Saturday, November 29, 2014

Our Favourite Christmas Movies

Mid November, hubby and I start getting anxious for the Christmas season.  We aren't quite ready to decorate the house yet, but we definitely want to start getting festive.  The way we do this is to pull out the Christmas movies.

Somehow, it seems that we always kick off our holiday viewing with The Santa Claus.  Here is a list of our favourite Christmas movies (not in any particular order).

Family Friendly:

  1. The Santa Claus (1, 2 and 3)
  2. The Polar Express
  3. Home Alone (the original)
  4. Elf
  5. Mickey's Christmas Carol
  6. Arther Christmas
  7. Rudolph
  8. Frosty The Snowman (the first is the best, but there is also the Return of Frosty and The Legend of Frosty)
  9. Muppet's Christmas
  10. Charlie Brown Christmas

In addition to those, I also really enjoy Christmas with the Kranks, Four Christmases, A Christmas Carol, and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

Unlike most, I am not a fan of A Christmas Story.  I have tried to watch it many times, and I always seem to turn it off.

What is your favourite Christmas movie? 



Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Cardswap.ca {giveaway}


Christmas is fast approaching - what kind of shopper are you? Last minute or ready early?  I am on the ready early side most of the time.  I really dislike crowds, so if I need to go out to purchase a gift I like to do it before the middle of November.

Personally, I like to do most of my shopping from the comfort of home now though.  Internet access makes it possible to order almost anything and have it shipped right to my door (or my mailbox which is across the street!).

Gift cards are very popular items to give at Christmas - they allow the recipient to choose exactly what they want (which can be difficult sometimes for the gift giver to know - especially in terms of clothing)

Cardswap.ca is a wonderful site to use.  People sell their unwanted gift cards (for cash or credit) and then others can purchase them.  

Buying a gift card is easy - you log into your account and choose the "buy" option on the page.  It will then show you what cards are available, and in what amounts (you can search the available cards, as well as the cards that in transit to Cardswap.ca). Each card you purchase gives you "swap points" and once you have 1000 swap points, you can redeem that for a $10.00 card.


You can search by category to find cards that are of interest, or you can browse through the selection that shows up.

If a card is in transit, it will have a flag on the side that says "in transit", as well as if it has JUST sold. Some cards will offer bonus swap points for purchase, and that will be shown in the blue square.


Purchasing is very simple. You log into your account, select the card you want (it's super handy if you are shopping for someone that doesn't live near you - there are cards on the site for stores that may not be local to you, but that are favourites of the recipient!), add it to your cart and then choose checkout.  You can pay by interac online, visa/mastercard or paypal.

Once you have checked out, your order will process and you will receive your card in the mail within a few days.  There are NO shipping fees and NO hidden fees when you shop from Cardswap.ca

BONUS
Cardswap.ca is offering my readers a bonus! For any NEW cardswapper that registers for free on their site, they will receive 500 swap points into their account! Once you reach 1000 swap points, you can cash out for a $10.00 card!

GIVEAWAY
Cardswap.ca is offering my readers the chance to WIN a $50.00 gift card of their choice* from Cardswap.ca! There will be ONE winner.

Entering is simple, complete the form below.  Open to Canadian residents that are 18+. Void where prohibited.

Entry-Form

*winner may choose from cards available on the site at time of redemption

This post is brought to you by Cardswap.ca. All opinions are honest and belong to ToM. Your opinion/experience may vary.  For more gift ideas please visit the Tales of Mommyhood Holiday Gift Guide.



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Christmas Morning Fun With Play-Doh #giftguide



Play-Doh seems to be one of the classic toys that all kids love. Age and sex don't really come into play when there is Play-Doh around.

Protect Your Handheld Devices With Phantom Glass

Having an iphone and ipad in the house can be great.  We used the ipad to help with speech therapy for both of the boys, and it also helps with entertainment as well.  However, having the kids using them makes me nervous.

