So Long, Farewell

After almost 350 posts and 5,000 page views it is time to put This Is My Life to rest. It's been a heck of a ride, from long distance relationships and breakups, to marriage and a baby - I've spent the last 2+ years of my life blogging about the big and little things here. But now I have opened a new chapter in my life, that of any Army Wife, and I think it's time for a new blog. I hope you will all join me over at: The Pte. & The Mrs. where I will keep blogging about the up's and down's in the life of Turkey Butt, Elle, Little Miss Elle and Adorable Poop Face!

This is my life :) and what a lovely one it is!

The Pte. & The Mrs.

This is my life <3

You Can Now Call Us...

... Pte. & Mrs. Innocent :)

Turkey Butt's grad was today. It was thankfully fast and Elodie was distracted enough to not yell out too much during the important (i.e. quiet) parts. Now we get to jam pack out entire summer into the month of June because he'll be back to base July 3rd to August 28th for his SQ (soldier qualifications) and his DP1 (no idea what it stands for).

This is my life!

Surprise?!?...

As mentionned in the previous post (you did read it right?), I am planning a surprise graduation party for my sweet hubby Turkey Butt. The only problem is that I have an awful, horrible time keeping anything from him. So, true to form, I told him about the party. Haha.

I casually asked him what was planned for after his graduation ceremony - if they had to stay on base, if someone else had planned a party, etc. No harm right? But then he said, "I don't know. Why?" And in that second, I couldn't think of anything to say except the truth. So I cracked under "pressure" and told him the whole plan.

I'm a sucker for that boy...

This is my life!

Grad Party

Turkey Butt graduates from his BMQ (basic military qualifications) next Sunday!!! He already found out that he won the Most Fit Award and will find out at his grad if he won Top Candidate Award - it's between him and his buddy, both very honourably candidates. To celebrate I am going to throw him a little surprise-if-I-can-keep-a-secret-from-him party! Now I need to hit up Pinterest for some inspiration :) I know for sure that I'll be making cupcakes with little plastic army men on the top - but what else??!?!?!?!?!

This is my life :)

The Eve of my First Mother's Day

The dog is snoring on the floor.

The baby is sound asleep in her crib - snuggling Otis, her oversized teddy bear.

My sweet hubby is on the dining room floor making me a homemade Mother's Day card that I won't be allowed to see until tomorrow.

All is well with the world.

This is my life.

Absent!

Oops, I've been a little M.I.A. from this blog again. Sorry everyone! Incase you didn't hear, I've been busy trying to get my cloth diaper shop up and running. Very exciting stuff! I'm going to do my part to make cloth diapering a less intimidating and less expensive option for parent's in the Annapolis Valley (or anywhere else for that matter)! If this is news to you, please check out the shop's Facebook page, Elodie's Dipes & Wipes, email me at: dipesandwipes@gmail.com, or check out the shop's blog here!

In other news (point form style):

- Elodie is officially 6 months old as of 10:55pm last night. Where has the time gone? Seriously! Here is her six month photo with Big Teddy:

Like our new-to-us patio furniture? Courtesy of my in-laws! Thanks Nanny & Grampie I.

- Our roof has finally been replaced. Another task to check off our massive you-just-bought-a-100+-year-old-house list. Phew! And, today my Grampie (Elodie's GaGa) is supposed to stop by and install our patio railing and privacy fence. So exciting! Turkey Butt and I have been doing some painting touch up's on the fence posts while the weather has been nice.

- Poor Adora Poop Face is finally starting to mellow out after three loud days of roofing. Poor dog is such a scaredy "cat"! Oh, and what we thought were her food allergies ended up not being so. Best guess is she had an allergic reaction to the flea bites - though we don't know the reason for her pulling her hair out in the first place and therefore inviting the fleas to feast on her. But it doesn't really matter right now because all her hair has grown back in and she is back to being our completely adorable, mopey dog! Seriously, she's the Eeyore of dog's!

- Turkey Butt is loving his military training! We were lucky enough to have him home for a week and a half straight but he's back to the base on Friday. I see big things in his future with the Canadian Forces and I couldn't be happier for him!

