Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The winter weather is returning - please let me escape

Cold weather, snow forecasted and dreaming of getting away…..

After being teased by some nice spring weather, I was dreaming of the snow melting, wearing flip flops, and most importantly, not having to bundle up my children every time we left the house. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had something else in store for us. Our temperatures have crept back into the minus, and we have 20 cm of snow forecasted for the next few days.

While everyone is out shoveling the snow, and the kids are happily playing, I will be dreaming of heading somewhere, anywhere, away from our cold and snow. I have been browsing at Mega.co.uk and checking out what they have to offer – and a few days in Barcelona sounds fantastic right about now!

We have only taken 2 vacations in the 12 years we have been together. We went to Disney for our honeymoon in 2006, and again with our children and my IL’s last year. Travelling is expensive, and for us - cost is always a deciding factor when we are thinking about booking a vacation - I have recently come across a website that can help you to keep the cost down – you should check it out as they have a great range of holidays for under £200. So head on over, take a look at what they have to offer.

I would love for you to leave me a comment and let me know where your heading if your taking a spring break vacation, or, even if your just getting away in your dreams!

**this was a sponsored post and I did receive compensation for writing it**

Wordless Wednesday

the boys enjoying a movie together - not often they sit quiet

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Patio Lanterns Giveaway Event

I will be participating in the Patio Lanters Giveaway event coming up May 7th - 13th!

All bloggers are invited to participate, check out This Lil Piglet for more information and to sign up!

Saving money with shopping

Grocery shopping is a must - we all need food and supplies. However, it can be expensive. I recently learned the grocery store I frequent the most price matches, as long as you have the current flier of the competitor with you - how awesome is that?

In the last 2 weeks, I have gotten a few good deals by price matching, and that meant I was able to do all my shopping in ONE store!

Janes Chicken Breast Strips regularly $11.99, I price matched 2 boxes at $4.97 each (so I got 2 boxes, for less than 1 regular price!) We don't eat these often, but I like to keep them handy for a quick meal if we are on the go

GayLea Butter - regulary $5.19 but I price matched and got 2 for $2.97 each

I have gotten back into using coupons as well - although these can be hard to come across for items I actually need, but when I find them I stash them in my wallet!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Pay Pal Cash GIVEAWAY

I wanted to give back to my readers! Fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance to win $15.00 cash via paypal!

Just a small way to show my appreciation for helping me along with my blog!


Monday, February 20, 2012

siblings and age gaps - is there a perfect one?

photo courtesy of pam's perspective
I often hear people pose the question "what is the perfect age gap between kids?"

Personally, I don't think there is a perfect gap. I really, truly believe that everything depends on the personalities of your children.

With my oldest, he was wonderful, he was special, but he was demanding. He was a baby that cried a lot, and needed his mama A LOT (not daddy, not grandma, Mommy only for the most part).  It was tiring, and while I enjoyed it - I knew that given his personality, and the fact that my pregnancies are difficult, I couldn't have handled being pregnant when he was 2 yrs old. I always wanted my kids to be 2 school grades apart, but that just was not going to happen.

He was almost 2.5 when I got pregnant with Kyle, and was 3yrs 2 mths when Kyle was born. I figured this would be good - more independent, not quite as stuck on mommy. But, I was wrong. When Kyle was born, Julien had a very rough time adjusting. The first 2 weeks were great, he loved to hold/cuddle/kiss his brother. If he was crying, Julien would grab the soother and shove (yes, I do mean shove) it into Kyle's mouth.

Then reality set in and Julien realized that it wasn't very fun to listen to a baby cry (although K was not a crying baby, it was pretty rare at that point).

Now that Kyle is 17/18 mths, and Julien is 4.5 - things haven't changed all that much. Kyle wants SO SO SO badly to play with his big brother, but Jules gets frustrated because Kyle just pretty much wrecks everything that Julien is doing.

