Quest for the Crystal Mickey - review

Disney Jr is our go to channel for the boys - and they are very familiar with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. When I had the opportunity to review Quest for the Crystal Mickey, I knew the boys were going to be very happy - and I was right! They love the adventures that Mickey and the gang have and this was no different!

Synopsis
Join Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and all their pals in the newest Clubhouse crusade. When the legendary Crystal Mickey goes missing, Mickey and friends go on an adventure to save the Clubhouse from losing its magic. Grab your hat, buckle your seatbelt, and get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure in “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Quest for the Crystal Mickey!”

There’s no time to lose after greedy Plunderin’ Pete snatches the legendary Crystal Mickey statue from the Clubhouse. Without this sparkly statue’s magic, the Clubhouse will disappear forever! Can the world’s most extraordinary hero "Kansas City Mickey," get the magical statue back in time? Only with help from young viewers at home…and the right Mouseketools can Mickey journey across the Sandy Desert, brave the Rushing River and make his way through the Hidden Jungle. But watch out for Pete’s trickiest traps!

Full of magic and mystery, the DVD includes four extra episodes of Disney Junior's Emmy®-nominated series "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" (over 2 hours of content!) and a FREE Adventure Activity Map plus Stickers. Don’t miss this latest Clubhouse adventure as it arrives for the first time on Disney DVD on May 21, 2013.

Mr. J and Mr. K loved watching the gang search for the Crystal Mickey - Mr. J is a big fan of Pete, and thought he was really "sneaky" and they like to "help" the gang choose which Mouseketools to use.

Stork Stack - Review

Back in April I was sent a Stork Stack for review and it arrived earlier this month; Stork Stacks are "stacks of love delivered monthly".  The stacks are tailored for the gender and age of the child (from third trimester to third birthday) and also have something special tucked inside for you.  Each stack is delivered at the beginning of the month and can be purchased in a subscription bundle.

Our April stack arrived and was met with a very eager Mr. K! When we opened up the box, it had a letter explaining the different products included in the package

 

 

 

We took out all the goodies and found a stacking set from Little Green Toys (the cups are made from recycled milk bottles, and the packaging is all made from other recycled materials), a furry friend from apple park (which is 100% hypoallergenic organic cotton), Green Envee Organics Children lotion, Eco Sprout laundry detergent and from Clandestino a chocolate/banana treat.

When we had everything out, we decided to reuse the box and use it to hold some of the straggling toys that we have strewn all around the house.

Stork Stack as a company gives back; they are partnered with 2 great philanthropic organizations to help out families in need. For every 3 month subscription, they donate 1 stork stack; for every 6 month subscription they donate 2 stacks and for 12 month subscription they donate 3 stacks.

If you have a new mom in your life, then  I would highly recommend that you check out Stork Stack - a great little monthly pick me up.

**I was sent the above product free of charge in exchange for this review; all opinions stated belong to Tales of Mommyhood and your opinion/experience may vary**

WW: sleepiness

Someone was a wee bit sleepy on our walmart trip

Ottawa Splash Pads - now open!

If you live in Ottawa and have young kids, I am sure you are happy to know that the splash pads opened this past weekend! They will now run from 9am-9pm all summer long!

Here is a list of the splash pads in the Ottawa area (there are many more in the East end than in the West end)

You may need to google if you are unsure of where they are; we have only visited the one at Walter Baker Park in Kanata.  Have you been to many - which is your favorite?

