tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13897471489625230682024-03-05T12:23:08.658-08:00Something by SeanaWIFE & MOTHER.
Lover of DIY and lover of a bargain.
Writing about, Family, Food & LifeSeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-40680359055562845372018-02-12T01:10:00.001-08:002018-04-28T17:04:16.247-07:00THE ROAD AHEAD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey everyone, this will be my last blog post for a little while. I have a few posts backed up and a couple of Easter ideas I'll be sharing but I don't know when I'll be regularly posting again.<br />
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I'm due to be induced in the coming days, we don't really know when things are going to happen it all depends on what condition he is in when he arrives, which treatment works and how well it works determines when he'll have his surgery. So every day will just be playing it by ear, we're hoping to take our daughter to the zoo on surgery day just to try distract ourselves, but again that depends on how quickly after birth they operate as I'll still be recovering.<br />
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Best case scenario is about a month until we can bring him home.<br />
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So what happens next?<br />
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In the coming days I'll have an obstetrician appointment to see if his head has engaged. If it hasn't they'll do a stretch and sweep and hope for the best. Everything has been booked in for the induction with the paediatrics team ready as well as the cardiologist so re booking would be a nightmare. We also want to avoid a caesarean if possible.<br />
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Provided his head is engaged I'll go in the next night and they will put a balloon with gel, on my cervix to help it ripen so it's ready to open in labour. The following morning they'll break my waters and start me on the hormonal drip to induce labour. Being my second baby I am hopeful that it won't take as long as my first. I was induced with my daughter after my waters broke and from time of induction to birth was about 15 hours, it was a very long day. It's not the exhaustion I'm worried about so much as the timing of his procedure. the sooner I can deliver him the sooner they can put the balloon in his heart to keep it open and then the sooner I'll be able to see him. I'm hopeful it won't take too long but it can be around 6 hours sometimes for the procedure.<br />
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During labour my husband and mum will be with me and once he's born my husband will go with him to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) while they take his measurements and prep him for the balloon. My mum will stay with me and I'm sure we'll both have a good cry.<br />
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From there we don't know when things will happen, I don't know when I'll get to hold him. I don’t know if I'll have the chance to breastfeed him before his arterial switch operation at the Royal Children's. There are so many variables and so many unknowns.<br />
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This pregnancy is not what I expected, and not just for the obvious reasons. I struggled with hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness) with my daughter. I had moments of isolation and depression with friends and family who didn't understand how hard the pregnancy was on me or didn't think we were ready to be parents. Physically it was hard on my body, my hair turned horrible, dark, oily and knotty. I got more pimples than I did in puberty and I gained 30kg. I suffered from leg cramps most nights and due to severe swelling carpel tunnel at the end. And to top it all off I got new stretch marks just about everywhere.<br />
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This time I feared would be the same, the morning sickness wasn't as bad which I was especially grateful for because I was still able to look after my daughter. Family and new friends were a lot more supportive and excited about baby number 2 because they've actually seen that we are capable parents. Physically not much has changed, my hair is fine, I have a few pimples no more than usual, I've only gained around 12kg this time and only have a few new stretch marks on my belly due to extra fluid and him measuring big. Plus second babies don't drop as early so he's sitting high and stretching out the top of my stomach. I've also had a bit of pelvic instability this time that hurts like hell but I can cope with it.<br />
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Mentally though, every day is like walking through a mine field. I don't know what to expect. Some days I'm okay and positive about the prognosis, and then some days I just break down and cry because I'm so afraid. I was fairly positive when we first found out about his heart, I don't know if it was due to shock or just trying to be strong for my husband while he struggled. As the pregnancy progressed we've kind of switched rolls and he became more calm about it all while I grew anxious and upset. But as the day gets closer I think we're both terrified and only just keeping our heads above water.<br />
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I feel like once this is all happening reality will hit for a lot of people and it will be a shock to the system but I don't have the time or the energy to worry about them. My sole focus has to be on my little family, not just my son, I have to remember not to neglect my husband or daughter either. It's going to be a tricky juggling act as it would be so easy to be consumed by everything that is going on, but I'll do my best.<br />
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After approximately 18 weeks since finding out, I'm glad it's nearly over and while he'll no longer be safe inside me, we can hopefully soldier through the next stage and then bring him home to start a normal life as a family of 4.<br />
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The next few months are going to be hard, the hardest of my life, and I've been through my fair share of shit.<br />
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The hardest part about packing my hospital bag this time was that I knew exactly what I needed to pack, except I didn't need to pack it because he'll just be in nappies that the hospital provides.<br />
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Having him taken away straight after birth without a cuddle. I don't know when we'll first get to hold him.<br />
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Not being able to do skin to skin, not having him next to me in his bassinet after birth.<br />