- Little Miss Elle is almost to the point where she can sit up without help. She says "Dada" alot - even when she's not upset (she only says MumMum when she's upset). She is trying her darndest to crawl but just doesn't have the upper arm strength yet. Oh, and still teething (since two months old, oye) but no teeth. I'll be very excited to see her with a cute little tooth. I'm not sure if her Soph (teething toy) will feel the same way though! What else? She stands holding on to something - like our fingers of the coffee table. She's slept 13 hours straight two nights in a row - but then reverted back to her previous sleep schedule. She is just, overall, a really pleasant baby and only fusses when she is tired or hungry. No complaints here! They really broke the mold when they made this blue eyed cutie:

Photo courtesy of AVH Photography!

- And little ole me? Well, I'm busy buying stock for the new shop, loving on my family, and looking after an adorable little boy a few days a week. It certainly keeps me busy and if you know me, you know that's the way I like it!

This is my life!

Easter? So what?!

Am I a bad parent for skipping Easter celebrations this year? For starters, I hate Easter! Really. As a non-religious person I find it completely pointless. I hate pastel colours and milk chocolate and bunnies. Seriously! A big, scary white bunny bringing baskets of candy is nowhere near as adorable as a fat man in a red suit coming down your chimney to bring you gifts. I mean really. All the Easter Bunny does is hop. And there's nothing very fun about that now is there? I can hope. Enough said. Anyway, not only do I hate Easter but my sweet hubby Turkey Butt was on base the entire long weekend (Thursday til whenever we pick him up today - Monday). Where's the fun in celebrating a holiday when the only person to appreciate it can't even be here. The guy is missing enough, I don't need him calling home and me being like, Oh hey hun, you missed it, we had this big super awesome easter celebration without you. Oh, and did I mention that Elodie is only 5.5 months old and couldn't given a crap if she has a basket full of goodies outside her bedroom door?

Considering all of these things, why is it then that I feel like a bad parent for not celebrating her first Easter? I'm also feeling a little bad for not celebrating her first St. Patrick's Day but again, hubby was away, I don't drink and we're not Irish! You know where my guilt comes from? It comes from following the blogs of these perfect little mama's and their perfect little newborns. I have two in mind in which the babies are younger than Elodie, the Mama's look better than I did before I ever got pregnant, and they have adorable little outfits for every damn holiday. As adorable as it is, it's kind of annoying too. I have a newborn so I know that looking perfect and well-rested and getting a baby (no matter how good natured) to sit still long enough to get a perfect photo of them is hard. I just wish they'd be a little more honest and admit that. Show the photo of the baby spitting up all over their perfect little First Easter outfit. Maybe then I won't have to feel so damn guilty about my lack of holiday parenting, my messy house, my unwashed hair, and the spit up stains on my daughter's onesie. That is all. This is my life.

So Much Going On Right Now!

I keep meaning to update this regularly and I keep failing miserably. In my defense, it has been very busy around here. Some of you may or may not have known that when Turkey Butt was assigned to his BMQ his civilian job fired him (such a big no-no). That meant that for awhile, his only income was from his 3 days a week on base. After searching and searching for another civilian job - he was offered two and opted to start work last week at a Cheese Factory in a town that is about a 20 minute drive away. For me, this meant that he was not only on base all weekend, but he would leave for work each weekday at 7:20am and not get home until 5pm. By the time Turkey Butt arrived home, it was pretty much time to start Elodie's bedtime routine. Needless to say, it has been hectic around here.

Did I mention that I recently got accepted into the Business Administration program at the local Community College? Well I did. Which should be great. Except I kept flip flopping about whether or not I should do it. On one hand, I'd love a career change and am planning to open my own business in the Fall so the practical knowledge would be great. On the other hand, can we afford for me to not be working for the next two years? Do I want to put off trying for Baby # 2 for at least two or three years while I finish school and get settled into a job in my field? So many what if's... And if you know me, you know that I hate to make a decision.

And this is where Friday comes into play. Friday afternoon I get a text from Turkey Butt. It was something along the lines of,

Hey, I got paid $### by the military.

And guess what? That the amount he got paid was a whole $700 less than I was expecting it to be! First off he was misinformed about how much he would be receiving as a day's pay, and secondly they only paid him for the first two weeks of this month instead of for the entire month. Seriously? It was bad enough when they decided not to pay him on the 15th, but I was then expecting he'd just get twice the money on the 30th. But no. Course not. Anyway, cut to later on that afternoon when I got my usual post- work day phone call from Turkey Butt. It went something like this...

