Halloween with Hallmark Canada

Did you know Canada..  we are just getting out Halloween decorations out, how about you?  The weather has finally turned chilly and we are in the mood for fall, pumpkins, hay bales, ghosts, spiders, witches and more!

Hallmark Canada has you cover for super fun decorations in every ghost, goblin, witch, spider and spooky way possible.  Here's a few of our favourites we have around the house..

"Whoo's Watching Me?" Singing Owl - everyone loves this cute owl, including the baby!  When you press the button he sings, the tree stump lights up and his eyes move back and forth, really cute!

Alive & Talking Pumpkin - makes a ton of different faces and has really funny saying like "ever since the carving I've just had this empty feeling inside" hehe.. that's our favourite one.  His face moves as he talks, you can set it for motion sensor so he talks when you walk by or just have it static and you can push a button to cycle through his different faces - this is a really fun one to get.

Fortune-Telling Magic Mirror - another motion sensor, we have this hanging by our front door to surprise visitors, works as a mirror until someone walks by then the fortune teller offers fun Halloween predictions!

Visit your local Hallmark store for all this and more!  We love these products not only for the fun and looks, but also quality!  We have Hallmark decorations from previous years that look and work every bit as good as the day we got them.

How are you decorating for Halloween?

Great things happening with @Almond_Fresh!

Did you know Canada..  Canadian beverage company, Almond Fresh, has some big fun happening
on their Facebook page!

You can send a refreshing drink to a friend, like a Good Morning Almond Berry smoothie, and Honey Banana Blast smoothie or a Apple-Tini cocktail, along with a fun message AND be entered into an amazing contest!  With 46 daily Almond Fresh prize packs and a KitchenAid Countertop Appliance prize pack and one year of Almond Fresh to be won - you need to head over there now!

I HAD to checkout what this Apple-Tini Cocktail was all about, and it's so easy!

2 oz apple juice
1 oz Almond Fresh Unsweetened
splash caramel syrup
dash fresh lemon juice

1.  Combine ingredients over ice in a martini shaker.
2.  Shake vigorously and serve in martini glass.
3.  Garnish with a cherry or apple slice.

Simple ingredients with a tasty result, what a fun recipe to use for fall!

Canadian beverage company Almond Fresh produces almond milk that is vegan and non GMO.  Almonds have a whole host of benefits include helping to lower cholesterol as part of a diet low in saturated fat, and excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, a source of vitamin E and that vitamin E is the most easily absorbed antioxidant known!  It protects cells from oxidation by removing free radicals, which contribute to aging.

Rep the benefits of almonds with Almond Fresh, check out their fun contest on Facebook and enter below for your chance to win $20 in Almond Fresh vouchers so you can try it for yourself!  Good luck Canada!

Giveaway

Little Miss Bows and Bands

Did you know Canada..  I love head bands, wear them all the time, but do you know what I don't like, that pain behind your ears where the head band pushes too hard, but if it didn't do that then the head band would slip off wouldn't it.  Then I learned about these beautiful headbands from Little Miss Bows and Bands.

Handmade Baby to Adult accessories made with love by Farah, her head bands fit perfect, I've never had a slip and her hair ties leave your hair dent free and double as fashionable bracelets when not in use, how cool is that!  With heat sealed to avoid fraying, these ties and bands will last for ever and even with daily use they are still keeping their shape.  No more pain behind the ears from a too tight head band either.

Coming in a huge range of colours, you can have a band for every look and every occasion.  That's not all Farah has to offer either, she has sweet tutus, cute clips, gorgeous wedding wear and more!

Don't forget little mister either, Farah offers cute ties, suspenders and funky bow ties for the little man in your life, perfect for pictures!

Visit Little Miss Bows and Bands on Facebook to see everything she has to offer!

Fall Made by Hand Show Giveaway #madebyhandshow

Did you know Canada.. the Fall Made by Hand Show returning to the International Centre in Mississauga on October 19, 2013.  Check out this amazing list of exhibitors, all handmade crafts for body, baby, kids, home decor, clothing, jewellery, paper goods and more!

How would you like a $100 shopping spree at the show? We are giving away that and more, almost $500 in prizes.

