Everything Will Be OK

Everything is back to normal at Fort Mayhem! OK, everything is as normal as can be here.

Cpl. Mayhem is in Afghanistan and we've been left with the grueling task of waiting for him to come home and trying to be well, normal. What is normal really?

Him home coming was amazing, just what the kids needed! I really big hug and the reminder that daddy is always there!

Our cruise was awesome too! Mommy needed to recharge and rejuvenate from the beginning of Cpl. Mayhem's tour. Who doesn't want to be pampered from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed. And the cruise staff was amazing too! LOL!

Now that I have gotten a well deserved hiatus I'm on full swing blog more. This is what you are going to see here:

I'll be adding more videos to my blog.
I will continue to do Momversation Mondays as well as Wordless Wednesdays
I'm looking forward to doing some reviews but they are not going to be taking up a lot of my blog space as much as it has in the past .
Hopefully there will interviews and fun contests!

In the next couple of days I will be writing about all the fun stuff we did on vacation and that AMAZING cruise! Here's a preview:

Keep checking back!
Later days!

Momversation Monday: M.I.L.F.: Flattering or Degrading?

Mother I'd Like To... well you fill in the rest. Momversation's topic today discusses the term M.I.L.F. and if it offends or flatters us.

As I sit here at my desk with my hair in a ponytail,  sweats and no makeup I would probably laugh if someone called me a M.I.L.F. Granted I would love to have second glances and maybe a whistle here and there but the term means very little to me. In truth who wants to be a teenage boys fantasy?

And that's where they term first comes from, it's a slang that became popularize from the 1999 movie American Pie where high school boys used the acronym to describe Jennifer Coolidge's character "Stifler's Mom".

I think after having kids we as women forget that there was a sexy, put together side to us. So we are flattered when our husbands or heck, anyone notices when we get a haircut or put on clothes that doesn't have an elastic waistline.

The term is unappealing and doesn't say much of a person using the term itself. Why would the first thing that would come out of someones mouth when describing an older woman's appearance is " A Mother I'd Like to. Do"?. "Beautiful", "sexy"or "her husband's a lucky man" would do the trick in my opinion.

What do you think of the term M.I.L.F.?

Snack Lunches

I received this email from my father, I needed to share it with all of you! After being on so many flights over the past two months and griping about the cost of lunches on board flights this touched my heart!

This sure is a nice E-mail, I hope it is a true story!  I have often had Canadian soldiers returning to Canada on "leave" from their duties in the Middle East, aboard the International flights that I operate, however everything served on-board is free!  All I can do is thank them for their service, which I do. It would be great if Air Canada adopted a policy that all soldiers on our Domestic Flights (where food isn't free) and who were in Uniform wouldn't have to pay for any food  -- you couldn't ask for any better "Public Relations" than that!

 Please support out troops whatever political persuasion you may be, no matter which party is in power, they are sent to war -- they have no choice!!

Snack Lunches  I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.     Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.     'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.  'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan        After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time...     As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch.  'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks.  I'll wait till we get to base.'     His friend agreed.     I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill.  'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'     Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'  'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.     'This is your thanks.'     After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room.   A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars..     Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.     Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.     When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!     Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base.  I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base.  It will be about time for a sandwich.  God Bless You.'     Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.     As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country.. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...     A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'Canada' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'     That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'

 

I hope this story is true and I would love to see that Air Canada and other airlines making it a policy to provide free meals for soldiers who are on Domestic Flights.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Cpl. Mayhem and I are on our way for our Honeymoon!!!

Well making up for the first one!! Back in a week!

Later days!!

HE'S COMING HOME!!

It's only for a couple of weeks but I'll take it!!

Thank you all for your support!

Momversation Monday: Is it Better to Be a Younger or Older Mom?

Momversation Monday is a interesting one. One that has crossed my mind on many occasions and others have enjoyed putting their two cents in.

IS it better to be a younger mom or an older mom? Karen Walrond of Chookooloonks brings this topic to the table as well as a guest panelist Nancy Grace host of "Swift Justice".

First I would like to say that this Momversation didn't bring up the point of view of the younger mom.

