Child Free Cottage and Disappointing Expectations

This weekend was a long weekend in Canada. We go to a friends cottage usually every year. This year was no different. We arranged for Little Man to be at my in-laws and Baby girl to be at my parents. It works better this way because no one feels completely overwhelmed at the end of the weekend. We had a great time at the cottage. We relaxed, went for a few boat rides, soaked up the sun, slept in, and partied hard with great friends. We decided that 2 nights away form the kids was enough so we came home Sunday afternoon.  This was great because I had time to tidy the house a bit and do all my laundry. This also meant that we had all day Monday to do something with the kids. I always feel guilty when we leave them overnight and felt like we should do something together as a family.

So Little Man has been talking about animals and the Zoo lately. Now I love the Zoo and we have a pretty big one here in Toronto. I know the whole Zoo like the back of my hand and I was excited to take the kids. This is not our first time at the Zoo. We have been quite a few times since Little Man was born and every time I am a little disappointed that he is not more excited. This time I was excited about his reaction again. We talked about the Zoo and read a Zoo book. We talked about the animals that we were going to see at the Zoo and he decided that he was most excited to see the Elephants. So I was expecting that he was old enough this year to really enjoy it this time.

I have always loved the Zoo. I love the animals and to me it's just so exciting.

Well.... I still didn't get the reaction that I was hoping for. I think he was just to shocked that he was that close to the animals that he was just so quiet. Yes, my Little Man was quiet. That never happens. I was talking to him about the animals he saw and what sound they made. He was just silent. I was shocked. In some cases he was even scared to go up to the glass.

I guess we will try again next year. What if he is just not that into animals? I may have to just wait for Baby Girl to give me the reaction I am hoping for.

Winning!!

I have struggled with acne since my teen years. It was embarrassing enough then and now to have adult acne it's even more embarrassing. At least in high school you were surrounded by others with the same problem. It doesn't help that I am a picker. I can't just leave that zit alone, I have to poke it and pop it and if I feel like there's anything in it I will spend hours digging at my skin to get it out. Then I have damaged the skin and made it 3 times bigger then it was and it's a huge red scab.  I know gross right?

I have tried all kids of stuff. Cutting out dairy, fatty foods, chocolate. I have tried harsh cleansers, gentle cleansers, peels, scrubs, clairsonic, oils, moisturizers, treatments, facials, toners. I have tried washing a different way, washing more, washing less, changing to higher end make up. Years and years and lots of money later I think I have found something that works.

Drum roll please........................

Proactive!!!



I used this about 3 years ago and I remember it working a bit but not getting rid of all the acne, so I moved onto something else hoping to "cure" the acne. Well I have now realized that it is impossible. I think I will always have some acne. I will never be that girl that can just get up in the morning and leave the house without some sort of cover up on. But I have accepted that.

So I had a skin routine that was working ok. Then one day my skin blew up!! It was like the stuff I was working expired or something and no matter what I did I couldn't get it under control. So I was going through my closet where I keep products that I am not currently using and saw the proactive that I used to use. So I tried it. Instantly my skin felt better. It was so smooth and soft!!

I have not been in contact with Proactive and I am not being paid to do a review or anything like that, I just want to share my experience in hopes that I might be able to help someone else that has been suffering like me.

Now if you don't know anything about Proactive let me tell you how it works and some tips that work for me. I have read a lot that people find Proactive too harsh and drying. If you find it really harsh I think they offer a sensitive formula now. Also you need to be very gentle with your skin when using Proactive. It's a 3 step system and yes it takes a little time but isn't clear skin worth it?

Step 1- Cleanser. The cleanser is gritty. It feels like it has sand in it. I personally like it and it makes my skin so soft and works better then any kind of exfoliant or scrub I have used. But you have to be GENTLE! No matter how bad your acne is, just be gentle. Rubbing hard with really hurt your skin. Let the product do the work for you.

Step 2- Toner. Apply a very little amount of toner to a cotton pad and wipe your face with it. Avoid eye area and eyebrows if you don't have acne there. I find that it gives me dry patches in my eyebrows if I use it there. Now you have to let it dry. It will take longer then other toners to dry and you may think you put too much on and be tempted to wipe it off. Don't! Just let it sit and dry completely.

Step 3- Repairing lotion. Apply a PEA SIZE amount to your entire face, avoiding eyes and eyebrows again. Let it sit and soak in completely.

Now really there is a STEP 4. Moisturize!!!!! You have to moisturize! The lotion is not a moisturizer! This is where people think that it is drying. I have oily skin to I wasn't moisturizing at all. Your skin will actually be more oily if you don't moisturize and make your skin worse. Always Moisturize.

