LEGO SpongeBob Bikini Bottom Undersea Party

Did you know Canada..  I am SO happy to be a Nickelondeon Mom so I can share some of their awesome promotions with you!

This past week we started summer off with a bang by cracking open the LEGO SpongeBob Bikini Bottom Undersea Party Playset!  Recommended for children ages 6 to 11 and at 471 pieces, this gives you an awesome part of Bikini Bottom.  You get a big assortment of characters: SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mrs. Puff, and our favourite, Gary.  Plus SpongeBob's house, Squidward's house, play sets, a juice bar and a D.J. stand.

We had a fantastic time as a family building this at our kitchen table, the boys have a blast making SpongeBob and all his Bikini Bottom friends come to life.  We are HUGE SpongeBob fans, not only do we watch the show, we also read SpongeBob books at bed time, the boys re-enact their favourite parts, work on their SpongeBob laugh - it's a fun part of our life.

I was so impressed with the quality of the pieces, the houses are still standing, even after some rough play!  It really amazes me how lego pieces can turn into these amazing shapes like SpongeBob's pineapple, and Squidward's house. The attention to detail for us die hard fans is so appreciated, like including Gary's bowl in SpongeBob's house.

A fantastic indoor activity for this summer, especially with the crazy hot days we have had!  We are so excited to share a set with our readers as well!  Enter below for your chance to win a  LEGO SpongeBob Bikini Bottom Undersea Party!!

Giveaway

Wrap Trap

Did you know Canada.. last week on Canadian Moms Cook we shared some fun Summer Wrap recipes and shared an awesome new product - Wrap Trap! 

Designed by a Canadian Mom, this awesome tool keeps the ends of a wrap closed so the yummy stuff doesn't fall out on to the floor or kiddos laps.  So all you do is fill your wrap like normal, roll it, clip the ends and cut the wrap in half!  Lunch for everyone and I found my boys managed to eat right to the end of the wrap instead of it falling apart halfway through.







We loved the funny faces on the wraps and everyone has their favourite colour.  Perfect way to get the boys excited about a lunch like healthy wraps!





Visit Canadian Company ONS GEAR to purchase the Wrap Trap and many more innovative solutions!  Great news: use coupon code: WrapMom (case sensitive) for 10% off, valid until July 31st 2012.

Be sure to check out our post on Canadian Moms Cook for some yummy wrap recipes!!

National Fishing Week

Did you know Canada..  National Fishing Week starting tomorrow!  Running July 7 - 15, this week is to encourage more Canadians to experience recreational fishing.

In Ontario you don't even need a licence to fish this week, check the National Fishing Week website for info on licence free days in other provinces.

We love fishing here, have gone many times during camping and cottage trips.  I fabulous way to spend time together as a family, learning some new skills, and enjoy some of Canada's natural beauty!

According to the National Fishing Week website: Outdoor organizations, government resource agencies, tackle retailers and volunteers are preparing to host hundreds of events in almost every province and territory. Clinics, seminars, tournaments, interpretive classes, retail sales and derbies are being held in over 100 communities across the country.


Who's getting out to fish this week??

Recipe Round Up 07/06

Did you know Canada.. it's been some crazy hot days this week!  What are your favourite meals in the heat, cool wraps and salads?  Straight for the BBQ to keep the heat outside? Remember to chat with me and co-author Muli-Testing Mommy on Twitter and Facebook about meal ideas, fun recipes and more!






Hidden Valley Ranch Potato Salad - we tried a new twist on potato salad that was a huge hit!

No More Composter or Green Bin Stink! ~ a new product has hit the shelves that will help keep the stink down in your kitchen, garage and backyard!

Ants on a Log ~ a classic fun snack for children (and adults too!).

Look forward to sharing more recipes next week.

ZAMOOF!

Did you know Canada..  I have found an amazing Canadian magazine for children - ZAMOOF!

ZAMOOF! is, well it's just awesome!  I think the best way to tell you about it is to tell you about the amazing features that were included in just one magazine..

* comics
* puzzles
* stories
* posters
* quizzes
* recipes
* colouring
* pet horoscopes
* submitted art
* an interview

This is all in ONE magazine!  And there was only a couple of kid friendly ads at the back, that's it.

