Visiting Canmore and Gluten Free Wild Garden Snack Packs

I remember when vacation was all about me; what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, what I wanted to eat, me, me, me. Now that I'm a mom, that's such a distant memory, I'm starting to wonder if I imagined the entire thing.

Seriously, this place is gorgeous! The kid is cute too ;) #canmore

A photo posted by Amber Smith (@mommastuffblog) on Aug 23, 2015 at 11:26am PDT

We're currently on  a family vacation in Canmore Alberta and although it is an absolutely stunning place to be, keeping two boys aged 4 and 6 occupied, entertained and quiet is a challenge and a half. Fortunately, we are staying in a small condo, which is by far preferable to a basic hotel room, however when you're used to a three floor home, its not a lot of space.

And then there's the food. When your family requires both gluten-free and peanut-free options, simply grabbing a bite to eat is generally not an option. I emailed a bunch of local restaurants before we arrived and was pleasantly surprised to hear how aware and accommodating they all were. That being said, tonight is our fifth night here and we finally ordered pizza, every other meal we have cooked for ourselves.

When it comes to outings, I put a lot of effort into healthy snacks for the kids but for myself, I'm perpetually just grabbing something from the cupboard on the way out the door and otherwise noshing on the gluten-free portions of the kids' snacks.

I'm super excited about Wild Gardens NEW Gluten Free Hummus Snack Packs; these little packs are convenient, shelf stable and delicious. Each box comes with a pack of hummus (that tears open easily and even I managed to eat without making a mess) and one of three types of crackers. And one of my good friends was ecstatic to hear that two of the three varieties (veggie chips and and quinoa chips) are also soy free.

Wild Garden Gluten Free Snack Packs are tasty little snacks packed with just enough protein to fuel me to my next meal without wanting to nibble on every little snack in my beach bag. They're quick, convenient and gluten free; if that's something you're looking for, I highly recommend you try them out.

Disclosure: I received samples of Wild Garden Gluten Free Snack Packs for the purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.

Indian For Everyone

Indian for Everyone is a perfect blend of authenticity, simplicity and comfort. Anupy Singla's personal anecdotes and descriptions welcome the reader into both her kitchen and her life and with all the gorgeous photographs, I found myself diving headfirst into my pantry to take stock of my spices.

I needed to eat some Indian.

Literally two hours after picking up Indian for Everyone from my mailbox, I was blending onion, ginger and garlic in my food processor, simmering lentils and sauteing cumin and mustard seeds to releasing their distinct fragrance and flavour.

And in almost no time at all, I was eating what I assume was a fairly authentic bowl of Parippu; my version didn't include any fresh or dried chili's (I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to heat, plus I didn't have any) and I added a bunch of spinach. I loved every bite.

Start to finish, it took me about half an hour to create this filling bowl of vegan Indian deliciousness.

It made me crave more.

This week, I tried the Masala Egg Scramble for breakfast. A quick saute of the right spices (thanks to Anupy Singla's guidance) and our everyday eggs suddenly became special. I eat eggs nearly every day and finding a new recipe for the repetoire is exciting to say the least.

Indian for Everyone is a perfect compliment to Anupy Singla's other two books The Indian Slow Cooker and Vegan Indian Cooking; it doesn't cater to a niche market but instead showcases the breadth of options available to the home cook that's ready to learn to cook Indian.

This hardcover book is beautiful to look at, personal to read and yields results that are delicious, I definitely recommend you check it out, if you enjoy the flavours of Indian Cuisine. And if you're looking for the perfect holiday gift for the foodie in your life, you can stop right here!

Do you cook Indian food at home?

Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of Indian for Everyone in exchange for this review; all opinions are my own.

Where did Summer go? | #kindermom

As a child I remember time passing so slowly. The time between birthdays and holiday's felt literally like forever. As I've aged and become a mother, time has begun to move at a speed I didn't think was possible. There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do; to excel in my job, to be a kind and compassionate mother and to be a loving and considerate wife.

Even though I can't be everything at once, I can be something in every moment.

And one of my favourite things about being a #kindermom is that Kinder Canada encourages us to celebrate playtime and all the amazing moments that make our lives unique and special.

