My PEI Vacation! (Part 1)

I’m home from five days in Prince Edward Island. I never seem to tire of visiting the Island. The fields, coastline, water, winding roads, and (of course) that red dirt... it’s all picture perfect. I’m so happy that I got the opportunity to visit before the end of the summer and my return to work.

I had made a list of possible things to do, and I am happy to say that I was able to check off most of them! It rained a lot, but we still had a lot of fun.

I’m not going to go into crazy detail over my trip, but I thought I’d share some pictures from my trip to show off my favourites. I will probably end up posting in two parts, because I took a lot of pictures, and it will be hard to narrow them down.

In no particular order, because I can’t actually pick favourites, here are some highlights from Little C's first ever vacation!

1) New Glasgow:

As I mentioned before, the Butterfly House is a side project of the people who own the PEI Preserve Company. They built a respite cottage, for people with terminal illnesses, and a walking trail called Gardens of Hope. Admission is $7 for an adult, but it is expensive to run and all profits go to the respite cottage, so I think it's a very fair price.

This place is so cool. It's a small (hot and humid) greenhouse-like building full of butterflies. It doesn't get much better than that. They fly all over, so you have to watch where you step, but if you're lucky (usually if you are wearing red or orange) they will even land on you. You can convince them to hop onto your finger so you can get a closer look. The orange slices can help. The butterflies love them! They stick out their curly tongues to lick the oranges. I find it fascinating. Little C seemed mesmerized by them. Since visiting, I've noticed that he is watching butterflies when we're outside a lot more.

The Butterflies loved Little C's shoes!

These oranges couldn't be picked up, but there were others that could. The butterflies went crazy for the oranges!

 

Close-up! Check out those eyes!

This is what the butterfly above looks like when he (she?) lands.

Can you see that curly tongue?

 

This was my favourite. Beautiful!

 

After we finished at the Butterfly House, we went for a walk in the Gardens of Hope. It's a nice place to stop, smell the flowers, and take in the view. I'm sure that it is a peaceful walk for families of those in their respite cottage.

What a view!

At the end of the pathways, you arrive at the PEI Preserve Company.

As a little side note, at the Preserve Co., I spotted this - a recharging station for electric cars! I'd never seen this before!

You'll also find the Toy Factory in New Glasgow. I love it there! They make their own line of wooden toys, and also carry some nice lines of quality toys made by other companies. If you like castles, knights, or princesses, you'll love this place! I was able to pick up some toys for now and for Christmas presents. (I know, I know, don't talk about Christmas in August!)

2) North Rustico

North Rustico is a small place, but full of my favourite things - a beach, a lighthouse, restaurants, and LOBSTER!! I'm a maritime girl, so those are all close to my heart. It's pretty close to Cavendish, where we always stay, so multiple trips to North Rustico are always made.

In my experience, I think the best place to get PEI seafood is Doiron's. Seriously. I've bought lobster at other places, but I always return to Doiron's. We sometimes go to a lobster supper for the full PEI experience, but if you go to Doiron's, buy some perfectly cooked lobsters and some mussels to cook on your own, you can save some money - or get more lobster!

 

Our first night of lobster! (As a note, always store your lobster on their backs in the fridge, so the juices stay in the lobster!)

Our last night in PEI - we added some clams. Neither my husband or I had ever eaten freshly steamed clams before. They were easy to cook - just like mussels - and were SO GOOD!

Blue Mussel Café: I've always seen this restaurant, but had never eaten there until this year. I'm pretty sure it was a Chef Michael Smith recommendation that led me there. I'm so glad we stopped in! It's got a great atmosphere - a casual/cool/classy mix. Their cute blue tables with matching benches and lighthouse candle holder centerpieces make for a fun dining experience. It's simple, but intimate. I bet it would be a great date spot. There was a mix of families, couples and friends eating while we were there. I don't think they had highchairs, but I didn't ask, because Little C was happy to sit with me. The staff was very friendly too. These all make for a great restaurant.