I worry about them dropping them and breaking the glass (although so far, the phone has only been dropped/broken once and it was me that did it - I wish I had known about Phantom Glass at that point!)

Having recently been introduced to Phantom Glass, it makes me a little more confidant.  Phantom Glass is a PTPA Award Winning Product.  It is made using Corning Gorilla Glass, and if broken will not shatter like regular glass.  Not only does it help to protect the glass screen in case of a drop, it's also smudge proof and helps protect against scratches on the screen.
(I was a little over zealous and added the iphone
protector before taking a photo)
When my Phantom Glass products arrived (one for my iphone and one for the ipad) I opened them up and added them to my devices.  They are super easy to apply, and don't bubble like the generic ones I have purchased in the past.

Prior to adding Phantom Glass to my iphone, I had to clean the screen a few times a day because of fingerprints.  I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that it had been 5 days and I still didn't have any fingerprints to clean off my phone!

Phantom Glass is available for many different phone and tablet models, and can be purchased at select retailers across Canada and comes with a lifetime warranty - you can submit the warranty information on the Phantom Glass website.  If you purchase online, the product can be shipped anywhere in North America.

Tales of Mommyhood received the above products in compensation for the post.  All opinions belong to Tales of Mommyhood; your opinion/experience may vary.

Monday, November 24, 2014

November 24th Monday Madness Giveaway Linky



If you are a blogger, feel free to list any open giveaways you have on your blog. Make sure to list the prize, end date and country eligibility (CAN/US/WW) any listed without this information will be deleted.

As always, sharing the linky is appreciated and helps gain maximum exposure for everyone that links up.

Enjoy The Christmas Season With The Vintage Village Of Lights #cumberlandmuseum

Photo Source Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cumberlandmuseum
One of our favourite Christmas traditions is to drive around at night looking at all the houses decorated for Christmas and lit up with lights.

Cumberland Heritage Village Museum wants you to experience a similar activity - but it's all in one spot!  They have spent time getting ready, and the village is now lit up with 30,000 Christmas lights. Add in the Christmas decorations, and a visit with Santa at his workshop and you can create an amazing evening of memories with your family.

Operating Hours:

Vintage Village of Lights is open from 3pm - 8pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 29th through December 21st

Cost:

Adults - $7
Seniors and Students - $5
Families (2 adults and all of your children under 18 years) - $18
Annual Family Membership $35 (2 adults and all of your children under 18 years).

I have never been to the Vintage Village of Lights before, but I am really looking forward to visiting with my family this year! I am sure we are all going to have a wonderful time.  Have you ever been?

This post is brought to you as part of the partnership ToM has with the City of Ottawa Museums.  All opinions belong to Tales of Mommyhood; your opinion/experience may vary

Friday, November 21, 2014

Keeping Baby Warm AND Safe In The Vehicle

Living where we do, we have to deal with severe cold temperatures.  When my oldest was born, it was July and I didn't think  much about the winter.  By the time the fall came around, I started to wonder how I could keep him warm in his carseat.  I was aware that snowsuits weren't safe (there is too much space between baby and the harness).

10 Elf On The Shelf Ideas To Get You Started


It's almost time for our Elf Zolly to appear!  The boys haven't asked about her yet, but I am sure it isn't far away.

Sometimes it's hard to come up with new ideas for elf hiding spots or antics.  Below you will find 10 ideas to help fill in when you are drawing a blank as to what to do with your elf

1) Zolly appears on our Christmas tree the morning after we put it up (you could also just change places on the tree a few times)

2) Building a snowman with marshmallows and toothpicks (or you could use cotton balls and glue)

3) Building a fort with LEGO

4) Find something (a mini sleigh works well) and your elf can take a marshmallow bath (place elf inside and fill with mini marshmallows)

5) Hanging from a curtain rod

6) Sitting in a pie plate with hershey kisses and/or hugs (with a message from Santa)

7) Making "elf angels" in flour or sugar on a cutting board/counter

8) Eating candies (christmas m&m's or smarties work well)

9) The elf can be hidden with other Christmas decorations

10) Your elf could be sitting under the tree on a present

What are some things that your elves have done?