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Knowing that when I leave the hospital I'll be leaving him behind. And even when he's transferred it will be about another week before I can sleep next to him for the first time.<br />
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I'm worried I'll struggle to maintain a good milk supply through the stress of everything long enough to actually be able to breastfeed him.<br />
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I'm worried about my post natal mental health. With a history of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and depression we were worried I'd get post natal depression the first time. Luckily this wasn't the case but under these circumstances I'm fearful I won't be so lucky this time.<br />
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It's going to be hard.<br />
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It's going to be terrifying.<br />
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It's going to be exhausting.<br />
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But we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.<br />
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One step at a time.<br />
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One day at a time.<br />
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Thank you for reading, for more on our story you can check out my blog post <a href="http://somethingbyseana.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/when-things-dont-go-as-planned.html" target="_blank">When Things Don't Go as Planned</a>.</div>
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I will be trying to post little updates on my social media before I start posting here again so stay up to date through <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Something-by-Seana-377689685992122/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/somethingbyseana/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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<br />Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-54391075560633431682018-02-08T15:13:00.000-08:002018-02-08T15:13:27.038-08:00SIMPLE CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE STIR FRY <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFq7j22u735ps9gcrZdVdqxSu4snvpw5ZQLq8jK6XJ4_h6SnCsR29aYUdT2pCE70jUsEw2f0D8JSUnfHeklCijTxXe_jivrR-mgf3ubHI3iO3Kh5mjBBJkcZgWzevXm_GHTGLaVddHSTE/s1600/IMG_8604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFq7j22u735ps9gcrZdVdqxSu4snvpw5ZQLq8jK6XJ4_h6SnCsR29aYUdT2pCE70jUsEw2f0D8JSUnfHeklCijTxXe_jivrR-mgf3ubHI3iO3Kh5mjBBJkcZgWzevXm_GHTGLaVddHSTE/s640/IMG_8604.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Stir fry was one of our staple meals growing up however it usually involved bought recipe bases. When we were dating my now husband was diagnosed with coeliac disease and most recipe bases back then had gluten in them. Although there are many more options now this has become a favourite in our little family. My daughter loves it and gobbles up her veggies, my husband often takes it to work and I usually eat so much I can't move for a while haha.<br />
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INGREDIENTS<br />
Oil<br />
1 brown onion<br />
2 skinless chicken breasts<br />
2 carrots<br />
1/2 head of cauliflower<br />
1 head of broccoli<br />
1/2 green capsicum<br />
2 sticks of celery<br />
1/2 pack of rice noodles<br />
4 tbsp massel gluten free chicken stock powder<br />
1/4tsp ground cumin<br />
1/2tsp curry powder<br />
1 cup of water<br />
1 tbsp soy sauce<br />
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METHOD<br />
1. Place rice noodles in a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak.<br />
2. Chop all your vegetables first, except the onion, and wash them.<br />
3. Slice onion, heat oil in a wok and start to brown the onion on a medium heat.<br />
4. Slice up the chicken breast and add to the onion, turn the heat to high stirring often.<br />
5. Cook chicken until browned and there are no more juices.<br />
6. Mix stock, curry powder, cumin, water and soy sauce together and add to the chicken.<br />
7. Add chopped vegetables, and cook stirring occasionally until vegetables have softened but are still vibrant in colour and have a little crunch.<br />
8. Lastly, drain noodles and stir through.<br />
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SERVES 4<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18px; text-indent: -24px;">Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy making this x</span></div>
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With bubs due in the coming weeks there won't be too many post before then, so make sure you're following me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Something-by-Seana-377689685992122/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/somethingbyseana/" target="_blank"> Instagram </a>to stay up to date!</div>
Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-59773661547434662342018-02-05T17:04:00.002-08:002018-02-05T17:04:50.900-08:00MY TOP BUDGET TIPS <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrB5KfGkRMWyyxNLiX_1sm1-teVtjN8EMpXqCgDTLKyXH3ptD_mcCMaHnq8TCjFq9Opgn_G0tEHBNUcT98sMb58nZkaxhfKI4XHjUCoybWXQiaJhrVp5_cKyc6zbWl174E78ErjxofUZm/s1600/IMG_8517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrB5KfGkRMWyyxNLiX_1sm1-teVtjN8EMpXqCgDTLKyXH3ptD_mcCMaHnq8TCjFq9Opgn_G0tEHBNUcT98sMb58nZkaxhfKI4XHjUCoybWXQiaJhrVp5_cKyc6zbWl174E78ErjxofUZm/s640/IMG_8517.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, I’m no financial wiz, nor am I super comfortable financially but in today’s economy we do manage to get by on one income. With a mortgage, toddler and a baby on the way we have to be smart with our money and get the most bang for our buck. So I thought I would share my top budgeting tips on how we make it work.<br />
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STUDY CATALOGUES/ SHOP AROUND - each week when the catalogues come out go through them all, write up shopping lists for each supermarket, buying your groceries at the lowest price. It can be a pain in the arse but you can save a lot of money just by going to different supermarkets, if you’re lucky enough you’ll live near a shopping centre with a Coles, Woolworths and Aldi so you can do all your shopping at the one place. Also keep note of fruit and vegetable prices, green grocers aren't always cheaper than the supermarket.<br />
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DO IT YOURSELF - whether it's baking a cake, or the odd job around the house. There are endless tutorials on youtube you can teach yourself to do just about anything!<br />
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GROW IT YOURSELF - if you have the space, utitilise it. Grow some herbs, start a veggie patch or plant some fruit tress. Every little bit helps, if you don’t have time to tend to a garden lemon trees are fairly low maintenance and you’ll eventually reap the rewards. I currently have an orange tree, 2 feijoa trees, and lemon tree and a passionfruit vine growing in my garden. I freeze my passionfruit pulp and that takes care of my pavlovas for the year (I would make more pavlovas than the average person haha). If you have friends and family that grow food you can also trade it between yourselves.<br />
