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Clean Hands and a Clean Home – Dettol Review & Giveaway

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
23

Sponsored Post

Congratulations Sandy Horsfall you’re the winner of the Dettol Pack.

Dad and I would often joke about having shares in Dettol. You see we had a habit of cleaning our hands with Dettol hand sanitiser after each and every maintenance job. We would remind each other to wash our hands as soon as we got into the ute. Sometimes we would douse our hands twice to make sure they were really clean – especially after a nasty job like disconnecting a toilet.

If either of us got a cut on our hands, we would rub some sanitiser over it which would sting like hell, but it assured us that it would kill any bacteria in the cut.

Nowadays, I use my hand sanitizer when I’m out and about with my girls whether cleaning their hands after playing on a playground or before they eat something if there is nowhere close by to wash their hands. I use it after every nappy change because most times the parent rooms aren’t always stocked with soap in the dispenser. I hate that.

At home, I am a bit anal about hand washing mainly because we have a dog and sometimes (actually most times) I’m not always sure where the girls’ hands have been. I have sometimes found Magdalene plunging the toilet brush down the toilet bowl hoping she hasn’t touched the other end of the stick before plunging. I have heard too many mums relaying tales of toddlers trying to brush their teeth with the toilet brush… makes me want to reach for that sanitizer…

I’m very particular about hand hygiene. My hand-washes have to be anti-bacterial . I use Dettol anti-bacterial hand-wash in the bathrooms and kitchen. The only downside to using anti-bacterial hand wash is that it doesn’t have a fragrance that is pretty. It might just be me, but when I wash my hands I like them to smell nice and I like to occasionally be surprised by a new fragrance.

Sensitive hand hygiene

Dettol has released two new hand wash formulas – Sensitive anti-bacterial hand wash and Revitalise with Raspberry and Pomegranate.

Hand Hygiene

While it’s important keeping our hands clean, it’s equally important keeping surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen clean too. The Dettol Power and Pure multi-purpose spray is a convenient cleaner because like it says, it can be used on multiple surfaces and uses active oxygen to deep clean grotty areas and it doesn’t leave a chemical residue like some commercial cleaners I use.

I used to make my own cleaners but I found overtime they were leaving a residue and sometimes they wouldn’t clean off stains from my kitchen bench. Dettol Power and Pure does what it says with little scrubbing.

Dettol Works

The Power and Pure comes in a trigger spray form or in a wipe form. Lately wipes have been a savior to me because if I need to clean a mess, I can quickly clean it up using a wipe. Dettol makes it easy for me to have clean hands and a clean home.

Dettol is kindly letting me giveaway one pack of their products.

1x Dettol Revitalise Antibacterial Hand wash with Raspberry and Pomegranate

1x Dettol Sensitive Antibacterial Hand wash

1x Dettol Power & Pure Triggers Spray

To enter the giveaway, please follow The Plumbette in some way whether following via Facebook, Twitter or signing up to my newsletter and then answer this question: Tell me a situation where you wish you had some santiser on hand to clean your hands? The most funny and creative answer will win the prize pack.

This is post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy. I was sent 2 packs of wipes, 2 hand washes and a trigger spray for the purpose of this review.

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 is one prize: One Pack of Dettol Products which includes 1x Dettol Revitalise Antibacterial Hand wash with Raspberry and Pomegranate, 1x Dettol Sensitive Antibacterial Hand wash, 1x Dettol Power & Pure Triggers Spray.

3.Entries open from Tuesday 21st October 2014 6am Brisbane Time to Tuesday 28th October 2014 6pm Brisbane Time.

4.Prize is not transferable or changeable

5.Prize sent out by the third party 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 an 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 winner 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.

 

The Myer Giftorium Experience PLUS a Giveaway

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
38

Have you ever watched a Christmas Movie and wished your shopping experience was like what was portrayed on the screen? Fun, festive and magical are the words that come to mind when I watch such scenes from Christmas movies. In reality Christmas shopping can be stressful and not so festive when trying to fight for the last car park space or dealing with long lines at the cashier. Hello online shopping where I can buy gifts with the click of a mouse.

But online shopping isn’t very festive either and it certainly missed the Christmas buzz that I love to feel in shopping centres.

Myer wants to change this and bring back that festive and magical spirit to Christmas shopping with their new concept store called the Giftorium. On Friday, I was invited to an exclusive event where my girls and I could experience Christmas shopping at a whole new level. I brought my mum along to help me wrangle the kids. Thank goodness for the extra set of hands and eyes because my girls were in Christmas Wonderland. What Myer created as an experience for the buyer on Friday beats internet shopping hands down. But for those that don’t live near a Myer, they will also offer a Giftorium experience online too with a microsite.

The Christmas Shop Giftorium

tree

The Giftorium offers a vast selection of gifts for every type of person presenting 12 themes for gifting ideas. It’s the place to go if you have to purchase gifts for those family members who have everything or are hard to buy for. If you still find yourself procrastinating over which gift to buy, you can book in a Personalised Shopping Experience where expertly trained Gifticians and Producticians can assist with your shopping list.

Giftician

decorations

Giftorium will be available in all 67 Myer stores around Australia. In the city stores of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, Giftorium will include pop-up shops from a selection of brands including Bonds, Dilmah Teas and Mr Men and Little Miss which is where this print was made.

Little Miss

On the weekends there will be Roving Treat Street assistants at the city stores and product demonstrations and merchandise offerings to add to the Christmas Shopping Experience.

Myer Giftorium Balloon Making

Girl Toys

Eating Whizz fizz

Giftorium will officially launch on Saturday 8th November with activities in all Myer stores. The activities include children’s face painting, balloon artists, musical performances, Christmas tree and table dressing demostrations, appearances from children’s characters, cosmetic workshops and children’s Christmas book readings.

I can’t wait to go again to not only show Jacob, but allow the girls to experience the magic again in the lead up to Christmas. It makes for a fun outing with the family. We will most likely make an afternoon of it by visiting Giftorium on a Saturday afternoon and then head to the Queen St Mall to see the Brisbane Parade and Pantomime. This year the Brisbane Pantomime and Parade will start from Friday 12th December until Sunday 21st December.

As a way to celebrate the launch of Giftorium and because I’ve had a head start with the Christmas spirit I’m giving away TWO $50 Myer Vouchers so you can indulge in the Myer Giftorium experience for yourself. You will need to enter via Rafflecopter and tell me in the comments section your most magical Christmas experience.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: Thank you to Kids Business and Myer for a memorable morning. I was given a gift bag, Sodastream and $50 Giftorium voucher for attending.

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 two $50 Myer Gift Card Prizes.

3.Entries open from Monday 20th October 2014 6am Brisbane time to Friday 31st October 2014 6pm Brisbane time

4.Prize is not transferable or changeable

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

6.Entry is via Rafflecotper and leaving a comment or sending an 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 winner 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.

 

First Job Woes

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
4

Have you ever held a job that you hated going to? Or ever been in a situation similar to Andy in the Devil Wears Prada?