This Summer has been a whirlwind of activity, of exploration, friendship and excitement. Although we have watched movies and played video games, we have spent so much time outside together, living THE dream.

We have explored a few of the many lakes near our new home. The boys LOVE to create 'rivers' along the shores, build dams made of rocks and sticks and then watch as the water flows back to the lake when they open the floodgates.

I loved paddling around the lake in our friends Kayak with Simba along for the ride and the hubs has been working away (with Simba's help) to sand, paint and prepare our new (old) boat so that we can enjoy time on the water as a family.

We went on treasure hunts in crown land (ie. Geocaching), attended a 'Learn to Fish' event, made a waterslide in the backyard, went to Lake Country to visit friends, welcomed a rescue dog into the family and visited my grandmother's farm nearly every time we visited Vancouver.

No wonder the time went fast, we were busy.

Are you looking for a way to capture some of your summer memories? I used the new Kinder 'photo-strip' app to create the photo strip in this post.  

Want to create your own? It's easy, just follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Fan KINDER® on Facebook

Step 2: Start your photo-strip

Step 3: Upload your photos

Step 4: Choose a fancy KINDER® frame

Step 5: Choose a filter (make yourself look silly)

Step 6: Save & share

What was your big adventure this summer?
Personally, if I had to sum up Summer 2014 in a word, I'd go with 'exploration'.
So far 2014 has been one heck of a year and I can't wait to see what new adventures the last few months will bring.

“Disclosure: I’m part of theKinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation withthis group.  The opinions on this blog are my own”

Give a Cluck and Go Cage-Free!

When we first started talking about moving out of the City, the hubs and I had visions of a small acreage, a huge vegetable garden, fruit trees and so much space our boys wouldn’t know what to do with themselves.

When we started looking at real estate however, we realized we needed to put some of those dreams on hold, not let them go per say, but consider whether the timing was right. Of critical note is that I’m working on a contract which means there is a very real chance we could end up moving back to the city within a few years. The market in our area isn’t booming to say the least, so the possibility of being unable to buy in the City because we can’t sell our home in the Country landed us in a more suburban part of our 2,300 person town.

Despite our location, I knew we could still have many of the experiences we desired, just on a smaller scale.

In particular, I had my heart set on Chickens, laying hens to be exact. The idea that my kids could be connected with where their food comes from and that we could have feathered friends lounging in our yard and laying us delicious eggs seemed amazing. I scouted the local bylaws, searched and researched chicken coops, chicken breeds and of course what exactly commercial egg laying facilities look like. 

Many of those poor chickens spend their lives in small cages, shared with five or six other birds.  Many never feeling the ground beneath their feet, spread their wings or experience fresh air and sunlight. These intelligent, social animals become valuable only for their ability to produce eggs.

Unfortunately, although we both had dreams of an acreage type property, it quickly became clear that the hubs and I had differing opinions when it came to the idea of keeping chickens in our backyard. I’m not giving up on the idea just yet, but I’m also not pushing it, this year we have a yard to personalize and a garden to grow but we also have eggs to eat and in truth this whole experience has made me reconsider my grocery store choices when it comes to buying eggs.

Choose Cage-Free is an initiative by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) to empower individuals to commit to buying cage-free eggs and working with farmers and businesses to adopt cage-free practices.

So what’s so great about cage-free farms?

On a cage-free farm hens can live a far more natural existence.  They can walk and run, stretch their wings, turn around, give themselves  dust baths, forage and peck on the ground. Cage-free hens are happier and healthier and have a much lower risk of Samonella contamination.

Will YOU take the pledge to go Cage-Free?

In our house, eggs are a staple; we easily eat two dozen a week and Simba and I eat them for breakfast almost every day.

