Wholesale Costume Club

Did you know Canada.. with Labour Day coming up, school starting back, it getting chilly at night and darker too, you know what's coming soon - Halloween! I've already told hubby to start digging out the fall decorations, any one else??

My boys are very excited about Halloween this year, they really enjoyed it last year, finally not being nervous to run up to peoples doors or hold out their trick-or-treat bags. This year they will be able to have a Halloween party with their class and dress up a bunch of times which will be so fun. We found a fantastic place to order quality Halloween costumes Canada - Wholesale Costume Club!

They have kids Halloween costumes galore!! And with prices in the 16-25 dollar range they can't be beat. Check out one of my little guys in his new Optimus Prime Costume:

Not only did the full body suit fit perfectly which I was happily surprised with but the mask fit well too. He didn't even find putting the mask on to be scary which I had my fingers crossed for. He loved to check out his "muscles" in the mirror..haha


Costumes like this are not just for Halloween, they are perfect for play time - try having your guys dress up in their favourite character and then watch the related TV Show or movie, they can act out all the parts - too cute! Can you even imagine some little girls in the princess costumes? They would never take them off!!

Let us know what you little ones are dressing up as this year!

Kelley Armstrong Interview

Did you know Canada.. The Good Shopper Blog on the Buy Canadian First Website has recently started a Book Club! Our first book was Bitten by Canadian author Kelley Armstrong. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview Kelley Armstrong..

GSB: Kelley, thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions. We are honoured to have you as our first author, to showcase your work and to celebrate Canadian authors. We're starting with your first published novel, which is also the first novel in the Women of the Otherworld series - "Bitten". I've read that you sold "Bitten" in 1999, though it wasn't published until 2001. How much would you say has changed in the last 12 or 13 years in your writing style and thought process as you write?

KA: I’ve been writing all my life, and I’m still always trying to improve. I see writing as a craft, meaning there’s always room for improvement. I know I’ve gotten better in some areas—like pacing—but I’m still working on others, like description. My style is constantly evolving, but I think my writer's voice remains recognizable, no matter what I'm doing.

Click here to read more of my interview with Kelley on the Good Shopper Blog.

Giveaway! Organika

Update: The giveaway is now closed, thank you every for commenting, the winners are being contacted now!

Winners: Congrats to all our winners: Grand Prize: Precilla, Instant C winners: Brenda, Anne-Marie, Debbie, Fan, Deborah, Gizele & Fiona!


Did you know Canada.. in 2010 Organika celebrated 20 years of being a proudly Canadian, privately owner and operated company. Organika has been positively impacting the health of people in Canada and around the world since 1990. Organika was also the first health supplement company in Canada to receive the International Standards of Organization (ISO) 9001 Certification.

We've recently been trying out one of Organika new products: Instant C - a once a day effervescent tablet that delivers 1000 mg of Vitamin C. We all know that Vitamin C has huge health benefits - it helps your body to metabolize fats and proteins, development and maintenance of bones, cartilage, teeth and gums and a potent antioxidant for the maintenance of your health.

At first I was a little hesitant of an effervescent tablet, I've been used to choking down pills for some vitamins, enjoying the gummy ones for others, but I've never drank my vitamins up until now. It was actually kind of fun and really did have a great orange taste! I was surprised, it really felt like you were really getting it too you know, when you pop a pill you sometimes wonder how it actually works in there, but this felt like it was something that was going to work. I highly recommend it, especially for those that have trouble swallowing pills, this is fantastic!


Giveaway

We are very excited to tell our readers that we have 8 prizes to giveaway from Organika. First a top winner will be randomly selected to receive a bottle of Instant C and a bottle of Organika's new Vita Skin - it helps to maintain healthy skin and for the maintenance of good health. We'll also draw for 7 more winners to receive a bottle of Instant C.

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Visit Organika's website and let us know which one of their products you'd like to try!

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Like Organika on Facebook
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

#Canada enter to win a bottle of Instant C from Organika or be our top prize winner! Ends 09/12 @diduknowcanada http://bit.ly/nME329 #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian readers, closing September 12th at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: We were given a bottle of Instant C to try - my opinions are my own.

Canadian Invention: 5-pin bowling

Did you know Canada.. Five-pin bowling is a bowling variant which is played ONLY in Canada?

