While the kids were sick with the croup, and I had what they had but they did not call it croup. I noticed that my kitchen became an assembly line of meds, Lysol, anti-bacterial hand cream and lozenges.


So I took a photo!

The Messenger

The Messenger looks a great movie to watch!

Ben Foster (love him!) plays Will Montgomery, a U.S. Army officer who has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification service. He's partnered with fellow officer Tony Stone, played by Woody Harrelson, to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers.
Will is drawn to Olivia played by Samantha Morton, a widow he has just delivered the news of her husband's death.

This is the directorial debut of Oren Moverman after being a prominent screen writer in the independent film world for decades. He put his screen writing as well as his military life in this amazing film!

A must see! I can't wait for it to come in theater!

MOMVERSATION MONDAY: Have Kids' Halloween Costumes Crossed the Line?

Momversation Monday is back! Dana Loesch of Mamalogues.com ask have Halloween Costumes crossed the line.

I believe so.

Well look through your local Wal-Mart or stores, if you have a daughter your costumes choices are going to include: short skirts, fishnets, skimpy tops and tons of make-up.

Don't know why girls costume are so sexy looking.






If you look at the boys costumes they look like, well, costumes! Transformers, Superman, all of them consists of jumpsuits and masks.

When it comes to gory costumes, they make sense for Halloween. It's a holiday meant to blend into the spirits who come to haunt the living, that was how it started.

Now I'm surprised some people do shove dollar bills in the girls costumes! Quit making our kids too sexy already!

No one should be wearing those costumes except for college size zero chicks who do keg stands at a fraternity party.

For my kids and living in Canada a good rule for them and myself is this:

If you can't put your costume over your winter gear, don't bother showing me! I'm just happy I can pick out their costumes for a little while longer!

Give me old fashioned costumes any day!

OUTRAGE!

Maybe it's from the lack of sleep or the fact that the three of us are still sick but it really started to make me mad how I no longer have a doctor.

That's right! No doctor. My doctor left, leaving NO REPLACEMENT for his patients and now we are forced to go to the clinic or the hospital to get any kind of medical care.

Both the clinic and the hospital are 35 minutes away from me. And I refuse to go to the clinic, because (wait for the sarcasm...) after the amazing care they give you wind up in the hospital with worse symptoms than before.

I'm amazed of the health care we have in our country. It's appalling! When my husband and I got our first posting here, I put myself on a waiting list and got lucky enough to get a doctor. Others who have been here for years still don't. Now I'm back on one.

Not only that, when I needed to see the doctor I got a nurse. So why can't they see me now?

And now I got some nice little information from a new "friend" Pharmacist, I will call him Pharmy.

Pharmy has told me that the Ottawa Heath Board doesn't like bringing in new physicians to the province because they want keep their numbers low so it's bucks in their pockets at the end of the year. Meaning a doctor in Edmonton has no chance of working here because our government is greedy! Leaving us to fend for ouselves.

OH and get this! Another piece of information you might not know and something I was amazed to hear from Pharmy. The Government as REMOVED Tamiflu from the drugstore because they are now working with manufacturers of the new H1N1 flu shot. Several people have come in looking for the Tamiflu shot and Phamy had nothing to give. Leaving our town pretty much screwed.

Now coming from someone who has experienced health care in various parts of the world. I got better health care in PANAMA than I do here in Canada!

Why is that?

Please tell me if I'm wrong here....

UGHH!

The past couple of days have been a nightmare!

Both the kiddies were sick. It started with Ducky. He gets the croup every fall/winter so when I heard him on Sunday night sound I did what I do every time he gets sick.

1. Panic!

I know, but as I self diagnosed myself as a "partial hypochondriac". My first instinct is to panic and think worse case scenario. But I composed myself and realized that, yes, it is the croup.

2. Follow the guidelines to the croup: shower and sit in the bathroom with the steam. If that doesn't work, go outside with the cold air, turn on the air mist in Ducky's room and give him some Tylenol for the fever.

3. Get some sleep cause it's going to be a crappy week!

Monday morning wasn't too bad, Ducky's fever was gone and kept insisting on going to school. So I took him and informed the teacher that he did not have a flu, his cough sounds worse than it is (especially since he was running around) and I left.
When I went to get him at the end of the day he was pale and tired... You must have read my last post.

I took him to the hospital, in and out in 45 minutes (new record). When the doctor came to see me the first thing he said was "well it's not Swine Flue". My reply, "No kidding! It's the croup, I just came here for something to ease it".
Doctor was really surprised that I knew what it was, cause I haven't dealt with this for 4 years (insert sarcasm here).