Currently my favourite way to start the morning is with a spinach and feta egg tortilla; this is a great recipe as you can adjust it to your tastes, uses gluten-free (like me) or flour tortillas and in less than 10 minutes you will have a hearty well balanced breakfast you can eat on the go. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Spinach and Feta Egg Tortilla

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp (coconut) oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp chopped red (or green) onion
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Salt to taste
• 1 tortilla

 Directions:

1. Heat a pan that is approximately the same size as your tortilla over medium heat.
2. Whisk together your eggs and spinach.
3. Melt coconut oil in the pan and then saute your onions for a few minutes until fragrant.
4. Add your egg mixture to the pan and use your spatula to confine the mixture to half of the pan. Salt your eggs as desired.
5. Once the egg starts to set, place your tortilla over the egg, then place a full size plate on top of the tortilla.
6. Holding onto the plate, carefully flip over the pan so the egg and tortilla are inverted onto the plate.
7. Carefully slide the egg and tortilla back onto the pan (and back on the element) and sprinkle with the feta cheese.
8. After about 30 seconds, your tortilla should be warm and pliable, fold it over to cover up the egg and feta.
9. Allow to cook until lightly golden (~1 minute) then flip your tortilla over and allow the other side to brown and the feta to melt.
10. I like to cut my tortilla in half for ease of eating, but however you eat it, ENJOY!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Celebrate Easter with a Kinder Surprise Scavenger Hunt | #kindermom

A new home, a new city, a new tradition.

Until recently we lived 15 minutes from all of our immediate family so any day that even resembled a holiday included running around to at least one of our family's homes. And truly, family is one of life's pleasures.

But this Easter, on what I expect will be the first of many holidays in our new home, we have an opportunity to start a new tradition for our little family of four.

As a #Kindermom I'm so excited that this year, we will be having a Kinder Surprise Easter. 

My boys love a good treasure hunt and in the past we have simply made a trail from their bedroom door to the living room and allowed the egg hunt to go wild, but this year I have another idea.

In addition to scattered eggs, I'm going to create an Easter Scavenger hunt. My boys are old enough to appreciate such an event, but not so old as to be offended by my poor quality drawings (and I promise you they are poor).

Each boy will get his own 'treasure map' created by drawing 9 sketches of locations around our home (eg. a picture of a chair or the tv) on a piece of computer paper, rolled up and placed inside a toilet paper tube. My boys LOVE to have their treasure maps rolled up, but lack the skills to keep them that way, so a piece of toilet paper roll is the perfect solution.

And their treasures? KINDER SURPRISE! We received this amazing Kinder Surprise Egg Hunt kit complete with a hollow bunny and mini eggs and although I'm cutting it close, you certainly still have time to grab one for your house too.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, my favourite things about Kinder Surprise are:

• They are Peanut-Free.
• They are Gluten-Free.
• Clear allergen labeling.
• They are more about the little toy than the chocolate.

As if I need more reasons to love Kinder Surprise, I am super happy to partner with a company that partners with the Children's Miracle Network to 'Share the Joy'. Kinder will be providing 12 baskets to CMN hospitals this Easter and donating $25,000 to help support this non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America.

How are you celebrating Easter this year? 

Will Kinder Surprise be in your Children's basket?

"Disclosure: I’m part of the Kinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.  All opinions on this blog are my own”

3 Simple Ways to Keep Eczema in Check | #EczemaAndMe

The word ECZEMA is practically a cuss word to anyone who is directly affected by the dry, scaly and itchy skin that defines it. If you or your children are affected by eczema you have probably tried a multitude of products and skin care regimes in an attempt to rid it from your lives.

And, just as I know, you probably know, that's never going to happen: eczema's persistent.

Eczema is my reality, just as it is Bolt's. We live with eczema and we make choices every day that may help or hinder our skin condition. As Bolt ages I will give him more freedom to make those choices, because his eczema won't kill him; when he's a teenager who wants to go out without gloves, that will be his perogative, he will be the one who suffers.

But until he can truly grasp the consequences, I rule the roost when it comes to eczema management and here are a few of the hard and fast rules at our house.

1. MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE - When you have eczema, there is no such thing as too much moisturizing. If at all possible, cream should be applied to damp skin after bathing to seal in as much moisture as possible. Using a heavy, unscented cream works best before bed and the new Polysporin Eczema Essentials Daily Moisturizing Cream is a great choice. It's accepted by the Eczema Society of Canada, which is high praise, feels thick and rich but absorbs quickly without any greasy residue.
   