It was devised around 1909 by Thomas (Tommy) F. Ryan in Toronto, Ontario, at his Toronto Bowling Club, in response to customers who complained that the ten-pin game was too strenuous. He cut five tenpins down to about 75% of their size, and used hand-sized hard rubber balls. Original Pin values were established as “4-2-1-3-5” (from left to right), it was then revised in 1952 to "2-3-5-3-2" - the same values we use today.

In 1921 the first perfect “450” game bowled by Bill Bromfield in Toronto. The same year the first women's league was started in Toronto.

In 2008 Heritage Canada recognizes 5-Pin Bowling as a Canadian “Heritage Sport" - Five-pin bowling is truly a Canadian sport!!

Source: Wikipedia, canadabowls.ca

Tornado Watch

Did you know Canada.. with much of Southern Ontario under a Tornado watch for this afternoon I wanted to take a minute to share some info with you about Goderich.

Goderich is a small town in Ontario on the eastern shore of Lake Huron. It's a beautiful town known for it's sunsets, beaches, town centre and more.

As I'm sure you know the town was devastated on Sunday, August 21st when an F3 tornado touched down in the town, destroying much of the town centre - it was the strongest tornado that had hit Ontario since the Arthur, Ontario tornado of April 20, 1996. Thunderstorm warnings were in place and a tornado warning was issued for 3:48 p.m. ET — just 12 minutes before it struck. Unfortunately one person was killed: Norman Laberge, 61, of Lucknow, who was working in a salt mine when the tornado hit. There was also 37 injured people.

Premier Dalton McGuinty has announced that the Ontario government will allocate $5 million to a disaster relief fund to help Goderich rebuild.

Click here to read about efforts being made by the Red Cross in assisting families in Goderich - and please donate if you can.

Jack Layton

Did you know Canada.. of course you've all heard of Jack Layton's passing by now. He passed 4:45 am Monday August 22nd 2011, peacefully at home surrounded by family.

No matter your political views I don't think many can deny that Jack Layton was a good man. A man that stood up for his beliefs, cared about our country and was full of passion.

Jack Layton will be honoured with a state funeral Saturday in Toronto at Roy Thomson Hall at 2pm - it will be open to the public. It will be a celebration of life as Jack wanted. For Jack's position a state funeral is not a requirement, it's been offered by our Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Flags in Ottawa, at City Hall in Toronto, at federal buildings in Toronto and other spots around the country have been lowered to half-staff and will remain there until after the funeral Saturday.

Click here to read a beautiful letter from Jack, written August 20th.



Love is better than anger.
Hope is better than fear.
Optimism is better than despair.
So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic.
And we’ll change the world.

-- Jack Layton 1950-2011

Giveaway! Burnish & Brush Art Studio

Winner:  Congratulations to our winner - Jennifer!  Can't wait to see the finished product :-)


Update: The giveaway is now closed, that you for commenting! The winner is being contacted now.

Did you know Canada.. I've been very lucky to meet a fantastic Canadian - Alison, the woman behind Burnish & Brush Art Studio. Burnish & Brush designs original art and decor to add a bold and whimsical focal point to your little ones nursery, or an older child’s room.

We were lucky enough to receive 2 pieces of art from Alison for my boys room. Before even opening the package I was SO impressed with the beautiful wrappings the art was sent in and the obvious care it was sent with. THIS is exactly why I appreciate small Canadian businesses so much, they put love and care into everything they do.

Then the art, oh my gosh, my boys are just over the moon! We are starting hockey this October, which my boys are so excited for and these pieces are just perfect. So sorry my picture doesn't do them justice.

Burnish & Brush has a fantastic selection of art to choose from, including a new personalized section like this beautiful work in progress piece for a Jessica. This 6x6 on wood piece is collaged in Pinks and Purples (her favourites), and contains her date of birth, favourite things...playing, chocolate and some British Icons. I just love it!!

I think it's fantastic that each collage is handmade, so there might be a small difference between each piece. The paper patterns may be slightly different, but the color scheme for each collection remain the same. Making every piece unique and special for your child. These would make great gifts, ones that can be kept and cherished for a long time.

Giveaway

One lucky reader will win a 6x6 collage on wood, personalised with their child's name.

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Visit Burnish & Brush Art Studio's product page and let us know your favourite piece!

