{Family Game Night}

Well, a few weeks ago we decided to introduce games to our Sunday night dinner. It started with a game we already had which is a family favourite. Here are some of the games we have played that we love. Are you a game player? Even if you don't think you are, you might be surprised....it's actually a WHOLE lotta fun!!!

First Game: Absolute Balderdash

 

This game is hilarious.Think you're a good liar and think you can tell when someone else is? Then Absolute Balderdash is the game for you. Absolute Balderdash includes 5 different categories, words, people, initials, movies and dates to add some variety to the popular game Balderdash. 

You can probably pick it up at most stores that sell board games and I also found it online {here}.

Second Game: 5 Second Rule

5 Second Rule is a quick-thinking, fast-talking game from the clever people at University Games.
It should be easy to name 3 breeds of dog - but can you do it under the pressure of 5 seconds twisting down and with the other players staring, waiting for you to get flustered? 
You can buy it online {here}

Third Game: Sequence. 
Some amazing new friends introduced this one to us. I have bought sequence as a gift for someone since playing it and this may have sparked our idea for game night ;)

The Venture Games Sequence Game of strategy is an exciting game for children (7 +) and adults. Learn to block your opponents and remove their chips. The Sequence board game features fun, challenging and exciting strategies. 

You can buy it online {here}

Game 4: We have also bought this game but are yet to play, it looks good though, so can't wait!

 

What's your favourite game? Are you a scrabble, pictionary, billionaire, monopoly or risk fan? Share your favourites! Tell me here or comment on the {facebook page} so I can get ideas for new games. 

Lauren x

{The SORT OF 30 Minute Roast}

Well, I was chatting to my neighbor recently and she is a BIG reader. She was reading a vampire novel. Whilst I don't share her love for vampire fiction, we do share a love for food. In this book someone cooked a roast in a peculiar way. It entailed putting your oven on the hottest setting with your roast in it for 30 minutes. then, WITHOUT OPENING the oven, leave it inside to rest for 3 hours. 

My next door neighbor raved about how it actually worked. I was definitely intrigued to say the least. So, with baked beans and toast on hand in case it didn't turn out. Yes, I was skeptical. 

So I used a Santa Maria Beef Roast from Aldi. We have used this marinated beef before and have loved it. I also chopped up 3 potatoes and put it in the dish also.
I put it in at 1:45pm, turned oven off at 2:10 (had to leave for school pickup). Then I got out at 5:15 to reveal this. 

 

Pro's : 
* It was cooked perfectly (there wasn't any pink in it so it was probably considered medium/well). You could take it earlier if you like it less well done.
*Only 30 minutes of cooking time saves cost and makes it easy to have done on a busy school night.
 * The potatoes were also cooked well

Con's
* My tray was slightly liquidy in the bottom, this could be remedied by actually using a proper roasting tray  with a rack in the bottom.
*It was warm but not HOT, perhaps i could have taken it out a little earlier.
*It was VERY hard to not open the oven once its turned off. I gave into temptation and this may have affected the end temperature.

Lauren x

{Confessions of a Handbag Pt 2}

Sometime ago, I wrote about reclaiming my handbag. Part one {read here}was all about how I had made some zippered pouches to organise my handbag.


The first step was a cute kids fabric that contains my kids stuff that lives in my bag. Now that we are out of baby stages of life, it's mostly 'distraction items' as you can see in part 1 (link above).

Part 2:
I have one large pink bag. This is all MY stuff and I can also fit my phone & iPad in here and therefore can lift this ONE pouch out and change handbags at a moments notice and do so very easily.


The small one usually lives inside the larger bag, to make it easier.


The larger bag has a whole lot of stuff from Panadol, pens, band aids, a notepad, safety pins, usually my iPad, tic tacs etc...
The little red pouch at front centre holds all my shopping trolley tokens. I always keep a spare arm band in there for shopping trips to turn my phone into a toddler taming device :




The smaller bag is my girly bag. General essentials from my moxie tins, lip glosses, elastics, bobby pins, mirror and nail file.


Is your handbag organised? Or does it look like a shamozzled mess of randomness that could possibly produce a science experiment?
Mine was bordering on the latter before these bags...it's great knowing where everything is meant to be and being able to find stuff at a seconds notice.

Lauren x

{I love you because}

I have many things on my pinterest boards that are projects on my to - do list. This is one I can tick off my list. It is a sign I have put in between our vanity mirrors in the bathroom. I have seen a few style variations on this sign before. You can always create your own on and print it out. 
However, i loved the chevron pattern i found on this one {here} and it was a FREE printable. There are also different colour schemes available to choose from. Just mount the frame somewhere you both see it with a whiteboard marker (normal sharpies don't work without windex or elbow grease - hint hint)! 

I had all the things for this at home except for the whiteboard marker which set me back a whopping $3! Great value!

I love that this provides a cute opportunity to share things you love about your other half and It may even help you to look more intentionally for things if this doesn't come natural to you. I find that it's important to appreciate the small things in life - one day you will realise they were in fact the big things!

Lauren x
 

{Jewellery Storage}

One thing I have been after for a while in my master room is a full length mirror. It can be quite tricky hopping up on bathtubs and stools to get a full length view of an outfit. Don't look at me like that - I know we have all (hopefully) done that!
Another problem I have had is keeping my ever growing accessories collection under control. Necklaces get tangled, earrings lost, rings dropped. 

Not exactly earth shatteringly important problems on a global scale. I know. First world problems. But the following product solved both of them in one slimline, stylish and relatively affordable package. 

Introducing my newest addition to my room - the secret storage mirror. I know right! I got it from the shop that never closes and always threatens to - Homeart. It set me back $99, and so far has been worth every cent!

Lauren x