Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link up! 04/20

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This week's Candid Canuck is Kerrie from Family Food and Travel. Check out our interview with her..

What inspired you to start your blog and where do you see it going in the future?
I started my blog out of a desire to have a consistent outlet to write.  I love writing, and don't have enough time to do it in my day job.  I also felt I had stories to tell and experiences to share.  My family loves travel and food so it made sense to feature those on my blog.

I dream of my blog being a place that people come to for specific travel reviews/advice.  A place where people laugh alongside our parenting missteps and a place where food is celebrated, and enjoyed.  I would also love to work with other bloggers on a collaborative site, one that showcases our talents and brings them together.

How did your passion for travel develop?
My parents taught me that stepping outside of your comfort zone was so important for growth and development.  While most of our travel as a family was road trips, each one reinforced how much fun travel was.  But, honestly, I have always had a deep desire to travel to all corners of the world.  To experience new cultures, foods, and places.

What is the craziest thing that has happened to you or your family while travelling?
There are so many!  I think the one that I still cannot believe happened was an experience I had in Kenya.

While on a trip there I went to use the washroom.  Once seated I realized there was a snake curled up sleeping in the corner.  Telling myself that loud noises and my fear would wake it I decided to quietly tip toe out of there.  As I was leaving it lifted its head and looked at me.  I think at that moment I was the most scared I have ever been.

I got out, and found the guard that was nearby and explained as best I could that there was a snake there.  He instructed me to stand back, he drew his machete and entered the bathroom.  I heard the swoosh of the blade.  Then, the guard emerged smiling holding the chopped in half snake over his head - one piece in each hand.  Then, he said "Black Mamba, bad, very very bad, have a nice day"
Yep.  I was in the bathroom with a snake that's bite is 100 percent fatal.  Crazy.

You post about your twin boys often on your blog. Tell us something about life with twins. What do you want other non-twin parents to know?
Twins are the most wonderful gift but also a trying, exhausting and overwhelming experience.  Parents of multiples have higher rates of divorce, and depression and I honestly believe it.  Multiples are stressful, from raising them, to paying for two of everything, it's tough. It's a hard go for that first year, but having twin three year olds is challenging in a whole other way.

That said, raising twins is such an amazing experience.  Watching two people grow up together as best friends (and sometimes partners in crime) is amazing.  I am in awe of my boys every single day.  Their bond, their understanding of each other and the fun they have together. They are a true miracle.  99.9% of the time I feel like the luckiest woman in world :)

I would want other non-twins to know that if they known anyone having multiples to rush over to their house with food, a desire to hold babies and clean their house.  They need all the help they can get!

If you could travel anywhere within Canada where would it be? Who would you go with and why?
I would love to do a trip to PEI and Newfoundland - those are two places that I have never been and always wanted to.  I'd either like to make it a girls adventure with some close friends or with my family (if my boys were a bit older).

What stereotype about Canadians drives you nuts? Our readers want to know :)
That we always say sorry for everything.  Ooops, sorry, I hope I didn't offend anyone!

What is your must have travel item for families? 
Beside a passport - my must have travel item is a sense of adventure, and patience.  Without those two you will never be able to tackle the many things that could (and often do) happen when travelling.

Thanks so much Kerrie!
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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up! 04/13

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This week's Candid Canuck is Shannon from Shannon's View from Here. Check out our interview with her..

What do you love most about blogging? 
I started blogging contests, coupons and freebies for a site that I was a regular visitor to.  I blogged coupons, deals and contests for close to two years when I started my own blog.  I wanted to explore blogging a little more and play with my creativity.  I started sharing family favorite recipes and crafts.  I am a proud co-host of Artsy Play Wednesday Link up Party where a new kid friendly craft is shared every week.  Eventually I started to work with brands.  I love the connections I have made with other bloggers and representatives of brands.  The surprising part to me was the community I found and fell in love with.

Is there a company you would love to work with that you have not yet? Why?
I have my eye on a couple of Canadian based tourism boards.  Travel Alberta, Hello B.C. and Visit Nova Scotia.   All the provinces actually are on my wish list!  Sharing family friendly destinations would be so much fun.  Working for an airline has its flight privileges and my family is adventurous enough to try anything!

How does your family see your blog? Do they "get" it or wonder what you are doing online all the time? 
My husband definitely gets it.  Don came along with me to She's Connected Conference last September to support me as well as learn the ropes himself.  He is cool like that.  My mom tells everyone I have a blog but I am not sure she fully gets it.  My daughters hand my business card everyone.  They have even suggested some blogging topics for me.  I am lucky that my family is very supportive.

If you could change one thing about your blog, what would it be? 
I love my design and colours.  I think I would change some back end things such as server or platforms.  Can you recommend someone?  :)

Where do you see your blog a year from now?
I hope to be writing more about family friendly Canadian travel.  I would love to share all of Canada with my kids, husband and readers.

Thanks so much Shannon!
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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link up! 04/06

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This week's Candid Canuck is Shayna from Mommy Outside the Box. Check out our interview with her..