I have. I hated my first job, yet it was a great learning curve because it taught me that job satisfaction and a good work environment is so important when looking for a career.

I should have listened to my gut when I had my interview. I felt uneasy about the woman opposite me who was going to be my future boss and I should have listened to the alarm bells when she asked me for my star sign. When I told her I thought I was a cancer she told me my flaws based on that star sign.

I was offered the job straight after my interview (obviously she could live with my flaws!) and was told to stay back to do some administration work. It was around 5 o’clock in the afternoon and I knew my mum had made a special family dinner for Christmas (I got the job a week before Chrismas Day). When I explained this to my new boss she seemed undeterred. I had to ring my mum and explain I had got the job but had to start straight away.

I didn’t leave until a couple of hours later. I was excited that I had got my first job but also scared about what I was expected to do.

I have never worked in such a horrible work environment as that first job. The moral was so low the staff walked on egg shells around my boss. There was a high staff turnover and my boss’s husband who worked in the company rarely talked to his wife. It was definitely not a nice place to work at.

The interior of the office was very grey and the office furniture and décor was based on Feng Shui – to keep out evil spirits, but I believe her efforts invited them in because weird stuff happened when I was at work that made my hair stand up on end.

After three weeks I broke down to my mum about how awful my job was. The day before my break down I had received the terms of my employment and my work title had changed from what I had been interviewed for. I realized that this wasn’t the job for me, but I didn’t know how to get out of it. Mum told me I just had to resign and no one was forcing me to go back and I hadn’t signed anything.

I typed up a letter explaining I did not wish to accept the new employment contract as it was different to what was advertised on the job search website. I also added my ten cents worth about the workplace being a godforsaken environment and how disappointed I was in her work ethic to which my mum told me to delete and leave out all the emotional details.

The next morning my mum drove me to the office on Roberstson Street in Fortitude Valley and I was so nervous. I prayed that my boss had slept in so I wouldn’t have to hand my resignation letter to her. It seemed so gutless but I was scared.

My prayers were answered because when I walked into the office, my boss had apparently slept in so I handed in my resignation letter to the receptionist who knew exactly how I felt. She and had been looking for a new job herself and she’d only been with the company for a couple of months.

I remember the relief that washed over me when mum and I drove away and we met my dad for a coffee to sort of celebrate my resignation.

My mum suggested I go with them on their overseas trip to Europe with my brother, but I refused because I really wanted to get another job and knew that going overseas wasn’t going to help with my job situation. I was still living at home and had no expenses so there was no financial pressure to get a job. But I just wanted to start earning money to save for a house deposit and get a head start on adult life.

While my parents and brother were away overseas I had numerous interviews and got offered two jobs in one day. I took the higher paying job which sounded more stable and was a lot closer to home.

The work environment at that job was sooo much nicer than what I had experienced previously despite it being flooded with truck drivers who used a lot of profanity, using words that rhyme with truck and ship.

Those first job woes taught me a lesson that if you’re not happy with something, change it. I persevered for 3 weeks because I believed my perseverance would help me prosper, but it only made me more miserable and it really affected my outlook on life.

I hated Monday’s when I was at my first job, but when I got my second job I couldn’t wait for Monday to arrive because I enjoyed what I did and had lovely ladies to work with.

What I experienced in my first job makes me appreciate the bad days at home with my kids. It’s not until you have a bad experience that you realize how good life can be once you’ve been through it.

To this day, I still don’t like heading down to James Street at Fortitude Valley because of those bad memories. I still get the heebie jeebies if I drive past that office on Roberston Street.

Have you ever had a bad job experience? What did you do to make it better?

Five low budget Work Christmas Party ideas

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
12

Sponsored Post

Every year in October I would start to think about ideas for my work Christmas parties. I’ve only ever worked in an office with a small amount of staff, so there was no need to book a venue to cater for a large amount of people.

Organising the staff Christmas party when I worked in transport would give me a headache every year because it was all about budget and finding a place locally that was BYO drinks or alcohol friendly. I found it difficult to keep everyone happy.

When I started working for my dad in our plumbing business, I took over the job of booking our annual Christmas party at the Breakfast Creek Hotel. Steak and beer would keep our plumbers happy. It was the easiest Christmas party to organise because it was the same venue every year and a small table to seat 20 plumbers. I would often hold our Christmas party on a week night as opposed to a weekend mainly so we could get a table and to avoid our plumbers hitting the grog too hard as usually they would have to show up to work the next day.

Since the GFC, a number of companies haven’t allowed for a Christmas party in their budget but there are some low cost ways of holding an end of year celebration without it costing a fortune.

Here are Five Low Budget Work Christmas Party Ideas

  1. Organise a Christmas picnic. Find a centrally located park for all to attend and get everyone to bring a salad or dessert to share. Get the company or social club to provide the meat.
  2. Buy a BBQ from Barbeques Galore and hold an in house BBQ Christmas party. The BBQ is a good investment for future functions at the office as well.
  3. Dinners can be expensive, so why not hold the Christmas party at breakfast or lunch?
  4. Hold the Christmas Party at a staff member’s home. Jacob’s work party was held in a staff member’s backyard last year and when I worked in transport, the staff Christmas party was held at my manager’s house one year.
  5. Rather than book a high end restaurant or bar, support a local restaurant. Local restaurants can create a menu that caters for your budget and they would appreciate the business.

This year I have no Christmas Party to organise. Instead I will just attend my husband’s work Christmas Party. I’ve found the most relaxing parties have been the most fun to attend. At the end of the day, it’s just a celebration of another year and a great way to acknowledge the hard work staff have put in throughout the year.

Have you ever had to organise a work Christmas party? What was the best Christmas Party you’ve ever been to?

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

Not all lunch box packet food is junk #snackosphere Healtheries & Voices of 2014

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
17

A week and a half ago, our church held an all day festival for kids called Kidsfest. Three year olds and up could attend and little siblings could also tag along as long as they stayed with the supervising parent.

There was face painting, games, an animal farm, rock climbing, a mini church service, girly tea party area, fairy floss, jumping castles and a variety of activities for the kids to busy themselves with.

Tea Party Magdalene

Esther Face Painted

Magdalene Face Painted

I had to go to a meeting in the city with Phoebe, so I got Jacob to have the day off to be with the girls. We were told to pack a lunch box for the kids as there would only be party food available for sale.

I knew it was going to be hot, and I didn’t think we would be out all day because Magdalene needs her day nap.

Jacob packed a lunch box with 2 sandwiches, 2 muesli bars, and 2 packets of Healtheries Potato Curls. It was going to be a hot day and the activities were held outside. I didn’t want anything  in the lunch box that could go off or need refrigeration. Because it was mid week our fruit situation was looking dire so I was glad to have healthy chips in the food selection for that day.

Still eating Healtheries

Not all lunch box packet food is junk so I have learned after reading the back of the Healtheries packets. Healtheries Potato Curls are a game changer in the #snackosphere because they have 70% less fat than regular potato chips,  are low sugar, have no added MSG or Palm Oil, have no artificial colours or flavours and are conveniently portion controlled served in a single packet.