 Thanks to all the giveaway hosts: Made by Hand, Mayahood Blog, Canadian Blog House, Canadian Mom Eh, Maple Mouse Mama, One Heart One Family, Journeys of the Zoo, Socially Engaged, Little Miss Kate, Did you Know Canada and Tales of a Ranting Ginger.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

 Open to ALL CANADIANS

ALL Prizes will be picked up in person at the Fall Made by Hand Show, October 19, between 11:00am - 5:00pm, International Centre, Hall 6, Mississauga. For more information on the MADE BY HAND SHOWS please visit http://www.madebyhandshow.ca

PlaSmart - Stomp Rocket

Did you know Canada..  we have had tons of fun this summer checking out PlaSmart's Stomp Rocket!

With no batteries or fuel required this air powered rocket is the perfect activity to bring to the park, beach, friends house or even just out into the backyard.  Think about where you are before you stomp too hard though, the Stomp Rocket Super High Performance can get up to 400 feet!

There's also Stomp Rocket Ultra soaring up to 200 feet and Stomp Rocket Jr. Glow going up to 100 feet - lots of options for every age range and space range.

Easy to set up, the Stomp Rocket Super High Performance came with 6 rockets, stand, air hose and launch pad, that's all you need for an afternoon of fun!

We brought ours to a pool party this summer and the boys and their uncles had fun seeing who could launch the rockets the highest.  It also led to some interesting discussions about how it worked, why a harder stomp made it fly higher, why it needed to be straight up and down on the stand - I think the boys learned a lot!  Everyone was also really pleased it came with 6 rockets, so you could launch them one after another without having to chase the rockets down where they land.

Not just for summer though, Stomp Rockets are a great outdoor activity for this fall too.  If the grass is too wet to play on, take it to a big empty parking lot and have fun with it there!

Canadian company PlaSmart has a host of smart, innovative and amazing toys - stay up to date with them on Facebook, Twitter and on the web.

Enter below for your chance to win a PlaSmart Stomp Rocket, the whole family will love it!  Good luck Canada!

Giveaway

#CAAREWARDS Update and Contest Link

Did you know Canada..  for the last month you may have seen some excitement on twitter as myself and some friends were racing around the city finding CAA reward partners.  You would not believe how many discounts you can earn with your CAA card!!

To celebrate this fun challenge there's an iPad Mini up for grabs!!  Enter for your chance to win here and if you can, join us this Thursday, September 19th at 12pm to chat about #CAAREWARDS and find out who the iPad Mini winner is!!

Back to School with @HilroyCanada!

Did you know Canada..  it's only about 2 weeks to go here and the time to shop is now!

ACCO Brands Canada has you covered with products from Hilroy, MotherWord and more!  That's right, Mom needs a few back to school products too doesn't she?  Who else will organize these kids!

I love the MotherWord New Mom notebook, it helps you track feedings, immunizations, sleep patterns, diaper changing, doctors appointments and more!  I really love the bungee closure so if you are sticking a few extra papers inside you can keep everything together, because everything to do with baby seems to include a mountain of paper work doesn't it??  I also have some fun extra MotherWord stickers that I can write on to stick where ever I need them!  MotherWord also offers Daily Agendas, the Ultimate Magnetic Family Calendar, everything to keep track of appointments, school functions, sporting events, play dates and about a million other things we do every week. :)

For the big kids we have really cool pencil cases and notebooks, everything is so much more fun and colourful than when I was growing up!  I think I want to keep these notebooks for ME! ;)  Hilroy offers tons of funky and fun back-to-school supplies with colour, textures and patterns like Glitter Glam, safari, colour splash, and chevrons!

Another item perfect for Mom or older students - the Mead Organizher loyalty card holder!  Perfect for loyalty cards, business cards, gift cards, credit cards or even student cards!  They come in fun and fashionable colours, perfect for every personality!

Follow Hilroy Canada on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on the latest gear and you can visit retailers like Staples, Walmart and more to find these fantastic products that will have the whole family set for back-to-school!  To celebrate the big back-to-school event we have an awesome prize pack to giveaway!  Enter below for your chance to win THIS!

- Zwipes Dividers - Staples
- Notetote Purple Binder - Various retailers
- Hilroy Neon Nature Small Notebook - Walmart
- Hilroy Notebook with hearts - Various retailers
- Hilroy Enviro Recycled Line pencil pouch - various retailers
- Hilroy Neon Nature Casemade Binder - Walmart
- Motherword Perpetual Daily Agenda - Various retailers
- Motherword Stickers - Various retailers
- Motherword To Do List - Various retailers
- Motherword Ultimate Magnetic Family Calendar - various retailers
- Five Star Zipper Binder - Staples

Wow!  One lucky Canadian reader will head back to school in style with this prize pack, enter now!

