Get Natural Baby and Child Bedding for a Great Price at the Dream Designs Baby & Kids Healthy Sleep Month Event

April 8, 2016 by Kathryn 5 Comments

When it comes to comfortable, breathable and beautiful cloth, there aren’t many fabrics that can top cotton. But did you know that growing three pounds of cotton, enough for a sheet set or a shirt and jeans, requires one pound of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides? Not only is that damaging to the environment, any residual chemical residue left in the cotton could be damaging to a person’s health too!

Luckily, there are plenty of great natural and chemical-free alternatives to purchasing conventional cotton these days and here in Canada, Dream Designs is a great place to find them! This fabulous store has been providing natural fabric home products to Canadians since 1981 and its products are stylish, comfortable and earth-friendly.

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Learning Through Pretend Play with Toys from LeapFrog #LeapFrogMomSquad

November 4, 2015 by Kathryn 20 Comments

While I do love the modern and trendy LeapFrog gaming systems and tablets, I have to admit that I’ve always had a special fondness in my heart for the company’s toddler toys. LeapFrog has a special talent for turning pretend play into a learning experience, and the brand new Number Lovin’ Oven and Scout’s Build & Discover Tool set are perfect examples of that.

The LeapFrog Number Lovin’ Oven not only lets kids pretend to cook just like mom and dad, it introduces basic number concepts including counting and fractions. With sixteen different food items to cook, little ones can pretend to make all their favourite treats. And with more than thirty songs and phrases from the talking oven to engage kids, learning to cook is more educational than ever!

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Add Adventure to Your Summer with 4 Tips from Thomas & Friends-Giveaway

August 24, 2015 by Kathryn 91 Comments

If there’s one thing that my boys and I both love, it’s an adventure. Even a simple trip to the park has the potential for endless fun with a bit of imagination. And to inspire kids and adults alike to enjoy new adventures, Thomas & Friends has four great tips that will help your family make the most of their summer!

Get Creative

Just because your little one wants to go to Mars doesn’t mean it can’t happen! We encourage you to bring your child’s wildest dreams to life with a little creativity and imagination. When they’re older and reflect on the special time you spent together, they’ll remember the work you put into making their dream come true! [Read more…]

Celebrate Earth Day with Fun EnviroKidz Dessert Recipes and a Party-Giveaway

April 7, 2015 by Kathryn 154 Comments

There’s no better way to celebrate Earth Day than with a party, and this year EnviroKidz has some great ideas to help you throw the best Earth Awareness Party ever! My personal favourite idea is these adorable cupcakes made with EnviroKidz Koala Crisp cereal!

EnviroKidz Koala Crisp Mini Cupcakes

Sweet and tasty mini cupcakes made with crunchy organic Koala Crisp cereal!

Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 18

Calories 91 kcal

Author Nature's Path

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown rice syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups EnviroKidz Koala Crisp™ cereal
3 oz cream cheese softened
1 tbsp butter softened
3/4 cup icing sugar
4 tsp cocoa powder
4 strawberries sliced

Instructions

Grease a mini-muffin pan; set aside. In saucepan set over medium
heat, bring butter, honey and brown rice syrup to boil. Boil for about 1 minute or until mixture is well combined and slightly thickened.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cereal.
Divide evenly and press into 18 mini-muffin cups. Cool completely.
Remove from pan.
Icing: Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat cream cheese and
butter together until well combined. Gradually beat in icing sugar and cocoa until smooth.
Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a swirl of icing onto each cupcake. Garnish with a strawberry slice.

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Getting Ready to Show Off Our Family’s Sonicare Smiles #SonicareSmile

August 4, 2014 by Kathryn 3 Comments

I’ve shared stories before of my boys’ issues with childhood caries and how it caused me to ensure that I am always proactive about Zackary and Benjamin’s dental health. The effort seems to be paying off because at their last checkup, both boys came out cavity-free! All the same, I know that they don’t always brush as well as they should and that’s why I’m so excited to be taking part in the #SonicareSmile campaign to see how Philips Sonicare toothbrushes can change my family’s smiles over the next two weeks.

