REVIEW: Oral B Professional Care SmartSeries 5000 Rechargeable Toothbrush

*This review was done by Barb, a member of my review team.

The closest I’ve come to using an electric toothbrush is the old Water Pic I had many years ago. So I was very excited to have the opportunity to review the Oral B Professional Care SmartSeries 5000 Rechargeable Toothbrush.

I was impressed as soon as I opened the box the product came in. The SmartGuide display was on and made me want to see more.

Besides the big box that housed the Oral-B I was also sent Crest Glide Deep Clean Floss, Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, and 2 bottles of Crest Pro-Health, alcohol free Oral Rinse.

What It Includes

The Oral-B Smart Series 5000 comes with:

• a Waterproof, Ergonomic Rechargeable Handle with 5 Brushing Modes
• A Portable Charger that fits into the Charging Station with Brush Head Storage
• The Oral-B Wireless SmartGuide that has a pressure indicator and a professional Timer with Quadrant Prompt and a wall mount.
• One Floss Action Brush Head
• Travel Case.
• Replacement batteries for the SmartGuide
• A coupon towards more Brush Heads

First Impressions

Before I even opened up the Toothbrush box I got excited reading the contents. The first thing that caught my eye was the “Floss Action Brush Head”. This should be the perfect head for me. I HATE floss. My dentist gave me a rubber tip gum stimulator to use as I will not use floss. The second thing I saw I knew would be great for my husband, the Pressure Indicator. My husband kills a toothbrush in only a few weeks. The pressure indicator means that if you push too hard, you get a sad face and it flashes a red light on the handle.

Using the Oral B SmartSeries 5000 Rechargeable Toothbrush

It wasn’t difficult to get all the pieces ready to go. I was however disappointed that I had to wait for it to charge before I could use it. An electric toothbrush takes a little getting used to but I think my Dental Hygienist will be pleasantly surprised to see me at my next visit. Tarter builds up quickly on my teeth and I have a hard time so I go more frequently than usual for my cleanings. I can tell just by using it a few times that it will help with that. I like that it encourages you to spend enough time on each quadrant. I do wish the SmartGuide display would turn off to conserve battery life between uses. The five brush modes are: daily clean, deep clean, sensitive,
whitening and massage.

Final Thoughts

I am most defiantly a toothbrush convert. I love it! I’m a 4 star brusher and always have a Smiley face on display. What could be better, a toothbrush that encourages and makes you feel good about brushing your teeth!

You can connect with Oral B on the Oral B Facebook Page and find more information on electric toothbrushes, reviews and fun stuff.

*Disclosure: The reviewer 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: Napper Clock from Convenient Gadgets

When I saw the Napper Clock I knew I needed to get it for my husband. He has a strange sleep schedule and constantly ends up taking a nap and needing or wanting to get up in a certain amount of time.

How It’s Different

Unlike a regular alarm clock, which can only be set for a specific time and you have to go through all the other possible hours and minutes to get to it, with the Napper Clock, you can also just set it for a certain amount of time in 15 minute increments.

For example, want a nap but don’t want to sleep more than an hour so you don’t mess up your bedtime? Hit the 60 minute button once and it will wake you in one hour from whenever you set it.

Want a quick 15 minute power nap? Choose the 15 minute button. You can add up the 15, 30 and 60 minute buttons in any combination up to a total of 8 hours! There is also the option to set it like a regular alarm clock to if you want.

The clock runs on AA batteries which is good if like us, you don’t have enough plugs in your house or you want a clock you can use even without power. Although napping is probably not a priority in a natural disaster, it would also make a good clock for your emergency preparedness kit since it’s so lightweight and takes batteries.

WARNING: It’s loud! I could hear it through two rooms. You don’t want to use this clock if you don’t like to be awakened loudly or if there are sleeping babies nearby.

Video Review

Buy It: It’s $14.95 + shipping at Convenient Gadgets and Gifts.

*I received product from a company or PR agency for evaluation purposes. All review are honest.