This was awesome, perfect for my boys to practice their letters and us reading as a family, it was funny to look up the pet's horoscopes, the boys loved looking at the comics, the funny pet pictures and reeeeally loved the Madagascar 3 take-out posters.

They accept all kinds of submissions for youths, including recipes, pet photos, drawings, puzzles, jokes and more.

A subscription would make a fabulous birthday or back to school gift this year, a magazine the entire family can enjoy!  Yes - I was giggling at the pet horoscopes and the "Mutant Cat Swallows Van" story.

Check out their website for some great articles on their blog as well, the cupcake recipe sounds fantastic!  I hope they update the blog more often to get some more great info.  I loved their article about The Little League Canadian Championships last year, my own boys play T-Ball, so we're going to be looking up info about this years Campionship!

I really recommend picking up a copy or subscribing to ZAMOOF!  This is fantastic for all Canadian families!  We are SO excited to share not one, but TWO one year subscriptions with our readers.  Enter below for your chance to win!!

Giveaway

Twistos

Did you know Canada..  it's time to put a Twist in your snack routine!

We've been trying the new Twistos by PepsiCo Canada and they are awesome!  Coming in 3 flavours..

* Parmesan & Garlic
* Bruschetta
* Asiago

I thought the flavours were very adult, but the kids love these too!  The family favourite is the Asiago, I think both the Asiago and Parmesan & Garlic would go great with salads and dips, the Brushchetta is yummy on it's own.  I bet they would also be fantastic in soups this coming fall, the possibilities are endless!

These are the perfect treat to have our at all your BBQs this summer, a yummy snack to take to work and more.  Available across the country, I've already seen people picking them up at our local grocery store, you gotta try them!

Have you had them yet?  What's your favourite flavour??

The Amazing Spider-man!

Did you know Canada..  we are excited about The Amazing Spider-man movie coming out this week and have been checking out the awesome new Spiderman toys from Hasbro Canada.

The Web Battler Spiderman is really cool, you squeeze his legs and he brings webs together, the boys have come up with tons of fun story lines as Spiderman battles with their other action figures.

The Amazing Spider-man Spider Strike Battle Vehicle is one of my guys favourites.  The car comes with a small spiderman that sits in the car, you can then launch the roof and spiderman holds on to the web to swing out.  My guy actually bring this to bed every night, it's so sweet.

The Amazing Spider-man Hero Mask has been lots of fun around here.  We all take turns wearing it, even when my guys go out..haha..  It really brings play to life, fits well and is open enough that it doesn't get too hot or overwhelming.

We saved the best for last in our opinion - The Amazing Spider-man Mega Blaster Web Shooter with Glove Set.  It's a mouthful to say, but it is AWESOME.  Fits well, the handle took some getting used to but my little guy can shoot no problem.  The set comes with 1 can of web fluid and a refillable water cartridge, so the fun doesn't stop even when you run out of webs.  We were excited to see this as a present at a birthday party the boys went to over the weekend, they can now shoot with a friend as well for tons of fun.

These are just a few of the really cool spiderman toys Hasbro Canada has, our local grocery store has an awesome display for The Amazing Spider-man toys, they are available across the nation!

Who's heading to see the movie this week???

BarterParent

Did you know Canada..  we've heard about an awesome new website for Moms and Dads - BarterParent.com.

BarterParent is a classifieds site where you list products such as baby, maternity, children's clothing, sports gear and more.  These get seen by parents all over North America - then you can sell your products, or maybe make a trade, barter however works best for you!

I love that you are not limited to your city, or have to sit around waiting at home for someone that MIGHT show up and MIGHT want to buy what you have.  This way you have access to all of North America and you are just one trip to the post office away.

Great news too, Everyone who registers and posts at least one ad by Monday, July 9th at 9amEST, will be entered to WIN a $ 100 gift certificate at onsgear.com. It's BaterParents way of saying THANK YOU for support and for helping to populate this new site with ads.

So head over to BarterParent.com today, register, list some great products another little one can enjoy, or post wanted ads for things you need.

