Thankful Thursday {with a dash of pink}

Here's to girl dates to change my nails pink and chat over a chai latte, for weekends full of friends and celebration, for hundreds of wedding photos ready to sort and places to print them for a bargain of a price, for pancakes for dinner and time spent with family, for welcoming communities and church services that make you feel like dancing. Gratitude turns everything into enough.

What have you been thankful for lately?

The Pancake Kitchen

Mr J and I thoroughly enjoyed a spontaneous catch up with family tonight. We visited The Pancake Kitchen for a late dinner where we ate yummy food and engaged in great conversation. Feeling very blessed for my husband, mother, father and brother.

How did you finish your hump day?

Making a Wedding Album

Our wedding photos have arrived! Today I went to Kmart to print our memories. On the way out of the store, I spotted a 'do it yourself' photo album. This album is now in my home waiting to be filled. I decided to decorate the album using things from the day including the wedding invitation, service orders, bridesmaid fabric and burlap. I stuck all the bits and pieces down with a glue stick and double sided tape and secured it all a protective plastic sleeve over top. Looking forward to sharing these photos with you!

BEFORE 

 AFTER

How have you stored your wedding photos? In albums, on the computer or picture frames?

Creating a Positive Space

Before my wonderful husband moved into our little unit, there were times when I would be home by myself all day. With no one to talk to face to face, loneliness crept into my life. I had two things that helped me conquer this feeling. God and art. God as my friend, father, rock and security and art as my hobby. I could spend hours or days on various pieces of art which helped me keep my mind off of any down feelings that tried to take over. My aim was to make each piece of art positive, knowing that it would be displayed in our home, to reflect on and see each day. Creating a positive environment is so important. Here are a few examples of my work ...

What is something you do that lets you forget about reality for a while?

Saturday in Photos {mostly}

These things made my day.... 

An engagement party celebrating a very special couple

A body shop party with great friends, an amazing view and delicious food

& then the day ended with a girls night in with one of my closest friends, take away food, this show, great conversation and laughs.

Happy Saturday {almost Sunday} Everyone!

Happy Weekend

It's Friday. Thank goodness for that! Do you have much planned for the weekend? I will be celebrating a very special engagement, attending a body shop party, seeing friends, going to church and enjoying fellowship with people of all ages.

If you have a moment to sit down over the weekend and want to do something on the computer other than scroll through your facebook news feed or check emails then here are some things that I found exciting this week.

Are you left brained or right brained?

Pretty stationary

How cool is this citrus wreath!

As the weather is getting colder, here are three different ways to tie your scarf 

Six audition tapes from well known actors/actresses including Steve Carell, Rachel McAdams and Emma Stone

This idea is awesome to keep your children entertained in the bath

Happy weekend everybody.

Thankful Thursday {with a dash of storybooks and celebration}

Let's charge our glasses to storybooks that bring back memories and create excitement, for valentines day that motivated Mr J and I to try something different, for nights which we can spend with our amazing and supportive family, for cousins that have birthday celebrations where we get to eat cake, catch up on the latest happenings and learn a new game, for afternoons spent with close friends, for jobs that help keep our electricity running and stove top burning, for cooler temperatures that allow us to snuggle under the blankets and wear jumpers and for a marriage that has started off better than I had ever expected.

What are some things you have been thankful for lately?

Cooking: Pear Tarts

Do you like pears? Do you like pastries? If your answer was yes and yes, then you should try this dessert! Pear tarts or what I like to call pears on a pillow. I made them last night for Mr J and I. They were yummy. 

Makes 8 serves

Ingredients

Half a cup of caster sugar

One lemon, juiced

One piece of lemon peel

One vanilla bean, split

Four pears, peeled

Two sheets of puff pastry

One egg, lightly beaten

Method

Half fill a medium saucepan with cold water and add the sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla. 

Stir the water over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. 

Add the pears to the water and simmer until the pears are tender. Once tender, remove the pears and allow then to cool. 

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celcius.

Cut your pears in half and your pastry into quarters. 

Place each pear half onto each quarter of pastry. 

Use a sharp knife to cut a small indent around each pear. 

Brush the exposed pastry with egg.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. 

Enjoy hot with custard, cream or ice-cream. 

