Blue Monday, the third Monday of the month of January, is considered by some to be, statistically speaking, the most depressing day of the year. It's cold and grey out, the holidays are long gone, the next official break seems, much like spring, to be approximately a million years away. Perhaps, like me, you feel in need of a little inspiration. So here are four quotes to … [Read more...]
New Year, New #MoneyResolutions with @TangerineBank — #TwitterPartyAlert
Disclosure: This is a partnered post with Tangerine Bank. As always, my words and opinions are my own. The start of the new year is for many the time for resolutions. Now, I've never been big on resolutions, but there is something about the New Year that can't help but give you a feeling of a fresh start. Hope is lingering in the air. It feels like everywhere you look where … [Read more...]
Surprise + Shine Collection, Canadian Subscription Box for Girls
EDIT: Surprise & Shine is no longer accepting orders for new boxes. I suspect they may have closed the business, but have yet to confirm. Surprise & Shine Collection is a new subscription box for kids. It's aimed at girls ages 5 to 12, and if my daughters' reactions are any indication the goodies inside are right on target. Disclosure: I was given a Surprise & … [Read more...]
It’s time to write to Santa, with free letter template and stationery printables.
I love sitting down with the kids and writing letters to Santa. I love the part where they get to practice their penmanship and learn basic letter writing skills. I love the wacky things they come up with when they are writing. And I love the part where it "locks in" their Christmas wishlist (sorry kiddo, you already sent your letter off to Santa asking for X, you can't change … [Read more...]
7 Fun Ways to Pass on Your Family History
Your family history is something unique to you. There are so many ways you can record and share your family history, but to help, I’ve narrowed it down to seven simple ways to get started. Everyone in your family can participate and I hope that these will inspire you to share your family history in a creative and fun way. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Seasons … [Read more...]
Map Out When Your Brain is at It’s Best, Just By Playing Games
So I discovered something a little zany while playing one of my favourite time wasters. I think I've come up with a way to map out when your brain is at it's best, just by playing games. Yep, I am saying that you can play games on your cell phone to figure out when you're at your smartest. Wordament is one of my favourite game apps, one of the ones I play almost daily … [Read more...]
Mommy Brain vs The Hidden Christmas Gifts
When I was a kid I would get Christmas gifts pretty much year round. One morning in February I'd be getting ready for school when my mom would suddenly pop into my room holding a new pair of gloves or a package full of socks. One afternoon in July, she'd suddenly come around the corner with new colouring books or a building set. Each time she'd be muttering to herself about how … [Read more...]
What Lessons Can We Learn From Fairy Tales?
Fairy tales, in their telling, have long been a source of fond memories between parent and child. Many have inspired countless movies and toys, providing countless hours of entertainment and nostalgia. Given how widely known these stories are, it’s not surprising that numerous life lessons can be drawn from their tellings, many of which have helped children the world over as … [Read more...]
Cool Contest Alert – Desjardins Insurance is offering a chance to WIN FREE GAS FOR A YEAR! #GetAQuoteAndWin
I have found that there are three unwavering certainties in this life as a mom thing. 1)The laundry is literally never-ending. Unless you institute nudist weekends at your place, you will never, ever, get to the bottom of Mount Laundry. Every day the entire family wears clothes, often multiple outfits in one day. Thus, the laundry is NEVER done. 2)You have to feed the … [Read more...]
7 Double Duty Board Games – Good for Playing With Kids AND (or) With Adults
Kudos to these double duty games. These are the board games that get played with my kids at the dining room table, and that we still play once the girls are in bed. I like to think of it as a two for one deal; you put out money and shelf space for one board game and end up with both a game you can play with your children and a game you can play with other adults. Some of … [Read more...]
Incredibles 2, Now on Blu-Ray & DVD — ENTER TO WIN A COPY #GIVEAWAY
Featuring Sarah Vowell as the voice of Violet, Holly Hunter as the voice of Helen, Craig T. Nelson as the voice of Bob and Huck Milner as the voice of Dash, Disney•Pixar’s Incredibles 2 is now out on DVD/Blu-Ray. Just like in the first flick, the Incredibles follows the adventures of a family of undercover, and technically illegal, … [Read more...]
IBD is just as common as Diabetes and other shocking facts. {In honour of Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Month}
November is Crohn’s and Colitis awareness month. Colitis awareness is a topic near and dear to my heart because my husband has Colitis and in the years since his original diagnosis, I've found it to be a disease which many people know absolutely nothing about. Since so many people seem to have never heard of it, I had fallen into thinking that Colitis is a relatively rare … [Read more...]
Reorganzing When Your MIL Moves In, Or Life as a Sandwich
Reorganizing your home after an elderly parent or in-law moves in can be challenging. I mean, I think I know now why they call this whole caring for elderly parents thing the Sandwich Generation. It's because you are squished flat, underneath piles of STUFF. See, a little over a year ago my mother-in-law moved in with us. For a long while, she had been focused on taking … [Read more...]
Here’s what I DON’T want you to give my kids for Halloween…
Ok people, friendly Halloween-candy-handing-out people, I want to ask you a favour. Could you please stop giving my kids so much candy? Like seriously, one piece is enough. This whole, "Oh my goodness. Look at you! You're so cute. Here let me drop two big handfuls of junk food into your pillowcase.", stuff has to stop. Please just give my kids one piece of candy, one … [Read more...]
Easy & Cheap Craft to Make with Your Kids ~ Spooky Spoon Puppet Aliens & Monsters
My mom is a pretty awesome grandma. She is the come over to my house and sleep over and bake cookies and make crafts kind of grandmother. She is way more thrifty and far more creative in coming up with art projects for the girls to make then I am. Possessing only the vaguest notion of what Pinterest is she does things old school, coming up with crafts through sheer … [Read more...]