Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Newlywed Cookbook - review and giveaway (Canada/US)

Gooey Chocolate Squares with whip cream and fresh raspberries



Robin Miller is the host of the Food Network’s Quick Fix Meals, as well as a nutritionist and a New York Times bestselling author. In March 2013, The Newlywed Cookbook's third edition will be released.

I was recently sent a copy of "The Newlywed Cookbook" for review;
The first thing I do when I get a new cookbook is flip through it.  I browse the recipe titles to see what catches my eye, and then I check through the back of the book to see what else is included.

I was happy to see that The Newlywed Cookbook comes complete with a glossary of cooking terms; a listing of the equipment you will need; and a description of the herbs and spices that are used in the recipes.

The recipes are broken down into sections (as in most cookbooks - meat dishes together etc) but what I really like is that there are sections towards the end for special occasions. New Years Eve, Christmas, Valentines Day, 1 year anniversary, Super Bowl and more.  What a great way to help plan your meals for these occasions.

I am pleased to offer up 1 copy of The Newlywed Cookbook for one of my readers! This is open to Canada and US - use the rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance to win!




Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Wreck-It Ralph - review



Monday was a day of rest for my family. We were all recuperating from a horrible stomach flu that overtook us this past weekend; what better way than to watch a movie together as a family?

Sometimes it can be hard to decide what film to put on, we generally let Mr. J choose, but there are times we just can't fathom watching the same movie for the 100th time. We were in luck, I happened to open the door to let some fresh air in the house, and there on my door step was Wreck-It Ralph - waiting for us!

We put it on and settle in.  I had seen 1 or 2 previews for the movie, but other than knowing that it was about a video game bad guy, I had no idea what to expect.  It was really neat to see some of the older video game characters (Q-bert and Pac Man!) and my kids really enjoyed it.  One of the things I really liked about the film was the dialogue - there were some pretty funny lines for adults, that kids wouldn't pick up on. 

I asked Mr. J about his favorite scene and he said when Vanellope was racing - and when the ice cream landed on the persons head.  He (and I) also really liked seeing all the candy from the Sugar Rush game!



Wreck-It Ralph will be released in a combo pack (Blu ray, DVD and Digitial Copy) on March 5 - so check the store near you for your copy.

* I received the above item free of charge in exchange for my honest review; opinion stated belongs to Tales of Mommyhood, your opinion may vary*

Monday, February 25, 2013

Winter Vacations - where would you go?

It is February, and it is cold and grey. Not a lot of sunshine and I always find that this time of year has me longing to get away. Fly somewhere warm and tropical, spend a week relaxing and enjoying some family time; no work and no commitments. After having a cold snap this past week, it really has me daydreaming of taking off on a plane and not looking back! I am not sure where I would go, but somewhere warmer than where we are right now – with no snow!

So far, all of my trips south have been to Florida, although I know that All Inclusive Vacations have become super popular over the last few years. Many people in my life have gone to AI resorts, but the closest that I have come is when I qualified to win a trip to Barbados a few years ago; it was a contest through a radio station. However, I was NOT one of the winners - and got to remain here in the cold, while the others enjoyed breakfast on the beach.

Bahamas have always been on my list of go to places, and Aruba, Jamaica (can you fill in the rest of the words to the song? HA)

If you could take off tomorrow – where would you escape to?

My house was invaded by an unwanted guest

Last week started off like any other week. Mr. J had school in the afternoons, Mr. K and I ran errands while he was at school and life was great.

Then, Wednesday night happened.  My hubby had been outside shovelling, and I was bathing Mr. K.  Mr. J was supposed to be outside with his dad, but never made it out.  Hubby called his name, wondering where he was and his response was that he needed help.  He was in the bathroom, and he couldn't open the door.

Hubby broke the handle to get in, and there was Mr. J, surrounded by puke.  I got him all cleaned up and settled on the couch, and then attacked the mess in the bathroom.  He was fine afterwards, and although I REALLY wanted to send him to school the next day, I kept him home the requested 24 hrs and he went back on Friday.