Hey, the factory just went out of business and we all got laid off.

Yup. This is what we're dealing with around here. It's enough to make me pull my hair out to be honest. Especially since we just spent more money than usual on frivolous items to celebrate our 2nd anniversary thinking we were getting a big cheque from the military and a weekly cheque from the Cheese Factory. Ohhhhh boy are we just barely scraping by. But I guess there's one good(?) thing to come out of this - my mind has definitely been made for me on this school situation. We don't even have the money for me to reserve my seat so I'm thinking we definitely won't be able to afford for me to not be working for two years. Oh well. I can always try again in a few years when/if we're more financially stable.

On another note I might start looking after a sweet little one year old boy a few days a week. I'm enjoying doing a little baby proofing/ rearranging to make our house better suited for two busy little ones to play! If I can manage to get it finished today I will try to add some pictures of the play area I've created in our Dining Room. Oh fun, fun, fun! This is my life!

Love Notes

I am the kind of person who requires a lot of affection or else I worry that I'm not loved anymore. Turkey Butt is the kind of guy who isn't openly affectionate or quick to tell me how much he loves me or that he thinks I'm beautiful. I know he loves me but it's easy to get doubtful when he's gone so much and so busy when he's home. We're working on it.

One way that he has always been good at expressing his feelings is through his writing. So, while he's away this weekend and I am missing him desperately I will read and re-read passages from his little love notes to me, like this one:

"You have given me all that I could ever ask for and more than I could ever want!" - from his Valentine's Day card to me from this year.

This is my life!

Overheard in the Tub

Turkey Butt to Little Miss Elle: "The rubber ducky is floating because he's buoyant. Remember we learned about buoyancy?!"

Love.

This is my life.

What's That? Another Recipe?!

I know, I know.. Another recipe. I swear that all I do lately is bake - well aside from the usual bum changing and baby feeding. I just had to share this recipe with you though. I am sitting here with a cinnamon-y scented house and wanted to share the love. Believe me, if I could somehow attach this scent to this blog post, I totally would.

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original recipe found in "1,000 Vegetarian Recipes" cookbook by Carol Gelles

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp of salt (optional)

               2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned oatmeal) I used quick oats

                  1 cup raisins I used 1 cup of a raisin/semi-sweet chocolate chip mixture

1/2 cup butter or margarine (softened)

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp water

                                     1 tsp vanilla extract I love me some vanilla and always use a generous splash!

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly grease (I use the paper that once covered my margarine square and rub it around the cookie sheets) 2 large baking sheets.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir in oats and raisins (and chocolate chips); set aside.

3. In a large bowl (I throw it in my mixer), cream the butter or margarine. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, water, and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients until completely combined.

4. Drop by rounded tablespoons (onto the cookie sheets - obvious but I do like to state the obvious when others don't), leaving about 1 1/2 inches between cookies. Press with fork to flatten slightly (for a chewier consistency I don't flatten them with a fork).

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until browned on bottom. Cool on racks.

Variation: For crispier cookies, reduce water to 1 Tbsp and use quick-cooking oats (not instant) instead of rolled oats.

So there you have it! If you ever get around to making these cookies, please enjoy! And, take some advice from me and do yourself a favor, whip up a batch without the egg for cookie dough devouring purposes! Yum! This is my life!

Baby Items To Save For.

There are a few items that I really wish I had of had for Little Miss Elle. Hopefully I'll be able to get them for any future Little Misses or Misters that we may have. And, just so I don't forget what they are, I'm going to list them here:

Ergo Carrier - $125 at Spoil Me Rotten. Gasp.

A Bumbo - $59.95 at Spoil Me Rotten, tray not included.

Sleep sheep - $39.99 at Toys R Us

Exersaucer Jump & Leanr - $139.99 at Toys R Us

A convertable car seat with a high weight limit instead of the dumb ols bucket style. This one from safety First is $199.99 at Toys R Us.

And there are more things which I will add at a later time because the Little Miss has woken up from her nap and is SO not a happy camper. This is my life.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

If you know me, you know how much I love chocolate! I have to get my fix every day or I feel like something is missing from my life. Sometimes I have a hard time finding something and resort to eating a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Sometimes I have a secret stash of chocolate bars from days passed when Turkey Butt was feeling chocolate bar generous. You see, I don't necessarily need a lot of chocolate each day - just enough to satisfy my craving. So if my sweet hubby comes home with a handful of Wunderbar's for me, I may eat one then and stash the rest for another time.

