rings in.

Last week on my Birthday, I headed to Kmart to get the finishing touches for the decorating. I bought an ‘&’ light and 2 citronella candles that were in the right shade of blue. I also went to a confectionery store where they had spearmint lollies on sale which I used to display in two candle vases, bought for Esther’s 1st Birthday party. A bit of white ribbon here and some silver beads there and the decorations were set for the table.

I got the cake and macarons professionally made. My baking and icing abilities are limited (although I can make a mean chocolate mousse) and I knew if I wanted to get the wow effect with my cake, I’d have to get someone to make it for me. So I sent pictures to my friend Jo who outdid herself with the cake and gorgeous macarons. If you live in Brisbane’s Western suburbs and after a cake for your next celebration, get in touch with Jojo’s Treat House. Not only did the cake and macarons look good they tasted delicious too.

Tiffany & Co Cake — Yes there is a hand print on the cake. Kids!

The macarons aren't evenly placed but, that's what happens when you're at a kids party. — The macarons aren’t evenly placed but, that’s what happens when you’re at a kids party.

When it came to inviting people to the party, I decided to go smaller rather than invite every man and his baby and toddler. I’ve learned from past experience that less is best and it makes for a relaxed party environment.

Phoebe and I with Renee from Mummy Wife Me and Smiley

I had bubbles and craft activities for the kids to do, although they enjoyed playing on our outdoor swing set. It reminded me that kids love the simplest of activities best.

The party girl happily drinking and watching the going ons at the party

The morning was hectic getting everything set up for the party and it went quite quickly. Magdalene announced it was the best party EVER and then promptly asked when it was her Birthday.

As I was going through the photos, I couldn’t help but smile. We made it to Phoebe’s 1st Birthday, smiling and happy. Bring on the next family adventures for our family of 5.

Phoebe blowing out the candle — Blowing out the candle

How was your weekend? What was the theme of the last party you went to? Or the last party you organized?

Like this post? Why not check out my current giveaway on 31 things I know or 3 Fun and Easy Family Outings to do in Brisbane with a Baby.

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

31 Things I Know

By

Rebecca Senyard

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July 9, 2015

50

Today is my Birthday. Yay! I turn 31 and so much has happened in those 31 years, although I feel like a lot of life has been lived in the last 18 months.

I was recently told I still looked like I was in my mid-twenties which means I’m ageing well despite the extra weight and lack of shut eye after having 3 kids in 5 years.

I always do a reflection post on all the things that have happened in the last year since my last Birthday. This time I’m going to write 31 things I know. I got the inspiration from Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim and I loved her list so much (you can read it here). I’m also holding giveaway with a few of my favourite things and one special thing that has been created just for my Birthday! I missed my blog anniversary back in February because I was so overwhelmed with life and new writing work. I decided to put together a giveaway post for my Birthday instead to thank you, my readers for hanging around despite my different opinions and life changes. My life is so much richer for having you read my blog. I couldn’t imagine life without my blog or the community that The Plumbette has here and on social media. I hope that my blog posts continue to help you or at least encourage you in some way.

It’s also my hope that my when my girls are older they will read my blog like a photo album. Memories that will be treasured from when they were little.

Here are 31 things I know.

You are never too old to learn something new.
It’s ok to change your mind.
It’s ok to say no.
Saying yes can lead to great things.
Change in direction does not mean you’re a failure, it means you have a different focus and path to follow.
You can still love someone, yet disagree with them.
Failure is an opportunity to try again.
There’s more to life than filling a house with things.
A clean house keeps a clear mind.
Embracing mess won’t kill you.
You’re never too old to start something new but
Don’t take advantage of your youth. The younger you are the more energy you have to accomplish your dreams.
Having a baby will change you.
Having a second baby will challenge you.
Having a third baby will stretch you.
It’s better to cry than to keep things bottled in.
There will always be someone better than you.
There will always be someone worse off than you. It’s not a chance to become proud, but simply grateful for what you have.
It’s better to compare yourself with yourself than against others.
Don’t believe everything you see on Facebook and Instagram.
Risks don’t always pay off, but they give great lessons.
It’s wise to regroup in your comfort zone.
Life is better when you help others.
Kids just want your attention. Nothing more and nothing less.
You won’t lose weight after eating a block of chocolate for lunch.
Friendship groups will change as the seasons of life change.
You won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
Everyone can learn from your story no matter the tale.
Embrace and celebrate the wins in life because there will always be a new winner the following year.
Busyness does not create a full life.
Actions always speak louder than words.

And with that comes my Birthday Giveaway. I have 4 prizes to giveaway and all you need to do is follow The Plumbette on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and answer this question:

What is one thing you know or have learned from living your life?

The most interesting and creative answer will win one of the prizes.

The first prize is a quote that I made up and got Kirsten from Kirsten and Co to design for me. It has a plumbing touch which I love. Kirsten designs prints which are stylish and look fabulous in your home. She can do custom prints here or you can purchase prints that she has cleverly put together for you. At the moment Kirsten is doing ~~acrobat surfing~~ drinking cocktails and eating cheesecake in Hawaii so any prints that you order from her store in the next week, won’t be sent out until after the 21st July. After the giveaway has ended, you are more than welcome to purchase this print. Just send a request to Kirsten and she will get onto it for you when she comes back. The print costs $30 including postage. The print does not come framed, but you can purchase a frame from Kmart to fit the print for $5.

This is the print framed. I have it sitting on my desk. Sorry for the bright lights and reflection in the background.

The second prize is a Garnier Pack. As you know I was a runner up in the Garnier Smart Beauty Challenge. This week I received another box of Garnier products and I’ve barely made a dent in the last box, so it’s time to share the love and giveaway some product. Everything you see in the picture is what you will get. RRP $60

Garnier Cleansing Milk, 1 Clear and Sensitive Make Up Remover, Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo and Conditioner, Garnier Summer Body Nourishing Lotion & BB Cream in a Medium shade.

The third prize is a linen pack from I Love Linen. I have one Jadour cushion cover in Mint and 1 pair of Pompom Polka Dot Pillow Cases which are a new design from ILL. RRP $84.85

J'adore Mint Cushion — J’adore Mint Cushion

The fourth prize is a plumbing pack with 3 OneTouch Tap aerators and a set of 2 Ezydrain Fittings. RRP $174

2 EzyDrain Fittings to suit 100mm floor wastes

When you answer the question, let me know which prize you would like to win the most. You can also email your answer. Send it via my Contact page and it will be sent through to my email.

Terms and Conditions

1. This is a game of skill. Each valid entry to be judged on creativity and originality, not by chance.

2. There are 4 prizes. Kirsten and Co print. RRP $30, Garnier Prize Pack RRP $60, I Love Linen Pack RRP $84.85, Plumbing Pack 3 OneTouch Tap aerators and a set of 2 Ezydrain Fittings. RRP $174

3. Entries open from 6am Thursday 9th July 2015 6am to Friday 24th June 2015 6pm Brisbane Time.

4. Prize is not transferable or changeable

5. Prize sent out by The Plumbette & Kirsten & Co will not be replaced in the event it is stolen, lost or damaged in transit or virtually.