Mr. K and I had speech therapy on Friday, and halfway through the session he threw-up all over the table. Same as Mr. J, he seemed to be fine afterwards. We headed home and kept quiet for the rest of the evening.  Saturday seemed to be uneventful, or so it started.  My IL's had taken Mr. J to gymastics, and then out for lunch.  While in the parking lot, he threw up again.....

Then late in the afternoon, I started to get queasy. I managed to will it away for awhile, but it soon got the best of me and I spent the late evening/early morning getting acquainted with my toilet. I even told hubby I was going to sleep in the bathroom, as it took to much energy to make it from the bed to the bathroom.  A few hours later, an awful thing happened - I heard hubby getting sick.  I honestly panicked, how would we take care of the kids on Sunday if we were both out with the stomach flu?

Neither of us slept, we managed to keep somewhat hydrated, and when the kids woke up on Sunday morning I was able to crawl out of bed and change Mr. K's diaper. Other than that, I did the only thing I could....I left my 5 year old in charge. What else was I to do? I didn't want anyone coming in the house because of the germs, and my mom had to work (otherwise I know she would have ignored my protests and come over anyways). After a few hours, I mustered up the energy to come check on the boys (even though we could hear all that was going on) and this is what I found. 


Almost every toy we owned was taken out, there was food strewn all over the floor, table and couch (although, I should be happy that cereal, cracker chips, and peanut butter sandwiches were chosen instead of the ice cream they could have gotten into!)  Mr. J did a great job making sure that his brother had a drink, and food to eat - and didn't get into too much trouble.

I always hate when I am sick, and even though hubby has to work I know that he will be home at x time and I just have to make it through until then...but this time, we weren't lucky - and this nasty bug got the best of us.

Hubby was hit the hardest, only starting to feel better mid-day today. I spent the morning washing sheets, cleaning and airing out the house. I grabbed my Norwex Enviro Cloth and went on my way wiping door handles, light switches, railings, and faucets. I cleaned out the bathrooms and finally feel like my house is germ free!

Have you escaped this winter without sickness attacking?  What are some of the ways you help to keep germs from spreading?

Tales of Mommyhood Monday Giveaway Linky

Link up your open giveaways, be sure to include who is eligible to enter

Friday, February 22, 2013

Chocolate Chip Cookies - my new favorite recipe



I love to bake; one of my favorite items to bake is Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was pretty happy with the recipe I used (the one my mom has used for many years) but when I came across THIS recipe on A Busy Mommy, I had to try it....and it immediately became my new favorite. The only change I made was that I substituted 1 cup of flour for whole wheat flour.

ENJOY!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Geographic - Passport to Explore Contest

National Geographic is running a great contest right now, Passport to Explore.  Would you be interested in a  North American Adventure for 2? Identify the mystery animal and you can enter for your chance to WIN! Keep reading for ways to enter this great contest.

The Grand Prize – a 7-day adventure for 2 to a North American Destination of the winner’s choice (anywhere Air Canada flies, with accommodations at Loews Hotels).

Contest closes March 31. 2013

About National Geographic luggageNational Geographic brand is synonymous with exploration, adventure and high quality.
•National Geographic’s net proceeds support vital exploration, conservation, research and education programs.
•The product line covers a wide range of use, including:
–Leisure travel – lightweight with wide range of models for vacation travel
–Adventure travel – rugged and functional for adventure travelling
–Business travel – lightweight and stylish for travel to meeting with business cases and computer to tablet cases. 

National Geographic contest

There are 3 ways for you to enter the contest:
1) Visit a National Geographic Explorer luggage retailer and identify the mystery animal; enter the animal in the contest form.
2) By entering codes found on blogs - the Tales of Mommyhood unique code is 333
3) Sharing the contest

Snow Blowing to the extreme


What would you think if you looked out your window and saw your neighbour snow blowing their LAWN? Probably think they were losing their mind a little bit? Well, that's what my neigbours would have seen last week - hubby had the snowblower on the lawn.  There was a really good reason for it though, and his craziness paid off!  The reason for the snowblower was to pile the snow higher than he could reach with the shovel - we had a huge dump of snow over 2 days and that was just perfect for his new found hobby!

