Memorial Day

The Soldier
It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.
By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

Let us remember what today is really about...

My Man Jon

In a few short hours a few of my girls and I will be heading here to the new Giant's Stadium 

I'm excited for a night out....I'm excited to check out the new stadium....I'm excited to eat some good food and hang out in the parking lot tailgating.  But most importantly I'm excited to see this guy

Maybe it's different where you live.  But here in Jersey, Bon Jovi still reigns supreme.  Every concert is sold out and he never disappoints.  This is only my fourth Bon Jovi concert, but friends of mine have seen him over 20 times!  There is nothing better than a summer Bon Jovi concert at Giant's Stadium.  I.cannot.wait!!!!!!!!!!!

Flashback Friday

I am dedicating this week's Flashback Friday to all my military boys.  I thank all of you for your service and could not be prouder to be your wife, your cousin, your friend. 

The proud women behind the men....some of my favorite Marine Corps wives and girlfriends!

I'm a Marked Woman

In honor of this upcoming Memorial Day, I thought this was the perfect time to show you all my tattoo!  I was never sure that I ever wanted a tattoo, but I was not against the idea.  I just knew that if I ever got one it would have to be something that really meant something to me...something I wouldn't ever get sick of {because duh, they're permanent!}

Well a few weeks after we got married, I finally realized I did want one and knew exactly what I would get.  Skip and I went to the tattoo place together and we both got some ink that day.  He got a compass on his back with my name above it...and I got this!

I absolutely love it!  I wanted a way to always remember Skip's deployment and how strong we came through it together.  It is located on my lower back.

I am happy that I will always have a physical reminder of Skip on me!

Want It Wednesday

Here are a few things I would love to get...you know if I won the lottery tomorrow!  All pictures were found on google.com

This carpet for our dining room

A beach house like this

With a view of this, of course

A large kitchen, with a huge island...and granite countertops!

This gorgeous master bathroom {look at that tub!}

This serene, relaxing bedroom

What would you like if you had endless amounts of money???

Some Points to Think About

In light of this upcoming weekend I just wanted to pass on this post from Mrs. P.  She brought up some interesting facts I didn't know.  I just get sad about the state of the country these days.  I also read in the comments on this post that this is the first President that did not participate in National Police Week this year.  Again, it is just sad.

Rear vs. Forward Facing

I completely forgot to write a follow up to this post.  After a lot of research {and comments from you guys!}, Skip and I have decided to keep Little M rear-facing for at least 2 years old.  She is just a little peanut still at only 22 lbs and I just feel safer keeper her rear-facing.  She does fuss sometimes but overall isn't that bad.  And to be honest, I will deal with the screaming and fussing as long as she's safe.  I don't want to sound all preachy or anything.  Each person needs to do what they feel comfortable with.  This is just what is going to work best for us!

Dandelion Love

Nothing sweeter than a little girl making wishes on a dandelion for the first time!

Arf, Happy Birthday, Arf!

Just wanted to wish one of my furbabies a very happy birthday!  This stinky guy

turns TWO today!  He will be spending the day chewing bones, sleeping in the sun, and eating whatever he can find.  You know, the usual:)  Happy Birthday Mr. B!

Diaper Containment

After much discussion {way more than a dirty diaper holder needs} and a lot of research and comment reading {thanks for all the input guys!}  Skip and I finally decided on a new diaper pail.  I headed out to Babies R Us {armed with some super fabulous coupons} and purchased this bad boy.

We have been using it for 5 days now and I'm in love.  I still don't like that I have to purchase separate bags, but the poop smell is gone!  We also haven't had to change the bag yet, so it definitely holds a lot of diapers.  I kind of wish we had gotten this when Little M was first born, but am happy we have it now!

Winner!

Thank you for all who entered my giveaway!

According to Random.org our winner was #2
                  MONICA-LnP said...

I have 2 doggies that I adore and you know dogs they sniff and lick everything,plus with my neighbors having a pool,their critters try to be our critters,YUCK!

MAY 13, 2010 11:10 AM 

Congratulations! Email me at mommymandymusings@yahoo.com with your full name and address and I will pass it along to the company!

Bleaching and Sealing Grout

One of my least favorite things in our house is the tile in our kitchen. It is very nice porcelain tile...so it would be stupid to replace it. But it is just not my style, I don't think it matches the kitchen very well, and it shows the dirt like crazy! {not a good thing when you have two dogs and a toddler}

I stay on top of it as much as possible, but my biggest gripe is the grout. The builder used white grout, which should brighten it and make it seem as clean as possible. However he did not seal the grout, which you should do, so it is constantly getting dirty and making the whole kitchen seem dingy.

Every few months I clean and bleach the grout, but had yet to seal it because I am very lazy busy.  But the other night I decided enough was enough.  I was going to bleach and seal the grout one last night!

{yucky, yucky grout}

I have bleached the floor several times, and a few different ways, and this seems to be the quickest and most effective way for me.  First I vacuum the whole floor.  Then I break out this bad boy and mop the whole area.

