Innehållsförteckning för Issue 19, 2025 från that's life!

Are you someone who hates clutter? My mum never hesitates to throw things out. On the other hand, I really struggle. Growing up, Mum would shake a rubbish bag at me in a bid to get me to discard battered old shoes or childhood toys I’d outgrown. So I read this week’s Living Well (page 64) with interest. Apparently decluttering can reduce stress, boost focus and even help sleep. That would be fab, I thought, as an often tired person. After spending time over Easter trying to part with jigsaws that had missing pieces, tubes of hand cream with a ‘going stale’ smell, and too-small clothes, I’m not so sure. With all the internal battles between Get rid of this! and You never know, it might come in handy! my…

Luca ended up in hospital after a disaster in the kitchen Amber Styles, 33, Papamoa, NZ Spreading avocado on my toast, I then popped on the kettle. It was early Saturday morning on February 24, 2024, and my son Luca, then two, and daughter Ellie, four, were up and about. Ellie was watching TV in the lounge while Luca zoomed his trucks around the kitchen floor. ‘I’m just ducking to the bins,’ my husband Matt, then 32, said, arms laden with recycling. ‘Thanks love,’ I called back as the hum of the kettle finished boiling. Popping the kettle next to the toast, I turned to grab a cup and spoon for my coffee when I heard a heart-stopping scream. Whipping my head around, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Luca was…

When Connie hit rock bottom, she picked up a new hobby that transformed her life Connie Stowers, 38 Lying in my pyjamas on the couch, I reached for the cheese and crackers. Trapped in the house due to the Covid lockdown, I was combating my boredom by bingeing on snacks and greasy takeaway food. It was March 2020 and I was four months along with my first baby. My husband and I were thrilled to be expecting. But I’d been temporarily laid off from my retail job, and struggling with my mental health, I’d been put on pregnancy-safe antidepressants. But the meds were making me pack on the kilos. At our wedding in June 2019, I’d felt so confident in my trumpet-style bridal gown, standing proudly at 92.5 kilos. As…

SPANISH TORTILLA SERVES 6 PREP & COOK: 45 MINS 600g Sebago potatoes, peeled ⅓ cup store-bought caramelised onion 1 tblsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped ¼ cup olive oil 6 eggs Rocket leaves, to serve 1 Using a mandolin, V-slicer or sharp knife, slice potatoes into 5mm-thick rounds. 2 Toss potatoes with onion, thyme and 2 tblsps of the oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a sheet of paper towel. Microwave on High for about 6 to 7 minutes, or until potatoes are almost tender. 3 Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large jug until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. 4 Heat remaining oil in a 26cm in diameter (base measures 21cm) non-stick, ovenproof frying pan over a low heat. Add potato mixture, spreading to cover base. Pour over…

Tracy was attacked by her ex-boyfriend when she moved on with a new partner Tracy Otto, 29 CONTENT WARNING: This story contains confronting scenes of sexual violence Snuggling up beside my boyfriend, Ricky, then 38, I rested my head on his pillow. ‘Sweet dreams,’ I whispered, before drifting off to sleep. It was October 2019, and Ricky had been helping me move house. We’d met at the bar where I worked a month after my past relationship had broken down. My ex, Franc, 30, had been arrested for attacking me. He’d smashed my phone during an argument and threw me across a room. I’d decided to press charges. Even though I later dropped them, I knew our year-long relationship was over so I asked him to move out. After dating…

WE PAY FOR EACH PHOTO USED Cute little Maggie celebrated her first birthday in style. Marilyn Johnston, Boronia, Vic Luke was lucky to meet his favourite footy players, NRL legends Johnathan Thurston and Allan ‘Alfie’ Langer. Tania Steward, Kensington Grove, Qld Five-month-old Niles rocking his bunny bow tie. Rachel McNamara, Kambah, ACT $50 CASH WHAT’S ODD? PUZZLE HOW TO WIN... This image has been taken from the film Sense and Sensibility. We have tinkered with the image and have added something that doesn’t appear in the original scene (4,4). Write which object doesn’t belong only on the entry coupon and you could be a winner. Turn to entry coupon (p50) to enter! WINNERS ARE GRINNERS Isla, Lexie and Willow loved visiting Maits Rest, Vic, and seeing the incredibly tall trees!…

When Denise’s son Daniel was tragically abducted and murdered, she and her husband Bruce channelled their pain into keeping Australia’s children safe Denise Morcombe, 64, Sunshine Coast, Qld Driving under the underpass with my husband, Bruce, then 45, it seemed impossible that just over a year ago this was the last place our 13-year-old son Daniel had been seen. Our beautiful boy had gone missing while waiting for a bus here on the Nambour Connection Road, near our home in Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast, Qld. Daniel was a quiet, shy boy, who loved animals and his family, especially his twin, Bradley, and older brother, Dean, then 16. He was just 12 days away from his 14th birthday when he’d left the house on December 7, 2003. That day, Bruce…

Top tips Filled biscuits can be made up to two days ahead. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Refrigerate in hot weather. PASSIONFRUIT KISSES MAKES 32 PREP & COOK: 50 MINS ¼ cup fresh passionfruit pulp ¾ cup plain flour ¼ cup self-raising flour ½ cup cornflour ¼ cup custard powder 125g butter, softened ½ cup caster sugar 1 egg FILLING 50g butter, softened 1 cup icing sugar 3 tsps fresh passionfruit pulp 1 Grease two large oven trays and line with baking paper. 2 Press passionfruit pulp through a sieve into a small bowl. Discard seeds. You will need 1 tblsp juice. 3 Sift all flours and custard powder onto a sheet of baking paper. 4 Beat butter and sugar in small bowl of electric mixer…

