Christmas Movies for the Family to Enjoy

I just can’t get enough of watching Holiday movies this time of the year. I love having a large selection, even if I don’t get around to watching all of them, I can choose what fits my mood. Not everyone likes every Christmas movie but that’s okay because there are so many to choose from!

The movies above are perfect for the family, especially if you have children ages 8-12 but even I myself enjoyed Chilly Christmas and Elf-Man. Sure there were some corny parts but I could tell a preteen child would find it funny and I was able to look past those moments as the rest of the movie was entertaining or touching enough.  I did not watch The Dog Who Saved the Holidays but if you are a fan of the rest of the series, I’m sure your family would enjoy the latest one as well.

Chilly Christmas

In this movie, Bobby Cole and his dad and dog Chilly live in Sunshine Beach, California. Bobby’s dad is offered a job in New York City but Chilly is too rambunctious for a small apartment and Bobby is told they must find him a new home. Heartbroken, Bobby and his friends try to teach Chilly to be an indoor dog such as getting exercise using a treadmill and relieving himself in a  toilet. Meanwhile a dog napper is trying to get Chilly.

Bobby’s dad is played by Thomas Howell (E.T., The Extra Terrestrial, The Outsiders) and the dog napper is Tom Arnold (True Lies, “Roseanne,” A Christmas Wedding Tail.) The Chilly training is quite funny, even the few parts that were a bit much for me. The children in the movie did a great job and it was nice to see different “types” of children than you usually see in a movie. A non-Caucasian or African-American boy and a tomboyish girl round out the character of Bobby. The three children aren’t all the best of friends from the start either but grow to get along.  The actor playing the father could have been better. It just wasn’t as believable and it seemed like he was the brunt of the jokes too much. He became a comedy or movie extra more than a main character.

Overall though, it was a cute movie and once my children stop being scared of the littlest things, I will enjoy watching it with them.

Elf-Man

I must say I was apprehensive about this movie. It just seemed like it was going to be what I call “Stupid-Funny" which is something my husband enjoys but I don’t. However I ended up really enjoying this movie! Just like Chilly Christmas, there were a few spots that seemed over the top to me but I felt like a preteen would enjoy but the storyline was so great that it didn’t matter. Elf-Man actually wasn’t as much of a comedy as I thought it would be. The storyline was emotional and pulled you in. The humour came from the typical dumb bad guys that every movie seems to have.

The stars are dad Eric (Mackenzie Astin, The Facts of Life) and butcher Amy (Mirelly Taylor, LOST) plus the Elf (Wee Man) and the head robber (Jeffrey Coombs, Reanimator.)

I underestimated the movie and the lessons it left and I will be watching this movie with the rest of my family this year.

The Dog Who Saved The Holidays

I didn’t watch this one so I’ll leave you with a description.

“The fur-flying fun begins when the Bannister family, George (Gary Valentine, “King of Queens”), Belinda (Elisa Donovan, Clueless, “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”) and their kids, Kara (Caitlin Carmichael, “iCarly,” “Dexter”) and Ben (Wyatt Griswold), jet off with their dog Zeus (voiced by Joey Lawrence, ABC Family’s “Melissa & Joey”) to celebrate the holidays at Aunt Barbara’s (Shelley Long, “Cheers”) stunning Malibu mansion. Aunt Barbara surprises them with a new puppy named Eve (voiced by Peyton List, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Something Borrowed) and the whole family is smitten except Zeus, who quickly learns the new pooch is not as innocent as she seems. Zeus decides to run away, but when he spots two familiar thieves, Ted (Dean Cain, “Lois & Clark” and The Dog Who Saved Christmas) and Stewey (Joey “CoCo” Diaz, The Longest Yard), breaking into the house, he knows it’s up to him and Eve to beat the bumbling burglars and save Christmas once and for all!”

So if the movies sound good to you, grab them this season and add to your holiday movie collection.

*Disclosure: I received the products mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Christmas Picture Book Advent Idea

When I was a kid we cut out strips of red and green construction paper and wrote things to do in December on them (like read a book, watch a Christmas movie, go for a walk, sing carols etc.) and then linked them together into a chain. Each day we took one off and did what it said.

