Petite Tuques

Did you know Canada.. Petite Tuques is a Canadian small business that creates beautiful hats, mitts and scarves and creates her own patterns.  Owner of Petite Tuques, Lisa, lives in Quebec Canada where it gets cold A LOT and she started making hats for her children. Soon after she opened an online shop at iCraft and Etsy. Lisa specialises in cold weather garments, but is now branching out into warm weather garments like this fringe scarf. She has also started to write her own patterns, and has two published on Knit Picks!

Lisa made me the most beautiful fringe scarf - it's a nylon/cotton mix and is made in a ribbon. it's just so funky, and so light and airy. Fun for spring and summer, I've been having lots of fun trying it with different outfits. Makes me feel more put together standing for the school pick ups too. :-)  The quality is fantastic, and I know it's very sturdy because I fiddle with it all day long..haha..


Lisa also creates her own patterns, like this Bella Striped Hat - inspired by the Twlight movie (how cool!). She also offers free patterns, like a really cool “Bufanda” Neck Muff - perfect for our Canadian winters and freezing cold wind. I'm always yanking my scarf up to get it to cover my mouth and nose, this would be PERFECT!  Knitters, get over there right now and check out Lisa's patterns, you won't be disappointed.  Check out this great video showing off some of her work..






I looooove the fingerless mittens featured in Petite Tuques Etsy store as well, perfect for tweeting, texting and more while outside in the winter. With beautiful colours and unique patterns, Petite Tuques offers stylish, fashionable and much needed accessories for our Canadian weather!  Keep up to date with Petite Tuques on Facebook and Twitter.


We are so excited to share one of these beautiful scarves Lisa made with one of our readers as well!!  This will make a beautiful accessory to any spring or summer outfit, it's gorgeous!  The winning scarf is the same pattern as mine but in silver, check it out..

Can't wait to try and win?  Purchase one today in Petite Tuques Etsy store and save 25% off using code DYKC25!


We have one more treat for our readers as well, if you are a knitter, you can check out this pattern for free right here!

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Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files

Did you know Canada.. Disney Canada is releasing Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files DVD with Digital Copy and Perry Activity Pack June 5th!

While Phineas and Ferb do it all to make every day the best day ever, evil lurks just around the corner! But there is hope for the unsuspecting citizens of Danville. Now, for the very first time, crack open the top-secret archives of O.W.C.A. (Organization Without a Cool Acronym) to expose... THE PERRY FILES!


Join Perry the Platypus–a.k.a. Agent P.–on his most exciting adventures as he thwarts his nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, at every turn. With groovy gadgets, mad skills and his trademark brown fedora, this semi-aquatic, egg-layin’ mammal of action is unstoppable! Experience the hilarious havoc as he defends the Tristate Area against Doof’s “inators,” battles rogue agent “Dennis the Bunny,” and much more. When it comes to secret agents, Perry’s not only the real deal, he’s real teal!

My boys are going to go nuts for this, there are just getting into Phineas and Ferb and are at the perfect age to enjoy this. We can't wait to see it!!

They are going to love the Bonus Features too:

* Nerves of Teal: Do you have nerves of teal? Then OWCA (Organization Without a Cool Acronym) wants you! See if you have what it takes to become like Agent P in this spy recruiting video.
* Platypus Tour: Take a look inside the Platybus, the traveling Phineas and Ferb exhibit that toured North America.

Guess what?? We have three copies of this awesome new DVD to give away to our Canadian readers as well!!! (not open to Quebec) Enter below for your chance to win and enjoy it this summer!

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Online Gaming

Did you know Canada.. I've been wondering about online gaming in Canada. With all the promotions going on for online gaming but knowing our strict laws towards gaming, I wasn't sure. Turns out while an online gaming business can not run on Canadian soil, it looks like we are free to use the sites online.  Make sure you know the site you are on allows Canadians to sign up.

Funny enough, software company Cryptologic which used to be based in Toronto, is one of the biggest producers of sites like World Poker Tour Enterprises and other casino and poker products. Cyptologic is actually a great Canadian success story, as it was founded by brothers Andrew and Mark Rivkin in 1995 in the basement of their parents house. :-) Cryptologic has since moved to be based out of Dublin, Ireland.

