Proof Set - 100th Anniversary of Parks Canada

Did you know Canada.. for the first 18 years of my life, all my cousins as well, our Grampa gave us a coin set from the Royal Canadian Mint. It was always fun guessing which present under the tree was the coin set, it was something to look forward to every year. Beautiful keepsakes to look back on such a history and a great memory of my Grampa.

The Mint produces limited-mintage numismatic coins honouring major national achievements and themes. Though they bear a denomination, they are not meant for circulation, and their actual worth is usually significantly greater than their face value.

Crafted of gold, silver or platinum, the Mint's collector coins are individually handled as they enter the presses. A single coin may be struck up to three times to achieve a crisp, flawless impression. Certain coins feature the Mint's proprietary technologies: double holograms, selective plating, colouring or laser enhancement.

One of the gorgeous sets introduced by the Royal Canadian Mint this year is the 100th Anniversary of Parks Canada. July 16th of this year was Parks Canada Centennial Celebration, with events nation wide. After 100 years of existence, Parks Canada has become the largest provider of historical and natural heritage tourism in Canada.

This gorgeous commemorative coin design includes four endangered ecological treasures cradled in the hands of a young Canadian; a Whooping Crane, the Southern Maidenhair Fern, the Western Prairie- Fringed Orchid and a Kentucky Coffee Tree. The set also includes circulation type coins but set in silver, bronze and copper and a 50 cent piece I really like, the boys thought that was really cool too.

Perfect for nature lovers and those proud of our Park's history, this elegant book-style packaging, with removable lens is a set to be proud of and part of our heritage. I'll be sharing this set with my boys and as they grow we'll be purchasing more sets so I can start the tradition my Grampa began with my own family.

These sets would make beautiful gifts for anyone in your life, perfect for celebrating occasions. I remember one family New Years Eve party where my uncle gave all the children a special coin to celebrate the New Year. I kept it with me and on my dresser for a long time and always thought of my uncle whenever I saw it. The Royal Canadian Mint offers something for absolutely everyone. With the sets having a limited number of mintage, you know you are giving a unique and special gift that is to be treasured.

We are so excited to share one of these sets with our readers as well!!! Please enter our giveaway below for a chance to win the 100th Anniversary of Parks Canada Proof Set.

Be sure to check out another great Royal Canadian Mint promotion happening now on Maple Leaf Mommy - she is giving away a really cool Year of the Dragon Coin coin!

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ShesConnected - Checking out Toshiba Tablets

Did you know Canada.. Saturday after hockey we headed to the big city for some Christmas shopping. We hit up the local Future Shop and had a look at the awesome Toshiba Tablets!  At the ShesConnected conference I learned a bit about their new tablets, since the conference by my husband and I have gotten smart phones with the Android system so I was really excited to check out a tablet using Android!

First, even though it was so early we had to park pretty far away..

Good thing I brought a helper to help me find the tablets!

Looks like a good price for the 8GB Wi-FI version of the tablet..

I loved that they had an extra information sheet you could review..

And what I reeeeally love is that you can change the back colour on the tablets as well, Toshiba Canada thinks of everything..

Looks like they even have a couple left!!  I hope Santa gets shopping soon  :-)

We discussed with a Future Shop employee - the great thing about the Toshiba Tablet is how customizable it is - I LOVE the home screen.  Powered by Android 3.1 Honeycomb, you can browse the web, read e-books, play tons of games, listen to music, use the TWO cameras, and more.  The Future Shop employee let us know the colours on the tablet were fantastic and everything looks so great on it, the touch screen responds quickly, it charges lightening fast, everyone appreciated that it includes Adobe Flash and it does, well, everything!  They find many people are replacing their laptop with this tablet as it truly does everything they need.

I've been researching it more since we got home and every review you read is glowing, just fantastic and no problems at all (which doesn't always happen with new technology).  This would make a fantastic gift for ANYONE - students, younger children as a learning tool, on the go 20 year olds, Moms & Dads, everyone!

Be sure to stay up to date with Toshiba Canada by following them on Facebook and Twitter!