Giveaway

Wow - AeroVelo Wins $250,000 Sikorsky Prize!

Did you know Canada..  The Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition was established in 1980(!!!) by the American Helicopter Society International to develop the first controlled flight of a human powered helicopter that meets a set of extremely challenging requirements.

The requirements to win the AHS Human Powered Helicopter Competition include a flight duration of at least 60 seconds and reaching an altitude of 3 meters while remaining in a 10 meter square boundary. The flight must also be certified by a representative of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

The competition was named in honor of Igor Sikorsky and the prize is $250,000 (pledged by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation).

Well, BIG NEWS! The prize was awarded July 11 2013 to the AeroVelo team from the University of Toronto. On 13 June 2013 at 12:43PM EDT the team managed to keep their human-powered helicopter called Atlas in the air for 64.11 seconds, reach a peak altitude of 3.3 metres and drift no more than 9.8 metres.

Check it out here, and congratulations!!  Go Canada!!

#bioSnackySprouts Recipe and Twitter Party News!

Did you know Canada..  we told you we were in a sprouting challenge, growing with #bioSnackySprouts and now I have a couple yummy recipes to share that we've made, and some party news!

For a quick, but tasty and healthy lunch, I used Little Radish Sprouts on top of a toasted plain cheese bagel for tasty results!  The Little Radish Sprouts add a spicy kick, they REALLY do taste like radishes!

For a great dinner the whole family will love I cooked chopped chicken breast in a wok with hoisin sauce, added onions, corn, Mung Bean Sprouts.  Then cooked rice and Little Radish Sprouts and green onions to top it off.  It was DELISH, and guess what, even the KIDS enjoyed it!

The whole family can enjoy sprouts on a daily basis when you grow your own!  The kids will even be willing to have a taste since they are proud of their accomplishments with growing them from seed.

You may even with your own sprouter July 2nd if you join us for the #bioSnackySprouts Twitter Party!!

Be sure to follow your hosts before the event -
@AVogel_ca
@NaturallySavvy
@AndreaDonsky

When: Tuesday July 2, 2013 9pm EST 6pm PST

Hashtag: #bioSnackySprouts

Prizes:

3 lucky winners will get a 3-tier bioSnacky sprouter with a bioSnacky Organic Sprouting Seed Assortment

PLUS 2 lucky winners will get a bioSnacky Sprouting Jar with a bioSnacky Organic Sprouting Seed Assortment

Twitter party prizing is open to Canadians only - we will see you there!

I AM. Canadian

Did you know Canada.. I AM. Canadian is back for Canada Day long weekend!!!

The sun is shining, the temp is high and it's the weekend to celebrate everything great about our country!  We know Canadians know how to party, and this is the weekend to do it!!

Molson Canadian knows about Canadian pride, and after over a decade, Molson Canadian’s iconic campaign I AM. is back for Canada Day 2013!  Check out this amazing new commercial - Molson Canadian took a (really awesome) beer fridge around Europe and only a Canadian passport could open it.  View the results here:




Molson Canadian has also launched a new online store to sell Molson Canadian merchandise (including I AM. Canadian merchandise for a limited time!).  Now you can buy all the cool stuff you see posted on Facebook and on promos in store!  Right now they are offering FREE SHIPPING too!  And they ship anywhere - how fun would it be to send a Canadian abroad some Molson Canadian swag!

In Ontario head to the beer store before the long weekend and pick up a specially marked case of Molson Canadian for an  I AM. Canadian in case tshirt!  There's 4 to collect - better pick up a case for a friend too!

And this is the coolest thing ever I think, they have been distributed to local bars and restaurants - an I AM. Canadian BEER BOOT!  So you better be heading out with some friends this weekend to check them out!

Join us in showing your Canadian pride this weekend by changing your Facebook profile or cover image to an I AM. Canadian one!  Check out the details here.

You can't have a celebration without some prizes!!!  Enter below for your chance to win an I AM. Canadian prize pack; including: I AM. Canadian tee, I AM. Canadian duffle bag, I AM. Canadian beer boot (YES! Your own beer boot!), and I AM. Canadian hat!!!  You do not want to miss this giveaway, it includes an I AM. Canadian beer boot!!  (must be Canadian and of legal drinking age to win!)

