Hope everyone has fun tonight! (it's raining here, boo!)
Stay tuned as we switch gears tomorrow and start thinking Holidays!!!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween!
Did you know Canada.. The practice of Guising (children disguised in costume going from door to door for food or coins) at Halloween in North America is first recorded in 1911, where a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario reported children going "guising" around the neighbourhood.
Hope everyone has fun tonight! (it's raining here, boo!)
Stay tuned as we switch gears tomorrow and start thinking Holidays!!!
Hope everyone has fun tonight! (it's raining here, boo!)
Stay tuned as we switch gears tomorrow and start thinking Holidays!!!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Get in the know about Auto Insurance #AutoXplained
Did you know Canada.. when chatting with friends about insurance I hear a lot about how those who have never made a claim deserve a very low rate, or how the kids with the "race cars" should be paying triple the rest of us. Some might be surprised to know insurance companies really aren't picking on you, there are set systems in place that are used to calculate your premium.
Factors that are used include..
What are some things you can control to reduce the cost of auto insurance? Drop collision coverage on an older car, get package deals by insuring both your car and home with the same company, install an approved theft deterrent system and buy a car with a lower-cost insurance rating.
If there is a claim do you wonder where the money will come from? Well it works like this - the premiums of the many pay for the losses of a few. So everyone's premiums (payments) go into a large pool and when someone makes a claim the money comes out of that pool.
Know the facts about auto insurance and why we pay what we do.
Although this post has been generously sponsored by IBC, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect The Insurance Bureau of Canada.
Factors that are used include..
- Where you live - collisions and auto theft are more likely in urban areas
- What car you drive - make, model, year, value and potential repair cost are all taken into account
- What you use your car for - the more you drive, the higher your collision risk
- Your driving record and driver profile
What are some things you can control to reduce the cost of auto insurance? Drop collision coverage on an older car, get package deals by insuring both your car and home with the same company, install an approved theft deterrent system and buy a car with a lower-cost insurance rating.
If there is a claim do you wonder where the money will come from? Well it works like this - the premiums of the many pay for the losses of a few. So everyone's premiums (payments) go into a large pool and when someone makes a claim the money comes out of that pool.
Know the facts about auto insurance and why we pay what we do.
Although this post has been generously sponsored by IBC, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect The Insurance Bureau of Canada.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Mortgages in Canada
financial decision you will ever make yet it's still a gray area for a lot of first time home owners. Before you get a mortgage or change or renew one, it is important to do some research and be informed in order to get the mortgage that best suits your needs.
One of the first steps is to look into Canadian mortgage rates and compare different lenders, don't just walk into one bank and be done with it. You also need to know if you want an open or closed mortgage - the difference between the two boils down to the amount of flexibility you have in making extra payments on the principal or in paying off the mortgage completely. These types of extra payments are called prepayments.
Open mortgages allow you to make prepayments whenever you want. Closed mortgages often include prepayment privileges, which give you the option to make prepayments up to a certain amount. By making prepayments, you can save thousands of dollars in interest charges by paying down your mortgage faster but the interest rate on a closed mortgage is usually lower than on an open mortgage with a comparable term length.
Looking into mortgage rates and using online calculators to review possible monthly payments is a good way to see what purchase price on a house you can afford. Remember, you also need to have a down payment ready - the minimum down payment is at least 5% of the purchase price and in some cases even more.
Speaking of rates, you need to know if you want a fixed, variable or hybrid interest rate. With fixed you will know in advance the amount of interest you will have to pay; with variable the interest the rate can increase or decrease during the term and some lenders offer "hybrid" or combination mortgages—part of the mortgage is financed at a fixed rate and part is financed at a variable rate.
You may not know that mortgages don't have to be paid once a month, there's also semi-monthly, biweekly, weekly and accelerated options. Accelerated weekly and accelerated biweekly payments can save you thousands, or even tens of thousands in interest charges, because you'll pay off your mortgage much faster using those options. The reason is that with the "accelerated" options, you make the equivalent of one extra monthly payment per year. Regular weekly and biweekly options do not provide the same benefits.