Sharing the Blog Love: Blogs I Recommend

I read a lot of blogs. Instead of reading every post on a few blogs, I prefer to read a few posts on lots of blogs. I read a large majority of blogs by women and most of them are moms but not all. Even among those who are moms, they don’t all blog specifically about being a mom.

I wanted to recognize a few blogs who I think are doing an awesome job and focus on a certain topic or two. Most of them focus on a topic you don’t normally think of right away. Check them out, find a new blog to read and let me know what you think in the comments. (Feel free to mention a niche blog you enjoy too!)

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Marriage

Newlywed Survival covers relationships, saving money, budget, creating a home, fitness and recipes.

I especially enjoy her relationship posts.

We haven’t had a wedding yet but we’ve been common law married for 6 years and together for 8 but I still can use her advice.

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Mental Health

Insane Mamacita’s Musings is a Canadian blog run by a WAHM and her mental health is only one of her topics but it’s the one I remember the most as I struggle with mental health too.

In the future I’d like to talk about that more on my blog.

I enjoy her Project Happy posts especially.

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Fatherhood

Canadian Dad is a funny Dad blog, whether you are Canadian or not. Though they don’t seem to take the spotlight enough, there are dad blogs out there and you don’t have to be a dad to enjoy them.

I love the way he writes and his stories are always full of laughs and sometimes even tears.

It’s different to read about kids from a man’s point of view.

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Creativity

Sophie’s World is something else. I’m fairly new to reading this blog. I was reluctant at first because although I have creative ideas, I don’t have the patience to put them into practice so I don’t knit or sew or draw or paint and I don’t read blogs about those subjects too often.

This isn’t another craft blog though. She is a party planner but used to be a nanny and the ideas she shares on her blog are so different from anything I’ve seen anywhere else. I love this: Map the Neighbourhood with your young child. How many bloggers do you know have a games listing?

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House and Home

Clean Mama is the ultimate blog for helping you keep your home clean and organized.

She has a free monthly cleaning schedule and tons of helpful posts. She sells handmade printables in her Etsy shop if you like to keep things organized on paper.

She has a guide for making a Homekeeping Binder.

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These are just a few of the many blogs I love to read. I hope you found something new!

If you’d like to suggest a blog in the comments, I only ask that you please suggest SOMEONE ELSE’S BLOG and not your own. Share the Love.

Ask Callista (is back!)–6/29–Gardening, Beginning Blogging and Nova Scotia

Ask Callista is my bi-weekly feature where I answer reader questions. I haven’t had one in 2 months though but it’s back now. I had switched to biweekly because I wasn’t getting enough questions and then I was busy planning the blogathon and I didn’t have a chance to do the posts.

I’d love for you to join the conversation in the comments by adding your thoughts on the questions and/or my answers.

Find out more and how to submit your questions here.

The Questions

Amie asks … I’m new to gardening and planting, I live in Hespeler ON. and I am wondering what is the best type of plants to plant in my garden?? One garden gets lots of sun and one does not

I definitely had to research this one as I know very little about gardening. I do remember that there are different zones that are good for different plants. According to HGTV you (and me) are in Zone 6. That link will give you an idea of what plants and flowers that grow well in our zone and some other information. HGTV Gardening section also has a list of easy-care plants and flowers for beginners.

Then you need to figure out what kind of sun exposure your garden has so you can figure out what plants would be best. Gardening Quick n Easy has information on this. Then go to your local place to buy plants (where they should have plants for your zone) and the plants themselves will have labels that say what kind of exposure they need.  Good Luck!

Miranda of Dustykatt’s Stuff asks… I would like some information on how to set up a blog for doing reviews, giveaways or just plain rants. To be honest I'm a little overwhelmed by all the different places that I see bloggers wanting their sites linked and or rated on. (Pinterest, GFC, Picket Fence, Etc.) What are these for? How important are they? I'm not even sure at this point how to get into each post on my blog individually. Everything just goes on the home page and that's it.  I guess the bottom line is - I have a blog, now how do I "Make It Go"?