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

#Canada - enter to win a personalized piece of art for your child from Burnish & Brush Art Studio! Ends 09/05 http://bit.ly/qWQVRP #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian readers, closing September 5th at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: We were given art pieces to review and enjoy, I'm sure we will be ordering more for gifts soon - my opinions are my own.

Manitoba Harvest

Did you know Canada.. I recently got the opportunity to try Hemp Hearts from Canadian Company Manitoba Harvest. What the heck are Hemp Hearts some of you might be thinking? From their website.. These tiny Hemp Hearts™ pack a powerful punch of protein, omegas and fiber. Not only are Hemp Hearts easy to incorporate into any meal, they taste delicious too! Did you know Dr. Oz even refers to Hemp Hearts as ‘Brain Food’?

Our hemp hearts are a raw, vegan-friendly, whole food that contains no additives or preservatives! Manitoba Harvest only sources seed that has not been genetically modified.

When I peeked into the bag I wasn't too sure at first - but, they're great!! As suggested we sprinkled them onto our spinach salad and they were fantastic. Just added a little crunch, tiny bit of flavour and a HUGE health benefit. This is awesome!

More great new, from now until Sept 6 all new Manitoba Harvest 'likes' on Facebook will be another $1.00 towards the East African Relief Fund. This is a fantastic Canadian Company to stand behind.

For more information on their other hemp products visit them at ManitobaHarvest.com

CN Tower

Did you know Canada..  we all know about the CN Tower, many of you have probably visited it!  But here's some fast facts you may not know..

* In 1995, the CN Tower was classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers

* In 1976 it was the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower and held the record for 34 years

* Its name "CN" originally referred to Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower

* 1,537 workers toiled five days a week, 24 hours a day to build the CN Tower

* The CN Tower's Glass Floor was the first of its kind when it was opened in June 1994

* The floor in the 360-degree restaurant rotates once every 72 minutes allowing everyone a complete and unobstructed view of the city below

* The CN Tower introduced North America's first and the world's highest glass floor paneled elevator

Who's been?  What was your favourite part??

Canadian Invention: Oilevator/Slicklicker

Did you know Canada.. the Oilevator (also known as a Slicklicker) is a Canadian invention.

What is it you ask? The Oilevator is a late 1960s invention from Canadian Engineer Richard Sewell a chemist with the Department of National Defence in Ottawa. Using only an inflatable plastic boom, canvas conveyor belt lined with terry cloth to absorb oil and a small motor the Oilevator could lift up to 43,000 gallons of spilled oil a day! In tests is was 95% effective in removing all the oil from a spill.

Selling for around $7,500 this was a cheap and simple solution to a large and costly problem.

Im my research I found an article from Kinship Circle - discussing notes from the Gulf Oil Disaster of 2010. It says in part.. Upon leaving, we bump into Oky Flemming (another name connected with the Oilevator), inventor of the “Oilevator” device that extracts oil below surface levels. He assures us his device is marine-life safe. BP has yet to connect with him, even though below-surface oil removal has no set regimen. Surprising to read that this great invention was not involved in the MANY attempts at cleaning up that spill.

Exciting information on another great Canadian invention!

Our Largest Island

Did you know Canada.. The largest Island in Canada is Baffin Island (part of the territory of Nunavut). It's also the fifth biggest island on Earth.

Baffin Island is home to much wildlife including harp seals, walrus, barren-ground caribou, polar bear, arctic fox, arctic hare, lemming and arctic wolf; as well as many species of migrating birds.

Baffin Island also a hot spot for BASE jumping thanks to it's wide array of cliffs. It also welcomes visitors for skiing, kayaking, mountain climbing and more.

Sounds like a fantastic spot - who's been there??

Giveaway! Holy Crap Cereal

Winner: Congratulations to our winner - Tabitha!!

Update: Giveaway is now closed, thank you everyone for commenting. Winner is being contacted now.

Did you know Canada.. I first heard about the Canadian product Holy Crap cereal on one of my favourite shows Dragon's Den - click here to watch the episode. Known as the only company featured on Dragons' Den to be offered "whatever you want" Holy Crap Cereal continues to be a hit across the nation.

From their website.. Holy Crap breakfast cereal contains all natural ingredients (no GMO): organic chia, hulled hemp hearts, organic buckwheat, organic cranberries, organic raisins, organic apple bits, organic cinnamon. Our three main ingredients are some of the oldest perfect foods known to humans.