We do have times where they can play together for a few minutes; and my heart just melts when I hear them giggling together. But, I really do long for the day where I can leave them in a room together for a few minutes and come back to no one crying (although, given that I have 2 boys, I am not sure that will ever happen).

So, do you think there is a perfect age gap between siblings? Let me know how far apart your kids are and how well they get along.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

mmmm muffins!

I am a muffin fan - I like that they are easy to eat, easy to make and a quick snack for the kids!

That said, I find that somewhat healthy muffins, don't taste very good. HOWEVER, I came across a muffin recipe on Definitely Not Martha (she has lots of great recipes) that is delicious. The first time I made it, I made the version with Chocolate Chips (to see if we liked them, if we didn't like a chocolate chip muffin, we probably wouldnt enjoy the fruit version).

They were a hit with the kids and me, so today I am attempting the fruit version (although I only have raspberries on hand, so that's all that will be going in).

Anyways, if your looking for great recipes, check out her blog!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Perplexus - product review

Generally when I am doing a product review, I take a minimum of 2 weeks to try it out (but sometimes up to 4weeks depending on the product). In this case, I am confidant enough after only a few days that I am going to do my review now.



I recently recieved the Perplexus Original (made by PlaSmart)

The Perplexus is designed for ages 6+ - it does not require batteries, has no electronic noises, and it can help with motor development and hand eye co-ordination.

When the Perplexus arrived, Julien was quite excited to have a look and see what it was (it's actually bigger than his head).
Julien checking out the Perplexus



WARNING - it is highly addictive, and can be quite frustrating - but in a good way. It's a fun and challenging "brain activity".

There are 3 starting positions, and you need to twist, flip (gently) and turn the Perplexus ball in all different directions to move a small silver ball around a track inside. The goal to get the small ball all the way around the track and pretty much back to the beginning (#100 is just slightly apart from #1)

It took many, many tries for me before I finally got the ball in the middle cup (thinking I had finished the ball! Only then to be told by my husband the cup is only #66, and I still had 1/3 of the track to go) - and I can only do it by starting in the 3rd position. The furthest I have gotten is #76.  I am trying to make it further along by starting in #1 or #2.  Julien has lots of fun trying - he will often get me to put the ball in a start position and then he will spend a few minutes trying to move the ball without dropping off the track. He does get super frustrated sometimes, and I remind him that mommy and daddy can't do it always either. He likes when I get the ball onto the orange track, and then we move it around together to drop it into the cup at #66!

My husband was a little surprised when he saw it - thought it was a kids toy. Then I told him about it - and he gave it a try.....and he really got into it. Every now and then he will pick it up to try it out - so far he has made it to position 72.

It is such a fun game/puzzle/toy to play - perfect for both sexes, different ages and all types of personalities as well. If you have a loved one who has a knack for puzzles (or even one who doesn't) this would be a great gift!  They actually have 3 versions of it available - the rookie, the original and the epic

Now hurry and head on out and buy one to try - you won't regret it!  For a list of locations where you can find them, check out the website's Where 2 Buy section.   

I wouldn't suggest picking it up if you don't have the time to sit with it - it really is super addictive, and can be quite hard to put down.

You can connect with Perplexus on Facebook and on Twitter

Thanks to PlaSmart for supplying me with the product to review! Check out their website for the other amazing products that they have to offer!


**I received the product above free of charge in exchange for this review. I received no compensation, and all opinions expressed belong to Tales of Mommyhood. Your experiences and opinions may vary**

burts bees

I just joined the Burt's Bee's campaign on Bzz Agent (I am a bzz agent) and I am super excited to try it out! Have you tried out Burt's Bee's products>?

SASS - lower your alexa ranking

If you want to lower your Alexa ranking, join in on SASS (Saturday Alexa Stop and Share.  Head on over to Maple Leaf Mommy and link up.