I would really look for trust worthy sites if I was going to get into online gaming-if you are going to be putting out money you need to feel comfortable that they will pay out any winnings promptly and securely. A fun one I've heard about is Bingo Palace - they have been around since 1999 and promote a safe playing environment.  It's pretty fun to enjoy all the excitement of bingo in a safe, secure and comfortable environment – your own home!! This way you can play when you want, and for however long you want (I see new players get an extra $5 to start too!). While I have enjoyed a few bingo halls in the past, it's hard to schedule for getting there at the right time, having the right supplies and then you are stuck there until it's over. This way you can play when the kids are in bed (no babysitter!), after work, or on a lazy afternoon - perfect!

Now, be sure to check the ages on these sites, most are 18+, but always double check.

Do you play on online gaming sites??

Konsyl Senna Prompt

Did you know Canada.. coming to Walmart this June, which is FRIDAY if you can believe it, is Konsyl Senna Prompt. We've mentioned before how much we like Konsyl products. They are important to your health, they actually taste good, and are easy to take!

We are all busy right, and lack of exercise, poor diet, and stress can affect your digestive system and cause irregularity. Thankfully there is now Konsyl Senna Prompt, it contains the all-natural ingredients (psyllium and senna) that work together to soften stool, and provide overnight relief of occasional constipation. Conveniently available in 90 gluten-free capsules, these are perfect for everyone, easy to take and simple to have on hand.

Not only is this product gluten-free but it also contains no sugar or sugar substitutes so it's safe for diabetics as well.

Fiber therapy is recommended by physicians as the healthy and natural approach to regularity and good digestive health. But most fiber therapy can take 12 to 72 hours to provide relief. SennaPrompt provides a unique combination of fiber therapy plus predictable overnight relief, using all natural ingredients. So you can get a quick start to a healthy, fiber-rich lifestyle.

While not a subject everyone wants to talk about, when you need relief you don't always know where to turn. So I am very happy to let you know that Konsyl is a quality product you can trust, I love not only this but all Konsyl products and use their Balance all the time!

We are happy to share a giveaway with our readers as well, enter below for your chance to win a bottle of Konsyl Senna Prompt 90-Count Capsules.

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Lala Soap - Liquid Foaming Hand soap

Did you know Canada.. our Toronto Representative Amanda, from Multi-Testing Mommy, has been trying out Lala Soap's Liquid Foaming Hand soap, she what she thinks..

Lala Soap was one of the wonderful products that I was introduced to at the Made by Hand Show this spring.

Immediately upon arrival at the Lala Soap booth, I was greeted in such a friendly way!

Lala Soap products are 100% biodegradable, made with natural ingredients and are packaged with minimal packaging using recycled materials.

We had the opportunity to try out the Flower Power Liquid Foaming Hand soap. This soap is vegetable based with oils of coconut and olive. We love how versatile this soap is with use in the kitchen and bathroom for our hands or in the bath as a body wash.

The lather that comes from this soap is wonderful with the perfect amount for your hands in one pump. Because it is foaming, a little bit of soap goes a long way.

We have started using foaming hand soap in all of the bathrooms as it lasts a lot longer with young children and is easier for them to effectively clean their hands.

We have been using this soap in the kitchen, for the most part and in a month, it isn't even half gone!

The lovely lavender scent is such a refreshing smell and makes this soap naturally anti-bacterial.

We love that Lala Soap is free of:

• petrochemicals
• parabens
• phthalates
• sulphates
• triclosan

The Lala Soap line offers bar soap, bath bombs, bath salt, body butter, essential oils, lip butter, liquid soap and more!

Feel free to follow Lala Soap on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

This post was written by Multi-Testing Mommy.

Summer Trends 2012 by Loose Button

Did you know Canada..  Toronto Representative Faniya had an amazing night at Summer Trends 2012!  See how it went..

Last week I attended an incredible event by Loose Button & Chantel Guertin - Summer Trends 2012 at Dermalogica Toronto Training Centre.  It was nice evening to spend learning about new products (some of them on the market for a few days or just coming very soon) and latest picks from beauty experts.