Then there was the food: it didn't disappoint! They have a small menu, but I got the impression that anything I picked would have been good. I chose the lobster roll. (It was a toss up between that and the seafood chowder or the seafood bubbly bake. I guess I'll need to return!) The lobster roll was served with potato or pasta salad, or you could upgrade to a garden or Caesar salad. The potato salad was delicious - definitely homemade with their own recipe. The lobster roll came on what looked like a crusty bun, but was actually really soft. So good. Actually, I'm wishing I was eating it now! I am just realizing that I've written a lot about this place. You need to go there. Seriously. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Even Little C. enjoyed a little lobster!

 Other North Rustico highlights:
-nice looking lighthouse
-beach with lots of waves on one side and dunes on the other
-breakwater that you can walk along and watch the fishing boats come in (not stroller-friendly or little one friendly, but a nice rocky walk)
-beach you can drive your car on during low tide
-gift shop - pretty touristy, but it's in a lighthouse shaped building
-lots of deep sea fishing excursions leave from North Rustico (I've gone with Aiden's Deep Sea Fishing in the past)

3) Island Hill Farm
This was my favourite family-friendly find of this trip. I had searched for a way for Little C. to see some animals, since he seems to enjoy them. I was lucky to stumble upon Island Hill Farm (Check them out on Facebook and Twitter!) Island Hill Farm is a gem. It's a petting farm, but it also seems like a little education center. They host birthday parties and camps and welcome regular folk like us to their farm. The day after we were there, they had an International Student group visit. Just think of the number of children (and adults) who have learned about farms and animals from them!

They have goats, pigs, kittens, chickens, alpacas, bunnies, ducks, and a donkey! (I'm probably missing something!) It was so much fun! We started in the barn and were led around by a young girl. I'm not sure if she was a daughter of the owners or someone who worked there, but she was fantastic - so knowledgeable and friendly, and you could tell she loved the animals. She was so caring and proud of them. You can tell that these people love what they do. The barn was decorated with art work and twinkle lights. Everything was very clean and you could tell that they animals were very happy. It's a happy farm.



"Allow your passion to become your purpose and  it will become your profession."
These folks have certainly found a way to turn their passion into their profession.



That pile of fuzz is actually a pile of baby bunnies! I think they were 11 days old and just starting to open their eyes.

Inside the barn - I like the little goat "stage." I think they like it too. (See the fun artwork!)

 

Another picture inside the barn. I love the twinkle lights. What animal WOUDN'T want to live here!

Pigs! Little C's favourite. He loves hearing pig noises.

Friendly reminders :)

Alpaca with a funny haircut (with his goat and noisy chicken friends)

Little C checking out the goats. He had just made friends with them after they scared him, by licking his hand. Soon after this picture was taken, one sneezed on him! That was scary, but he got over it pretty fast. :) Not too traumatic, and I think he loves goats again.

That's not it, but it's all I have for right now. In Part 2, I'll show you what I found in Souris, Kings Castle Provincial Park and some other quick stops we made!

Where would you recommend I visit when I return to PEI next year? Please comment and let me know, so I can add it to next year's list! I love finding new places to visit!

Prince Edward Island on Dwellable

 

A lot changes in a year

I found this post from a few weeks ago that didn't get published. Usually I just delete forgotten drafts, but I kind of like this one, so even those it is a couple weeks old, written on New Brunswick Day, here's a little glimpse into my life.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Little C. is just over 9 months now. Looking back over the last year, I can't believe how much my life has changed. I'm sitting here at 8:30am on a holiday Monday. He's fallen asleep after getting me up at 5:30am. This time last year, I probably would have still been in bed. (Oh, how I loved a good sleep-in day.) We probably would have had a lazy, carefree day. Maybe we would have checked out the happenings around town for New Brunswick Day, maybe not. We never had to worry about the time, and meals were casual - when we got hungry, we'd eat; if we weren't, we wouldn't.

That seems like an entirely different life. It's hard to even imagine now. I know, I know, people always told me that life after kids was a lot different than life before kids, and I believed them, but I think about the impression he's made on our lives and realize how big it really is.