Got the kids home and Chicky started to run a fever too. Not really surprised, so Tylenol for the babe and they were out.

Tuesday was a quiet day with a lot of snuggling and drinking water and eating Goldfish crackers.

Wednesday, was when it hit me hard! Ducky was feeling much better and once again insisted on going to school (hope that continues!). So Chicky and I stayed home and cuddled and slept for most of the day. Once Ducky was home everything in my body hurt, I got hot and sweaty, I'd take a blanket off, then I would get the chills and goosebumps and my body would hurt even more. It sucked! No sucks, cause I'm still in pain!
I did get some relief later in the evening when a gal pal dropped of some medicine that had codeine and some ginger ale, I conked out for the night. Today I still hurt but I'm getting better.

Hoping both the kids are better by the weekend! Cause I can't pull another week of this! I laugh only because I hurt!

DIY Projects

I've been trying to get some things done in my house. And since it's not my house I refuse to paint it. You have to paint it back once you leave and that just sounds like too much work!


Do It Yourself projects it is! Adding things to the house without painting here I come!

This is the biggest task. My bedroom.

First, it's been cleaned and organized, now it's ready for the special touches.

That should do it for now. Once those are done I'll add the next room!

Later days!

Sticker Wars!!

I love how hubby is encouraging the entire thing!

Once upon a time some idiot ( names not to be mentioned!) gave Ducky stickers. And from there he wanted to sticker anything in sight. Including, yes, Chicky!
So I beg and plead with everyone in my family who wants to send gifts to my kids this Christmas, stickers will get you a very angry Mayhem!

I know it's cute!

But now Ducky is not the only one who enjoys the sticky paper! Chicky has gotten a taste for them too. I know the photos above are great but when you have to clean your house from them sticker war the kids played the day before.

And when I asked about the stickers, these are the looks I got:

Bad Mommy!

So my son had the croup since he was an infant, so when I hear him coughing half a lung I just follow the routine:
Shower, back rub, Tylenol for the fever (if there is one), drink if water (he gets really dehydrated), snuggles and back to sleep.

This morning he seemed fine. I asked twenty times if he wanted to go to school or stay home and he said yes to school every time. So I got him dressed for picture day, took him to school and told the teacher that he might be a bit tired from the night before.

When I get him from school my poor Ducky is as white as a ghost and looking for me to carry him home. Lucky the teacher said that he was only like that the last 30 minutes of school but I felt horrible!

As I'm putting my sick little boy in his car seat I tell him I should have kept him home from school.

His response:

"YEAH"

The Harsh Reality of Hubby's Job Just Floated Through The Door

Cpl. Mayhem was on duty yesterday so he arrived at home early this morning with the most interesting looking box.

Of course if I told you it was a little blue Tiffany's box you would all be wondering "Girl! What are you complaining about!?"

But alas! That little blue box was not what I saw. Instead a big, brown, metal kit box was waiting at the door alongside my husband.

"What on earth is that?"

My husband gives me his sneaky grin that he always does when he knows what he is about to tell me will make me upset.

"Are those your tans?"

"Yes Vanessa, can I come in?"

"You can! The box stays outside!"

Cpl. Mayhem chuckles at me. "Why baby?"

"Seriously! The box stays outside! It's making me sad!"

The reality of him going overseas just hit me. And it sucks!

Later days!

Mayhem's Very First Contest Brought To You By Eden Fantasys!!!

Did you see my product review?

GREAT! Now here is the fun part! Eden Fantasys is giving one A Military Wife's Mayhem friend a 25 dollar gift card!!!

Tell me what needs to happen for you and your special someone to get some special time with each other. A babysitter? Leaving the house all together? Power outage?

For additional entries:

1. Tell me what you would get from Eden Fansatys (individual comment)

2. Become a follower of A Military Wife's Mayhem and write on the comments that you have become a follower (individual comment)

Contest will run till October 28th.

HAVE FUN!!

Eden Fantasys Product Review

When we become moms we have a tendency to put other relationships in the back burner. Friends, family, our own relationship with ourselves ( don't lie! Your inner girlfriend would be horrified to see you running around town in your PJ bottoms, shirt covered in baby puke questioning when was the last time you put a brush through your hair let along a shower!).

But lets talk about the relationship with your spouse. I know the concept of a date probably hasn't crossed your mind since the day your child has been born. But honestly, when was the last time you thought of just you and your man?