I decided this year to do something similar with  my children but a bit different. I started it late but that’s okay, the kids can still count down to the big day. If you still don’t have an advent calendar, don’t think it’s too late. Just start as soon as you can!

Our advent calendar this year counts down the days with a good Christmas book everyday.

Step 1 – Prepare the Paper

Use a ruler to draw lines horizontally on the paper to guide you when you cut out the strips. We use red and green paper but you can use whatever you want. You will need 24 if you do this before December starts, otherwise, figure out how many days are left including Christmas Eve and that's how many you will need.

Step 2 – Gather Your Christmas Picture Books

Gather together your holiday picture books. I had more than enough for one a day. If you don’t, you can double them up, just space them out so you aren’t reading the same book twice in a row or hit the thrift store and get some more.

Step 3 – Write The Titles on the Strips of Paper

Try to keep them away from the edges. My first few were great, but the title of the second last visible one was so long I had to go near the edges. The reason for this is when they are taken off, part of the title may be ripped.

Step 4 – Cut the Strips Apart

Cut them all apart and mix them up. Get a stapler for the next step….

Step 5 – Assemble the Chain

Take one and make a circle and staple it closed with the ends overlapping just enough. Take another (opposite colour) and put it through the first and then staple. Repeat alternating the colours.

Step 6 – Hang Your Advent Chain Up

Each night, one of my children takes a link off and reads the book title and then tries to find it in our bin of Christmas books. This aids in their reading skills as well. BONUS!

I had so many books I made a couple with two books so they are surprised occasionally with two bedtime stories instead of one!

Enjoy!

Lovable Labels Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale

Lovable Labels makes personalized labels for just about everything from your children's belongings to household products. I've reviewed some of their products in the past including:

• Friendship Pack
• Holly Jolly Gift Pack
• Wire Tags

Disclosure: I will receive product from the company in exchange for this post.

Disney Junior Holiday Lineup December 2012 #disneyjunior

With December comes holiday specials and holiday themed episodes!

The first few Saturdays in December you can catch

• Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (Dec 1 11am)
• Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (Dec 8 11am)
• Santa Buddies (Dec 15 11am)

plus December 29 11am, during the after Christmas boredom, your children can watch Secret of the Wings (a Tinkerbell movie.)

Throughout December your child will also want to watch for holiday and winter themed episodes of their favourite Disney Junior shows and especially, holiday specials and movies around the clock on December 24 and 25.

*Disclosure: No compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Tiny Prints Has Your Greeting Card Needs Covered for the Holidays

Holidays Means Greeting Card Time

If you’re like me and you like the idea of sending and receiving Holiday Cards but don’t like buying boxes of generic cards that you have to think of a message to write on it and write on EACH one, then creating and buying online cards for the holidays makes sense.

Last year I sent cards from Tiny Prints to family members. I looked through the designs, picked one I liked, uploaded photos of my children and then ordered them. They were sent directly to my house where I was able to hand them out or mail them out as needed.

This year, in addition to new designs for Christmas (Secular and Religious) and Hanukkah, Tiny Prints has new Premium Double Thick Matte Paper as shown in the short video below.

Premium Double Thick Matte Paper

Tons of Holiday Cards to Choose From

Tiny Prints has all kinds of Holiday Cards including photo cards like I mentioned where you can upload a photo of your family, your children or even your dog!

Check out the special offers page to see if there are any deals relevant to your needs!

DO YOU SEND OUT OR GIVE OUT HOLIDAY CARDS?

Turkey Cooking Safety for Thanksgiving

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! For my American friends, you can remember this info for a month from now when it’s your turn. International friends, perhaps you cook Turkey for another holiday, you can use this too!

© Flickr User tuchodi. Used under Creative Commons License

You don’t want your happy celebration to be abruptly ended by food poisoning do you?

Turkey Cooking Safety Tips:

1. Don’t put your turkey directly in the fridge or on the counter without putting a plate under it to collect juices. Even if it comes in a sealed bag, it still make leak juices and you don’t want those juices all over your other foods and surfaces.
2. Thaw turkey in the refrigerator or in cold water, not on the counter.
3. Wash your hands carefully with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw poultry.
4. Use a food thermometer to tell if turkey is fully cooked. Measure in thickest part of breast or thigh and ensure it’s at least 85ºC (185ºF)
5. Put leftovers in the fridge within two hours of cooking. Use leftovers within 2-3 days or freeze right away for later use.