Do you feel living where you do helps inspire you with your blogging or does it hinder your opportunities?

I know that if I really looked closely at it I would find living in Canada does limit opportunities in terms of working with brands but I don't see it as a huge obstacle.  We have some truly fabulous brands here, both big and small that know the value of working with bloggers and that is growing all the time.  I can tell you that in terms of just pure writing, there is inspiration all around in this great big beautiful country. We have so much to be thankful for.


You have worked with some great companies and had some fab ambasadorships, is there one you have really enjoyed? Why ?

All of my experiences have been positive so far. My biggest shout out would have to be to the lovely folks at Canadian Beef.  They took a huge chance on me when my blog was really just a baby and have given me so many opportunities to grow.  When I applied to work with them as an Ambassador my blog was just a few months old but Canadian Beef is something very near and dear to me (having grown up on a beef farm)and I was confident I would do a great job.  My passion must have shown because I was given the opportunity and I was and still am very grateful for that.


If you could travel anywhere where would it be?

That's a tough one!  I've been fortunate enough to do a little bit of traveling in my life already but it is such a big world. I think if I had the chance to go anywhere it would be French Polynesia.  I can't imagine a more beautiful place exists.  But there are also places in Canada that are on my bucket list.  I have yet to travel to the east coast and one day I want to spend Canada Day in the capital with my family.


Tell us your goals for your blog.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.  I started my blog for me, to write and have a creative outlet.  Once in a while I feel that I'm steered a little too far away from that.  The drive to do things like increase SEO, page rank, and secure paid opportunities can get in the way of my intent.  That's not to say that I think there is anything wrong with focusing on those elements of my blog, or any blog, but I really don't want to lose sight of why I created it in the first place.  So one of my goals is to get to back to writing for me.

On the flip side of that, I have the opportunity to give my blog a fresh look and I'm really looking forward to that.  Because I didn't start blogging with the intent of it being a source of income I wasn't particularly concerned with it looking "professional."  My goal, in terms of design, it to create something that is more inline with my own personal style that also has a clean professional look.


Do you have any advice for new Canadian bloggers just starting out?

My advice for new Canadian bloggers, or any blogger for that matter, is to be patient and do what feels right for you.  It takes time to build a blog.  There will be times when you get frustrated and think about just walking away. Those are the times when you need to take a step back and take a breath. It doesn't matter if you are blogging for pleasure, for income or a little of both, there are going to be frustrations and days when you are uninspired. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off and refocus. You are going to have dry spells, both in terms of inspiration and opportunities, that's just part of blogging. If you really aren't getting anything out of blogging, and it's become more of a chore than a pleasure then maybe it is time to walk away.

The other key piece of advice I would give is to surround yourself with people who support your goals. That could be friends, family or other bloggers (probably some of each).  Don't be afraid to listen to advice or ideas from other people.  You won't always follow that advice but you will learn and you will benefit from it.  Read other blogs.  See what works and what doesn't.  This isn't a science.  That's one of the great things about blogging.  It's creative, it's subjective, and it can be whatever you want it to be.


Thanks so much Shayna!
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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up! 03/30

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This week's Candid Canuck is Karen from Nourish With Karen. Check out our interview with her..

What prompted you to start your blog?
I started to blog because I love food and I want to share my ideas about healthier options!  There is such disconnect between food and health right now.  As a Nutritionist, I know that what we eat becomes the foundation of our health and wellbeing.   So many of the medical symptoms we treat with drugs can be alleviated with proper nutrition.    I want people to know that!

How do you meal plan when you have the challenges of food tolerances in your home/family?
When you first figure out that food intolerance plays a part in a family member’s health and you realize that the cure is changing what they eat, you are relieved!  Then you start thinking about the logistics of meal planning.

There is a desire to replace products with like products.  People, and children specifically, want the foods they are familiar with, but with time you find new favourites.  Quite honestly, food intolerances were a blessing in disguise.  We eat so much better now that we are aware of the food issues.  There is much less dependence on packaged food.  We eat fresh food, much less sugar and more fruits and vegetables.  If you are travelling you often end up taking food with you.

It is amazing the baked goods you can make with wheat flour substitutes like almond flour and coconut flour, which are high in protein and fibre.

If you could give our readers one piece of advice when it comes to healthy meal planning, what would it be?
My advice regarding healthy meal planning is to stop relying on manufactured products like salad dressings, meals in a box, packaged cookies, etc.  These products are high in salt, sugar and preservatives and low in nutrition.   Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.  This is where you will find whole, fresh foods which are so much better for you.

What do you think of as the ultimate Canadian comfort food?
I think of “one pot meals” as the ultimate Canadian comfort food.  There is nothing better than coming home to a hot crockpot meal that is ready to serve on a busy weeknight.

Do you have a recipe you are particularly proud of?
I make a delicious chilli, which I have been tweaking for years.  The flavours are complex and delicious.  This is in part because of the play between the sweetness of the molasses and honey and the sour flavour of the tomatoes and apple cider vinegar.  The smoked paprika and chipotle pepper add a smoky, rich flavour to it as well.  It is the ultimate comfort food and can be prepared the night before, refrigerated, and then popped into the crockpot on low for 4-5 hours.  (You can find this chilli recipe HERE, at Karen's website.)