When I arrived friendly staff from Dermalogica greeted me, I was given a LB badge with my name (so cute!) and from that point the cocktail party started. Delicious and colorful appetizers, red and white wines were served reminding me that summer fun is not so far away.

In the room two Dermalogicastations were set up with Professional Skin Therapists providing skin consultations and educating on their products.  One of them is Age Smart Skin Perfect Primer SPF30 quite new on the market but already caught the eye of beauty experts like Chantel Guertin.

Other Loose Buttonpartners were at the event as well like Benefitintroducing their new Ultra Plush glossand a brand new VALENTINA fragrance from VALENTINO with the new line of Valentina products.

The room filled with fabulous women and beautiful floral perfume VALENTINA in the air made this event so wonderful. Everything was so fast - cupcakes, talks with skin gurus, meeting ladies from past events.

Then all guests headed to the big boardroom to learn about Top 10 Summer Trends 2012 presented by Chantel Guertin, The Kit’s Beauty Editor, Marilyn Denis Show beauty expert and bestselling author.

I really liked Matching Lips & Nail colour trend, another one Nail Art influenced by digit(al) design like  tiny bites on top, or dark top and light underneath hair tone styles came to nails as well.

 

White hot smile; natural looking waves; flawless, glowing skin; luxurious lushes and hot pink these are Woman of Summer 2012 best friends

At the end of the event every guest received a generous gift bag from Loose Button and sponsors including  Meet Dermalogica Kit (tried and loved this kit, I even gave it my own name Soft Touch), a novel written and signed by Chantel Guertin(mine is Love Struck), Valentino’s Valentina perfume,  Joico’s K-Pak Revitaluxe hair treatment and Benefit’s Ultra Plush Gloss.

Thank you LooseButton for the wonderful evening!!!

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready

Recipe Round Up - 05/25

Did you know Canada.. it's time for another Recipe Round Up - check out all the awesome recipes we, and co-author Multi Testing Mommy, have been sharing over at Canadian Moms Cook!





Auntie's Amazing Banana Muffins - these muffins are an easy, classic banana muffin recipe. We have included a regular and a healthier version!

Soft Pretzels - complete recipe posted from Step-By-Step bread thanks to DK Canada, they are better than the fair!

Rise and Shine Breakfast Muffins - sometimes, it can be difficult to get veggies into our children. This is a great way to get some carrots into your child in a super, yummy way!

Broccoli Cheese Casserole - a creamy and very tasty side dish that goes with everything!

Sweet Potato Pancakes - delicious, healthy and moist, these pancakes are sure to be a part of a great breakfast!

Last week, we featured:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Refreshing Lime Drink

What have you been cooking up??

Lay's Chips - Gluten Free!

Did you know Canada.. Lay's has some great news to share, many of their flavours have been certified as Gluten Free by the CCA (Canadian Celiac Association). Lay’s potato chips are actually the first product to be certified by their ‘Gluten-Free Certification Program’.

In fact, you may not have known, but the majority of Lay’s potato chips have always been gluten free and will continue to be gluten free and as such, taste just great. Any Lay’s potato chip flavours that have been certified gluten free have met the brand’s high standards for quality and deliver the same great taste Canadians expect from the Lay’s brand.

We received a fun basket of chips in all their gluten free flavours like orignal (mine and the kids fav), salt and vinager (oops, another one of my favs), dill pickle (hubby's fav), cheddar and sour cream and more! And we are hear to tell you, YES, they taste exactly the same, a perfect afternoon (or late night) snack, great treat to put out when friends and family are over and as always the quality is obvious in every bag.

Lay’s potato chips that are gluten free can be found at all major retailers across Canada at a standard suggested retail price of $2.99 for a 200g bag or $3.49 for a 270g bag

Be sure to spread the word to any friends or family suffering from Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance or follow a gluten free diet - life just got a little less complicated!

Hasbro Canada - Battleship

Did you know Canada.. anyone hit the movies this long weekend?? Battleship just came out this weekend and it looks AMAZING!!

Did you play as a a kid? I did! And I was so excited to introduce Battleship to my boys as well. We were so lucky to receive an awesome promotional box from Hasbro Canada, the box came complete with bullet holes and sound effects, how cool is that???

Here's some of the really fun Hasbro toys we've been checking out..