Read more on Turkey Safety, Temperature Guidelines, Holiday Food Safety and Poultry Facts visit Health Canada (even if you aren’t Canadian.)

July 15th is National Ice Cream Day–Cold Stone Creamery Provincial Creations

To celebrate, Cold Stone Creamery has launched a special ice cream creation for all 10 provinces.

All 10 creations will be available at all Cold Stone Creamery locations so you can taste a piece of another province, not just your own.

These creations are available for a limited time only so be sure to try them out!

According to data from the NPD Group, Canadians ate more than 121 million servings of ice cream at quick-service restaurants in 2011.

Cold Stone Creamery’s Provincial Signature Creations:

• Newfoundland “Cod”ton Candy Dandy - Loaded with sprinkles and gummy bears and topped with a dollop of whipped topping in a bright blue cotton candy ice cream base, this cold concoction is as colourful as a good old-fashioned kitchen party on a St. John's Saturday night.
• Nova Scotia Blueberry “Scone’er”- Sweet Cream ice cream loaded with blueberries the colour of the North Atlantic, with graham cracker pie crust and almonds like the rocky coast line that Nova Scotians call home.
• PEI Rocky Road to “Heaven-lea” - Chock full of crunchy almonds, chocolate chips, and smothered in fudge sauce, this chocolate ice cream creation is as rocky as the tiny island's red sandstone cliffs.
• New Brunswick Ploye Perfection -  Pieces of yellow cake mixed into Cake Batter ice cream and decked out with whipped topping and strawberries, this take on a traditional Acadian pancake is anything but flat.
• Quebec La Poutine Gourmand - A sweet take on Quebecois cuisine, this creamy creation features French Vanilla ice cream mixed with pecans, chocolate shavings all smothered in caramel sauce.
• Ontario's Berry Best - Inspired by the strawberry fields of southwestern Ontario, this creation is loaded with brownies, Ontario strawberries and fudge sauce mixed into strawberry ice cream.
• Manitoba Red River Flare -  A taste of fruity goodness with strawberries, bananas and whipped topping on top of delicious strawberry ice cream. This cold creation’s soft texture is as rich as Manitoba valleys and as plush as the humid air.
• Saskatchewan Wheat King Coronation - Golden yellow cake chunks mixed into Cake Batter ice cream, topped with pieces of SKOR® bar and swirled with caramel sauce, to represent the fertile terrain and golden yellow wheat fields of Canada's breadbasket.
• Alberta Black Gold - Tim Hortons Double Double Coffee ice cream mixed with dark gooey fudge to capture the fast paced, hardworking oilmen of Canada’s cowboy province, mixed with a mountainous terrain layer of graham cracker pie crust and almonds.  
• B.C. Rocky Mountain Landslide - Whipped topping on top of chocolate ice cream to signify the snowy peaks of the Rockies; mix in Oreo® cookie pieces and chocolate chips to capture the craggy cliffs of Canada’s West.

Whether you have a Cold Stone Creamery in your area or not, tell me which province you would most like to try!

Happy Canada Day!

Callista’s Ramblings wishes all our Canadian readers a Happy Canada Day! Enjoy the day and remember why you are proud to be Canadian.

What’s Your Favourite Thing Ab0ut Canada?

From You Flowers–Mother’s Day Gift Idea

When was the last time you gave your mother flowers? With all the latest high tech gadgets and gift ideas, I think we’ve forgotten about something as simple as flowers. Getting fresh cut flowers is always a nice touch and if you want to give something that will last, you can always give something else with it but at least they will have something to brighten up their house.

fromyouflowers.com has Mother’s Day Flowers as well as flowers for other occasions.

The prices are quite competitive and they offer Same Day Delivery if you order by 3pm which I think is amazing.  Also they deliver to 160 different countries! How many companies can say that, especially for something like flowers.

Keep them in mind for your next holiday.

*Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Kinder Canada’s A Joy to Share & Adults Acting Like Kids #KinderMom

My kids love Kinder Eggs but we are starting to get duplicates of all the toys so I decided to share the Kinder Eggs this time around so spread the joy to other families.

