Last week there were many a post about being Mom enough, especially after the Time cover, and the 1001 posts that came after, but I was sitting here even as Mother’s Day came and went and wondered if I was Mom enough.

I have been going through some major Mom guilt lately.

I have a teen who has an undiagnosed illness. She has spent since March 27th, out of school as she awaits a hospital bed so we can get a diagnosis, so she can get assessed properly by the specialists that she needs to see. There is a shortage of beds for kids/teens like my daughter here in the city where I live (Toronto).

It has left me feeling guilty, that I did not take action sooner. That I did not advocate harder, faster, stronger.  The hardest part of these 2 months has been the waiting, as our life as we know it is on hold as we await this hospital bed.

There is nothing harder then parenting a child when you don’t know what more you can do. When you aren’t mom enough.

Every day that we wait, I struggle more, I simply want answers for my daughter. The waiting is the hardest. Fear and worry invade each and every day. I feel I am not mom enough. I pray for the strength I need to get through, and to help her through as the days have been dark.

We simply want answers, is that too much to ask? Is that too much for a mom to ask? Till I have them, till I know, I do not feel like I am mom enough.

For those of who are wondering my daughter has been having some serious mental health issues that really began to surface after I moved back to Toronto, after she had been badly bullied for 2 years in Nova Scotia. But there is more to the story..a lot more as appointments with 3 specialists have told us that she needs a Neuro specialist. So we really do not know what is bringing on the mental health issues, and we need to know. A teen deserves her health, and to be in school. Doctors will not allow her to go to school till we know the full scope of what is going on with her, and in the meantime she is missing her friends.

For me her mom I am challenged, worried, and fearful because each week that the diagnosis is delayed I see my daughter slipping away from me, and since I can not do anything to stop it I feel I am not mom enough. I am trying hard to be strong, to keep her and me both occupied as we wait but each day it is getting harder. Whoever said waiting is easy lied, it is one of the hardest things to do especially when you are searching for answers as a parent.

Have you ever felt not mom enough?

I love reading my fellow Canadian mom bloggers. Knowing who the bloggers are, got me my job at ShesConnected. On my feedly I have a long list of bloggers who I try to read on a regular basis, now some are moms who don’t write every day about being a mom, some write about money, some are just plain funny, some inspire me, and some well I have just adored for years. So who tops my must reads each week.

1. Phd in Parenting if you want to read someone with an opinion who will make you stop and think you must read Annie. I have adored Annie for years and yes some of my posts have come and been linked to posts on her site, because she made me stop and think.

2. @BoydJane Jane is another blogger who makes you stop and think, she writes about things that will encourage you, inspire you. I like that about her.

3. 5 minutes for Mom Okay this blog has more then one mom writing. Susan and Janice are sisters that I have adored for years. A couple of years ago I even guest posted on a hot topic over here.

4. Gail Vazoxlade Gail is a  mom and smart savvy money woman has been a guiding force in my life in more ways then she knows. Two of my favorite days in the last year both involved Gail.

5. Mortgages for Women This blog is written by one of my dearest friends. Marcy is a great woman to connect with if you want money to make sense. One of the smartest women I know, and she can be funny too.

6. A Peek inside the Fishbowl Andrea is a wonderful mom blogger from Ottawa, who really does give us a look inside the fishbowl. I have loved the peek into her life for years.

7. Globetrotting Mama Heather is just finsihing traveling the world for a year with her husband and 2 boys in tow, and it has made me dream of travel more then one night.

8. Be Nice or Leave is written by my friend Mara. She has teens in the house so I can relate to her posts quite often.

9.Speed Skating Mom writes to that athlete in me. Sharon is a great writer and mom who I love to read.

10.Mother Bumper Sometimes a picture says a thousand words. I love following Katie’s photos.

11. Half Soled Boots Shan is a newer find of mine, and I absolutely adore her introspection.

12. Sweet Potato Chronciles is another new find of mine, I love Ceri. If you are looking to read about food I suggest you start here.

13.Attack of the Redneck Mommy I think everyone I know already reads Tanis. I have been for years, and can relate in so so many ways.

14. Cheaper then Therapy is where I go when I need to smile or laugh, Ali has a way of getting me to do that.

15. The Kitchen Magpie. I love Karlynn’s kitchen. I first found this blog while judging the Weblog Awards earlier this year and fell in love with it. I think you will too.

16. Cheaty Monkey. I love reading Haley’s posts. Lately she has not been writing near enough.

17. Sarah Bessey is a christian mom, and she writes about a spirit filled life. While I no longer practice Christianity i love her blog.