For such small people, babies certainly know how to take over a house! Between toys, chairs, strollers, books, diaper bags, burp cloth and bib piles, walkers, playpens, blankets, bottles, sippy cups, and so on and so on, they really leave their mark. There isn't a single room in our house that doesn't show signs that a baby lives here.

Our living room is the most obvious, with all the toys, but also our kitchen, with a cupboard full of bottles, sippy cups, and little dishes, and a freezer full of baby food. Go down to the basement, and you'll find outgrown toys, swings, and piles of laundry in various stages of done-ness. Pop into the bathroom and you'll find bath toys and baby shampoo and bubble bath. There's a big old Tonka Truck in the corner of the stairs that he can play with when he's older, baby gates dividing up the house, a disgarded soother peeking out from under the couch, and a teeny tiny hoody hanging from the coat hook by the door.

When I think about it, it makes sense though. He's the focus of our life, so that should show in our house, shouldn't it?

I say good riddance to that old life. I wouldn't trade a single 5am wake up, when he's standing in his crib, peeking over the rail, watching for me to come get him, with a huge smile on his face, for a month of sleep-in mornings. I'll happily replace lazy rainy days with busy afternoons full of play time giggles, messy piles of toys, and naps with my little buddy. I'd rather listen to the Absolutely Mindy show on Kids Place Live in the truck than any of my music, and board books with fuzzy animals in them are way better than some of the books I was reading before he was born.

He's completely taken over every aspect of my life... and has made it so much better. I love that and wouldn't change a single thing.

Blend & Extend! Tomato Hamburger Macaroni

I tried it again! I blended & extended one of my go-to recipes. Blend and Extend is a concept that Ontario Beef and Mushroom Canada is promoting. I had seen it and thought it was a great idea. I few weeks ago, I made my own version of their taco salad recipe. Last week, I was making a batch of Macaroni with Tomatoes and Hamburger for the freezer. I thought it would be perfect for the Blend and Extend idea, so I gave it a try. It's a great way to add extra vegetables, cut back on the amount of meat you're consuming (because it's often too much!) and keep the same taste, or even make it better!

As a bonus, this is probably my son's new favourite food. He's only 9 months old, so I figure that's a big recipe win! Warning: for little ones, it can be very messy! My son fed himself, so this was a "from high-chair to bathtub" meal. I don't think anything hit the floor though, so it has the Little C stamp of approval!

Not the best picture, but I was
too busy eating to take pictures!

Tomato-Hamburger Macaroni

Ingredients: (This was a double batch, and made a LOT, probably around 10 servings)

• ~1T oil
• ~1t of diced garlic
• 2 cups of finely chopped mushrooms - I used baby bellas
• a splash of low sodium chicken broth (although water would work)
• ~1/2 cup onion, chopped finely
• 300g ground beef
• salt & pepper
• 2 cans (28oz cans) of diced tomatoes (The brand I used wasn't watery, like some diced tomatoes can be. The liquid was thick and tomato-y. Since I planned to freeze it, I didn't want to worry about my final product being too dry, so I didn't drain. If I was using tomatoes with a lot of water, I would drain one can.)
• 2 cans of condensed tomato soup (you could probably use tomato sauce)
• 2 1/2 cups of macaroni - I used whole wheat

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and add garlic and onions. 
2. Put a pot of water on to boil. Once boiled, add pasta and cook according to instructions on box, until al dente - it will cook a little more when added to the other ingredients, and I think al dente is always good when freezing.
3. Once the onions start to cook, add mushrooms. I usually put a pot lid over the mushrooms until the water starts to come out of them and they start to steam a bit, and not just stick to the pan. Once mushrooms start to reduce, I take the lid off.
4.  Add ground beef.
5.  Add salt and pepper. (Note: Watch the total salt content of your recipe. If you have diced tomatoes that have added salt, I wouldn't add salt at this point. Remember there is also salt in the soup, so if don't overdo it!)
6.  Cook beef mixture until no longer pink and beef starts to brown. Break up beef as it's cooking. Drain off any fat. (I had used extra lean, so there wasn't much.)
7. When beef/mushroom mixture is done, I usually put a little splash of chicken broth in the pan to help scrape off all the little tasty bits on the bottom of the pan. I think they add a lot of flavor, so I don't want to leave them behind.
8. In a large pot, add beef/mushroom mixture, diced tomatoes, soup, and cooked macaroni. Stir and heat through.

