The following post is from Amanda.

Being on top of fashion, for women, is a big thing. They are always following what is trendy, but what if you are about to be a mother; what will you wear and save money at the same time?

Being pregnant transforms and changes your body, but dressing in the new fashion, can allow you to still be stylish. but there are a couple of things that allow you to show off your baby bump and still look beautiful

The best way to dress your new body is making sure you feel great, try not to rely on some fashion trends. If you feel comfortable and beautiful in what you are wearing your confidence will provide your own fashion.

There are many ways to save money by just selecting items that can be easily become bigger. There are many ways to keep a budget when buying maternity clothes.

Making yourself feel beautiful is a great way to get your self-esteem up on those days you are not feeling so great. So start by dressing up a little, start with some maternity compression leggings.

Leggings are trending in today’s fashion, so why be left out? These leggings benefit your body by reducing your lower back pain from being pregnant. They also can be paired with any choice of top.

There are also yoga pants; these allow movement and provide comfort. These too can be matched with any desired shirts.

Depending on if you want to show off your new baby bump, the choice of shirt will be all up to you. However, you can never go wrong with a cinched band above the waist. This allows not only comfort, but also it also allows a cute look for your bump.

If you plan on going out on maybe a date, a cute maxi dress could be your best bet. This is a sleek way of being stylish, it is low key, but yet shows off your body and your glow.

On the days you just stay home and you are tired of what you have in your closet, go raid your partner’s closet.  This allows you to find something new and to still feel comfortable.

To save money, go to yard sales and look around. You are bound find something you like. Another way of saving money is ask your family and friends if you can borrow some clothes.

Or if you are crafty, you could make your own maternity clothes, it is all up to you. If you want, you can check out this article which gives you more tips on maternity clothes.

The key to staying up to fashion is truly whatever makes you feel beautiful and confident. Whether it be from leggings to dresses, as long as you feel comfortable and happy, you will look beautiful.

My family and I moved to Argentia shortly after my 6th birthday. Moving from Victoria, British Columbia to Argentia, Newfoundland was a cross country journey and we drove all the way there. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of moving but I didn’t really have a choice. My dad was stationed there for what was supposed to be 2 years that ended up being 7. (Being a military brat 7 years in one place is unheard of!)

We arrived in Argentia on a very foggy day. (Typical weather. Sometimes our base- American Naval Base- was packed with fog and once you got past the gate, it was clear skies!) I think we spent one night in the CBQ (*Q)- basically the hub of the base. It had quarters for all un-married service men and women, galley, a bank, a post office, doctors office, dentist, chapel and mini mart. And shortly before we left- a Baskin robins.

Argentia stopped being a US Naval Base in 1994. It’s now actually a trivia pursuit question since that little slice of land was owned by the United States until 1994 which made Argentia the very last part of Canada to join confederation. I used to like to tell people that I have lived on American soil, yet never crossed the border. That left most of them confused!

(Click to enlarge picture. Moose were a common sight and the house in the background is what our house looked like. There were 4 houses all together in a row with very thin walls!)

I met 2 of my longest friends in Argentia. Nena and Amanda. And thanks to the wonders of Facebook I’ve been able to reconnect with many more which has been amazing! Whenever we talk- we all talk about Argentia with nostalgia. Wishing we could go back even if the sight would sadden us now. When the base closed in 1994, it took most of the buildings with it. It was a shame since I’m sure the Newfoundland government could have put some of it to use.

Besides the “Q”, there was plenty to do on the base. When we first moved, I joined a brownie troop when I was 6 that was off base. (That’s how I met Nena) After one year in Canadian brownies, I switched to Girl Scouts to be able to do something with my American friends. The base had: A commissary, A Naval Exchange, bowling alley, movie theatre, roller rink, ceramic and wood working shops. The possibilities seemed endless!

When I had to go to Newfoundland under difficult circumstances, Nena took me through Argentia and even though it was almost dark, what I saw really bugged me! My whole childhood (or at least that’s how it felt) was ruined. All the housing had been torn down. Some of the buildings were still standing but they all were abandoned. It looked like we all just left and never looked back. And that’s exactly what happened. When I was home from university during my first year, I was watching the news with my parents. All of a sudden- they were showing a video of the Q being imploded. It was really odd to feel a sense of loss even though it was a just a building.