Share with us a few other Canadian bloggers you think our readers should check out.
There are so many awesome Canadian bloggers in the blogosphere to choose from and the sense of community is overwhelming.  I am grateful to the hosts of Canucks Rock: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!  These ladies are dynamic for their promotion of others!

Other websites I enjoy are:  Satori Design for Living, Shauna has great ideas, gorgeous pictures and I always come away inspired.  Just a Smidgen is another beautiful site which is described as a lifestyle blog filled with recipes, photography, poems, and DIY.  It oozes creativity!  Angie at Echoes of Laughter dabbles in all sorts of ideas, and I love her bright, sunny disposition.  Of course being a foodie, I am drawn to all kinds of food blogs as well, Ceci n’est pas un food blog and Dan’s Good Side, to name a couple.

Thanks so much Karen!
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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up! 03/23

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This week's Candid Canuck is Serena from The Bewildered Bug. Check out our interview with her..

What prompted you to start your blog?

I originally started my blogging in 2008.  I did this because I was arranging my wedding in Trinidad while going to school in Toronto.  Only one of my friends from Canada was able to make the wedding, so I thought that it would be an easy way of keeping them up to date on what was going on while I was in Trinidad.  It also helped me to not have to answer the same questions a million times, but rather, just email everyone the private link.   After the wedding I used it to keep my family and friends in Trinidad updated on my new married life.  I decided to go public because a few of my friends encouraged me to.  I started with writing about life events and doing writing challenges.  I later was mentored by Kim from Tales of a Ranting Ginger and started doing product reviews on my blog.

I have many, many allergies, the worst of which are my food allergies.  After writing about it once, there were so many questions from readers that I decided to start writing about food allergies and promoting allergy friendly foods and products.  I have also been diagnosed with Clinical Depression and Panic Disorder, and try to write about Mental Health to help get rid of stigma about Mental Illnesses and to help educate the public.


What are some of your favourite topics to blog about?

This is a difficult question.  Blogging is therapeutic for me, so I like to blog about issues that bother me and my Mental Health challenges.  However, I love blogging about food, I love attending events and travelling and then telling you about the awesome places I have been and things I have seen.  I love jewellery and makeup, so when I get those products to try and write about I am over the moon!


As a gluten free blogger do you have a favourite recipe you'd like to share?

I still consider myself a newbie at gluten free cooking - the reason is because food, in itself, is actually pretty easy to convert to gluten free.  If I write a recipe, I want it to be original and from me, not some form of someone else's recipe.  Gluten Free baking, however, is a completely different matter.  It is all about mixing different flours to get an effect close to normal wheat flour - which does not always work.  Dairy free cooking and baking is probably the easiest because you replace dairy with dairy free on a 1:1 basis.  The hardest allergen to replace is egg....because nothing in the world comes close to reacting like an egg!

I digress.  My favourite recipe is actually not one of mine, but one from Carol A
at Simply Gluten Free - Dairy Free Chocolate Pots.  I just make them without berries.  I just die when I have them!  I have made them with milk chocolate as well and those are quite divine and loved by my dairy-loving friends and family.


You recently moved from Canada to the U.k.  What do you miss most about Canada?

I miss so much!  I think it is due to me having to get used to it here.  I am living at least 4 hours away from anyone I know so I am pretty lonely.  I miss the familiarity of Canada and I miss having my usual support system.  I definitely miss meeting up with my bloggy girlfriends!  We did not do it that often but I always loved seeing them.  I miss living near a big city where things do not close up at 5pm.  I miss the 24 hour Korean restaurant down the road from me.  I miss the stores (cause I am a shopaholic).  I miss Pho!!!!!!! Wow I can go on and on, but in the end, moving somewhere new is a process and I just have to be patient (which I have a hard time doing).


What are some of the challenges of blogging from overseas?

There are a few challenges.  When I knew I was moving I swore to upkeep the Canadian part of my blog because I have so many North American followers, and let's face it...without their readership, I never would have had a blog.  So, the biggest challenge with regards to that is doing the reviews and attending the events.  I am not there, so I have to depend on others (in my case my MIL and my cousin) to do what I used to do.  My MIL is not the most reliable with getting info to me on time and she leaves it to my BIL to take photos which he NEVER does.  After that, when I ask what they think, I get a one sentence answer ("I liked it" or something similar), which I have to tell you is impossible to write a review from.  My cousin is more reliable but just learning the ropes.  A lot of the time I end up buying a review item if they sell it here and reviewing it myself.  With regards to events, I have to contact my cousin to see if she could go, and she has a newborn....and does not check her email very frequently...so I feel as if I am in the dark, but we are figuring things out (I hope).