East	West
Aladdin Park (East) 3939 Albion	Andrew Haydon Park (West)  3127 Carling Avenue
Arnott Park (East) 691 Hartman	Bandmaster Park (West) 230 Mistral Way
Barrington Park (East) 1705 Orleans	Banner Park (West) 90 Banner
Beacon Hill North Recreation Centre (East) 2132 Radford	Billy Bishop Park (West) 1 Bishop Mills Way
Bearbrook Park and Pool (East) 99 Bearbrook	Bluegrass Park (West) 199 Bridgestone
Blue Willow Park (East) 6011 Longleaf	Brookshire Park (West) 1035 Klondike Rd
Bordeleau Park (East) 349 Bruyere	Celebration Park (West) 200 Central Park
Brewer Park (East) 100 Brewer Way	Centrepointe Park (West) 114 Centrepointe
Butterfly Park (East) 711 Long Point Circle	Chapman Mills Main Street Park (West) 424 Chapman Mills
Cardinal Creek Valley (East) 2130 Bergmot Circle	Chapman Mills Park (West) 139 Windhurst
Cardinal Glen Park (East) 11 Dunbarton	Charing Park (West) 37 Chartwell
Cedarcroft Park (East) 1200 Cedarcroft	Citiplace Park (West) 285 Citiplace Drive
Champagne Park (East) 1861 Markwell	Glebe Memorial Park (West) 75 Glendale
Chapel Hill Park (East) 1556 Forest Valley	Greenbank Park (West) 895 Greenbank
City Centre Park (East) 1800 City Park	Harrold Place Park (West) 1 Harrold Place
Claudette Cain Park (East) 660 River Road	Hintonburg Park (West) 1064 Wellington
Cummings Park (East) 980 Cummings Ave	Huntley Centennial (West) 108 Juanita
Cyrville Park (East) 1420 Meadowbrook	Kilbirnie Park (West) 665 Kilbirnie Drive
Delorme Park (East) 6591 Delorme	Kilreen Park (West) 1250 Southwood
Dr. John Hopps Park (East) 300 Den Haag	Laroche Park (West) 52 Bayview
Elmridge Park (East) 1841 Elmridge	Leslie Park (West) Dayton Crescent
Emerald Woods Park (East) 3795 Alderwood	Lincoln Heights Park (West) 175 Lincoln Heights
Fairfield Park (East) 49 Appleford	Morrison Park (West) 1095 Morrison
Fallingbrook Park (East) 681 Deancourt	Piazza Dante Park (West) 470 Booth
Four Seasons Park (East) 4386 Spratt	Plouffe Park (West) 930 Somerset
Gardenway Park (East) 2001 Gardenway	Roy Duncan Park (West) 295 Churchill
Gerald Poulin Park (East) 1899 Du Clairvaux	South Nepean Park (West) 700 Longfields
Glen Park (East) 1766 Grey Nuns	Stonecrest Park (West) 220 Stoneway
Greenboro Park (East) 1505 Cahill	Teirney Park (West) 50 Heritage Glen Drive
Heatherington Park (East) 1560 Heatherington	Upcountry Park (West) 310 Upcountry
Hiawatha Park (East) 6218 Voyageur	Walden Park (West) 130 Walden Drive
Jasmine Park (East) 2040 Jasmine	Walter Baker Park (West) 100 Walter Baker
Joe Jamieson Park (East) 6940 Bilberry	Westcliffe Park (West) 681 Seyton
Kaladar Park (East) 2554 Kaladar	Whitehaven Park (West) 970 Parkhaven
Kiwanis Park (East) 395 Levis Avenue
Manor Park (East) 100 Braemar
Marcel Beriault Park (East) 1691 Sunview
McCarthy Park (East) 3320 Paul Anka
Meadowbrook Park (East) 1485 Meadowbrook
Montgomery Memorial Park (East) 61 Main
Nault Park (East) 325 St-Denis
Mountain Meadows (East) 3740 Mountain Meadow
New Edinburg Park (East) 193 Stanley
North Vineyard Park (East) 6026 Voyageur
Owl Park (East) 185 Owl
Palmerston Park (East) 1326 Ogilvie
Portobello Park - Jérémie J. Audette (East) 670 Aquaview
Provence Park (East) 2085 Provence
Queensway Park (East) 1580 Telesat
Queenswood Heights Centennial Park (East)    1485 Duford
Queenswood Ridge Park (East) 346 Kennedy
Roy Park (East) 6210 Meadowglen
Sheffield Glen Park (East) 2320 Southvale
Sieveright Park (East) 2999 Sable Ridge
Silverbirch Park (East) 6105 Silverbirch
Sir Wilfred Laurier Park (East) 288 Chapel
Stanstead Park (East) 861 Stanstead
Stonehenge Park (East) 1434 Ridgebrook
Thornecliffe Park (East) 45 Provender
Turtle Park (East) 720 White Alder
Whiterock Park (East) 1245 Matheson
Winterwood Park (East) 1844 Johnston Rd

Disney's BRAVE Princess Merida - redesigned?