Giveaway

#bioSnackySprouts with @AVogel_ca

Did you know Canada..  we are on Day 2 of a sprouting challenge!  A.Vogel has challenged us to grow some sprouts over a 10 day period using their classic bioSnacky 3-tier sprouter.

The older boys each picked a seed and Mom got to pick one too.  So we are growing..

Mung Bean - Green soy seed with mild and aromatic taste. Mung bean sprouts contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B12 and C, plenty of vitamin E as well as iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Fitness Mix - Mix of wheat seeds, mung beans and radish. This unique mix provides a subtle, mildly piquant taste which adds interest to your meals.
Little Radish - Little Radish sprouts have a strong and spicy flavour. They contain vitamins A, B1, B2 and C as well as numerous minerals.

So far the Mung Bean is in the lead, already sprouting on day 2!

The set up was very easy and an enjoyable family project.  You just rinse out the tiers, confirm the red drain is in place, then rinse your seeds (the amount of seeds you add per tray is listed on the seed package), add the seeds to the tray and you are good to go!  You water your seeds right away and it's actually really fun to water them, because you add your water to the top tier and it drains all the way to the bottom leaving just enough water in each tier for your sprouts to grow!  You empty the bottom drainage with the excess water and that's it!

I LOVE how quickly you have action as you can see from our Mung Bean's, this makes it really exciting for the boys and we will be adding out sprouts to sandwiches, salads, stir frys and more in no time!  Being able to grow 3 different sprouts at once in one compact unit gives you enough sprouts for so many different dishes or even combined into one!

Stay tuned next week for an update and follow hashtag #bioSnackySprouts for our daily updates along with others doing the challenge!

Shaidee

Did you know Canada..  just in time for summer, we've learned about a new protect to protect your little one while in a baby carrier.

If you have used a baby carrier you know that the biggest downfall is that there is no easy way to protect the baby's head, neck and arms from the sun.  Even with a hat the neck is often exposed and it becomes tricky to stay outside for too long.

But now, there's the Shaidee!  Cool and comfortable, it's light weight, one size fits all and compatible with most carriers and slings!

Wind resistant and machine washable, this breathable product does it all!

My little man and I have been using it and we receive a compliment from strangers every time we are out!  There is simply nothing else like Shaidee out there on the market and what a fantastic baby shower gift this summer for an expectant Mom!

Another fantastic Canadian product!

Teach My, Award Winning Learning kits

Did you know Canada..  we have been having fun introducing our little man to a new product - Teach My Baby Learning Kit.

Teach My, Award Winning Learning kits are developed my Canadian Christy Cook.  The kits are designed to have all your learning tools in one box.  Instead of buying a puzzle here, a flashcard there, a book somewhere else you can buy one kit, have everything together all in one box and they all match.  The box alone is a fantastic idea to keep all your teaching tools together instead of strewn about the house as they often were with my older boys.

We've been checking out the Teach My Baby Learning Kit and even at four months old we have been having lots of fun.  The kit includes...

• 12 One Piece Puzzles
• 6 Two Piece Puzzles
• 6 Touch and Feel Flashcards
• 6 Mirrored Flashcards
• 6 Mirrored Nesting Blocks
• 5 Finger Puppets
• 4 Board Books
• 1 Double-Sided Storyboard
• Teaching Guide
• Storage case

My little man already loves the finger puppets and touch and feel flashcards, we've been having fun reading the books too.  They've also been great tools to have my older boys work on their reading by reading to the baby - what a win-win!

Very interactive, cute, durable and stores so well, we are so happy with this kit.  I know we will be purchasing the Toddler and Preschooler kits as our little man grows.  What a fantastic gift idea for a baby shower, birth of a child, birthday or just a special present for the start of summer.

Kits are available for purchase at Walmart.ca, Staples.ca, Amazon.ca and teachmy.com!  We also have a fun surprise for our readers, enter below for your chance to win a Teach My Kit (a $39.99 value!).

Giveaway

Other Phone Line Options in Canada

Did you know Canada..  you don't need to be tied to a phone line in Canada, there's other options.

We recently switched to a VoIP (Voice over IP) service, it allowed us to keep our home phone
number, we have more options then we did before, can call anywhere and Canada and it works great - and we are paying a fraction of the cost we were before.  This means your voice communications are transported via a data network, rather than the public switched telephone network (PSTN).  We still use our home phone, no one can tell the difference, we just have a lot more features while paying less (kinda cool right).  One feature I really love, being a Mom on the go, is that when someone leaves me a voicemail I can have the message emailed directly to my email account.  My smartphone, probably like yours, never leaves my hand, so I love being able to listen to messages on the run and know who's called the home line.