First of all, good for you for starting a blog, it’s a lot of fun. There is lots to learn when it comes to blogging and it takes time. To start with, you can find a direct link to each post by either clicking on the post title or date stamp and then copying the url in the address bar or just by simply right clicking on the title or date stamp and choosing save link as or copy link location.  Looking at your blog it looks like you have post titles turned off (up to you but I recommend turning them on and using them, a title tells people what the post is about.) However if you click on the time after it says posted by dusty katt you will see just the page for that post.

Social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest etc are used for a few different reason. They are of course fun but they can also be used for blog promotion. I add a link to my blog posts to my Twitter account, Facebook fan page and Google+ page to draw in readers. More people follow me on these accounts than actually subscribe to my blog. If you ever get into working with brands or monetizing your blog (making money) then you will want to build your follower numbers on these sites as companies look for this.

Picket Fence is a top site listing. Users get votes to move up in the list. The more places your blog is listed, the more links into your blog which ups your Google Pagerank (of importance when working with companies) as well as there are more chances for people to find your blog. The blogs that are higher on the lists get more clickthroughs (visits.)

Check out blogging tips and how to’s and keep an eye on what other bloggers are doing that you enjoy. Don’t copy their content or images but you can get inspiration from them. Join groups for bloggers for support and as a place to ask questions. I’m not sure which ones to suggest as your blog doesn’t say too much about you. If you are a mom I have a lot of suggestions.  For now, try the Better Blogger Network or Blogaholic Social Network.

Check this out too: 5 Essential Pieces of Advice for New Bloggers

Margaret of Soul-mate, Daughter, Step Children and Fur Babies asks… I noticed that you said you didn't travel much but just wondered if you ever visited my home province of Nova Scotia?

Nope I have not been outside of Ontario with regards to Canada and I’ve only been to Michigan and Illinois in the states. I would love to see Nova Scotia. I’ve never been on an island, it must be beautiful!

Okay that’s it for today. If you submitted a question and I didn’t answer it, check back in two weeks! If you want to submit a question, go here.

REVIEW: Swift To-Do List 7 Task Management Software #blogathon2

Do any of the following describe you?

• You have a bunch of to-do lists around the house, some are on the computer, some are on papers around your desk, some in your phone or on your fridge maybe.
• You have to-do lists but nothing ever seems to get crossed off of it
• You have a lot of commitments that require certain tasks to be done and you have a hard time keeping track of what needs to be done, for what thing, and when (volunteer work, consultant of a company etc.)
• You are a blogger who works with brands and you have trouble keeping track of the reviews, sponsored posts, giveaway hops etc. that you are required to do.
• You prefer to have a list of what needs to be done written down somewhere but yet you can never figure out the system that works best for you.

If at least one of those reminds you of yourself, then you will want to pay attention.

Organize Your To-Do Lists

I have been testing out the Swift To-Do List 7 task management software for the last month or so and although I still have to get into the routine of adding new tasks, so far it’s helped me meet my deadlines and get more done. Yup, I got more done, just because of a to-do list.

Not Just a To-Do List

Okay well actually it’s more than that. Here are just a small sample of the Swift To-Do List features:

• Organize multiple to-do lists in a tree.
• Multiple icons to choose from
• Add reminders (you can snooze or mark as done)
• Create recurring tasks
• Email your tasks to yourself or your team member
• Edit or add multiple tasks at once
• Track the time spent on your tasks
• Carry the program with you on a USB thumb drive.

Take a Look

On the left I have separate to do lists for my blogs, Girl Guides and Life (doctor’s appts etc) I will be adding more lists eventually too. In the main section you can see my to do list for this blog. The ones with checks beside them already and greyed out are ones I completed already. You can prioritize your tasks, list them as different types and add due dates, reminders and make them recurring.

I just figured out that I can edit the task types so I added in types that work for my blogs. I added a sponsored post type too but I don’t have any currently in my list. I also changed the font in the task list and made it bigger. You can change the font colour and background colour too.