The Q Before-

And the Implosion-

I honestly wish the whole base was still existing. It would have been a blast to take the girls (and Adam!) there! We could settle for the few buildings that are left and some wickedly old bunkers but it just doesn’t have the same feeling as it did when I was a child.

Do you have a place like this? The only other place I have felt really attached to was when I was 5, laying underneath a weeping willow tree. I’m always on the lookout for those.

Multitasking mommies are nothing short of miraculous. You are the boo-boo kissers, homework helpers, laundry lasses, what’s-for-dinner wonder workers and so much more. A mom’s day never really ends and carving time and a place out for yourself should be a personal daily priority.

Moms want to be there for their kids — teaching them everything from how to manage money to how to take care of themselves, but kids do notice when mom isn’t taking care of herself. You simply can’t take care of everyone else until you take care of yourself first. It’s just that simple.

Studies have shown that mommies multitask and stress much more than daddies and you know what stress will do to you. From health implications to focus problems to intimacy issues, you definitely do not want to go there.

Finding Your Eden

Whether it’s your bathroom, your bedroom, the garage, or the back yard you have to find a place that you can make your own. Ideally a master bedroom and bath is best however, that isn’t always realistic with a houseful of people. It doesn’t have to be a large space, but it does need to be quiet and “away” from the hub of your home and its occupants; a place you can close (and lock) the door.

If you have to use a shared space be sure to put your foot down and schedule time where the space is yours and yours alone without interruption. Enlist the help of your spouse or significant other whenever possible to detour or delay children from interrupting your down-time.

Creating Your Eden

Clean and decorate your little hide-away to suit your tastes. This is one of those times no one else’s input really matters. It’s all about what makes you feel calm and serene and happy. Add things that will help you unwind and recharge while invigorating the senses. Music, incense, pillows, fabric, and great task lighting that you can adjust to your needs — whether you want to kick back and read a book, or close your eyes and drift away to a noise machine.

Add decorative lighting as well. Candles are great, but if you have small curious kids you can avoid the risk of them playing with lighters, matches, and fire by incorporating a different kind of mood lighting. Check out the upscale or novelty string light sections at www.PartyLights.com for more ideas. Some of the options are really gorgeous.

Visiting Your Eden

If you do not take your down-time seriously neither will anyone else in your household. It will take a little time for everyone to adjust, but everyone will benefit from it. Map out times each day (or at least each week) that you can duck away and regroup. If you have a consistent schedule it will make the transition easier. Just remember, if you pass up your “me time” there is no one to blame but yourself.

It’s easy to take a back seat, but making time for yourself is the key to a happy and healthy home and the relationships it houses.

Stating the obvious here but it’s almost May! I look forward to May every year.  Mostly because my birthday is coming up (My 3rd anniversary of my 29th Birthday ) and mother’s day. Lucky for me (or unlucky since Adam thinks he can give 1 present for both occasions…Kidding…Kinda.) Since my birthday always falls around Mother’s Day, my mom would tell me we weren’t celebrating my birthday (in jest) that we would celebrate Mother’s Day. Too bad I’m the one who made her a mother!

I always love month long photo challenges. I start out with great ambition and then after a few days I lose interest. Hopefully this won’t be one of those times! I really should do one and stick with it. So that brings us to the Month of Mom with P&G. For the month of May, I will be posting a different picture everyday that follows this list:

Hold me accountable, you guys! Better yet, join me! I’ll be Facebooking, using The Tweeter and Instagram. I will finish this photo challenge!!

I am a P&Gmom. As part of my affiliation with this group, I have been offered compensation to participate in the #MonthOfMom 30-day photo challenge. The views, opinions and photographs expressed on this blog and in my social networks are my own. 

We were lucky to receive a pretty awesome prize pack from Dare to try the new yogurt and cereal Bear Paws cookies. Jillian was actually home sick when I received the package and she was very eager to try them! I sat down with the girls tonight to interview them briefly about the cookies, while they snacked on the of course.