Classic Battleship Movie Edition Game - 7+ approx. $24.99
This is THE original game, upgraded to go with the movie. It's exactly s you remember, figuring out the best placement for your ships, trying to guess where the other's players are. And don't make any faces to tip off the other person they are hitting close to your ships!!

This upgrades version offers an alien fleet along with commanding the navy, the boys have had so much fun with this. Perfect for working on our number and letter skills as well!!

We've had the boys saying "He Sunk My Battleship" for a week, too cute.

KRE-O Battleship Alien Strike Construction Set - 7+ approx $34.99
We had tons of fun building this with Daddy's help. My guys loved that this set came with FOUR guys, enough for everyone to play! The mini boat and alien ship is leading to a lot of imaginative play, the guys really love the capture claw on the alien warship.

KRE-O BATTLESHIP U.S.S. MISSOURI Construction Set - 8+ approx $79.99
Wow, wow, wow! This one is AMAZING! Not only fun to play, but makes a beautiful display in the boys bedroom. Comes with tons of guys, perfect for imaginative play while they play with the boat full of rocket launchers, missile launchers, Captain's navigation tower and more! It also comes with a deployable attack boat with gunner station, perfect for 2 guys AND Dad to play with all night long. This goes great with the Alien warship as well, we have already played with this for hours and hours.

I was so happy with the quality of the KRE-O sets, they snap together easily and STAY together, the instructions are fantastically detailed (even Mom could build!), so happy with these sets!

The promotional box came with a cute dog tag too, perfect for role play as the boys become members of the navy to fight aliens. :-)

I highly recommend picking up the game and/or one of these amazing KRE-O sets, they have brought hours and hours of enjoyment to my boys, and a perfect compliment to the movie as well!

NIP + FAB

Did you know Canada... I love to experiment with make up, but I admit I don't know much about, and therefore don't use, too many "fix-it" products.

When I heard NIP + FAB was now available in Canada (at most Shoppers Drug Marts) I was really excited to try their Dark Circle Fix. With twin boys and my own silliness of staying up to late, this is one "fix-it" I truly need.

I think one reason why I don't go for a lot of these products is that I don't like a lot of goop and don't have anywhere to put all these bottles. I can picture my Gramma sitting at a table in her bedroom with the cold cream and 10 other lotions she used, and while I think there's a lot of magic in that, I unfortunately don't have a nice dressing table in my bedroom and the kids just knock everything off the bathroom counter (plus I only get like 5 minutes to myself in the bathroom anyways).

What I loved about NIP + FAB's Dark Circle Fix is that it's just in a small bottle, it squirts a small amount of lotion onto your finger, you rub it on and that's it! Nothing to clean up, no sticky fingers, the container isn't goopy and neither is the lotion.

With their 3-In-1 formula, it's clinically proven to reduce under eye puffiness and tighten the skin around the eye area. I absolutely, hands down, see improvement. My eyes are not puffy like they were, even HUBBY noticed if you can believe it. I feel fresher and look more awake in the mornings, I am so happy with this product.

The 3-in-1 formula includes..
* red algae targets dark circles
* tetra peptide reduces the look of puffiness
* shea butter hydrates + softens

If you suffer from dark circles or puffy eyes (don't we all), I highly recommend heading to Shoppers to grab a bottle. It's simple to put on, no mess, and the best part - you get results!

We have exciting news - we have one bottle to giveaway as well!  Enter below for your chance to win a bottle of NIP + FAB's Dark Circle Fix - you'll love it!

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Babies”R”Us Biggest Baby Shower

Did you know Canada..  Toronto Representative Faniya was out on the town again, this time at Canada's Biggest baby Shower!!

Last week I attended Canada’s Biggest Baby Shower hosted by Babies”R”Usin Etobicoke, the Shower for hundreds of new and expecting Moms.  

I was at many baby showers and had my own too, but never been at such a big one. I met so many beautiful and glowing ladies preparing for their little babies.

Baby Bump Picturestation was the first we got into, then spot for measuring the bump to find the biggest one (how cute!).

Tables were set up with treats to indulge pregnancy cravings with pickles, ice-cream, French fries, chocolate and super delicious cupcakes at the Crave Café.