6. Entry is via leaving a comment or sending a comment via email to answer the question.

7. A valid email address must be included in your entry.

8. Entry into any giveaway or competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions

9.Entrants must be Australian residents and aged 18 or over

10. The winners will be notified by email and has 3 days to reply and claim the prize. The winner will also be announced on Facebook. This giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook.

11. The decision on the winner is final and no dialogue will be entered into otherwise.

12. These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.

3 Easy and Fun Family Outings to do in Brisbane with a Baby

By

Rebecca Senyard

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July 7, 2015

21

Since we’ve had Phoebe, our family excursions have had to be easy and simple. It takes a bit of effort to take the family out for a fun outing together when you have a baby, toddler and 4 year old. You have to be organized, flexible and wary of nap times that are best not to be avoided if you want to have a peaceful Saturday evening.

Each time Jacob and I take our girls out on a family outing, we’re reminded of how much fun we have and the memories we’ve created by doing the simplest things in our city. You may have read Renee from Mummy Wife Me’s post The Do Stuff Club which has put two new places on our bucket list to visit and is well worth a read. It also encourages to get out more with the kids.

I wanted to share 3 places that are great for young families with babies and toddlers because I know how daunting it is to go out with young kids. We have found having a short distance between venues makes a mini day trip easy for the little ones to handle. And having extra hands like grandparents around makes the excursion easier on mum and dad when they are outnumbered with the kid ratio. Here are 3 easy and fun family outings to do in Brisbane with a baby in tow.

1. Breakfast at the Bakery – Taking three kids out for breakfast, lunch or dinner can be expensive. You have three little mouths to feed (plus your own) and most of the food ends up on the floor. You then have to entertain your kids while you wait for your food. To experience eating on a budget and with a quick serve turnaround, find a bakery that serves like a café. For us Miettes at Graceville is the place to go. They make the best vanilla slice in Brisbane and you have to get in early to buy one because usually they are the first to sell out.

Miette's Vanilla Slice — Miette’s Vanilla Slice

The bakery has a large selection of danishes, strudels, pastries, cakes, biscuits, sandwiches and breads catering for both the savoury and sweet tooth. There is seating in the courtyard and high chairs for families. They also have a mean toy collection which makes it the perfect family friendly place to meet with other parents who also have young kids. Usually we take away our order, but on Saturday we sat in and the girls were happy to play with the toys while I tag teamed with Jacob to take photos for this post, and he lined up to get a loaf of bread that we forgot to purchase with our order. (The line was out the door at this stage!)

Where: Miettes Boulangerie Patisserie 8/158 Graceville Avenue, Graceville

Tip: Buy your bread with your order to avoid having to join the queue.

Toys galore for the kids to play with so you can eat and drink your coffee in peace

2. Park Play at Ken Fletcher Park

After our stop at Miettes, if you follow the same road to Tennyson you will come to Ken Fletcher Park. I discovered this park when I attended a Kids on the Go ministry which was run by my previous church. They would organise weekly outings at different parks in Brisbane. When we visited for the first time, we had to show Jacob on the following weekend because it was that good.

Ken Fletcher Park in Tennyson — Ken Fletcher Park at Tennyson

Esther and Magdalene love this park. There is so much to do. Phoebe enjoyed it too. Firstly there are swings that cater for groups, toddlers and babies. There is a sandpit, water pumping zone for water play, climbing ropes course, see-saws and slide. The variety means the kids won’t get bored. The park is very popular for birthday parties and there were two being held on the day we went. Poor Maggie was disappointed she couldn’t attend the celebrations.

Parking is easy with off the street parking and parking up the road at the adjacent Pat Rafter Tennis Arena. The last time we came to this park, we brought our Miette’s coffee and pastries to the park as we watched our girls play. But with two girls on the loose and a baby that wants to be on the loose, it was best to eat our breakfast back at the bakery. It proved to be a good decision.

Where: Ken Fletcher Park Sofstone Street Tennyson

Tip: Park at the Pat Rafter Tennis Arena Parking and walk up the hill to the park. The park has easy pram access. Also bring your own buckets and spades for the sandpit.

Maggie Bouncing down the trampoline slide

three kids down the slide — All down the slide together

3. Early Dinner at Mt Coot-tha

The girls were excited when we told them we were going to take them on an impromptu trip up to Mt Coot-tha to meet up with their grandparents and great grandparents. Mt Coot-tha is Brisbane’s best lookout. There is Kuta Café, Summit Restaurant and various walks you can do if you are energetic. We decided to have an early dinner, catching up with the grandparents and great grandparents while watching the view over Brisbane. I’ve learned that if we are going to take our girls out for dinner, it’s best to buy a few plates that can be shared like chips, pizza and garlic bread. It’s easy finger food for the kids and it’s comfort food for the adults.

Esther and Magdalene love seeing the city. The view on a clear day is spectacular and there are plenty of information boards that share the history of Mt Coot-tha and Brisbane. It’s also fun to point out different landmarks while enjoying the view. No bookings are needed at the café, and if you are on a budget you can pack a picnic as there is a grass area where you can eat together. Esther has requested we pack a picnic next time because ‘sitting on the grass watching the sun would be fun.’

Where: Mt Coot-tha Look out – 1012 Sir Samuel Griffith Drive Mt Coot-tha

Entry: Free

Tip: Pack a picnic and watch the sunset. Take a jacket because it can get quite cool even in Summer.

view of Brisbane from Mt Coot-tha — View of Brisbane from Mt Coot-tha

We drove to all three of our destinations. They can be reached by bus, but when you’re travelling with a baby, I find the car is easier to use when you have to pack so much stuff! Phoebe is 11 months old now and was just over 5 months old in the Mt Coot-tha pictures. While it can be hard work getting the family organized to go out, it can be fun too and the best part is being away from the phone as the change in scenery forces you to focus on your family.

When was the last time you took the family on an outing together? Got any favourite places in Brisbane that we should check out?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

This post is part of the Kidspot Voices of 2015 Put Yourself On The Map Challenge, which encourages online creatives to share three family friendly activities from their corner of the world. 20 finalists will be given the opportunity to publish a post on the Kidspot website and go in the running for a $3000 Flight Centre voucher. Tomorrow is the last day to get your entries in. Good Luck. x

The random things I’d remember about our clients

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

July 3, 2015

18

Remembering a client’s name is a great way to build a business relationship with them. When we started doing domestic plumbing, my dad was always surprised when I recognized the person calling in to book in a job. I’d have a chat about how their kids were going or some random detail that I’d remember from being at their place the last time we called out. After I’d finish the call he’d ask me who I was speaking to and I’d tell him the client’s name and I’d get a blank face. Sometimes he knew who I was talking about. Often I’d explain ‘you’ll recognize them when you see them.’ There were a few different ways I was able to remember our clients. Here are some random things I’d remember about our clients. These enabled dad and I to partially know what we were in for and helped us prepare for the job.