I received a box of Healtheries snacks to review as part of the Kidspot Voices of 2014 blog post challenge and I couldn’t have received them at a better time.

Eating Chips

Being a busy mum to a baby and young children, it’s easy to give a packaged snack as opposed to something healthier like fruit or cheese as that often needs to be cut up. Eating healthy requires organization and a changed mindset. But Healtheries makes it easy and offers an alternative to the normal packaged food that is high in fat and sugar.

Do your kids love packaged food like mine do? What do you put in their lunch box?

Disclosure: This is my first entry into the Kidspot Voices of 2014 #snackosphere challenge.  As part of the challenge, I was sent a box of Healtheries chips to try and review.  I have two more product posts to share. All opinions are my own.

When a risk doesn’t pull off – The Block Glasshouse

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
16

We’re encouraged to take risks to get out of our comfort zone. If we don’t risk anything, we risk even more. There’s an expectation that taking a risk will reap a rewarding benefit.

But what happens when a risk doesn’t pull off the results we expect?

The Block Glasshouse is the perfect example of a risk not paying off. For the viewer it was a shock reminder that reality TV doesn’t have happy endings. For the contestants it was a kick to the stomach that sometimes hard work and sacrifice don’t bring in the same results for everyone.

Many would argue that that is life and how fickle the property market can be. But I still feel sad for Dee & Darren, Maxine & Karstan and Carlene & Michael. Three months of hard work and being away from their family for a small amount of money is gut wrenchingly sad. It wasn’t the ending I wanted for these three couples.

Yet they all took a risk to work on a show that has for the past two seasons seen impressive winnings from previous teams. I’m sure there was a high expectation to walk away with a large amount of money that would change their personal circumstances. Unfortunately the risk didn’t pay off.

So what do you do when a risk doesn’t fulfil or bring in the results you had originally wished to achieve?

Well firstly, from experience, be humble and be kind to yourself. Learn from what went wrong and don’t blame yourself if the outcome was controlled by outside forces. If the outcome was in your control, what could you do next time to avoid the same result?

The next step is to not blame anyone else. We all know what we’re getting into the moment we take a risk. Blaming someone else for our misfortune is immature and arrogant.

The last step is to not allow the results prevent us from taking another risk. We learn a lot from the the first failed attempt. Draw on that knowledge when taking another risk.

Property and design is always valued in the eye of the beholder. Maybe the reserves were too high, maybe the real estate agents and auctioneers didn’t do a good job in getting buyers to the auction. What I do know is that all of those couples walked away learning that there is no easy way to make a dollar in property and that renovating is hard work.

The outcome should never be the reason why we take a risk. Our motivation should be for change and to answer that lingering question ‘what if?’

When was the last time you took a risk? How did it go? Were you shocked by The Block results on Sunday night?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The last 3 months

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
24

Tomorrow my gorgeous Phoebe turns 3 months old. I feel like she has been with us forever. Why does the time fly so fast when they’re little?

Phoebe 3 months

Settling with three girls hasn’t been easy peasy, but it hasn’t been hard either. I can count on one hand the times I’ve cried and usually those times have been when I have been overwhelmed by three girls needing my attention at once and me at my upmost capacity because I’m tired.

I remember when I was pregnant with Phoebe, wrangling Esther and carrying Magdalene at our local Shopping Centre and I had two random women say to me you’re going to have your hands full. I felt like I was told that all the time because of the close age gap that would be between Magdalene and Phoebe. I was scared that I might not cope. I heard having a third child was a game changer.

But coped I have. I love it. The game has changed but for the better. Having three girls has forced me to look at life differently. I used to look at life through dollar signs. How much were kids going to cost me? How much do I need to earn to make ends meet? How can we maintain our lifestyle if we add another child to our even numbered family?

I would have discussions with friends about why 2 children was the perfect number. But falling pregnant with Phoebe made me look at life a different way.

sister cuddles

I stopped thinking about the lack of money and started counting the blessings.

It wasn’t easy. Making ends meet since I stopped work has sometimes been difficult. I may have to share a blogpost or two on how we have survived. How we continue to survive.

It is true though that the moment your baby is put on your chest, all worldly worries disappear. For that first week at least.

And then I arrived home in a daze and fog of exhaustion.

It really helped having Jacob home for the first 7 weeks. I was able to do some blogging while Phoebe slept and Jacob played with Esther and Magdalene. I got to have naps or choose not to if I didn’t feel tired (which was rare). Those 7 weeks flew like a blur. It took Phoebe a month to work out how to sleep at night as opposed to all day.

And then after 1 month, we started getting our first smiles. Esther and Magdalene loved their new baby sister and Jacob and I couldn’t believe how blessed we were with three gorgeous girls.

Phoebe Smiles

Going to the shops was easy when Jacob was home during the week. I would put Phoebe into her new 3 Wheel Stroller gifted by Dorel Australia (a review is soon to come) and the older two would be put in a trolley or our double seat pram.

Now that Jacob is at work, I don’t go to the shops unless I meet with my mum or grandparents because of the mobile transport situation.

I attempted to go to the shops with all three to get a present for Father’s day and it lasted 10 minutes.

I had Phoebe in the Baby Bjorn, and put the older two into the trolley. Phoebe cried the whole time in the Bjorn, Magdalene and Esther decided to fight in the trolley so I took Esther out. Magdalene then tried to open the box of chocolates for Father’s Day and Esther wanted to go look at the toys and wouldn’t stop nagging me until we headed that way. I realized that taking all three by myself without the right pram was a bad idea. So I bought what we needed and headed home.

Once Phoebe is 6 months old and I have Esther in Kindy next year, going to the shops will be a breeze as I will just have the two kids with me. I know it will get easier when they are older.

All three are happy and busy playing at the same time!
All three are happy and busy playing at the same time!

But for now I’ve made peace that for this short season of life, we will bunker home and play and bake and draw and create a mess. I’ve done online shopping and don’t feel like I’m missing out on life at all. We have two trips out a week. One where were meet my mum and my grandparents at a local Shopping Centre and have morning tea. The other is when I go to Sisterhood at my church on Thursday mornings.

Phoebe was eyeing my grandpa at a recent outing to the shops.
Phoebe was eyeing my grandpa at a recent outing to the shops.

I get at least one plumbing call a week. Yesterday I got three in a row and I let them all go straight to message bank and texted a message with details of a plumber who could help them. That feeling of letting clients down has slowly started to disappear now that my purpose is quite evident with our new family scenario.

3 months in, looking after a baby, 20 month old and 4 year old is a blessed responsibility. I wish I could go back to those ladies in the Shopping Centre and tell them that yes, my hands are full, but so is my heart.

Sister pile up on mummy
Sister pile up on mummy

What was the perfect number of children in your mind when you thought about starting a family? How did you cope adding an extra sibling to the mix of your family?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for Flog yo blog Friday.

True Detective Review & Giveaway

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
35

Whenever I hire out a movie, Jacob comments on how girly, deep, dark or terrible the storyline is. I have been known to choose some doozies over the years. Sometimes this can be frustrating because when you have time to view a movie while the kids are in bed, you want it to be good and enjoyable.