I became a mom when I was 22 years old. I didn't have a clue how to raise a child. Be responsible with that little life. As Alice Bradley of Finslippy put it best: I was barely human.
THERE Mother! I was barely human when I had Ducky!

However I don't believe that my age would have made a big difference in my child rearing. Having a bit more patience? Sure! But at the end of the day no matter what your age you are going to be still scratching your head about what to do do with your first newborn. They don't come with a manual, experience and trial and error was the only way I got through my son's first year.

I can see the point of waiting to be older to have kids, being able to live your life and become career oriented, travel and be more financially stable but there are benefits to being a younger mom too, I lived it.

Where do you stand on being an older mother or a younger one?

 

Back-to-School Shoe Saving Ideas with Guest Post and Celebrity Dancer Cheryl Burke!!!

Take a Shine to These Back-to-School Shoe Saving Ideas Celebrity Ballroom Dancer Cheryl Burke Reveals How to Send Your Children Back to School in Style 

As children are preparing to return to school this fall, this season’s television celebrity dancing stars are also heading back to the studio dance floors.  I know I perform better when I look my best, so it’s no secret that children perform better in school when they look and feel their very best too. One way parents can help children put their best foot forward this fall – and to make the most of year’s clothing budget – is to make sure their shoes stay clean and new, and protected from the harsh elements – rain, snow, sleet, etc. Caring for your child’s shoes takes only a few minutes for long-lasting protection and savings that can last through the school year.

As a professional dancer, I always make sure my shoes are in tip-top shape – both on the dance floor and in my everyday life. Just because my shoes may look tired from last season – doesn’t mean I break the bank to replace them. There are simple, wallet-friendly steps I take to extend the life of my shoes – while ensuring they still look good. The best part is, they are easy and can be applied to almost any shoe so moms can follow my tips to keep their kids’ shoes in star condition this fall. 

• Save the Suede. If your child’s winter shoe of choice is the popular suede boot, it’s important to protect that investment and make sure they are ready for the upcoming cold weather. KIWI Shoe Care has a line of protectors that work to create an invisible shield over shoes allowing them to weather the storm and stay protected against water and stains throughout the winter months. These are great products and I use them on all of my suede boots to keep them in good shape. It even works for backpacks and other types of bags. 
• Keep Sneakers White. Keeping sneakers clean is always tough – even if you just wear them to run or go to the gym, like me. We all know how dirty children’s sneakers can get from playing outdoors and how frustrating it can be when they look ruined – especially if they are brand new. KIWI Fast Acting Cleaner will keep your child’s sneakers in tip-top shape. It will quickly and effectively remove grass stains from sneakers to keep them clean and presentable – and can be used on multi-materials in all colors. 
• Change the Laces. Old, dirty laces can make a shoe appear to be in worse condition than it actually is. Changing sneaker laces every once in a while helps to keep your child’s shoes looking fresh and new. Tie shoes with strong, abrasion resistant laces so that your child’s shoes survive more than just one season. Or, to bring new life to your child’s shoes swap out the white laces for a brighter color. I know I always loved fun, colorful laces when I was in school!
• Shine it Up. Just like parents, kids need to keep their shoes looking shiny and new, especially when there is a special function at school like a concert or dance. With KIWI Express Shine™ Sponges and wipes, kids can easily and completely shine their shoes no matter how much – or how little – time they have. Plus, moms can keep wipes in their purse and car for last minute messes.  

For additional tips on protecting and caring for your best shoes or for information on the KIWI products I use to keep my shoes in star condition, visit www.KIWIcare.com. 

Getting Closer!!

I'm kind of done with all this waiting. My friends have seen their husbands and I've been waiting FOREVER!
I'm also done with how fake people are and how they say they will be there until the time comes when you really need someone to talk to or be there.

I'm still very lucky that I have some of the most amazing girlfriends, who have helped me through this rough time. Even the ones who are away from base! I love having the connections while Cpl. Mayhem has been gone. After being away for 6 weeks I sure need a girl's night right now.

The kids and I are packing and getting ready for trip number two! Back home to Nova Scotia to meet up with Cpl. Mayhem for his leave!
More stories from Panama in the next couple of day!

Later days!