2. MINIMIZE THE SOAP - Although its essential that we wash ourselves and our children, there is no need to lather our children up every day with heavily scented or processed products. When I use soap on my children, I tend to use a very gentle, homemade soap but a great alternative is to use a very mild body wash as a bubble bath. The very diluted body wash cleans my children while they play and there's no soapy irritation. My kids love all the fragrance free bubbles that the new Polysporin Eczema Essentials Daily Body Wash creates  in their bath and I love that they are squeaky clean and not the slightest bit itchy.


3. USE CORTISONE as needed - Many parents are fearful of using cortisone on their children, but I know with certainty, that almost none of those parents have eczema. Although, cortisone is a steroid, and should be used with caution, in an intense eczema flare up, nothing will calm the irritation like cortisone and I know this first hand. Although we have prescription strength cortisone in our house, there are times when a budding flare up really doesn't call for such an intense amount of medication. In those moments, the new Polysporin Eczema Essentials Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream does the job. It's also great for managing random itchiness, like the spider bite I got in my eyebrow last week.

I was super excited to try out the brand new Polysporin Eczema Essentials line and I'm happy to report that the products stood up to the standard I expect from Polysporin. Have you tried them in your home?

What are your tips for keeping Eczema in check?

“Disclosure: I am part of the the POLYSPORIN® Eczema Essentials Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

We had a Crack'n Win Chinese New Year with Kinder Surprise | #kindermom

As a #Kindermom I love seeing the delight on my boys faces when I pull out a Kinder Egg as a special treat or reward and watching my boys share them with others just fills me with pride. I know sharing is supposed to be an inherent trait, but in reality, sometimes its just hard to share all the goodness that is a Kinder Egg.

By a strange twist of circumstances, my boys and I found ourselves in Vancouver for Chinese New Year this past week. Although we were exhausted from the four hour drive from Kamloops, both boys were getting over the flu and Simba proceeded to be carsick all over me as soon as we arrived, we had a great time.

We ate good food and exchanged lucky money and THIS time when everyone pulled out treats (most of which are not safe for Bolt to eat), I pulled out two boxes of #peanutfree Kinder Surprise Eggs and sent my boys to do the rounds. It's amazing how easily Kinder Surprise can cross age gaps; the little ones love them, the teenage girls loved them and the adults, well we happily devoured ours too.

And as we all enjoyed our full tummies and sugar buzzes, we immediately had entertainment for the rapidly fading children. They loved their little animals, cars, puzzles, spirographs and bracelets and suddenly spending another half an hour together seemed totally feasible.

And the three teenage girls in attendance were the ones most excited about the Kinder Crack'nWin Campaign. All the specially marked Crack'n Win Kinder surprises have a PIN that can be entered onto the Kinder Website for a chance to win some great prizes.  There's a Fiat 500 POP!, two family trips to Orlando, over 27,000 family movie nights and 201,000 free Kinder Treats all up to grabs.

Maybe its your turn to be lucky.
Have you entered a PIN to see if you're a winner yet?

“Disclosure: I’m part of the Kinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.  The opinions on this blog are my own”

The Healthy Shopper | Pamela's, Simply Natural, Oreganol & Olympic Krema

When I go grocery shopping there are a few key criteria, that my food needs to meet, the majority of the time.

In short, I'm looking for food that is:

• Healthy;
• Delicious;
• Allergen-Friendly; and 
• Affordable.

These are obviously subjective terms that mean different things to different people, but I think striving to meet these goals on any given grocery trip is an attainable and reasonable goal. 

If you shop in Health Food Stores across Canada, you've probably seen The Healthy Shopper Coupon Book in your travels. The Healthy Shopper is the ONLY organic and natural coupon book in Canada and was founded by two women, a holistic nutritionist and a life-long health advocate who were eager to spread the word about health and wellness. 

Each season the Healthy Shopper features a number of great products, and I was super excited to try out the Fall 2013 campaign; it was chock full of items that are perfect for my family.

I have had many friends suggest Pamela's Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix to me, however, I admit I had never actually tried them. Although they are peanut free, they do contain almond meal, which is safe for our house, however I have a mild sensitivity to almonds that occasionally rears its ugly little head.