Our usual DVD hire shop was shut down a while ago and we haven’t actively sought out another way to hire DVDs. When I was approached by Warner Bros to review and giveaway True Detective, I was keen to watch something a bit different. When I looked at the cover of the DVD, it reminded me of Heartbeat. It is nothing like Heartbeat. They are not in the same league at all.

I enjoy watching shows like CSI, Bones and any type of crime detective shows so long as they aren’t too deep or emotionally involved. Jacob and I used to watch Criminal Minds together but we stopped recently because the cases started to get a bit disturbing.

True Detective is very similar to Criminal Minds. The TV series is set in two time zones 1995 and 2012. The storyline revolves around two detectives Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) and Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) who are partners in Louisana’s Criminal Investigation Division. In 1995 they are assigned to solve a terrible murder which leaves symbolic and cult like evidence at the crime scene.

The series starts in the present day 2012 where Hart and Cohle are interviewed separately about working together in 1995 to solve the murder case. The reason they are being investigated themselves is because a new murder has occurred in the present day that is similar to the murder case that had been solved by Hart and Cohle all those years earlier.

Interweaved through the investigation of these disturbing murder cases, which are done to missing children, we are given information about the personal lives of the detectives. Their lives outside of work entwine unexpectedly and they battle issues which add more emotional involvement from the viewer into the story.

There is strong violence, sex scenes, drug use and a lot of coarse language in this TV series. Viewing this series opened my eyes a little more to a dark world. When you’re a parent of little kids, the crimes described in this TV series were horrifying.

And yet there were parts that I enjoyed watching like the interesting and underlying comradery between Hart and Cohle. Despite their personal issues, they both were men with good hearts that wanted to find justice for the victims, sometimes not doing it the lawful way.

Matthew McConaughey plays his character superbly. When I think of McConaughey I think of romantic movies like How to lose a guy in 10 days, The Wedding Planner and Ghosts of Girlfriends past. In True Detective, he plays the role of a smart but troubled, slightly haunted detective. He suffers from hallucinations and has no belief in religion or God because of his personal tragedies with the death of his two year old daughter and the disintegration of his marriage. He had also previously been undercover and been exposed to drugs which explained why he was so deeply troubled. But he was also intuitive.

After viewing the whole series, Jacob and I discussed how important it is to put family first when it comes to juggling work and not put ourselves in a position to be intimate with someone outside our marriage.

We watched it once our girls were in bed and it took us a week to get through the series. I’m kind of intrigued and tempted to know what happens in season two.

As part of this review, Warner Bros has kindly given me a Blu-ray copy to give away to one lucky reader.

To enter the giveaway, tell me what you favourite movie with Matthew McConaughey is and why.

The most interesting and creative answer will win the DVD. Please note it is a Blu-ray copy, so you will need a Blu-ray DVD player to watch it.

Terms and Conditions

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

 

  1. There is one prize: One $49.95 True Detective Blu-ray DVD.

 

  1. Entries open from Tuesday 7th October 2014 6am Brisbane Time to Tuesday 14th October 2014 6pm Brisbane Time.

 

  1. Prize is not transferable or changeable

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  1. The winner 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.

 

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

 

  1. These terms and conditions are subject to change at anytime without notice

The Plumbette received a copy of True Detective for the purpose of this giveaway and financial compensation. As always, all opinions are my own. This post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

 

Another Smart Beauty Product for Tired Mums – Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
6

There are nights where I don’t get much sleep because I’m up with this little one.

Woken Up

Being a mum to three young children can be taxing on my body and it can show on my skin. Deep blue circles under my eyes don’t lie about how much sleep I got the night before.

Most mornings I’m woken by my two older princesses demanding where is their breakfast?

Princesses1

My husband often ushers them out of our bedroom so I can wake up and get myself ready for the day.

I don’t have much time to make myself look pretty so I have a shower, get dressed and reach for my Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream.

bbcream

The bottle says Miracle Skin Perfecter. But to me it’s another smart beauty product for tired mums like myself who don’t want to appear worse for wear.

I usually smear a bit underneath my eyes to act as a concealer and while I wait for it to ‘sink’ in I brush my hair.

concealer

I then squirt some more into my hand and apply it all over my face.

smeared

And then I’m done.

All ready

My beauty routine is so quick these days, I’m sometimes out of the bathroom before my husband!

I’ve been using the Garnier BB cream since I first knew about BB creams. It has SPF UV 15 Protection and provides 24 hour intense moisture. The best part of all is that once you wash your face, you can apply this product straight after, eliminating the need to apply a moisturizer and foundation. It retails for $13.95 at supermarkets and pharmacies which are sadly my go to places when needing to escape from my kids.

What beauty product would you be lost without as a mum?

Disclosure: This is my second entry into the Kidspot Voices of 2014 #innovativebeauty challenge.  As part of the challenge, I was sent four Garnier Products to try and review.  I have one more product post to share. All opinions are my own.

Whose story is written on your heart?

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
7

As passing days dissolve into weeks and weeks multiply into months, I’m finding life is travelling like a bullet train. Especially when it comes to mothering three children.

It’s a juggle parenting three under four and I’ve coped quite well with the change. But I have my days and my moments where I get overwhelmed with the responsibility of nurturing my children and project managing the housework and this blog.

One thing that has been hard for me to accept is the sacrifice of time towards my own pursuits and a surrendering of my will as I mother these three little girls. This doesn’t mean I need to put myself last on the list when it comes to meeting my own entrepreneurial desires. It simply means parenting my children comes first and prioritizing time when my children don’t need me to do those things my heart desires.

Children are a blessing. I believe this with all my heart, but with that blessing comes responsibility. Parenting well means I need to not only be present in my children’s lives, but attentive to what they do and share. I need to be intentional when spending quality time with my cherubs. This can be difficult when you have a baby that requires more attention.

Naturally I have been pondering on my current pursuits with The Plumbette and Styled by Bec. I only do what I can manage, and sometimes what I manage isn’t always up to the standard that I’d like. But I’m still doing something to keep both balls rolling.

On Thursday mornings I go to Sisterhood which is a weekly uplifting women’s event at my church. I refuse to call it women’s ministry because that term has a stigma of lovey doveyness. I don’t do lovey dovey. But I do do real and I go because the worship and speakers minister to my heart and soul. There is also a children’s program which means Esther and Magdalene are looked after for a couple of hours. They love going as do I.

Anyway as I drove my girls to Sisterhood on Thursday morning I listened to a song by Francesca Battistelli called Write your story.

The song has been a source of encouragement to me. That my life should be an open book because God wants to write on the pages of my heart.

What I’ve been pondering though while I’m being a mum and blogging and styling is this: Is God holding the pen to write the story of my life? And has God been the author of the previous pages in my book?

I know that He has written most of the pages of my book, but there are some pages where I grabbed hold of the pen to change the storyline.

And this simple grabbing of the pen reveals my issue with surrender. Surrendering my will to His because I know that His will is best, but I like to hold the pen from time to time because I sometimes think I can make the story a bit better. Ironically, my holding the pen makes the story predictable and can change the plot to include dangerous or hurtful scenarios that weren’t part of the story in the first place.