For the last 2 winters, my husband has made the boys a snow slide in our front yard.  He can sometimes spend hours outside working on it so that it is "just right" for when they are out playing.

It has actually become one of my favorite family pastimes this winter - spending hours out front together and tobogganing.  It allows us to spend a lot of quality time together, enjoying the fresh air and getting exercise at the same time as having loads of fun.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

Today's wordless wednesday photo's go back almost 6 years. They are from Mr. J's time in the NICU and the day he came home


how his first few NICU days were spent




NICU day 3
















NICU day 4, first bottle
home with mama, where he belongs - day 11

Internet and Auto Insurance

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

I am a big fan of the internet. It allows me access to so much information that I probably wouldn't have if it weren't for the web.  The internet has had a positive change for how many people conduct research before making decisions/purchases.

 I love that I can get information when it is convenient for me; I have 2 young children, and making phone calls duing business hours or driving to appointments is not convenient for me.  Having the opportunity to do my research in the evening after they have gone to bed is a great way for me to stay informed, and helps me to make the right decisions for me and my family.

This is no different for shopping around for car insurance rates. It gives people the opportunity to research the different insurance companies/brokers that are out there; they can search for information on a particular situation; they can find out about new developments in the industry by reading up on blog posts and news articles. They have the chance to research different insurance policies and a way to connect with their insurance agent/broker.  

Instead of calling or meeting face to face with insurance agents, customers can now get information at their fingertips.  Insurance Hunter has just released a report on how the Internet has changed the auto industry, I would encourage you to head on over and have a read through for yourself, and see what they have found. How wonderful is it to be able to send an email when you don't require an immediate response? No waiting on hold for the person to answer the phone - just a quick typed message and the click of a button.

What about you? Do you like researching before hand on the internet? or would you rather meet with someone face to face?

 

 

Visit Sponsor's Site

Nascar Birthday Cake

My hubby asked me to make a cake for one of his co-workers, and it was to be a Nascar cake.  I don't have much knowledge of Nascar, so while I was looking online I noticed that majority of Nascar vehicles are multi-coloured.

I did a very similar model from that of Mcqueen, but without the headlights.  I am not 100% sold on the cake, I think if I had not had a 2 year old constantly interrupting (and also tasting - yes, he took 2 chunks out of the cake - thankfully I was able to fill it in with icing) that the shape would have been more true....

orange and white nascar cake
white and orange Nascar birthday cake


Monday, February 18, 2013

Family Day Fun at Brinkeetos

My hubby had to work today, so it was just the boys and I. I wasn't really sure what to do with them (it's colder out than I would like). Then, I saw a facebook update from Brinkeetos - they were open this morning from 9-noon!

We packed up and headed over for some family day fun, and we weren't the only ones. The place was jam packed with lots of kids and their parents.

The boys spent the majority of our time playing with these huge balance balls - they had so much fun, and used up lots of energy while they were at it!

fun with a ballfun at brinkeetos

To Celebrate Family Day - Top 10 tv families

Today is Family Day in my area; as I was about to check my emails this morning, I came across this list of the top 10 tv families - so I thought I would share the list with you.

http://ca.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/omg-tv/happy-family-day-10-best-tv-families-195323540.html

The Bluths - Arrested Development
The Crawleys - Downton Abbey
The Connors - Roseanne
The Dunphys/Pritchetts - Modern Family
The Huxtables - Cosby Show
The Simpsons - The Simpsons
The Whites - Breaking Bad
The Gilmores - The Gilmore Girls
The Cohens - The OC
The Keatons - Family Ties
The Taylors - Home Improvement

From the list, there are only 4 shows that I haven't watched (Arrested Development, Downton Abbey, Modern Family and Breaking Bad) - although I am familiar with the titles.

A side note - Arrested Development star Jason Bateman is the brother of Family Ties star Justine Bateman.

What about you - are any of the shows on the list unfamiliar to you? Do you have a favorite series that appears here? what other shows would have made YOUR list?

