Dental Coverage Rant

Every month, a large chunk of money comes off my husband's pay so that our family of 5 can have medical coverage, but if the insurance company won't pay out on claims, what's the point?

Last week, a bonding came off one of my front teeth. I was lucky enough to get an appointment with the dentist for the following morning. Before I left home, I double checked our coverage to see that the little procedure would be covered and sure enough, it was, for 90%.

So, I had my tooth fixed, paid in full upfront and the watched as the receptionist submitted my claim electronically. Usually we would see the money within 2 days. Five days later, we received an automatic deposit from the insurance company for only 25% of what the fix had cost me. They said that I would need x-rays to prove that there had been "significant tooth loss" to have any additional portion covered. No x-rays had been taken prior to the fix and it was obviously too late for photographs. What a mess.

So now, at a time when I completely can't afford this expense, I'm out $300 and change. Why do we bother with insurance?!

That is all.

Rants from one fed-up Mama

I am a reasonably smart person. I'm not fantastic at anything, but I'm good at a lot of things. I have an education: a half decent one actually. I even graduated with honours from my last endeavor, but in the province I live in, I'm hard to employ.

French isn't my first language and it is barely my second language at this point. I may be qualified in every way that matters for the jobs I apply for, but since my French is rusty, I won't get the job. 

I read through all of the job ads daily and if I'm willing to work for minimum wage with a bunch of highschool kids, maybe, just maybe I can mop floors at the local pool. I didn't spend six years in university and one year in college to mop floors. Although, there are bills to pay.

None of this even matters anyway since daycare for my three kids would be over $1,500 a month. So I can't even take the mopping job because that won't even cover daycare expense.  

We live in a system that sets us up to fail. I talk to people my age daily who are in very similar situations. Many are struggling to pay the bills and are considering moving out of province to clear up their debt and finally, at age 30+, get their lives on a better financial track. 

Moving out West or to the deep North are the trends now. With the higher wages, free staff accommodations and airfare, it's cheaper to commute across the country to work than it is to work locally. What a joke. 

It's as if there are only two choices: 1)Work 24 hours a day and have no family life or 2)Be completely broke, but have a happy family. You shouldn't have to sacrifice your home life to pay the bills. You shouldn't have to work two jobs just to cover daycare.

We live in this beautiful province, that we chose as a good place to raise our kids, but we are ultimately being forced to leave. For a province that campaigns to keep their university grads working in their province, they sure don't make it easy for us to stay.

Update on our family organic garden

Just a quick post to say that our family organic garden is doing awesome! The zucchini plants and corn are amazing. The carrots, cucumber, snow peas and lettuce seem to be coming along as well. My tomato plants aren't totally thrilled. I'll need to do a little more research on how to make them happy. The only thing that didn't make it was the basil. Again, another thing I'll have to research.

All in all, this has been a great first attempt at gardening for my family of 5. I highly recommend planting corn. They grow so tall so quickly. The kids think it's amazing!

Any tips for me? Happy gardening!

PS: This link will take you to my first post about our gardening adventure. http://jbelliveau.blogspot.ca/2013/05/our-first-family-organic-garden.html

Finally, a clean house! But not for long...

Why is it that it takes visitors or showing my house to make it spotless?

I'm always complaining that our house is a mess. Laundry needs to be folding, dishes done, toys picked up and floors swept. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done...except when we have visitors coming or we're showing our house to potential buyers.

Our house is currently on the market and hasn't been this clean and tidy since we moved in 3 years ago. The laundry is folded and put away, the dishes are washed and in the cupboards and every single last toy is in its' place. I even considered, briefly, sleeping in the tent in our backyard overnight just to maintain this perfect house for one more day.

It's amazing how trying to sell your home motivates you to do things that you've been meaning to do for months. I finally sorted through bins in the basement that we haven't even opened since we moved in. I found things I forgot we had. There is something so satisfying about a de-cluttered house. I have sold 2 van loads of toys and donated another van load. I have thrown out broken things and faded receipts. I have reclaimed my house, which was long overdue.