Me: “So? What’s the verdict? Pretty good?”

Me: “Uh, Lauren? What kind of look is that?”
Lauren: “My thinking face”
Me: “What about you, Jillian?”

Jillian: “You already know my answer”
Me: “I know, but tell me again”
Jillian (in a rather snotty tone): ” I like them. No looooooooooove them”
Me: “Well I guess that settles it.”
Jillian: “so you’re done now?”
Me: “Yeah, unless you want to add something else.”
Jillian: “nah. Can I take these for lunch tomorrow?”

I was really hoping for more from them. This seemed rather anti-climactic.

So? What’s in it for you? One of my lucky readers will  receive what is in the picture above. 2 boxes of Bear Paws cookies, mickey mouse colouring book (Jillian’s fave!), Crayons, markers and chalk from Crayola, an Imaginarium Magnet board, Jenga, a magnifying glass and some awesome bug stickers to look at with the magnifying glass. Besides the Bear Paws, the magnifying glass was a close second for favourite things in this package!

Entering is easy via the Rafflecopter form below. Contest will close April 26th, 2013. Winner will be picked via Rafflecopter and in case of an error- random.org will be used. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from myself stating the winner. Open to Canadian residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am participating in the Bear Paws Morning Snack “Feed the Fun” blog tour by enCompass Media on behalf of Dare. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion

And why do I keep being surprised?! In a previous post, I wrote about Daniel’s initiative in the Ronald McDonald Playroom. His goal? Engage the clients and their families in ways to make the playroom better in the pilot program. both girls were invited but I had NO idea how Jillian would participate since she was only 3.5 at the time.

The 2nd meeting of the children’s advisory council was held testing the food in the cafeteria. We all tried breakfast/lunch/dinner and Daniel went to get everyone’s feedback. Jillian has an oral aversion and sometimes she seems really intimidated (or stressed?) by food. We explained she didn’t have to try anything she didn’t want and that seemed to help. I kept apologizing since I knew how limited her palate is. They explained (Daniel and our new food services manager) reassured me that they wanted answers like that. Jillian definitely isn’t the only “picky” kid in the whole place!

Fast forward to yesterday. Jillian was given the opportunity to speak to the Quality Committee of the board at Holland Bloorview. (Lauren was invited as well, but she declined. She’s shy and she doesn’t get to play in the play room as much any more, I think she misses it!) The quality committee is a committee I haven’t been to yet. So I wasn’t’ quite sure what to expect. During the meeting there were representatives from the Board of Trustees, our president and CEO, and our VP of programs and services. Not to mention two other fabulous family leaders that I know well and a few other friendly faces from around the hospital.

I wore jeans to the occasion. I wasn’t presenting anything! People commented that I looked good, guess I don’t look so great in dress clothes!? When we got in the room, we all introduced ourselves and I explain that I was the vice chair of the family advisory committee but in this capacity, I was just Jillian’s mom.

Although Jillian has shown me she is becoming her own advocate, I was still a little nervous on what she had to say. During introductions, Daniel asked Jillian and another member of the Children’s advisory council what they’d like to be when they grew up. Jillian said doctor and that didn’t surprise me at all.

She was a little meek to talk at first. Daniel was super patient while waiting for her answers. My kids often blow me away, so I’m wondering if I’ll ever get used to it all! Jillian was very excited to see that her picture (from above) made it into Daniel’s presentation. During the last few questions, Daniel asked Jillian about the taste testing. She liked pancakes and bacon (bacon was a new food for her- yay) and her least favourite- meat balls. When asked why she didn’t like the meatballs she said they look disgusting. Like brains. Awesome. Great analogy. Everyone had a great chuckle and I realized at 4 she’s s sliding into her own role of advocate quite nicely. Now if only I could stop being surprised by that!

Recently,  Minted reached out to me to see if their products could be of use for myself and you- my awesome readers. Came in at just the right time for me so I can carry on with my plan. Basically, if you sent me a Christmas card this year, I was going to hand write a note back. Since we live in such a technology driven world, written letters have gone by the wayside. Email and texting is far easier than finding a pen, writing the note, addressing it, stamping it and sending it. Since all that ends up in my mailbox any more are bills and flyers, I always get excited to get a card/invitation in my mail box as opposed to online!