Now here's a tip. Use sunscreen. Always. Even when it is cold and cloudy and snowy. Use Sunscreen. I get bad hyper-pigmentation. Hyper-pigmentation is the dark spots that are left on your face after a zit. The sun makes them darker and they can be on your face for up to 2 years after a pimple is gone!!!!! Sunscreen makes sure that the suns rays don't darken them. I sure an Olay daily moisturizer that has SPF 15 in it and if I know I will be in the sun more that day I will apply an extra layer on before my make up.

I hope this helped someone and I wish you luck. I know how hard it is to deal with acne and I hope that Proactive keeps working for me.

Getting Back To Life

For the last 2 weeks we have been battling illness around this house. Little man spiked a fever and the doctor made us wait 5 days before he would give us anything for it. He said it was a "virus" and antibiotics wouldn't do anything. So after 5 days of rotating Tylenol and Advil and lots of whining and suffering, I finally got him to give us antibiotics and he was better in 2 days. Then I got it. I never get sick. I have worked in Daycare for 6 years, I have had it all. Well I guess I didn't get this because it hit hard. So I was taking care of a recovering 2 year old and a not sick yet, 10 month old. I had a fever and I was really congested. Well just as I start too feel better, Baby Girl gets it. So I didn't fool around and I didn't let the doctor fool around this time. I was not leaving without that pretty yellow medicine. She is now on the mend.

Well for a whole week I did nothing. I didn't cook, clean, vacuum, mop- I did nothing! The only thing I did was make peanut butter sandwiches for Little Man and once a day when I got up enough energy, I emptied and filled the dishwasher. Piling up dishes makes my anxiety go through the roof!

So now that we are almost all better over here, it's time to get back into routine. I am having trouble with this. I can't get motivated. Could be that the weather is cold and crappy today too, but there is so much to do and I just can't get off my ass to do it.

I will clean today.
I will clean today.
I will do some cleaning today.
I am doomed.

Damn Germs!!

I had big plans for last week. I was going to finish this potty training thing and we were only going to watch one show a day and we were going to play outside more and do more crafts and activities. Then the germs hit. Last Monday Little Man get a fever. No other symptoms other then no appetite and a high fever and Tylenol wasn't keeping it down. We went to the clinic Tuesday and were told that it just looked like a virus and it would run it's course, but if he continued to have a high fever by Friday to come back in.
So Friday we go back in after a week of not eating and lots of cuddles and sleepless nights and praying that Baby Girl doesn't get what ever he has. They give us antibiotics and by Sunday the fever was gone. He still doesn't want to eat much, but we are working on it. So we are out of the woods right? No one else got sick.

Well yesterday I woke up feeling fine. We had plans to go out with my mom for the day. As I am getting ready I get a stuffy/runny nose. No big deal, kind of felt like allergies. We go to a few stores and as I am walking around Target I feel myself getting worse and worse. I just feel like crap. So before we leave I go get some Sudafed. We go to lunch and I am feeling a bit better, but still yucky. I drop my mom off at her house and head home. When I get home I feel the fever. I am hot and cold and hot and cold. I get the kids to take a nap with me but still feeling like crap.

So I am sick. I don't have time to be sick. I am a mom. I have a sink full of dishes, a dishwasher full of clean dishes. I need to vacuum and I have 2 loads of laundry to fold and put away. All of this bugs me more knowing that I won't be able to do any of this today.  Well I am going to lay down before I fall down. Ill let you know when I am feeling better. I have 2 home daycare updates coming soon as soon as I can sit long enough to get them done.

P.S It took me 3 hours to write this post.

Birthday Party Planning!!!

Thank goodness for Pinterest!!!!! I am in love!!!! I love throwing parties!! Especially now that we are in the new house and we have the room.

So I am planning 2 birthday parties this summer that are 3 weeks apart. It's a lot and that's why I have started planning now. I have Baby girls first birthday in July and Little Mans 3rd birthday in August.

For Baby girls party, it's pretty straight forward. Pink and #1. I am not going any other theme other then First Birthday and PINK!! For Little Mans birthday we are doing CARS. Now this is where Pinterest comes in.

These are my ideas for Baby Girls First Birthday.

All things pink!! I like the paper fans and tissue paper fans. I will be trying to make these myself, but well ahead of time just in case it doesn't work out and I have to buy them. I like the hanging circles too and I bet I could do that with paint chips. I will be hanging pink and white table clothes in the door ways. I am just not really sure how I am going to do that yet because I want them to stay up but I don't want to wreck the new ceiling. Any ideas?

I love this cake and will probably do something similar. I also love the idea of serving pink lemonade or any pink drink. I love the brownies with little pink bows and the cookie magic wands. I have a really pretty pink cake stand that I will either use for the cake or for treats. I want to have little jars with pink candy in them. Maybe pink cotton candy? Jelly beans?  I will have pink and white streamers and balloons. My mom makes really awesome shortbread cookies and will be making them in the shape of #1 and painting them pink with icing. I am even thinking about getting pink and white flowers for centre pieces. Of course I will be going to the party store for pink plates and napkins and a banner if I don't find a cute one to make and I am still looking for more ideas. 