1. Remember something unique about the client’s property. Whether it was a steep driveway or the house was an old Queenslander. I’d find something unique about the property and relate it back to the client. Remembering the property would give us a vague idea of how easy or difficult the job would be.

2. Remember the pets. I could remember the dogs and cat names of most of our clients. To jog my dad’s memory if he didn’t know who I was talking about, I would tell him the pets names and sometimes he would remember. Our conversation would go similar like this

Me: You know, they have the black dog called Coco.

Dad: Nup, don’t remember them.

Me: Yes, you do. Coco greets us at the gate every time we come to the house. And remember you got rid of a dead possum fetus Coco decided to bring back to her mat and the owner kindly asked you to get rid of it for her.

Dad: Oh yeah, I remember now.

Me: Smiling (I didn’t say that bit)

3. Remember the kids or the kid’s names. I’d be nosey about the kids when I’d visit a client’s home. But in good way. I was always interested to see what clients called their children and the children would always be interested in what dad and I were up to.

4. Remember if they paid their bills on time. It’s always good to be on top of who has paid their bills and who hasn’t. One particular client hadn’t paid us for 4 months and requested us to visit her again to fix a different problem. I had to politely decline the job and told her nicely I couldn’t afford to work for her if she couldn’t pay her bills. Remembering the client’s name, saved us from doing more work and not getting paid for it. Again.

5. Remember by the job. Usually I would remember the worst jobs. And if we did a good job fixing a particularly bad or hard job, we would be called again.

Usually a client will tell you their name when they ring you on the phone. It’s always nice to recognize the name when the client calls and ask about their kids or their pet or anything random that you might have learned about them when you visited last time. It makes the client valued if you can remember something unique about them. Although bringing up the reason you visited last time might not be a great idea if it was particularly embarrassing – like retrieving a flushed tampon that blocked the sewer.

Do you think it’s important for a tradie to remember your name if you’ve used them before? What other ways can tradies make you feel valued as a customer?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

A Night in the Life of a Blogger and Mother – Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream Review

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 26, 2015

47

I love reading the routine of a person’s day. It gives me an insight into how they live their life and it often makes me feel relieved that I’m not the only one living an often monotonous life. But when you have little kids, if you don’t stick to a routine, the day can be spontaneous! My nights seem to be like this too. We have a fairly good routine that we stick to at night, but I thought I’d share with you what a night in the life of a blogger and mother – me – looks like and some tips on how I can look fabulous if the night has seen me up and down from my pillow. Here is a typical night in The Plumbette HQ.

5:30pm – 6pm – Jacob arrives home from work. The house is a pigsty. Toys and clothes are strewn across our living room. I look tired and haggard. If I’ve been organized during the day, I usually have dinner ready in the slow cooker, but sometimes it’s a mad rush putting together something quick and easy that the kids will eat. On this night, I had been organized and we had bangers and mash ready for dinner.

6pm – Dinner is served. Usually I feed Phoebe at 5:30pm and then give her finger food to eat while we eat our dinner, but on this night, I wasn’t so organized.

6:30pm – Usually I will do a quick tidy of the dinner table while the girls have their bath. Jacob runs the bath for the girls and chaperones.

I usually head to our ensuite for a shower and I get dressed in my jammies. I wash my face with Garnier Pure Active Cleanser because my skin has had a fair few breakouts in the last few weeks. Once I’ve showered, I will apply a night cream. I decide to use my Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream for the first time. This cream has not hit shelves in Australia yet, but I was given a sample in a goodie bag after attending the Kidspot Voices of 2015 Masterclass. The packaging on the cream says it will fight skin fatigue and I should notice a difference in the morning with rehydrated, illuminated and rested skin. Sounds like a miracle and if I’m honest, I need all the help I can get because I’m not sure how much sleep I will get through the night. I rub the cream in and it has a lovely fragrance. It’s a thicker cream which absorbs well into my skin. The cream is meant to work it’s anti-ageing properties on my skin while I sleep at night. I’m not sure how much sleep I will get, but I’m hoping it will be enough so this cream can work on those lines and keep my skin looking like I’m in my 20’s. One can only hope.

7pm – Cuddle time with the girls on the couch. Usually they will play with Jacob. On this night, the girls were intrigued by the toys in the Kmart and Target catalogues. So intrigued by the pictures, they took themselves off to Esther’s bed to do some ‘light’ reading and make a list of toys they would like for Christmas.

7:15pm-7:30pm – I will breastfeed Phoebe and put her to bed. I will then say goodnight to Magdalene and Jacob will put her to bed. I put Esther to bed where we say prayers and I sing her a song or two and lightly tickle her arm. It’s become a routine now where she wants me to sing to her in bed. I enjoy this time with her.

7:35pm – I head to my office and start my blogging work. I write blogs for other websites, respond to emails and comments on my blogs. I will usually work until 10:30pm or until my eyes start to feel droopey.

10pm – Esther usually wakes and has night tremors. I console her back to sleep. Sometimes she doesn’t need consoling and will go back to sleep herself.

10:30pm – I will check on the girls and head to bed and do some reading. I usually can only read 1-2 pages before falling asleep at 11pm

1am – Phoebe unexpectedly wakes. Jacob hears her and brings her into our room. Jacob goes back to sleep and I breastfeed Phoebe to go back to sleep. She doesn’t wake much during the night and I don’t mind putting her to sleep this way knowing it won’t be long till I stop breastfeeding her. I will have to cuddle her to sleep when that happens. I can’t think too far ahead. I will tackle that challenge when it comes.

1:30am – I put Phoebe back in her cot where she momentarily opens her eyes and then rolls to her side to sleep. I stumble back to bed. And toss and turn because I can’t get back to sleep.

7amish – Jacob will wake me from my slumber. Esther is our alarm clock in the morning. She wakes Jacob first and he allows me to sleep to catch up on what I’ve missed the night before.

7:15am – I head to the bathroom to check out my face. It feels hydrated and looks pretty good for 7 hours of broken sleep. That Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream did good.

7:20am – I go back to make the bed and find Esther and Magdalene jumping on it and falling into the pillows. Phoebe has found my handbag and is deciding to go through it’s contents!

8am – I’m usually showered and dressed and get the girls ready for the day or have my breakfast.

So that’s what a typical night looks like in our household. Sometimes I’m up multiple times, and some nights, not at all.

Is your night routine similar to mine? How does it differ?

Disclosure: I was gifted a Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream as part of attending the Garnier Breakfast organized by Kidspot Voices of 2015. All opinions are my own. To find out when this product will be available on Australian shelves, head to Garnier’s website and sign up for their updates so you will be the first to know. This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

When an opportunity is rejected

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 23, 2015

37

Over 10 years ago, before Jacob and I got married and before we lived together, we decided to go on a mission trip to Africa. You can read about our experiences here and here.

