Taking Stock in January 2020
Hello January!!
Actually, I should be saying, ’Goodbye January, Hello February!’
I can’t believe we are already at the end of January! It’s been a massive month here in our household. January is always a big month though, it’s about getting organised for the year ahead of us, school holidays, making sure we have everything ready for school life organised, and we celebrated our little man turning nine!
A few years ago I did a blogging course with Pip Lincolne who shared the Taking Stock blog post concept. It’s a fun way to reflect and review your month. When I did this a few years ago, I really enjoyed the process of writing these posts, so I thought it would be a great idea to Take Stock in 2020.
Hello January 2020!
Making: Over the holidays we spent hours painting, fixing and renovating our home. There are still things to do but some things are meant to be done in the winter. I solemnly swear I will never renovate in summer ever again.
Cooking: This month I have been determined to become more efficient in using my pressure cooker. I even bought a women’s weekly cookbook all about slow cooking and pressure cooking. I am determined to figure out how to conquer the gadget. I have one of those Phillips pressure cookers that can also be used as a slow cooker – I believe it’s the best gadget I have ever bought. Not even joking!
This month we have experimented with Chicken Tikka Missala, spaghetti bolognese, Roast lamb and veges, chicken Thai Green Curry, and beef stir fry, just to name a few of the yummy meals we have had over the last month In the pressure cooker. I am loving how quickly I can get dinner on the table. My pressure cooker is going to help me through term time to have quality meals on the table in what I would like to call record time. The secret to family meals is to find ideas the family like but not serve it every day, or every week. Goodluck and Yay Me!!
I have found a group on facebook all about cooking with a pressure cooker, I’ve discovered that there are some crazy talented home chefs out there.
Sipping: There is nothing better than a cold soda water with a small lemon wedge and a couple of ice cubes.
Reading: This month I have been reading ‘Kochie’s 11 step money plan for a better life‘, by David Koch. I must admit that I ummed and arred about whether or not I wanted to read this book because I’m not really a David Koch fan – I find him quite annoying on channel 7’s Sunrise morning show. I’m going to be honest here and say that I am finding it pretty boring, but I want to be wiser with regard to money.
Looking: We have been decluttering and downsizing our belongings, so we have been looking at our things in light of whether or not we need or want them. I have made a little money selling a few things on facebook market. I am thoroughly enjoying looking through our things to see if we might be able to get some money for unwanted items.
Listening: To a lot of Lauren Daigle! Hubby and I took the girls to see the Lauren Daigle concert at the Fortitude Music Hall. Since going to the concert we have had Lauren Daigle Concerts at home via youtube. Somebody filmed the entire concert in Manchester and posted it up to YouTube. It’s literally the same concert we went to see. Live is obviously heaps better, but you do get a great YouTube concert.
We are pretty naive when it comes to concerts. We should have left home earlier than we did, because when we got to the McWhirter‘s mall in the Valley, the line of people was so long that the end of the line was up the far end of China Town. Apparently 4150 people bought tickets. It was a great night, and the girl is amazing live.
Wishing: For a huge lottery win! I believe I am well deserving…I would share it…..!
Enjoying: Homelife. I love hanging out at home and pottering around getting jobs done. I also love hanging out with the kids.
Liking: Alexa. We got a surprise on Christmas morning when our daughter who has a job gave hubby and I an ’Echo Dot‘. Over the last month, I have been telling Alexa what I need her to put on our shopping list, I ask her to play songs I like, I ask her to remind me to do this, that or the other. I am still learning what I can do with the echo dot, but one of the best things about Alexa is having music play through the house.
Loving: My little boy has just started reading chapter books. Learning to read has been an uphill battle for J, so to find him with a chapter book in his hands and reading is exciting to me. I love seeing him with a book. All I have to do now is find more of these Mission Fox books.
Buying: Our little guy turned 9 this month, so our focus has been on birthday presents for our little guy. Also, school supplies and groceries.
Watching: What’s been happening with the fires across Australia. I loved seeing Celeste Barber’s efforts in raising funds for the people who have been effected by the fires. It was amazing to see numerous celebrities giving large sums of money to the efforts of helping people in need. These fires have devastated and left numerous people homeless.