Lately I have been a baking machine so Turkey Butt is sure to keep my pantry stocked with chocolate (and other baking supplies) so that he can eat some baked goodness too. Today I dug into a bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I always bake with these and never milk chocolate chips - but that's just me) and whipped up some Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies! Here's the recipe that I use:

Mama's Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup white sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp baking soda

4 tsp milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

2 or 3 bananas, mashed

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter together. Add beaten egg and mix until fluffy. Add mashed bananas, milk and vanilla - beat until well mixed. Sift the baking soda, salt and flour together. Add to the banana mixture and beat only until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips.  Grease, spray, or put muffin papers into muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 18 to 20 minutes. Makes 12.

____________________________________________________________________

Yup, that's my recipe! Super easy and super delicious. This time around I used 2 and a half bananas because that was what I had. In the past I've done it with 3 bananas and with 1 and a half bananas. It really doesn't seem to make much of a difference. This time around I also used muffin papers - I sure do hate the clean up afterwords if I don't - and I find that it makes more muffins that way. I got 16 muffins when I made it today. They come out soft, warm and gooey in the centre with a crisp top. And they are so good. But don't take my word for it - after sending the following text message to Turkey Butt (he was on the third floor working out):

Wait, what's that? Banana chocolate chip muffins, warm out of the oven? You don't say!

I immediately heard a thump thump thump as he came running down the two flights of stairs and straight to our kitchen! This is my life!

P.S. Just for fun...

Turkey Butt runs on the treadmill in his tactical vest (which is full of 30lbs of weights from his gym) while wearing his gas mask. He's a little nervous because he has to spend 6 hours in a gas hut during his birthday weekend. Poor guy!

Mary Kay

My Mary Kay order has arrived so I thought, in the spirit of blogging regularly, that I would update you all on what I got:

This is it! Hand delivered by my sweet coworker Kay just an hour or so ago. From left to right you're looking at Hydrate - a facial moisturizer from Mary Kay's new Botanical Effects line, Mint Bliss Energizing Lotion for Feet & Legs, and Satin Hands Fragrance Free Hand Cream.

I am so very excited about the new Botanical Effects line. If you're not familiar with Mary Kay products, they have the Velocity line which is aimed at teenagers mostly and they have the Timewise line which is aimed at diminishing the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Both excellent skin care lines (I should know, I had a facial using the Timewise line and have been rocking some Velocity samples while waiting for my order to get in) but I'm neither a teenager nor am I concerned about wrinkles yet. This is where the brand new Botanical Effects line comes into play! If you know me, then you know how much I enjoy saving the environment when I can (and let's be honest, occasionally only when it's convenient) so the fact that the box my product came in is made from recycled material and printed with soy ink makes me happy! I'm excited to test out this lotion once Turkey Butt gets home and I get the chance to hop into the shower.

Also exciting is the Mint Bliss Energizing Lotion for Feet & Legs. I'm a huge fan of mint foot lotion. I love the way the mint feels so cool and refreshing and tingly on my sore, achy feet. I will let you know how this product soothes my feet tomorrow as my sweet hubby has promised me a foot massage! Love!

The third and final product in my order is the one that I have had the opportunity to test out. I have such dry hands so as soon as I could, I tore into this product to test it out. On the back of the package it claims to be a nongreasy hand cream that leaves hands soft and silky - lasting 24 hours, even through several hand washings. My first impression was that it was indeed greasy. I can live with that though, so long as it gets the job done. So far I'm pleased with it. My hands do feel soft and silky as I sit here typing this. I'll let you know how it holds up to it's claim to last 24 hours! This is my life!

As Promised...

I'm back again - two days in a row is a pretty good deal. Hopefully I can keep this up! It is such a nice release for me to just write out my thoughts and goings on - even if no one reads them.

As promised, I have a recipe to share with everyone. It might just be my favorite recipe and it's not even for a dessert! It's the recipe I use to make Brown Bread in my bread maker. So simple, yet so tasty! As a bit of an explanation for my American reader (Hi, Lisa!) - Brown Bread is an East Coast tradition. A bread made with molasses that is best served with baked beans. Perhaps you knew that already? I just know that when I asked for Brown Bread when I lived in B.C. I was always given Whole Wheat Bread which is SO not the same!