I should have tried Pamela's Pancake Mix ages ago. They are delicious. They are fluffy and light, the texture is divine and they sop up my 100% maple syrup perfectly. Seriously, my cupboard shall not be without this product ever again, and that's saying a lot, because as a rule, I try and make nearly everything from scratch.

At our house, we also have a problem with condiments and by problem, I mean we have an entire shelf where only condiments reside. Unfortunately, although tasty, condiments are not exactly the healthiest addition to your meal. I loved the Simply Natural Organic stone ground mustard. The flavour was deep and authentic and the graininess was amazing on a sandwich. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this mustard was another total win for me.

Just this past week, I popped the last few Oreganol capsules from my Healthy Shopper campaign. These tiny little oregano gelcaps are made using the purest, highest quality ingredients and contain 100% wild oregano which has a number of known health benefits including combating colds. 

My boys have been sick with the flu this past week, and granted I have been at work during the day, but that's not to say I haven't been covered in vomit multiple times and shared beds with those sick little boys. And somehow, I've managed to stay healthy through it all. I think I'll be grabbing a package of Oreganol capsules for my cupboard next time I hit the health food store.And next time they have a cold (rather than the flu we've currently been combatting), I'll be reaching for the Hyland's Cold and Cough 4 Kids that came in our Healthy Shopper campaign.

Another great product, Olympic Dairy Krema Greek Style Yogurt, is delectably creamy and I LOVE that its locally produced in the Fraser Valley. It's just yum and with some fresh berries mixed in, it's desert any day of the week.

As expected, the organic flavour combinations of Kiju juices were a total hit with my kiddos, we were especially fans of the orange mango flavour! Have you tried them out? I personally love that I can grab them for my kids when we hit our local Starbucks.

I try to be a Healthy Shopper every time I hit the grocery store and The Healthy Shopper Coupon Book can help me (and you) reach our health & wellness goals. 

You can find the Healthy Shopper online and on Facebook.

If you haven't read it already, I had the chance to try out another Healthy Shopper Campaign last year and tried a whole other round of deliciousness!

I received product in exchange for sharing my experiences in this post, however all opinions are my own.

Gung Hay Fat Choy & VH Sauces | Weeknight Sweet & Sour Pork Recipe

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

2014 is a year of change for my family; it has brought with it a new job, a new city, a new home and a new reality.  This will be the first year, of my life, that I won't be spending Chinese New Year with my family. Each Chinese New Years Eve, we all go to my Popo's (grandmother) house and we eat, we play and we exchange lucky money.

This year, my boys and I will be in Kamloops, 4 hours away from the craziness that is my family and given that its a weeknight this year, driving down to Vancouver simply isn't an option.

When #collectivebias presented me with an opportunity to celebrate Chinese New Year with VH Sauces, everything came together for me. ALL VH sauces are now gluten-free (and their new labels clearly state 'gluten-free food'), but they are also quick, which is a requirement for our busy new lifestyle, where Dad does most of the cooking because Mom doesn't get home until 6pm.

I decided to make a simple sweet and sour pork and white fish with black beans, however I wasn't able to find any dried black beans. A simple reminder, I'm not in Vancouver anymore. Fortunately, I was easily able to find VH Sauces at my local Superstore and I decided to make honey garlic cod to accompany my pork instead. I simply pan friend the cod with a little bit of oil and VH honey garlic sauce; nothing fancy, but it sure was delicious.

The entire meals took me about half an hour to create, though I admit, I just wasn't in the mood for veggies. If I had been however, I could easily have thrown a handful of frozen peas in with the pork. If you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal, that your kids will in fact eat, why not try some sweet and sour pork?

Weeknight Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 boneless pork chops
• 1 jar of VH Sweet and Sour Sauce

Directions:

1. Thinly slice your pork across the grain (it is easier to cut your pork thin if it is a little bit frozen). I also cut each slice in half lengthwise, so I had long thin pieces of pork.
2. Mince garlic, while you heat the oil over med-high heat. 
3. Add the garlic to the warming oil and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the pork and stir regularly until no longer pink. Do not over cook or your meat will be tough.
5. Add the VH Sweet and Sour Sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes. (You could add frozen peas while simmering to make this a little bit healthier).
6. Serve over rice and enjoy.