I am participating in the Toshiba Brand Ambassador program by www.ShesConnected.com. I received a Toshiba Camileo in exchange for my participation in this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Christmas Gift Basket Classic

Did you know Canada.. We've mentioned before that we love the baskets from GourmetGiftBaskets.com. They ship quickly and always arrive in pristine condition.

We recently tried their Christmas Gift Basket Classic - a great gift idea for anyone! Gramma & Grampa, out of town family, parents, students, absolutely everyone and anyone would enjoy a gift basket.

With delicious treats like chocolate covered cherries, dark chocolate bar, chocolate chip cookies, and almond clustered popcorn it's perfect to share with friends! The basket is also beautiful and great quality, can be used for storing toys, books and bobbles, and more.

Picking out a gift basket with care to fit the personality of the recipient is a great gesture. I love the great descriptions GourmetGiftBaskets.com offers, makes it easy to discuss the gift and ask how the cherries were, or the dip. I know just who I would send the Christmas Care Package to, and know quite a few that would love the Microbrew Beer Bucket Gift Basket. I would looooove to have the Christmas Morning Breakfast Gift Basket to show up at my door.

Great ideas for this Holiday Season and a one stop shop for many people in your life.

Alight

Did you know Canada.. Alight.com offers plus size clothing for women at fantastic prices.

Tops, Cardigans, Dresses and Jeans, there is every look and style imaginable.

I recently received one of their shorts and it fit so well. Was comfortable, light and airy. Something I personally don't like about clothing is when it's clingy! I find so many materials to be so clingy lately, it's not only NOT comfortable but doesn't look that great either. With their beautiful styles, colours and fits you will feel fantastic every time you put something on.

Check out their Sale section for even more amazing deals.

Now is the time to be thinking about New Years Eve outfits and you won't miss with a gorgeous dress from Alight.

We are so excited to offer our readers a chance to win a fabulous top from Alight!!!

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Hallmark Canada

Did you know Canada.. I wanted to tell you some of the beautiful Hallmark Canada products we've been checking out for this Holiday Season.

Jingle the Husky Pup is my son's absolute favourite new friend. He sleeps with him every single night. Every night before bed we read Jingle's story and Jingle barks and sings and the smile on my sons face just melts my heart.

As I've mentioned, my boys start hockey this year, and the Wayne Gretzky ornament as been a treasured item on our tree this year. The boys are checking out our hockey player every day. Ornaments can be such a special gift. I think it's a great idea to select one special ornament for your family that can tell a story of what life's been like this last year. Then as you look back on past ornaments you can think about all those special moments.

A keepsake, recordable storybooks are a big hit this year. I've recorded Santa Claus Is Coming to Town from Hallmark and it's so sweet to see my boys enjoy it. They can also follow along to work on their letter and reading, it's a thoughtful and fun gift for the whole family to be a part of. The book also includes fun music to make the experience even better. Gramma will also be recording a book for the boys this year, again, it's just such a keepsake and something to cherish forever.

Hallmark offers so many beautiful products for the Holiday Season, their cool cards can't be beat. We already have a really cool one picked out for the boys teacher. I really suggest visiting Hallmark this Holiday Season!!

Puss in Boots

Did you know Canada.. we've been trying a fun new game on the XBox 360 - Puss in Boots!

Using the new Kinect system we've been having tons of fun playing this new game. The boys really enjoyed seeing this movie in theatres and to play it ourselves at home has been great fun for the whole family.

Master the style and charm of Puss in Boots in an engaging swashbuckling experience. Duel banditos with style and flair, use cat-like sneaking skills to fool your foes, and team with characters from the film to catch the Golden Goose ... Plus, strum your guitar to serenade the señoritas along the way!

The legendary hero - Puss in Boots is really fun to play on the Kinect as opposed to games with the controller. It keeps the boys more engaged and it's more fun for the family to watch. A fantastic family activity and a great one to pick up for this Holiday Season!!

This might be a fun one to open early on Christmas Eve and have a fun night while everyone waits for Santa's big arrival. Check it out at any number of stores near you!