I served with a salad. If you want to be fancy, you could add a little grated cheese to the top. :)

You could also add additional veggies to this recipe. I think zucchini would be a good choice, especially if it was grated. (Need to hide the green from your husband kids? Just peel the zucchini before grating.) Next time, I think I'll try that, and I would also add even more mushrooms. They mix in so well with the beef to camouflage themselves.

This was really yummy, and very easy to freeze. It's an easy, quick meal.

2 DIY Saving Money Tips

I love saving money... almost as much as I like to spend money! I try to stay on a budget, so I can spend more money on the things I like and less on the things I need.

Being on maternity leave has meant that I have really needed to tighten up my budget. Some things were obvious changes - eat out less, more coffee at home, and in general, less frivolous spending. Other savings have been a little more creative. 

With the help of Pinterest, I have found some ways of cutting out expensive "must-haves" and replacing them with DIY versions. Here are some of my favourites:

1) DIY Foam Soap: I love nice smelly soap. I especially like the foam soap that can be bought by the handful at the mall. Unfortunately, each one costs over $6! Sure, they go on sale, but then I spend even more money, because I can't pass up a good deal.  To top it off, you're left with all these plastic bottles. It seems very wasteful.

Earlier this year, I saw a Pin about how to make your own foam soap, so I jumped at the chance. This is all you need:

• Liquid Castile soap - (~$12) I found Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile soap in the organic/natural section of the grocery store and have since found it at a natural store in town. It's certified fair trade and is made with organic oils. It comes in a lot of scents, like lavender, tea tree oil, peppermint, citrus, almond, and eucalyptus. I used the unscented one, because the store I bought my first bottle in didn't have many scents.
• Essential oil (~$5) - I used tea tree, but I've seen recipes with mint, lavender, and various citrus scents. I think mint and rosemary would be nice.
• Water (free!)
• A foaming pump (free!) - I reused some from my store-bought foam soap.)

This is all you have to do:
1.  Fill 1/3 of the bottle with Castile soap and 2/3 with water.
2. Add some essential oil for smell. I used about 10 drops or so. If you're not sure how much you want, add some, swirl it around and smell. Too weak? Add some more!
3. Gently roll the bottle around in your palm so everything mixes, without foaming up.

Voila! You have your very own foam soap!

You can find various "recipes" for this online. Be careful, because some seem a bit strange - like the one I saw about using shampoo and food colouring for hand soap.

I use tea tree oil, because I love the smell of it, and it has disinfecting properties. I think that I'll use the Tea Tree Oil Castile Soap next time, and buy different essential oils that compliment the tea tree oil. Maybe I'll give the rosemary/mint combo a try! Really, the possibilities are endless! 

I have refilled my bottle about 6 times and can probably refill it again at least twice more with the one bottle of Castile soap. The essential oil is still very full. I would say that each refill of soap costs about $1.50.  That's a great deal, and as a bonus, there aren't the chemicals that you'd find in the store bought foam soap!

2) Vinegar & Baking Soda: I guess I knew that mixing baking soda and vinegar is kind of magical, but I hadn't really taken advantage of the fact that they can also replace some more expensive (and chemical-filled) cleaners. They're like the dream team of simple cleaning products.

Here are some of the ways I use vinegar and baking soda:

Washing Machine: I have a love/hate relationship with my front-load washing machine. One of the downsides is that they can start smelling not so fresh - not something you want in a washing machine. In addition to leaving the door open when it's not in use, every month or so, I sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda inside the washer and about 1/2 a cup of vinegar into the detergent dispenser. Then I turn it on to the hottest (but shortest) setting I can. I think it's usually perm press on hot wash, cold rinse. It cleans everything out. After a quick wipe of the rubber on the front of the drum, it's all fresh and ready to keep washing!