With regards to British companies, I feel as if I am starting all over, and it is frustrating not to have the support and network that I had in Canada.  If I ever needed help or advice, I knew who to turn to.  If I needed to contact a company rep, I knew how to and who would answer.  The British reps have no clue who I am and take their time getting back to you, if they get back to you at all.  It just is very frustrating to have to start from scratch with my product reviews after a year and a half of it.

The awesome thing is that this is forcing me back to my personal blogging and I am starting to think out of the box to bring my readers interesting content that are not reviews and giveaways, but full of information and tales to make them react (hopefully in a positive way).


Share with us 3 other Canadian bloggers you think our readers should check out.

There are so many great bloggers that I will be doing an injustice to the ones who don't get mentioned. Let me first say that all of the Canadian bloggers I have met and read are amazing ladies, and each one of them have spectacular stories!

I love sarcasm and cynicism, so Tanis Miller (formerly Attack of a Redneck Mommy) is one of my absolute favourites.  She lives in an incredibly difficult situation, yet she always manages to make me guffaw out loud when I read her writing.  I think the first blog of hers I read was "Blue Thunder" - and what a read that was!  She is so awesome that I have actually never gone up to her to meet her at conferences because I am too intimidated.  Sad I know!

I seem to like people who struggle with problems and manage to get past them somehow...and then take it that step further to try to help, in their own little way.  My friend Sober Julie has a section on her blog called "Sober Doesn't Suck" where she talks about her alcoholism, addictions, her sobriety story and ways to help others get sober/clean.  I admire people like that.

Not really a blogger, but rather, a community of bloggers, I like Masalamommas because in the one year that I was alone in Toronto, Anjum, Sheba and Kulbinder, three of their bloggers, supported me to a ridiculous extent online and IRL.  If it wasn't for their encouragement I am not sure I would have gotten through my loneliness as easily as I did.  Anjum in particular also somehow got through some of my fears of mingling with a South Asian community and I truly appreciate her welcoming me with open arms to Masalamommas events even though I am neither South Asian, nor a Momma.


So what is the future for Bewildered Bug?

I am looking into starting "Wandering Wednesdays", a series of posts with loads of photos that describe the areas I now live in.  England is so different and I want you to discover it along with me!

Also not so much this blog, but soon to be an affiliated website, I am starting my allergy free baking business, The Baking Bug.  I will be specialising in professional allergy free celebration and wedding cakes for the West Yorkshire area.  Unfortunately I cannot ship to Canada.  Oh, and yes, I am formally trained.


Thanks so much Serena!
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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up 02/09

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Jacquelyn from The Gourmet Housewife. Check out our interview with her..

Tell us what inspires your recipes.

I subscribe to over 75 cooking blogs and 3 magazines. I love pouring over other recipes, which give me ideas for food I want to make.

What made you start a blog?

Not only do I love cooking, but I love sharing recipes too. I always have people comment about how my food is so "fancy", when it really isn't. I wanted to show that it is possible to cook restaurant quality food at home, with very little time and effort. You don't have to be a 5 star chef to move away from pan fried pork chops and boiled peas.

Have you ever tried a recipe that just did not turn out? Tell us about it.

Oh yes. Many times. Those ones just don't get documented. ;) I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so most times it's actually perfectly edible...and it drives my husband crazy that I'm so critical of myself.

For actual failures, there are two that stand out clearly in my mind:

#1: I used to make this chocolate cake as a kid, but every time I did, it didn't hold together and kept falling apart. It was still delicious, but you had to eat it in a bowl with a spoon. The recipe called for "1 cup sour milk (1 tsp vinegar)", which I assumed meant: "If you don't have sour milk, just put in the vinegar." I didn't understand that I was supposed to add the vinegar TO the milk to make buttermilk.

#2: I am TERRIBLE at doubling or halving a recipe. I always miss one ingredient. I made oatmeal cookies using the recipe on the back of the Robin Hood bag. They were flat and see-through. I kept ranting, "You would THINK that the people who made the oats would know how to make oatmeal cookies!" Turns out...when I was doubling the recipe, I forgot to double the oats.

Is there something you want to try but have not had a chance to do it? If yes, what?

So much! A couple on my list to try soon are making my own homemade chèvre (goat cheese) and dumplings.

Why do you dislike cilantro so much? If a recipe calls for it, what do you use?

I used to be okay with cilantro, but something changed about 10 years ago. The smell actually gives me a headache. I keep trying to train myself to like it, so I can handle it in small quantities, but I find that for me it adds nothing to a recipe. Most times I just omit it from a recipe, though once in awhile I'll substitute fresh parsley instead.

Surviving Canadians winters, what can you simply not live without during the wintertime?

My oven. There's just something about snowy winter days that makes me want to bake. It's always going full steam during the winter months, popping out bread, cinnamon buns and cookies on a weekly basis. My husband and coworkers love it. ;)

Thanks so much Jacquelyn!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up! 02/02

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Elizabeth from Frugal Mom Eh! check out our interview with her..