BLUEBERRY APRICOT ROLY POLY PUDDING SERVES 6-8PREP & COOK: 1 HOUR, 30 MINS Melted butter, for greasing ⅓ cup apricot jam 16 thick slices white bread, crusts removed 1 cup frozen blueberries Icing sugar mixture and thickened cream, to serve  CUSTARD  2 eggs  2 egg yolks ½ cup caster sugar  1⅓ cups milk  ⅓ cup thickened cream  2 tsps vanilla extract 1 Brush melted butter over base and sides of a 24cm round ovenproof dish (6-cup capacity).  2 One at a time, spread jam onto one side of each bread slice and roll up to enclose (1 tsp each slice). Cut in half crossways. Arrange cut-side up and side-by-side in prepared dish. Scatter over blueberries.  3 To make custard, whisk eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl. Add…

GET PAID Octopus Group, provider of paid surveys, has launched OctoQual, their online market research arm for members in New Zealand and Australia. The payment ranges between $45 and $120 per hour and the sessions are face to face, usually online, making them accessible to more people. You’ll need to be a member to participate, and of course be willing to share your opinions. Check out octopusgroup.com.aufor more information, and as always, read the privacy policy and fine print before deciding if it’s right for you. melissabrowne.com.au I recently had the opportunity to hear the inspiring Melissa Browne speak. If you haven’t heard of her, Mel is an ex-financial advisor who ended up financially devastated after going through a divorce in her 30s. With a five figure debt and a…

Belle was in for a shock when she welcomed identical triplet girls Belle Polangco, 40, Shoalhaven, NSW Holding up a pastel baby onesie, I smiled. ‘I’ll take three please,’ I told the sales assistant. It was March 2022, and I was 18 weeks pregnant with not one, but three baby girls. I hadn’t been prepared for three separate heartbeats during my first ultrasound two months earlier. ‘Are you sure?’ I’d asked in disbelief. ‘I’ve always wanted a big family,’ my fiancé Peter, then 57, grinned, putting my nerves at ease. When I was nine weeks along in January, Peter had got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes! We’d matched on an online dating site in July 2018. With Peter living in…

SUPER SIS! Big sister Eden Delgado, five, found a clever way to soothe her baby quad siblings, Fern, Royal, Jane and Kit. Mum Kayleen had asked Eden – who also has a big sister Hadassah, eight – to play with the bubs, who are five months old, for a couple of minutes while she vacuumed. When the mum got back to the living room, she found Eden on the floor – rocking a baby with each limb! After Kayleen grabbed her phone to record, joker Eden said, ’You think this is the life with four babies? You think this is the life huh! Well, it’s not!’ The clip has been viewed more than two million times on their Instagram @thedelquadros Kayleen told that’s life!, ‘Eden is very funny and is…

Great ideas Any thick white fish fillets can be used in this recipe. We used Praise croutons – the 150g box contains two sealed bags. Replace original fries with sweet potato fries for a change. CRUNCHY MUSTARD HERB FISH SERVES 4 PREP & COOK: 30 MINS 750g packet frozen fries 150g box Caesar salad croutons 1 tsp lemon, herb and garlic seasoning ¼ cup grated parmesan 4 x 150g fresh hoki fillets, skin on ¼ cup Dijonnaise SALAD 1 baby cos lettuce, rinsed, torn ⅓ cup shaved parmesan ¼ cup creamy Caesar salad dressing 1 Cook fries according to packet directions for about 20 to 25 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, place one bag of the croutons in a snap-lock bag. Lightly crush with a rolling pin to form chunks. Add seasoning…

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kate Kirsten, Editor Sarah Firth, Deputy Editor Beth Young, Art Director Darren Monaghan, Picture Editor Holly Campbell ARE MEDIA Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley, Director of Sales Anna Quinn, Director of Content Sally Eagle, General Manager Entertainment Susan Armstrong, Commercial Brand Manager Jessica Ashworth, Director of Marketing Carly Bowra Subscription enquiries: Customer Service 136 116 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST) International +61 2 9692 3535 Email magshop@magshop.com.au Website www.magshop.com.au Advertising enquiries: advertising@aremedia.com.au Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ABN 18 053 273 546), 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. ©2025. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission. that’s life! is a registered trade mark of Are Media. Use of trademark strictly prohibited. Licensing Inquiries: www.contentshop.com.au / syndication@aremedia.com.au…

From ancient amulets to family heirlooms to modern bling, the jewellery we choose to wear – or not wear – can reveal glimpses into our personality, intentions, and spiritual inclinations. Here are some meanings of jewellery, and how we wear our accessories! Adorning the hands Rings and bracelets are powerful tools for channelling energy. Hands, as extensions of our will, are symbols of action and creation. A ring on your index finger may reveal a desire for authority or leadership, while a pinky ring might suggest creative flair or a desire for self-expression. Bracelets worn on the dominant hand can amplify outgoing energy, while on the non-dominant hand they act as a conduit for receiving energies. The metal matters too – gold symbolises vitality and abundance, while silver is tied…