I love the movie Brave; hubby and I took Mr. J to see it in the theatre on his birthday last year, and the character of Merida really stuck out to me.  I loved how they portrayed her as a strong heroine.  A princess that had a mind of her own and didn't want to coform to what was "expected" of her.

I was shocked when I read online that Disney had changed her in anticipation of her official induction as a Disney Princess.  They re-designed the dress giving it a low - cut neckline;  the transformation made her seem older and sexy - and was something definitely NOT called for.

There were a lot of unhappy people writing about it and requesting that Disney leave her alone.  It hasn't been announced officially from Disney yet, but apparently the newer version of Merida has been removed from the Disney website. I can only hope this means that they listened to the viewers and fans and kept her in the original state.  You can read mor about it HERE

Spring Cleaning Your Vehicle

This post brought to you by Insurance Hunter. All opinions are 100% mine.

Most people have already started (or maybe even finished) spring cleaning their homes.  What about vehicle spring cleaning? Here are some tips from  Insurance Hunter to help you ensure your vehicle is in top shape as we head into the warmer months:

- when having your winter tires removed, have a maintenance check on your vehicle to make sure it's running as it should be after the cold winter

- change your winter safety/survival kit to a summer one. Different seasons require different supplies (you can ditch the winter gloves and shovel for sunglasses and sunscreen - bottled water is good too)

- clean the interior of your car; the salt and slush can stain the mats and upholstery - now is a great time to freshen up the vehicle by giving it a good vacuum (and a wash would be nice too)

- get rid of things that are cluttering up your vehicle; people tend to allow things to build up throughout the winter, now is the time to clean it out and keep only what is needed

Do you spring clean your car? It's something I really need to do  - although I need to make a conscious effort to do a sweep every week - my car is always full of stuff. I would like to blame my children, but I can't. It's pretty much always been like that.  I am horrible for leaving un-needed receipts, empty drinks, and now that the kids are here there stuff clutters it up too.

If you are in the market for vehicle insurance, don't forget to check out auto insurance quotes

Monday Giveaway Linky

List any of your open giveaways here - please make sure to include who is eligible to win (can/us/ww) and sharing this linky would be very much appreciated! Thanks to all those that list, and good luck to those that enter!

How we spent our May 2-4 weekend

After checking out the weather forecast earlier in the week, I had big hopes of spending the entire weekend outside with the boys. Hubby was going to be working all weekend - so I knew I needed to keep the kids busy so I didn't go crazy.

Saturday was absolutely beautiful, and we did manage to spend pretty much all day outside.  We started the morning by cleaning our family room (Mr. J and I; Mr. K got relegated to his bedroom because he was being quite destructive)  once we were finished cleaning, I threw ingredients for a french baguette into the bread maker.  After that, slathered the 3 of us with sunscreen and outside we went.
Our fantastic neighbour was outside gardening, so of course the boys wante to "help" (these particular neighbours are like another set of grandparents to my boys; so much so that they will invite themselves over to their house and be fed freezies and juice boxes to their hearts content.)  While the boys were trying to help, Dorothy was so patient with them.

Boys being Boys and climbing a tree

We were outside for a few hours and then I made them come in for a quick bite to eat and rest from the sun/heat.  It was with much protest from them, but it refreshed us all and we headed back outside for another 90 minutes or so until it was time to come in (they needed a bath - playing in the dirt all afternoon had them FILTHY).

After bath was dinner, and Mr. K fell asleep while I was getting it ready. 4:30pm he was passed out on the couch - and he was out until 6am!