Do you have a money saving tip you would like to share?
I think the best way to save money is to take a good look at your monthly bills. Your cell phone bill, your electrical/hydro bill, your cable bill etc… All your telecommunication bills are NEGOTIABLE! Shop around at your providers competition and call in to your current provider armed with the “amazing” offers you are considering switching to. Ask for the “loyalty” or “retention dept” to get the most savings. If you are paying for services without any discounts or offers you are being ripped off! As far as utility bills take a look at how you can reduce your consumption. You can easily cut down on your water usage and your electrical usage without depriving yourself.

You have had some great products featured on your blog. What is your fave product/brand you have reviewed and why?
That’s so hard! I have been really blessed to have worked with some really great companies over the past year, it’s incredible. LilHelper has been really fabulous to deal with, I can’t say enough good things about those guys, and their cloth diapers rock! I also recently worked with SodaStream and Samsung on product reviews and I definitely have to put the SodaStream Fizz and the Samsung Series 9 UltraBook up there with my favourite products I’ve reviewed. DK Canada books are really wonderful to deal with and have such amazing quality books. Hasbro is also a lot of fun to work with – my daughter absolutely loves the Rocktivity Sit to Stand Musik Skool we reviewed. Honestly this is such a difficult question to answer because I really value the relationship I have with so many brands I can’t pick just one!

What is your biggest pet peeve about blogs, bloggers or blogging?
Oh but I have so many! When it comes to blogs themselves, I can’t stand an unorganised messy looking blog.


Where do you see your blog in a year from now? Do you have any fave blogs you read often? Share with us 2 of your must reads.
Bigger, better but similar. I’m not planning any big changes. Just hoping for growth like everyone I suppose.

I have so many blogs that I read regularly and have since before I started blogging myself. I have 3 Canadian blogs that I’ve been reading for a while now and motivated me to start my own so I am going to share all 3 rather than just 2. Tales of a Ranting Ginger, Feisty Frugal and Fabulous and Mommy Kat and Kids.

You have one hour alone to yourself, what do you do?
Oh gosh I would take the longest, hottest, bubbliest bath in the history of bathing with a BIG glass of wine and a book. Bliss!



Thanks so much Elizabeth!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up! 02/23

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Amanda from Multi-Testing Mommy check out our interview with her..

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background before you started blogging.
Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to become a teacher.  I went through life working with kids as a babysitter, swim instructor, piano teacher, Child Life assistant (in a hospital) and more.  Teaching was who I was until I had a family of my own.  I focused my everything on being a teacher.  I loved teaching Kindergarten and music!  When I had children, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to focus on my family and have enjoyed doing this for the past 8 years!  I got into blogging as a way to stay connected to the outside world when my daughter was born and also as a way that I could share her exciting developments.  Slowly, my blog started taking on new forms of sharing information with other Canadian parents so I re-branded and became what I am now - Multi-Testing Mommy.

Three things that I love to do are hold babies, bake and sing.

One thing that I don't love is seafood, can't stand it!  Never have, never will.

One thing that I strive to figure out is time management and organization.

I am a people pleaser, a mix between an introvert and an extrovert (depending on the situation) and I am sensitive.

I love to give advice when asked and I try to be an open book, if you want to know something, just ask!  I love to share :)

If you went on a trip to the Bahamas what three items would you NEED to take with you?
Can I say my family?  My hubby and my two kids?  LOL! Seriously!  If not, then for sure my computer, a bathing suit and LOTS of sunscreen!

Tell us about Multi-Testing Mommy, what's the theme or idea behind your site?
Multi-Testing Mommy started off as a separate blog from my personal blog, a place where I could share product reviews and giveaways only.  Slowly, over time, it has become a place for me to share everything and anything from crafts, recipes, activities for kids and families, product reviews and of course giveaways (I know the readers love these!).  If I had all the time in the world, I would post more parenting posts and activities for kids.  This year, I am trying to take on less product reviews and write more about the things I love to write.

Last year, I also started up Canadian Moms Cook with Stacey from Did You Know Canada?.  I wanted a place that my readers could go to see all of my recipes in one place and it is always fun to go an adventure with a friend!

Since you often review products, name a few of the favourite items you've reviewed.
Wow - I've been introduced to so many amazing products through my blog, it is hard to name just a few.
I absolutely loved reviewing the Zoku Popsicle Maker.  It has been well used in our house and I cannot wait for the summer, when it will likely be put to use every single day!

My daughter and I loved reviewing the Ford Taurus!  We love testing out different vehicles and talking about whether or not they will work for our family.  This is something we would love to do more often this year, once the weather gets a bit better.

I also love reviewing toys and books for children.  This past summer, we received some Hex Bugs for review.  We had such a fun time testing them out together.

I'm also a skin care junky in that I love to review different products for the hair, body and skin.  This year, I am so excited to be a #PGMom and have had the opportunity to test out all kinds of awesome products, but I have also received many more natural products that I have grown to love as well, for example, Burt's Bees.

What tip would you give to other bloggers who are just starting out?
When starting out, it is so easy to compare yourself to some of the "bigger" blogggers.  Try not to do this.  Network like crazy and make your rounds around the blogosphere, reading other blogs and leaving comments.  Post regularly and interact with your commenters/fans so that they will be encouraged to come back!  As much as we sometimes get bogged down with numbers, it's about the interactions and the readers!