18. Organized Junkie I have loved Laura’s blog for years. She helps keep me organized and if you ever need a recipe do visit her on Mondays for Menu Monday.

19. Shasherlife I first met Shannon before I read her blog, we met as we sat side by side at the first ShesConnected Conference 2 years ago.

20. Nummie’s Blog I love reading Alison’s blog. She simply makes me smile.

21. Playground Confidental Rebecca’s blog also makes me smile. She is the mom of 3 who is juggling it all.

22. Life is a Blog is another girlfriend of mine. I love that Trina too has teens!

23. Mapsgirl is also a friend and I love Wendy’s blog. Another place I read when I want to smile.

24. Sober Julie is just an inspiration and a great read when you need a boost.

25. The Cheeky Goat Joy is from Halifax and I love how she writes. She is an atheist, yet does discuss faith somewhat, she helps me to broaden my own spiritual perspectives.

I hope that each mom enjoys this Mother’s Day and may it give her something more to write about!

Cleaning © by go_greener_oz

It is that time of year again when we are all thinking about spring cleaning. There are many ways to save as you clean, and to clean up your finances as well. I did my own spring cleaning a few weeks ago, and you know what I even found that I had too much stuff, and I had a wee bit of a mess on my hands. So it was time to get things in order.

We all love when we can have clean homes, both financially and physically.

There are some pretty simple ways to have both.

1. First Get Rid of the Clutter. A messy home whether it is financial or physically simply distracts us, and who can really enjoy clutter for long? So the first order of business is a freebie and doesn’t cost a dime, it simply costs you some time. Get organized.

• Money wise: Do you have a filing system and in and out system, so everything is getting paid on time and so you do not have late fees? If not create one.
• House wise: Clean the crap. Get rid of that old stuff you are hanging on too. If you haven’t used it in a year, donate it to a charity. ( We did this ourselves last week.)

2. Money wise do a spring bill audit. Take a look at your bills, are there services you are not using? Does your provider have a new cheaper option that could be saving you money? Is there a competitor that could provide you the same service, and quality at less cost? Time to check.

3. House wise. When was the last time you had the gas or electric company out to do an audit on your home? Get a House audit done. Many companies have great programs that even allow you to receive a tax credit.You could end up saving big.

4. Time to take a look at the waste in your house. As you clean the fridge next look at your food waste. Could you manage your grocery bills better with a bit of meal planning? There are many great helps out there to help you stay on task. Personally once a week we have leftover night, to make sure waste is limited.

5. So we got things tidier above so now it is time to clean. Have you ever looked at the price of cleaners? Did you know there are so many ways you can make your own homemade cleaners on the cheap. I have a board on Pinterest that is full of money saving tips and several are recipes for your own cleaners, I challenge you to try one, and let me know how it goes.

6. Now the house is clean, time to venture out, but wait before we hop into a car how about take alternative transportation this spring as a way to save. Take a walk, ride your bike, or even hop onto local transit instead of taking your car. The spring and summer are a great time to choose healthier frugal transportation methods.

These are just six simple ways to help reduce your costs this spring, I am sure you can think of others. How about sharing your favorite spring cleaning tips that help you save at the same time?

Easter is a week away and KINDER® has teamed up with the Children’s Miracle Network for the A Joy to Share campaign. I got pretty lucky and my daughter even with her special needs has never had any serious time in the hospital since her birth. My nieces`s had it a bit harder, they spent weeks in the hospital when they were little, at the IWK which is just one of the Canadian hospitals that are apart of the Children`s Miracle Network. The girls are now healthy young women.

The Kinder ‘A Joy to Share’ campaign is supporting Children’s Miracle Network member hospitals, and you can too, by purchasing KINDER® Seasonal Easter Products. There are some great items to choose from like the KINDER® Egg Hunt Kit and several more. We love the large seasonal egg and the little lambs that are part of the seasonal offerings.

“Children’s Miracle Network® raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals, 14 of which are in Canada. These hospitals, in turn, use the money where it’s needed the most. When a donation is given, it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network has raised more than $4 billion, most of it $1 at a time. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.”

Kinder this year on the Facebook Page, have shared many of the stories of children who have been helped by the children hospitals. Hayden`s story of asthma spoke to my heart especially as I have several friends who have kids with asthma. Miracle moms share there stories, and they are so heartfelt, such a blessing to read. You can also contribute as well right there on Facebook. The Facebook page is also a great place to share your own stories.

Remember as you are out shopping this week, the Kinder seasonal line and the money raised for such a great cause.

Just a side note Kinder Canada can now be found on Twitter and you can follow them there.

Very proud to say I am a KinderMom and do get special perks for being one, but as always the thoughts here are my own.