A lot to consider and research to discover the value of the mortgage you can afford should be your first thoughts before you go house shopping!
Halloween with Hasbro Canada!
Did you know Canada.. Halloween doesn't just have to be about candy! There are easy ways to offer a fun treat to the kids without the sugar and Hasbro Canada has you covered.
We LOVE blind bags like the Kre-O Transformers Micro-Changers Mystery Pack. You get to build your own Transformers adventures with the 2-in-1 Micro-Changers, that means in one little package the pieces can turn into either a "guy" or a vehicle, very fun and the kids love to build and rebuild over and over again. The surprise factor is also so much fun, wondering which guy will be inside, the boys love them!
The Play-doh Halloween bag offers another way to treat the kiddos, these colourful little cans offer fun for hours and hours. I love these small cans best because the kids like to use lots of different colours anyways, so big cans don't get wasted.
Best yet comes a big surprise, either for a costume, themed party or a big surprise if Halloween night gets rained out (it looks like that is happening here, yikes!) - the Star Wars Darth Vader Voice Changer Helmet is so fun, not only does it change your voice when you are wearing it, there's also
another button that plays different Darth Vader sayings. This is extra fun for us since we have baby Lucas, hubby has been having fun saying "Luke, I am your Father" to him..lol! By the way, a little piece of trivia for you, did you know that line is never uttered in the movie? The actual line is "No, I am your father" - huh!
To go with it is the Star Wars Anakin to Darth Vader Colour Change Lightsaber Toy - this is a must have for any Star Wars fans. I bet your kiddos are like my boys who love to act out scenes and their own stories where you can start out an Anakin and with a press of a button you've turned into Darth, it makes a really cool sounds when you switch them too - great for play and homemade YouTube videos. ;-)
Just a few of the fun things Hasbro Canada has to offer to treat the kids this Halloween!
We LOVE blind bags like the Kre-O Transformers Micro-Changers Mystery Pack. You get to build your own Transformers adventures with the 2-in-1 Micro-Changers, that means in one little package the pieces can turn into either a "guy" or a vehicle, very fun and the kids love to build and rebuild over and over again. The surprise factor is also so much fun, wondering which guy will be inside, the boys love them!
The Play-doh Halloween bag offers another way to treat the kiddos, these colourful little cans offer fun for hours and hours. I love these small cans best because the kids like to use lots of different colours anyways, so big cans don't get wasted.
Best yet comes a big surprise, either for a costume, themed party or a big surprise if Halloween night gets rained out (it looks like that is happening here, yikes!) - the Star Wars Darth Vader Voice Changer Helmet is so fun, not only does it change your voice when you are wearing it, there's also another button that plays different Darth Vader sayings. This is extra fun for us since we have baby Lucas, hubby has been having fun saying "Luke, I am your Father" to him..lol! By the way, a little piece of trivia for you, did you know that line is never uttered in the movie? The actual line is "No, I am your father" - huh!
To go with it is the Star Wars Anakin to Darth Vader Colour Change Lightsaber Toy - this is a must have for any Star Wars fans. I bet your kiddos are like my boys who love to act out scenes and their own stories where you can start out an Anakin and with a press of a button you've turned into Darth, it makes a really cool sounds when you switch them too - great for play and homemade YouTube videos. ;-)
Just a few of the fun things Hasbro Canada has to offer to treat the kids this Halloween!
Monday, October 28, 2013
My Visit to P&G's North American Headquarters #PampersBloggerDay #BabyBoard #PGMom
Did you know Canada.. a couple weeks ago you'll remember I headed to Cincinnati to visit not only P&G's North American Headquarters but also get the inside scoop on all things Pampers.
After getting up at 2am (yikes!) for a 4am pick up to the airport I traveled with the one other Canadian blogger in attendance, Tammy from InRdream and one of the amazing PR members representing P&G. After a smooth flight and a sweet greeting at the airport from more members of the team we were taken to a REALLY cool hotel in Cincinnati - 21c Museum Hotel.
I received a sweet package from the Pampers team waiting for me in our room and it was soon off to one of our special treats - a blow out! Keeping on theme with the extended dryness of pampers diapers, we got our hair done, quick makeup touch ups and photos taken - so fun!