Our key ingredient, chia or salvia hispanica l. is a recently revived oil seed crop from the America’s that was once more valuable than gold to the Aztecs. The Tarahumara, the greatest long distance runners on the planet, have had a long history of using this slow burning rocket fuel for both athletes and warriors alike.

We had the opportunity to try Holy Crap cereal recently and it is unlike anything I have purchased before. You just need a couple small scoops to receive the fantastic benefits from the cereal. Add milk, almond milk, or sprinkle on top of yogurt for a real treat. It truely is "The worlds most amazing breakfast cereal". I have to say my favourite part is the cinnamon, perfect taste for the mornings!

Giveaway

One lucky reader will have a chance to try Holy Crap cereal for themselves receiving one full size bag.

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Tell us your favourite breakfast food!

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

Want to try the world's most amazing breakfast cereal? Enter to #win a bag of Holy Crap Cereal! Ends 08/30 http://bit.ly/nfFVGl #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian readers, closing August 30rd at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: We were sent Holy Crap cereal to review - my opinions are my own.

Canadarm

Did you know Canada.. we've probably all heard about it and seen pictures of it, but what exactly is it?

The Canadarm is a Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS). In other words, it is a mechanical arm used on the Space Shuttle to maneuver a payload from the payload bay of the orbiter to its deployment position and then release it.

It can also grapple a free-flying payload, maneuver it to the payload bay of the orbiter and berth it in the orbiter.

It was first used on the second Space Shuttle mission STS-2, launched November 13, 1981.

It was SPAR Aerospace Ltd., a Canadian company, that designed, developed, tested and built the Canadarm.

The Canadarm2 is installed on the International Space Station and has worked in tandem with the Canadarm, developing a "Canadian Handshake".

Contest Queen: How to see Canada for FREE

Did you know Canada.. Canada's own Contest Queen - Carolyn Wilman - is featured in a new show on TLC called High Stakes Sweepers, where Sweepstakes fanatics offer a look at their prize winnings. Catch it THIS Sunday (August 14th) on TLC.

We have a fantastic guest post from Carolyn to share about how she's travelled for FREE all over Canada....

I have been to Rimouski QC. I bet you are asking yourself, “Where is Rimouski?” I said the same thing when I heard I was going. (It’s about 3 hours northeast of Quebec City on the south-side of the St. Lawrence River.) I have no family, friends or business in that area of Quebec, so why would I go? I WON THE TRIP! It was were the 2009 Memorial Cup was held. (I blogged about our adventures here: Day 1 & Day 2)


So how did I win such a crazy trip? Well, I am a contestor. I know, what’s a contestor? A contestor is someone who likes to enter contests, sweepstakes and giveaways on a daily basis. I can spot the word win at 100 paces.

I became a contestor in August of 2001. At that point I had been a marketer for 15 years in the technology industry and became unemployed when the dot com bubble burst. While laying in bed one night I read a Reader’s Digest article about a woman and her husband who were teachers who enhanced their lifestyle by entering contests every day. I thought, “Good idea! I’ll just win what I need in life.” Sadly, I can’t earn my living winning, but I have been on some amazing Canadian adventures.

Besides Rimouski QC, we have been to La Malbaie QC to stay at Le Manoir Richelieu over the Easter weekend. To Montreal QC to see The Sam Roberts Band. To Stratford ON to see My One and Only. To Banff AB for the Coors Light Peak Party. We went to Whistler, BC for the passing of the touch at the closing ceremonies of the Olympics and then to Vancouver BC to the 2010 Winter Olympics themselves.




Not only have we travelled across Canada, we have met some amazing Canadians including: Michael Bublé, Holly Cole, Sarah Harmer, The Barenaked Ladies and Chef Jamie Kennedy.




I have been places, done things and met people I never would have imagined. I am glad I decided I to be a winner! Now, to win a trip to Halifax NS...


Carolyn Wilman (aka @ContestQueen) is the author of You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter. She teaches others how to find, organize, enter and win contests, sweepstakes and giveaways. To-date others have won over $1,000,000 using her Online Contesting System. As a Promotional Marketing Consultant, Carolyn also helps companies build better promotions from the outside in.

Miracle Treat Day

Did you know Canada.. it's Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queens across Canada.