Hopefully this plan will work. Maybe I’ll even branch out and send letters to people who need it, even if they didn’t send us a Christmas card first!! Now let’s just hope I actually take them to the mail box!

What’s in it for you? A $50 credit towards Minted’s products. Poking around the site, I know that I’m going to have a hard time picking! Maybe it’ll be easier for you.

Giveaway is open to the US and Canada and will close on April 22. Winner will have 48 hours to reply to an email from me, notifying of winning before I have to pick a new winner. Winner will be drawn via rafflecopter. If for some reason rafflecopter doesn’t work, random.org will be alternative. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Or as I liked to say, I had a holy shit moment today. First, let me back up a bit. I gave a quick rundown on what it was like to be a parent mentor/advisor on a new committee and how absolutely terrified I was at first. Thankfully now I’ve settled down into my role quite comfortably. I was recently asked to sit on a day long meeting to discuss how we can effectively collaborate within Holland Bloorview and collaboration comes from so many different facets of our organization/government and it’s exciting to have been asked to sit in.

I had put on my status that I was participating in this day of collaboration when Amanda pointed out, shouldn’t it be common sense? Yes. Yes, it should be common sense and most of the time (at least in our organization, it is), it just doesn’t hurt to be reminded of it and talk about why it’s important and how it makes a difference.

I’ve grown a lot in the last 4.5 years. I’ve seen qualities come out from within myself that I had no idea existed. I never thought it would be ok to question medical “authority”. What? I can only hold my preterm baby once ever 3 hours? Sure. I have to go to the bathroom 10 minutes in? Put her back in the isolette and you can have another turn in 3 hours. Those were my days way back then. I’m often saying “…If I knew then what I know now…” but I didn’t and I can’t change that, but I can change it for other parents who might be going through the same thing.

I’m a mom. My role is to brag about my kids, right? Lauren gets equal spotlight time. As we’re sitting discussing collaboration shortly before lunch, I felt a nagging sensation deep down. As I was listening to what I was saying, I was thrust with this thought. Whenever we’re seen at a new clinic or with a new therapist, they look at ME to set Jillian’s goals. Yes, Jillian can decide the activity she does and people talk TO her, but never ask her what HER goals are. I was immediately glad for lunch so I could take some time to think about my new revelation.

I marched myself into the Resource Centre where I knew that June and Nancy would be having lunch. They offered that I sit with them, but I needed to unload my new findings. June just sat there with a knowing smile when I said I felt like I wasn’t qualified to TALK about patient and family centred care and collaboration when I feel like I’ve been doing it all wrong for the last 4.5 years. I wasn’t faulting the therapists for not asking Jillian her goals, but ME. I should have asked her what SHE wanted to focus on. Nancy said “oh, I feel a blog post coming on” and I replied “maybe if I can string 2 coherent sentences together without feeling like I’m jumping off a cliff!” And I thought I’d sit on this topic for a few days, mull it over, but I want you to know how much this affected me. Here I am, talking about collaboration and giving various presentations to many different people within our organization and I was hit with the realization that I NEVER collaborated with JILLIAN. The one who is at the centre of all of the care.

June had it packaged in a nice little idea today. She said something like “Before, you were leading Jillian. It was your role. And it still is. And will always be. But now? Instead of you carrying her, she’s directly next to you and maybe you’re one step behind her, and that’s ok. You’re teaching her how to advocate for herself. And now you’ll change your thought process a bit”

As anxious as I was to pick Jillian up to ask her what her goals were (and in discussion later I was asked if I ever asked Lauren’s. I know that she wants to write in pretty writing- cursive since that’s all I write, and wants to ride a bike at the moment) I waited until we were alone in the car. I asked her “Jillian? I know you hear me tell your teachers and therapists what *I* want you to work on, but what about you? What do you want to work on?” (fully prepared for some fun answers) She said “I want to learn to somersault.” Me: “well, that can be arranged” and then she said “I want to learn how to use my walker going uphill and downhill. I can only go on flat right now”. Wow. For 4.5, she just blew me away.

