The deadly tornadoes that have hit in the Midwestern US are a wake-up call for us all to make sure we do what we can to be prepared to face severe weather. A natural disaster like a tornado can form at any time, sometimes with little to no forewarning. Having a family emergency plan in place just might save lives. I remember the devastation when an F1 tornado touched down in … [Read more...]
Let’s Talk Insurance ~ Private Run vs. Government Run Auto Insurance
IBC, Insurance Bureau of Canada, has been working to make insurance less confusing. Their Time to Talk campaign is all about explaining to people how insurance works and what it means for them, in everyday terms. So as part of their Time to Talk campaign, I'm here today to talk about the difference between private and government run insurance, auto insurance in specific, and … [Read more...]
How Insurance Fraud Hurts Everyone & What You Can Do to Help
The Insurance Bureau of Canada is a national association that represents the insurance companies that give you coverage on your home or car. I've complained for years about how high our insurance rates are, particularly our car insurance, but I've never really thought about the reasons behind it. Reading up on the Insurance Bureau of Canada really put it into perspective for … [Read more...]
The Mystery of the Disappearing Emails, or How NOT to Use Gmail
I finally figured out why my emails have mysteriously been disappearing, part of the problem is me and part of the problem is with how Gmail works. I only started using Gmail in the past few months. I've had a Gmail address for years, but in the past I forwarded everything to Outlook, resident on my desktop PC and did all my email stuff from there. This set up was great for … [Read more...]
Free Online Tools for Healthy Lifestyle Resolutions and Why Some of Them Suck if You’re Overweight
Happy New Year! It's resolution time again! I know what you're thinking, "Wait, it's almost April, why the heck is she talking about new year's resolutions?" but my birthday is in March, so for me I always mark March as the start of a new year. Another notch in the birthday belt seems somehow more inspiring to me then the start of a new calendar year. And speaking of belts … [Read more...]
Why Staycations Suck and Four Tips on How to Make Yours Better
Normally every year around this time hubby and I take off for a two night stay somewhere in Ontario, like say London, which is home to all of my favourite bookstores, or Toronto which is well... Toronto! This year we decided to celebrate my birthday at home with a little staycation. My mom took the girls for the weekend and hubby and I set out to explore Windsor, tourist style. … [Read more...]
Recipe Copyright Confusion, What’s the law in Canada?
I think I'm pretty competent in the kitchen. I cook "from scratch" dinners for my family 99% of the time; I love to cook, I love to try out and tinker with new recipes. Yet I blog about cooking fairly seldom, and the reason is I worry about copyright issues. I have a recipe box full of dozens of handprinted index cards, many of which I wrote down so many years ago that I no … [Read more...]
Saving Diaper Dollars, Tricks for Buying Pampers Cheap
I've always been confused by people who say Pampers are too expensive. Diapers are something I never pay full retail for. I've gotten both my mom and my mother in-law into the habit of collecting Pampers coupons for me. I wait for a sale and I use coupons. I buy Pampers in large quantities and stash them in the closet. I don't mind stockpiling them, as it's not like diapers go … [Read more...]
My Vick’s Feet, or How to Survive a Winter’s Worth of Colds…
For me, December was a blur. The entire household was sick, with one thing after another. Colds, more colds, something nasty and viral, another round of colds and so forth. I think one of the parts of the whole stay at home mom gig I dislike the most is the lack of sick days. Taking care of everyone else, exhausted, rundown, so darn stuffed up I can't sleep; when does mom get a … [Read more...]
Tips for No Tradesies School Lunches with Snack Pack
I've been struggling with school lunches for Rainbow since day one. Given the school's strict policy on not sharing food (because of allergy concerns we're not even allowed to send edible treats for special occasions) it's not so much tradesies I worry about, as how munch of her lunch comes home with her at the end of the day. Last year she started Junior Kindergarten and for … [Read more...]
Charmin’s Sit or Squat App, Must Have Tool for Moms on the Go #PGmom
Back in November I was sitting at the P&G Mom event and they had just hit the first scheduled break when they announced they had a surprise for us, they had "charminized" the washrooms for us. Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper in ever stall, and baskets on the counter with ever P&G product a gal might need from tampons to air-freshener. They invited us to … [Read more...]
Why Pampers Gifts to Grow Program Rocks
One of my all time favourite rewards programs in the Pampers Gifts to Grow program. I've been collecting Pampers Gifts to Grow points for over five years now, and in that time I have managed to cash in for so many cool rewards; Dr. Seuss board books, wooden puzzles, a Duplo set, and even a Radio Flyer Big Wheel. My girls had so much fun with the Radio Flyer Big … [Read more...]
Stay at Home Mom Trick: Feed the Kids, Stay Sane
My kids eat approximately a bazillion times throughout the day. I am constantly refilling a sippy cup, or chopping up fruit or cheese, or preparing lunch, or something food related. Or at least that's what it feels like. When G-Girl started Kindergarten last year I happened upon a very cool trick that has been saving my sanity. While packing G-Girls lunch I often also … [Read more...]
Helping Your Pets Through the Back to School Blues
Ever think about how hard back to school can be on your family pets? Consider what September brings for them... It's quiet in the house, there's a new schedule to adjust to and the kids aren't around as much. In my experience, pets are often resistant to change. (And by resistant I mean prone to fits of grumpiness and inappropriate peeing). But Iams has a few helpful tips to … [Read more...]
Back to School Tips from ABC Life Literacy Canada
School's starting back up, so it's time to start thinking about homework again. (And yes, even in Junior Kindergarten my G-Girl came home with the occasional project to work on!) Studies show that the more parent's get involved in their kids education the more their children's achievements in school improve. ABC Life Literacy Canada offers ten tips on how to make homework … [Read more...]