It was a beautiful answer to prayer when the rains started. The people in our church prayed only a few weeks ago for rain, so it has been fantastic to see in the media, farmers celebrating and dancing in the rain with their kids.
Hoping: To have time over the weekend to do nothing but sit on the beach with a book. Goals! 🙂
Starting: J started Jujitsu this week, and absolutely loved it! The lesson goes for a whole hour and it was a bit of fun to watch. He gets his uniform next week.
Needing: Need is an interesting word. I don’t believe I actually need anything specific from the shops. I have everything I need. Great husband, great kids, great family, great friends, our home, I could go on. I am so grateful for everything we have.
Wearing: Clothes.
Following: Brene Brown. I just watched her Daring Greatly Netflix special, and she is so wise and funny. I don’t agree with everything she says, but that’s okay. I particularly love the Teddy Roosevelt quote that sparked Brene Brown’s book Daring Greatly.
Noticing: I just walked past the loo, and there are 4 toilet rolls meticulously placed on the window sill. I love our kids, but why don’t they see and put toilet rolls in the bin? I thought about taking a photo, but decided against it. I must be so used to the kids ‘forgetting’ to take the cardboard toilet rolls to the bin, I don’t even get annoyed I just go and give them some jobs to do! So much fun!
Sorting: My linen press, and my pantry. They were a mess – now they are cleaned out and I am a happy woman. Well, they were when I started this post. I’m grateful that neither cupboard is as bad as they were.
Getting: Into gear for the year. I’ll admit that I’m a little sad the school holidays are over, and I do have a few holiday regrets, but we can’t look backward, we have to keep moving forwards. School holidays are back in 9 weeks! There is a lot to do towards our personal goals in that time…so let’s go!!
Saving: For a dream holiday with the family.
Bookmarking: Pressure Cooker recipes, school related topics, Pinterest home related pins.
Opening: Bills! Just got the rates bill. It is so crazy that we have to pay out so much money for such things. I’m grateful for the rubbish trucks that pick up our rubbish, but I don’t know what else our rates money pays for!
Giggling: At the moment I am laughing at British Comedian Michael McIntyre. He has a show on youtube called ‘Send to All’. It’s probably a television show in the UK but I stumbled across it on youtube. Basically, he has celebrities on the show that allow him to send a text message too everyone in their contacts list. As you can imagine, some of the messages are a little silly, but the responses can be quite hilarious. I haven’t seen all the episodes on youtube, but the few I have seen are funny. I particularly enjoyed the Bear Grills one, and the one with Jamie Oliver.
Feeling: Happy. 🙂
Disliking: My friend Nik had to leave and head home to Canada.
Hearing: The rain on our roof, and the wind in the trees. More rain please! (It was raining)
Snacking: Home made bliss balls….I googled the ingredients and you’ll find a recipe for these bliss balls – cashews, dates, cranberries, cacoa, coconut oil, coconut.
Obsessing: Not really obsessing over anything right now. I do obsess over my kids and my husband though. :).
Highlight: Definitely the Lauren Daigle concert. We spent New Years with friends from 20 odd years ago, and we found out that Amy’s course is going to cost a lot less than what we expected.
Lowlight: The lady standing in front of us at the Lauren Daigle concert. It was great she enjoyed the concert but she made it very difficult for all of us behind her to enjoy the concert. Also, Hubby had to go back to work on the 6th.
Movies: Beps and I went to see the new ‘Little Women’ movie, and we really loved it. So worth going to see it. Beps and I believe it is the best version ever made.
Date night: Hubby and I had a date night last week, and we saw ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood’ with Tom Hanks. It is based on the story of Mr Fred Rogers, who was an incredibly kind man who made it his mission in life to show kindness to others. He had a television show in the 1970’s for kids. It was a heartwarming movie. I love stories about people who make a massive difference in other peoples lives.
So here we are at the end of the first month of the year. It was massive in so many ways. I would love to turn back time and redo January, I feel as though I blinked and January finished.
Feel free to borrow the taking stock words if you would like too try taking stock. Pip Lincolne offers the opportunity to anyone on her blog ‘meet me at Mikes’.
Till next time,
xo