Cpl. Mayhem and I used to do date nights and special evenings for us all the time! But once the kids came and he joined the military, dates and spending time alone have become few and far between.

So when I got an email from Eden's Fansatys I jumped on the bandwagon to maybe put that spark back into our relationship.

Eden's Fantasys send me a great product that would do just that! A Bed of Roses is a great way reconnect.

A great product with scented candles, bubble bath, massager and so much more!

When I got the package I didn't know what it was because the box was discreet, no embarrassment!

I have to say the package is beautiful presented. As you can see above on my zebra print sheets!

The bubble bath was great because it wasn't a strong scented bubble bath. I'm very irritated by strong scents so this really made the bath relaxing. Not only that I didn't feel dry from the soap of the bubbles, BONUS!

The candles and the flowers definitely set a tone for the room, but I did only use half of the petals because they were stronger scented than the bubble bath. But they still did a great job making my room look like a romantic oasis!

The massager was a great tool because I have no strength to massage my husband's back, in his words, the massage was strong and untied the knots from being in the field.

So since I like to keep this a "family" blog, especially since my mom/dad, MIL and FIL read this. The product was fun and it gave my husband and I a nice little spa at home. We got a moment away from the kids, phones, computers, TV, life!

Did I interested you?

Eden Fantasys also have fun adult toys, lingerie and a neat online magazine called SEXIS.

What about if I also mentioned that A Military Wife's Mayhem will be having it's VERY FIRST CONTEST courtesy of Eden Fantasys???

Stayed tuned!!!

TO-DO TUESDAY Week 3

Too busy for words!!!

Did I get my list done? Lets see:

Clean the bathroom and put new curtains up ( in my defense, I cleaned the bathroom I just couldn't find the curtains to put up!)√
Organize paperwork
Make up new budget
Comment on 5 blogs a day ( being a little more realistic)√
Clean bedroom √
Write product review for Eden's Fantasy (up by Tuesday!)√
Make a Peach and Cream Pie and blog about it!
Ducky's room needs to be cleaned
Sweep and mop the main floor √

So here we go with this week's list:

Put up bathroom curtain ( I FOUND IT!)
Organize paperwork
Make up new budget
Comment of 5 blogs a day
Make a Peach and Cream Pie ( if I can find some nice peaches)
Ducky's room needs to be cleaned
Linen closet needs to be reorganized

I have to pat myself on the back for getting rid of a whole garbage bag, a box and plastic recycle bag of donation clothes and cleaned my bedroom from top to bottom. Which now has left room for some decorating options!

DIY Projects here I come!!

MOMVERSATION MONDAY: Did You Take Your Husband's Name?

Momversation Monday!!!
Rebecca Woolf of Girl's Gone Child ask did you take your husband's name?

Hello my name is Vanessa Mayhem. Or was is Vanessa first last name?
I took my husband's name when we got married. At first there was a struggle between my mother and I because of it.

My mother named me Vanessa "blank" mainly because it was a professional name, it ran off the tongue easy and it was unique! I agreed with her 100%. But I felt that traditional was calling me and so was my husband's last name.

I felt in the beginning that I was trying to please his family with the changing of my last name since I wasn't going to change my religion. For me names can always be changed, hyphenated and mixed around. But religion it not something I have ever just walked into and changed on a dime.

So for a long time I was going back and forth with my name. But once we got married and my name was changed, I realized that the sky is the limit when it comes to names.

If you go on my Facebook my name is hyphenated for those friends who know me as my first name, but now they know that I am married.

On my IDs and personal information has Vanessa Mayhem (an no, Mayhem is not my real name!).

And for anything professional I would like to have my maiden name on it. Why? Because, like my mother said "It's professional and unique". And for me, I need to stand out!

I was hoping that maybe Cpl. Mayhem would take my last name because from what I've gathered my sister are the last generation with the last name and I was hoping that if we had a son we could give him my last name so my name wouldn't "die" with myself and my sisters.

Problem: He's just as traditional as I am!

WIN $ 1500 TARGET GIFT CARD FROM MOMVERSATION

As you all know I'm a HUGE Momversation fan! And I HAD to pass this on to my readers who haven't gone to their site yet.


Momversation is having a Style Me Makeover! You can win a $1500 gift card for Target! I KNOW!!

Unfortunately for me it's open only to US residents (boo!). But I'm spreading the word and if one of my friends here on A Military Wife's Mayhem wins I wanna see what they bought! So I'll be living vicariously through you! LOL!