That night we were treated to an amazing dinner and got to meet some of the people behind Pampers and P&G which I really enjoyed. We also got to get to know many of the bloggers that
make up the American #BabyBoard - love to meet other mama's that know their diapers!
Day two was packed with a visit to the P&G Archives - I could have spent all day here! It's amazing the history of P&G they have collected and the history behind the brand itself. P&G's first branded product was Ivory Soap and the trail of products that extends from that first bar of soap is outstanding. By the way - a little fun fact for you - when Ivory soap was first introduced you used to cut the bar in half and not only use it in the bathroom but also use it for laundry, in the kitchen, etc!
Then it was on to the Baby Care headquarters where we were introduced to some of the most amazing people, I really just want to take a moment to say you would not believe the strong, intelligent, knowledgeable and family oriented people behind the Pampers brand. If I could bring them to everyone's home and let you meet them you would be in awe. I've heard the saying many times to surround yourself with good people and the Pampers brand has truly has surrounded itself with good people. Some of the amazing people I met that day included Pama Francisco, VP Pampers North America; Felix Olmo, Brand Manager Pampers North America; Jennifer Counts, Global Product Stewardship; Sofie Snauwaert, Associate Director Product Development; Dianna Kenneally, Scientific Communications Manager P&G Baby Care North America. This is just a hand full of the people that were introduced to us, and (love this!) we were also introduced to their families! We saw pictures of who they loved, we heard about maternity leaves and powerful woman that prove a career and a family can go hand in hand, it was amazing!
We also learned that research behind Pampers starts in the home, they literally visit Moms and babies in their home and hear what Mom has to say and what they BOTH need. In just 1 year 9000 moms are interviewed, they have 250 hours of recorded interviews and 25+ studies completed. Pampers follows the highest regulatory standards, they know the EXACT composition of every single ingredient used from ALL suppliers, and every single concern they receive is followed up on.
I have some other fun Pampers facts - Pampers is the most global brand IN THE WORLD! Sold in 130 countries there are 50 million babies served each day by Pampers. There are 550 Baby Research and Development employees and 700 Baby Technical Employees.
During our Discovery Center Tour we were treated to a very special behind the scenes look at exactly how a diaper is made, specifically a cruiser during our tour, and met such an amazing employee that gave us all the info - time and again I was blown away by how excited, proud and motivated Pampers employees were, it was awesome. We were also shown MRI technology being used to see exactly how diapers fill up, shown some fun experiments against other brands (hint: Pampers wins!), and shown where they interview real Moms and babies, have little ones come in and actually test the diapers, have Moms test diapers at home and bring them back (yes, filled!), I really couldn't believe how much was behind the little (well okay it's big) box of diapers sitting in Lucas' room! Through listening to Mom's this is why they've just released Swaddlers in sizes 3-5, because they know we Mom's loved them and wanted to continue to use them on our little ones.
We also got to help choose designs for future Pampers wipes - you'll find out the winners in August 2014!!
That night we were treated to a fun dinner The Art of Entertaining which is a restaurant the likes of which I have never been before - there is no planned seating, you just sit where you want, food is served buffet style, head to the bar when you need a drink and we had a competition to make our own dessert - it was amazing!
As hard as it was to leave the kiddos for a few days I would do this trip again and again, the people, science and knowledge behind the Pampers brand is outstanding! Thank you Pampers, P&G, the Citizen Optimum team, it was an eye opening experience!
Stay tuned for even more info on Pampers latest innovations!
After getting up at 2am (yikes!) for a 4am pick up to the airport I traveled with the one other Canadian blogger in attendance, Tammy from InRdream and one of the amazing PR members representing P&G. After a smooth flight and a sweet greeting at the airport from more members of the team we were taken to a REALLY cool hotel in Cincinnati - 21c Museum Hotel.
I received a sweet package from the Pampers team waiting for me in our room and it was soon off to one of our special treats - a blow out! Keeping on theme with the extended dryness of pampers diapers, we got our hair done, quick makeup touch ups and photos taken - so fun!That night we were treated to an amazing dinner and got to meet some of the people behind Pampers and P&G which I really enjoyed. We also got to get to know many of the bloggers that
make up the American #BabyBoard - love to meet other mama's that know their diapers!