Buy a Blizzard today (August 11th), and help Children's Miracle Network hospitals save a life. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds for 170 children's hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it's needed the most. When a donation is given it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids.

My boys and I will be swinging by Dairy Queen for a treat today, let us know if you pick one up today too!!

Visit MiracleTreatDay.com for more information!

The Craving Canadian Cookies Blog Hop is coming!

Did you know Canada.. The Craving Canadian Cookies Blog Hop is coming!!


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When:
November 2- 16th, 2011!

What:
An event created for bloggers who like to bake. This event has been created to help us bakers get in the mood for Holiday Baking!

We will be hosting an online Cookie Exchange where you can sign up to bake a batch of yummy cookies and mail them to someone in Canada as a special pre-holiday treat! Disclaimer: Did You Know Canada and Multi-Testing Mommy are not held responsible for the shipping, quality or contents of these cookies.

We will also be hosting a Cookie Recipe Blog Hop where you post a recipe on your blog and link it up on our linky.

During the weeks of Nov 2-16, Did You Know Canada and Multi-Testing Mommy will be posting various recipes, baking tips, product reviews and maybe even a few giveaways!

Who:
Cookie Exchange is open to Canadians only to keep shipping costs reasonable (participants are responsible for their own shipping costs). To promote this event use hashtag #CanadianCookies on Twitter!

Cookie Recipe Blog Hop is open to EVERYONE!

Hosted by: Did You Know Canada and Multi-Testing Mommy

Attention companies: Do you have a baking related product that you would like reviewed or featured during our Cookie Event? OR would you like to sponsor our event by providing us with a product for giveaway? Please contact Did you know Canada at didyouknowcanada@gmail.com for more information!

Giveaway! Sea-Band

Winner:  Congratulations to our winner: Amy!


Update:  Thank you everyone for your great comments.  Sending a note to the winner now!

Did you know Canada.. I had mentioned on Twitter we went to African Lion Safari a couple weeks ago. Well this is about a 2 hour drive for us. I'll tell you a little secret about me - EVERYTHING makes me nauseous..haha.. well, just about anyways. I get car sick, air sickness, sea sickness, sick from first person video games, sick from wearing dark sunglasses, sick from roller coasters and more.

I know I'm not the only one out there, in fact (in the US) 53 million people suffer from motion sickness. Children from 5 to 12 years old, women, and the elderly seem to be most susceptible to motion sickness - well I have found the BEST solution Canada - Sea-Bands!!!

I promise I would not tell you this if it wasn't true - they worked on our recent road trip, I could NOT believe it!! No familiar nausea building, no woozy headache - nothing - it was AMAZING. If you've never suffered from motion sickness that you just can't understand how heavenly this is - but if you have then I'm sure you are ready to jump out the door to find this product!

Approved by the FDA, Sea-Band works by exerting constant, gentle pressure on a point on the inner wrist known as the Pericardium 6 (P6) acupressure point. It brings effective relief within five minutes of being applied and can be used before or after the onset of nausea. The all-natural, drug-free, latex-free Sea-Band does not cause the side-effects often associated with anti-nausea medication such as drowsiness, disorientation, dry mouth or possible interactions with other drugs. It’s safe for children, pregnant women and patients taking prescription medications. Packaged in a convenient carry-case, they are washable and reusable, and available a variety of colors in sizes for adults and children.

Sea-Band is a leading drug-free remedy for motion sickness, morning sickness, chemotherapy nausea and post-operative nausea. Most recently, a 2010 study, carried out at a German clinic specializing in migraine and headache therapy, showed that Sea-Band wristbands significantly reduced nausea and vomiting: 83% noticed perceptible reduction and 44% found their symptoms markedly reduced.

If you suffer from motion sickness like me - then trust me, you need these Canada!!!!

Giveaway





One lucky reader will have a chance to try Sea-Band for themselves with a pair of Sea-Band wristbands and a pack of the Sea-Band Anti-Nausea Ginger Gum!!

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Tell us how you try to combat nausea!

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

Suffer from motion sickness? Enter to #win Sea-Bands! Ends 08/23 @diduknowcanada http://bit.ly/npsnlp #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian & US readers, closing August 23rd at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: We were sent Sea-bands to review - my opinions are my own.

Doctor James Guillet

Did you know Canada.. Doctor James Guillet was a chemist at University of Toronto.