It was such a pleasure to be at the place where all your cravings and mood changes were fully understandable and very welcomed.

The shower also treated Moms with mini manicure and hand massages in a relaxing spa.  This pampering station was so popular resulting in a quite long line-up.

Baby gear, toys and baby goods were in high demand to learn and check out not only by mommies but by daddies too.  Best brands presented their products like Britax’ strollers and car seats; Fisher Price’s bouncers, chairs and toys;  Medela’s breasfeeding accessories;  Baby Caché’snursing furniture.
 

My favorite items were baby gear for twins and jogging strollers at Britax booth.

Following the Shower, we were invited to an exclusive pre-screening of the upcoming movie “What to Expect When You're Expecting”, a movie about five couples, their ups and downs of having a baby. Highly recommend to watch the movie you may recognize yourself as I did or just get better understanding what a pregnancy is.

We are very thankful for being invited to such a fabulous and memorable Babies”R”Us Baby Shower, for all the information, baby knowledge and gifts.  Babies”R”Usis incredible, as usual.

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready

NERF Super Soakers

Did you know Canada.. the warm weather is finally here to stay! We've been wearing our shorts every day, we've been working in the garden, and it's time for the summer toys to come out too.

At our house, this weather means plenty of water fights too. We've been playing with new Super Soakers from Hasbro Canada and they are SO COOL!

First off, I have to tell you how happy I am with the quality and design, my guys Uncles have bought the boys water guns before, but they have been unable to pump them, or they leak, or they only hold enough water for a couple shots and no one has been happy.

Well, not with Hasbro Canada! Their NERF Super Soakers are awesome!!! Look at what we've been trying..

Tornado Strike
This one shoots spinning water! The boys think that is AWESOME. With a very easy to use pump, this gun shoots up to 20 feet away, has a detachable stock and a detachable clip. As MOM, I really love the detachable clip as we already picked up some extra ones, this means I can fill 3 clips at once for my guy and it keeps him busy for awhile.

Lighteningstorm
This motorized gun comes with a HUGE water drum and a shield, you know you are in for some serious action if you need a shield! It's heavy but designed so even the little guys can get it going. I love that it's motorized so no awkward pumping required.

Electrostorm
When I first saw this one I thought it was "cute" but this packs a serious punch! It's motorized with no pump and you can strike from up to 25 feet away!! Perfect for sneaking around the yard, you can trick Dad by hiding it behind your back, we've had a ton of fun with this gun!

I've seen these at the stores everywhere, this would be a fun treat for this holiday weekend to play with the family!!

Share and Win Contests

Did you know Canada..  we've mentioned before, both Circle Square Ranch and Pioneer Camp are running AWESOME Share and Win Contests.

Remember that a Share and Win Contest means that the more you Share the contest with your friends and family through email, twitter, facebook and other social media, the more ballots you have in the pot when it comes time to pull for the prizes!!

Each camp is giving away a Grand Prize of a trip for two to Punta Cana, one camp session for your child and a Mabel's Labels prize pack!!!  make sure you visit both Circle Square Ranch and Pioneer Camp to enter.

While there make sure you look into these AMAZING camps.  A camp experience is life changing for a child, and with these Christian, non-denominational, non-profit organizations, they welcome youth of any faith and race - your child will be made to feel included and part of a family.  Camp life is one that promotes leadership, exercise, fellowship and FUN!

There are fantastic experiences available like the LIT (Leadership-In-Training) program. It's one of the top leadership programs in the country. They provide leadership formation for young people and train them to become camp leaders, passing on what they know to younger campers.

Activities like horse back riding, archery, canoeing, swimming, arts and crafts, exploring, and nightly camp fires are waiting for your child, and these are memories (and skills!) that last a life time.

Enter today and you receive 20% off for new campers as well!!!

So visit BOTH Circle Square Ranch and Pioneer Camp, enter their Share and Win contests and learn more about this great camps!!

National Road Safety Week

Did you know Canada.. it is National Road Safety Week (May 15-21) - especially with the long weekend coming up, it's time to increase vigilance and concentration when on the road. I was ashamed to read that a study commissioned by TheSteelAlliance and Canada Safety Council demonstrated that 80% of drivers admitted to multi-tasking while behind the wheel. I see SO MANY people texting and talking on the phone - it is not only unsafe, it is ILLEGAL! A driver sending a text message is 23 times more likely than a non-distracted driver to get in a collision. Driving is not the time to be putting on make-up or anything else either.