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PAY YOUR BILLS FIRST - ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS pay your bills first. As soon as the money arrives in your account go through and pay what needs to be paid, that way you’ll never be caught short. Then try put some extra money away into a savings account and try not to touch it for those quarterly and annual bills that come in, like car services and rego.<br />
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SHOP THE SALES - take advantage of end of season, end of financial year, Black Friday and Boxing Day sales. I buy clothes for my kids in the end of season sales for the size they’ll be next year so most of their clothes are half price. It’s never too early to be thinking about birthday and Christmas presents either. I buy presents and stocking stuffers throughout the year when things come on sale. Come Christmas time you’re already done with your shopping and aren’t scrambling to get through December strapped for cash.<br />
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COOK IN BULK - there are some things you can’t cook in bulk because let’s be honest they just don’t taste as nice reheated, but there are plenty of things you can. If you continue to follow my blog you’ll notice that majority of my dinner recipes are bulk quantities like my <a href="http://somethingbyseana.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/beef-vegetable-tikka-masala-soup.html?m=1" target="_blank">soup</a> recipe. If you always have meals waiting in the freezer, when you’re exhausted after a long day you can quickly defrost your dinner rather than buying take away which will save you a small fortune. It also helps to invest in a second freezer.<br />
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BUY MEAT IN BULK - I go to Tasman Meats because there's one close to home but even going to the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne isn’t bad or just a local meat wholesaler. If you buy it in bulk then divide and freeze it, it works out cheaper. I also find the meat at Tasman to be much higher quality than what you get at the supermarket.<br />
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GO VEGGIE SOME NIGHTS - Meat is expensive, so if you can, some nights go meat free. Make a vegetable stir fry or pasta with a simple napoletana sauce.<br />
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DON’T BUY BRAND NAME EVERYTHING - Flour, sugar, butter, cereals, tinned tomatoes there are so many products that you can buy the supermarket brand, save yourself a fortune and not compromise on quality. Or shop at Aldi, I buy my gluten free flours (their gluten free products are great and don't cost an arm and a leg), laundry detergent, fabric softener, stain remover, puff pastry, pizza cheese, cream and if I don't make it to the local egg farm I get my eggs from Aldi too plus a heap of other stuff. Oh and nappies! We had so many problems with leakage once my daughter was out of the newborn huggies nappies. Apart from the odd poo explosion we've had no issues with the Aldi ones and they're about half the price!<br />
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SET ASIDE MONEY FOR SPECIALS - set aside $20 or so a week to stock up on something that keeps when it’s on special. I do this with things like shampoo, soap, toilet paper, paper towel, recipe bases, as I said, anything that keeps and won't go off.<br />
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TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS - get in the habit of turning off lights if you’re not in the room. It’s a habit my husband got me into when we were dating and now it’s a massive pet peeve when family and friends come over and leave lights on. It's not hard to turn off some lights.<br />
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STAY IN - when you go out the costs quickly add up whether its just going to the shops to get out of the house or going out for dinner and a movie, you always spend more than you should. Because let’s be honest, who can resist Kmart? Try stay in for a change, find activities you can do with the kids at home that are cheap or walk to your local park. Make pizzas at home, two birds one stone, activity for the kids and a cheap meal. If you do go to the movies try go on tight arse Tuesday and smuggle in your own snacks, you'll be amazed by what you can fit in a decent handbag. If your friends want to go out for dinner offer to have a dinner party, and everyone can bring a plate, that way everyone saves some money.<br />
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BUY SECOND HAND - go to op shops or use sites like gumtree, Ebay and Facebook marketplace. I bought our massive teak wooden dinning table for $200 off gumtree which would easily be $1,000+ from a store. You can really find some treasures if you look hard enough and save yourself a small fortune. You can also sell anything you don’t need anymore and make some of your money back.<br />
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CHANGE BANKS - see if you can get a better deal on your mortgage or, savings accounts with higher interest rates, and banks with less fees.<br />
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SIGN UP FOR REWARDS PROGRAMS - you'd have to be crazy not to have signed up the Flybuys and Woolworths rewards. You can earn money off your shop or use points for gift cards, movies tickets, theme park passes etc. Bakers Delight you can get free bread after 5 purchases over $6.<br />
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COLLECT SPARE CHANGE - you'll be amazed how much money you can accumulate that would normally just go on trivial things.<br />
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CREATE REALISTIC SAVINGS GOALS - don't over stretch yourself, aim to put an achievable amount of money away each week or fortnight and stick to it. If you try to put away too much you'll always find yourself dipping into and feel like you're not achieving anything.<br />
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DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF IF YOU SLIP UP- shit happens. Things pop up unexpectedly or you forget about a payment and car service or there's a dress or pair of shoes you can't resist. It's okay to treat yourself every now and then. There's no point busting your guts to save if you're making yourself miserable in the process. I think its super important to have financial security and independence so it's all about finding the balance.<br />
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Thanks for reading and I hope you find these tips helpful!</div>