In 1971 he invented a plastic that decomposed in a reasonable time when left in direct sunlight. James Guillet then patented his invention, which turned out to be the millionth Canadian patent to be issued!

In the 1970s and the 1980s his lab was regarded as the best in the world in photophysics and photochemistry.

From the University of Toronto Archives: Professor Guillet received numerous honours for his work, beginning in 1967 with a fellowship in the Chemical Institute of Canada. In 1977 he was awarded the Gold Medal and Canada’s patent number 1,000,000 for the invention of degradable plastic. In 1981 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and received a Guggenheim Fellowship, which was followed by a Killam Fellowship in 1987. He received an honorary doctorate from Cambridge University in 1974 and the Chemical Institute of Canada awarded him its Montreal Medal in 1998. In 1999 the Society of Polymer Science of Japan presented him with its International Award.

Canadian Invention: IMAX

Did you know Canada.. we invented something very exciting - IMAX!!

Canadians Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, Robert Kerr, and William C. Shaw developed the IMAX system in 1968.

IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards, IMAX increases the resolution of the image by using a much larger film frame. IMAX theatre construction also differs significantly from conventional theatres. The increased resolution allows the audience to be much closer to the screen.

‘Avatar: An IMAX 3D Experience’ is the all-time highest grossing IMAX release; the worldwide IMAX box office total for the film climbed to more than $220 million since the movie's launch in December 2009.

Very exciting and a great Canadian invention to be proud of!

Giveaway! Mabel's Labels

Winner:  Congratulations to our winner: Kerry!!


Update: Thanks everyone for commenting - getting so excited back school!  Labelled the boys new lunch bags today - eek!!  :)  Winner is being contacted now.

Did you know Canada.. we've mentioned before how much we LOVE Canadian Company Mabel's Labels. With back to school coming up it's more important than ever to get those shoes, coats, hats, books, backpacks, lunch bags and more labelled - or you may never see them again!!

With school coming up Mabel's got you covered with their Ultimate Back-To-School Combo - everything your little ones (and big ones) need to make sure everything finds it's way home. As a Mom of twins this is especially needed in our house so there's no fighting out who's lunch bag it is or who's new binder it is, I'm positive this happens in every house with more than 1 kiddo.

From Mabel's..
The Ultimate Back-to-School Combo™ includes all the durable, waterproof labels needed to keep your kids’ stuff out of the lost and found. Available only until September 30th, get this bestselling Combo before it’s gone.

What it includes:

* 50 Tag Mates™ * 40 Skinny-Minis™ * 16 Shoe Labels * 2 Teeny Tags™

We already have water bottles, lunch containers, shoes, shirts, jackets and more labelled with our back to school Mabel's Labels.  Don't forget Skinny-Minis are dishwasher and microwave safe, Tag Mates™ are washer and dryer safe and Shoe Labels and Teeny Tags™ are waterproof and UV resistant - so you can be assured these labels will survive the entire school year - even in our crazy winters, so don't forget to save a few tags for the mitts, hats and boats coming up!

I get SO many compliments from other Moms and Dads when they see our Mabel's Labels at soccer or playdates - I know these will be a big hit once everyone sees them at school as well.

Giveaway

One lucky reader will have a chance to get everything ready for school in style with a Mabel's Labels Ultimate Back-To-School Combo!

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Visit the Ultimate Back-to-School Combo Builder and let us know which design you like best!

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Follow @mabelhood on Twitter
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

#Canada Enter to #win an Ultimate Back-To-School Combo from Mabel's Labels! Ends 08/18 @diduknowcanada http://bit.ly/r10GeI #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian readers, closing August 18th at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: We were sent Ultimate Back-To-School Combo's to use, we're also a long time customer of Mabel's - my opinions are my own.

Superman

Did you know Canada..  while we can't take all the credit, Superman is at the very least half-Canadian.

Canadian Joe Shuster and American Jerry Siegel were the creators of the super hero. Shuster had given many interviews describing how Canadian Superman really was.

* The name Clark Kent came from a worker at the Toronto Daily Star

* One of the earliest panel drawings including a background of a newspaper building labeled "Toronto Star" (it was later changed to The Daily Planet)

* Superman’s city, Metropolis, was modeled after Toronto

* Of course, who hasn't seen this fantastic Part of Our Heritage as well..