Now for Little Mans birthday it was hard to decide on a theme. I thought about, Nemo, Monsters Inc., The Lorax, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Zoo, Farm, Monkeys, Madagascar and Cars.  Well these are all things that interest him he is really into Lightning McQueen and I went on Pinterest and now I am sold!! There are sooo many ideas!! 

I like these ideas but I think I am going to keep colours to Red, Black, White and maybe Yellow. I will do the same pompoms as long as they work out. I will have a checker flag banner. Red table cloths and red, black and white streamers. Little man has a working Lightning McQueen traffic light that we will plug in on the food table. I will make a pit stop sign and all the food and drinks will have cute little tags. I will have a gas can , oil bottles, funnels, hub caps and "car" stuff for decoration. Hubby has already started saving. I want to cover our front door and have a banner that says "Welcome Race Fans". I will make a sign out of bristol board that says "KA-CHOW" I will have red, black and yellow balloons. 

Here are some food ideas. I want to have either hot dogs or chicken nuggets and fries for the kids and hamburgers for the adults. I like the drink dispensers that say "Motor Oil" , "Anti- Freeze" and "Lightning Lemonade".  I will get chocolate donuts and label them "Spare Tires". Potato chips will be labeled "Maters Taters".  My mom is making the same cookies for his party too but shes making them into stoplights. I will also have red candy in jars like twizzlers "Tow Cables". I am not sure about the cake yet, My Mother in-law does nice cakes so I am sure we will come up with something. 

For activities, we are hoping to rent a jumping castle. We have the room for it and I think the kids would love it. I will also have a craft table with little wooden cars that they can decorate and name licence plates that they can take home. All part of the loot bags. I want to try to make them a "Pit Pass" too. If I get really creative and I have time I would love to make there "box cars" for them to play with. I always have diaper boxes that I could use. I want to pick up some cars temporary tattoos as well. If all of that doesn't work to entertain them along with eating we can play "red light, green light".

We always have a lot of family and friends at these parties and I always feel like I am pulled in a million directions. I want the kids to have fun, but I usually don't have time to be running activities, that's why I want to have a lot of things for the kids to do on their own. For Baby girls birthday it is more family then friends so activities are not really expected. 

I also will be making signs that say "Pop and Juice" "Please Help Yourself" and having big garbage bins everywhere. I want to be able to see everyone without answering a million questions of having anyone feel uncomfortable because they need something and can't find it or don't want to ask. I want to relax and have fun and spend some time with my kids instead of pleasing everyone else. I want to have a schedule and loosely keep to it. 

Well there's my ideas if you have any suggestions please share them with me. And let me know if you got any ideas from me. 

Problem Solved?

So I have been in a blogging rut lately. I think I am too boring to blog about. Also the way I blog is like I am right now. I tell a story. I am not an essay writer, I write like I talk. Like I am just talking to be friends about life. So I think because I write like a story I assume that every post should be connected somehow. I feel like if I just throw in a post about cleaning, it will seem out of place. I don't have a organizing blog, a cleaning blog, I am not even sure I have a mommy blog. Maybe I have a life blog. I dunno. where do I fit?

Would it be ok if I did a random post about makeup? Would it be ok if I did a post about cleaning? What about our summer bucket list? I am so confused.

I have things to offer, I just don't know how to offer it.

Leave Him Alone!!!!!!

Okay, I am writing this on a whim. I am angry, I will not be editing this and I am about to sound like the worst daycare teacher ever. Well we have had a very rough week around here. Little man has had a high fever for 4 days now. We took him to the doctor on Tuesday and was told that it was probably just a virus and it would go away on it's own. Well hes sick. Really sick. Very sucky and tired and not eating at all. But life doesn't stop and we have had errands to run and things to do and places to go. Well 2 days a week I babysit a 1 year old and a almost 4 year old. Well today (and most days) the almost 4 year old is being an asshole to my Little Man. He is taking his time with toys that my son wants to play with and Little Man cries. He plays with Little Mans new toy and Little Man cries. I feel so bad for him. He wants to be here with them but is just not capable of handling life today. I just want him better and I know he's feeling yucky and then this asshole kid is taking 20 minutes to read a 4 page baby book, and I can see that it is just because Little Man wants it.

I may be a little on the edge and frustrated that my Little man is sick. But I have had enough. I want to yell "just give the book to him you little shit!!!" But I won't I will prompt him that his turn is over and will blog about what I want to say so the whole world can judge me. 

I have tried to get Little Man to go up to my room and cuddle up with a movie but he doesn't want to. He is alternating between trying to get enough energy to play and being sucky and wanting his mommy. I feel so bad for him. It his fever is still high by tomorrow I am supposed to take him back to the doctor. I hope they give me something to help his this time.

Wish me luck with the rest of the day.