So my questions are these: Whose story is written on your heart?

Does God hold the pen and is He actively writing your story or are you writing and trying to erase as you go?

If you were an open book what story would we read?

If there are pages you wished were erased from your story, it might be time to start a new chapter and hand over the pen.

New Life with God1
 

 

Dealing with Pregnancy as a Plumber

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
16

Sponsored Post

The first day I returned to work after my trip to the UK back in 2009, I knew I wasn’t quite right. I was very tired and had terrible tummy cramps. I found it really hard to wake up at 5am and felt weak and unmotivated to work. This was unusual because mornings are when I’m at my best. I put it down to jet lag and getting over food poisoning which had me stay 1 night in hospital in London.

Except, the jet lag and tummy cramps were relentless after a couple of weeks. Something was up. I remember working with dad to disconnect a floor of bathrooms ready for refurb and I struggled to undo the basin bottle traps and disconnect the water services.

A week later a pregnancy test confirmed that I was pregnant with Esther. I remember the range of emotions I felt. It unexpected and didn’t feel like the best timing as bub was due right in the middle of when my parents would be overseas and I would have to look after our plumbing business. We had also just spent most of our savings on our recent trip overseas. But I was also excited. Jacob and I were going to become parents.

The spewing started when I was around 6 weeks pregnant. Dad had a dedicated ice cream bowl or two in the ute for my use. I still remember getting up early one morning as dad and I had to go down to the Gold Coast for a job. I threw up breakfast just as dad arrived to pick me up at 5:30am. I knew I needed to have something in my tummy for the trip down or else I’d be heaving while travelling on the M1 to Southport so I grabbed a banana.

The banana came back up and my poor dad had to smell the vomit while he drove us down to the coast. When we arrived at the newly built building where we had to work, all the taps were anti-vandal, water saving hose taps. Lucky we were plumbers and knew how to turn the tap on so I could rinse my spew bucket.

The next thing I had to deal with was clothing. My pants were getting tighter and tighter and I needed to invest in some maternity pants asap.

I got dad to drive me to the northside of Brisbane where I had seen a maternity clothes store when we would go to pick up fixtures from a bathroom supplier at The Gap.

It was a crap place to park with a ute, so dad dropped me on the footpath. I was a woman on a mission as I had recently finished my Diploma in Fashion Styling. I bought 2 maternity dresses, 2 pairs of maternity cargo pants, 1 pair of jeans and 1 bamboo skirt. It all fit in one bag and cost me over $700 (from memory).

When I got back in the truck and told my dad how much I had spent, he couldn’t believe it. In a way I couldn’t either. I wished I had known about Maternity Sale online as I would have saved so much money.

Sadly, those cargo pants didn’t last me for all three of my pregnancies. When I was pregnant with Magdalene, both of the cargo pants split at the crotch when I bent down to turn off some water meters. Thankfully my XXL King Gee shirt was long enough to hide the evidence of an open crotch.

I stopped being active on the tools at 26 weeks. I had had a scare with Esther that made me be more careful at work. Plumbers bend and crouch a lot. The crouching is good exercise for birth, the bending was not good for my bump or back.

I would often joke that being pregnant and a plumber was ideal as there was always a toilet nearby to spew in. Thankfully my morning sickness would ease at the half way mark.

Dealing with pregnancy as a plumber isn’t easy, but it can be done. I just had to remember I couldn’t do as much as I could pre-pregnancy and most nights I was in bed fairly early because of the exhaustion. It was hard work growing a baby and fixing leaking toilets.

How about you? Where did you go to buy maternity clothes? Ever ripped the crotch of your pants by bending over?

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

 

My wife the tradie

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
22

This is a guest post from my husband Jacob. I asked him to write a post to help me out while I enjoy my time with Phoebe. Some of you got to meet him at Problogger. Here’s your chance to meet him online.

A formal hello from Mr Plumbette. I’m not often called Mr, but I’ve recently taken charge of our office tuck shop so now I’ve inherited the title of Mr Tuck Shop.

Some of you have seen me through various photos Bec has shared online. Bec got me to write a post about what it’s like being married to a female tradie.

I get such a kick when I tell someone for the first time what Bec does for a job. To see that instant shock usually followed by positive comments on how awesome that is. I then proceed to rattle off all the other things Bec has her hand in which continues the sense of shock. It must be the sense of pride that I can’t stop talking about what she does.

I guess you could say our jobs are a reverse on traditions as I work in an office, but in saying that, at home I focus on the outside work and Bec focuses on the inside. But as most of you know, when you have kids, not everything goes to plan so the inside really needs to be a joint effort.

I must say it’s been rather handy having a plumber at home being able to fix our plumbing issues or confidently dealing with other tradespeople that come to our house to do other maintenance.

It’s also cool to come home and hear of her days as she would detail the challenges and funny moments she encountered during the day.

Now that Bec is at home with our girls, it’s been less plumbing stories and more about what the girls have been up to.

Some of the hardest times I’ve had as a supporting husband was when she went through Tafe for the simple fact that I was helpless. I couldn’t go fix the problems she was struggling with as all good men try to do – fix the problem. (I saw a Youtube clip recently which portrays it perfectly).

In the end I’m glad I didn’t intervene because Bec emerged at the other end stronger. She has greater self-confidence, a great sense of inner courage and a determination to rival anyone which has been reflected in the industry awards she has won.

The most asked question I’ve been asked recently after telling people we’ve had our third girl is ‘Are you going to try for a boy?’ My answer is that we are happy with three. Part of me would love to have a boy (the whole leaving a legacy through my name) but when you consider the cost of lifestyle, schooling and the fact you already have 3 healthy kids, I can confidently say I’m a content man. And with Bec as my wife, why wouldn’t I want to have all girls with such an inspiring mum.

So in finishing, I say thanks for reading and supporting Bec with her blog as this community means a lot to her. It’s an honour being married to Bec (We have our 10 year wedding anniversary next year) and supporting her with her endeavours both now and in the future.

Does your partner work in a non-stereotypical job? How does it work with your family life?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

 

Choose to join in

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
12

On Friday afternoon I had Phoebe asleep in the swing and Esther and Magdalene were watching a program on tv. I thought it was the perfect time to shred a big pile of paperwork that needed to be disposed of securely.

The moment I put the shredder on, both girls stopped watching the tv and came over to ask me what I was doing. They thought it was fascinating and loved watching the documents shred into strips of paper through the viewing window. I had a few trips to the recycling bin as I had a lot of shredded paper to get rid of.

Once I finished, I left the shredder bin full of paper to go get a drink of water and before I knew it the bin was emptied and the floor was covered in shredded paper.

paper everywhere

shredded paper everywhere

They started to throw the paper in the air and scream with delight as they rolled around on the floor.

Sitting in paper

I had a choice. In that moment I could have yelled at them for making such a huge mess and to clean it up… or join them and have some fun.

I chose the latter and got in amongst the paper. I was able to grab my phone to take some pictures of their joy and to act as a reminder that messy play can be real fun.