Tales of Mommyhood Monday Giveaway Linky

Link up any of your open giveaways - please list who the giveaway is open to

Friday, February 15, 2013

Funky Monkey Snacks - Giveaway (US only)

Funky Monkey Snack Giveaway


Have you heard of Funky Monkey Snacks? Freeze Dried fruit (with no added sugars) in many different flavour combinations. My youngest is crazy for the banana/cinnamon combo. Use the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win a variety pack - feel free to show them some love on twitter and facebook too!

Open to US only.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Kellogg's Products - Giveaway (Canada Only)

Kellogger's latest delivery

I received this amazing package today from Kellogg's. In the box were 2 boxes of soft baked nutri grain bars (blueberry and banana flavours); a box of raspberry mini wheats; All Bran Cranberries and Clusters Cereal; Cracker Chips in BBQ and Southwest Flavours; Dark Chocolate Flavour and Peanut Butter Chocolate Flavour granola bars.

We discovered the BBQ cracker chips a few months ago and they are a favorite of mine and Mr. K;  I will be honest that the boys dove into the granola bar boxes immediately - they were THRILLED with the PB chocolate flavour (we have had the dark chocolate previously, so while they like it, were not as excited since it wasn't new to them)

I am looking forward to digging into the rest of the products over the next few weeks.

Time for a GIVEAWAY! Kellogg's is offering up ONE package of Free Product Coupons (FPC's) to a lucky Tales of Mommyhood reader! For your chance to win, use the rafflecopter form below to enter. Canada only 



Happy Valentine's Day



Chocolate cake with red heart

Here it is - February 14 Valentines Day We don't really celebrate it around our house, but I do make sure to have a little something for the boys. This morning I made them heart shaped waffles for breakfast, and added a tiny amount of red sprinkles for them! What about you? Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Anything special for the kiddies? Leave me a comment - I would love to know!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Wordless Wednesday - Winterlude 2013


Winterlude 2013, Confederation Park
enjoying beavertails at winterlude
Enjoying their beavertails
Winterlude Maple Taffywinterlude maple taffy
Each of the boys having their first ever taste of maple taffy 



Anne of Green Gables

Growing up, for some reason I was drawn to the characters written by LM Montgomery. For as long as I can remember, Anne of Green Gables was my favorite story.  I remember watching the movies over and over, and even though I owned them on VHS, if they were being aired on tv I was sure to tune in.

As I got older, I read the books - I have read the entire series of books 3 or 4  times, and even as an adult I still love them.

When I was out in Halifax for a family reunion as a child, my father took me on the ferry over to PEI, and I had a chance to visit the house. (My brother and cousin that were dragged along didn't appreciate it, but I sure did)  We didn't have the chance to see the play (which I still long to see) but being there, seeing her house and property was something that meant a lot to me.  22 years later, I would still love to go back.

When I think of Anne, I will forever think of Megan Follows - as she is the one who brought her to life (for me). When I heard last week that a US publisher was changing the cover of the book, and that the new "Anne" had blonde hair I was shocked.  Anne is a redhead. Her hair colour is actually QUITE significant to the book and to the character.

After originally reading about the change, I was reading through Tales of a Ranting Ginger and found her take on it also. To see a picture of the new cover, you can check out her blog.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Wreck-It Ralph - Valentine's Day cards

Are you on the hunt for printable Valentine's Day cards for your children? Check out this great Wreck-It Ralph printable's below!


download Valentine's Day Cards

The movie will be available on Blu-ray Combo pack March 5.

Heart Awareness Month - a guest post


Please welcome my good friend Lara to Tales of Mommyhood again! She wrote a guest post for me back in November, and is here now to offer us a glimpse into her life as a Heart Mom. To learn more about her journey through motherhood, you can find her blogging over at Parenting With Heart.

Heart issues are close to my family, with my father having a fatal heart attack when I was a teenager, and my mother having a congenital heart defect.  I am happy to help Heart Mom spread the word about CHD's during Heart Awareness Month. 

Ashley
Heart Awareness Month


Tales of Mommyhood is supporting me on my own tales of mommyhood,  supporting me to educate people on Congenital Heart Defects, to bring a sense of community to the community we are members of.  Thank you Tales of Mommyhood for being there on this rollercoaster and for sharing our stories with your readers during Heart Awareness Month.  