I brought some Kinder Eggs to one of our Easter dinner’s this past weekend to share with my nieces and the other kids that were there. After handing out eggs to the kids, the adults were disappointed that they did not get any so I handed some out to them to!

Before I share some pictures of the adults enjoying Kinder Eggs, let me share with you that Kinder Canada is sharing the joy as well. Kinder Canada has partnered with the Children’s Miracle Network in a campaign they call “A Joy to Share”

Beyond their donation, they are also happy to bring us access to real life heroes. Mothers who have been affected by and benefited from the work of the Children’s Miracle Network will be sharing their stories through the Kinder Canada Facebook page.

Teens Like Kinder Eggs Too!

So Do Babies!

Disclosure: I’m part of the Kinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

REVIEW: Silverlicious Game for Nintendo DS

If you have a daughter under age 8 you probably know who Pinkalicious is. She is from a book by authors Victoria and Elizabeth Kann. There are subsequent books called Purplicious, Silverlicious and Goldilicious and a whole set of other Pinkalicious books.

Just in time for Easter, Silverlicious the video game is out for Nintendo DS for only $19.99.

Just like in the book, Silverlicious the game has the player being Pinkalicious who has lost her ability to taste anything sweet. To get her sweet tooth back she must have sweet behaviour (kindness, good manners, helping others). Collect costumes and accessories that allow other abilities and unlock rewards such as butterflies, sparkle rides and fireworks. Each level is a new neighbourhood and there are some holiday themed ones like the land of Easter Excitement where you can play along with Edgar the Easter Bunny and his many Easter Chicks.

There are three holiday lands: Valentine’s, Easter and Christmas. Each land has 4 levels named after an aspect of that holiday. For example the Easter Eggcitement Land has:

1. One Teddy Bear
2. Two Flowers
3. Three Chicks
4. Four Eggs

You can find out more about Silverlicious at the Game Mill website.

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.  

REVIEW: Dinosaur Train Eggstravaganza DVD

It’s Easter Time with Dinosaur Train!

Buddy and his family and friends learn all about the different types of eggs and how different Dinosaurs, have different types of eggs and care for them differently too.

The DVD has the main Eggstravaganza episode plus a bonus 8 episodes for a total run time of approx. 100 minutes. If you have seen Dinosaur Train, you know that each episode includes a segment by Dr. Scott the Palaeontologist where kids can learn how what was shown in the DVD, relates to actual Dinosaurs.

Other special features included an Interactive Game, Coloring Pages, Dinosaur Reference Guide and Information for Parents.

Eggstravaganza: Buddy and Don stumble upon a mystery when they find unhatched eggs on their beach. Soon all the kids join in to solve the mystery, as they figure out that the eggs belong to an overprotective, caring mom named Olivia Oviraptor who is just trying to keep her eggs safe. 

Bonus Episodes Include:

• The Egg Stealer?
• Hatching Party
• Tank’s Baby Brother
• Diamond Anniversary
• Nursery Car
• All Kinds of Families
• A Sea Turtle Tale
• The Good Mom

Perfect for ages 3-6, make it a video to watch this Easter.

DO YOUR KIDS LIKE DINOSAUR TRAIN?

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.  

6 Things to Remember When Hosting a Child's Birthday Party

The birthday party theme, cake, decorations, games and presents are of course an important part of planning for your child's birthday party but it's not the most important.

Those things will make the birthday boy or girl happy but you also want to keep in mind your child's guests and keeping them happy. Some things to please keep in mind:

1. Don't give out invitations less than a week before the birthday. You need to give your guests and their families time to make arrangements to go, have the money and time to purchase a gift and time to RSVP. If you do it last minute, don't expect many guests or presents.
   
   
2. If you ask for an RSVP, make sure someone will be available to answer the phone number your provide or make sure you have an answering machine. If an older sibling might be answering the phone, make sure they know information about the party to relay to the parents if they have questions.There's nothing worse then trying to RSVP and not getting an answer or call back and when you finally get a hold of someone, not having your questions answered.
   
   
3. Provide details on your invites. Time and Place are the most important. Don't forget the birthday child's name and age (to buy a gift and address cards) as well as details such as if a meal will be provided, if something needs to be brought/worn (like bathing suits or socks) or any special instructions (are adults expected to stay or leave?)
   