Machine Brown Bread

1 1/4 cup hot water

4 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp butter

1Tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 rolled oats

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp quick rise yeast

As always with a breadmaker, you put the ingredients in in the order that they're listed on the recipe. When it comes time to add the yeast, I always make a little bowl in the flour with a spoon and pour it into there so it doesn't hit the moisture before it's supposed to. If you have a Sweet Bread setting on your breadmaker, use that. Mine doesn't have that setting so I bake it on the White Bread setting at 1 1/2lbs with a Medium crust. I only do that because I find that the amount of flour in my brown bread recipe is comparable to my machine's 1 1/2lb White Bread recipe. And, as a special touch, I always rub the top crust of my breads with butter or margarine when it is done cooking. The butter melts nicely over the top giving it a yummy flavour and I find it keeps the crust from getting hard. But that's just me!

Anyway, this is my life!

The Reasons That I've Been Neglecting My Blog.

I know, I know - I have been M.I.A. lately. I apologize! Incase you were wondering what I`ve been doing with my time these days, here`s a rundown:

- Turkey Butt is no longer working his civilian job and his BMQ is only Friday to Sunday at the moment so I`ve been enjoying spending extra time with him. I especially love to watch him and Little Miss Elle interacting with each other:

Action Shot.

- A local gym was having a 10 days for $10 deal so I decided it was time I got my butt in gear and tried to lose a little baby weight. So far I`m really enjoying it and am attempting to find the money in my budget to get a membership once my 10 days are up.
- Baking. I`ve been a baking queen! It`s pretty much the only housewifely duty that I truly enjoy. Around this house you wouldn`t be hard pressed to find brown bread, chocolate brownies with peanut butter icing:

This is what happens when you cannot wait for it to cool down first...

, apple sauce, banana chocolate chip muffins, or peanut butter chocolate chip cupcakes with peanut butter icing to name a few. Oh, and it is so much fun eating all of these delectable items.
- My lovely friend Jay has introduced me to this magical thing called a Diaper Co-op. Long story short, items are offered at wholesale prices if a minimum amount is ordered. I`m addicted. So addicted. I don`t even know where the money comes from that is paying for this obsession - let`s just say it is fabulous and I am never ever paying retail, for a cloth diaper or home pregnancy test or wooden toys, again. Love!
- My sweet sissy Aych had her 24th birthday on Friday. Sadly she came down with the flu and her party was postponed til Sunday night and my Mama had to miss it (she was down for the weekend). Luckily the party was still quite spectacular and well worth the extra effort that went into it.

The birthday banner that I made for her!

As luck would have it, Turkey Butt arrived home from his BMQ just as my Mama was packing up her vehicle to go. This was a wonderful surprise - a) because I missed him so desperately and b) because the Little Miss had just woken up from her nap and I hadn`t accomplished anything party related except for the decorating and the cupcakes. The Little Miss slept through most of the party:

It was her second one in as many nights (my childhood babysitter celebrated her 60th with a big surprise party the night before) and I think she was all partied out.
- Speaking of the Little Miss, she is changing and growing so much lately. She now waves and gives kisses (especially to her rubber duckies in the tub). She has started her first veggie (avocado) and is not a very big fan of it:

At all... The faces this kid makes, sigh! She is very quickly approaching the 5 month marker and she is just a delight to be around 95% of the time. Love. Her.
Anyway, those are a few of the things that have kept me from blogging much lately. I hope to get back into the swing of things this week perhaps. There may just be a recipe or a beauty product review in your not too distant future! This is my life!

Exhaustion.

Elodie is still screaming. Happy screaming, sad screaming, angry screaming. Sigh. I'm exhausted! I've been lucky enough to have Turkey Butt home more than usual the last few days but have his first weekend of BMQ quickly approaching.

I've been attempting to use Turkey Butt's extra time around the house to get a few things done. The main thing that I have been dying to complete is Little Miss Elle's bedroom. I'm happy to say that, aside from a few hours that I need to focus on organizing my craft supplies, I am almost finished. Looking around it today I am shocked to see how many ideas I picked up from Pinterest. Love Pinterest. I hope to be able to show everyone in blog land some of my Pinterest projects soon.