Before we went on our trip, we chose to sponsor two children through Compassion Australia. I chose a boy in Tanzania and Jacob chose a boy in Uganda. I’m not really sure why we chose boys at that time, but we did.

The boys were aged around 6 when we sponsored them. Jacob and I were both on full time wages and when we got married, we still chose to support out sponsor children because we could afford to.

It felt good knowing part of our wage was helping educate someone in the third world.

I would send letters to my sponsor child quite frequently and receive letters back with enthusiasm about his studies and if I knew certain bible verses. Often the verses were encouraging to whatever I was facing at the time.

Jacob was often envious of the school reports and photos I would receive from my sponsor child as he posed with his Christmas and Birthday gifts. I was sent a photo of my sponsor child posing next to corrugated iron for his house or his goat. I sponsored my child for just over 11 years.

And then I got a letter a couple of months ago, advising my sponsor child had graduated from the program and would no longer need my funds, but within 3 weeks, I would be given a new sponsor child to support.

I was saddened to receive the letter, but excited to think my sponsor child had finished school and could go on to do further study.

But a subsequent letter from his educators shared a different story.

My sponsor child had ‘negatively’ left the Compassion program and all attempts at getting my sponsor child to return back to his studies had failed.

The letter asked me to continue to pray for my sponsor child, and to thank me for my sponsorship.

I felt a range of emotions when I received that letter.

Firstly I felt concern. What had caused my sponsor child to run away from finishing his education? I felt sad because I had developed a friendship with this child over the 11 years I had sponsored him and it abruptly came to an end.

And then I felt disappointment. I was disappointed that my sponsor child had rejected an opportunity that would help him have a better future. Compassion saw his need, offered him a helping hand to support him in his studies, I offered financial assistance and 1 year out of graduating he had packed it in.

While I could draw any number of conclusions on why my sponsor child decided to leave his sponsorship, I really wished he hadn’t given up. Not because it felt like a waste, although I have been wisely told any education is not a waste, but simply because he obviously forgotten that other kids in his village would have swapped his place to get the support he was receiving.

When we’re given a good opportunity, it doesn’t mean the road will be less easy, but it does mean if we accept, we should follow through with the investment.

My plumbing apprenticeship was an opportunity. I took a risk and despite the road leading me to a different outcome, giving up was not part of my strategy even if I felt like doing it many times.

An American Journalist once said opportunities are usually disguised as hard work so most people don’t recognize them.

I don’t know if the work was getting too much for my sponsor child. I will continue to pray for my him and hope that he will get some sense to finish his studies. In the meantime, I want to make the most of opportunities that come my way. I don’t want to live with regrets.

Have you ever offered someone an opportunity, only to have them reject it? How did you feel? Do you have any regrets over missed opportunities?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

How to love Mondays

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 22, 2015

3

One of my favourite Christian authors Joel Osteen wrote a book called Everyday a Friday which gave tips on how to love each day despite it not being a Friday. Most people dread when Monday arrives because it’s the start of a new work week. I know I used to when I worked full time. And even now with Esther at Kindy, though I don’t dread Mondays quite as much, I find myself wishing it wouldn’t come so soon after a weekend.

Mondays are the start of another week of Kindy drop offs and juggling writing work and wrangling young children at home with activities that create chaos at home. Despite cleaning my house on a Friday, by Monday, the house is in need of cleaning again! I sometimes get to Monday and feel deflated by everything I need to do.

But Monday’s shouldn’t be a day of dread. It all comes down to our thinking and changing our perspective of Mondays. Here are my tips on how to fall in love with Mondays

For me, my favourite parts of life are starting something new. So view the week as a new slate. Every week we are given the opportunity to start something new. Do something new on a Monday that you haven’t done before. It could be learning a new iphone app or playing a new game or trying somewhere new for lunch. Or why not start a new project or learn a simple skill?
Adequately rest on a Sunday. Sharing some biblical insight here, when God created the world in 7 days, he rested on the 7^th day. When man was created on the 6^th day, he started his working week with rest. Sunday is technically the start of a week, so take time to rest on a Sunday. If you work on a Sunday, make Sunday night one where you relax before you work again on Monday. I think we sometimes fill our weekends with too much activity which feels like work even if it’s fun, so when Monday comes around we are exhausted and we haven’t adequately rested from the week. Learning to rest on a Sunday means when Monday comes around you will be ready to get back into work again. Hopefully.
Love what you do. If you work in a job that you love, Mondays will become a sought after day. If you don’t love your job, do something small towards working your dream job.
Organise a catch up with friends for lunch or dinner. Monday’s will become a day that you look forward to if you have a coffee date with someone you love.
Set realistic expectations. One reason I dread Monday is because I write a massive to do list for stuff I need to get done for the week. Breaking that list down to 1 or 2 items can make Monday less busy and more appealing to enjoy.

Most of all be grateful for another day to live. If you need to give your perspective a dose of reality, read the news. It often makes me thankful I reached Monday in one piece and with no heartache.

How do you cure Mondayitis? What is your favourite day of the week?

Kidspot Voices of 2015 Masterclass – Meeting Classy Bloggers

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 16, 2015

80

On Friday, Jacob, Phoebe and I flew down to Melbourne so I could attend the Kidspot Voices of 2015 Masterclass. There was a lot to organize in order to go away which included getting my parents to babysit my older two girls, organizing a house sitter and getting work done before going away for the weekend.

We arrived in Melbourne expecting it to be freezing but I found the cool air a nice change from being cooped up in a plane with Phoebe on my lap.

I ended up getting a bad headache on Friday night which meant I didn’t end up going out for dinner with the Brisbane bloggers, but I did get to say hi before heading to bed.

I was impressed with the hotel we stayed in. It was up the road from where we stayed for the Kidspot Gala event. The lights and décor definitely got my attention. We stayed at the Mantra City Central which had been recently renovated. The pendant lights were very fitting for a Melbourne hotel. I also loved that the cushions and art work paid a tribute to the city we were in.

Thought it was fitting to do get an #everydaystyle photo against the fire service

The next morning, I caught up with Kirsten, Miss Chardy, Emily, Amanda and Nicole so we could catch a maxi taxi together to the Masterclass. We walked to a taxi rank as we had been advised if we booked a taxi, it wouldn’t arrive. So we risked finding one. I can’t remember if one of the girls called a taxi while we waited at the rank. I was too busy looking at Jacob and making sure Phoebe was warm.

Kirsten leading the way to the taxi rank

Jacob and Phoebe waiting with us at the taxi rank

Jacob had a daddy and daughter day with Phoebe, roaming the streets of Melbourne while I went to the masterclass. During breakfast, Jacob sent me this picture which put me at ease that they would have a good day.

Phoebe and Daddy having breakfast while mummy went to the Masterclass

The breakfast was probably my favourite part of the day. The food was beautifully presented and I really enjoyed the Garnier presentation about what brands, or more specifically, what does Garnier look for when working with a blogger.