My reflection 5 years on...

Six years ago I was going to change the world. I have an education, I have drive, ambition and was good at my job. I had been accepted to do some post-graduate summer studies overseas. I was married, we had a beautiful home in the suburbs, two cars and two cats. The world was at my door. Then the most important thing that could ever happen did. I got pregnant!

5 years ago my life changed. We had a baby. "So what?" you may say "sounds like a fairy tale." Let me rephrase that; we had a sick, premature, heart baby. Our world didn't end, it didn't even slow down. In fact that world at my door opened just a little bit further, a little bit differently.

Our son was born at 31weeks very ill. At 32 weeks his heart began to change, he was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart muscle) and Pulmonary Valve Stenosis (narrowing of the pulmonary valve)...the doctors anticipated it but didn't tell us, they were hopeful they would be wrong. His life expectancy was literally minute by minute for the first six and a half weeks of his life. Then it became hour by hour, month by month and finally by year 2.5 we live by year (kind of). We have learned to live very much in the present with this experience, not taking anything for granted.

Our life as a heart family has been inspired by those who have walked the path before us, who have joined us along the way and who will follow us. Their lives touching ours, filling our own hearts and minds with love, gratitude and most of all learning.

We are some of the 'lucky ones', we don't have a ton of medications to give stinky monkey, he has only had one open heart procedure and he is, considering everything he has been through a typical 5 year old boy. Lovely and challenging. All that said we live with the fear of sudden cardiac arrest, of a boy we know we have to limit activity levels at a certain point, of a boy that may not have a heart that beats properly or wears out. We live in fear of our annual echo appointment. We live knowing that there is an unknown that we can't plan for or bear to think about because it hurts every fiber of our being...life without our first born. But this thought is ever present in our lives.

Every year we celebrate his birthday, and this year it dawned on me how thankful I am to have him for five years, not just one. Then the stark reality of -- we are one year closer to another repair seeped into my mind. My birthday wish for him as we blew out his candles; that some researcher somewhere could speed up production on a non-invasive surgical technique to do the repair. OR better yet that stem cells from our other two healthy heart kids can be grafted on to his heart and heal it. But instead of those we will just enjoy Stinky Monkey for what he is; an alive, breathing, lovely cardiac kid. His cheeks are rosy, he runs with his friends, life for him and WITH him is good.

The world changed for me five years ago, the world opened up for me differently than I ever imagined. I have met doctors, nurses, technicians of various kinds. I have met families and children, grandparents and siblings. I have reconnected with old friends in parallel lives and developed friendships across borders with mothers "like" me. The world is open to me, just a different one. Not all experiences have been positive, but all experiences have made me who I am. And I am just beginning to understand who that is 5 years on, just starting to understand my place in the world again 5 years on. I may not change the world as I set out to a decade ago, but I will change it for my little boy. I will bring awareness to heart defects, I will bring something to those lives touched by CHDs in some way shape or form. Stinky Monkey's story is one that makes me proud, so now it's my turn to make him proud, proud to be a cardiac kid.

Full of life, full of love, full of play just with a big heart!

Funky Monkey Snacks - Twitter Chat #funkychat



If your looking forward to the end of winter, and are looking for ways to beat the winter blah's then you will want to take part in the twitter chat sponsored by Funky Monkey Snacks. Mark your calendars (or put it in your blackberry or iphone to remind you) for Tuesday, February 12 at 2:00pm CT. #funkychat

Have you ever tried Funky Monkey Snacks? Check back later in the week for a giveaway!

Tales of Mommyhood Monday Giveaway Linky

Feel free to link up any of your open giveaways below! Make sure to list the countries the giveaway is open to.


Sunday, February 10, 2013

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Raspberry Filling



Raspberry double chocolate cake





For our anniversary, I knew I wanted to do another rosette iced cake; one of our favorite cakes is this double chocolate layer cake.  My hubby is a fan of raspberry, so I decided to make a raspberry filling to go with it.

Once the cake was made (it actually made two 9 inch pans AND a loaf pan, which I used for something else)

After the cake had cooled, I placed it in the freezer to firm up. While this was happening, I made the filling.