First Snowball Fight Of The Season

With the snow starting earlier in the week, the boys had a lot of fun!  They were able to have a snowball fight while we waited for the school bus! What better way to wait for the bus than throwing something cold at each other!



After school, they stayed outside with the kids that live behind us making a fort in the backyard! They came in rosy cheeked and ready for some hot chocolate - they both slept really well that night too!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Winter Fun - Sledding In The Front Yard

A few years ago my hubby built a small toboggan run in our front yard. It then became a tradition, and he has done it for the last 3 winters.  We are hoping to do it again this year, but our neighbours are moving and we are not sure if the new neighbours will be as happy to turn their lawn into a slide.

Check out the video of the kids having fun!


What is your favourite winter activity?

When They Say Nothing....or

....when they say they hate you. Lets face it, they don't always look at us so sweetly and with love in their eyes


It's inevitable, really, that at some point your kids are going to tell you they hate you.  It could be that you gave them the wrong coloured cup, or you gave them a fork instead of a spoon. Maybe, you wouldn't let them play outside in -20 with no socks/boots/snow suit..or you made them leave the middle of the road while they were investigating a dead worm (true story) They don't care that you're making sure they aren't hit by a car or anything. Whatever the reason, the words are bound to tumble from their mouths.

The first time my oldest told me he hated me, I wanted to cry. I thought I was a failure as a mother (well, sometimes I still think that - don't we all?).  But then, it became a regular occurrence.  I realized that a 4 year old doesn't even REALLY know what "hate" means.

In the beginning, I would respond with "I am sorry you are upset right now, but mommy loves you" and as I got tired of saying those words it ended up morphing into "that's alright....you can go hate me in your room" as I moved on with whatever I was doing.

At 7, he now has a little more understanding of the word "hate" (but still not fully) and it is much more rare to hear it come out of his mouth directed towards a person (well, towards me....his brother hears it almost every day)

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

KidKraft Easel Desk - A great "big" gift for kids

If you are on the hunt for a "big" gift for your kids this Christmas, have a look at this awesome Easel/Desk from KidKraft at an incredible price!


Most kids really enjoy creative play, and if you have an artistic child then this is sure to be a hit!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Monday Madness Giveaway Linky



If you are a blogger, feel free to list any open giveaways you have on your blog. Make sure to list the prize, end date and country eligibility (CAN/US/WW) any listed without this information will be deleted.

As always, sharing the linky is appreciated and helps gain maximum exposure for everyone that links up.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

12 Must Try Holiday Sweets

I have gathered 12 delicious holiday treat recipes for you to try!  There are a few of mine, and the rest come from other Canadian bloggers.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Boomerang Kids: Buy Resale For Christmas



Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.  Three words that were really popular when I was growing up.  What if you could find a way to incorporate that into your families Christmas?


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

November 11th - Lest We Forget


Living With Eczema #EczemaAndMe #shop


Having suffered from eczema periodically throughout my life, it was really no surprise to me that both of my boys have it as well.  Mr. J's has always been mild, but Mr. K's can get pretty severe at times, including eczema blisters (I am lucky, and have never had it that severe)

Mine was dormant for many, many years and flared up again after Mr. K was born (I assume triggered by hormones). Lucky for me, it was pretty mild and didn't really affect much.  This fall however, since the weather has turned cooler I find that the house is super dry and I have a patch on my calf that just won't seem to go away  #EczemaAndMe

It has been quite itchy and I was happy to try out the Polysporin Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream as part of the #EczemaAndMe campaign with #collectivebias.  I made my way to Walmart as I do every week; this time I made a detour to the pharmacy section to locate the Polysporin Eczema Essentials products. The anti-itch cream was with the other hydrocortisone creams, and one shelving unit over the 2 other products in the Polysporin Eczema Essentials line were located with other eczema care products (if you plan on looking for the entire line, they are on different shelves)

eczema, polysporin, blisters, dry skin, walmart, coupon,


My morning routine is to have a shower, brush my teeth, and moisturize my face and body.  Since I started using the anti-itch cream, I have added that in after moisturizing.  The Anti-Itch cream is a hydrocortisone cream, so it is to be used sparingly and not for more than a few days at a time.  I have been applying it in the mornings for the last 3 days and have definitely found that it has been helping to control the itch.

