Blogmas – Page 3

My November Faves – Blogmas Day 17

December 17, 2018 by Vicky Leave a Comment

We are on the final straight for December and Blogmas so I thought it was time to finally recap my favourite photos taken in November!

I love the jacaranda trees which make a beautiful appearance during spring time here so I spent quite a lot of outdoors time admiring and photographing them!
We paid a visit to Redcliffe, for me for the first time, and spent an afternoon exploring which you can read about here.
I was gifted tickets to the Ballet during November which I went to with Naomi. We saw Don Quixote which was fantastic and beautiful.
One of the Aussie’s friends came to stay for a week and we took him for a walk through the City starting at Southbank on 11 November 2018. On our way round we saw this commemoration for Remembrance Day on its 100 year anniversary.
For my birthday one of my friends sent me this beautiful candle from Royal Essence. I have never heard of them before but the concept is that there is a ring inside the candle which you will discover after burning it for 10 to 15 hours. I very determinedly burnt the candle and was so excited to reveal my beautiful ring. Thank you!
I try and go for a walk every lunch time when I am working (although it has been getting a bit hot for that recently) and I am very lucky to have such beautiful streets to walk along.
and 8. and 9. were all taken during my birthday weekend on the Gold Coast which you can read about here.

My Christmas Reading List – Blogmas Day 16

December 16, 2018 by Vicky Leave a Comment

I don’t read anywhere near as much as I used to or I would like to do.

For the Goodreads Reading Challenge this year I set myself the challenge of reading 30 books this year but as I write this I have completed only 13, although I have really enjoyed the books that I have completed.

I was listening to books at the gym during my cardio sessions for a little while but at the moment am not really enjoying doing that so I am missing out on finishing the audio books that I have bought.

I will set my goal to 30 books for the Goodreads Reading Challenge next year and maybe I will manage to hit my goal.

I am mid way through books on Kindle, Audible and even an actual physical book so I have plenty to be getting along with if / when I get a chance to sit down and bury my head in a book during the festive period.

I have put a couple of books on my Birthday / Christmas Wish List so I might even get a book to get my teeth into on Christmas Day.

My Kindle Book to Finish is Who We Were Before by Leah Mercer

My Audible Book to Finish is The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty

My “real” Book to Finish is My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I hope to be able to report back that I have completed at least one of them over Christmas.

My Favourite Christmas Foods – Blogmas Day 15

December 15, 2018 by Vicky Leave a Comment

There are a few foods which I think always are festive and will generally only get the opportunity to eat around Christmas.

Minced Pies – made with fruit not meat (just in case it causes confusion) and contained within sweet pastry these are always a winner for me. They taste great when heated and also with some cream or brandy butter (obviously not on plan!).

Christmas Cake – like minced pies I think it is the fruit which makes a Christmas cake a winner for me. I have made them a few times with my Mum in the run up to Christmas and I always enjoyed the process.

Wensleydale and Cranberry Cheese – the combination of wensleydale with the sweetness of the cranberries makes this cheese the perfect cheese and always reminds me of Christmas. It is also a cheese which I don’t fancy or eat at any other time of the year so it makes it extra special if I can find it at Christmas.

Turkey – of course there has to be turkey! A roast dinner with turkey on Christmas Day (or Easter) has to be included in my perfect Christmas line up. It’s the height of summer over Christmas in Australia so we haven’t had turkey every Christmas we have been here but my first Christmas in Australia I did manage to cook one on the BBQ at Christmas which was pretty amazing.

Pigs in Blankets – these are sausages wrapped in bacon which are baked in the oven and taste absolutely amazing! They are another food which only gets eaten at Christmas in our family so they are special.

Sprouts – yes I am one of “those” people! I love sprouts and my Mum and Dad will tell the story about the Christmas I stole the sprouts from everyones plate.

Pfeffernüsse – these are the most delicious small German ginger biscuits which are quite hard to track down here but they are worth it. If I buy a bag for the Aussie they are literally gone in a day as he is as big / a bigger fan.

My Favourite Posts during 2018

December 14, 2018 by Vicky Leave a Comment

As we come towards the end of the year and our trip to the UK and Christmas itself are just a few days away I have been reflecting on my blog and my favourite posts which I have made during 2018.

Below are my top 5

Commonwealth Games Gold Run – I had the opportunity to participate in an event at the Commonwealth Games. I was nervous about completing the 5km walk in under an hour but it was a once in a lifetime event and I was so happy I did it.
Bali Adventures Part One and Part Two – even though we were stranded on Bali for a few extra days thanks to the volcano erupting, I really enjoyed our holiday there over my 36th birthday. I hope we can get back again one day.
Bridge to Brisbane – this was a truly soggy event that Naomi and I participated in. We were literally drenched right through but it was also such a great experience that I thoroughly enjoyed recounting it for the blog.
I have lost an Octopus – this is a post about how much weight I have lost and what exactly 50kg is equivalent too.
Sydney Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four – last but by no means least had to be my posts about my trip to Sydney with my family and the Aussie during my families visit to Australia. It was my first ever trip and I fell a bit in love with the city.