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With bubs due in the coming weeks there won't be too many blog posts, so make sure you're following me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Something-by-Seana-377689685992122/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/somethingbyseana/" target="_blank"> Instagram </a>to stay up to date!</div>
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Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-31845872745848149392018-01-31T00:23:00.000-08:002018-01-31T00:23:24.109-08:00DIY WEDDING BOUQUETS <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG5VL7NLhUcj6Y0eISvAfCZJQacqCrK4bXpQ3s2HY0v5O2Tav0XtfkToQv1NfRofQMMXr5I-in_MZpneMZKbE4BwQCph1E-avwqKkStCMZ6O-7asrB_IO_pBTFbqCVFHqmOEKD8AAKTd3/s1600/McDowell5351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG5VL7NLhUcj6Y0eISvAfCZJQacqCrK4bXpQ3s2HY0v5O2Tav0XtfkToQv1NfRofQMMXr5I-in_MZpneMZKbE4BwQCph1E-avwqKkStCMZ6O-7asrB_IO_pBTFbqCVFHqmOEKD8AAKTd3/s640/McDowell5351.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
As any bride to be knows, weddings are bloody expensive and costs creep up out of nowhere! When I was planning our wedding we had just bought a house I was trying to study at uni and we were living on one very small income. Even though my now husband had gotten a much better paying job that wasn’t due to start until after the wedding so budget was a big thing for us even with help from his dad and my mum. Also, it’s just one day, yes you want it to be a nice as possible, within reason. If you can save money why the hell wouldn’t you?!<br />
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So when I was trying to organise flowers I quickly realised what I wanted wasn’t going to be cheap and even my compromise wasn’t going to be cheap. The venue we picked had the centrepieces included in the cost so I only had to organise the bouquets, so I got a quote from the florist taking care of the venue and few other places as well. I knew what I wanted, peonies. Luckily the time of the wedding they would be in season but they are pretty expensive flowers and I was told last seasons lot weren’t that good and they may need to import them, at an additional cost of course. So I thought maybe I’ll just have the peonies and the bridesmaids can have filler flowers like baby’s breath (gypsophelia), surely filler flowers can’t be that expensive? I was quoted between $75-$100 per bouquet of filler flowers, my bouquet of peonies was going to be well over $200, maybe I’ll just have normal roses, still around $200.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomxIn7nTI1X54w18yiLFrrXbf4T0iqg4ZUb9Xax5BCUrFtG6IiDZLhyphenhyphen6QaOzHTp9EzGg1PUXdXqLVMoTT6kwrs9ORBpnOtCZJu4XAkisxCXXhMcTxtQYGoHErzmUdYChOGAYXKZyXlGOi/s1600/McDowell5633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomxIn7nTI1X54w18yiLFrrXbf4T0iqg4ZUb9Xax5BCUrFtG6IiDZLhyphenhyphen6QaOzHTp9EzGg1PUXdXqLVMoTT6kwrs9ORBpnOtCZJu4XAkisxCXXhMcTxtQYGoHErzmUdYChOGAYXKZyXlGOi/s320/McDowell5633.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErb4zZbLEIsoSVhcYk_7xaDHABjcgKwHnZuPED5gC_COvkUpE5HKq_V8gWwr0Wx5XZ29dwSztle7apm_ljIXfnE7owok8dYhH6SPUT7ZakATv-K17kKwHLkQAv52MxOPPGOsiu9lGprJk/s1600/McDowell5630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>I started toying with the idea of maybe doing the bouquets myself. I started looking at flower wholesalers trying to figure out if I bought the flowers the day before if I could put the flowers together the night before the wedding, what a logistical nightmare that would have been. Then I thought of artificial flowers. Artificial flowers don’t have the best reputation, often they can look cheap and nasty so I was pretty hesitant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_wd7vIBqANXrmssRLMXg_s-H9P-e9yyJBpJBLhAAFYcZVoM-pnknEhs7jVTF8aZUBUFHyHIJcHN0MYo6P0itfITMs0aKUppDDdhAcsUrT41rtMn_AnKCsvpNe3RB59d2I8tKV9xFHIr4/s1600/McDowell5629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_wd7vIBqANXrmssRLMXg_s-H9P-e9yyJBpJBLhAAFYcZVoM-pnknEhs7jVTF8aZUBUFHyHIJcHN0MYo6P0itfITMs0aKUppDDdhAcsUrT41rtMn_AnKCsvpNe3RB59d2I8tKV9xFHIr4/s320/McDowell5629.jpg" width="320" /></a>We were out and about one day and I said to my husband can we just quickly duck into spotlight and see what they have. Not only did they have some absolutely gorgeous flowers they were also on sale at 40% off! I took it as a sign, quickly had a play around with them trying to figure out how many I needed and bought them then and there. My husband was shocked at the price but little did he know how much I had actually saved ha ha. I contacted the florists and told them I had organised something else and I got started. As for the centrepieces I sent the florist a photo of the finished bouquets and just asked her to colour match as best as possible and that I didn’t mind what flowers she used. So in the end doing the flowers myself only cost me around $200 for 4 bouquets.<br />
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WHAT YOU’LL NEED<br />
Artificial flowers of your choice (it doesn’t hurt to buy more than you think you’ll need, you can always return what you don’t use)<br />
Hot glue gun<br />
Glue sticks<br />
Wire cutters<br />
Fabric of your choice<br />
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1. Play with the flowers put together your bouquet, play around with the arrangement until you’re happy. Take a photo so you can copy it. Trim the stems with wire cutters to your desired length (leave a little extra you can always trim them a bit more later), it doesn’t have to be pretty you can neaten it up at the end.<br />
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2. Now time for glue. Start at the middle of your bouquet slowly working your way out. Allow the glue to set each time before adding another flower otherwise you’ll end up in a hot mess. Be generous with the amount of glue you’re using, you don’t want those suckers to move. You also want to graduate the height of the flowers down as you work out from the centre.<br />
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3. Once you’re happy with your bouquet glue the fabric at the base of the bouquet and wrap the stems, still gluing as you go for added security.<br />
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You can also keep some extra flowers so you can match with your wedding cake.<br />
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I received so many compliments on the bouquets, they were impressed I made them and couldn’t believe they weren’t real. The best thing is 2 years on and they’re still on display in my living room.<br />
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I'm hoping to post a step by step tutorial in the future, hopefully before the start of next wedding season. With bubs due in the coming weeks there won't be too many post before then, so make sure you're following me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Something-by-Seana-377689685992122/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/somethingbyseana/" target="_blank"> Instagram </a>to stay up to date!<br />