This morning,  I was excited to see that it was 14 degrees, but noticed that the sun was nowhere to be found. After checking the weather forecast again, I was VERY disappointed to see that there was no sun to be found today....it wasn't really cold - but the weather wasn't enjoyable.

We ended up heading to The Carp Custom Creamery, a new ice cream place that opened recently; owned by 2 wonderful people, Crystal and Dustin (owners of The Cheshire Cat Pub - great little pub, although they are closed at the moment while they restore from a fire earlier this year :( and Alice's Cafe).  While it would have been nicer had the weather co-operated with me, the boys enjoyed the treat and it was absolutely delicious! (They both opted for soft serve twists)

enjoying their soft serve twists

Carp Custom Creamery is just down the road from one of my aunts houses, so we made an impromptu visit - they have some wooded property and we took a quick walk to see the pond, then I headed home with the boys.  Hubby was home from work, so he took Mr. J out to get cleats and shin guards - soccer starts next weekend so we needed to prepare.

When they got home they went outside so Mr. J could get used to his cleats; then back in the house and we all watched Brave (love that movie).

Finished up with breakfast for dinner and then the hockey game!

How did you spend your weekend? Was the weather nice where you are, or were you stuck inside?

Ideas to entertain the kids

We have a 3 year 2 month age gap between our boys; this can make it pretty hard to keep them occupied doing things together. When my youngest was really little (around 10 or 11 months old) I started needing ideas that could keep them both busy at the same time. Mr. K was old enough to be interested (and want to participate) in what his brother was doing, but to young to ACTUALLY participate.

Here are a few of the ways I used to include them both:

1) baking
- I would put Mr. K in his high chair and wheel him over to the work area; give him a snack and some measuring cups and then Mr. J and I would bake.  When we were finished mixing, I would give Mr. K a wooden spoon and let him have a quick mix of the batter.

2) bath time
- I would throw them in the bath together (even if it was the middle of the day) and just let them play; they had a blast splashing around together

3) Pots and Pans
- I would let them haul out all my pots from the cupboard and play "orchestra"; this would entertain them for quite awhile, and when they got bored playing with the pots, they would climb in the cupboard and "hide" from me.

4) painting/crafts
- I would give Mr. K a snack and have Mr. J do the craft at the kitchen table; when Mr. K was finished his snack, I would put some paper on his tray and give him 1 crayon (if he started to eat the crayon, I would switch it up and give him a board book or something else to look at)

5) Forts
- make a fort with your oldest and then they can both enjoy it afterwards

What kinds of things do you do with your kids when you have an age difference to worry about?

Nokia Lumia 620 - review

I was recently given the chance to test out the Nokia Lumia 620 from Telus;  it piqued my curiosity when I found out about the great photo options available on the phone.  I played around with it inside the house and outside in the yard. 

The Nokia Lumia 620 is a Windows 8 smartphone; it has a 3.8 inch ClearBlack display with sunlight readability enhancements (much easier to use outside!). When it first arrived, I quickly tested it out by calling my hubby. I was really surprised at how clear the call was, and there was no echo either.

 

What I really loved was the Smart Shoot feature - it takes 5 consecutive photo's, and you choose the one you feel is best.  Here are a few of my favorite photo's taken with the Nokia Lumia 620.

Being an avid baker, I love taking pictures of my creations





Baking captured by the Nokia Lumia 620

I also took it outside with us while the boys played;

 

And used it randomly to play around with the different features

 

Telus also offers a terrific service to their customers; you are able to book a one-on-one training session with a Telus rep. This appointment allows them time to teach you all about the features your device has to offer, and how to use them all.

Do you have a cell phone? What is your favorite feature?

 

*I was sent the phone for my own use along with a gift basket as compensation; this did not alter my opinion and as always, the opinion stated belongs to Tales of Mommyhood - your opinion/experience may vary*

 

 









Doc McStuffins: Review and Giveaway (CAN/US)

If you have young ones that watch Disney Junior, I am sure you are aware of Doc McStuffins. My boys absolutely love watching her and they really enjoy the fact that she is a doctor for toys.