There are a few rules, but pretty easy ones to follow - so check it out and help other bloggers lower their ranking too!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Flying while pregnant (sponsored post)

When I was pregnant, I ended up being chosen as a semi-finalist in a local radio contest – the grand prize? Breakfast on the Beach in Barbado’s. The trip was for a week long stay to a resort in Barbado’s, along with a bunch of other winners and the radio station. I would have been about 24 weeks along when the trip was to happen, and I had no idea what the guidelines were for flying when pregnant. After using Google, I came up with some information, but it was in many different places. I didn't win the trip, so I ended up not NEEDING the information, but it's nice to keep in the back of my mind.

Now, thanks to cheapflights.ca - all that information is in one place! They have written an article, you can find it HERE, and it contains tips on staying comfortable while flying, as well as a list of major air lines and what their policies are for pregnant women!

I was quite impressed with the article and found that they had a substantial amount of information, and it’s all in one place. Makes it a quick, easy reference guide should you need it.

As always, you should speak to your physician or care provider before taking a trip while pregnant, to confirm that you have no complications that could be affected while traveling.



** This post was sponsored by cheapflights.ca. I was compensated for this post, but all opinions are my own and your opinions may vary. Please speak to your medical care provider before choosing to fly**

toddlers and tantrums



I had forgotten the world of a toddler's tantrum.....oh, what fun.

The other day we were outside playing, but Kyle wouldn't keep his mitt's on. After about 10 tries, I finally told him if he didn't keep them on we were going in the house. He ripped them off as he stared at me. I picked him up (while he was kicking and screaming) and brought him in the house. Repeating that I knew he was upset, but we need mitt's on outside in the winter blah blah blah.

He proceeded to throw himself on the floor and kick/scream for a good 20 minutes before finally calming down. Why did he calm down you may wonder? He saw me eating chips.....

Today at the doctor, she gave me some samples of children's advil - he was playing with the bottles while we were chatting, and then it was time to go. I took the bottles away and put them in my purse - cue epic tantrum - again.

Out in the waiting room he finally calms down because he likes to play with the boot mats. Well, when it was time to go that caused another huge tantrum - which was relieved when the nurse came and let him choose a sticker.......

So if you were at the same medical center as I this morning, a child wasn't being tortured - they just were not getting their own way.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Seeking sponsor(s) for a giveaway event

I am taking part in the Summer Savory Blog Hop event this coming May. I am seeking a sponsor (or 2) to donate a food related prize with a value of $25.00 - the sponsor would be responsible for shipping the donated prize to the winner.  In exchange, I will provide free advertising on my site from now until 30 days after the event.

You will receive shout outs on twitter, facebook and google +, as well as be mentioned in the giveaway post, and a specific post thanking you AFTER the event is over.

Please send me an email if you think you would like to be involved!

Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers and fellow bloggers.
Hubby and I gave up celebrating it 6 years ago, as our wedding anniversary is February 4; often buy a card for each other, but that's it.

For the kids, I normally do a special breakfast and Julien and I often make heart cookies or a red cake for dessert - however, this year I was slacking.  I did get the card for hubby, and I picked up a little treat for each of the boys, but that was it....no special breakfast or dessert - the boys and I, however, all have red shirts on, and Julien took valentine's cards to school.

Monday, February 13, 2012

2012 Savory Summer Blog Hop - Bloggers, sign up!

Savory Summer

The Savory Summer giveaway blog hopping event takes place from May 16 -30, 2012. Hosted by Measuring Flower and Graphoniac, they are seeking bloggers to participate as well - and it is FREE. All you need to do is provide a food related prize for your blog's giveaway, with a minimum value of $25.00.

Are you a blogger that is interested in signing up or learning more? then click HERE.

Are you interested in sponsoring a food related prize for Tales of Mommyhood? You will receive a 125x125 advertising space in my sidebar for 30 days; mentioned publicly in my blog as a sponsor; twitter and facebook shout outs as well.  Leave me a msg or send me an email!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

quirky things kids do

Whenever Kyle wakes up (either in the morning or after his nap) he has to take everything out of the crib with him; he then wraps himself up with the blankets (however many there are) and puts his head down on my shoulder. When we leave the room, he gets quite upset if I try and put the blankets back in his crib.