#shop, polysporin, eczema, daily routine, moisturize, walmart

For me, there hasn't really been a "cure" for eczema.  I have just suffered through flare ups periodically throughout the years and tried to treat them as they happened.  The one thing I have found that seems to help the most during a flare up (and to minimize the amount of flare ups) is to keep to a strict routine:

-daily shower or bath
- unscented products only (I use my Norwex body cloth for washing and cleansing, and leave out the soap)
- patting dry and applying a moisturizer immediately (this helps to seal the moisture into your skin) and keep the area from drying out
- avoiding extreme temperatures (Mr. K suffers on his cheeks pretty badly, so I try and keep him covered with a scarf or neck warmer when we need to be outside in the winter)
- applying the Polysporin Anti-Itch cream sparingly when needed

To stay up to date on Polysporin information please follow them on twitter.  Also, if you are interested in trying out the Polysporin Eczema Essentials line, grab this coupon for $4.00 off

Monday, November 10, 2014

Transformers Rescue Bots: Optimus Primal


Growing up I remember watching Transformers with my brother (I wasn't a huge fan, but it was something he liked) and when I had my own boys I was sure that Optimus Prime would be making an appearance in my home at some point.

It happened about 18 months ago.  We stumbled across Rescue Bots on Netflix and both the boys started talking Transformers.

Mr. K is still pretty obsessed with Rescue Bots.  He loves all things Transformers at the moment, and is really hoping that there are some new Rescue Bots themed toys under the tree on Christmas morning.

He won't be disappointed. Thanks to Hasbro, he will wake up to Optimus Primal waiting for him under the tree (and what is really funny, we were looking at toys online the other day and he saw it and said he wanted Santa to bring it for him!)
transformers, rescue bots, tales of mommyhood gift guide, optimus prime, toy, kids

When it arrived, I took it out of the package to make sure that it worked (there should be demo batteries included, but you will want to change them to new batteries to make sure that they are working fully - the battery compartment is found on the back of one of the legs)
toys, rescue bots, transformers, kids, optimus prime

It's a super easy transform - you twist the body to get him into dino mode and press a button on the top shoulder to change back to bot mode.  In dino mode he can chomp, and in bot mode he speaks!

He is going to be so excited when he wakes up to find this under the tree!

**Thank you to Hasbro for supplying ToM with the above product to be featured in our Holiday Gift Guide; all opinions are honest and belong to ToM. Your opinion/experience may vary**

November 10 Monday Madness Giveaway Linky



If you are a blogger, feel free to list any open giveaways you have on your blog. Make sure to list the prize, end date and country eligibility (CAN/US/WW) any listed without this information will be deleted.

As always, sharing the linky is appreciated and helps gain maximum exposure for everyone that links up.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival {giveaway} #disneylive #mickeysmusicfestival


I am so excited to share with you that Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival is on tour!  The show will be in Ottawa on December 14th, 2014 offering 3 performances!

An Adults Perspective On Being A Preemie

Through www.popottawa.org I have been able to connect with many preemie parents.  The guest poster today is not only the mom of 3 pre-term babies, but a preemie herself.



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Gift Items For Children

My 7 yr old is really into Lego, and my 4 yr old has started to show an interest as well.  They enjoy putting sets together, but one of the activities they like the most is just taking an assortment of bricks and getting creative with them.
Lego Mini-Figures make a great stocking stuffer as well!


Elmo seems to be a big character with toddlers!

The 31 Day House Cleaning Routine

Yesterday while checking out blog pages on facebook, I came across a cleaning schedule and shared it to my page. (more so I could go back and look at it later).