Share a link to one of your favourite posts.
I love to give advice to other parents, especially from a Kindergarten teacher's perspective.  I loved writing this post about Information for New Kindergarten Moms and Dads because I have now experienced Kindergarten from the teacher's and the parent's perspective.



Thanks so much Amanda!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up 02/16

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Trina from Life's a Blog, check out our interview with her..

If you could interview anyone dead or alive who would it be and why?
Lady Gaga.  For a girl in her 20’s, she’s got more common sense than most people in their 40’s.  If I would have had half the knowledge and confidence at her age, I’m certain my life would have taken a brave new direction.

You have had some fabulous interviews and attended some great events, is there one that is your favourite? Why? 
The Toronto Film Festival is my favorite event but last year I attended the Boots and Hearts Country Music Festival and it rocked my world.  I can’t stop talking about the great time I had there.  It was all about the people!  The performers were amazing, but the people were out of this world.

In regards to my interviews, I was scared to death to interview Ian Astbury of the Cult during his media tour last year.  I asked myself several times who I thought I was to deserve this? The interview went great and he was such a great person to listen to and learn from.  I believe it was also the interview that I realized that my personality allowed me to find out truths that were never truly discovered.  After my interview, I read reviews that it was a “revealing” interview with Ian Astbury.

What goals do you have for your blog for 2013?
Two goals actually.

In 2012, I was catering to too many companies and hosted too many giveaways.  This is NOT who I am.  In 2013, it’s strictly those brands who I truly love.  If they don’t want to work with me because I’m an advocate and not an influencer, then I’ll love them in silence.  My blog this year will become a business, not a free walking billboard for brands with a multi-million dollar advertising budget.

Looking back to 2008, my blog started as a venue to talk about the Toronto Film Festival with a mix of entertainment news. Last year, I discovered that I love interviewing people.  I love to learn what makes them tick and the secret to their success.   This year, I want to aspire to connect with PR companies and publicists in Toronto and LA to review movies and interview as many people that I can.

It is great that your blog has contributors including your teen daughter. If you could give a piece of advice to a new blogger starting out, what would it be? 
Write what you love.  Writing about what you love consistently, with a basic understanding of SEO and Social Media, can take you places you have never imagined.

If you could live anywhere in Canada, where would it be?
Quite honestly, I’m blessed with where I am right now.  I have a few lifelong friendships online and offline.  People I think the world of.  However, as a couple, Toby and I would like to experience something new soon.  I’d love to live right downtown Toronto so I am at the center of everything.  I think Toby would like that too because he never gets out.

What inspires you day to day
Quite frankly, life’s challenges.  Everyday I’m always faced with a challenge.  Whether it’s writing copy for a sell sheet, interviewing someone, a whiny teenager or dealing with an issue, there is always a hurdle to overcome.  It’s what inspires and drives me (crazy) every day.

Is there anything you want the world to know about Trina Stewart?
It’s funny because most people online take me VERY seriously until they get to know me.  Most of the time I’m laughing. Even when I’m mad, I find the funny part of the situation.  I guess it’s the best way to make light of any situation to get you through it.    Also, despite my good humour, I have no issue calling a spade a spade.  I don’t care how popular or successful you are, I do not tolerate bullying or abuse towards another individual.


Thanks so much Trina!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link up 02/09

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Tammy from In R Dream, check out our interview with her..

How does where you live in Canada effect or inspire the way you blog? 
I am a proud Canadian and hold that dear and close to me with each post. I try to insert and share my love for the great white north when I can.

Is there an opportunity you have had presented to you, you would not have had if you did not have your blog. 
Choosing to be a SAHM goes hand and hand with learning how to make many scarifies and accepting to support our family on one income. The world of blogging has offered us opportunities we would never of been able to enjoy as a one income family, especially as a BIG family in today’s society. A few that stand strong in my mind are taking 3 of 4 kids to see Dream Works ~ How to Train a Dragon Live Spectacular, Disney On-Ice, Max & Ruby Live. These are the incredible opportunities we have received that we are forever grateful for and why I keep on blogging.

 Is there a Canadian blogger you look up to? Who and why?
This is a tough question because I have met and look up to so many Canadian bloggers. If I have to name a few I would choose a few of my favourites to be ( in no order) Mom Vs Boys, Multi Testing Mom, Everything Mom and Baby, Kidsumers, Ginger Mommy, Mommy Moment, Maple Leaf Mommy. These Canadian Bloggers are the ones who have introduced me to the world of blogging with open arms and stand out in my mind as down to earth and amazing moms on top of all else.

Tell us about you and your blog. 
Hi I am Tammy I am married to my childhood sweetheart, soul mate and best friend, we just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. We have been together since I was 14 and 4 years later we invested in our first home. Today I am living my dream as a stay at home mama to 4 incredible children (6 & under). Which is why I named my blog “In R Dream”.  In between split milk and playing cars I letting my creative juices flow writing. I love the share information, product reviews and mother inspiration which also gives me a bit of adult interaction in my day. Our family loves to garden where we grow crops to feed our family all summer long. Together we love the outdoors, hiking, exploring, travelling and enjoying nature.