There's another cool option too, a great business solution - Session Initiation Protocol - SIP Trunking Canada, it's voice and data traffic on a single network.  This allows for businesses to make full use of their IP backbone to connect the company not only internally but also to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). This eliminate the need for separate voice and data networks and can be a real cost savings.

Say you have multiple locations for your business and each with multiple lines, with SIP you can pool you channels, instead of paying for individual services and a multitude of lines at each site.

With greater flexibility and scalability, there are now more options in Canada for your home and business voice communications, keep up with the future and you'll be surprised with the savings available for you!

What type of phone service to you use?

Nellie's Laundry Soda

Did you know Canada..  having a new babe I've being doing A LOT of laundry and I've also been concerned about using limited amount of chemicals and products safe for baby's sensitive skin.

I gave Nellie's Laundry Soda a try and I was happy with the results!  Hypoallergenic, Nellie's Laundry Soda leaves clothes soft, fresh, and residue free.  You only need a tablespoon or less, a tablespoon will definitely do even your largest loads!

I love that you can decide how much you add to your load.  Especially with baby loads I find myself running some small loads because (well besides the clothes being pretty small!) I also might do a quick load of cloths and bibs, a couple of his towels, etc.. So I like not having to add the full amount as you do with pre measured soaps for my small loads.

The Laundry Soda dissolves quickly in BOTH hot and cold water, and I like that Nellie's laundry soda is unscented and designed to penetrate the fabric as well as remove the odours, not mask them. Nellie's rinses clear and leaves no residue.

Easy to use, works great, and comes packaged pretty cool too.  Another fantastic Canadian company to support!  Find them on Facebook here.

We have a fun surprise for our readers, enter below for your chance to win your own 50 load soda bag of Nellie's All-Natural Laundry Soda!

Giveaway

Spring Into Gardening with DK Canada!

Did you know Canada..  with 5 year old boys we have hit a phase where they need to know EVERYTHING.  What everything is called, where it's come from, why it is the way it is.  Thankfully DK Canada has me covered for nature walks now when we are discovering the plant and tree live in bloom.  We have been bringing DK Canada's What's that Tree and What's that Flower with us so we can use the proper names for what we are seeing and learn more about them.

As always, DK Canada's books have the most beautiful pictures and I love that they use real photos, no drawings or sketches.  Everything is explained in easy to understand terms, information is not long and drawn out but given in quick facts.

In What's that Tree? we get information on tree form, growing locations, leaf appearance  sizes and even what a young tree might look like vs an old one.  This has been so much fun to read with the boys and learn plenty myself!  What a fantastic resource for future school projects too!

In What's that Flower? we learn about where flowers grow and why, sizing, colours, shapes, and seasons.  I wish my Grampa was still here for me to give him this book, as an avid gardener he would have loved to read this book end to end.  The boys have enjoyed viewing all the flowers and we even had to make a stop at the store to find some of our favourites to grow in our own garden!

Perfect books to enjoy as a family this spring and an amazing gift for the gardener in your life!  Visit DK Canada's Gardening Boutique to save 30% on all their amazing gardening book!

Target Canada's Entertaining Essentials for Victoria Day Weekend

Did you know Canada..  Target has you covered for entertaining this long weekend!  Whether heading to the cottage, camping or entertaining at home, see below to ensure all bases are covered for a stress-free and fun-filled family weekend.

Canadians love to entertain outdoors and take advantage of beautiful summer-like weather. Target has everything from Bublé to bistro sets to make entertaining a breeze this season:

• Plastic makes perfect – with kids running around in bare feet, plastic dishes and stemware make entertaining outside stress free. Target’s Threshold collection carries colourful dishes and serving trays to create a beautiful outdoor tabletop.
• Accessorize – gardens and greenery provide a beautiful backdrop for any occasion. Add to the outdoors with seasonal accessories including bright patio rugs, umbrellas and pillows.
• Ambiance – set the mood with outdoor lanterns and low background music (but remember, sound travels!)
• Food - check the grocery aisle for quick and easy appetizers to pop in the oven as guests arrive. Archer Farms’ Spanakopita and Lobster and Cheese bites are crowd pleasers – just make sure you have enough on hand for seconds!