Sitting in paper 2

lying in paper

We always have a choice and sometimes – maybe most times we should choose to join in. I’m glad I did. 

When was the last time you joined your kids with their messy shenanigans?

 

 

It’s the way it shatters that matters – What type of glass should be used in bathrooms?

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
8

I had this blog post written in my archives as a draft and I never published it because I found more interesting things to blog about. Until now.

A well-known blogger in the community that I follow had a terrifying incident where the shower screen shattered over top of her after using the shower.

It’s a very rare occurrence that shower screens shatter or explode. The Australian Standards state that shower screens, glass doors and any kind of glass in the bathroom must be strengthened or tempered glass.

Plumbers don’t usually install shower screens. Usually the builder or a glass specialist installs the shower screens. If a shower cubicle is installed, usually the plumber and builder install it together.

I didn’t know about the standard regarding glass in bathrooms until Dad and I had a mishap in a client’s bathroom.

Years ago a client supplied their own vanity unit that dad and I had to hook up in a newly finished bathroom reno. While putting the vanity in place, the glass window in the vanity cupboard door smashed into jagged pieces and sprayed on the floor. We felt bad, but also knew that it must have been cheap glass to have not withstood moving the vanity into place.

A glazier was called and he immediately said that the glass in the vanity wasn’t up to Australian standards and shouldn’t have shattered like that. The glass should have been toughened or tempered glass. Toughened glass can chip and if broken will shatter into blunt like granules, but normal glass breaks into sharp shards, and this can be dangerous in a wet area like the bathroom. For this reason, shower screens and any type of glass in the bathroom must be toughened/tempered glass.

This means that if the shower screen shatters, it stays in place and doesn’t fall like rain over someone. Unfortunately frameless shower screens will spray everywhere. It’s the way it shatters that matters.

To avoid having a shower screen shatter, make sure there is ample room in the shower to wash oneself without hitting or bumping the shower screen. Get any chips in the screen fixed immediately to avoid the whole shower screen from shattering.

Always use a reputable glazier or shower screen installer to install the shower screens.

Choose thicker glass as opposed to the thinnest (your glass specialist can explain and show you what meets the code) or avoid glass screens altogether and design a shower that doesn’t require them.

Do you have glass shower screens in your bathroom? Ever been near a window or glass screen when it’s shattered? (It’s very frightening when it happens.)

I’m linking up with With Some Grace fro Flog yo Blog Friday.

 

 

 

Guest Post from Mum on Fire – My Tradie Hubby

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
10

Back when I was pregnant with Phoebe, I asked for some help with guest posts because I wasn’t sure how I would keep blogging with a newborn and two little ones to look after.

Well, it turns out you make time for the things you love. I love blogging and have been able to maintain posting a few posts a week. The only time I get to blog now is between 8-10pm at night after I’ve successfully settled Phoebe to sleep.

Nevertheless I wanted to feature a guest post from a new blogger on the scene. Trea from Mum on Fire blogs when she can because she is a full time mother to two little girls and is married to an electrician. I asked Trea what it’s like to be married to a tradie. You can check out her blog Mum on Fire  and send some love her way via her Facebook page here. This is Trea’s post titled My Tradie Hubby.

 

I am married to a very spunky sparky and he is kinda awesome. But being married to a sparky was not quite what I thought it would be. I have to say I assumed all trades men could just do all trades. When a guy says “I’m a tradie” I hear, I can build stuff, fix stuff, do all manner of odd jobs around the house and probably fix your car too. But this is so not the case.

 

My husband, Chris,  can only make my lights work…that’s it….not really, he can do more than that, but not much more. I thought maybe he just could not be bothered doing other jobs but then the other day at the local hardware store I wanted some advice about waterproofing wood and the first guy clearly dressed as a tradie said “I know nothing about wood, I’m a plumber”, the next guy I asked was a cabinet maker and still had no clue and then I found a builder who said “I dunno, I just build houses”. I realised, ok so tradie does not mean useful and good at all manner of handy man things.

 

Having an electrician husband also means you will probably never get those power points you want in the hall. First because he does it all day and does not want to do it when he gets home and second everyone else you know wants him to put in power points (of course at mates rates) so mine are never going to happen. He also can’t necessarily fix something just because it has electricity in it. My mother-in-law asks Chris to look at the fridge, the iPod speakers and pretty much anything you plug in, assuming because it uses electricity he must be able to fix it. Well he can’t. The refrigerator repair man probably could though.

 

But being married to a tradie has some pretty awesome pros. Chris leaves home normally by 6 and is normally home by 3:30-4ish. These hours are just so awesome now that we have a young family, it means every day he is home to spend some quality time with the kids and help me do dinners and baths, a time that can be very stressful for any parent. It also allows me to sometimes head out and do things in the afternoon kids free. Something most mums never get to do.

 

Because being an electrician is a fairly physical job my man keeps in good shape without spending hours at a gym and because electricians use their hands and fine motor skills a lot he knows how to give a great massage, which is a skill I took full advantage of when I was pregnant. Sadly because of his trade his hands also feel like sandpaper but when you’re pregnant you will take what you can get.

 

I love that I have an electrician for a husband, sure it has it’s pros and cons but I think the pros well out way the cons when it comes to my man. Sure I wish he could build me a deck tomorrow and fix my shower but I am sure my friends wish their chippy hubbies could put in that aircon and fix those lights. I love my spunky sparky and although we don’t make millions every year I have a man who uses his hands and his brain and has time to be with his kids and wife not just on the weekends.

 

Is your partner a tradie? How do you find having a tradie in the family?

 

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT.

 

How to keep your office cleaner than a toilet seat

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
9

Sponsored Post

I read an interesting article on the Australian Geographic website explaining why your office is dirtier than your toilet.

It’s a pretty big claim to make. Whose toilet are they comparing an office to? I’ve seen some very stinky and gross toilets in my time.

But the article refers to toilets at the office as opposed to any old toilet because they get cleaned more often than the work desktops. Office workers rarely clean their desks and computer equipment which results in 400 times more bacteria than what is on a toilet seat. Scary stuff.

I would clean my keyboard, mouse and telephone with antibacterial wipes if I had been sick when I used to work in a commercial office, but that is not enough because dust mites and bacteria that float in the air can land on the desktop anytime.

Here are some ways on how to keep your office cleaner than a toilet seat

  • Clean your phone, keyboard, mouse, pens, anything your touch on your desk and the desktop itself with an antibacterial spray or wipes at least once a week.
  • Don’t eat lunch at your desk. Eat it in the dining area or outside.
  • Spray Air Conditioning vents with an antibacterial spray like Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Spray. The spray eradicates bacteria on the vents and in the air.
  • Hire a commercial cleaner like AMC Cleaning to do a thorough clean of the entire office once a week.
  • Stay home if you are sick and ask sick colleagues to do the same to avoid spreading germs around the office.
  • Ensure the soap dispenser is full each day in the toilets and put signs on the mirrors reminding colleagues to wash their hands after going to the toilet. 1 in 5 people don’t wash their hands after going to the toilet. If you have an office with more than 5 people, there may be more bacteria on your office equipment than you think.
  • Don’t forget to clean shared office equipment like photocopiers, laminators and filing cabinets.