1 pkg dream whip
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix on high of electric mixer for approximately 5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form; add in *raspberry coulis and continue with mixer on medium or high for another 2 minutes or so

*1/4 raspberry coulis (about 1 cup of raspberries, 1/2 tbsp sugar; cook over medium heat until it becomes a liquid. I don't like seeds in mine, so I used a sieve and strained the liquid through)

Remove the cake from freezer after approx. 1 hour, slice in half to create 2 layers.  Spread filling mixture over bottom layer, then replace top layer. Freeze again.

Remove from freezer and do a crumb coat on the cake with your icing choice (this doesn't need to be neat, it just helps to "seal" the cake)

Using a 1m tip, pipe rosettes all over cake; to fill in spots between roses, you can either do stars or you can use a sweeping motion.

How to make Homemade Finger Paints (Pinterest)

I was browsing through pinterest this morning (which isn't something I normally do) and happened to see that one of my friends had pinned this

http://pinterest.com/pin/11962755232521783/


It looks so neat!  It tells you how to make your own fingerpaints at home, using ingredients you most likely have already in your kitchen - and no worrying about little ones that may lick their fingers/hands!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Freshpoints - cash out for gift cards

Have you heard of the new app available called Freshpoints?  You sign up, then scan barcodes on grocery purchases you have in your home.  There are bonus points available for certain items (I *think* these items change weekly) and all other items will get you 1 point.  If it is a new item to their database, you will get 5 bonus points for it.

Once you have racked up enough points, you can then cash them out for a gift card.

The app is free, and you can use a referral code (mine is mamawee). The referrer is given bonus points each time the code is used

I have only been using it for a few days, I am over 600 points right now, but haven't cashed out yet for a gift card.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day

Are you an optimist? If so - enter for your chance to win a 1month supply of shelf safe milk from Milk Unleashed! February 11 is Don't Cry over Spilled Milk Day and to celebrate Milk Unleashed is holding this great contest.  To enter, follow this link and all you have to do is upload a photo or drawing of what that optimism means to you.



To stay current with Milk Unleashed, head on over and Like their facebook page.

Heart Health Month

February is Heart Health Month.  Here at Tales of Mommyhood, this is a cause near and dear to MY heart. Just before I turned 15 years old, my father died from a massive heart attack.  Not only that, but my mother was born with a congenital heart defect (aortic stenosis), and in 2001 ended up having her aortic valve replaced.

With all of the "heart history" in my family, staying healthy is a priority for me. I want to make sure that my kids see me following the same guidelines I give to them. Eating healthy, staying active.

Starting your day with cholesterol lowering foods is one way that you can help keep YOUR heart healthy.  Kashi Blueberry Oat Clusters & Flakes  is a new addition to the Kashi brand; with great tasting ingredients just 1 cup of this cereal will offer you 45% of the daily amount of the fibres shown to help lower cholesterol.

In addition to the fibre, this cereal offers 6 grams of protein per cup, no artificial colours or flavours; is free of trans fats and is low in saturated fats.

What are you waiting for? Make a change to YOUR heart during heart health month, and give Kashi Blueberry Oat Clusters & Flakes a try!



**Tales of Mommyhood received product in exchange for this post. Opinions belong to Tales of Mommyhood and your opinion may differ**


Thursday, February 7, 2013

Valentines Day Marshmallow Pops

While surfing for Valentine's Day ideas for the kids, I found these cute Marshmallow pops. Mr. J and I decided to give them a try and this is how they turned out.

What you will need:

- large marshmallows
- lollipop sticks
- candy melts (various colours of your choosing)
- sprinkles or other edible garnishes

Step 1: 
gather all your ingredients



Step 2:
melt your candy melts (My preferred method is using a double boiler; you can use the microwave but be very watchful as it doesn't take long to scald)

Step 3:
insert sticks into bottom of marshmallows



Step 4: 
carefully dip the marshmallows into the melted candy melts, 1 at a time; gently tap the marshmallow on the side of dish to get rid of the excess


Step 5:
roll the coated portion of the marshmallows around in the garnishes (I found edible glitter worked well and also the tiny round sprinkles)


Step 6: 
allow to set for a little while - using a Styrofoam block or a cake pop stand would work well (I placed ours on a sheet of parchment paper)



step 7:
enjoy!