What do your children think about your blog?
They are too young to really understand, but they love testing and it goes hand and hand with blogging.

Share with us the link to your favourite post on your blog.
I chose this as my favourite because my husband printed it off last year after I posted it and he tried very hard to make extra sparks fly last February and everyday since. http://inrdream.com/29-day-challenge-i-love-u/


Thanks so much to Tammy from In R Dream!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

Right now, link up your Canadian blog and social media accounts, find some new reads and new friends!

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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up! 02/02

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Frugal Edmonton Mama, check out our interview with her..

What is Frugal Edmonton Mama all about?
I started Frugal Edmonton Mama as a way to share deals, promotions and sales – but it’s funny because I was just learning myself. Before starting the blog I was a self-confessed non-frugal shopper that wouldn’t have a second thought spending upwards of two hundred dollars on a haircut and color. After becoming pregnant and realising the sheer expense of having children, I knew there had to be ways to save, without sacrificing the stuff that I wanted. There was – and now, I share those deals, shopping tips and product insights with Moms.

Share some of your best shopping/saving tips with us.
Choosing when to shop is the most important thing that you need to know about shopping. Shopping in advance – before you need the items and have to pay full price isn’t a new concept. It’s something that our grandparents did – and something that can save you hundreds of dollars every single year. Shop ahead for the next season at the end of the current one, stock up when items are at their lowest price and use the sales at Costco to save. Doing this, you can save without even clipping a coupon. 

What is the best deal you ever found?
There have been a few great deals. I was able to stock up on diapers for our oldest for two years for under a hundred dollars. Of course, that was back a few years ago when you could still stack coupons. One of the most exciting deals? We paid $39/person to go to Las Vegas combining an Expedia promotion code with a hot sale. That’s flights + accommodations for four days. For that price, how could we not go!?

Surviving Canadian winters, what can you not live without in February in Canada?
The fireplace. We live in a newer house but on those windy days it seems that the house just can’t get warm enough. We hang out in the living room watching movies together and doing crafts to get through those cold days. 

For occupying the kids? Food coloring. There are so many crafts and activities that we do with food coloring from painting in the snow, bringing the snow inside and painting it, colored bath tub paint and liquid watercolors and even making fun hair colors. It’s the cheapest tool I have in my beat-the-winter-boredom toolkit. That, and I’m always freezing but never wear socks, so warm boots!

Do you have a popular blog post that people keep coming back to?
There was one time that I was able to use Scanning Code of Practice at Costco. That never happens. I titled it “I Won the Costco Lottery” for that reason. It’s only a couple of months old or so but it gained some traction with the most viewed post on Frugal Edmonton Mama. That’s impressive since there are some big contenders. I have a deep love for Costco, you can find me there a couple of times weekly!

Tell us about you and your background before you started blogging.
Before I started blogging I was a student and freelance writer. I had met Frugal Dad and it was a whirlwind relationship. We were seeing each other for a couple of weeks, moved in together a month later and got engaged just a few short months after that. Just over a year after we had been engaged our first child was born, and it brought out my inner frugalista. I wasn’t willing to change the quality of items that we purchased, but I was willing to hunt around for the best price. It was a hobby-turned blog that quickly caught on with local readers and has been growing ever since.

You can find Lori blogging frugal living tips, DIY projects and the latest Canadian deals at Frugal Edmonton Mama. She’s also over-sharing on Twitter, giving hot money-saving tips on Facebook and addictively pinning on Pinterest.

Thanks so much to Lori from Frugal Edmonton Mama for sharing her tips and tricks with us!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

Right now, link up your Canadian blog and social media accounts, find some new reads and new friends!

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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link up! 01/26

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Jeanette from This Dusty House, check out our interview with her..

What project in your renovations are you most proud of? 
Definitely the kitchen. When we were doing our renovations, we had some pretty tight square footage limitations, so we had to get a little creative. Instead of traditional uppers, we went with a full wall of pantry cupboards. They look great and provide plenty of cupboard space in my small kitchen. Then, a few months later, we stumbled across the perfect back splash tile that took the whole room to the next level. I love being in my kitchen and it's the room that shows off our abilities as DIYers and hobby designers best.

Tell us about your pets.
We have three pets: two dogs and a cat. The cat, Pekoe, came first, many years ago, before I met my husband. He was with me through some of my most difficult times during university, always there to cuddle when I was having a bad day. He's a free-spirited kitty these days, but he still loves his mama.

Mocha, our cockapoo, joined the family just a couple months after we got married and moved to Toronto. She was such an adorable little puppy, but she taught us a lot about raising dogs and being pet owners! She also managed to cut my shoe collection in half. There may have been tears... She's two and a half now and loves nothing else more than snuggling up as close to your face as she can get.