After the floor is clean, I take a whole bottle of this {and yes I use the entire bottle.}

I put a thin line of the Soft Scrub into every grout line and let it sit for about half an hour.  Then I take a steel brush similar to this one and scrape all the grout. 

I then take a wet rag and wipe all the bleach away.  I use my steam mop again to make sure all the bleach is up.  

Once this was all done I grabbed the grout sealant I had picked up. {not the exact one I used}

I followed the directions on the packaging and sprayed the sealant into all the grout lines.  It looked great and I was so happy to finally be done with this process!

Finished product

Looks pretty good!

I was very happy until I went to throw out the empty sealant can and realized I had bought counter and wall grout sealant and not floor sealant.  Ooops!  It does not hold up as well and it already seems that I will be repeating this process again soon.  But don't worry, I already got some floor grout sealant and will do the job properly this time!

Grey's Anatomy

If you have not watched the season finale of Grey's Anatomy yet, then stop reading now and head to the nearest TV and check it out!  I have been watching Grey's for years and while some seasons are better than others, my love of it has never waived.  But I was COMPLETELY blown away by Thursday's episode.

I went over to my friend J's house as I do every Thursday.  We literally spent the entire two hours holding each other in fear and sobbing.  I was completely wrapped up in the story and acting that I felt like I was really there in the hospital {I know it's just a TV show... but it was really that good!}

It was so powerful that I had to on demand it and rewatch the whole thing again on Friday.  And let me tell you, I cried just as hard the second time.

Here are just a few of my thoughts on the episode! {in no particular order}
- Did the shooter also shoot the car accident guy in the beginning?
- Stupid April got Derek shot....I know she was grieving over Reed, but come on!
- Alex still loves Izzy, not Lexie
- Lexie really loves Mark, she just told Alex she loves him because she thought he was dying and wanted keep him alive
- Is Dr. Webber going to be the chief again now?
- The SWAT team would have gone in with more than 5 guys and would have gotten the shooter when they shot him the first time
- Cop outside working with Webber?  Yeah that was the father from My So-Called Life!
- So happy Christina came into her own as a surgeon
- Avery is not just a pretty face....so smart and quick thinking!
- Meredith sobbing when she thought Derek was dead was soooo powerful
- Love that Meredith took down Christina to get to her man
- Meredith should have told Derek she was pregnant first thing in the morning
- The miscarriage scene is just so heartbreaking I can't even think about it without crying
- Will they try for another baby next year?
- Will Meredith ever tell Derek she was pregnant?
- So happy Callie and Arizona got back together!
- I'm still not sure that Hunt doesn't love Teddy
- I hope for Christina's sake that he doesn't
- Dr. Bailey is amazing...definitely my favorite character!
- I wonder if Dr. Bailey will feel guilt for saying she was a nurse {I would have done the same thing though}
- The dying scene with Dr. Bailey and Percy was just the saddest thing I have ever seen on television
- So glad they didn't leave us with a big cliffhanger
- Derek should wear blue button down shirts every day
- Love this quote: Derek: [narrating] The human life is made up of choices. Yes or no. In or out. Up or down. And then there are the choices that matter. Love or hate. To be a hero or to be a coward. To fight or to give in. To live. Or die. Live or die. That's the important choice. And it's not always in our hands.


What were your thoughts on the episode??  I can't wait until next season!!!

Repurposing Furniture

In this picture {from Christmas} you can see what our 'fake' leather ottoman looks like.

When I got it last spring, it was exactly what this room needed.  It is a storage ottoman and is a perfect place to hide all of Little M's toys when they are not strewn about the living room.  It really tied the space together as well.  I got it from Walmart and was really happy with what I got for the price.  I also know that I can't spend a lot of money on furniture these days with a toddler and two rambunctious puppies.


Well apparently there is another member of the family who does not share my love for the ottoman.   This guy....{this is his guilty face}

A few weeks ago Skip, Little M, and I headed out to run some errands.  Mr. B was sleeping peacefully on the couch so we just left him out.  Well apparently while we were gone he decided that he needed to TEAR APART THE TOP OF THE OTTOMAN!!  You can imagine how furious I was when we got home.  Even though it was not expensive, we have not had this piece of furniture for even a year, and on principle alone I did not want to replace it.  

So I decided to get some fabric and recover the top.  I bought some light tan micro-fiber fabric and borrowed my dad's super powerful staple gun and got to work.  I unscrewed the top of the ottoman from the base and ripped off the old leather.  I placed the top on the center of the fabric and stapled all the sides and edges

The corners were tough and I have no real advice on how to do them properly...but mine didn't turn out too shabby I don't think.

I'm very happy with the way the whole project turned out and very happy that I could refurbish it without having to replace it.  And I'm happiest to report that Mr. B has not even attempted to chew the new cover yet!

Flashback Friday

Here are some pictures from July 4, 2004.  I flew out to visit Skip while he was doing pre-deployment training in San Diego.  We look like such babies here!