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

How To Train Your Dragon 2 {#HTTYD2 giveaway}

How To Train Your Dragon 2 will be released on Blu ray November 11th 2014!  My family is so excited for this release!  We all love the original and were thrilled to know that a sequel was being made.

To help increase the excitement of HTTYD2 I am attaching some activity sheets that you can print out for your family! To print them out, right click on the picture and then "save as" to your computer. Keep reading after going through them for your chance to WIN a copy of HTTYD2 on Blu ray!





Giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the U.S. that are 18+. Void where prohibited.  To enter, complete the mandatory entry using the form below.  Bonus entries available for more chances to win.  Good luck!

Like this giveaway and want to enter more? Check out the open giveaways on Tales of Mommyhood as well as the Monday Madness Giveaway Linky.

Batman And The Zombie

halloween, pumpkins, batman, zombie costume, minecraft


Halloween has come and gone again; in the morning I went to the school to help out in Mr. J's class - the grades 1-6 were in orange and black and the lower grades were doing halloween crafts for the morning.

While I was helping out with the crafts, the kinder kids had a costume parade through the school to show off their Halloween costumes.  It was cute to see, and I was happy to get to watch Mr. K.

In the afternoon it was the school dance-a-thon - the annual fundraiser for the school.  They had it blocked off into 3 time periods.

The kids had a blast running around and dancing, and each were given a glow bracelet. I was able to see both Mr. J's group and Mr. K's group.

When we got home, we carved the last of our pumpkins and hubby and the kids got the decorations ready.

Mr. K wasn't feeling well (he had been up and down all week with a cough and sore throat)  Mr. J and I went to the neighbours to work on his zombie make up, and when we came back Mr. K had fallen asleep.
halfway to becoming a zombie
Their grandpa came over and I got Mr. K into his costume.  We always start out by going to our immediate neighbour, and then the boys head out with their dad and grandpa.  With Mr. K not 100%, he only went out for 20 minutes or so.

Batman and Zombie ready for Trick or Treating
When he got home, we sorted through his candy (anything we don't like went back into the bowl we were handing out).

He took off his costume and was the best little helper! Every time the bell rang, he grabbed the bars and dropped them into the bags/pumpkins.

Mr. J got back after about an hour and we sorted through his candy.  They both got quite the haul! They spent Saturday and Sunday snacking on it, and now it is put away and will be used as treats now and then!

I sure hope you all enjoyed yourselves!

Monday, November 3, 2014

November 3rd Monday Madness Giveaway Linky



Happy November! October passed way too quickly, Halloween came and went and it's time to settle in to the colder winter temperatures.  We are lucky we haven't had snow yet, but I know it's not far off.

If you are a blogger, feel free to list any open giveaways you have on your blog. Make sure to list the prize, end date and country eligibility (CAN/US/WW) any listed without this information will be deleted.

As always, sharing the linky is appreciated and helps gain maximum exposure for everyone that links up.

The Great Mystery Boxes #Giveaway


I am so excited to be taking part in The Great Mystery Boxes Giveaway!  It's sure to be a great event with some awesome prizes.

These prizes are made available to you from our giveaway hosts: The Knit Wit By ShairLittle Miss Kate, and  Maple Leaf Mommy.

We have over $1200 in prizes to be won in five themed mystery boxes including:

Baby (valued over $120) Essentials from newborn to 1year
Kids (valued over $280) Toys, games & more!
Health (valued over $340)  Skin care, oral care and overall health and wellness
Beauty (valued over $200) Lotions and potions for a little pampering
Box of Intrigue (valued over $240) Mystery, Suspense, Intrigue (full of awesome treats)

 *all prizes are brand new, with exception of media review items (aka books and DVDs which have been watched/read once for review purposes). Giveaway open to Canada only. Simply enter by completing one or more tasks in the giveaway form below - each task completed gives you more chances to win! Good Luck!