Kingsley came around just a few months ago, back at the beginning of September. We got him as a puppy from the Toronto Humane Society. He's growing up into the sweetest, most loving dog I have ever met. As long as he gets all his walks, that is...

What makes you proud to be a Canadian? 
So many things! I love that we say sorry to someone who bumps into us. I love that we're polite to a fault. I love how much we talk about weather. I love how stereotypical we can be.

My view of what it means to be Canadian has been challenged and stretched over the past number of years. I grew up on a dairy farm in rural Ontario. Believe or not, being Canadian is a very different thing there than it is here. Small town values with a distinctly Canadian edge are wonderful things to raise a child on. But here, in the city, there's a greater level of openness, of acceptance, even of love for the people around us. My sense of what it means to be Canadian felt different yet when I visited Edmonton, where my sister lives, last summer. I am incredibly proud of that diversity, that being Canadian doesn't mean just one thing.

Tell us about your most popular blog post. 
My most popular blog post... It's one of two:
The reveal of our renovated bathroom and The tutorial for my chair booties.  I made these when we had our dining room set on our brand new bamboo floors. I had never planned to make a tutorial, was surprised, even, when a few people asked for it. My grandmother had them on all her chairs!

Do you have a big project planned for this new year?
We're not really sure. At the moment, we're stuck trying to figure out our best course of action. We know our house is not large enough to be sustainable. So, do we sell and buy a new one, or do we renovate to add more square footage? It's a tough question to answer and we haven't figured it out yet.


Thanks so much to This Dusty House for sharing such great info with us!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

Right now, link up your Canadian blog and social media accounts, find some new reads and new friends!

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Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

This Week's Candid Canuck is Real Momma, check out our interview with her..

Tell us about you and your background before you started blogging. 
I'm a BC girl, born and raised here which is probably my reason behind loving the outdoors.  I have lived all over British Columbia since I was born from the North, Kootenays, Okanagan and back again!  After gaining experience in high school working for other people I realized I wanted to be self-employed and I have been ever since finishing college. I have done everything from office management, cleaning, contracting services, home party businesses, to our most recent adventure of running a quick-service restaurant.  I guess you can say I've dabbled a little in everything.

What is your blog about? 
Now that's a loaded question!  My blog is about self-management tips for Mom's with only two hands, which pretty much sums it up!  I blog about life, kids, work, marriage, and how I make it all work giving some tips along the way.  I have to say my favorite part is trying new things just so I have something to blog about!

Does being self-employed and working from home help or hinder your blogging? 
For me blogging and working from home go together!  My blog started as an accountability tool for me to help keep me on the right track and have evolved into so much more!  I am fortunate enough to work from home and watch my kids grow up which taking them to school, sports, and having a TON of fun doing it.  Blogging has turned into one of my true passions lately and without it in my life I think I would have a hard time finding the balance between family, work and me!

How do you feel Canada is represented on the web? 
Online I believe Canada is under represented either people think we're hocking loving rednecks, ski bums, or we have no clue what technology is.  Every time I go online to find out something about Canada whether it be for personal or business I always get US sites or blogs, seems like we are a little behind the times here in Canada for the most part.  There are some beautiful sites out there though if you can actually find them with scenic pictures, travel advice, and just some good old Canadian love!

Is there a stereo type about Canadians that drives you nuts? If so, what and why?
YES!  To be honest stereo types of Canadian drives me nuts – other than us being the nicest people out there!  My least favorite is our accents and how we always say "Eh!", the part that annoys me the most is some Canadian companies have actually based advertising campaigns around that.  I don' think people realize that in Canada we are just the same as everyone else out there, here to enjoy life and have fun doing it!

Give us the link to a favourite blog post of yours. 
This was a tough choice for me, but my favorite post would have to be one of my first serious posts, Make Your Day Work For You Not Against You, it was kind of a series of posts and this one I got a ton of emails asking for more pointers and what I do every day to make life that much easier!

What makes you proud to be Canadian?
Before we had kids we did a lot of travelling both by car and plane.  In Canada I have been as far East as Montreal and in the US we've made road trips to Chicago, Alaska, and a few plane trips including New York, Ft. Lauderdale, Denmark, and Las Vegas.  I also did a cruise around the eastern Caribbean islands and a family trip to Hawaii for my 16th birthday!  I  have to say I am always drawn to the beauty of BC though and keep coming back to it!

Thanks so much to Real Momma for sharing such great info with us!  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

Right now, link up your Canadian blog and social media accounts, find some new reads and new friends!

Click here to grab this linky for your site!

Canucks Rock: All Canadian Link Up

Welcome to our weekly All Canadian Link Up!  This weekend and every weekend, Canucks Rock! with our All Canadian Link Up and Candid Canuck feature interview.  Brought to you by your hosts: Did you know Canada?, Tales of a Ranting Ginger and Maple Leaf Mommy!

Starting next week, and every week there after, we will be featuring a new rockin' Canuck and their interview.  Want to be one of our featured Canucks?  Sign up here.

Right now, link up your Canadian blog and social media accounts, find some new reads and new friends!

Click here to grab this linky for your site!