   
4. Remember that if your child is inviting school friends, that there will be adults there that don't really know you or your other guests. Introduce yourself by name and who's parent you are. Make a point to get to know them. Ask your child to introduce you to her friends. Show them where to put gifts, where drinks and snacks are and where the bathrooms are.
   
   
5. No one should EVER feel uncomfortable at a party you are hosting. If a bunch of you already know each other and there are some people that your child knows but are new to you, don't sit all together at one table with the family and good friends and leave the new friends to sit all by themselves somewhere else.
   
   
6. Provide Alternatives. Keep in mind that not all parents allow their children to drink pop and have alternatives such as juice or water, PLEASE. 

Keep these in mind and your party should go great!

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Shalom Sesame - Chanukah: The Missing Menorah DVD (Hanukkah Gift Guide 2011)

NOTE: You may notice the different spelling of Hanukkah throughout this post. That's because in translation of the word from Hebrew, many possible spellings emerged and so they all correct.

What is Shalom Sesame?

"What happens when you combine the lovable Sesame Street Muppets with a visit to Israel to learn more about Jewish culture and the Hebrew language? You get Shalom Sesame! Created by Sesame Workshop over 25 years ago, the first edition of Shalom Sesame became the most popular Jewish video series ever. Twelve new episodes were released in 2010, and they have already been enjoyed by millions of families across the United States."

Some of the characters are the same (such as Grover) and some are different as as Oofnik the Grouch.

I was able to review Chanukah: The Missing Menorah, Volume 2 in the Shalom Sesame Series.

"It's time to celebrate Chanukah in Israel! Grover is bringing the latkes, and all is well until Anneliese gets caught up in a game of tag with a chicken and loses her special menorah... Can her friends find the missing menorah in time to celebrate Chanukah?"

Our family celebrate three Jewish holidays a year (Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah.) We also celebrate Christmas. My immediate family doesn't speak Hebrew and we don't go to temple. However I love Chanukah and am glad to share it with my children.

We watched the video together and for the most part they liked seeing other children light a menorah and play dreidel. We did have a hard time understanding some of the children when they were explaining what Hanukkah is about because of their accents and because the words were unfamiliar to my children but they reexplained it in other ways later on so it worked out okay. There was a fair bit of Hebrew too.

My girls: "I don't understand what they are saying."
Me: "That's because they are speaking Hebrew."
Girls: "Aboo?"
Me: " No, HE-BROO, it's another language"
Girls: "But I don't understand what they are saying when they speak in Hebrew."
Me: "You watch Dora and Handy Manny and they speak Spanish."
Girls: "But we know what they are saying."
Me: "That's because you've watched it a lot and you learned what they meant. You can learn some Hebrew too if you keep watching this."

I definitely think watching this video will become a Hanukkah tradition and will help the girls understand the meaning of Hanukkah as they get older and are better able to understand.

Check out the Shalom Sesame website for more information, games, videos, printables and more.

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Did You Know Canadian Children Can Write to Santa and He Will WRITE BACK???

When I was a child I wrote to Santa and got a letter back! I remember how special I felt to get a letter addressed to me in the mail, and by Santa Claus himself!

Did you know that Canada Post helps Santa answer his mail? Here are some stats on the program:

• Celebrating 30 years as a national program helping Santa reply to his mail.
• Some 10,000 volunteers – postal elves – help Santa with this monumental task!
• Santa receives more than 1 million letters (1.225 million in 2010), and 43,000 emails every year!
o That’s 2,000 mailbags full of mail!
• Santa receives letters in more than 30 languages (including Braille) – he answers each one in the language it was written in!
• The Canada Post Santa Letter-writing Program is an employee-led volunteer initiative – employees give 190,000 hours of volunteer time – supporting literacy by encouraging children to write letters.• There have now been two generations of both letter writers and postal elves involved in this holiday tradition – children who wrote those first letters are now helping their own children write to Santa.
• To protect Santa’s mail, only Canada Post employees – current and retired – are allowed to handle Santa’s mail.
• Santa’s Corner – Santa’s online post office – is visited a quarter of a million times a season.