Doc McStuffins: Time for your Check Up has just been released on DVD, and it contains 5 great Doc McStuffins episodes.  This is the 2nd DVD in the collection, and it also comes with a FREE growth chart.

Out of the episodes on the DVD - Mr. J's favorite one is Gulpy, Gulpy Gators.  One of the gators from the gulpy, gulpy gators game eats too many marbles and doesn't feel well. He was able to relate to when HE eats too much and gets an upset tummy!

Are your kids fans of Doc McStuffins? Use the rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance to win a copy of Doc McStuffins: Time for your check up!  Open to CAN/US and ends on May 26th at 11:59pm.  Good luck!

Win passes to the #OTTAWA International Childrens Festival!

I am super excited to share this latest giveaway with you! Thanks to The Ottawa Mommy Club for including me on this giveaway for the Ottawa International Children's Festival! I hadn't heard of it until a few weeks ago - have you been?

Welcome to the

Ottawa International Children's Festival

Giveaway!

 

The Ottawa Mommy Club is pleased to host the Ottawa International Children's Festival Giveaway with the help of our co-hosts: Canadian Blog House, Shannon's View from Here, Journeys of the Zoo and Tales of Mommyhood!

Enter to win 4 tickets to

The Ottawa International Children's Festival

"Where The Wild Things Are"

on Thursday, May 30 @ 7:00 p.m

  The Ottawa International Children’s Festival (OICF), the largest children’s festival in Ontario, is gearing up to celebrate its 28th year in the Capital, May 28-June 2, 2013 at Lebreton Flats Park and Canadian War Museum sites. Each year the OICF proudly presents some of the finest visual and performance arts programming for young audiences. Thousands of area children, families and businesses come together to celebrate and take part in live performing arts that serves to surround young people with excellence in the arts community and to promote creativity, boundless imaginations and individual expression in children of all ages. This year, the Festival proudly presents the finest visual and performance arts programming for young audiences. Counties Shaped Like Stars, by Ottawa’s Mi Casa Theatre, is making its debut at The Ottawa Children’s Festival with a whimsical theatrical productionfeaturing characters Gwendolyn Magnificent and Bartholomew Spectacular, as told through a tin-can telephone. The show has received race reviews and five-star designations from audience members and critics alike, performing across Canada and as far south as New Mexico. The programming schedule for this show is as follows : * Wednesday, May 29 @ 9 :30 am – Atelier C&D Canadian War Museum (English) * Thursday, May 30 @ 10 :00 am – Atelier C&D Canadian War Museum (English) * Friday, May 31 @ 9 :30 am and 12 :30 pm – Atelier C&D Canadian War Museum (English) * Saturday, June 1 @ 1 :00 pm – Atelier C&D Canadian War Museum (English) * Sunday, June 2 @ 10 :00 am – Atelier C&D Canadian War Museum (English) The high-energy, Quebec-based Evolution of BBoying by Ottawa’s Mi Casa Theatre, featuring local choreographer/dancer Yvon ‘Crazy Smooth’ Soglo, explores street dance tradition in a modern performance setting. This show brings together 10 of Canada’s most talented dancers and performersin a piece that evokes the essential nature of street dance. The programming schedule for this show is as follows : * Wednesday, May 29 @ 1 :00 pm - Tent 2 LeBreton Flats Park (Bilingual) * Thursday, May 30 @ 9 :15 am and 11 :00 am - Tent 2 LeBreton Flats Park (Bilingual) * Friday, May 31 @ 1 :00 pm and 7 :00 pm - Tent 2 LeBreton Flats Park (Bilingual) * Saturday, June 1 @ 9 :30 am and 12 :00 pm – Tent 2 LeBreton Flats Park (Bilingual) * Sunday, June 2 @ 12 :30 pm and 3 :30 pm - Tent 2 LeBreton Flats Park (Bilingual) Denmark’s A Sonatina, by Gruppe 38 Europe’s oldest artistic creative, is a hysterical theatrical version of Little Red Riding Hood, featuring an un-cooperative live chicken and a newly laid egg. Highly original and tremendously imaginative, this performance is sure to be an audience favourite. The programming schedule for this show is as follows : * Wednesday, May 29 @ 9 :30 am and 12 :00 pm - Barney Danson Theatre – War Museum (English) * Friday, May 31 @ 10 :00 am, 12 :30 pm and 7 :00 pm - Barney Danson Theatre – War Museum (English) * Saturday, June 1 @ 10 :00 am and 12 :00 pm - Barney Danson Theatre – War Museum (English) * Sunday, June 2 @ 10 :00 am - Barney Danson Theatre – War Museum (English) The award-winning adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are is back by popular demand. It is a whimsical, joyful piece of participatory theatre that will delight one and all. Kim Selody brings our favourite characters to life in this Dora-nominated production. Get your tickets soon, this one sells out fast! The programming schedule for this show is as follows : * Thursday, May 30 @ 9 :30 am, 12 :30 pm and 7 :00 pm – Barney Danson Theatre – War Museum (English) * Saturday, June 1 @ 2 :30 pm - Barney Danson Theatre – War Museum (English) * Sunday, June 2 @ 12 :30 pm and 3 :00 pm - Barney Danson Theatre – War Museum (English) Ghosts and Ladders, featuring acrobats and musicians combining music, movement and poetry. This show originating from Quebec, has audience members transported to an imaginative, engrossing world that won’t soon be forgotten. The programming schedule for this show is as follows : * Saturday, June 1 @ 1 :00 pm – Tent 1 LeBreton Flats Park (English) * Sunday, June 2 @ 11 :00 am and 2 :15 pm - Tent 1 LeBreton Flats Park (English) Please refer to the Festival’s activities schedule for more activities. Tickets for the Festival are $12.50 per person, or you can choose your three favourite shows by purchasing a 3-Show Package (any 3 shows) for $30.00 per person. Tickets can be purchased through the festival office by calling 613-241-0999, by visiting the office at 294 Albert Street, Suite 602, Ottawa (Mon-Fri, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm), through the Festival website or on-site at Lebreton Flats Park, between May 28 and June 2. These shows usually sell out, so please call early to avoid disappointment! For more information about the schedule or ticket information please visit the website at www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca or call (613) 241-0999. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest! Contest is open to 18 + Canadian Residents only. You have 48 hours to reply by email once you are notified as the winner. If you don't, we will draw another entry. Prize may not be substitute. Contest ends May 26th at 11:59pm.   Win 4 tickets to The Ottawa International Children's Festival