Dishwasher: Similar to the washing machine, you start by sprinkling a generous amount of baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher. Then, fill a mug with vinegar and place in the top rack of the dishwasher. Start a cycle that uses a high heat (although I try for the shortest cycle, to avoid wasting power.) Your dishwasher will smell better and it will get rid of left over residue from food and soap.

Kitchen Sink/Ceramic Stove Top: For the sink and stove top, it's a similar process. Sprinkle baking soda in the sink and on the stove. Then, I use a spray bottle filled with vinegar to generously spray over the baking soda. You'll see little reactions happening. That's the fun part - (carefully) involve the kids! I let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub off with a cloth. The baking soda will help scrub and shine the sink, without scratching. If the stove has any spots where pots have boiled over and burned, I use a "Scrunge" sponge to scrub without being abrasive. (Note: Make sure the stove is cooled off... I'm not sure what vinegar and baking soda would do on a hot surface.)

Microwave: This is great, because it takes such a short amount of time! vinegar and water into a microwavable bowl (I usually do one part vinegar, two parts water) and pop it in the microwave for about a couple of minutes on high. It really depends on your microwave, but at the end of the minute, you should see that it's steamed up a bit in there. Don't let it boil too much - you don't want things getting too hot. You don't want any explosions! The steam softens up the hard crusty bits and the vinegar up the microwave, softening everything while the vinegar gets rid of odours. Wait a couple of minutes before opening the door - make sure it's not too hot, then wipe off the sides of your microwave. It will be SO easy!

The only issue I've ever had was using red wine vinegar instead of white to clean my microwave when pregnant. I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I should have just steamed it with water. Let's just say the smell was like nothing I'd ever smelled before, so without going into details, you can imagine what happened when my pregnant-self caught a whiff of it! Not fun! (To this day, I can't smell red wine vinegar without getting a little queasy!)


These have all worked for me, so I hope that someone else finds them handy! What have you done to finds ways to cut down on materials commonly used in your house? I'd love to know!


(My next DIY money-saving project is to make my own Diaper Genie refills. Those suckers are expensive! Do you have any tips?)

World Breastfeeding Week - My Experiences and Thoughts

I'm going to get a little personal with this one, folks. It's World Breastfeeding Week.  I think it's wonderful that Breastfeeding moms (and their supporters - dads, kids, friends) get a full week to publicly celebrate breastfeeding. At the same time, I wonder what all the media attention does to mothers that don't (for whatever reason) breastfeed, especially those who would, if they could.

I think a lot about the breast vs. formula debate, so I'm going to attempt to sort out my thoughts here. I'll start with my own experience.

I was able to breastfeed my son for six and a half months. I'm very proud of that, but it wasn't easy, and simply saying that I breastfed for over six months makes it sound like an easy success. You see, after having a C-section, and already feeling like a bit of a mommy failure, I was even more determined to breastfeed. In my mind, I wasn't successful at the birth, so I had to be successful at breastfeeding.

On top of that, I was a long time believer that breastfeeding was the only choice and didn't understand why some mothers wouldn't do it. Looking back, I think I was naïve, because it's really not that simple. Of course, the videos at prenatal classes and the pictures of breastfeeding mothers that frequently get shared online make it seem so easy. Why wouldn't I think that?

To make a long (and quite emotional) story short, after a horrible experience with breastfeeding in the hospital, I ended up needing to supplement with some formula. I was quite sure I wasn't going to be able to breastfeed at all - disappointment doesn't come close to describe how I felt. The day after leaving the hospital, (a five day stay) I visited the hospital lactation consultants and they helped get me back on track - I was able to breastfeed with the aid of a shield. I was so relieved. Something was finally going asplanned. Unfortunately, after numerous attempts in the following weeks, we weren't able to wean my son from the shield. I was told that this is often cause for concern, but for me, it was okay, because he was gaining weight and was healthy, and it didn't cause me any issues. It didn't feel as "natural," but it was what we needed to make it work, and at that point, I was willing to do just about anything. 