Day two was packed with a visit to the P&G Archives - I could have spent all day here! It's amazing the history of P&G they have collected and the history behind the brand itself. P&G's first branded product was Ivory Soap and the trail of products that extends from that first bar of soap is outstanding. By the way - a little fun fact for you - when Ivory soap was first introduced you used to cut the bar in half and not only use it in the bathroom but also use it for laundry, in the kitchen, etc!
Then it was on to the Baby Care headquarters where we were introduced to some of the most amazing people, I really just want to take a moment to say you would not believe the strong, intelligent, knowledgeable and family oriented people behind the Pampers brand. If I could bring them to everyone's home and let you meet them you would be in awe. I've heard the saying many times to surround yourself with good people and the Pampers brand has truly has surrounded itself with good people. Some of the amazing people I met that day included Pama Francisco, VP Pampers North America; Felix Olmo, Brand Manager Pampers North America; Jennifer Counts, Global Product Stewardship; Sofie Snauwaert, Associate Director Product Development; Dianna Kenneally, Scientific Communications Manager P&G Baby Care North America. This is just a hand full of the people that were introduced to us, and (love this!) we were also introduced to their families! We saw pictures of who they loved, we heard about maternity leaves and powerful woman that prove a career and a family can go hand in hand, it was amazing!
We also learned that research behind Pampers starts in the home, they literally visit Moms and babies in their home and hear what Mom has to say and what they BOTH need. In just 1 year 9000 moms are interviewed, they have 250 hours of recorded interviews and 25+ studies completed. Pampers follows the highest regulatory standards, they know the EXACT composition of every single ingredient used from ALL suppliers, and every single concern they receive is followed up on.
I have some other fun Pampers facts - Pampers is the most global brand IN THE WORLD! Sold in 130 countries there are 50 million babies served each day by Pampers. There are 550 Baby Research and Development employees and 700 Baby Technical Employees.
During our Discovery Center Tour we were treated to a very special behind the scenes look at exactly how a diaper is made, specifically a cruiser during our tour, and met such an amazing employee that gave us all the info - time and again I was blown away by how excited, proud and motivated Pampers employees were, it was awesome. We were also shown MRI technology being used to see exactly how diapers fill up, shown some fun experiments against other brands (hint: Pampers wins!), and shown where they interview real Moms and babies, have little ones come in and actually test the diapers, have Moms test diapers at home and bring them back (yes, filled!), I really couldn't believe how much was behind the little (well okay it's big) box of diapers sitting in Lucas' room! Through listening to Mom's this is why they've just released Swaddlers in sizes 3-5, because they know we Mom's loved them and wanted to continue to use them on our little ones.
We also got to help choose designs for future Pampers wipes - you'll find out the winners in August 2014!!
That night we were treated to a fun dinner The Art of Entertaining which is a restaurant the likes of which I have never been before - there is no planned seating, you just sit where you want, food is served buffet style, head to the bar when you need a drink and we had a competition to make our own dessert - it was amazing!
As hard as it was to leave the kiddos for a few days I would do this trip again and again, the people, science and knowledge behind the Pampers brand is outstanding! Thank you Pampers, P&G, the Citizen Optimum team, it was an eye opening experience!
Stay tuned for even more info on Pampers latest innovations!
Canadian Giveaway Linky! 10/28
Did you know Canada.. We are so happy to once again bring you this weekly feature with our co-host Tales of a Ranting Ginger - Every Monday we are opening a weekly linky for giveaways open to Canadians. We appreciate everyone's interest and contributions!
Do you have a blog that is running a giveaway and it's open to Canadians?? Link up below!!
Visit here through out the week to find giveaways open to Canadians and get winning!! Good Luck!!
Do you have a blog that is running a giveaway and it's open to Canadians?? Link up below!!
Visit here through out the week to find giveaways open to Canadians and get winning!! Good Luck!!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
#GLADgruesome update!