Selling used items - be safe

I have used kijiji and usedottawa to sell/buy baby items since Mr. J was an infant. It is a great way to make some money back on items you only use for a short period of time.  The return you get is higher than taking the items to a consignment store, although a downfall is the time it takes to list items and respond to inquiries.

After hearing about Timothy Bosma, it really got me thinking about all the times buyers came to my house in the middle of the day, when I was alone with the kids.  I even went and picked items up from people without thinking twice about it.

After hearing about Tim's death on the news today, they listed some great tips on how to continue selling privately, but being safer about it.

1) ask questions of prospective buyers on the phone; try and get a phone number to reach them at. IF they won't give you one, that should raise some red flags
2) always try and meet during the day, and in a public place
3) never go alone - bring a friend or family member with you


Do you buy or sell online or through classifieds?  What are your thoughts - will this change your mind about it?

Monday Giveaway Linky

Feel free to list any open giveaways you have, but please make sure to write who is eligible to win (CAN, US, WW) For maximum exposure, it would be great if you could share the linky via twitter or facebook. Thanks for linking up and good luck if you enter!

Happy Mothers Day

Today is a day marked to celebrate Mothers.  Time to tell them how much you love and appreciate them, because while you know everyday, sometimes it is easy to let it go by without showing them just how much.

Today, however can also be a day of sadness for some.  For those that have lost their own mother; for those that have lost their babies; and for those who have so dreamt of carrying a child, but have been unable to.

Hugs to all of you