Anytime I got discouraged, (and there were many times) I would say to myself, "I just need to make it to 3 months," then "I  just have to make it to 6 months." I will return to work when my son is 10 months old, so I had said from the beginning that I would breastfeed until 6 months so I could take time to slowly wean and make sure that he was happy and comfortable.

At a point between 5 and 6 months, I had to start supplementing with formula. Even that was an emotional decision, because I wanted to be able to do it on my own, but also knew that he was needing something more and wasn't quite ready for solids.

Finally, at almost 7 months, it seemed like the right time for my son to make the full switch to formula. He seemed ready. I felt like I was finally getting the swing of things, but if he was ready, then that was what mattered. Even though it had been difficult most of the time, I was a little sad. Even now, I still miss the closeness sometimes, but when I do, I just gather my son up for a cuddle or we have a snuggly nap, and I know that it's okay. He's fine. Actually, he's more than fine - he's healthy, growing, and very happy.

In the later months of breastfeeding, I was also feeling increased pressure from the media, because at that time, a study had come out about there not being a difference between formula fed babies and breastfed babies. I'm not sure how accurate or how comprehensive the study actually was - all I know is that it added fuel to the mommy wars. Everywhere you turned, there were messages of "Breast is best!" or "Formula feeding is best!" It was a lot to take in, and I found myself agreeing with both sides.

I also noticed that many would say, I think breastfeeding is best, but formula feeding is okay if you have to, in an attempt to show non-breastfeeding mums that they supported them. (That's probably what I would have said before having a baby, too.) I think the problem is that even that statement could make it seem like mothers who have to (or choose to) formula feed made the "other" choice, not the "best" choice. As a mum you always want to make the BEST choice. 

So, 9 months into motherhood - 6 months breastfeeding and 3 months formula feeding - here is my thinking on the debate:

Maybe we should just cheer on every mother (or father) who feeds her baby. I know it sounds silly, but to me, it's that simple. That's what a baby needs. They need nourishment. Just as important, they need parents who love them and are able to enjoy the short time that their little ones are little, and not be stressed out over something as basic as feeding them. If I had chosen to formula feed my son from the very beginning, he would be fine. He would probably be the same healthy, happy little boy that he is now. We would have snuggled just as much while I was feeding him. He would know that I loved him, and our bond would have been just as strong. I'm still glad that I was able to breastfeed, but in hindsight, knowing now what I do, I could have formula fed him and felt good about that decision, too.  

So, if breastfeeding was your choice, and you are happy with the decision (despite any little bumps in the road), then breastfeeding is the BEST choice! Great job mum! Enjoy this time with your baby!

If breastfeeding isn't quite working out or causing you or your family undue stress, then you have to figure out what the BEST choice is for you and your family. Either way, great job mum! Enjoy this time with your baby!

If formula was your choice, then it's the BEST choice for you and your family! Great job mum! Enjoy this time with your baby!

In the end, you need to figure out what works for your baby, for you and for your family. Parenthood can be a pretty tough job. I'm only 9 months in, but it is both the most amazing experience and the most difficult, because I always want to make the best decisions for my little boy. We parents need to stick together and support the choices our fellow parents make. Our families may be different, but we're all just trying to do our best. Breast? Bottle? A mix of he two? In the end, we want happy, thriving babies, and only the parents of each individual baby knows what's best. After all, we wouldn't make a choice that was anything but the best! 

That's my two cents.

Bloglovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I just discovered Bloglovin! It's site that allows you to follow all your favourite blogs in one spot - you never have to worry about missing a post again - kind of like Facebook for blogs! Try it out, and add me!

What a Deal!

I like a good deal. I have always tried to be frugal, but since being on maternity leave I have become even more budget conscious.  I'm always looking for ways to save money. This weekend, I hit the jackpot! After procrastinating for hours over going for groceries on Sunday, I had an hour and a half to get to Sobeys before it closed on Sunday. It wouldn't have been that big of a deal, except Monday was a holiday here in New Brunswick, so I really needed to get groceries. My cupboards were looking bare!