It's so EASY to write to Santa and and it's great practice for your child to learn how to address a letter, especially in this day and age of social media. A few more notes on the program:

• Santa has several versions of his letter (to ensure two children in the same house receive a different letter)• Santa also has a special ‘After Christmas’ letter he sends when a child’s letter is received too close to Christmas for a response to be delivered on time
• Information about the program is mailed to more than 3,000 libraries, 4,000 daycare providers and 9,000 schools.
• It takes a lot of paper (100% post-consumer recycled paper!) to manage Santa’s mail – 1.6 million pieces of letterhead and 1.7 million envelopes!
• SANTA’S ELVES, NEVER, EVER, SAY THEY ANSWER SANTA’S MAIL. THEY ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH, NOTING ONLY THAT THEY HELP SANTA ANSWER THE MAIL!

So How Do You Write to Santa?

Have your child write his or her letter and feel free to decorate the letter but no glitter please! Put the letter in an envelope and address it using the address below. Make sure you include your COMPLETE RETURN ADDRESS so Santa can reply.

SANTA CLAUS
NORTH POLE H0H 0H0
CANADA

I recommend having your children write real letters but if you wish emails can be sent to Santa at this  website:  http://www.canadapost.ca/santascorner


*Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation for this post. I shared the information because I wanted to. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

GIVEAWAY: 12 Days of Gifts Galore - $460 in Prizes Split in Two Winners (WW) #12DaysGalore

Welcome to 12 Days of Gifts Galore Giveaway Hop hosted by Tales From the Nursery, Formula Mom, and Mama on a Green Misson. There's over $5,000 in prizes offered to help you get the gifts you need this holiday season. After you are done entering our giveaway you'll want to check out everyone else's AND enter for a chance to win one of three GRAND prizes sponsored by Kudzoom! Each blog you stop and enter at will be another entry!

I have seven sponsors for this event which will make up 2 prize packs.

Prize Pack #1 - $200 - Year Subscription to Reading Kingdom - Open Worldwide

"The Reading Kingdom is more than a phonics program. It’s an online reading program for children ages 4 to 10 that teaches six skills needed for reading and writing success. Created by Dr. Marion Blank, one of the world's top experts in literacy, the reading system is beloved by parents and has helped thousands of kids to learn to read."  - Read My Review Here

Prize Pack #2 - ($240 to $260) - Gifts for Parents and Children - Open US/CAN (For you or use as a gift - if there is something your family can't use, share with a friend)

Mumoocie Memory Foam Body Pillow - $80 - Read My Review Here

Unique Design Good for Those Who Don't Like to Sleep Alone (Kids OR Adults)

PaperJamz Guitar - $40 - Review Coming Soon

Play the Guitar Like a Pro! 8+

Live Call with Santa (and CD) from Santa Speaking - $37.90 -  $59.90 - Spotlight Coming Soon

Your child will get a personalized call from Santa himself and a CD recording of the call to hear again and again and hang on the tree. Value depends on when you schedule the call and how many children you have. See the spotlight post for details.

Mommy MD Guides (Pregnancy/Birth and First Year) by Jennifer Reich - $26  - Read Review Here

My Very Merry Christmas Personalized Book by I See Me - $25 - Review Coming Soon

Lovable Labels Holly Jolly Gift Pack - Winner's Choice of Christmas Jewels or Santa's Pick - $25 - Review Coming Soon

To enter, please use the rafflecopter form below. If you don't know how to use it, see this rafflecopter guide. A copy of the giveaway rules are below and on the rafflecopter form. Entering the giveaway means you have read and agree to the rules. If you have any problems, email me callista83@cogeco.ca

NOTE: Only the first entry is mandatory. However there is a bonus 25 entries if you do all the single entries. The list of entries is fairly long because I wanted to give love to my sponsors. Entries are grouped by type/frequency.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
One Person Per Household. Prize Pack #1 Open Worldwide 18+, Prize Pack #2 Open to US/Canada 18+. Giveaway open until December 6, 2011 @ 11:59 PM EST. Odds of winning depend on number of valid entries received. Duplicate (accidental or not) entries will be deleted before a winner is picked and winner's entries will be verified. Winner will be selected using random.org on December 7, 2011 and will be contacted by email. Winner will have 3 days to claim their prize or their prize is forfeit and another winner will be chosen. For Prize Pack #1, I will ask for permission to forward your email to them and they will give you your year subscription. For Prize Pack #2, I will ask for permission to share your email address with Santa Speaking, I See Me Books and Lovable Labels so they can coordinate the details of your prize. I will provide your mailing address to Mumoocie, Paper Jamz and Mommy MD Guides. Contest Void Where Prohibited. This giveaway is not associated, nor sponsored by Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability.