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Photo's by <a href="http://www.passion8.com.au/" target="_blank">Passion8 Photography</a><br />
Cake by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/graceofcakesoz/" target="_blank">Grace of Cakes</a></div>
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Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-29538540028177120512018-01-09T15:48:00.001-08:002018-01-09T15:48:31.299-08:00SUMMER FRUIT ICEY POLES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqWEi8rAurAYUiW3s02qkw7W2xlfAnmEO88iapW112xRgMZaXxwDsG0V3IS1ZvZr0JroQkW0PpHcVoGF8eDiyqS4VbOb4n1MX0oZANrV5qGXZHT7xtHd3Uvw9tNs4LL6SJdZKVWrSMLqk/s1600/IMG_8514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqWEi8rAurAYUiW3s02qkw7W2xlfAnmEO88iapW112xRgMZaXxwDsG0V3IS1ZvZr0JroQkW0PpHcVoGF8eDiyqS4VbOb4n1MX0oZANrV5qGXZHT7xtHd3Uvw9tNs4LL6SJdZKVWrSMLqk/s640/IMG_8514.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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These are the perfect healthy treat for those hot summer days. Bought icey poles can be expensive and are filled with added sugars, these icey poles will keep you refreshed without the guilt.</div>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
2 nectarines<br />
2 kiwifruit<br />
1 orange<br />
50g frozen raspberries<br />
50ml water<br />
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METHOD<br />
1. De-stone nectarines, peel kiwifruit and orange and chop.<br />
2. Place all ingredients into a blender and purée.<br />
3. Pour into icey pole moulds and freeze.<br />
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I used icey pole moulds from <a href="http://www.kmart.com.au/product/icy-pole-maker/164321" target="_blank">Kmart</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy making these x</span></span></div>
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Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-63720974780451886182017-12-19T19:05:00.000-08:002018-04-28T17:06:00.668-07:00WHEN THINGS DON'T GO AS PLANNEDMy husband and I always knew we wanted to have our babies close together. We talked about trying just after our daughters 1st birthday. However me in my ever so negative ways thought it would take much longer to get pregnant a second time because that's what everyone said. We were lucky enough to get pregnant after our first try with our daughter. So when my period returned we started trying again and after 3 months I was pregnant again, a month before our daughters 1st birthday. After suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum with my daughter, I was terrified I wouldn't be able to give her the birthday party I had been planning since she was born. Luckily I powered through the day.<br />
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The morning sickness was bad but I was taking the zofran (ondansetron, a medication given to chemotherapy patients for nausea) and coping. The weeks ticked by and everything seemed normal. We had the harmony test done at 11 weeks and found out we were having a boy. We had a little hiccup with spotting at 15 weeks, having never bled with my daughter I freaked out and off to hospital we went. We eventually got to see his heartbeat on an ultrasound and we went back home.<br />
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Everything seemed normal, I started to feel the little flutters that eventually turned into more substantial kicks. It was time to see our baby boy at his 20 week scan. Going into my daughters scan having not done the harmony test with her I was terrified something would be wrong but this time I wasn't worried at all the harmony test had come back clear we were just here to see our baby.<br />
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The technician was so quick checking everything and taking pictures for us. However when it came to the heart he spent a good 10-15 minutes looking at it, he had me roll onto both sides and gave my tummy a jiggle to get bubs to move, I just thought he couldn't get a clear view. At the end of those 15 minutes he said, "I think there's something wrong with bubs heart." I didn't react immediately I was in shock. He said he could be wrong and he was going to check with the doctor. He suspected that his heart valves were around the wrong way. As soon as we got out to the waiting room I burst into tears. This was Monday.<br />
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After waiting for a while and crying the whole time I got a call from the hospital saying a doctor wanted to see me. So once we got our pictures we walked across to the hospital. We went up to the Maternal Assessment Centre and I had managed to slightly calm myself down as my husband made calls to our parents to let them know what was going on. The doctors referred me to a gene counsellor and said I should hear from them by the end of the day. The gene counsellor called that afternoon and told me she had organised an ultrasound at the Mercy Women's Hospital with an obstetrician for Wednesday so they could confirm what or if there was a problem and that I would be at the Mercy Hospital for the remainder of my pregnancy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXeVcXEQXoSvdMP16gnYJsxu-AIVGT9IOBhXA21XejCt2qlTvItXTqJbsupxAkG9TZEFshCQvJ52UbAnJq4pUE43m0AD6BtUXaXycUj80pp-8nepT10DQUUoHScIIyCLwIytwImap8p2T/s1600/Maternity+Heart+Fact.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXeVcXEQXoSvdMP16gnYJsxu-AIVGT9IOBhXA21XejCt2qlTvItXTqJbsupxAkG9TZEFshCQvJ52UbAnJq4pUE43m0AD6BtUXaXycUj80pp-8nepT10DQUUoHScIIyCLwIytwImap8p2T/s320/Maternity+Heart+Fact.jpg" width="320" /></a>Wednesday afternoon and anxiety was high, we had a normal technician do an ultrasound just to check over bubs again and then the obstetrician came in to look at his heart. They confirmed that he has TGA (Transposition of the Great Arteries). We then saw another obstetrician who talked us through what would happen from now on. I was told I should still be able to have a natural delivery which was a relief, I would be able to get out of hospital ASAP and still be able to look after my daughter. We then saw a genetic counsellor and she spoke about his defect and told us that it's not associated with any other defects so it's not like he has this so he probably also has this. I was offered an amniocentesis which I declined to have because for me personally it was too late to terminate so there was no point taking the 1 in 200 chance of spontaneous miscarriage when he had already won the 1 in 2000 chance of getting this defect. After the appointments I made the usual phone calls to family and friends, I was remaining upbeat and positive, I was confident the doctors had everything under control and that my baby would get through this and be fine.<br />