Jillian, I’m glad we’re on the same page about walking. But I’m so sorry I waited until you were 4.5 to see what you wanted to do. I’ll practice what I preach and ask people to ask you what you want to work on. Thank you for always reminding me of the most important part of this whole thing- our family, and I’m  happy I’m helping you find your voice.

The following is a guest post from Amanda.

It’s natural to feel the inklings of a panic attack when you start to think about the prices and logistics that are involved with getting married. Weddings are notorious for being complicated and expensive affairs. One of the best ways to simplify things and save a ton of money is to do everything yourself.

Getting married at home saves the money (and hassle) of renting a venue. You won’t have to worry about deposits or exorbitant cleaning fees. It will also probably keep the event small in size which makes it more intimate and makes it easier to do other parts of the wedding (decorating, invitations, food) yourself. More importantly, getting married at home adds an extra personal touch to an already wonderful event.

For Invitations, get creative! Ordering cheap wedding invitations online is a great way to save money and will often give you more control over how the invitations look and feel. If you don’t have the budget for professionally printed invites, make them yourself! You can use scrapbooking supplies to make beautiful and unique invitations that your guests will treasure and that will be beautiful keepsakes for you. It might seem overwhelming now, but because the wedding is small, you don’t have to worry about the production of your invitations taking forever.

Decorating is simpler at home than it is in a professional venue. Give the house a thorough scrubbing and cleaning. Put (or hide) everything away. After this, a few artfully placed bouquets of flowers, a string or two of twinkly lights and maybe a few candles around the area where the ceremony will take place should be sufficient.

If you want to have the wedding outside, you can rent a tent and chairs relatively cheaply. You can make your own archway using supplies from art and garden stores. Use the prettiest corner of the yard for your ceremony so you don’t have to do as much decorating—you can let the natural beauty speak for itself.

One of the best things about home weddings is that you can turn it into a potluck and make the food right there. Believe it or not, backyard picnic style weddings can be beautiful! With some good tablecloths and using real plates instead of paper, your guests will feel like they are at a professionally catered event—even with your uncle manning the grill and your aunt bringing out trays from the kitchen!

Doing your own wedding is a great way to save money and to make the day feel even more personal and special for everyone involved. It will definitely be a day that everyone will remember for years to come!

Believe it or not, this is only 1/2 of the room!

We took off pretty early, stopping by Tim Hortons to grab some bacon- and coffee (more on that later…) After a few wrong turns (partially my fault) we arrived at For the Needy, Not the Greedy. I quickly shared the above picture, saying that I was in equipment heaven.

After bragging about our kids, we got a full tour

It was almost overwhelming! There were so many different wheelchairs, medical supplies, walkers, standers, crutches, you name it, they had it. I could have easily spent a few more hours looking at all the equipment! While we looked at everything, we had the pleasure to talk with Gary and a few more people who volunteer for the needy and the greedy and all of them has a disability of some sort.

Honestly, if they wanted to, they could be making a mint. But luckily for us, he isn’t. He realizes how much parents/care givers/ individuals have to pay for special needs equipment and he wants to help that cause.  We learned that there is a small charge for adult equipment while children’s equipment is free.  All they ask is that you don’t re-post it somewhere else for money. Since Barb, Anchel and I normally share all equipment we can’t use any more this one is a no brainer.

While taking a closer look at some of the paediatric wheelchairs, I found one that looked pretty much like the one Jillian will be ordering soon. I asked one of the workers how getting a wheelchair worked and it’s really easy. We find one we like, get your child measured (I’m for sure taking Jillian next time!) they do the necessary adjustments (height/width, etc) and add some cushions that would work best for the person and then you’re on your merry way. I’m so glad I know about this now and I can’t wait to take a road trip with the girls.

If you’re in the Niagara area and need medical equipment, definitely look into For the Needy, Not the Greedy. It’s so refreshing to find an organization that is doing everything in their power to help parents/care givers and individuals with special needs.

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