Click Read More if you can't see the widget.

Do You Give Out Christmas Cards?

I have handed out Christmas Cards only ONCE in the past and I've never mailed out Christmas Cards. I like receiving them but it just seemed like a lot of work and it seems silly to hand out the same impersonal cards to everyone (Santa, Christmas Tree, Snowman etc.)

Now that I've discovered Tiny Prints' christmas cards however, I will be make sending out cards a yearly tradition. I love the designs and I can add photos of my children to make them personal!

There are so many different designs and with customization, you never have to give out boring cards again!

When viewing their available cards, you can filter the choices by how many photos can be added, theme, colour, price, card format and more.

I have three kids and a good photo of each of them separately so I'm planning on using one of these designs with three photos. I haven't decided yet though!


*Disclosure: I will be receiving cards from Tiny Prints in exchange for this post. Opinions are honest. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Buzzed Halloween Driving - Be Careful!

This is a reminder to be extra careful when driving on Halloween night and to NOT DRIVE DRUNK!

Halloween night is often one of the deadliest nights of the year due to the number of impaired drivers on the streets. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009, 48 percent of all traffic fatalities on Halloween night involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 or higher. 

Even if you had half a beer, please DO NOT DRIVE. Halloween means more children and they are distracted by the excitement of the holiday and often don't obey traffic rules.

If you are headed out to a party on Halloween night, make sure you have a designated driver, even if you don't plan on drinking much. Or check out this list of 50 non-alcoholic party drinks.

If you don't have a designated driver, there are services that can help. If you are in the US, find a list here of Sober Ride programs.

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. - Find Out More

*Disclosure: I am posting this information because I believe in the cause. No compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

September 3 is Bacon Day - YUM!!

(c) Flickr User shawnzam.

I'll be camping this weekend but if you love bacon, here's your excuse to eat it for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Here are some bacon recipes from Kraft Canada.

Here's a bacon recipe I LOVED from AllRecipes. Bacony Bok Choy! Even if you think you won't love it, I think you will!

What's your favourite bacon recipe?

Give Your Father Something Great for Father's Day from Cold Stone Creamery

What did you get your dad for Father's Day?


It's SO hard to buy something for my father because he doesn't like many typical dad gifts. He doesn't golf, or wear ties, or read books, or go fishing. He doesn't drink alcohol, or play video games or travel.

He is a licensed Amateur Radio Operator but it would cost me hundreds to buy him a new radio for that. He watches TV but that doesn't really translate to a gift. He's very hard to shop for.

One thing that is a sure bet is food. He's received many Tim Hortons Gift Cards for holidays or birthdays because I know he will use them when he's out and about for work.

If you don't like giving gift cards, then consider purchasing something from Cold Stone Creamery. Here are some suggestions from CSC.

The Foodie Dad

For the dad who can whip together a five-course meal with equal ease, you’ll rank high in his books with The Peanut Butter Playground™ ice cream cake, available in 6” and 8” sizes. Made up of layers of Devil’s Food cake, smooth chocolate ice cream, chopped Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate ganache, peanut butter and chocolate shavings – a treat no Dad could resist!

The Outdoors Dad

This dad rises at the crack of dawn to hike through the woods to admire the Canadian landscape. He enjoys a Double-Double as he’s driving to his next outdoors destination, so why not stock up on At Home Pre-Packed Containers of Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream that the whole family can enjoy after hitting the trail? The Founder’s Favourite made with Sweet Cream Ice Cream, Pecans, Brownie, Fudge and Caramel will be sure to please.

The Sports Dad

This dad has the greatest baseball plays etched into his brain. Tempt this dad with a variety pack of Cold Stone Creamery’s Ice Cream Cupcakes – you’ll score points with this sweet distraction. For the next batter up, offer him a Cake Batter Delux cupcake instead – a rich chocolate shell filled with Cake Batter Ice Cream, Devil’s Food Cake, Fudge, Pink Frosting and Rainbow Sprinkles – a definite home run.

Next week I'll be posting a review of the Peanut Butter Playground cake.