Campground of Canada

Did you know Canada.. we heard about a fantastic website: Campgrounds of Canada. They offer a service to campgrounds and RV parks - for only $2.00 a month they can list their business with Campgrounds of Canada - giving people a 1 stop shop to find places all over Canada!

I think this is FANTASTIC for so many reasons. I've mentioned we recently went on a camping trip near St. Jacob's in Kitchener ON - this was a great meeting point for our family that is spread around Southern Ontario. So when we planned a camping trip we knew the location we needed but didn't know any campground in the area. It was actually a bit of a painful search and a lot of phone calls to find places; find out the amenities, what was available in the area, etc.. Campgrounds of Canada would have been PERFECT for this.

Their goal? To promote camping in Canada by creating a website with all campgrounds and RV parks in Canada - I love it!!!

Click here to see how a full listing looks. Know anyone that works at a campground or RV park? Spread the word!! This is a very exciting up and coming site that I know a lot of campers will love.

Giveaway! Swiss Natural

Winner: Congratulations to our winner: Florence!!

Update: Thank you everyone for joining our giveaway!!! Winner is being contacted now.

Did you know Canada.. Swiss Natural is a pioneer of the natural health products industry in Canada, being one of the first companies to sell herbs and vitamins.

Recently I've been taking Swiss Natural for a number of reasons. Their Solutions line - Solutions for some of life’s most common problems is a fantastic group of products to effectively help with your specific requirement and get you feeling like yourself again.

With twin boys a big one for me is ENERGY! Which Swiss Natural Solutions has just the right product for, I love their description: Sometimes you need a little boost! Solutions® Energy can help combat fatigue while metabolizing foods to help build your supply of energy. So if your get-up-and-go, just got-up-and-went, you can get it back! Just about every afternoon I feel like my get-up-and-go, just got-up-and-went and we still have dinner, soccer or other activities in the evenings, it can be tough to keep going.

Another one I've been taking that I highly recommend is Total One® Women Timed Release Multi Vitamin and Mineral Box. I'm a big believer that in order for Moms and Wives to take care of everyone else they have to take care of themselves as well. Containing a high potency of vitamins, minerals and supplements to help you achieve optimal health and wellness by supporting the overall healthy functioning of your body.

Along with an extensive and useful line of products I really appreciate Swiss Naturals dedication to quality. Health Canada recognizes Swiss Natural dedication to quality and has granted a Site License indicating compliance with GMP standards. Swiss Natural has also been a member of the CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) for over 30 years. Swiss Natural is a proud Canada company and that makes me excited to be using their products as well.

Giveaway

One lucky reader will have a chance to try solutions of their own with a Gift Basket from Swiss Natural - $50 value!

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Visit SwissSolutions.ca and let us know which product you could use in your life.

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Follow @Swiss_Natural on Twitter
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

#Canada Enter to #win a Gift Basket from Swiss Natural - $50 value! Ends 08/16 @diduknowcanada http://bit.ly/q7YtxO #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian readers, closing August 16th at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: I was sent some Swiss Natural products to try - my opinions are my own.

Giveaway! The Knit Wit By Shair

Winner:  Congratulations to our winner - Precilla!!

Update: The giveaway is now closed.  Thank you so much everyone for commenting.  The winner is being contacted now!

Did you know Canada.. I ordered the BEST dishcloths from fellow blogger and tweeter Shair. She has an Esty shop where she sells the coolest things: blankets, hats, cleaning supplies, coffee cozys (so cool!!), scarfs and more.

These are the dishcloths I ordered:

My first time using knitted dishcloths and I LOVE them! So good for scrubbing, easy to wash and nothing to throw away.

Shair is a stay-at-home Mom to 3 young boys, who enjoys knitting: both needle, and loom. She knows what Mom's need (especially the coffee cozy!). I am pleased to say she's converted me to the knitted dishcloths!

Now my lucky readers will have a chance to win one of these fantastic 3 packs of dishcloths!!

Giveaway

A 3 pack of dishcloths from The Knit Wit By Shair.

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Visit the The Knit Wit By Shair Esty Shop and let us know which product is your favourite.

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Follow @knitwitshair on Twitter
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

#Canada Enter to #win a Cleaning Supply pack from @knitwitshair! Ends 08/15 @diduknowcanada http://bit.ly/nqiUYa #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian readers, closing August 15th at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: I bought my own set of dishcloths - my opinions are my own.