Soon after I entered the store, I heard an announcement that said all store made bread in the bakery was now 50% off. Great deal! I pushed my cart into the bread department and got a loaf of multigrain bread (my favourite) and two loafs of garlic bread for the freezer. I was happy with that.

Then I rolled into the meat and seafood department and found even better deals! A lot of their fish and meat was 50% off as well. I checked the dates, and they had only been packaged the day before, so I started stocking up. I guess they only like to keep them on the shelves for 2 days, and since the next day was a holiday, they wanted to clear them out. I picked up fish, pork, and a beautiful looking roast.

This is what I bought at 50% off:

• loaf of bread
• 2 loaves of garlic bread
• Beef Inside Roast
• 4 Salmon Portions
• 3 packages of Haddock Fillets
• 2 boneless pork chops

The regular price was $57.31 and I got it all for $28.63!

Now my freezer is a little fuller, and my grocery bill should be a bit lighter for the next could of weeks. I love saving money!

Next time there is a holiday, I'm going to go an hour before the store closes to see if I can get some similar deals!

Less than 3 Weeks to Complete my Summer Bucket List

August is here. That means that summer is coming to and end. Worse than that, my maternity leave is quickly coming to an end. I have to make the next three weeks count. I have an incomplete Summer Bucket List!

I didn't make any real progress on my bucket list this past weekend, but I think I can get it done before work starts up again. I need a plan though. Because I'm stressed about going back to work, I'm in total scatterbrain mode. I need to have some fun and make every day of the next few weeks count.

So, here it is. This is my plan to complete my bucket list in three weeks:

1) The Zoo - Magnetic Hill Zoo, on our way to PEI (If C. really likes it, I may try to sneak in a visit to the Cherry Brook Zoo at some point in the next month.)

2) Kings Landing - This one may be a September trip, because there aren't many unplanned weekends left. I think they usually have some special events in the last summer/early fall, so it could be a good alternative, if we can't get there before school starts.

3) Make Pickles - Labour Day weekend - I'm currently searching for a good recipe. Something dilly and sweet? Or maybe bread and butter pickles? I don't know what I'm doing. Help! I need a little help, please!

4) Playgrounds - We're up to four, but we need to see MORE! I think we'll head to a playground in the city later this week, and we're going to stop at any that we see in PEI.  How many can we add to our list? I'm aiming for 6 more!

5) Uptown Public Art Tour - Hopefully, we can check this out this week. If not, it will be done next week. The Sculpture Saint John kicks off on Thursday, so hopefully we can check that out at the same time.

6) Farmers' Markets - I can't believe I've only been to one Farmers' Market this year. Tsk, tsk. Maybe this Saturday will be nice and we can head over to the Kingston Market. Maybe we can hit up another one in PEI.  Could I be adding too much to my PEI list? My husband would say yes. His idea of vacation (i.e. relax) and my idea of vacation (i.e. go, go, go) are very different.

Three weeks. 18 days. Can I do it?

Something Good Is Happening On Facebook

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I use it a lot, but, from time to time, I think about deleting my account. Facebook is my go-to place to connect with friends and family, and an easy way to make plans for get-togethers. During the winter months of my maternity leave, it was sometimes my only contact with the outside world and a source of (much needed) adult conversation. 

One of the big reasons that I sometimes turn Facebook off is the negativity - definitely not good for a new mum, trying to stay ahead of the baby blues, or anyone else for that matter. Whether it be people starting unnecessary arguments, posting vague status updates that are very "woe is me," or just constantly complaining about anything and everything, I don't think that it does anyone any good. The negative person stays in that mindset and often brings out that side in others. I'm not saying that everything has to be sunshine and rainbows, and I don't think that you should keep things in that are bothering you, but I think some people get into a negative groove and have a hard time getting out of it.  

That brings me to the reason I'm talking about Facebook. There is something good happening on Facebook these days. Usually, I'm not one to follow the silly posting games/trends, like "I'm going to Germany for five months" or "I like it on the couch" or changing profile pictures to giraffes. In fact, I always ignore them. This one is different though.