To help us on our mission, we received the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean adult toothbrush and the new Philips Sonicare For Kids children’s toothbrush to review. The adult brush boasts advanced features including special diamond-shaped bristles for better whitening, a head designed for ultimate plaque removal and a unique charger case. And the children’s toothbrush offers a fun customizable front cover, an easy-grip handle and a KidTimer that gradually teaches kids to brush longer. We also received extra heads for the toothbrush so that both boys could test it out. As an added bonus, having to brush at separate times eliminated the usual argument they have about who finished brushing first! [Read more…]

Gear Up For Springtime Fun with the Nakamura Crxssfire Bicycle and Other Bike Gear from Sport Chek-Giveaway

April 29, 2014 by Kathryn 180 Comments

There are so many things I love about spring, but one of my very favourites is that my boys and I can finally start riding our bikes again. Making sure my boys have the best gear for our adventures is always one of my top priorities so that they’re both comfortable and safe when biking, and this year, Sport Chek has some great new bikes and accessories to get kids ready to ride!

Helmets

Name: EnviroKidz Koala Crisp Mini Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 18
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp brown rice syrup; 1 tsp vanilla; 2 cups EnviroKidz Koala Crisp™ cereal; 3 oz cream cheese (softened); 1 tbsp butter (softened); 3/4 cup icing sugar; 4 tsp cocoa powder; 4 strawberries (sliced)

Giro Rascal Child Helmet Boy

Features a snap-fit visor, one-handed AcuDial fit system and 20 vents. $19.88

Louis Garneau Flow 1Q2 Bike Helmet Girl

The Flow helmet is perfectly designed for your daughter and available in great designs. The inner bug net allows ventilation but keeps insects out. $14.88

Bike

Nakamura Crxssfire 16 inch 2014

The Nakamura Crxssfire 16 inch is the next step for your son when he grows out of the 12 inch tire bike. Once you get your children riding this bike you can take those fun leisurely rides around the neighborhood. $119.99

Parent and Baby

Chariot Cheetah 1 + Stroll – Green

The Chariot Cheetah is the lightweight performer. The perfect training partner for the athlete in the family. $449.99

Polisport Boodie FF Child Bike Seat

The Polisport Boodie FF Baby Seat is designed to carry a small child on the back of an adult bike. $79.99

Boy/Girl Accessories:

Louis Garneau Kid Ride Gloves

With kid-friendly graphics, the Kid Ride gloves are essential for your toddler’s first riding days. $14.99

Zefal Quick Mini Bell

This bell easily attaches to any handlebar. $5.99

Torch Bright Flex 2 LED Bike Light – White

2 Ultra bright LED lights that can be mounted in various positions on a bike. $9.99 [Read more…]

Get Creative this Valentine’s Day with 12 Simple and Sweet Crafts

February 2, 2014 by Kathryn 8 Comments

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, now is a great time to sit down with the kids and create a fun craft for a loved one. And if you’re in need of a little inspiration, you’re sure to find it with these twelve easy Valentine’s Day crafts perfect for kids and adults alike! [Read more…]

Help Your Child Learn to Read with the Little Champion Reader Kit-Giveaway

January 28, 2014 by Kathryn 94 Comments

I am passionate about the importance of childhood literacy and the role that early education can play in creating successful readers. As an avid reader myself, I am determined to help my children grow to be strong readers as well and luckily for me, there are so many fabulous tools and materials available to help me with that goal. Recently the creator of the Little Champion Reader kit contacted me about reviewing her innovative three-in-one system and with Benjamin at the perfect age to start developing some basic literacy skills, I was only too happy to oblige.

This kit is colourful, beautiful and incredibly complete. It includes nine DVDs, fifteen sliding flashcards, fifteen phonics books and three blank flashcards with a dry erase pen. The kit even includes a bonus CD featuring more than 150 free printable worksheets! Benjamin and I sat down to examine the kit together and see what the contents were like.

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