On top of Elodie's room, I have a very important birthday coming up! My very favorite (and only) sister in the whole wide world, the lovely Aych, is celebrating her birthday in 8 days. I have offered to throw her a little family birthday gathering and am loving the ideas I'm planning for it. Can't give anything away incase she reads this, but again, I love Pinterest. This is my life.

Funny Thing About Parenting...

The funny thing about parenting is that just as you think you've scored a small victory, an overwhelming defeat is thrown at you. Last night Elodie slept from 7pm til 7am only waking up once. I thought it was the most amazing thing ever because a good night usually has her waking up 4 or 5 times throughout the night. I let myself think, hey this was nice. This parenting thing might not be so difficult afterall...

And then.......

Then today she refused to nap for more than half an hour at a time. From approx. 3pm to 6pm she screamed any time I put her down for a second. But it didn't end there, if I held her she'd cry and try to wiggle out of my arms. So I'd set her down, and she'd scream again. For 3 hours straight! Finally it was nearing her bedtime and gosh, she must be tired since she hadn't napped. But no! It is 10pm now and I've been trying to put her down for the last 3 hours. Once she fell asleep for about 20 minutes. Then the screaming continued. Screaming so loud she was losing her voice mid-scream. So I would go and retrieve her from bed, try to feed her a bottle, and then try to put her down again. Let's just say she is still awake.

Turkey Butt came home from work about ten minutes ago and wouldn't you know, she didn't scream for the first 5 minutes he was here. I felt like a drama queen. But then the screaming began. And so it continued until he brought her into the tub with him to splash around. I can only hope she goes to sleep soon because I am exhausted and get to do this "single" parenting thing again tomorrow. I am dreading the day that Turkey Butt begins his BMQ and is gone for a minium of 48 hours at a time. This is my life and I love it but oh gosh, this is my life...

Nose in a Book.

I wish that I had something meaningful to blog about. Heck, I'd settle for silly. Instead I'm engrossed in this book:

So engrossed, in fact, that I spent more than an hour in the tub last night reading it. Such an eye opener. Incase you're curious, it's about a journalist who wanted to see how people lived while working minimum wage jobs. It really just add's fuel to the fire already burning in my soul - that the working class has it the worst. In my opinion, people in the lowest class of people get alot of assistance from the government (more money back at tax time, more child tax benefits, welfare, etc.), and the upper "white collar" class enjoy a financial freedom if they don't spend frivolously. This leaves the working class (of which I definitely reside) who work their butts off their whole life and never have much to show for it. My husband has two jobs and I have held as many as 3 jobs at a time in the not so distant past and will have look for a second job when my maternity leave ends. But, because we're married we don't get GST cheques and we'll end up owing the government when we do our taxes. My husband and I live a nice life. We're very fortunate. We have one reliable vehicle that we share. We live in a very nice house. We have lots of food in our cupboards and we don't go without any needs. Usually we can even sneak a few wants in there too. That being said, we could have never done this on our own - even when we worked 5 jobs total. Our vehicle? Sold to us at a very reasonable rate by my Dad. Our house? Only possible because of a very generous loan from my Mom. Honestly, without her we would never have been able to save our down payment.

Wow, I didn't know I had that rant in me. I apologize. Anyway, Little Miss Elle is napping so I am going to get back to my book. This is my life. 

And Repeat.

It took Turkey Butt more than a year to make it through the Canadian Forces application process and be sworn in. Now things are moving far too quickly. He just called me from the base after his night there ended. He phoned to tell me that they worked their butts off (another new recruit vomited and then passed out), and that he'll start his on base training in a few weeks. This means that from March til July he will be living on base all weekend, every weekend. Gah! Turkey Butt and I have been lucky during our relationship that we've never spent more than a few days apart (I went to Maine for a few days without him - it was hell). I cannot imagine having him so close yet unable to see him so frequently. I just have to keep repeating to myself that he's doing this so that we (he, Elodie, and I) can have a better life.

The really sad part is that this is just the beginning of the Canadian Forces keeping us apart. Turkey Butt has already informed me that he would love to do a tour of duty overseas if he is given the opportunity. Oye. Not to mention any course/ training that he'll choose to do that may keep him away. He's doing this so that we can have a better life. He's doing this so that we can have a better life. He's doing this so that we can have a better life. Sigh. This is my life.