Here's what you have to do:

You need to take a "before" photo and send in a brief description of why you need a makeover.
you also have to send your Momversation user name which you can get when you sign up at Momversation.com. It's FREE and easy! Look I even put a link to the contest AND Momversation for you. It can't get any easier!

Then send all your info to styleme@momversation.com and you are entered!

Entries Due: October 16

Since I can't enter I decided for kicks to put my entry here!

I call it the Stereotypical Military Mom:

Come on! Enter to win!! Have fun with it! I did!!

Later days!

Again With The Damn Blue Hat!

In my last post I mentioned the blue hat that my son's snarky teacher said has been returned twice to kindergarten

Well...

Yesterday my kid's teacher snapped at me and my son for no good reason. Now I've come across some interesting information about what happened in the afternoon:

My friend K was over at the kindergarten class helping with lunch and getting the kids ready to go outside. She told me about the crusty helper, someone K didn't understand why she was working with little ones her temper and attitude apparently sucks.

Anyway, this crusty old lady told my son to put his hat on, to which he replied it was not his hat.
She asks him two more times to do it. And again he repeats, that the hat is not his!

K goes over and reiterates that the hat does not belong to my son.

Can you believe it? No one is listening to what my son is saying!!

Now it makes me wonder, does anyone listen to him at school. There are 17 kids in his class. I graduated with a class of 15, if he is falling through the cracks with not one teacher but three in the same room?

I'm call the principal. Enough is enough!


UPDATE: I spoke to the school principal ( LOVE HIM!!). He's had informed me that he does know who my son is and he will be having a conversation with him along with the speech aid they have at the school! Which is great because we all think that his speech might be an issue. Also he will be addressing the lunch staff and teachers to be more patience with my son.

Great principal!

Kindergarden Horror!

Ducky was really looking forward to going to school today until his kindergarten teacher snapped at him for no good reason!


And for no good reason it was, I was there! This teacher was transferred from a grade 3 classroom to the kindergarten class and at first I had no problem with her until yesterday.


We get to school and I go over the drill with Ducky: take your rain boots off, hang up your coat and backpack, put your indoor shoes on sign your name (or scribble, whatever...).

Ducky starts doing exactly that. While he is doing this I noticed the teacher snapping at another child. Yelling at her about how she need to put her mail bag in the proper place and reprimanding her like a dog, "No!".


OK, I say nothing because like every other person in the world, we all have bad days. But the girl was 4 and all the kids are new to the school environment, calm down! They will get it!

Then I hear her with my son.


Teacher: "NO Ducky don't do that?"


Don't do what! I can't see where they are because they are hidden where the cubbies are.

Teacher: "Go get your mail bag and sign in"

Ducky: "I don't have a mail bag"


Let me first explain the "mail bag". I don't know if all schools do this or not but we get a mail bag, a Ziploc back that we provide in the beginning of the year, with his name on it where homework or information comes home in. We then return it with notes and permission slips so they are in one place. A great idea!


Teacher: "You do have a mail bag. GO GET IT!"

Ducky (frustrated and scared): "I don't have a mail bag


Me: Teacher, I'm sorry Ducky did not come home with a mail bag on Monday.

Teacher: Yes HE did! They are supposed to have it in their backpacks at the end of the day, I GAVE him his.

Me (embarrassed and a little irate that she is insinuating that my son and I are lying): I understand, but there wasn't a mail bag in his backpack on Monday.

Teacher: Well maybe one of the other kids put it in their bag by mistake.

Me (getting pissed off with the attitude I'm getting but being the bigger person): It happens, I just wanted to let you know the reason he doesn't have one was because one was not brought home on Monday.

Teacher: OK, Ducky go sign your name on the list.

Me: Oh, Teacher, Ducky also came home with a blue hat, it's not his, but we brought it back. It's in his backpack if one of his friends is looking for it.

Teacher: Ducky TOLD me it was his.

Me (amazed that she is giving me such a tone!): Maybe he did, but we brought it back.

Teacher: This is the SECOND time that this hat has been brought back.


Not my problem lady!

Me: It happens, Ducky's things have his name on. I just wanted to let you know that it's there if someone is looking for it.

Teacher: OK, Ducky, GO sign yourself in.


When my son turned around to walk away, I was mortified to see that he had his head slumped down and slowly walking towards the clipboard. He felt like he had done something wrong and he could not fix it! I never want to see my son hurt like that by his teacher again!