Speaking of food, I made two tasty dishes that will be perfect for entertaining this May 2-4 weekend, whether at the cottage, campground or backyard, these can be enjoyed any time!

CHICKPEA & FETA DIP

What you need:

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
• 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup roasted red pepper strips, divided
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• TRISCUIT Crackers

Here’s how:

1. Process chickpeas, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/4 cup peppers and next 4 ingredients in food processor until smooth.

2. Spoon into serving bowl; top with remaining cheese and peppers.

3. Serve with crackers.

I halved the recipe and made it in my Magic Bullet, SO EASY!

- Serve with TRISCUIT Thin Crisps or Archer Farms Tortilla Chips

- Two kinds of crunch: serve dip with cut-up fresh vegetable dippers in addition to crackers

HONEY GRAHAM CRUNCH SMORES BARS

What you need:

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows
• 4 cups Honey Graham Crunch cereal
• 1 1/2 cups Market Pantry miniature marshmallows
• 1 (11.5 oz.) bag milk chocolate chips

Here’s how:

1. Spray 8 or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.

2. Melt butter in large saucepan over LOW heat; add 3 cups miniature marshmallows. Cook and stir until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Add cereal; mix until well coated.

3. Press firmly into prepared pan with the back of a buttered spoon or waxed paper. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows in single layer over top.*

4. Heat chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Heat in additional 10 second increments until completely melted. Spread evenly over top of marshmallows. Let stand until chocolate is set.

- Makes 16 bars

- If desired, toast marshmallows by heating under broiler a few minutes until lightly browned. Then drizzle with chocolate.

- This recipe can easily be doubled and made in a 13x9-inch pan. (You will need to purchase 2 bags of miniature marshmallows.)

- Sprinkle over hot cereal.

- These make a great snack just served plain or mixed with dried fruit.

- Stir slightly crushed cereal into ice cream or frozen yogurt for a crunchy treat.

Both delish!  Even the kiddos liked both dishes and they were fun to serve with these cute napkins and tray from Target.  Enter below for your chance to win a $50 Target giftcard so our lucky winner can buy some entertaining essentials for the start of summer!!!

Giveaway

Put Spring in Your Skin with Cocoon Apothecary!

Did you know Canada..  it wasn't a bad winter here in South Western Ontario, but it's been a long one (frost warnings earlier this week for example!) and it is way past time to perk up my skin.  I was very excited to learn about the natural skincare line from Cocoon Apothecary.  I received their Ancient Mud Facial Mask and the Skin Care Starter Kit with cleanser, toner and cream.

Ancient Mud Facial Mask that contains Dead Sea mud, British Columbian and glacial marine clay infused with essential oils of rose and orange blossom.  This amazing mask mineralizes the skin, exfoliates, purifies pores and draws out all toxins.  I actually had a lot of fun trying the mud facial mask, I've never done one myself before.  Yes, there really is mud in that jar, but it smells wonderful! It was easy to smooth on, then I just let it dry and washed it off, easy peasy and actually really relaxing.

To continue your skin’s renewal, the Cocoon Apothecary Skin Care Starter Kit containing Petal Purity Cleanser, Rose Facial Toner, and Rosey Cheeks Facial Cream will take care of nourishing, restoring and maintaining your skin’s balance, giving it a healthy glow - which is exactly what we want this time of year right!  Again very easy to use and put on, smells wonderful.  I wouldn't say I have extremely sensitive skin, but I certainly can't use just anything, or I get red and itchy.  With the Cocoon Apothecary Skin Care Starter Kit I LOVED the feel of my skin.  Everything felt great and my skin felt conditioned, comfortable and smooth.

I also love that it's not a one time thing, there's enough product to have your own spa day at home all the time!  A great way to refresh and relax after a long week.

It's Jessica Burman who founded Cocoon Apothecary in 2004 in Kitchener, Ontario.  She wanted to create organic and eco-friendly skincare products that embrace the healing power of natural ingredients. Jessica’s background certification in aromatherapy and esthetics has given her the ability to create master formulations that embrace the healing and regenerative powers of rose, lavender and geranium essential oils that work together synergistically.  She meticulously prepares natural beauty creams that contain antioxidants, are vegan and gluten-free and free of petroleum and parabens.

All Cocoon Apothecary beauty creams have natural scents and don’t contain any synthetic fragrance often found in other beauty products.  Cocoon Apothecary’s natural beauty products are 100% biodegradable and are packaged in 100% recyclable amber glass bottles with plant-based labels. Cocoon Apothecary focuses on transparent corporate practices, educating customers on reading cosmetic labels and the importance of natural ingredients.