Love

My sweet hubby phoned from work tonight to whisper "Good Night" to Little Miss Elle as she was falling asleep in her crib. I love that man. Love. Him. Sigh... This is my life!

Education

Just to catch you up, I graduated from High School in 2003. I had Honours in approximately 1 course a year, never failed a course, and posted mediocre marks for Math and French. I graduated with my Bilingual Certificate because I passed two French courses each year that I was in high school. My french sucks, by the way. Moving on... I have an Early Childhood Education diploma which I received in 2006 with Honours and a 3.94 GPA or something equally as awesome sounding as that.

I have worked in daycares, worked as a Nanny/Au Pair, worked at a Nursing Home, and currently (when not on Maternity Leave) work in a Group Home for Adults with Special Needs. I enjoy my job but it's not something I want to do for the rest of my life. I have a 24 hour position which means I am guaranteed 24 hours of work a week and anything extra (up to 40 hours) comes in the form of open shifts which are given out in order of Seniority. Although I have been with my company for 3.5 years, I have only had a position (and therefore seniority) for 2 years. Needless to say, I'm at the bottom of the totum pole. Even if I did magically luck into a 40 hour position, I would be doing the exact same work. I really feel that at the age of 27, I am too young to be at my career peak - even if the money is good.

I've been thinking about going back to school. I always assumed that I would do it one day - perhaps when my kids were in school themselves. Maybe I would take Practical Nursing and get my LPN like my Aunt Jay. According to her, the work I did in the Nursing Home was exactly the type of work that she does - changing catheters and colostomy bags, injecting meds sub-cutaneously through a butterfly clip, filling out death certificates, etc.

Lately I've been thinking about getting a Business Degree from the local Community College. I could specialize in financial planning, or accounting perhaps. I do get so excited when our money situation changes and I get to re-do our budget. I also love helping others create budgets. It's pretty much my favorite thing to do so why not make it my chosen career.

So, I finally broke down and filled out an online application to the NSCC (Nova Scotia Community College). My first choice being Business Administration, followed by Continuing Care (the step below an LPN - the Practical Nursing course is full til Fall 2014). I stil have some doubts about whether this is what I really want to do or not. I'd like to have another baby in a year or two and this two year program could affect that. I'm also not sure if I'll want to spend so much time away from Little Miss Elle and Turkey Butt (school + work) or how my course load would affect my position at the Group Home. Also, do I want to take Business Administration or wait until 2014 and apply for Practical Nursing? If I decide to hold out for Practical Nursing, I'll have to upgrade a few courses through Adult High School I guess?!? I'm missing Grade 12 Math and need either Grade 12 Physics or Chemistry.

With so much to consider, why did I send in my application anyway? The way I see it, it's only a $25 application fee and even if I get accepted, I can always change my mind at a later time. At least this way, if I decide this Summer that I do indeed want to go back to school I will already be accepted into a program. Gahhh, so much to ponder and so much to discuss with Turkey Butt. Anyway, this is my life.

"I'm in the Army, Bay"

Sweet hubby went to the base to pick up his kit yesterday. I was expecing him to come home with a uniform and maybe a couple t-shirts for PT (physical training). Instead he cam home with this:

I cannot even tell you everything that was a part of his kit but I'll give you an idea : gas mask, snow shoes, arctic gear, shirts for PT, underwear, socks, gloves, air mattress, sleeping bag, parka, scarfs, canteens, cook stoves, etc. Speaking of gas masks,

... worst thing ever! Seriously. I was nauseous for hours after taking this baby off. Blah. Anyway, the Army sent my boy home with a whole sh!t load of stuff and he couldn't be happier. Me? I couldn't be more paranoid that Adora wouldn't use one of his new pairs of boots as a chew toy. Needless to say, I cleaned out the board game closet on the second floor and made Turkey Butt store his kit there.

Now where should I put the board games.... This is my life!

Cosmetics Review: Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm

Once Twice upon a time I worked the Cosmetics counter in a drugstore. Although I hardly ever wear makeup and wear it quite neutrally when I do, I would always find myself buying the latest makeup item to take home for a test drive. Actually trying the products myself made it alot easier for me to make recommendations for my customers. I actually miss that part of the job.