Now that I work at home, the same principles apply with wiping down my desktop and computer. I also clean my iPhone as mobile phone screens are another neglected area we tend to forget to clean.

Tell me do you clean your desk at work or at home? When was the last time you cleaned your mobile phone?

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

A blog worth casing

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
7

Kirsty from My Home Truths tagged me in the Blogs Worth Casing Awards. This award was created by Ms Mystery Case as a way to find out more about our favourite bloggers. There is also a prize where each blog that links up could win 6 months of advertising on the Mystery Case site.

How do the Worth Casing Blog Awards work?

  • Answer the Five in Five questions via a blog post.
  • Link back or mention the blogger that nominated you.
  • Nominate and inform five of your favourite worth casing bloggers.
  • GRAB the Worth Casing Blog Award for your blog post.
  • Head to Mystery Case and link up your Five in Five posts.

So here are my answers to the Five in Five questions as my blog is a blog worth casing. Apparently. 🙂

  1. How long have you been blogging and why did you start?

I started blogging in November 2011, but I didn’t tell anyone about my blog until February 2012 so I count that as my anniversary month. I started my blog because I have written a book about how I became a plumber and thought starting a blog would help me get readers. The book is still a draft on my computer, but I’m still blogging away, enjoying the journey and the community that blogging has brought my way.

  1. If your wardrobe could talk what would it say about you and tell us about your favourite or most worn item?

My wardrobe has maternity clothes, post- pregnancy clothes and pre-baby clothes that I hope to one day fit into. The sizes range from 10 to 18. My wardrobe would tell you that I have been through three pregnancies in the last four years and my weight and style has fluctuated and changed a lot in that short amount of time. At the moment it’s in transition from maternity clothes to roomier clothes that fit around my tummy and wide hips. My most worn item of clothing at the moment would be my four nursing t-shirts that I have on rotation. My most favourite purchase this season is my cape. I love the colours and that I can chuck it over a t-shirt and look good.

  1. What’s your idea of the perfect date night?

A perfect date night would involve dinner with my husband at a new restaurant in the city. I would wear a new dress and Jacob would wear his new blazer that we bought a little while ago. We would then walk along the river at Southbank, maybe have a ride on the Brisbane Wheel. Then we would head to a hotel in the city for the night (because our girls would be sleeping over at their grandparents house)like the Sofitel or The Emporium at Fortitude Valley. And we would sleep in and have a huge buffet breakfast the next morning.

  1. What’s on your Worth Casing list?

Scarves and capes this season. They’re worth casing for me while I’m breastfeeding because I feel limited in the options of clothing to accommodate feeding. Finding on trend pieces that will fit me while I lose my baby weight is a win win for me. You can check out my styling journey on my fashion blog Styled by Bec.

I’d also like to case The Block. I love watching each series and seeing each renovated apartment unfold. How good were the ensuites tonight? I loved that wooden bath.

  1. If you had a theme song what would it be and why?

Pharrell Williams – Happy. Such a cliché because the song is played so much, but at the moment, I feel happy. I am enjoying the time spent at home with my girls. I have a lot to be thankful for. And when life becomes overwhelming, I just think of this song and I can’t not help but smile. My girls love dancing to it too.

Now for me to nominate 5 blogs in the Mystery Case Awards.

Here are the five bloggers I am casing:

Renee from Mummy Wife Me

Min from MinsMash

Zanni from My Little Sunshine House

Leanne from Lime and Mortar

Kirralee from Escape with Kids

Tell me, who are you reading a lot of lately? What are your favourite blogs at the moment?

Mystery Case

Don’t let the magpies win

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
9

On Monday, I woke up feeling motivated to go for a walk. My weight has plateaued since having Phoebe and I know that in order to lose the extra baby weight, I have to get moving and eat less junk.

I have 20kg that I need to lose and I know it will take me at least 18 months to slowly lose the weight. I’ve never been determined to get to my pre-baby weight in the quickest time possible after having each of my girls. I’ve always adopted the slow approach so it doesn’t affect my milk supply and so I don’t feel deprived with my diet because I can’t imagine not eating a bit of chocolate when managing a newborn.

Anyway, I had good intentions Monday morning to work up a small sweat. I got out the double pram and while Phoebe slept and Jacob got ready for work, I took Esther and Magdalene for a walk around our suburb.

The weather was glorious. A perfect Spring day, with blue skies and gorgeous sunshine. I was grateful that Phoebe was asleep so I could tear myself away to enjoy some exercise. Esther and Magdalene enjoyed it too, pointing out to flowers or letterboxes as I pushed them along.

It wasn’t until a quarter of the way into our walk that I saw birds. Lots of birds flying and swooping above me and then I thought ‘Crap, it’s Magpie season and I’m not wearing a hat!’ I thought about turning back home, but decided to pray and keep walking anyway.

That walking scenario got me thinking about life. How often do we set ourselves a goal, go about achieving it but somewhere along the journey we get a magpie that likes to swoop in and make us want to turn back or hesitate on the path that we are taking.

The magpies can be thoughts or doubts or even unsupportive comments from family and friends. Magpies come out from nowhere and take us by surprise. Their attack make us want to turn back to our comfort zone. But there is something even worse than being attacked by a magpie and that is thinking we’re going to be attacked by a magpie which then stops us starting on the journey to reach our goals altogether.

A magpie will always go to attack your head and it’s the same with the magpies of life. The criticisms and doubt will hit your heart first and then lead to your head because it is the voice of reason over your hearts desires. The brain and heart are meant to work together, but sometimes the mind likes to take over.

The best way to protect yourself from magpies is to protect your head and that can be as simple as refuting the criticism or physically thinking a new mindset so that when the magpie thought decides to swoop, it will be repelled.

Too many people get attacked by magpies, but they forget that the attacks are only for a season. Don’t let the magpies win. Don’t let them take away your determination.

I ended up finishing my walk with not one swoop from a magpie. My prayer worked. But next time I will be more prepared and wear a hat.

Have you ever been attacked by a magpie – whether a real scenario or as my analogy? How did you protect yourself?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for Flog Yo Blog Friday.

 

Flawless Floors: Choosing the right floor material for your home

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
12

Sponsored Post

The best part of building or renovating a house is choosing the materials and colours for your new home. But a lot of design novices get into trouble when it comes to choosing the right textures and colours for flooring in each room, so I decided to write a post about what to consider.

It often comes down to lifestyle, where you live and what your preference is when choosing floors. Some prefer timber floorboards, while others prefer tiles or carpet. Here is my checklist for choosing the right floor material for your home.

  • Do you own or will you come to own a dog or cat in the future? If pets are going to live inside the family home, you need to consider a flooring material that won’t scratch from their claws. It also needs to be hard wearing and easy to clean because pets can shed hair, bring in dirt and mud from outside or drip water from their ears and/or mouth when they have a drink. Tiles and lino would be the best floor choices for this scenario. Timber floorboards can work but you may need to clean and maintain them more often. Be prepared to live with scratches on the floor until they can get buffed out. A floorboard in a lighter colour won’t show the scratches as much as a dark or black floorboard will.