A great group of products and they would make a beautiful gift too!  Learn more at www.cocoonapothecary.com.

Xyla® Xylitol Products Review - Eating Sweet Without Guilt

Did you know Canada..  How much do you know about Xyla® xylitol? It is interesting that I used it for almost two years.  But only recently did I have an opportunity to learn much more about its background and benefits. Xyla® 100% natural xylitol is a white crystalline granule that looks and tastes like sugar.  It is made from hardwood trees exclusively in North America, great to know that Xyla® xylitol has been approved by Health Canada and produced under the highest manufacturing standards.

When I was first introduced to xylitol by a family member, the explanation was simple it is sugar just produced differently and the final convincing point mentioned was that it is used by people with diabetes. I remember how my uncle suffered from diabetes and had to follow a strict diet a long time ago. Now my mom-in-law continues to call xylitol “Healthy Sugar” and there are many reasons why.  

“Xyla® is a healthy sugar alternative,” says Julie Reid, Director of Sales, Xylitol Canada.  “It has an enormous list of benefits and can be used everywhere sugar is used: in our coffee, jams, pies and cakes and has been used in Europe and many other countries for years.”  Xyla® has 40% less calories than sugar and 75% less carbohydrates, so it’s slowly metabolized.  I learned that xylitol has multiple benefits including maintaining hormonal balance, reducing hot flashes, symptoms of PMS and depression; it also inhibits harmful yeast and prevents osteoporosis and middle-ear infections. If you love sweets, you should definitely switch to Xyla® as it contributes significantly to oral health by preventing plaque and dental cavities.  

I use Xyla® xylitol (I buy a 1lb bag) mostly for preparing hot cereal in the morning. So when I received my gift box which included 2 lb. canister, box of 100 sachets and candies, I was impressed with the varieties of Xyla® xylitol products we have right now on the Canadian market: bags, canisters, box of 100 sachets (great for tea and coffee), Xyla® gum, mints, candy, chocolate, lollipops, jam and various condiments. For my review I started using sachets for my tea and coffee (and I drink quite a lot adding spoons of sugar).  What I first noticed was that I stopped having the after taste I usually have and did not feel any bloating after eating.  I gave grape candies to my family members, and they liked them so much especially when there are so many flavours to choose from: raspberry, watermelon, grape, licorice etc.

It is amazing to find out that celebrities who want to look good, stay in a shape and just be healthy also started switching to xylitol as a healthy sugar alternative, for example Laila Ali adds 1 tablespoon of her go-to sugar substitute, xylitol to her breakfast and fabulous Gwyneth Paltrow uses xylitol in her latest cookbook, It’s All Good (by the way I like her recipe Sweet potato & five-spice muffins).

In Canada Xyla® xylitol can be purchased online http://store.xylitolcanada.com/; at Whole Foods (Xyla® mints); London Drugs, Bulk Barn; Choices Market; and at http://www.xylitolcanada.com/store-listing/

For more information please check Xyla® xylitol web site: http://store.xylitolcanada.com/

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready

Seventh Generation and cleaning green

Did you know Canada..  According to a recent survey, 93% of Canadians would choose green versions of household cleaning products (NMI 2012)!

Thankfully there are now products like those from Seventh Generation.  Seventh Generation is designed with the environment, and you and your family’s health in mind.  Seventh Generation’s impressive roster including diapers, plant-based cleaners for the kitchen, bathroom and laundry, and plant-based baby and personal care for the whole family.

I love their products for the bathroom, especially the toilet bowl clean, so many of them are so stinky and powerful, I had one that the kids refused to use the bathroom for ours afterwards it smells so chemically.  Using the Seventh Generation clean has been so much easier, it cleans well and doesn't leave stinky chemical smells behind.

You know we are all things baby here and have enjoyed trying their line up of baby products.  Their baby wipes are free of chlorine processing, fragrances & dyes, alcohol and they are hypoallergenic.  It's great to know you are taking the best care of your baby's skin as you can.  They are also soft and do the job as you expect.

They also have a nice baby wash series with shampoo, wash, bubble bath and lotion.  It includes a nice fresh and very light scent.  It contains no parabens, phthalates, or synthetic fragrances and is hypoallergenic.  Works great, no residue and we came out clean and sweet on the other end. :-)

Do you choose green products for your home?