The real question is: how long will it take my 3 little terrors to undo all of my good work? I give it 12 hours at most before you can't tell that I scrubbed the kitchen floors, swept and vaccuumed the whole house and meticulously found places for every displaced item.

I know some people live like this all of the time. Everything's clean and in its' place, but how do they have time to do anything else? If I never played with my kids ever again, maybe we could live like that, but I choose them. I won't ever regret playing with my kids "too much".

Oh well. It was nice while it lasted. Time to play!

Life is So Uncertain

Life is so uncertain.

I was just reading about a local family, who lost their husband and father last year. He was only 40 years old. He was in a car accident and died on the scene. No one in their family woke up that day thinking that it would be the last moments they spent with him. Now his wife is left to raise their 2 children alone and the kids have to grow up without their Daddy. Really puts things into perspective, doesn't it?

Everyday of life is a gift. Some days are harder than others, but never wish time away. Don't wish a day away. Don't count down. Live in the moment because life is too short to waste time. Never go to sleep angry and if there is something you need to say, say it. Don't wait until tomorrow.

I can't help but think about the 36 year old mother who died in Moncton recently, as a result of a drunk driver hitting her car. The driver who caused her death made a choice to drink and drive and now 2 children are without their Mommy and a husband is aching for his wife. An entire school is missing their teacher. Someone made one decision that impacted the lives of hundreds of people.

Life is fragile. Life is short. Live it to the fullest at every age and stage in your life. Dream big and make your dreams your reality. Don't regret. Don't wonder, "what if?" DO! Be a doer!

I didn't know I would write this tonight. I didn't set out to write something deep and profound. I am really writing this as a reminder to myself to not get so down when we hit a rough patch in life. We're healthy, we have a roof over our heads, food on our plates and we're together. What more could a girl ask for?

Be thankful.

My Daughter Falls Out of Bed...a lot

Does anyone have a child who falls out of their "big kid bed" almost every night?

We moved our son into his big bed when he was only 18 months old. He, of course, had a bed rail. At some point he decided, or we decided, he no longer needed it. He fell out of bed a lot and just couldn't seem to adjust...so back up went the bed rail. He was 5 before it finally came off for good. He is now 7 years old and still, on rare occasion, falls out.

Now I have a 5 year old daughter. She has had her rail off for months now, but recently started falling out again. I tried the rolled up towels under her fitted sheet, along the edge, but they slip down and then she rolls out anyway. Someone suggested a pool noodle. Has anyone tried this?

I'm so tired of hearing her thud out of bed and I know she is certainly fed up. She even asked for her old bed rail back. Poor girlie. So back up went her bed rail.

How can a child sleep so soundly that they would fall out of bed?? I know we as parents certainly don't sleep that soundly.

What do you do to keep your kids safe in bed?

I Am Grateful to be a Nova Scotian

I am grateful to be a Nova Scotian. 

I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and spent the first few years of my life there, with summers in Shediac, New Brunswick. I was then moved around to Toronto, New Jersey, and Calgary. Although each stop had it's own beauty, nothing ever came close to feeling like home the way the Maritimes did. There is something born into a Maritimer, like an invisible string, that keeps us attached to the Maritimes even when we're not here. Something that calls each and every one of us back...eventually. 

As an adult, now living in New Brunswick, it feels familiar, from my life long summers here, but there is something missing. I feel Nova Scotia calling my name and it is only a matter of time before I move back there yet again.

There is something so special about Nova Scotia. Something that cannot be summed up in simply one word. The people, scenery, music and spirit are among the many reasons why Nova Scotia is my true home. What I consider to be common courtesies are actually common there. People naturally hold the door for you, say hi in passing, smile at strangers, and say "please" and "thank-you". People go out of their way for you and welcome you with opened arms to their breath taking province. Everyone is welcome in Nova Scotia.

Seven years ago, my husband and I moved to New Brunswick because real estate was affordable here and we were about to welcome our son into the world. It was the right thing at the time, and has been a great experience in many ways.

So, thank you New Brunswick for all of the things you have given us. You will always have a special place in my heart, since my 3 children were born here. I promise to visit every summer, as I always have.

Nova Scotia, we're coming home!