Tassimo T55: Unlock a Perfect Cup this Holiday Season | Cyber Monday Giveaway

Although we celebrated last month in Canada, I would like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends and readers. I hope you have had an opportunity to spend time with your loved ones and truly reflect on all that you are thankful for. Every year, my mother in law heads to Washington to do her Christmas shopping at all the Black Friday sales, and for good reason. Black Friday shopping is amazing and now with the inclusion of Cyber Monday, the entire weekend ends up being a bit of a shopping extravaganza, no matter where you live.

This year, the fine folks from Tassimo invited me to 'Unlock a Perfect Cup this Holiday Season' by sending me one of their new T55 brewers and a selection of T-disc's to try out in my home.

And we are also going to be giving one lucky Momma Stuff Blog reader their own opportunity to 'Unlock a Perfect Cup this Holiday Season' with a brand new Tassimo T55, delivered right to your doorstep.

The Tassimo T55 is a one cup brewing machine that can make a variety of delicious beverages such as coffee, lattes, hot chocolate and tea. Although there are others on the market, the Tassimo uses intellibrew barcode technology, which reads the barcode on each tdisc to ensure that the machines brews your beverage perfectly. The barcode tells the machine the exact temperature, cup size and brewing time to make your bevvie delicious, every time. I love watching the machine create the soft foam on the top of an americano (one of my personal favourites).

Unfortunately, with my recent move to Kamloops and delivery schedules, I haven't had much of a chance to try out my new T55 brewer, but this new features an enhanced slide-control cup stand for added stability as well as a built in water filtration system. I'll keep you posted on any other features that I love as I begin using it on a daily basis.

One of the most common comments I hear regarding the Tassimo is with regard to the waste generated by the T-discs and I must admit that as an environmentalist it is certainly a concern. Fortunately, Terracycle provides recycling opportunities and they pay for the shipping to their warehouse. I set up a Tassimo recycling brigade in my old office and we collected over 1300 Tdiscs in only three months.

But I digress, in celebration of Cyber Monday, we are giving away a Tassimo T55 and a selection of tdiscs to one lucky reader. This giveaway is only open for the weekend, so  enter using the rafflecopter below RIGHT NOW!

I was provided with a Tassimo T55 and a selection of tdiscs for the purposes of this post, however all opinions are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kinder® Surprise® Marvel Superhero and Disney Princess Collection

This year, Bolt is dressing up as Batman for Halloween. A last minute choice, but his alter ego has been slowly developing over the past year and I'm excited to see him embrace it. He asked me for a batman cape close to a year ago, but after I made it, he barely wore it, or even looked at it, for months. I'm not sure what happened, but one day he came home and asked for his cape.

I saw his imagination begin to blossom as he ventured into pretend play.

He WAS Batman.

And in the past few weeks, he's worn his cape to daycare, more than once.

In a home with two sons, Superheroes are quite certainly in my future, and having boys that aspire to both greatness and altruism seems pretty awesome if you ask me.

This year I have the opportunity to be a #KinderMom, which means I get to share Kinder Surprise with my friends and family, and tell you all about it.

Kinder Suprise are Gluten-Free and Peanut-Free so they are safe for us to have in our home; for those of you wondering, they do contain soy and dairy.

Kinder Surprise is celebrating Superheroes, and Princess, everywhere with their Marvel Heroes and Disney Princess Limited Toy Collections. Two out of every three eggs contains a Superhero or Disney Princess. Of course no kid is happy when they are the one without the Superhero and the kids weren't keen on the flying jelly either, but it certainly keeps things exciting.

Much to my boys delight, we shared Kinder Surprises at daycare and I shared them all over my office and let me assure you the adults were just as excited as the kids. it Those with families took them home for their kids and those without were eager to discover their toy. In fact, I've promised one particular co-worker that I'll share my Ariel.

Curious about the toys? You can check them all out and vote for your favourites on Facebook, then come back and tell us who you voted for. Around here, we like Spider man and Ariel.

Disclosure: I’m part of the KINDER® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

The UMBRA Cuppa & Dash | Review

I love to create in the kitchen, specifically, I love to bake. There's just something so special about taking simple ingredients and transforming them into a mouthwatering and delectable treat. I learned very early on however, that in order to achieve such success, there were a few facts that could never be ignored.