Bourjois Paris

Did you know Canada..  this past weekend was not only the Canada Day long weekend, but also my birthday!  Hubby and I went out for dinner, thanks to my Mom for both the gift card and watching the kiddos, I can't even remember the last time we went out!

Finally a reason to get dressed up and put on some make-up, I was so excited to try my new mascara and lip gloss from Bourjois Paris.

The lip gloss I tried is their new Rose Exclusif, a clear lipgloss that self-adjusts into a unique and personalised pink when applied to lips, how cool is this!  Because the pH of your lips is unique, this lipgloss enriched with pH reactive pigments will self-adjust into a bespoke pink to suit your skin tone!  I admit I was a little unsure when I first put it on, but it goes on smooth and becomes a beautiful shade, I was so happy with it!  I had my Mom try it too, she is much fairer than I (and that's saying something, because I am really fair as well) and it looked completely different on her.  What a fantastic product!

The mascara I tried was their waterproof Liner Effect - this is their best seller, and a must for our humid Canadian summers and snowy wet winters.  I loved how dark it looked with just one coat, the mascara formula is actually enriched with khol to intensify the results and it works!  I loved the info I found on the Bourjois Paris website for the mascara..


The brush has a double action:
Step 1: Use long bristles to stretch the mascara formula from root to tip. Intensely lengthens lashes without clumping.

Step 2: Use short bristles to deposit formula at the base of the lashes, emphasising roots for a liner effect. It will look as though you have used a pencil khol in the inside rim of your lashes, without the hassle!

Perfect!  For a busy Mom that is not a make-up pro, this one tool makes me feel put together and ready for a night out.

Bourjois Paris products are available at Shoppers Drug Marts across the nation and a true investment into making up look great, feel great and be excited to get out on those special occasions!

T-fal Baby Home

Did you know Canada.. we have teamed up with some fellow bloggers and T-fal Baby Home for a great giveaway..

I think it's safe to say that all parents are concerned with feeding their babies a healthy diet. With the costs of buying organic foods not being in everyone’s budget feeding your growing family may pose a challenge.

This past May T-fal introduced Baby Home, a series of appliances developed to help making healthy meals for your baby easier. The line is BPA-free and features Disney’s Pooh Bear and friends. The products within the line are the 2 in 1 steamer and blender; a steam sterilizer; a bottle and jar warmer and a 2 in 1 bottle warmer and sterilizer.

WIN: The prize pack T-fal Baby Home has provided us is simply amazing and valued over $230!! One Canadian resident will receive the following two products:

The 2 in 1 Blender and Steamer: $129.99

The Baby Home blender/steamer combo features four settings: steam, heat, defrost, and purée,that make it possible to treat even the tiniest taste buds to fresh, nutritious, homemade food in as little as ten minutes! The innovation however, brings more than just convenience to the table by allowing parents to:

• provide their baby with healthier and tastier alternatives to store-bought food through steaming, which locks in essential vitamins and flavours minus the additives and preservatives

• exercise quality control, ensuring that only the freshest fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats go into their baby’s food

• prepare organic baby food at a fraction of the price of manufactured organic food

• expose their baby to a variety of different foods and combinations not customarily sold in stores, which helps to set them on the path to a lifetime of healthy choices
• transition their baby onto the next feeding stage more easily by gradually increasing the texture of their baby’s food over time for a seamless switch from purées to big kid fare!

The blender/steamer features a graduated blending bowl that stays cool to the touch, eliminating the risk of burns, and a double locking system ensures that it only works when the lid is in place. A recipe book and feeding guide are also included.

2 in 1 Bottle Warmer and Sterilizer: $99.99

 

Ideal for travelers, the Baby Home steam sterilizer and bottle warmer are also available as a convenient 2 in 1 unit that performs both operations simultaneously. With the capacity to sterilize one bottle and its accessories in six and a half minutes and heat it in three—bottles can be ready faster than it takes Pooh to get to the bottom of a honey pot.

Giveaway is open to residents of Canada 18+, winner will be drawn on July 17th and have 48 hours to respond. Simply fill in the Rafflecopter form below to enter!  Good luck!

Giveaway