Gratitude challenges are peppering my newsfeed with positivity. There are several different challenges floating around, but the general idea is that you post a few positive things each day - something good that's happening or something you're grateful for - for 5 or 7 days. Each day, you also nominate another person to do the same. I had been nominated for one of these a few months ago and didn't do it, but after finishing the #blissphotoaday challenge last month, I wanted to continue with the good thinking, so I thought I'd give it a go when I was nominated this time. 

I'm currently on day 5. Some days are easier than others. Today, I could have complained about getting up a many times to get my son settled or the fact that I have a mountain of housework to do, but I didn't. I was able to find the silver lining. Getting up many times in the night also meant that I was able to get my son back to sleep - that's a pretty great feeling. And that piling up housework? That's the result of having a nice chill day with my little family. I'll take any amount of housework to have that.

I'm hoping that after this, I'll remember to look for the positive throughout my day. I know it makes Facebook a much more positive place to visit, and hopefully others will continue to do the same.

Here are a couple of highlights: (As you can see, some are a little more silly than others.)

-Coffee: It's a little magic. When woken up at 5:30, it really helps get the day started when my body is rejecting morning. 

-I'm so thankful that Little C has two pairs of grandparents that love him so much. Grandparents are pretty special people in the lives of little ones, and he's lucky to have such great ones.
 
-Best feeling? In the middle of the night, when I lay back down after helping C. go back to sleep, and he stays sleeping. I go back to sleep feeling like sleep superhero. (At least until the next time he wakes up... but then it happens all over again!)

-Maternity Leave - I feel so fortunate to live in a place that allows me to have maternity leave. Many mothers (or fathers) don't have this option, so I am forever grateful.

-Holidays: Bonus days are the best! Just when you think the weekend is over, there's still a day left!

-I think Dawn Advanced Power dish detergent actually is magic. It will clean anything off your dishes in just a couple minutes of soaking. Seriously magic.


Today, try to think positive and spread a little positivity!

Photo Challenge Completed!

Yesterday I finished a month-long photo challenge. Yummy Mummy Club runs the #YMCPhotoADay challenge each month, and I had started after reading about the #BlissPhotoADay challenge on their page. Each day I posted a picture to my Instagram account that followed a daily theme, with #BlissPhotoADay.  Half way through the month, I realized that it was actually a contest to win a pass to BlissDom Canada, a yearly social media/blogging conference. I can't imagine that I would be the one winner among all the participants, so I don't think I have anything to worry about. I'm not sure how I missed that detail! Scatterbrain!

I liked the idea of finding a moment of bliss in each day, and it ended up being a really good thing for me. I'm nearing the end of my maternity leave, and thinking about returning to work and leaving my son for 9 hours a day. I still have "baby blues" days. With this challenge, I found that I was looking for positives and pushing the negativity away. On the days that I wasn't feeling so great, I would make an effort to find a little bliss. Or even make myself do something blissful. 31 days later, I feel like I'm in a better place than I was before I began. Who knew that a little photo-a-day challenge would have such a great outcome!

Here are some of my favourites from the month:

Day 7: #Skyline

 

Day 9: #Grass

 

Day 10: Distraction

Day 11: #Strength

 
 

Day 13: #Cheer

 

Day 14: #Coffee

Day 15: #Bliss

 
 

Day 17: #Sleepy

 

Day 23: Fun

Day 27: #White

Day 29: #Cold

 
As an added bonus, I found some new people to follow on Instagram. I love seeing what people post. I don't mind the food pictures that many people complain about and love to see what moments people like to capture and share. I've also found ways to be creative and take or edit pictures of my son without invading his privacy, since my Instagram is public.

I don't think I'll do another photo challenge next month, but I would definitely do it again at some point. I'll watch YummyMummyClub.ca for another one in the future. It would be a great way to get through the dull winter months.

If you want to see the rest of my pictures, or see a description to go along with these ones, visit my Instagram page!