Most importantly, baked goods require precision and careful measurement, so when Umbra offered to send me their new Cuppa and Dash measuring products to try out in my home, I jumped at the opportunity.

Umbra is known for making simple, stylistic and modern accessories and their new kitchen measuring tools absolutely fit the Umbra brand. Not only do these measuring tools look unique they are heat resistant, dishwasher safe and BPA free.

The Cuppa is a four piece measuring set, inspired by a classic coffee mug; if you have a kitchen that's not cluttered with sippy cups, the Cuppa would look amazing on display alongside your other mugs. If however, you never get an opportunity to bake without little helpers, there's no need to worry, Simba had tons of fun using the Cuppa to dole out our various gluten-free flours and he made no more mess than usual. 

The Cuppa is also be great for doling out snacks to little people; they don't look like they are for kids (which they love) but they provide a handle to minimize spills and size wise they hold the perfect amount for a little toddler to consume.

The Dash is a perfect compliment to the Cuppa. It's simple design means that one spoon can measure 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp and 1 tbsp.  Since I perpetually lose things in my kitchen, the search for an adequately sized measuring spoon happens more frequently than I'd like to admit.

Although Bolt held steadfast to our old tablespoon (which he thinks is for stirring), I happily used Dash to make all the measurements for our baking without having to dive into the kitchen drawer where accessories go to die.

You can find the UMBRA Cuppa and Dash in stores and Online and you can connect with UMBRA on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Disclosure: I received free product in exchange for this review, however all opinions are my own.

RESP's for our Children's Future | #SaveWithRBC

When my Mom graduated high school, she wanted to go to art school, but she had no money. There was no scholarship, no savings, no student loan. She never went to art school.

When I graduated high school, I went to University and I earned my degree; quite simply because my Mom saved money when there wasn't enough to go around, so that we could have the choice. She put away a little bit of money each and every month, sometimes only $5, to give us the opportunity she never had. And for that, I thank her (and my Dad who was working his tail off to make the money in the first place).

When my boys were born, one of the first things I did was apply for a social insurance number on their behalf and opened up a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to start saving for their future education, whatever that may be. If my Mom taught me one thing, she taught me that every penny counts and the earlier you start saving, the more time that money has to grow.

Are YOU saving for your child's future education?

Did you know that as a Canadian, YOUR CHILD could receive FREE money from the government?  The Canada Education Savings Grant will match up to 20% on the first $2,500 that is contributed annually. Your child can earn up to $500 a year, to a lifetime maximum of $7,200!

Here's a tangible example, if you contribute $25 a week into your child's RESP, that money can grow to over $50,000 in 18 years, which should be enough to at least get your child started on the education of their dreams. And that includes a career in the trades or an apprenticeship program. If your child doesn't pursue post-secondary education, the funds you contributed can be transferred to an RRSP or a sibling's RESP depending on your plan.

Growing up with a Mom who worked in banking, it was instilled in me early on that it was important to 'pay your bills before you spend your cash', so our RESP contributions are on automatic payment and have been since day one. The good folks at RBC can help you set up an RESP-matic if that sounds like just the thing you need to start getting money in the bank.

I know talking money and saving for the future in today's economy sometimes feels like a bit of a a pipe dream, but I know first hand that every little bit can help your child make their dreams a reality and I'm very excited to be part of the select blogger team that has teamed up with RBC to spread the word about RBC RESPs.

If you are ready to #SaveWithRBC you can check out their website and chat with them on Twitter at @RBC_Canada .

“Disclosure: I am part of the RBC RESP blogger program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Cocoon Apothecary Skin Care Starter Kit | Review

I have sensitive skin; in my youth, I had been to the dermatologist before the age of 10 and I rarely test out new skin care products for fear of adverse reactions. That said, when given the opportunity to test out the Cocoon Apothecary Skin Care Starter Kit, made from organic, eco-friendly products, all I needed was assurance that the products were appropriate for sensitive skin, and I was sold.

When the box arrived, it was beautiful; a small unbleached cardboard box, tied with a simple ribbon and a fluttering butterfly. I almost didn't want to open the box and delve into my goodies.