Before nap time, if he sees a blanket on the way to his room, he has to pick them all up and throw them in the crib to make a little nest.

What kind of quirky things do your kids do?

Friday, February 10, 2012

Winterlude Fun!

Every year, I try and take the kids to winterlude. It is an outdoor winter festival that spans to neighbouring cities (although it is in 2 different provinces - hah)

We go to downtown Ottawa, and normally take a walk down the rideau canal, stop in Confederation park to check out the ice sculptures and then pick up a beavertail when we are done.

This year, we opted to forgo the Rideau Canal, and just headed to confed. park to check out the sculptures - unfortunately, due to the mild temperatures many of the ice sculptures were broken and missing pieces - but it was still nice to see.



We walked around the park and checked out all that was to offer, and then Julien BEGGED me for a beavertail so I had to oblige. I bought 2 - one for Jules and one for Kyle and I to share. I had to go back and get a third though, because Julien was nowhere near finished and Kyle was not happy that ours was gone .....




The boys had fun, it was pretty nice outside (except for a few windy periods) and it's another year of our tradition down!

I only hope my boys have similar fond memories of winterlude that I have from my childhood!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Walgreens Prescription Savings club

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

I don't know about you, but I find prescription drugs expensive. We are very fortunate that we have medical coverage to pay for any prescription medications we should need; however, I know many people that are not so lucky.
Prescription drugs can be hard on the wallet and the family budget. When someone ends up sick and in need of medication, it can often happen unexpectedly; which means that in many cases, there isn’t money to pay for the necessary medications. If you or a family member is on a recurring prescription, then it is even more important to save money when you can. To help save a little on the cost of prescription drugs, you should look into signing up for the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. Right now, Walgreens is offering their customers a special discount on the annual membership for the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club

Cost of joining is minimal - for family coverage, you are only going to pay $35.00/yr (this will cover everyone in your immediate family - spouse, dependents that are 22 years of age or younger, and even your pets!)
For individual coverage, the cost is only $20.00 per year.

Joining the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club will give you discount prices on prescriptions as well as other benefits which include:
-Savings on more than 8,000 brand-name and all generic medications
-Discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies
-Bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services

Check out the links above, or head on into your nearest Walgreens for more information.  Don’t forget to check out  Walgreens on Facebook and Walgreens on Twitter as well - it will help you stay up to date on specials and promotions!
Visit Sponsor's Site

Monday, February 6, 2012

Check out an awesome giveaway!

My friend Chris, at Canadian Dad, is hosting his very first giveaway right now - a $25.00 gift card to Marks Work Wearhouse - head on over and get your entries in!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Happy Anniversary to us!

6 years ago, hubby and I married. It's been an incredible six years, filled with lots of wonderful, exciting, and some not so lovely times.... but we have gotten through it all together.

We celebrated our anniversary by going to one of our favorite restaurants, and then we headed to the slots to quickly lose a little money.

Happy Anniversary honey - I love you!

ETA: and thank you for the beautiful flowers!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Valentine's Day Cards

Do your kids take cards to school for Valentines Day? If so, do they take them to everyone, or just their "friends"?

We received a letter home today regarding V. Day - asking that there are no names on the envelopes because then the kids can just hand them out without needing the teacher to help (this is for junior kindergarten).

I am not really sure how I feel about that. In the grand scheme, it's not a big deal; but, Julien was REALLY looking forward to handing out his cards to his friends and he had specific ones he wanted for certain people.

I don't have a problem with needing to hand one to each classmate (I was in 3rd grade and didn't get a valentine...not sure why, cause I had friends, but even my friends didn't give me one) but I think that they should be able to have the names on them.

Thoughts?

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Rosette cake - take 2

Since I did the other cake sooooo quickly, I wanted to try it again. My hubby wasn't fond of the rosettes on the side, so I decided to try it with a plain (combed) side, instead of the rosettes.

Here is how it turned out



Top of Cake


side of cake, with "combed" look