What I missed out on while being nurse mom plus $500 Contest!

Similasan and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this post, and they asked me to talk about the things I've missed because of kid-illnesses, and to mention this sweet contest!

So now that you all know Gavyn was a very sick child due to his congenital heart defect I can't say I really missed out on much because he was little. It's not like he could go out Trick or Treating, and he didn't understand Christmas. He couldn't go outside and have tons of fun yet and he wasn't running around. He was just to young. I will tell you what I missed the most was holding my newborn. The newborn that was stuck in a PICU bed with monitors, tubes and IVs. Watching nurses poking him and watching a mouth open but no sound because he was intubated. I didn't get to breast feed but instead had to go to a breast feeding room to pump my milk for my very sick child who was barely holding on to life. It would just make me so sad to see the not so sick children and their families holding their child, loving them, kissing them, but not me. I was only able to hold his hand, rub his forehead and let him know that everything was going to be OK and he would be home soon. To me that is the most precious time with your baby and I did not get that. He was just to sick. So you can imagine when I finally got that chance he was in my arms until they took him away again. So that is what I missed the most with being a mom, trying to nurture him back to good health, get him off of medications and breast feed again.

And I did, I got that all, got to hold him, kiss him, breast feed him and play with him. See the first smiles and all the other firsts that are so precious. I didn't care I had medical bills sky high from being on a limited income from not working. I lived in a Ronald McDonald house for so long. By the way they are just amazing. I didn't care about anything else. My son was well again and that made this mommy the happiest one in the world.

So with the first smiles I have a great contest to tell you about. We all have photos of our children smiling, just brightening up the day of everyone around and Similasan and Shutterfly wants your photos. All you have to do is head on over here, upload your photos and you could win a $500 gift card. We could all use that so go and upload your bundles of joy and their amazing smiles!

So tell me. What have you missed out on the most while caring for your children?

What would you do with an extra $100.00?

More parenting videos on JuiceBoxJungle

You have all seen the ad over in my sponsors area for Juicebox Jungle which I really hope you check out. If not click the ad in this post and check out what's going on and answer the polls! This month Kodak is on there and they have ink that can help us save money on high costs of ink. I know many people who have a printer but cannot afford to purchase ink as it's outrageous so I encourage you to check it out. So along these lines, Kodak and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this fun post, about what I'd do with a surprise extra $100 if someone handed it to me next month. Anyone could surprise me with some money any day! Wouldn't that be nice? We all could use an extra $100 especially with the economy right now. It's not very good and we would love to have a few extra bucks to spend on some much needed materials. Maybe, I'm greedy but this money would go towards our house. Not me, not hubby and not the kids. Us and our home! With our remodeling project well under way there are so many things I could purchase right now. Some paint because we are starting our living room very soon. We are thinking a warm gray or something along those lines. I also would get my molding for the entry way we just redid. We've decided the top would look fantastic with some nice crown molding. Just classy and my uncle actually just did his dining room with some and I think it looks amazing. Next on my list would be some black sheer curtains for my newly remodeled dining room. We redid it red and black and the horrible white lace things I have must go. They are dingy and not very modern and this is something that needs changed soon.

So if I were to have this extra money that is how I would use it. To projects for our home, to better it and hopefully one day when we do sell it, we are going to make a killing. So if you had an extra $100 in your pocket how would you spend it? Would you go pamper yourself? Go to a nice dinner? How about some new clothes? Would you spend on the kids or would you throw it into your savings? Let me know, I'm looking forward to hearing some answers :)

I need a date! Restaurant.com is here to help!

Ok so since having a second baby, almost 3 years ago,*cough* she is still a baby isn't she:( Hubby and I haven't been out in ages. We do go out with the kids though. Just never alone. I'm so in need of a date night. It would be so nice to get dressed up, go to a restaurant, sit down, talk, and just look at each other. Unfortunately, due to money issues, the holidays, a birthday and just buying a home it's way down on our list of things to do. I'm so excited though that Restaurant.com is here to help us with these issues.

See my little Juicebox Jungle widget over in my sponsors area? Well, I keep seeing the sponsor of this post, Restaurant.com come up and now it's time to look around and see what they have to offer. While your looking at the widget take the little poll as well. Do you get out enough? You can get gift certificates for more than half the cost. So would I rather eat out at a nice sit down restaurant or eat fast food that I really don't enjoy? Hmmm...I think I'll sit down.

I would love a couple times off a month just to relax and not worry about dinner. Learning about new restaurants is also fun! You can purchase $25.00 gift certificates for just $10.00 how great is that? So head on over to Restaurant.com, and have yourself a date night too that is inexpensive! You really do deserve it!

So tell me! Do you and your significant other get out? Is it time?

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post by Restaurant.com through Juicebox Jungle. The opinions are my own.

My cool new widget plus savings!

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