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Friday, my husband had just taken our daughter out so I could have a relaxing bath, shave my legs for the first time in god knows how long and put on some fake tan to take the edge off my pale skin for our friends engagement party the next night. I made sure the water wasn't too hot and I had my bath. As soon as I got out I felt a gush and then saw bright red blood running down my leg. I quickly grabbed a towel and shoved it between my legs and called my husband. My first thought was that I was going to lose him and I quickly fell into hysterics. My husband called an ambulance and turned around to come back home, I called my mum and she began the hour and 45 minute journey from her home to the hospital. I got myself dried off and dressed, put a pad in and just cried. Someone from the ambulance service called to tell me they were on their way and then started to talk me through what I needed to do if I had to deliver him by myself, she told me to get towels and get into position on the bed. I told her through tears that I wasn't having contractions and I was only 20 weeks, she said legally she had to tell me what to do, wasn't really helping my anxiety levels though.<br />
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By the time the ambo's arrived the bleeding had stopped and not long after my husband arrived back home. They checked my heart rate and blood pressure and took me off to hospital. My husband waited for his parents to come get our daughter and then headed off to meet me at the hospital. Once I got in the ambulance I felt some kicks which were extremely reassuring. As soon as I got to the hospital I got to hear his heartbeat and it was nice and strong, they went to chase up my ultrasound results from Wednesday to check the position of the placenta to make sure that wasn't causing the bleeding. After an examination the doctors couldn't conclusively determine what caused the bleeding, I had a blood test as I am a negative blood group and they had to check that my blood hadn't mixed with his otherwise I would need a shot of anti-D. They gave me the option of hanging around for 3 hours and waiting for the results or going home and they'd call me if I needed to come back. So we went home, we decided to leave our daughter with my mother in law for the night so we could just decompress and try relax. Safe to say, I never managed to fake tan.<br />
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The next evening was our friends engagement party, we decided we would make an appearance with everyone saying we should try go out and enjoy ourselves. We both were feeling flat and defeated by the week but tried to push through it. We caught up with friends and were making it through the night. My leakage paranoia was next level so I was constantly going to the toilet to make sure I wasn't bleeding again. It all fell apart when a couple with a small baby boy arrived. Thinking about the battle ahead for my boy, and that when my boy is that old he will most likely still be in hospital. I burst into tears and got out of there as quickly as possible and threw up in the car park. After gaining some composure we went back inside and said goodbye to everyone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYruui3wQfobzUGwHxmAg1vPBo96E01PuumwqFvIdutrnRtvGEL0hqDi0eyWqddD2Q4ePdYVUJnbVuti5_7VUA_Cvk-Gjv1NpzzHZp-BCiNBt04qL2lPVP1BrBAuxdO2dEBoSM-h_e3eho/s1600/Heart+Diagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYruui3wQfobzUGwHxmAg1vPBo96E01PuumwqFvIdutrnRtvGEL0hqDi0eyWqddD2Q4ePdYVUJnbVuti5_7VUA_Cvk-Gjv1NpzzHZp-BCiNBt04qL2lPVP1BrBAuxdO2dEBoSM-h_e3eho/s320/Heart+Diagram.jpg" width="240" /></a>2 weeks passed and we were back at the hospital to see the cardiologist for an ultrasound so he could look at his heart. This time the cardiologist also found a small hole in his heart. This was neither a good thing or a bad thing, the hole was small so he said it would likely close by itself before birth, if it was bigger it could have possibly helped the blood mix before surgery. After the ultrasound he sat us down and explained what would happen once bubs was born. He showed us a very good diagram of how the heart should work and whats happening with our babies heart. Basically instead of the blood going out the lungs back to the heart and then taking that oxygenated blood out to body. His arteries are just looping, pumping blood from the heart to the lungs in a loop and the other artery is pumping blood from the heart to the body in a loop. So once hes born they need to ensure that his blood can mix in the heart so some oxygenated blood makes it around the body until they can do and arterial switch and swap the arteries around so they are where they should be.<br />
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There are a few ways they can get the blood to mix, one is to administer medication that will keep a duct between the two arteries open that will allow blood to mix however this option is deemed unstable. The other is to place a catheter in the main artery in his leg that will carry a small balloon to the heart that they then inflate to keep a small hole that normally closes after birth open to allow the blood to mix that way. If either of these work, it can be 3-4 days or even up to 10 days before he will be transferred to the Royal Children's hospital for the arterial switch operation. In this time depending on how he is coping with breathing I may be able to establish breastfeeding before his operation otherwise they can give him my breast milk through a feeding tube. There's a lot of uncertainty as it all depends on what works and when surgeons are available to perform the surgery. We wouldn't be seeing the cardiologist for another 6 weeks when he would look at his heart again.<br />
<br />
6 weeks passed I had a couple of obstetrician appointments in that time, everything else with the pregnancy was tracking normally although he is measuring a week or so ahead and my tummy is measuring 6 weeks ahead because I have so much fluid, the only abnormality was his heart. We had a big day at the hospital, we had appointments with the paediatric unit, obstetrician, midwife for my whooping cough and anti d shots and the cardiologist. The paediatrician spoke to us about what would happen once he was born, that if I go into spontaneous labour to call ahead and there would be a team waiting for me and waiting for him. In the case of his treatment, he said it all depends on how bubs is doing once he's born, how he's breathing and what time he arrives and who is available. If the cardiologist isn't there he will be administered the medication, if that works well enough he may never need to have the balloon. It was all pretty much information we had heard before, he said timing of surgery also depends on transport being available and surgeons and beds being available at the Children's. If he has the balloon that is deemed as a stable condition and therefor may be pushed down the list. As he said it all depends on what condition he is in when he's born.<br />