Luckily, the custodial staff at the school is a friend of mine and kept me composed whispering behind me to "walk way!".


I called out to my son to come back and ran towards me. I gave him a huge hug and looked him in the eyes and said "You did nothing wrong". I could tell it made him feel better.


No one has ever talked like that to me! At least without reason! Snapping at kids about a plastic Ziploc bag is insane! If I was my son's age and some treated me like that I would have pissed myself! And not only that she hollered at me in front of other staff, parents and children! NO NEEDED!


I decided when I went to pick Ducky up I was going to have a talk with her because I had stuff to say to her, and I had a whole day to stew! Instead, my son saved me from myself and ran towards me and said "Let's go home, mommy".

(Ducky at 2 years old)

This talk can wait.




Update: Had to point out that my husband was the best about the entire situation yesterday. He got so upset and yelled " No one talks to my wife like that". I fell in love all over again!

Even Better Update: Teacher called today to talk about the reason why my son feels like he is not being listened to (read about the blue hat above). We had a great chat and she is now been taken off my "shit" list. Bonus points for the principal for dealing with the issue in such a timely matter!

To-Do Tuesday

I think I did pretty well this week for my first online to-do list!

Here are some of the things that I haven't done that will be tossed over to this week's list:

Clean the bathroom and put new curtains up ( in my defense, I cleaned the bathroom I just couldn't find the curtains to put up!)√
Organize paperwork
Make up new budget
Comment on 5 blogs a day ( being a little more realistic)√
Clean bedroom √
Write product review for Eden's Fantasy (up by Tuesday!)√
Make a Peach and Cream Pie and blog about it!

New list:
Organize shelf before company comes over for Thanksgiving this weekend. EEK!
Ducky's room needs to be cleaned
Sweep and mop the main floor

I do want to get all my work done for the week! Have a great night!

MOMVERSATION MONDAY: Do You Play Favorites With Your Kids?

It's Monday!!!
Heather B. Armstrong of Dooce.com asks moms do you play favorites with your kids?

Here's my take on it. I love my kids from the moment I held them until the day I die. But as I always say to my husband when he has pissed me off, " I love you, but I don't like you right now".

All four of us in Camp Mayhem have very different personalities and we all clash at one point or another. It also depends on the day and what they have done throughout that day. If one of my kids have done nothing but cry, complain, scream, hit etc, etc, etc... I'm looking at the other one thinking thank you for being so good and not making a scene too!

I also agree with Mindy Roberts of The Mommy Blog when she says loves different versions of their kids. I do too! When Ducky helps Chicky out with something or when Chicky comes running to me and tells me that she "woves" me, those are my favorite versions of them. The ones who hit and screams and disobeys, not my favorite people, no...

What about you? Do you play favorites?

Where Will I Be?

Fellow moms, bloggers and followers,

I'm off for a couple of days to get some DIY/organizational projects and reviews done. I will be back to tell you what I've done. Some photos and some great product review are going be here as soon as they are completed!

Here's a sneak preview:

DIY projects from photo frames to organizing files and bedrooms.

Some of my product reviews are books, photo project websites and A Military Wife's Mayhem's first a contest and review for Eden Fantasys. You could have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate!!!

How cool is that?!

I will be back for Momversation Monday and a special treat from Momversation.

Have a great weekend!

Must Give Thanks!

I have to say thank you to a couple of blogger friends who have blessed me with these awards.



First up!

Thanks Tami of Hearts Make Families. I'm an honoured that you picked me. I also need to thank Nanny Dee of New England Nanny for the same award!

Okay, the rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award" are:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award. Now it's my turn to pass it along!

My Fab 15 are:

1. Ashley @ Dog Tags & Pearls

2. Summer @ Les Musings of Moi

3. Jody @ Miss Fancy Pants... Proud Army Wife. Hoo-ah!

4. (army) wife @ More Than An (Army) Wife

5. Mrs. Marine @ Mrs. Marine & the Tiny Troops

6. Lauren @ Not just another (pregnant) army wife

7. Shoe Goddess @ Running In Stilettos

8. Molly @ Stilettos and Diapers

9. The Cooking Diva @ Yes, Divas CAN Cook!

10. Weight Loss Mother @ Weight Loss Mother

11. The Mrs. @ Trying Our Best

12. Theta Mom @ Theta Mom

13. Supermom @ The Adventures of Supermom

14. Sara @ Sara Spelled Without and H

15. High Heels @ High Heels & Combat Boots

Once again thank you for the Award!!