I got to sit with some fabulous bloggers and catch up with ones that I interact with online on a weekly basis. I love how blogging has doubled my friendship group.

Me, Lucy from Bake Play Smile, Kirralee from Escape with Kids

Bec and Nicole — With Nicole from The Builder’s Wife

Kirralee, Bec and Miss Chardy — With Kirralee from Escape with Kids and Danielle from Miss Chardy

Bec and Kelly — Me and Kelly from Be a Fun Mum

Anna and I — Me and Anna from Colour Me Anna

Check out An Organised Life’s post with an in depth summary of the key points spoken at the different sessions.

The biggest take away for me from the masterclass was the business side of my blog. The sessions motivated me to think outside the square a little in terms of content. As a result, I’ve signed up to do the Brandilicious course to get my media kit looking more professional and to learn how to pitch properly to brands so that this unique content can be sponsored. Sponsorship ensures I can keep doing what I love, but also give readers quality posts and giveaways. I also felt motivated to work on my book and to get it to a stage where I can pitch it to publishers. I haven’t set a timeline as such for this, but with Phoebe’s 1st Birthday coming up next month, I feel I can slowly see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of time to devote to these endeavors.

Another main lesson I learned indirectly from attending the masterclass is that we are all running our own race, but we all come across the same issues and fears. What’s important is to recognize your uniqueness and to use it to promote your voice.

This last weekend has made me even more excited for Problogger.

How was your weekend? Did you go to the Kidspot Masterclass? What did you take away from the day?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Don’t let disappointment overshadow tomorrow’s dreams

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 15, 2015

15

I’m not sure if I’ve told this story here before on the blog but I’m going to retell it again as I see it fitting after the announcement of the Top 100 Blogs for Kidspot’s Voices of 2015. It’s also a memory that I want to preserve in the blog so my girls can learn from it when they are older.

When I was in year 12 I had a best friend who did incredibly well at everything she put her hands to. She was very smart and was well liked by everyone in our grade. One of the extra activities she did at school was organise our school meetings. It’s so long ago I can’t even remember what they were called, but basically, all the grades were piled into buses and taken up the road to a church where we would have our school meeting which was run like a church service. There would be a singing, announcements and a main speaker. My best friend organized who did what at the meeting. She took the role seriously and got super stressed every time the meeting had to be organized.

In year 12 I strived hard to do well. I studied hard, attended outside events when needed, participated in the school band, auditioned and got small parts in the plays and musicals and even got involved in sport which all involved a lot of time outside of school hours. I enjoyed the variety of activities I got involved in.

At the end of year 12 we had an awards evening where awards were given out to the dux of each grade, the best student in each subject, the best sportsperson and etc. On that night over 13 years ago, I was going to receive a staggering 6 or 7 awards for all the extracurricular activities I participated in over that year. I was up and down that stage like Taylor Swift winning billboard awards.

Anyway, there was a major award that I was nominated for as was my best friend and two other guys in our grade and I can’t even remember what it was called but it was the award given to the person who was an all-rounder and participated at school with enthusiasm. It was a high caliber award. I internally assumed that I would get it or at least thought I had a high chance of receiving it because all my awards proved I was a definitely all rounder.

But I didn’t get it. My best friend did.

Out of all the awards that I walked away with that night, not receiving that award was a big disappointment to me. All that striving and all that hard work hadn’t been recognized in the way I had thought it would.

It was some weeks later I stayed over my best friend’s house and we were about to enter her room and she stopped talking to me mid-sentence and noticed the engraved plaque had fallen off the trophy of the prize I should have would have won. It was in that moment I realized the award meant little in the scheme of things. It meant something for a small amount of time back then but within weeks the trophy was falling apart. The status was there but it was soon forgotten by Christmas holidays. Fourteen years later it means very little still… although I am retelling the tale here.

The reason I wanted to share this story from my past is because I know that there are bloggers who are disappointed about not making the top 100 for Voices of 2015. But my encouragement to you is don’t let disappointment overshadow tomorrow’s dreams. Your voice matters. It will always matter and the top 100 will change year to year.

Our awards as bloggers shouldn’t come from titles or accolades, but from the comments left from readers or the re-shares of posts that resonate with others. It’s also ok to admit to being disappointed, but don’t let that disappointment dull your fire. Let it spoke it.

After retelling my high school memory, what disappointments me the most is not the fact that I didn’t get the award, but my attitude to not receiving it and my expectation to receive it. In the scheme of life, it hasn’t changed a thing. If anything, it taught me at a young age that you can work really hard at something and not get the recognition you think you deserve. I learned it’s better to do rewarding work than to work for rewards. Even now I believe any accolades that are above the reward of doing something I love are a bonus.

How have you handled disappointment in the past? Missed out on an award that you should have received?

The week that flew

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 12, 2015

34

I find that the week after a public holiday always goes fast. Do you find the same? This week flew like a bullet train. It’s been a busy and emotional week. The beginning of the week started with my grandpa being very ill and was taken by ambulance to the emergency hospital. It was a bit of a nervous wait to find out what was causing him to be so ill. The issue has been fixed, but my grandpa needed 6 bags of blood. He will be released from hospital tonight. My mum has bore the brunt of dealing with the hospital staff and taking my grandma back and forth to hospital.

So while that has been going on in the background of life, I’ve been able to get some clarification with issues that have been bugging me for a while. A talk with my dad was all that was needed to boot me up the bum – so to speak – to face the issue head on.

I also went to a Prep information evening on Tuesday night to find out how to prepare Esther for prep next year. I was flabbergasted at how much has changed since I went to school. So much pressure at a young age. But then Esther has been surprising me lately with her language skills. She can now write her name and can tell me what letters are in her name. I know I need to up the reading with her which has gone a bit to the wayside since Phoebe was born. If anything, the info night has motivated me to read to her more and be intentional with her language and understanding skills.

And speaking of Miss Phoebe, she got herself into a big mess while I was putting a load of washing into the machine yesterday. Bentley knocked off a chocolate cake that had ganache icing and Phoebe went to serve herself from the leftovers. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I saw her. It took nearly half a pack of wipes to get the chocolate out of her fingers and off her face. The photos will be good for her 21^st!

This weekend, I’m heading to Melbourne for the Kidspot Voices Masterclass and announcement of the top 100. This year I won’t be in the top 100 because The Plumbette made it into the Alumni which is very exciting (you can read my profile here). Except I can’t pronounce alumni. Every time I see it I go to say aluminum. I’m in the aluminum club. I look at all the talent in the group and feel a bit star struck and overwhelmed that my blog has been placed in this group. It’s a privilege to write and have my blog recognized.

In other news, The Plumbette has been officially archived by the National Library of Australia in the Pandora Archive. I had to ask some of my blogging friends if it was a legit thing and it was, so my blog will be copied and archived so future generations can read it. I might not be a published author but I’m archived. So that’s pretty cool.