Did you know Canada.. you'll remember last week we carved our pumpkin early and tested out throwing the pumpkin insides in a GLAD® compostable bag. After sitting for a good 4 days we had a peek and wow! The pumpkins guts itself were pretty gross looking but look at the container! No condensation on the lid, no leaks and there was NO SMELL. Hubby even asked me where I had been keeping the container because he couldn't believe we hadn't been smelling it for 4 days.
I'm really impressed with the results and now more likely to be better about my compost from food scraps knowing it's not going to stink up the whole house or get anything icky.
Do you compost food scraps? Will you now that you know it really is do able without the ick factor?!
I'm really impressed with the results and now more likely to be better about my compost from food scraps knowing it's not going to stink up the whole house or get anything icky.
Do you compost food scraps? Will you now that you know it really is do able without the ick factor?!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Toronto Private School Expo 2013
Did you know Canada.. Just a reminder that Toronto Private School Expo is taking place this Saturday, October 26th.
The Our Kids Private School Expos hosted annually in Toronto and other big Canadian cities to bring top schools together in one place so families can ask questions and explore all of their options. If you are interested in finding a private school for your child or learning more about private education, the Our Kids Private School Expos are the place for families to start.
Speaking face-to-face with school representatives and current students is an incredible opportunity to learn about each school’s unique programs and philosophy, as well as the benefits a private school education has to offer. When you find the right school for your kids, you’ll see a big difference in their love of learning.
Get your exclusive FREE VIP admission passes to Toronto Private School Expo, compliments of Did You Know Canada? using the promocode “DYK” by registering here. Hope to see you there.
When and Where:
Saturday, October 26th, 2013
11:00am to 3:00pm
Location:
Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe Street
Toronto, ON M5J 2J5
Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready
The Our Kids Private School Expos hosted annually in Toronto and other big Canadian cities to bring top schools together in one place so families can ask questions and explore all of their options. If you are interested in finding a private school for your child or learning more about private education, the Our Kids Private School Expos are the place for families to start.
Speaking face-to-face with school representatives and current students is an incredible opportunity to learn about each school’s unique programs and philosophy, as well as the benefits a private school education has to offer. When you find the right school for your kids, you’ll see a big difference in their love of learning.
Get your exclusive FREE VIP admission passes to Toronto Private School Expo, compliments of Did You Know Canada? using the promocode “DYK” by registering here. Hope to see you there.
When and Where:
Saturday, October 26th, 2013
11:00am to 3:00pm
Location:
Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe Street
Toronto, ON M5J 2J5
Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Carving our pumpkin with #GLADgruesome
Did you know Canada.. Halloween is next week! They boys are so excited, we have candy coming out our ears, costumes are ready and tried on (and tried on again and again), we can't wait!
One of the best things about Halloween around here is picking, displaying and craving pumpkins!
This year we set out to carve our big pumpkin a little early, the boys insisted it needed a bat on it, so hubby searched around the web and free handed this cool design!
We had a lot of fun craving pumpkins with Lucas, his first Halloween! Yay!
To store the pumpkin "guts" we are doing a fun challenge with GLAD - we have stored the pumpkin insides in a GLAD® compostable bag, in a small trash can and the lid in closed. We will check back in a few days to see what's happened - is it stinky? did the trash can get all gross? I'm excited to find out. One thing I can tell you, is that after we closed it up I forgot to get a picture, so I opened the lid and wheeew! The still fresh pumpkin smell was in my face, I couldn't believe how well the bag was containing the smell, you couldn't smell a thing before opening the lid.
Stay tuned for the results of our experiment!
When do you carve your pumpkins??
One of the best things about Halloween around here is picking, displaying and craving pumpkins!
This year we set out to carve our big pumpkin a little early, the boys insisted it needed a bat on it, so hubby searched around the web and free handed this cool design!
We had a lot of fun craving pumpkins with Lucas, his first Halloween! Yay!
To store the pumpkin "guts" we are doing a fun challenge with GLAD - we have stored the pumpkin insides in a GLAD® compostable bag, in a small trash can and the lid in closed. We will check back in a few days to see what's happened - is it stinky? did the trash can get all gross? I'm excited to find out. One thing I can tell you, is that after we closed it up I forgot to get a picture, so I opened the lid and wheeew! The still fresh pumpkin smell was in my face, I couldn't believe how well the bag was containing the smell, you couldn't smell a thing before opening the lid.