Thomas the Tank Engine

Did you know Canada.. we've mentioned before how much our boys looooove Thomas. We ride Thomas when he comes to town every year and the boys know the names of every single train it seems.

This Holiday Season bring Thomas to your children with the new products from HIT Entertainment.

One of our favourites it the Thomas Recordable Story Book - Goodnight, Little Engine. A great one for the boys to enjoy at bedtime after we've read a story together. A beautiful keepsake as well. We really enjoy that the book includes music and all the boys favourite trains are featured.

We've also been enjoying Merry Christmas, Thomas! Featuring episodes "Let It Snow", "Surprise, Surprise", "Percy and the Snowman", and "Tree Trouble" - we've been watching it non-stop while we enjoy other Christmas activities. We love that they release new movie sets every year, and the boys love the fun features between episodes.

Thomas is such a family activity and memories for a lifetime. HIT Entertainment provides some fantastic gifts for this Holiday Season!!

Costume Super Center

Did you know Canada.. we've mentioned before that we love Costume Super Center. They provide fun costumes for children and adults. Costumes aren't just for Halloween!! There's themed Holiday Parties, school concerts, playing dress-up and more.

We were so excited to try their elf costumes for kids - they have a fantastic selection for the Holidays.

Not only are the costumes fun but they are great quality, fit well and will last for years!

My little Christmas elf has had a lot of fun showing off to friends, Gramma, and playing games. We can't wrap presents without our elf dressing up first! Featuring a red/green felt tunic, collar, pants, hat, shoes and tie belt we've really been enjoying this costume.

Check out their selection for everyone in the family. Wouldn't it be fun to go around the neighbourhood singing Christmas carols or delivering treats all dressed up??

Start planning a themed New Years Even party and get shopping today!!

Syncrohearts

Did you know Canada.. a fun gift idea for new couples is the new game: Syncrohearts!

Created by Canada's Dr. Bobby Love, Syncrohearts was featured and voted into the top ten on the Canadian reality show Dragon's Den. Dr. Love is an international speaker and author on the topic of love. He has been featured in national print, radio and television media.

The objective of the game is to help couples reconnect and spend more quality time together. In the trials of juggling careers, parenting, life in general; couples tend to forget to take time out together just for themselves. Syncrohearts is like a relationship tune-up and it helps couples get more mileage out of their relationship by opening up the lines of communication with love, laughter and romance.

While you might feel a bit silly at first, it really is a fun game on a cold winter night to reconnect with your mate or learn about each other in a new relationship. Did not take too long to play either, just right for a fun night.

A fun, new and different gift idea for both new and experienced couples in your life!!

KIOKKO

Did you know Canada.. KIOKKO Bebe Couture is THE store to visit for chic baby accessories. Their products come in gorgeous prints and vibrant colours, something you just can't find in large retail stores, and the quality is amazing.

We recently tried their large eco-washclothes - made with premium designer cotton and backed with absorbent terry cloth these are perfect for not only babies skin but the big boys and girls too. Not for only in the tub these have been great for sticky fingers at meal time and a quick face clean up before we go out the door. They are SO cool looking, I just can't get over the comparison to other wash cloths that we've had that are dingy and stringy within days of using them.

They also have beautiful blankets, the sweetest bibs, mitten clips, nursing covers and more.

With all of their products designed and handmade in Canada, this would be a great gift for any little one in your family, or for ones on the way! With only $5 flat rate shipping on all orders within Canada & USA you absolutely can not go wrong. Not sure what to get? They also have easy to get E-Gift Certificates!

We are SO EXCITED to share with our readers a limited time 30% discount code, enter didyouknowcanada when checking out to receive 30% off your ENTIRE order, how awesome is that???

Go, shop, right now!!

Coppertone

Did you know Canada.. many people are surprised when I tell them they should be wearing sunscreen even in the winter!

Well it is absolutely true. In fact, I've read that snow reflects about 80 percent of the ultraviolet light that hits it. AND for every 1,000 feet of elevation, ultraviolet exposure increases about 2 percent (snow hills, mountain climbing).