So the week that flew has had some great moments and some worrying moments but I’m constantly reminded of God’s goodness to me and my family. I’m really looking forward to spending time with my blogging friends Kirsten from Kirsten & Co, Em from Have a laugh on me and Amanda from Cooker and a Looker (she’s also in the aluminum club). I can’t wait to meet Danielle from Miss Chardy and Nicole from The Builder’s Wife who are also coming down from QLD. It’s going to be a fabulous weekend. Phoebe is coming along for the ride and Jacob will be looking after her while I attend the Masterclass and Voices Top 100 Announcement/Launch/Networking event.

How has your week been? Will you be at the Kidspot Master Class in Melbourne? What was the best part of your week?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

The legal bases you need to cover when purchasing or selling a property

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 10, 2015

0

This post has been written in collaboration with GlobalX Legal Solutions

Whether you are in the market to buy your first house, or you’re an empty-nester selling the family home in favour of greener pastures, transactions involving property are generally the biggest you will ever make.

There is not only substantial sums of money changing hands, but emotions are high, regardless of which end of the contract you are at. Going through a solicitor is always advisable – it’s their job to take care of all the legal bases you need to cover when purchasing or selling a property and they can make sure that your best interests are covered in the process

While you can simply turn everything over to your solicitor, it is always helpful to have an idea of what is happening behind the scenes – it will give you an idea of what to expect in terms of the timeline of your transaction.

The Vendor’s Statement

Also known as section 32 in Australia, this a document that tells potential buyers details about the property that is not obvious from a physical inspection. This can cover things like mortgages, covenants, easements, zoning, outgoings (like rates) and a declaration if the property is in a bushfire-prone area.

This statement must be provided to interested parties before any contract of sale can be signed. If any information that is supposed to be included is incorrect or omitted, the buyer may be able to withdraw from the sale, so it is important to ensure the accuracy of this document.

Other relevant documents

Make sure you include every document that is necessary for the specifications of your property. Do you need a sustainability declaration? A pool fencing safety certificate? This is the time to ensure you have a clearance certificate for the plumbing to your property if you’ve added an extra bathroom or added an extension. Your solicitor will advise on what documents you will need to obtain and include.

Preparing and negotiating a contract

If you are the seller, then you will generally have your solicitor draw up the contract of sale. If you are the buyer, you and your solicitor may want to negotiate the contract if there are sections or wording that don’t work in your favour or you disagree with.

The contract of sale will clearly state important dates, as well as special conditions of sale and any other relevant information. The Vendor’s Statement will likely be incorporated as well.

It is vital that your solicitor checks the contract before you sign it – once signed, unless something unexpected comes up in the building and pest inspection or both parties agree, you are bound by the contract. You cannot simply change your mind about selling, or decide you like a different house better and withdraw your offer.

Conveyancing a property is an involved process, and definitely not one to try yourself or trust to a real estate agent. A law firm that specialises in property will have dedicated software and settlement agents like leading legal software and conveyancing services firm GlobalX Legal Solutions. Law firms and conveyancers that outsource to GlobalX have access to e-conveyancing and the PEXA platform – meaning that your property will now be transacted quicker with less delays in the new digital age of electronic conveyancing.

Have you bought or sold a property recently? Would you have done anything differently if you could have your time again? I’d love to hear your experiences.

This post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

Kmart Hacks – Pom Pom Velvet Cushions

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 9, 2015

31

I’m not the first to admit that I enjoy shopping at Kmart. The prices and trendy home wares have won me over a few times when visiting just to buy the girls more craft supplies. It’s dangerous saying you will have a browse at Kmart because there is no such thing. It’s almost like a trip to Ikea without the crazy maze. One pineapple here and a few cushions later, you walk out having spent $100 with enough décor to deck out your home.

The only issue with buying such fabulous home wares from Kmart is that EVERYBODY has them and I like to differentiate my home from that of a junk mail catalogue. Enter Kmart Hacks.

Fleur from Our Urban Box wrote this cracker of a post sharing the best Kmart Hacks on the internet and Toni from Finding Myself Young wrote a Kmart Hacks post on their Shadow Boxes. There is even a Kmart Hacks Facebook page where people share their latest Kmart purchases changed to suit their home.

Enter my entry into the Kmart Hacks: PomPom Velvet Cushions.

At the beginning of the year when I was researching cushions and linen to make over our main bedroom, I went to Pillow Talk and Adairs to get some cushion inspiration for our bedroom. I was really taken by the pom pom bohemian look cushions, but I was not so taken by their price.

At a recent expedition to Kmart to buy photo frames, I walked past the velvet cushions and wanted to buy some instantly to add a winter texture to our living room. Except we have A LOT of cushions. And despite these ones from Kmart being super soft, they were a bit plain for my liking.

And then I scrolled past this post via The Crafted Life and I got my inspiration on what to do with those plain velvet cushions. A trip to Spotlight to get some pom pom trimming and fabric glue and I was in business to jump on the Kmart Hacks train.

What you will need:

1 Kmart Velvet Cushion ( I bought 2 in the purple and teal)

2.4 meters of pompom trimming (can get from Spotlight and around $3.50 per meter)

Fabric glue (make sure it dries clear)

Paddle pop stick (to assist with the gluing)

Fabric scissors (to get a clean cut through the pom pom trimming)

Measure the pom pom trimming against the edge of the cushion cover and cut accordingly — Measure the pompom trimming against the edge of the cushion cover and cut accordingly

Once you’ve made one, you will want to make more. It took me half an hour to make both but I left them to dry for 24 hours before putting the inserts back in and placing them on the couch.

Are you a fan of Kmart? What was the last thing you bought from there?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT

Choosing to focus on what matters most

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 8, 2015

14

Life is never without problems is it? When you think you’ve got a handle on a situation, something comes up unexpectedly and the problem rears its head yet again and you feel like you’re back at square one of feeling all the feelings and wishing you had enough money and wisdom to make the problem go away.

In the last couple of weeks I have been riding the wave of wondering what the purpose is in everything I do. I have an innate ability to encourage others and help them see the value in what they do, but find it hard doing the same to myself. I ask God if the direction I’ve chosen is still the right way. Is my labour in vain? I’ve been questioning God on a lot of things lately. Whether my views about current news events are right or should I be looking at them from a different way?

In so many ways I want to be better in everything I do. Better thoughts, better wife, better mother, better blogger, better everything but most days I feel like I’m reaching 80% and I have battled bitter thoughts about family life which have been selfish and ridiculous because I wanted to be a mum. I wanted this and I still do. But sometimes it can be hard to remember in the day to day grind of living.

And then in the last week I’ve heard of unexpected tragedies and illnesses which have had traumatic effects and suddenly perspective rains down like hail in a thunderstorm. The labours aren’t in vain. My rivals are near and the second guessing myself is a tactic to change my focus off what matters.

The long weekend has been lovely to spend time with Jacob and the girls and enjoy doing simple things like playing in the back yard.