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Next up was the obstetrician, this was just a quick check up, the usual taking the blood pressure and get blood test results. Thankfully I passed my glucose test, my thyroid levels were still good and my iron was low but not low enough for a transfusion. Then off to the midwife for my injections and to sign consent forms for bubs to get the Vitamin K and Hepatitis B injections once he was born.<br />
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Once that was done the cardiologist was ready for us. He did another ultrasound with an obstetrician and looked at the heart and this time couldn't see the small hole that they saw last time. They checked blood flow to the liver and the brain and everything else was fine, just the TGA. The obstetrician did a general check over of bubs and took some measurements. He's measuring a week and a half ahead which he has been since 20 weeks. After the scan we sat and spoke to the cardiologist. Again, mostly things we had already been told, he seems to think that if after 37 weeks it's a good time to deliver with bed in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) available I will most likely be induced, so bubs extra size will be an advantage. He said its unlikely we will see him again until bubs is born.<br />
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So that's it so far. My next obstetrician appointment is in the new year. No more bad news but it's still a shit situation. Half the battle is knowing before birth but it also fills me with more anxiety than usual anticipating the birth. I take comfort in knowing he's safe inside so I'm conflicted between wanting to keep him safe inside my tummy and wanting it to all be over and to have him home. It makes it hard to enjoy the pregnancy and even be excited about him being here because there are so many unknowns, so many different scenarios that could unfold. When we first found out I was trying to be strong as my husband was struggling with it all and as time has gone on he has gotten better and it's wearing me down and the anxiety is growing. I am so filled with fear. It's every parents worst nightmare that something will happen to their child that they can't fix and that love alone isn't enough. I am thankful that we have one of the best children's hospitals in the world, I am thankful we have free healthcare in this country, I am thankful for our friends and family who have been so supportive, I am thankful my daughter is so happy and healthy and I am thankful for my husband, I couldn't imagine facing this battle with anyone else by my side.<br />
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Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-2964198625735542492017-12-17T15:49:00.001-08:002017-12-17T21:14:57.852-08:00PLANNING FOR CHRISTMAS 2018<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOA0x6NSegPlUHN2p6keAZnuZm1ySYtEGFAl88MN9OcuHpvJt8jCZ4RXTdUJxMC2KOtQdvU3fwJmUNYiakyYbxjaqQgCEhEHIy_0B49ZYMCwnMg8KYj0jHVjrCZIeN6jTBtUJhSbYwkmy/s1600/IMG_7918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOA0x6NSegPlUHN2p6keAZnuZm1ySYtEGFAl88MN9OcuHpvJt8jCZ4RXTdUJxMC2KOtQdvU3fwJmUNYiakyYbxjaqQgCEhEHIy_0B49ZYMCwnMg8KYj0jHVjrCZIeN6jTBtUJhSbYwkmy/s400/IMG_7918.JPG" width="266" /></a>I know, I know, I know. Christmas 2017 hasn't even been yet but that doesn't mean you can't start thinking about next Christmas. I started preparing for this Christmas last year and it has made a massive difference to my sanity. No need for stretching the budget or battling my way through busy shopping centres. Especially being in the last trimester of my pregnancy!<br />
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So I thought I would share my top tips for saving money, time and your stress levels.<br />
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Christmas Supplies and Decor- once Christmas is over this year lots of shops will be trying to offload their excess Christmas stock at low prices, now is the time to buy your Christmas crackers, wrapping paper, labels, gift bags, decorations and whatever else you may need. This not only saves you money but it also means your all set for next year. And don't stress you don't have to brave the shops on Boxing Day, a lot of sales are online too and even if you go to the shops a few days after Boxing Day you'll still be able to pick up some great deals.<br />
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Make a List- as the years go by I've found myself buying for more and more people. Families grow, from in laws to new additions of babies. I find writing a list of people I'm buying for and rough ideas of the presents I want to buy them helps keep it clear in my head and also allows you to shop around for the best prices.<br />
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Shop the Sales- there are so many sales throughout the year, End of Season, End of Financial Year, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day. If you keep an eye out and buy things on sale you'll save yourself a fair amount of money. For my daughters stocking stuffers I purchased end of season summer stock last year in the sizes she'll be this year with most of it being at least half price. If you managed to pick up some cheap wrapping paper and labels or have some left over from the previous year you can wrap the presents as you buy them to stop them from being discovered.<br />
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Be Thoughtful- you don't have to spend a heap of money to show that you care. I pride myself on picking presents for the people I love that I know they'll love, and that doesn't necessarily mean spending a fortune. If you struggle buying for people, take notes throughout the year, to be honest most of us have our phones near by at all times so it's easy to take notes. If your out at the shops with a friend or loved one and they spot something and say, "oh I'd really love that," make a little note.<br />
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DIY- on that ever growing list of people you have to get gifts for, inevitably there are going to be people you're not that close to, whether it's a work colleague or some distant aunt or cousin. A great way to stretch the budget is to make gifts. You can bake a batch of cookies big enough for 4 gifts and it still work out cheaper than one box of chocolates, seriously boxes of chocolates are ridiculously expensive. Biscuits, cookies, truffles, cakes, fruit mince pies, jams, chutneys, fudge, the list is endless of foods you can make to gift. If you're not confident in the kitchen you could give making bath salts, coffee scrubs or bath bombs a go. Or even buying things to make your own gift hamper, go to your local thrift shop or op shop and pick up a basket, go to your supermarket and fill it up, go to aldi or buy things on special like biscuits, a block of chocolate (much cheaper than individual chocolates), some crackers, jam, Nutella, anything you think this person will enjoy, you can tailor it anyway you like. Get some clear cellophane and ribbon and you've got yourself a personalised hamper. People really appreciate the personal handmade touch and it really can save you a lot of money.<br />