And for most Canadians, it's Coppertone that is synonymous with suncare. As the most trusted suncare brand, Coppertone offers an extensive line of suncare products that meet the needs of every member of the family, every day. In fact, Coppertone's Canadian head office has been located in Montréal, Quebec, since 1926!

For protecting your exposed face in the winter check out Coppertone's line made specially for the face. Their oil free line offers Broad-spectrum protection against UVA/UVB rays in 30 and 60 SPF. It's also hypoallergenic, paraben free and has a light formula can be used under makeup and won't clog pores.

Heading to the slopes or other winter sports be sure to use Coppertone SPORT. It's waterproof, won’t run into eyes and sting, sweatproof and hypoallergenic.

Think about adding Coppertone as a stocking stuffer this year, or adding it to a beauty gift bag you're making, this is an extremely thoughtful and well timed gift for this Holiday Season!!

Booster Juice

Did you know Canada.. Booster Juice is Canada's largest chain of fresh juice and smoothie bars!!

It was in 1999 that the first Booster Juice location was opened in Edmonton AB.

While they have not only juices, shakers, and yogurt blendz our absolute favourite is the smoothies!!

I love that the smoothie is made right in front of you and you know exactly what is going in it. Our current favourite is Strawberry sunshine - VERY strawberry with a hint of banana, it also has passion fruit and guava - delish!! It's not only me that loves it either, the kids think it's the most special treat there is!! Just don't tell them how good it is for them ;)

This month their featured smooth is Eggnog!! Looks and sounds like the perfect Holiday treat doesn't it?!

Why not grab a gift card for a friend or a stocking stuffer for family, it would make a great treat and they would know how much you care about them for offering such a healthy AND tasty treat!

BKH Jerky

Did you know Canada.. you have have seen them on Dragon's Den - BKH Jerky is a store out of Vancouver that makes the MOST delicious jerky you have ever had!

It's Singapore style beef and pork jerky that is sweet, juicy, and moist. Not at all dried out and tough to chew like any other jerky I've tried. I love that BKH jerky uses half the salt as other typical dry, chewy, salty, and leathery jerky out there. We do not use MSG, gluten, or wheat in our jerky.

The pork is my fav but beef is my hubbys fav, we love BOTH original and spicy, I say buy it all and fun a fun night of taste testing!!

A family owned business, they use only the finest cuts of Canadian grown beef and pork products, the meat is sliced not ground and is finished on the barbecue. This is not something you can pick up at the corner store!!

I'm sure you can think of AT LEAST 10 guys and gals in your life that would absolutely love to try this stuff, I know I can (including me!!!), this would make a fantastic Christmas gift. Introducing a friend or family member not only to a new style of jerky, but Canadian made at that!

A new, different and fun gift idea for this Holiday Season, treat your friends to something new and be the hero of the day - I promise, everyone will INHALE this stuff, so delicious!!! Order online today!!!

Sophia Grace

Did you know Canada.. Sophia Grace is fun, flirty and fabulous aprons!! Started in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, these Canadian made beauties are 100% cotton and not only stylish but made to last. One size fits all with long straps that are really cute tied up, they are absolutely perfect for everyone. Aprons are a HOT new trend this Holiday Season!

With great names like Heidi, Sienna and Dryden (for the guys!) these are really FUN! They also have really cute ones for kids.

At Sophia Grace there are some simple rules to follow that you will find attached to every apron: Enjoy the simple things in life, compliment each other often, laugh easily, and when the days are long remember that the years are short. May you wear your apron when friends and family gather, may it be given as a gift to bring joy and smiles, and may it be handed down to other generations who will also find comfort in the company of friends and tradition.

I have a Sophia Grace apron and I love it!! These are not your Granny's aprons - they are fun, cute to wear, durable, fits great and they really do keep your clothes clean - perfect for baking with kids and messy, MESSY hands touching everything!