On Saturday night I had a mums night out where a group of mums (some I knew, others I met for the first time) had dinner together and went to see a movie. I can’t remember the last time I went to the movies. I bought a Medium Popcorn and large bag of Maltesers to share… with myself. I was the biggest guts. The movie was fantastic. We saw Woman in Gold and it gave me perspective again of the privileged life that I live and the very known and disappointing part of human behavior – greed and how hard it is to right a wrong – returning what was stolen to the rightful owner. This essentially is the problem I have been battling. There is no such sisterhood in the trades. There will always be a known rival who wants to ride on your wave of success.

I look at my husband and my girls and I know they are worth fighting for. I do what I do to provide for them and I reveal what I do online to show life can be lived simply, not without complications, but still simply if I choose to focus on the right things.

How has your long weekend been? Do you have problems that you need wisdom in dealing with?

Finding a good plumber is like finding a good hairdresser

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 5, 2015

4

Just after I had Phoebe last year, my hair was in desperate need of a colour and my fringe needed a trim. My usual hairdresser lives a good 15 minutes away and I was feeding Phoebe every couple of hours. I really wanted to get my hair done without having a baby with me, so I took a chance and called a hair salon up the road from where I live. The salon looked quite upmarket and I was eager to get my hair done baby free.

I booked for an appointment that worked in with Phoebe’s feeds and got Jacob to drop me up the road to get my hair done.

One thing that I had forgotten about going to a salon was the time to wait. Just because you are booked in for a certain time, doesn’t mean that is when the hairdresser will start on your hair. My usual hair dresser would work on my hair straight away because her salon was at home, however going to a shop salon meant I had to wait for the previous client to finish getting their hair styled. I waited around 15 minutes which felt like an hour when I knew I had a tight 3 hour timeframe before Phoebe would be due her next feed.

Once it was my turn to jump into the seat, I made small chitchat with the hair stylist. A colour was added to my hair and then I was given some magazines and a glass of water. When it came time to getting the colour washed from my hair I was expecting a head massage because I had become accustomed to that from my previous hair dresser. But there was no head massage, just a whole lot of soapy water in my ears.

When it came to cutting my fringe… it nearly ended in disaster. The stylist cut too much off and I had a feathered fringe look which did not look good. I assumed the stylist could see that it didn’t look good but she went about straightening my hair and when she was finished, asked how I liked the cut. I looked in the mirror and I positively looked awful. I nearly cried. My fringe is my identity. It shapes my face and I was angry at myself for taking a chance on someone new and getting a less than ordinary job. I told the stylist I hated what she’d done to my fringe and she’d need to fix it. So she did. By cutting more hair and adding bulk to my very short fringe. It fixed the look, but I now had a fringe that started from the top middle part of my head and I cringed knowing it would take a while to grow out.

I never went back to that hairdresser again. And yesterday afternoon, after driving past the salon, it is no longer there.

When I went back to my normal hairdresser with Phoebe in tow, she told me to avoid going to that stylist again. She fixed my cut and I relaxed because I knew my hair was in good hands.

I won’t go anywhere else now. And I can’t go to the other salon in any case because they are no longer there.

That experience made me think about plumbing and hiring plumbers in general. While a hairdressing appointment is a lot more common that a plumbing call out, the same principle applies in finding someone you trust and sticking with what you know.

It’s important to find tradies that you trust to work in your home and this type of relationship shouldn’t be left until you have an emergency. A plumber should be booked at least once a year to check your hot water unit is running properly and to test valves and do a general maintenance check around your home. This is never done because it costs money and plumbers are only called if something needs to be fixed.

Finding a plumber you trust and developing a relationship with them is a great way to keep on top of the maintenance on your property.

For the plumber it means guaranteed future work and for the client, it means less stress and anxiety on who will show up at the door.

Finding a good plumber is like finding a good hairdresser. Once you test them and you get a good result, you will continue to use them for life.

I have good relationships with my electrician, carpet cleaner and air conditioner service man. I haven’t called back my pest and termite inspector but that is on the to do list later this year.

The best way to find someone reliable is through word of mouth or asking a trusted tradie who they use to work on their own property.

Are you a loyal customer when it comes to hiring a tradie? Do you have a list of preferred tradies? Do you know your plumber on a first name basis?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

Does lemon juice get rid of mould?

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 2, 2015

48

A few weekends ago I won a massive box of fruit at Esther’s Kindy Market Bazaar Fundraiser. I was pretty excited to win the fruit because I was also holding a store to sell my jewellery and I hardly made any sales. The stall holder next to me made none so I was at least thankful to have made 1 sale and walk away $50 or more worth of fruit.

Included in the fruit box was a few lemons and I remember a reader telling me on Facebook that fresh lemon juice could get rid of mould.

I had noticed that the outer rim of our bath in the girls bathroom had started to grow mould in the grout and I thought I’d give it a squeeze of lemon juice to see if it would really get rid of the mould.

When it comes to natural cleaners, I have had mixed results. I have tried the whole bicarb soda and vinegar action and it’s not a cleaning routine I’ve maintained. Sometimes it’s cost me MORE than the Dettol or Spray and Wipe that I use because I often shake a whole box of soda in one cleaning project. Maybe if I sprinkled less I would get more bang for my money. I also like a nice clean smell and vinegar doesn’t give that to me at all. Since having Phoebe, I’ve had less time to make my own cleaning products, so I’ve resorted to buying them after getting good results from products that I’ve reviewed on the blog.

Anyway, mould can be a big problem in the shower and bath areas. I have often used Exit Mould but I hate the smell and have wanted to find an alternative natural cleaner that does the job. Hence my experiment with the lemon.

I cut up 1 lemon and squeezed the juice along the grout, pips and all and I read that I had to let it sit for 10 minutes.

My lemon juice sat their for probably half an hour because I had a few nappy changes and food requests and etc from the kids.

I used a damp cloth to clean away the juice and most of the mould went and the grout was a lot whiter than it was before.

Unfortunately there were still mould marks in the silicone section which means the mould is in the silicone and the only way to get rid of it is to remove that silicone and re apply around the bath. That’s not a job I look forward to.

So does lemon juice get rid of mould? Yes it does but only if the mould is on top of a surface as opposed to part of it.

Do you use natural cleaners to clean your house? How do you get rid of mould? Got any tips I can try for next time?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Five smells I can’t stand as a plumber

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

June 1, 2015

6

This post has been written in collaboration with Scholl

I once knew a tradie who had no sense of smell and as a result had no sense of taste. He became a painter and at the time I thought what a waste. He should have become a plumber because he would get paid more and wouldn’t smell some of the crap plumbers come across in their job.

You would think being a plumber, my nose would be accustomed to strong smells but unfortunately it’s made my nose even more sensitive to bad odours. Being pregnant heightened my sense of smell to a new level. If a blocked toilet was 20 meters away, I would smell it as if it was 1 meter away.

There are so many rotten smells that you come across as a plumber, and since being a mother, I’ve smelt even more disgusting pongs that have sometimes churned my stomach.