This comes on the cusp of yesterday - one friend got into a fender bender after the person in front of them braked too quickly and another friend's husband witnessed a crash happen right in front of them. Thank goodness there was no tragedies with my friends yesterday, but it was close, too close and we simply have to be better drivers.

This is the time of year when kids and adults are on bikes, rollerbladers are out there, everyone stays out late, travelling more, you must, must, must pay attention to the road at all times. Discuss this with family and friends this week too. For new drivers make sure they are getting the proper skills, I am a Young Drivers Graduate and all the better for it. Our teens need the proper skills and information to navigate traffic safely.

Remember, interacting with traffic is often the most dangerous thing a person will do over the course of an average day. Step it up Canada, your babies and mine are at stake every time we head out on the road.

Walmart Mom of the Year Award #MOTY

Did you know Canada.. Walmart Canada has a beautiful program running right now - they are taking nominations for their Mom of the Year Award now through July 8, 2012.

The Mom of the Year Award is a celebration of the 9.2 million Canadian Moms who work tirelessly every day to provide for their family. The Mom of the Year Award recipient will receive $10,000 for personal use and $100,000 to their cause or charity of choice. The remaining seven finalists will each receive $10,000 for personal use and $10,000 to their cause or charity of choice. Do you know a Mom that deserves to be nominated? I do.

My friend waited a long time to be a Mom, she went through the game of trying for a year on their own, doctors visits, daily shots, pills, exploratory surgery and plenty of tears on the bathroom floor. Still no baby came, but she knew she MUST be a Mom, she had too much love to give. So she opened up her heart and home and navigated the difficult process of fostering to adopt a child. After much paper work, home visits, having their life picked to pieces, she got a 2 day warning a baby was finally coming into her home.

I know she still struggles with how her body failed her, she has heard hurtful comments from friends and family about how she's not a true Mom. She morns the pregnancy she never had, but she IS a Mom. She loves her little girl with the fierceness of any other Mother, and I can't even imagine where her sweet baby would have ended up without her. Her daughter has always been and will always be her daughter and she will always be her Mother, they just took a different path to get to each other.

She is Mom of the Year in my eyes, and I am so proud of her. I'm so excited to know she is on the path again as well, she has more love to give and will hopefully be fostering and then adopting another little one that needs her this year.

If you know a Mom of the Year visit www.momoftheyear.ca to nominate them, visit the Walmart Canada Facebook page to join the conversation, and let's shine the light on these beautiful Moms we know, they deserve it!!

Disclosure: I’m part of the Walmart program by Mom Central. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own. Mom of the Year Award: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY Internet access and valid email account required. Nominations open May 10, 2012 to July 8, 2012 for legal residents of Canada over the age of majority. Entrants cannot nominate themselves. One (1) grand prize available to be won consisting of $10,000 cash, a $100,000 donation by Wal-mart Canada Corp. to charity/cause and a trip to Toronto (ARV $22,000). Seven (7) runner-up prizes available to be won consisting of $10,000 cash, a $10,000 donation to charity/cause and a trip to Toronto (ARV $22,000). Charity/cause subject to verification and final approval by Wal-mart Canada Corp., at its sole discretion. Odds of winning depend on how the judging panel evaluates each entry according to the criteria. For Official Contest Rules and to nominate an entrant, visit www.momoftheyear.ca.

Addalock

Did you know Canada.. Canadian company Addalock has come up with a few awesome products that will add safety, security and peace of mind in your home.

Addalock
The Add-A-Lock is a portable door lock that can be easily installed and removed in seconds on almost any hinged door that opens inwards. This is really cool! Perfect for when you are away to make you feel secure in your location, or even use it at home as an extra precaution. When I first received the Addalock to try, I thought oh better wait for hubby to do this, but no it's very simple to use and easy enough for anyone to lock and disengage when you want to open the door. That was a concern for me as well, would we get it set up but then trap ourselves in the room? It's very simple to remove though. Click here to see a great video on Addalock.