 

  • Are you going to start a family in this home? If yes, consider the toddler years when toys will be dumped or dragged along the floor. Your floor may also become a food and beverage buffet when their meals and snacks are thrown dropped on the floor. In this instance I would consider lino, but many prefer harder materials like tiles or floorboards in the main areas. In the bedrooms consider a hard wearing carpet as most toys are pulled off shelves in their room and carpet softens the sound and damage caused by dropping toys.

 

  • The bathroom and laundry are wet areas of the house so anti-slip tiles are the best material here. Some DIY renovators choose the wrong tile on the floor and this can be very dangerous when wet because they become slippery.

 

  • The main living areas and kitchen are the heart and soul of the home where everyone congregates together. It doesn’t matter which material you go for in these areas, but a plush carpet in the lounge room works well. It can add elegance and softness to a room that is used for conversation and relaxing in. Stainmaster offers a range of durable and easy to clean carpet choices to suit any living space in your home. Check out their carpet buying guide so you can choose what texture and colour will work best.

In my current home I have tiles in the bathroom and laundry areas, timber floor boards in the hall and main living areas and durable carpet in the bedrooms and lounge room which has now been converted to my office.

I have kids and a dog so the floors do put up with a lot. I do have to swift the dog hair every second day and vacuum once a week to pick up dog hair. Crumbs and food are no problem as Bentley is very thorough at licking them up off the floor.

Books and toys are constantly dropped on the floor in my girls bedrooms so I’m glad that there is carpet in their rooms. I also like the look of carpet as opposed to rugs on floorboards in rooms.

What kind of floors do you have in your home and do they suit your lifestyle?

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

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The change my skin was looking for: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
6

The skin on my face could tell many tales. It has been subjected to many horrific elements in it’s lifetime, the worst in the last 8 years as a plumber and mother. If my skin could talk it would probably scream for no more splatter of the effluent kind. It would beg for change. A change from being splashed or smeared with dirt, sand,  concrete dust,  silicone, tea leaves, coffee granules, sludgy water, hot water, yellow water and poop.

Many faces of a plumber1

Well change is what it got.  I decided to give the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water a chance to clean off the muck that my face would sometimes get covered in when dealing with a messy plumbing job.

The Micellar Cleansing Water is suitable for all skin types (so if you read my review of the Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1 and it wasn’t for you, this product would be).

It removes make –up and any other nasties your face has come across, while cleansing and soothing your skin without the need for water. You can get 200 uses out of a 400ml bottle! Where was this product when I got covered in black sludge disconnecting a kitchen sink waste??

The photos speak for themselves on how easy it is to use.

Time to clean the mess
Time to clean the mess

 

A splash of Micellar Water on the cleansing pad
A splash of Micellar Water on the cleansing pad

 

Start from one side of the cheek to the other
Start from one side of the cheek to the other

 

Nearly clean...
Nearly clean…

 

Fresh faced to face the world again!
Fresh faced to face the world again!

And here I am with a freshly cleansed face!

As for my hair and shirt… well they will need to be washed later.

Tell me does your skin ever beg for a change?

Disclosure: This is my first entry into the Kidspot Voices of 2014 #innovativebeauty challenge.  As part of the challenge, I was sent four Garnier Products to try and review.  I have two more product posts to share. All opinions are my own.

R U Ok Mate?

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
9

There are sensitive themes in this post, so please if you are suffering from any kind of mental health symptoms, please read with discretion.

Did you know that in Australia construction workers are more than twice as likely to suicide than other people in Australia?*

Apprentices are two and a half times more likely to die by suicide than other young men their age (no statistics for female apprentices at this stage).*

And chillingly construction workers are SIX times more likely to die from suicide than from workplace accidents.*

Tradies are not immune to mental health illnesses or anxiety.

Life can be hard as a tradie.

The majority of tradespeople that I worked with were men who were the breadwinners for their family. The feast or famine environment in the construction industry when it comes to work availability can be extremely worrying for tradespeople – men especially. Ongoing changes with Workplace Health and Safety and the daily stress of meeting deadlines and managing money in or out can add unnecessary anxiety on tradespeople. Running a trade business can be very stressful.

The problem with tradesmen is that their blokey exterior can disguise what is happening with their health on the inside. I worked with plumbers that would joke about other tradesmen they knew who had ‘head issues’ or were ‘f-cked in the brain.’ Depression is not something to be laughed at or made fun of.

When I was a third year plumbing apprentice, finishing my last block of Tafe, my dad rang me to tell me that a dear friend and mentor to Jacob and I had passed away due to suicide. I remember the moment I was told and what I was doing. I was pulling a 40mm pipe branch from a 100mm copper pipe. I nearly dropped the oxy-torch and my phone. I knew little about mental illness at the time and I had a wave of emotions roll through me. One of the older apprentices noticed my reaction to the phone call and asked me if I was alright. When I told him the news I had been told he joked about it by doing a noose motion around his neck. I brushed off the reaction at the time because no matter what age the apprentices were, they could be very insensitive. But this is an example of the type of attitude that some men have towards mental health and suicide.

Depression is a serious illness.  It is not a weakness, but it’s torrential mind hammering can make one feel weak.

The stigma around men – especially tradies, having depression and suicidal thoughts needs to be changed. The most important message that I want to get across in this post is that if you are a tradie and you know that you don’t feel right or you have battles within your mind, you need to face the beast and get help. Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Mates in Construction are all organisations that offer services to assist you.

You are not weak. Depression doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone. You show real strength the moment you put your hand up and admit actually I’m not alright and I think I need help.

Today is R U Ok day and it’s to promote life-changing conversations with people who are doing it tough. I’m going to encourage trade businesses to go one step further and ask their staff ‘R U Ok Mate?’ And this conversation should be mandatory in tool box talks and a standard practice written up in Workplace Health and Safety manuals.

Tradies are a much needed occupation within society so it’s important to look out for our tradespeople who are doing it tough. If you aren’t a tradesperson, have you ever thought about your part in giving a tradesperson a job rather than doing the job yourself? Just some food for thought.

Next time you see a tradie, why not ask them ‘R U OK mate?’ Who knows where and what that question can lead to.

Are you surprised by the statistics stated above? What can you do to raise awareness about mental health?

*Statistics taken from Mates in Construction website.

Wordless Wednesday – Here’s looking at you

By
Rebecca Senyard
-
21

Yesterday I took the girls to lunch to meet up with my parents and grandparents. That’s one of the second best things of being a stay at home mum – the impromptu meet ups with family for lunch.

Anyway, Magdalene was playing with a pair of sunglasses and my mum sent this picture to me this morning.

 

Here's looking at you kid!
Here’s looking at you kid!

I love Magdalene’s cheekiness. This photo is one for the album.

I hope you have a great hump day. Do you have a cheeky child in the family?

I’m linking up with Trish from My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday.

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