Little M's Playhouse

 I *finally* have pictures of Little M playing in her playhouse....Enjoy!

Diaper Containment

I posted this on Twitter earlier, but I figured I'd write a blog post about it as well.  We are probably in the market for a new diaper pail.  I have been unhappy with ours for a while now, and yesterday the top part that pops open broke.  Seems like a sign to me!

When I was registering for my shower when I was pregnant with Little M, I registered for this diaper pail.

It was cheap, uncomplicated, and I didn't need special bags for it.  It worked out pretty well when Little M was a newborn and we went through so many diapers we changed the bag almost every day.  But now that Little M is older and we don't have to change the bag as much, things are getting pretty stinky in there.  So like I said, I'd been thinking of getting a new one and the blue top breaking yesterday might just be the push we need!

Now, I'm still against the idea of having to buy special garbage bags for the diaper pail.  I think it's silly and expensive.  However, I also am willing to concede that they probably are the only way to contain the smell.  So what diaper pail do you use?  Do you like it?  Does it contain the smell?  How expensive are the bags?  All input is welcome!!

National Police Week Poem

"I Pray"  

It is 6:00 in the morning
The alarm goes off
You get out of bed
Put your uniform, vest and gun belt on
you kiss me
you hug me
you tell me you love me
you promise me you will make it home safe

I see you walk out the door
Get in your patrol car
I see you drive down the road
I hit my knees and pray

I Pray you make it home safe tonight

I Pray I get to see your face again

I Pray I get to feel your touch again

I pray I get to taste your lips again

I Pray you make it home tonight

I Pray I get to see your face tonight

I Pray you make it home safe tonight

I Pray

By

Misty P

National Police Week Poem

"Heroes"

Heroes get up each day,
To dress in blue,
They patrol our streets,
Watching our cities,
Keeping us safe each day.

Making a difference,
We often over look.

How many have we forgotten?

How many are gone,
Lost in the line of duty?

We wait 'til it's too late,
To acknowledge all they've done,
To give them our respect.

The least we can do,
Is give them their due,
Before we lose another,
Hero dressed in blue.

By

Christina L. Dockery

Rear vs. Forward Facing

I have a question for all the veteran mommies out there.  When did you switch your child from a rear-facing carseat to forward-facing?  I know the legal minimum is that the child must be both 20 lbs and one year, but I have also read a lot of new information about keeping them rear-facing longer past that.  Little M will be 18 months on May 29th and is about 22 lbs {we will have that checked when we go to the doctor next Friday} and I still have her rear facing.  The rear-facing weight limit on her car seat is up to 35 lbs, so we have time still.  When should I switch her, and what were your experiences/opinions on this?

Natural Bug Killer: Review and Giveaway!

As the weather get warmer, we all begin to shed our coats and head outside.  There is nothing I love more than grilling with friends and relaxing outside well into the night.  However the one thing I don't love is all the bugs, bees, spiders, and other insects that also come out to play.  However, with a young daughter and two dogs I am weary to use harsh chemicals to get rid of the more annoying pests.  That's where EcoSMART comes in.  According to their website:

"EcoSMART Technologies, the world leader in safe pesticide solutions, is a venture-backed company with patented technology and a world-class management team. Our mission is to create the world’s safest, most effective pesticides based on natural ingredients. We have 15 years of scientific research and a wealth of patents behind us. We make the only 100% safe insecticide that is proven to work. We offer the only complete line of EPA exempt pesticides sold in the US."

EcoSMART has tons of great products for both indoor and outdoor use, such as their all natural bug repellant and home pest control spray.  I can feel safe using this products around my daughter and pets because they are all natural.  And EcoSMART products can be purchased both online and in select stores!


But EcoSMART has graciously offered to send one of you a value bundle of products!


Safe Home Value Bundle includes:
-- Ant and Roach Killer (14 oz can)
-- Home Pest Control (24 oz spray bottle)
-- Flying Insect Killer (14 oz can)-- Insect Repellent (6 oz bottle) 
-- $24 { a $31 value!}


Safe Plant and Garden Value Bundle includes: 
-- Weed and Grass Killer (24 oz spray bottle)
-- Garden Fungicide (24 oz spray bottle)
-- Garden Insect Killer (24 oz spray bottle)
-- Insect Repellent (6 oz bottle)
-- $26 {a $33 value!}


Safe Picnic Value Bundle includes: 
-- Home Pest Control (24 oz spray bottle)
-- Flying Insect Killer (14 oz can)
-- Insect Repellent (Two 6 oz bottles)
--$23 {a $30 value!}


Safe Patio Value Bundle includes:
-- Ant and Roach Killer (14 oz can)
-- Flying Insect Killer (14 oz can)
-- Two (2) bottles of Insect Repellent (6 oz each)
-- $24 {a $31 value!}


All you have to do is leave me a comment on why you need one of these bundles!  The contest will end at 8:00 pm on Sunday May 23rd (US, except AK & HI, only)


I will be receiving a free bundle for review.  I was not monetarily compensated for this review at all and these opinions are all my own.