Recipe altered from here

Married Life

Over here I gave 16 Reasons Why Mr J Derserves A Dozen Cupcakes. Almost four months have passed since I posted that. They are all still very true with additions to be made. Within this short amount of time though, I feel as though my world has been turned upside down (in a good way!). I'm now married to my best friend. Late night goodbyes and early morning messages have now turned into late night kisses and early morning cuddles. Creating a home and learning more about each other everyday is something I would never change. Although I have only been in the married club for two weeks and two days, I can't wait for the future challenges and excitements that we can tackle as a team, with God by our side.

Mr J went back to his day job yesterday. Reality is back. However, looking back on the day there are way more positives than negatives. Mr J's hardworking attitude has given him an opportunity to be acting manager at his current job. His first day in this position was everything he could have asked for and more. Smiles all around. I worked an early shift before coming home to tackle the dishes, make the bed, argue with the washing machine and cook dinner. Although these chores don't sound appealing, it's all new to me and I'm having fun! Having a productive day, gave me time to also sit down with a cup of tea and my bible. Reality with Mr J as my husband excites me. I'm looking forward to creating an encouraging and relaxed home with him and our Lord.

Thanks to our families and friends for being an inspiration, role models and support.

Inspiration - Nick Olson & Lilah Horwitz

Photo source from here

Today I revisited this amazing story. Required watching for today. Inspiration found at 12:32pm.

Living in a Unit - TIP 4 - One Dish Wanders

Today, Mr J and I were blessed to have our dear friends over for lunch. Our first official hosting since being married. We played games that left us laughing uncontrollably and finished with a game of bocce in the sun. Prior to all our mind boggling fun, we ate. Mr J and I thought that a one dish wander would be ideal. I took charge of mains - shepherds pie. Mr J took charge of dessert - apple crumble. Yum.

Why are one dish wanders so great for a tiny unit?

Benefit number one. When guests arrive that you have been waiting all day to catch up with, the last thing you want to do is cook, instead make the meal in advance and then all you have to do is wait for it to heat up and in the meantime you can sit down and relax.

Benefit number two. After serving the meal, having one big dish to put in the kitchen sink looks much neater than three frying pans, two wooden spoons, an oven tray and some chopping boards. Advance cooking has allowed you to do all these dishes prior to your dinner party. This is particularly relevant for small units as everyone can see your kitchen sink - no where to hide that mess!

I dare you to impress your guests with a dish. What would your one dish specialty be?

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day! My day started at 12:00am, as Mr J and I were on our way home from a basketball match. Getting home late is one consequence of living on the other side of town. We stopped at a petrol station on the way home and before we continued our trek home, Mr J reached into one of our calico shopping bags in the back seat. I was asked to close my eyes and hold out my hands. As I opened my eyes I was excited to see the final season of this show to add to my collection. Can't wait to start watching it! We got home, showered, dressed and hopped into bed. Just as I was getting comfortable, Mr J asked for a glass of water (I was suspicious because usually he would just jump out and get it), there must be a catch. On my adventure of getting a glass of water I found five love notes hidden in the fridge, microwave, cutlery draw, laptop and the final one was waiting for me on my pillow. I felt so loved and it was only the first hour of the fourteenth of february. I couldn't help but give Mr J a big bear hug.

After a mini sleep-in and a productive morning, Mr J and I experienced our first couples massage at Cocoon Day Spa. It was amazing. Feeling very relaxed, we finished the day with Mr J's parents for a delicious meal and lots of laughter.

How was your valentines day? What did you get up to?

Thankful Thursday {with a dash of wedding}

I have two weeks of thankfulness to catch up on as this time last week Mr J and I were on our honeymoon. It feels like so much has happened over the last fourteen days.

Let's raise our glass to weddings that allow us to make a commitment to spend our lives with our best friend, to friends and family that traveled distances from 2km to 16,000km to help us celebrate our special day, to air conditioners that make heat waves bareable, to jewellers that make my rings shine as bright as the sun, to the most supportive loved ones ever, to honeymoons that allow you to do nothing but relax, to eggs that are suitable for any meal of the day, to the winter olympics that has only made me want to see snow even more, to artificial wedding bouquets that have added colour to our home and to Mr J being on holidays for another four days. and the list goes on.

What have you been thankful for lately?
Happy Valentines Day Eve!

Living in a Unit - TIP 3 - Surviving Hot Weather

Surviving the hot weather anywhere can be a challenge, let alone in a small apartment. Although Mr J and I have an air conditioner that cools the living room in less than thirty seconds, it somehow does not push itself past our five metre hallway to the bedroom. Sleeping at night becomes extremely uncomfortable, even with our ceiling fan rocking the roof at high speed. Therefore we are onto our fourth night sleeping over in the lounge. We are still trying to conquer the temperature of our bedroom - if anyone has any tips please comment below!