Here are 5 smells I can’t stand as a plumber (and mother)

1. Blocked Toilet. Well this one is self explanatory. No one wants to smell a blocked toilet. The hole in the floor I had to aim in when I was in Africa was an experience and gave me a little of what to expect when I started my apprenticeship.The smell and site of sewerage is enough to make anyone dry reach. What I don’t get is when it’s pretty obvious a toilet is blocked and someone still decides the toilet is good enough to catch more contents. I guess if you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go even if it makes the toilet overflow. *spew*

2. Grey water pump. If you want to empty your stomach, get a whiff of the insides of a grey water pump and you will be guaranteed to lose 200grams. Every grey water pump I’ve come across holds some sort of food items that have been washed down the sink. Add a bit of milk, yogurt coffee granules and let it sit in a hot cupboard and you have got yourself one heck of a reek. It’s pretty gross and up there with a blocked toilet smell.

3. BO. I can’t deal with bad BO. There was one plumber I would work with as an apprentice who had dreadful BO. I know that some people have conditions where their body secretes more sweat than normal and they can have a body odour problem. But this plumber did not make any effort to hide or camouflage the problem. I would sometimes groan internally if I had to work alongside him. Other plumbers who worked alongside him gave him the name BO Brian* (Brian was not his name).

4. Smelly Feet. The first thing plumbers do before entering a residential house is take off their boots and sometimes they release a not so nice aroma. I had sweaty feet during pregnancy and they swelled. I used Scholl shoe spray during pregnancy to keep any foot odours at bay. Once I finished having babies, those work boots were promptly sent to the dump.

5. Vomit. I’ve smelled more vomit as a mother than a plumber. Milky vomit is the worst. When I was covered in black sludge while pregnant with Esther, it smelled like vomit, even though it was fermented waste water.

And now that I’ve listed these, I’ve thought of more, but it’s best to protect both your stomach and mine.

What smells can’t you stand? What’s the worst smell you’ve ever smelt?

This post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

Forget the interior of your home, how is the interior of your heart?

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

May 30, 2015

2

From adolescence, I remember being taught that our heart was Jesus’s home and it was a home that had many rooms. Some rooms were open for Jesus to enter, and others were not because we closed the door for a reason. It was either too painful, too hard or ignorance in thinking Jesus wouldn’t be interested in dwelling in that room.

As a young’un, the way I visualized my heart and it’s many rooms was the way I compartmentalized my life. There was the family section, the school section, the friend section, the things I like to do by myself section and a church section. Now, I have plenty of rooms and subsections of sections. My heart is a mansion and a replica of the house that Jack built or rather the house that Bec built.

I have so many rooms and I’m not sure if Jesus has been in every single one of them. Or he has and he’s wondering on the stability of that new extension. I’m wondering whether I need to downgrade the house because I feel like there is so much going on in my life.

And really there isn’t a lot going on in my life. Other than I have three young kids that keep me on my toes all day long, writing work that keeps me busy at night and bits and pieces in between like paying bills and cleaning the house that have started to become more of a drain than a joy.

On Monday I had a bit of a bleh moment where I wanted to connect with readers on Facebook but I was at a loss as to what to share. What was the point of sharing another pretty picture? Why are we so driven by the beautiful? Why are we so keen to show off beautifully styled parts of our home when in reality, if you have little kids, the décor doesn’t stay that way for long? Is it really to inspire, or is it to show off our spectacular styling skills?

Can I admit I am not so great at styling homes? Our house is a collective mish mash of trends. We have African décor that was purchased on our trip to Uganda over 10 years ago which has seen better days. The poor elephants no longer have ears and the tusks have been lost so we insert toothpicks in the holes to replicate what was there. Get a piece of that #Kmarthacks.

Don’t get me wrong, I love interiors. I enjoy watching renovating shows and seeing the final outcome but how often do I stop and focus on the interior of my heart and soul?

How is the décor fairing in my heart? Is everything neat and tidy as it should be in my heart or am I an utter complete mess and in need of a declutter because too much has been hoarded from the world?

I love a clean home, but I really want a pure heart. A heart that is steadfast and patient. If Jesus was to walk through each room of my heart, I’d want him to feel love as opposed to seeing a framed quote saying ‘Love Lives Here’ (and just a small plug for Kirsten from Kirsten and Co who made this gorgeous print which you can order for yourself here). While each room doesn’t necessarily have to be tidy, it needs to be open for Jesus to enter and to do his work and I think out of ignorance, there are some rooms that are closed because it’s just too hard. I’m too busy.

When I should be dwelling on readings from the Bible, I’m scrolling through Facebook to see what other bloggers are up to. My excuse is it’s part of my job to keep up-to-date with what’s going online.

When I should be praying and sharing my concerns to God, I’m reading blogs and checking out Instagram and admitting the same excuses again.

I know what I ought to do, but I don’t do it because life is busy and I’m easily distracted. There’s not enough time to fit everything in so God gets squeezed out. And usually He is in the undercurrent of everything I do, I want to have specific block times with Him but it hasn’t happened. Just like those Date Nights.

I know that I’m in a hard season of life. I know the time will change where it will be easy to carve out an hour to spend with God but then again, I’ve heard it gets harder as the kids are older because there’s after school activities, homework, friendship issues that take over your mind with worry.

Last Tuesday night I went to a women’s connect group and it was fabulous. I was apprehensive about going because my night times are specifically for writing work and doing my blog because that’s the only time I have kid free to focus on it. So to lose a whole night to go to a bible study was a big call. But it was a good one.

Making a decision to clean the interior of my heart happens by making smalls steps and saying yes to the things that will help with the declutter and add value by replacing that clutter with wisdom.

Life is busy and an organized and stylish home can do wonders for a sane state of mind but what lives inside that interior is what really matters. I want a happy heart and I don’t want to be defined by what I own, but rather what I’ve sown.

How is the interior of your heart? Do you get like me and focus too much on worldly stuff rather than what really matters in life?

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” NIV version Proverbs 24:3

My Experience presenting at the MIGAS QLD National Awards Night

How Marble-lous: Marble Homewares for all budgets

Practice What I Preach

Two maintenance checks you should get done during winter

Why having a margin is essential in life

Our Phoebe & Co. 1st Birthday Party

31 Things I Know

3 Easy and Fun Family Outings to do in Brisbane with a Baby

The random things I’d remember about our clients

A Night in the Life of a Blogger and Mother – Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream Review

When an opportunity is rejected

How to love Mondays

Kidspot Voices of 2015 Masterclass – Meeting Classy Bloggers

Don’t let disappointment overshadow tomorrow’s dreams

How have you handled disappointment in the past? Missed out on an award that you should have received?

The week that flew

The legal bases you need to cover when purchasing or selling a property

Kmart Hacks – Pom Pom Velvet Cushions

Choosing to focus on what matters most

Finding a good plumber is like finding a good hairdresser

Does lemon juice get rid of mould?

Five smells I can’t stand as a plumber

Forget the interior of your home, how is the interior of your heart?

Rebecca Senyard

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