What a great gift this Holiday season for ANYONE in your life. How perfect would this be to bring for the hostess of your next Christmas party. Better still, every apron sold is shipped FREE - get shopping today. Make sure you are following them on Facebook for all the latest news, and maybe some discounts and giveaways too!!

Pipestone Soaps

Did you know Canada.. Pipestone Soaps makes beautiful and amazing smelling premium hand made soap - COMPLETELY made from scratch. Made in home in Northern Alberta. I've ordered from her a few times and the last order I got she included a perfume stick!

A perfume stick, what's that you ask?? I didn't know either!! She makes these AWESOME perfume sticks in any of her scents that are the absolute most perfect things to have in your purse or pocket.

No more unexpected and yucky leaks, I remember having a small spray in my purse that didn't have a noticeable leak in any way but every time I opened my purse it had that yucky smell of OLD, stale perfume, not nice at all. With the sticks (they look like a chapstick) you just twist them up, rub on, smell beautiful and put them away cleanly and easily.

Already a huge hit with MYSELF, my Mom, my Mama friends, we are rockin' the perfume stick and amazing everyone else with it. I had Sacha, Mama and owner of Pipestone Soaps create me a WHOLE BUNCH of perfume sticks to share with friends, family and my READERS!! I have FIVE perfume sticks to giveaway to you friends. Trust me, as soon as you check these out you will be placing orders with Pipestone Soaps the next day!!

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I See Me!

Did you know Canada.. I See Me creates PERSONALIZED children's books!!

We were so excited to see that they even have one for siblings or in our case TWINS! My boys absolutely love this book, we read it every single night. Not only does it have their names in it but it also mentions family members like Mama and Daddy, Gramma and Pop and even the dogs make an appearance!!

They have a great selection on books, I think my boys would love the pirate book where Sea creatures bring letters one by one to spell out your child's name in rhyme.

Perfect for the Holiday Season they also have A Christmas Bear for Me - Make a child's Christmas magical. Comes with a mini plush bear and a personalized letter from Santa!

I love that I See Me's mission is to increase self esteem in children through personalized books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child. The goal of their books is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skill. My boys are SO EXCITED to see their name in print and the smiles are so worth it. It's very special to have your boys feel so great about themselves.

This would make a fantastic gift this Holiday Season and any time of year, a real keepsake!

We are so excited to share with our readers - we are able to giveaway a copy of the Who Loves Me book - can be made for one child or siblings.

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From The Blue House

Did you know Canada.. From The Blue House is just outside of Shelburne Ontario and it's where Jen, the Soap Lady, makes her handmade, all natural soaps!

We recently received a sample from Jen and I have to tell you, my boys - yes, my stinky, dirty 4 year old boys, went nuts!! They loves smelling all the soaps, picking out their favourite, setting it up in the bathroom and washing there hands a billion times. They washed their hands without me asking, can you believe it???

These beautiful soaps are made fresh from scratch in small batches, with only natural ingredients and botanicals, cut by hand, and absolutely you can tell - made with love. Isn't that EXACTLY the sort of thing you want to have available for your family?

With a fantastic set of products including Bar Soap, Baby Blocks (perfect for those that use cloth diapers), and gorgeous Gift Sets. These are perfect for gifts this Holiday Season - friends, Moms, sisters, teachers, neighbours, absolutely everyone would appreciate these soaps as thoughtful and beautiful gifts!!

Our favourite scent was the Orangealicious - not only does the Orange smell great but check this out: it's used as an anti inflammatory, anti depressant, aphrodisiac, anti septic, diuretic, tonic, sedative, and it serves as a detoxifier, boosts immunity, treats constipation and dyspepsia and is very good for maintaining a healthy, smooth and glamorous skin. It also helps cure acne and dermatitis.

From The Blue House is a great Canadian small business to support this Holiday Season!!

November Luxe Box

Did you know Canada.. I'm sure you DO know we love Luxe Boxes, created by Canadian company Loose Button. In case you don't know, Luxe Box is a monthly subscription service that delivers 4-5 deluxe-sized beauty samples to your doorstep in a chic box. The samples range from skincare and makeup to fragrance, body, and haircare.