Burglabar
This is one I was REALLY excited about. After feeling safe living at home to living in a 6th floor apartment for a couple years when hubby and I first moved in together, moving into a house with a sliding door actually made me pretty nervous. I had heard often they are very easy to open, and the lock on our sure doesn't feel secure. Up until now we had been using an unsightly cut off hockey stick to block the sliding door for opening, but it's a total pain to get back out, especially when you have an antsy dog waiting to get outside. With the Burglabar it's easy to use and you feel much more secure in your home. I recommend to everyone that was a sliding door and/or first floor sliding windows.

Addahook
The Addahooks are heavy duty suction hooks that have been specially designed to adhere to most smooth surfaces. They are perfect for a whole host of places, like the bathroom, kids room, basement. I think that especially the bathroom always needs more hooks, we only have one towel rack in our bathroom, not enough space for 4 people! So this is perfect!

We are so excited to share an awesome special price with you as well. Click here to get 1 Addalock, 2 Burglabars and 2 Addahooks for only $30 - almost a $9 savings! Not only do we recommend this for YOU, but this would make a great gift for friends, parents, couples moving into a new home, everyone!

Summer Trends 2012 by Loose Button

Did you know Canada.. our Toronto Representative Faniya has another awesome event on tap!

This week I am excited to attend an exclusive event, Loose Button & Chantel Guertin - Summer Trends 2012. This evening will bring together beauty, skincare and fashion experts from the GTA.

It will start with Cocktail hour and Complimentary Skin Consultation from Dermalogica. Then Chantel Guertin, a best-selling author of two books, Editor-At-Large at thekit.ca and a beauty expert on the Marilyn Denis Show will be with us to share top beauty trends of this Summer.

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Bad Apple

Did you know Canada.. some sad news going around Southern Ontario. With our unusually warm weather in March followed by cold April nights there has been devastating losses to farmers in Southern Ontario. Most apple farmers have lost almost their entire crop of apples for the season. As we've mentioned before Ontario is Canada's largest apple producer and an industry that is worth up $400 million in Ontario.

Environment Canada refers to this spring as one that has produced four seasons in one - I suffered the same thing in my garden. The warm weather had trees and flowers budding and blooms and the below freezing April nights killed them all off.

It's not going to be a happy fall season in Southern Ontario this year!

The Great Mystery Box Giveaway

Did you know Canada.. it's time for The Great Mystery Box Giveaway! Brought to you by your hosts: Did You Know Canada (us!!), The Knit Wit by Shair, Maple Leaf Mommy and Talking Momcents.

So now is your chance to win one of four themed boxes, full of amazing goodies and mysterious prizes! We have pooled together to collect over ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in prizes!! These awesome products have been divvied up into four themed mystery boxes,with a little something for everyone....

The four themed Mystery Boxes are:
* Baby - think new born up to year. (est value $200)
* Kids - toys, clothes and other assorted treasures. (est value $220)
* Health & Beauty - lotions, potions and other related goodies. (est value $330)
* Box of Intrigue - Mystery, Suspense, Intrigue (full of awesome treats)! (est value $310)

Remember, four lucky Canadians are going to win some totally fabulous products. Four winners will be drawn, each will receive one of the mystery boxes.  All of the products included in the mystery boxes are brand new.  The total estimated prize value is just over $1060.

This giveaway is open to Canada only.

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Dads Deserve to be Healthy with @AdultEssentials #Giveaway

Did you know Canada..  Now that Mother's Day weekend is complete (I had a good one, did you??) it's Dad's turn to get some attention.

As hubby and I have young twin boys, we keep Dad hopping between work, sports, playing at home and lots of Daddy chores.  We need to keep Dad happy, healthy and full of energy.  I was so happy to get some Adult Essentials vitamins for him to try.  Here's what he thinks:

They are surprisingly easy to take, taste good and good texture!  Perfect for grabbing in the morning before work without searching for a drink to take hard vitamins or ignoring them because I don't like the taste.  Now I know why the kids like the children's ones so much!