**Mr. J and Mr. K really enjoyed them, I found them to be WAY too sweet...but they are definitely cute and would be adorable added to a valentine's card!

More Valentine's Day treat ideas:
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Easy Valentine's Day Cake For Kids

Toopy and Binoo and the Marshmallow Moon

Another tour of Toopy and Binoo and the Marshmallow Moon will begin soon. To find out more information about the tour, including show dates for you city visit www.ToopyandBinooOnTour.com

For a limited time only, they are offering a pre-sale code (SIDEKICK) it can be used to purchase tickets from February 12 at 10am until February 14 at 10pm.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Happy 7th Anniversary to us!




7 years ago, hubby and I got married. We purposely planned a wedding for the first weekend in February because I wanted wedding pictures with snow in them. The first 3 weekends in February are celebrated with Winterlude here in Ottawa, and I had envisioned having pictures taken on the rideau canal.

However - February 4, 2006 was met with grey skies, bare streets and instead of the beautiful snow I had hoped for, it ended up freezing rain later on that night. Being February, the sun sets earlier so we ran out of time and never did get those Rideau Canal photos done.

This didn't scar our wedding day at all - we said our vows in my favorite church, witnessed by our friends and family. We had a delicious dinner, an amazing party and now here we are, celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary.

I remember our first anniversary - it was Superbowl Sunday and we had planned to spend the afternoon downtown on the canal, eating beavertails and then heading home to watch the superbowl.....that didnt' happen though. I was 3.5 months pregnant with Mr. J and suffering HORRIBLE morning sickness. We had headed out and hubby stopped at a Telus store (he needed a new phone) I sat in the truck (didn't feel like going in) and the sickness hit again....I willed it to stay away, and told hubby when he got back in the truck that there was no way I could go downtown.
We headed home, camped out on the couch and watched movies. We didn't end up watching the superbowl (first one in our relationship history we have missed).

Our 5th anniversary, we planned on ordering chinese food after the boys went to bed and watching movies. Apparently they didn't get the memo though - neither of them ended up sleeping and crashed our anniversary dinner.

So here we are, 7 years later. Lots of good times, some not so good times - but always making it through to the other side. Happy anniversary babe, love you.

Tales of Mommyhood Monday Giveaway Linky

Tales of Mommyhood Monday Giveaway Linky - submit your giveaways below; please make sure to list eligible countries or your submission will be deleted

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Super Bowl XLVII

Super Bowl XLVII (or Super Bowl 47) is today, February 3.  New Orleans, LA is the host city for this years game - featuring San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens.  The game will kick off at 6:30pm - will you be watching?

I really am not a football fan - despite my hubby, his dad, my brother and many others trying to explain the game to me, I really don't get it and find it difficult to follow.  I do, however, enjoy watching the Super Bowl.  Partly because hubby and I normally choose opposite teams to cheer for and we bet against each other....I think we are probably even in winning.  This year, we are both cheering for San Fran....

We don't have a Super Bowl party - we did the first year we lived together, but now we just watch it together with the boys; order in pizza and wings and the kids generally fall asleep on the couch during half time.

What about you - do you have or attend a Super Bowl party? Do you enjoy the game or just the half time show?

The Little Mermaid - Coming to Blu Ray October 1st

The Little Mermaid is one of the Disney movies that I don't own, even though I love it.  I am super excited to find out that it will be released on Blu ray October 1st!


Friday, February 1, 2013

Valentine's day ideas

Valentine's Day isn't something that Hubby and I celebrate. Our wedding anniversary is February 4th, so it just seemed silly to me since they are so close together.

But, I know that it is fun, so I do like to celebrate it with the boys.  Mr. J will make some valentine's for his school friends; we will buy the boys each a little treat also.

This year, I saw these cool marshmallow pops and plan on making them with the boys.

How about you? What type of things do you do for Valentine's Day?