Stay tuned for the results of our experiment!
When do you carve your pumpkins??
Monday, October 21, 2013
Halloween Safety Tips for Pets from @Iams
Did you know Canada.. As if your dog or cat isn’t already cute enough, Halloween is one of the best times of year to dress up your furry friends and include them in the family fun. Check out our little Bailey in her Butterfly Costume..hehe!
Although dressing up your pets in costumes can be a treat, Halloween can be one of the most dangerous times for animals because they often get excited or spooked from all the noise and visitors. Here are four points to consider for your pet’s safety this October.
Of all candy, chocolate is one of the most toxic for pets – which also happens to be very popular around Halloween. Keep your petsaway from the candy bowl and trick-or-treat bags off the floor to avoid choking hazards. It’s also important to inform your children of how dangerous tasty Jolly Ranchers and Kit-Kat bars can be to their furry friends. If you have this chat in advance, kids might be more cautious and won’t be tempted to share their treats.
If you choose to dress your dog or cat up this year, make sure costumes aren’t too tight. A sailor hat may look cute on your cat’s head but the string attached may be irritating its neck. Just like people, pets need to be able to breathe comfortably and move safely without tripping or being unable to see and hear.
With the door opening and closing all night, animals might take this as an opportunity to run away. Make sure to keep pets in a safe and enclosed area – even turn on a radio or TV to help suppress knocks at the door and outside sounds. If you plan to let your dog or cat in on the excitement, don’t forget they might be frightened by people in costumes. To keep them calm, say things such as “it’s OK” or “don’t be scared” in a soft and sympathetic voice.
Candles and jack-o-lanterns should be kept at a safe distance or up on table tops. The flames or hot wax can cause burns on your pets and even a fire if knocked over. As an alternative, use flashlights and LEDs to safely spook-up your house. If your jack-o-lantern or other decorations has a power cord, make sure your pet can’t chew them.
These simple precautions can make for an enjoyable Halloween for the entire family. For more pet safety tips for your cat and dog all year round, visit the SPCA, OSPCA, Iams or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iams.
Do you dress up your furry friend for the Holidays? Tweet a pic to @Iams or share your photo on Iams Facebook page!
Although dressing up your pets in costumes can be a treat, Halloween can be one of the most dangerous times for animals because they often get excited or spooked from all the noise and visitors. Here are four points to consider for your pet’s safety this October.
Of all candy, chocolate is one of the most toxic for pets – which also happens to be very popular around Halloween. Keep your petsaway from the candy bowl and trick-or-treat bags off the floor to avoid choking hazards. It’s also important to inform your children of how dangerous tasty Jolly Ranchers and Kit-Kat bars can be to their furry friends. If you have this chat in advance, kids might be more cautious and won’t be tempted to share their treats.
If you choose to dress your dog or cat up this year, make sure costumes aren’t too tight. A sailor hat may look cute on your cat’s head but the string attached may be irritating its neck. Just like people, pets need to be able to breathe comfortably and move safely without tripping or being unable to see and hear.
With the door opening and closing all night, animals might take this as an opportunity to run away. Make sure to keep pets in a safe and enclosed area – even turn on a radio or TV to help suppress knocks at the door and outside sounds. If you plan to let your dog or cat in on the excitement, don’t forget they might be frightened by people in costumes. To keep them calm, say things such as “it’s OK” or “don’t be scared” in a soft and sympathetic voice.
Candles and jack-o-lanterns should be kept at a safe distance or up on table tops. The flames or hot wax can cause burns on your pets and even a fire if knocked over. As an alternative, use flashlights and LEDs to safely spook-up your house. If your jack-o-lantern or other decorations has a power cord, make sure your pet can’t chew them.
These simple precautions can make for an enjoyable Halloween for the entire family. For more pet safety tips for your cat and dog all year round, visit the SPCA, OSPCA, Iams or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iams.
Do you dress up your furry friend for the Holidays? Tweet a pic to @Iams or share your photo on Iams Facebook page!
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