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Snapfish- I am absolutely obsessed with snapfish! They always have great promotions, you can make beautiful personalised gifts and you don't even have to leave the house! Perfect when you have small children. I like to take sneaky photos of friends and family throughout the year, at parties and family get togethers. Just give them the heads up and say you want to take some photos with you and the kids for example, so if they want to do their hair and makeup they have the opportunity. Come Christmas time you can have a great stash of photos to be used that can be made into calendars, mugs, fridge magnets, key rings, Christmas ornaments, canvas prints the list goes on and on. This is especially great for grandparents.<br />
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Savings- If this all sounds like too much to think about, putting away $25 a week will leave you with over $1,000 come Christmas time to get all your shopping done. Even in the lead up to Christmas there are usually some great sales on so if you shop smart you can save money and may even have some left over.<br />
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So in summary:<br />
-Be organised, know what you want to buy and for who.<br />
-Shop the sales throughout the year<br />
-Be thoughtful, it's not about how much you spend, people appreciate the thought more<br />
-DIY, if you can, make it yourself and save a tonne<br />
-Personalised photo gifts, they'll realise you've been planning this gift all year, and if you order at the right time, you can also get a great deal<br />
-And if all else fails, put away money throughout the year and brace the shopping centres in the lead up to Christmas<br />
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Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-26404667727136601202017-12-17T15:35:00.003-08:002017-12-19T20:22:19.281-08:00CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE HEARTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These chocolate candy cane hearts are a great last minute Christmas gift idea or even just a fun activity you can do with your kids.<br />
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WHAT YOU'LL NEED<br />
-Mini Candy Canes<br />
-Chocolate Melts<br />
-Lollipop Sticks (optional)<br />
-Sprinkles and/or Lollies<br />
-Cellophane Bags<br />
-Curling Ribbon<br />
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1. Line a tray with baking paper, unwrap the candy canes and set them out on the tray. I didn't have any mini candy canes so I just snapped the ends off regular ones. Don't worry if you don't have lollipop sticks either these will work fine without them.<br />
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2. Melt chocolate in the microwave until smooth. Carefully spoon chocolate into the hearts and spread it out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GPwlI0IxcVYndAkIRWaS0gW_R5mlssVC2DfP6yT1C3Q_LT6K9V2XsKN8X3HXPWFKZRryNClmFv938fjWWNv2q_UfpjQAnKM_7VKWQMR-cQHtn698SA5jVsBXqhhbeRNnLY5xE78hqDh0/s1600/IMG_8325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GPwlI0IxcVYndAkIRWaS0gW_R5mlssVC2DfP6yT1C3Q_LT6K9V2XsKN8X3HXPWFKZRryNClmFv938fjWWNv2q_UfpjQAnKM_7VKWQMR-cQHtn698SA5jVsBXqhhbeRNnLY5xE78hqDh0/s320/IMG_8325.JPG" width="320" /></a>3. Place sprinkles or lollies onto the chocolate and allow to set. You can place them in the fridge just be aware that the candy canes may become sticky. I found some Christmas themed sprinkles at my local Woolworths and I also just crushed up the ends of the candy canes I snapped.<br />
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4. Place into cellophane bags tied with curling ribbon and ENJOY!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW46bUyZ0b8suXTZAH8oTCMmPAEp-nDTJGReBfJcJvPRX4N5mASUffojxP8im24detaetGBEkDyT4MKSU_h1juSmHHJx_uvEm2rGtFeRLOtE4gq21MNx2wnPTXwS88jPHW9WXVQFHWfLxV/s1600/IMG_8338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW46bUyZ0b8suXTZAH8oTCMmPAEp-nDTJGReBfJcJvPRX4N5mASUffojxP8im24detaetGBEkDyT4MKSU_h1juSmHHJx_uvEm2rGtFeRLOtE4gq21MNx2wnPTXwS88jPHW9WXVQFHWfLxV/s320/IMG_8338.JPG" width="320" /></a>TIP: Take your time melting the chocolate, chocolate can burn very quickly. Start off with 30 seconds in the microwave at a time stirring in between. Decrease length of time as chocolate starts to melt.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy making these x</span></span></div>
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Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389747148962523068.post-34565348178843826512017-12-17T15:15:00.000-08:002017-12-17T21:08:11.482-08:00WELCOME TO SOMETHING BY SEANA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Hi everyone and welcome to my blog.<br />
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Over the years I've done a bit of writing here and there, I like to consider myself to be creative, and just recently I've found myself in need of an outlet.<br />
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To introduce myself, I'm a mother of one with another on the way and a wife living in Victoria, Australia. I love to cook, bake and create. I am a qualified pastry chef and was inspired by my mum and grandma, always being in the kitchen with them from a young age. I love DIY for many reasons, the creative outlet, learning experience and also saving money. I am a stay at home mum so budget is super important I want to be there for my kids as much as I can so we do what we have to to make it work.<br />
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I started this blog because at my 20 week scan we learnt that our darling boy has a genetic heart defect and will require open heart surgery once he is born. This has been a very tough pill to swallow, so in an effort to stop myself from going crazy I decided to create this blog as an outlet and distraction. Posts maybe very inconsistent especially around my due date and his surgery. But I also hope our journey as a family can help comfort or inspire others in similar situations.<br />
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Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more xx</div>
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I'll also be selling a few bits and pieces on my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/au/shop/BohemeLittleLoves" target="_blank">Etsy Store</a></div>
Seanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07431185976551358147noreply@blogger.com0