Step one is the Petal Purity Facial Cleanser, which felt light on my skin, but effectively cleaned my face of the days' grime with extracts of and lavender and geranium, without leaving my skin feeling tight and dry.

Step two of the Cocoon Apothecary regime is the Rose Dew Facial Toner, which takes advantage of the natural astringent properties of witch hazel and combines them with rose hydrosol to calm the skin and reduce irritation.

The third and final step was the very rich and creamy Rosey Cheeks Facial Cream, which is 'packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids to support elasticity, promote collagen production and fight free-radical damage'.

The Cocoon Apothecary products are strongly rose scented, and I was extremely cautious during the first few applications of the product, as scented products rarely work for me. Fortunately, I had no redness or irritation as a result of using the products, in fact, my skin feels softer after a month of use and I no longer have dry, dull spots on my cheeks. A little bit of product goes a long way, so the 3.3 oz bottles of product in the starter kit feel like they are going to last a long time.

 Our skin is the largest and most visible organ in the body and if we think, even for just a moment, that it doesn't matter what products we use on our skin, we are certainly fooling ourselves. Cocoon Apothecary is bringing nature back to us and I for one am loving the softness I'm feeling after using their products.

Cocoon Apothecary Skincare Products are available at select stores and online on their website, Well.ca and Amazon.ca.

I received product in exchange for this review, however all opinions are my own.

Life Brand Bonanza at Shoppers Drug Mart

A few years ago, back when Simba was a newborn and Bolt was an out-of-sorts toddler, Shoppers Drug Mart was my refuge. A place I could go, clad in sweats and dishevelled hair, at 10:30 at night when both my precious boys were finally asleep. I would wander the aisles leisurely, looking for deals and buying any essentials we needed. Now that the boys are older, these little outings continue to give me some much needed alone time, satisfy my need to shop and ensure our medicine cabinet is always fully stocked, but they don't feel quite as essential as they once were.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that although we have medicine cabinets, most of the medicine we use on a regular basis is in a basket in my kitchen.  Although it seems like a sound idea, in reality, it tends to be an extremely frustrating mess. So when I was offered the opportunity to 'clean out my medicine cabinet' and fill it with Life Brand Products, I realized it was the perfect opportunity to actually start using the medicine cabinet is it was intended.

Since I loathe all things cleaning, I made a trip to Shoppers Drug Mart before I actually cleaned out my medicine basket. There are a number of locations close to my home, but I decided to go over to the No. 5 Road and Cambie Shoppers Drug Mart location in Richmond, BC. This store is new, big and spacious and I never feel crowded when I'm shopping. 

Shoppers Drug Mart wholeheartedly embraces the local community; this simple sign in the front window displaying the most prevalent languages in the community really speaks to me and shows me that Shoppers Drug Mart pays attention to the people they serve.

On this particular trip, I was on a Life Brand Bonanza, comparing prices and looking for products my family can always use. My first stop, was of course, the baby aisle where I grabbed some Baby Life bottle liners (saving about $1.50 over the name brand) before heading over to the medicines. 

I also made sure to grab 'essentials' including antihistamines, pain killers (I saved $6 on Life Brand Children's IBuprofun), cold and flu medicine and band aids, which we go through at the speed of light around here.  I regularly purchase Life Brand products since they are consistently cheaper than brand name products and when I compared the ingredient lists there were very few variations, most of which are usually in the non-medicinal ingredients.

In an area where the closest grocery store is a 15 minute drive away, Shoppers Drug Mart has stepped up and has a quite comprehensive grocery section complete with milk, eggs, bread, coffee, hummus, cheese just to name a few of the products. I feel like this simple fact speaks volumes about the investment Shoppers Drug Mart makes in the community.

Armed with a slough of new Life Brand products, I undertook the task of cleaning out my medicine cabinet and filling it up. It looks fantastic, now I can only hope I can maintain the neat, orderly shelves.

Are you a Life Brand Shopper?
Do you have a system for keeping your medicine cabinet tidy? (because I need one)

You can see ALL the photos from my shop on Google+.

“I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® #cbias #SocialFabric”