All the men in our lives deserve to be as healthy as they can be and Adult Essentials can help them do that! What man doesn't love a good tasting gummy every once in a while, after all, many men are just kids at heart, right?! Adult Essentials taste so yummy that they are hard to turn down, in fact, they are difficult to forgot because they taste THAT good! Adult Essentials are pectin based gummy vitamins that are:

* gluten free, nut free, dairy free
* approved by Health Canada
* made with natural flavours and colours
* delicious

Adult Essentials along with Multi-Testing Mommy and a group of amazing and inflencial bloggers are co-hosting a Dads Deserve to be Healthy Giveaway to celebrate Dads in Canada being healthy. Would you like to enter to win a handsome monogramed black gym bag FULL of Adult Essentials for that important Dad in your life?  This is really cool!  Enter the Rafflecopter Form below. Giveaway is open to Canadian Residents only and ends on June 17th 12:01AM.
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Adult Essentials are available online at Well.ca and at most Rexall Pharma Plus, Metro, Sobeys, Lowblaws/Real Canadian Super Stores, London Drugs and now at Shoppers Drugmart. 

To learn more about Adult Essentials, feel free to visit them: Adult Essentials Website@AdultEssentials on TwitterAdult Essentials on Facebook

Recipe Round Up! - May 11 2012

Did you know Canada..  we've had another great week over at Canadian Mom Cooks.  Co-author Multi-Testing Mom and I have been sharing some of our favourite find off the web and from our own personal recipes.

Cottage Pie - people have been making this one for centuries, find out how I make it!

Bacon Egg Cups - a really cool find off the net, it's my new go to recipe for special mornings like Christmas and Easter (and the occasional breakfast for dinner!)

Cheater Risotto ~quick and easy - This recipe tastes almost as good as risotto, just not quite as creamy. It is much easier to cook as it requires less tending to.

Traditional Lasagna - Lasagna isn't as difficult and time consuming as we sometimes may think it is, especially when using Olivieri's new Whole Grain Lasagna sheets.

Super Healthy Kids Website - This website has many wonderfully fun recipes for children. They make eating fun and educational for children. The sectioned plates make a great tool for teaching your children about good food choices.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs - my take on a popular recipe that's sweeping Pinternet in many forms.

Pizza Hut Cheese Bread - sinful but delish!  You simply have to try it.

What have you been cooking up this week?

#RogersSmartHome

Did you know Canada.. with only a few days left in the event, we wanted to remind you about the #RogersSmartHome Giveaway! Remember, there are five Rogers Smart Home Monitoring systems to be won. This contest is open to Ontario residents, ending 5:00pm EST on May 16th, 2012 - only a few days away.

The Rogers Smart Home Monitoring system prize includes..
* 1 touchpad
* 3 door/window sensors
* 1 motion detector
* 1 key fob
* 1 security camera
* 1 thermostat
* 1 lamp dimmer module
* also includes professional installation and monitoring service for one (1) year
approximate total value of $1,518.83

With ultimate reliability and security you are always connected to your home - full system checks, smoke, fire and carbon monoxide monitoring, 24/7 access to their professionally staffed Central Monitoring Station if an alert is triggered. You can view and control your home remotely from any computer or smartphone. This means you know what's happen the minute it happens!!

Save money by controling your lights, thermostat and small appliances. This is the future and it's happening now with Rogers.

Remember this is a Share & Win Contest, so enter today and get sharing! The more you share the better your chances are to win!!

Good luck!!!

Headline Shirts

Did you know Canada..  have you heard about Headline Shirts yet?  They make reeeeeally cool, funky and funny shirts for adults and kids.

Really, I just have to show them to you..

Too cool right??  I love it because the humour is understated and intelligent, it takes you a minute to figure it out.  It's not cheesy either, like some of the "funny" shirts you might see at a flea market or something.  Get one of these and you'll have everyone smirking, love being "in" on the joke with you and they are just fun!

The company uses use only Eco-friendly inks and materials, including the awesome compostible bag the shirt comes in, look at this:

We got the Flying Squirrel for one of my guys.  He thought it was awesome, very excited and proud to wear it to school.  The quality was fantastic, washed great and perfect fit.

Keep up to date with Headline Shirts on Facebook, Twitter and sign up for their newsletter to save $5 off your order!!

We are so excited to share one of these awesome shirts with one of our readers!!  Enter below for your chance to win one free shirt of your choice from Headline Shirts!!

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