For this reason, I have decided to do a makeup review on a product I purchased this summer - Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm. I was hoping to wear red lipstick to my wedding so I picked up this item in the shade of Gothic. One end of the product is the "lipstain" and the other end is a really nice lip balm. I say lipstain in quotation marks because, honestly, it's nothing more than a red marker. Seriously. Not only that, but the product comes with no instructions. After looking at it for awhile, I decided to put on the stain (cough marker) first and then the balm over top.



Used it again today to give you an idea of the look.

 To apply, I coloured my lips in with the blood red marker, blotted a few times with a piece of toilet paper, and then applied the balm. You have to be super careful when applying because, in this case, you really do not want to colour outside of the lines.

I found the whole thing to be a pretty awful experience. I didn't like the colour, I don't like the marker-esque texture of the lipstain, and the worst part was that Turkey Butt refused to kiss me while I was wearing it. Needless to say it didn't make it into my wedding makeup routine.

Overall, I really just recommend that you skip this one. That being said, if anyone out there had luck with it, I'd love to hear about it! This is my life.

P.S. I've recently signed up for the Luxe Box - a monthly box of deluxe makeup samples. My first box arrives in March so hopefully I'll be able to post more makeup reviews in the future.

Ellie Belly & Mama's Snowy Love Day

First time in the snow - any other time she's been covered in her car seat on the way to and from the Jeep.

Little Miss Elle & Elle :)

In the doorway of our new house!

Back inside - Baby-o getting kisses from her Mama. Did you know that Mama Kisses are the best kisses because they're filled with love? True story!

Thanks Jay for letting us borrow your little man's Jolly Jumper. She loves it.

Too cute for words.

Yayyy, cloth diapers. This is a One Size FuzziBunz - my current favs. How cute?

Because Turkey Butt works tomorrow on the actual Valentine's Day, we are celebrating today. Unfortunately Turkey Butt had to shovel the driveway, pick up his kit (uniform, etc) from the base, and get groceries for our Love Day Supper. Ellie Belly and I had some pre-nap fun without him though. This is my life!

P.S. Little Miss Elle got me the sweetest Valentine's day card (thank you Turkey Butt). I literally bawled when I read it. It talks about how "she" thinks I'm the perfect Mom to guide, teach and motivate her through her wonderful life. It also thanks me for all the hugs, kisses and songs I share with her each day. Gah. After a rough, nap-less day yesterday - this was such a nice thing to read.

Imperfect House Tour - Third Storey

View up the stairs.

This area will probably be a small living room-esque area for my Mama.

Love the old charm - exposed brick and mini door to peak into attic area.

My Mama's bedroom area.

Temporarily Turkey Butt's gym - til my Mama (and Spring) arrive and he can move into the barn.

View from the end of the bedroom.

Turkey Butt's pride and joy - his UFC and boxing videos.

This is my life :)

Imperfect House Tour - Second Floor

View from the top of the stairs.

Second floor hallway - bookshelf, door to Little Miss Elle's room, old dryer.

View of (left) laundry area, (straight) bathroom, (right) linen closet from stairs end of hallway.

Little Miss Elle's room - baskets of teddy's, change table, baskets of cloth diapers, blanket ladder.

Little Miss Elle's room - dresser, rocking chair, crib.

Little Miss Elle napping in her crib with Big Teddy, Bun Bun and Ellie the Elephant.

Walk-in closet a.k.a. my future craft area, book shelf.

The mess that will soon be my craft area - moving the desk from downstairs (behind the loveseat) up here.

Baby side of closet - clothes and play grocery store shelves.

Laundry area - we only had room for a top loader so bye bye dryer, hello clothes line (when the weather cooperates).

Bathroom - lots of drying clothes.

Energy Efficient Toilet with the half flush option and Ellie Belly's seat when I have to go.

Shower.

Linen closet and overflow of dirty clothes.

View of Master Bedroom from the hall - poster was an xmas gift for my sweet hubby.

My side of the closet + a portion of our dvd collection.

Turkey Butt's side of the closet, laundry hampers overflowing and Alucard chilling in the bassinet.

Awesome windows - reallllly need to hang curtains.

View of backyard/two storey barn from bedroom windows.

The reason we got the house so cheap - view of the extremely close, very busy road.

Our bed - recognize the headboard from our wedding pics? It's the old doors we stood in front of during our ceremony.

Old chimney, now painted over.

Board game closet in the hallway.

View from windows in the hallway leading to the third floor.

Hallway/stairs leading to the third floor.

This is my life :)