Be sure to follow Loose Button on Facebook as well and vote for Did you know Canada? in the Lancome Luxe Box contest so I can giveaway another box to you guys!!!

We had a chance to check out this months box and it is the best one we've ever seen!

Containing large samples of..
* Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub - fragrance free, it makes your skin feel fresh and beautiful, worked well even on my sensative skin
* Lise Watier Couleur Folle Mineral Loose Powder Eyeshadow - mine is aqua colour, not a colour I would choose for myself normally but I love it!! Goes on very light and just adds a great shine that opens up your eyes, this is exactly why I love this service, taking yourself away from your standards to find out you really do love other colours and products!!
* Meradesso Lip Treats - we've talking about Canadian company Meradesso before, this primer is full of great benefits like Vitamins A, C and E and doubles the wear time of any lip product
* Benefit Cosmetics B. Right! Total Moisture Facial Cream - feels luxurious going on and real does provide long lasting moisture, very happy to find this!
* As a special treat this month we also received a bonus item from a fav of ours - Canadian company Teaopia!!! Everyone received a Cactus Fig Tea Kit in their box, complete with paper filters - another great find as I admit I wouldn't normally pick Cactus Fig Tea from a big list, but I LOVE IT - who knew!!

From the note and sticker with your name on it, to the beautifully done information card, there is such a sense of excitement that comes from opening a Luxe Box, such a treat you feel like it's almost too special (almost, but you still open it..haha). This would make a perfect gift this Holiday Season for any woman in your life, not to get cliché, but it truly is a "gift that keeps on giving" - with new products coming to your door every month it's a year long present, what could be better???

I think we are so lucky to have this service available to us and SO excited that I get to share one with my readers as well!!

That's right, one lucky reader will win a December Luxe Box!!!

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Libre Tea

Did you know Canada.. people are so into hot drinks lately I think a HUGE hit will be Libre Tea glasses this Holiday Season.

The Libre tea glass is the perfect tea gift for any tea lover in your family. Perfect for at home, the office AND on the go, you can take it anywhere!

Check out this fantastic video on how to use the glass, so you can see it in action. Easy to use, get the best drink from your tea every time!! No more trying to use those messy filters over top of your cup that slop HOT water everywhere, or someone new to tea wondering how you even use tea leaves on the daily basis. Libre Tea glasses are for every tea drinker, with their loose leaf tea infuser it makes a perfect cup every time.


I think the Libre glass'n poly Mug would make a beautiful gift this Holiday Season. I find it very cosy and perfect for at home or in the office with the handle, can be used 2 ways to brew and travel with loose leaf tea 'on the go' – tea in the tea glass or tea on top of the twist off filter.

One of my favourite things about Libra tea glasses is how LONG they keep your tea warm. I am sure every tea drink out there has run into tea gone cold and while iced tea is good, luke warm tea is not. With the Libre Tea glasses you never have to worry, they are thermal because it is double walled - keeps hot tea hot and iced tea cold.

A fantastic gift idea for friends, family, co workers, teachers and more this Holiday Season!!

We are so excited to share that one lucky reader will be winner their own Libre glass'n poly Mug!!

Giveaway

Organically Hatched

Did you know Canada.. located in beautiful British Columbia, Organically Hatched brings you the very best in organic baby products.

Fantastic gift ideas for this holiday season, Organically Hatched is a one stop shop for every baby and toddler in your life. How cute would MiniMe Baby Bamboo Socks be in a stocking, or Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops for a special treat?

My guys recently tried this Made By Me, wood toy vehicle kit - they were the perfect age for this fun toy, not only do they get a vehicle but they got to make it themselves first! With 4" long unfinished, sanded smooth pine truck body, and natural wheels and axles all you need is some glue, a hammer, and paints, crayons, stickers or whatever you want to use to decorate with - so much fun!

With a website full of fun, or gift certificates if you can't decide, this is a great Canadian company to support this Holiday Season! Follow them on Twitter for all their latest information.