As Canada Takes on the World at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, P&G Reminds Us To Say Thank You, Mom

August 8, 2016 by Kathryn 33 Comments

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games have kicked off with a bang and I have to admit that watching Penny Oleksiak win Canada’s first medals of the games (and its first medals in women’s swimming in the last twenty years!) has resulted in my being glued to the television as I go through my day. Whether I’m watching the highly acclaimed Canadian women’s gymnastics team to the men’s volleyball team winning a hard-fought victory over the United States, I can’t help but feel my heart swell up with pride for Canada as our athletes get a chance to show others what they can do.

Throughout those performances, P&G is there supporting our athletes and their families. An official sponsor of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the company has always been passionate about supporting athletes and also providing recognition for the sacrifices that parents make to help their children excel. And as in past years, the P&G video for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games exemplifies that. The video celebrates the idea that behind every amazing athlete is an amazing mom and I’ll admit that I can’t watch it without getting tears in my eyes!

My personal favourite competitors this year, the beautiful and talented FAB IV divers, are a great example of how a mother’s support is essential to success. Roseline Filion (27), Meaghan Benfeito (25), Jennifer Abel (23) and Pamela Ware (21) have won 86 medals between the four of them in a variety of international events and aren’t planning on slowing down any time soon. Ware has said that seeing her own mother get through tough times in younger years inspired her to be a stronger person. Now her mother is the first person she calls after competing, no matter what the results were. And Filion knows her mother’s sacrifices were essential to her success. She admits that without her mother’s support, she would have quit long ago.

While Abel and Ware narrowly missed the podium in the women’s 3-metre synchronized event (coming in fourth and less than one point away from a bronze medal), both women will also be competing in the individual 3-meter springboard event later in the week as well. And tomorrow Filion and Benfeito will have the chance to earn a medal in the women’s 10-metre synchronized diving event. I can’t wait to cheer them on and I have no doubt that their performance will be thrilling.

FAB IV Canadian Olympic Divers — Photo Credit: Vincent Graton

And throughout the games, the divers’ mothers will be cheering them on too, thanks in part to the sponsorship from P&G! Whether you’re a passionate Olympic fan or just a casual viewer of a few favourite events, make sure to watch this year’s P&G Rio 2016 Olympic video to help you get inspired for the coming days. Then tune in and check out Canada’s best athletes as they take on the world and go for gold this year in Rio!

During the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, P&G is Saying Thank You, Mom

June 23, 2016 by Kathryn 44 Comments

Every time the Olympic Games roll around, P&G honours both the athletes competing in the events and the moms that sacrificed so much to make their children’s dreams come true, both with amazing sponsorships and a moving commercial in honour of mothers everywhere. Watching the inspirational videos dedicated to the hard work of the moms never fails to make me tear up, and this year is no exception.

I have to say, though, that I think this year the video touched me even more than usual, because my mom has been going through one of her toughest battles to date. She’s always been an epitome of strength to me, raising five children on her own and making numerous sacrifices to ensure our happiness. But over the last year, she’s shown her strength even more in a battle against breast cancer.

Hearing the words come out of her mouth just over six months ago was heartbreaking. Her mother, my grandmother, died of breast cancer when I was just a preschooler, so the diagnosis struck immediate fear into my heart. The treatment was a mastectomy and a test done on a sample of lymph nodes to see if the cancer had spread. We were all hopeful that the test would come back clean and the mastectomy would be the end of it. [Read more…]

Save on 3 P&G Products that Provide the Best Value for Your Dollar-Giveaway

May 26, 2016 by Kathryn 186 Comments

When it comes to getting the best value for my money, sometimes the cheapest product isn’t always the best. That value brand of floor cleaner for less than a dollar might seem like the best choice, but if it can’t cut through dirt and mud as well, then I’m going to use more to get jobs done. One of the reasons I’m such a fan of P&G products is because I know how much effort goes into making those products more effective. And that means bigger savings in the long run! Wondering what P&G products are especially worth the extra cost? After many years of testing every product under the sun and trying absolutely everything to save a little extra money, these are three of the P&G products that I’ve found are always worth the extra cost, and why:

Tide Laundry Detergent

A few years ago I visited the Proctor & Gamble Headquarters in Cincinnati and had the chance to tour the fabric care facility. After seeing the amount of work that went into research and development, I understood exactly why Tide out-cleans competitors. The deep-down clean isn’t something that just happens through chance. Fabric fibres are examined at a microscopic level to confirm how well the formula removes dirt and grime…while also protecting those fibres so clothes last longer. No wonder Tide is able to remove everything from grass stains to blood to chocolate! While it does cost more, it saves me in the long run by preserving my clothes. And with P&G Printable coupons, you can save $1 on your purchase of Tide! [Read more…]

Breeze Though Spring Cleaning with Swiffer and Febreze #PGMom

May 2, 2016 by Kathryn 44 Comments

Spring cleaning is definitely not my favourite yearly event, but I must admit that I love the feeling of sitting down in a fresh, sweet-smelling house once the cleaning is done. And even the whole spring cleaning process isn’t as arduous as it once was, since I created an arsenal of P&G cleaning products! Everything from scrubbing floors to dusting fans is quicker and easier…and that means more time to enjoy the sunny weather!

This year, P&G sent me an assortment of some of its newest spring cleaning products so that I could get my house ready for a new season. I pulled out the Swiffer and Febreze products, rolled up my sleeves and got ready to tackle the jobs that mean “goodbye winter” to me!

One of the biggest and most time-consuming spring tasks here in Saskatchewan is packing away winter clothing. We have a huge bin of gloves, scarves, toques and more to keep the whole family toasty when snow is on the ground. But come sunny summer weather, the bin is a major space hog. Add in the snow pants and coats in the closet on top of that, and there’s a lot of gear to be cleaned and packed away! [Read more…]

Let Kids Get Creative When You Say #YesToTheMess with Help From Swiffer #PGMom

April 14, 2016 by Kathryn 102 Comments

If there’s one universal truth I’ve discovered as a mother of boys, it’s that life with boys is messy! From dirt on the floor to pee on the toilet seat, I’ve pretty much resigned myself to dealing with random messes for the rest of my life. But while some messes are just flat-out gross, others are a lot more tolerable. Cleaning up the spilled chocolate from a kitchen baking session or scraps of paper and foam from a marathon crafting spree is worth the effort considering how much fun my boys have making those messes!

Luckily, cleaning up after my boys has become a lot easier since I discovered Swiffer products! From the handy Swiffer Sweeper for floors to the Swiffer 360 Duster for tables, shelves and more, I can say yes to the mess with Swiffer in my corner. Letting my boys make a mess has led to some pretty amazing creations, including large, colourful paintings and delicious kitchen creations. And since I, like 70% of other Canadian parents, believe that making a mess encourages creativity, I appreciate anything that helps me clean up those messes quickly and thoroughly! [Read more…]