Over six months of owning this little unit I may not be able to adjust the bedroom temperature but I have realised a few things that make all the difference during the hot months. 

#1 Take a cold shower - This sounds straight forward and sometimes exactly what I feel like when the temperature has hit over forty degrees celcius but as soon as the cold water hits my head, I almost jump through the ceiling and get greeted by goosebumps all over. Before I know it I have reached my hand back to the tap to turn the heat up. Hot showers on a hot day have consequences when living in a small unit though as the entire home takes on the climate of the bathroom. Before you know it, it is hot and steamy everywhere. Taking a hot shower is wonderful but then having to suffer the humidity for the next hour is not. Brave the goosebumps and take a cool shower. 

#2 Less oven - Similar to the a hot shower, the oven can influence the entire unit temperature also. Although a hot apple crumble with ice-cream may have been a craving all day, I have had to result in eating ice-cream by itself as I wouldn't be able to manage the 180 degree celcius of the oven oozing out and hitting my face. Let the oven be your heater on the cooler days but put it to sleep on the hot ones. 

#3 The pedestal fan is you friend - As noisy and as unattractive as it is, the $20 pedestal fan in our living room is our friend. I used to think that having an air conditioner meant there was no need for a fan in the same room. Wrong. Putting the fan on is sometimes all I need (saving electricity!) or when the air conditioner is a must, the fan helps bring down that temperature a little more therefore we are able to have the air conditioner on a slightly higher temperature (also saving electricity!). Not to mention, it is portable! Invest in one of these and see how it makes your day more pleasant. 

What gets you through those stinking hot days? I would love to know. 

See other tips for living in a unit here

Our Honeymoon

February began in the best way possible. I got to marry my best friend. Our big day was amazing and I can't wait to share it with you once our photos arrive! Until then, I will skip to the honeymoon, which was also amazing. 

On Monday, the third of February, Mr J and I began a two and a half hour drive to Port Victoria. We arrived at a very clean and modern house which we were blessed to call our home for the week. Directly out the front of this house we were greeted with an incredible view and the downing of the sun. Beautiful! Our days spent on the yorke peninsula were extremely relaxing and included walks to the local jetty each day, a drive to Kadina, dinner at the Maitland Pub, movie marathons on the massive television, hours of playing board games and quality time with my husband. It was the best thing after such an eventful weekend. 

Introducing Us

I'm back! You may have noticed I haven't published online for a while but I think my excuse is one of the best. I got married!! & then had an amazing honeymoon. More about the wedding and honeymoon later but for now, introducing the newly married couple…

INTRODUCING TEAGAN KAHLA

How many siblings do you have? One younger brother
What is your favourite movie? About Time
What was your favourite childhood tv show? Arthur
If you could have one super power, what would it be? Go-go gadget arms
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Oh so many places! I would like to start by seeing more of Australia and then maybe some relaxation in Thailand {or somewhere similar}. I also loved our America trip in 2012, so would be more than happy to visit there again and I would love t experience some of Europe. By that answer, I think I'm undecided.
What is your least favourite chore? Washing the dishes
What are three things that give you life? Blogging, decorating our home and board games with loved ones
What keeps you up at night? Creative ideas and tomorrows 'to do' list
Would you rather sky-dive or bungee jump? My heart is racing just reading that question but I would have to chose sky-diving.
Are you a scruncher or a folder? Folder
What about marriage are you most looking forward to? Waking up next to my best friend everyday and adventuring through life together

INTRODUCING MR J

How many siblings do you have? Two younger brothers and one younger sister
What is your favourite movie? That's a hard one, um… {will get back to you!}
What was your favourite childhood tv show? Arthur
If you could be friends with anyone famous, who would it be? Tim Allen. Enough Said.
If you could have one super power, what would it be? Invisibility
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? San Francicso, for their baseball matches and just because it is awesome there.
What is your least favourite chore? Clothes washing
What are three things that give you life? Playing any type of sport, playing board games with friends and just chilling with Teagan.
What about marriage are you most looking forward to? Never having to go home and spending the rest of my life with my best friend.
Would you rather sky-dive or bungee jump? Bungee Jump
Are you a scruncher or a folder? Folder