Making a new task is easy. Add a name, change the priority, type and due date and add reminders notes and such as needed. In the settings of the program you can change what the default is of those.

Setting a Reminder – set a specific time or set it to be reminded a few days before the due date.

This isn’t just for business owners, it could be used by:

• Stay At Home Moms (to clean, phone calls to make, household taks)
• Those Who Volunteer (phone calls to make, paperwork to do, etc.)
• Bloggers (posts to do, emails to send, deadlines to meet)
• Small Business Owners
• Girl Guide Leaders (meetings to plan, parents to call, paperwork to do)

There are three different editions of the program:

Standard ($44.95)
Professional ($89.95)
Ultimate ($149.95) – also comes in a 1 user 3pc option for $199.95

- for details on what is  included in each, check out the explanation of editions.

Bottom Line

Honestly I’m in love with this program. Like I said I still have to remember to add a new task to the list but now when I sit down to work on my blog, I can call up my list to remind myself what I need to work on and based on due date or priority.

For bloggers who have other reviewers on their team, you can email them a task.

Buy Now

Dextronet (maker of Swift To-Do List 7) has offered one of it’s Ultimate Edition 1 User 3 PC Liceneses ($199.95) as a prize in the Biannual Blogathon Bash Jun 22-25/12. All bloggers are welcome to join and you must be a participant to have a chance to win!

*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.

Safety With a Safety Razor–Or How My Child Shaved Off Her Eyebrows

Before the invention of the safety razor, men shaved with straight razors which could easily cut your skin and had to be used a certain way. I always wondered how they managed to shave with those things without cutting off their face!

Now that we have razors that are housed in a plastic or metal casing to make it less likely we get cut, we can shave faster and safer but of course, it’s still a razor and is still sharp.

Where do you keep your razors?

Ours are usually either in a “shaving” basket or on a wire rack hanging in the shower. However my husband often forgets to put his razor back when he’s done and leaves it on the shelving unit over the toilet where we usually keep the towels.

The result?

My Suggestion

I suggest you of course keep your razors away from your kid’s reach, but also that you don’t shave in front of your children, that you do teach them that it’s sharp and can cut them. (See the little cut in the middle picture? Would have been a lot worse with a straight razor.)  Also keep your blade sharp, (or in the case of disposables, buy new blades.) You might think this would be more dangerous but in reality, a dull blade is more likely to cut the skin.

This post brought to you by The Art of Shaving. See more.

REVIEW: Aqua Notes Waterproof Notepad

Ever had a great idea while in the shower but by the time you got out and got dressed, you had forgotten what it was?

What about relaxing in the bath and you want to doodle or do puzzles but you are afraid of dropping the book in the water or every time you put your hand in the water you have to dry it off before you can write again?

If so, you will want to take note of this product. Aqua Notes is a WATERPROOF notepad that you can write on while wet, even UNDER WATER.

Check out the video, seriously:

Isn’t that the coolest? Not only do they make a notepad but they recently introduced a wordsearch or maze for tub time. I was able to try both out and had lots of fun purposely getting them wet and writing to see if it would work. It’s so cool!

I apologize for the quality of the above photo. These are the ones I am testing out in my shower. The paper feels like a piece of thin plastic but you can actually write on it with pencil. You can rip the page out when you are done, whether it’s to bring it with you to the store or to your computer desk or bulletin board. I’ve had mine up for over a week and the suction cups have not given out at all, they are still firmly stuck where I put them.

The word search has 34 puzzles on different topics and is recommended for ages 7+.

If you are thinking that aqua notes must not be environmentally friendly, you are wrong! The notepads are recyclable and non-toxic. Soy based ink and wind energy are used in the printing process.

Each notepad is only $7.00, a real bargain I think!

AquaNotes is a sponsor for my Mother’s Day Giveaway. You still have a few days left to enter, it’s open till May 18.

*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: Lovable Labels Holly Jolly Gift Pack (#12DaysGalore Sponsor)

 I reviewed the wire tags from Lovable Labels in September and this time I tried out one of their Holiday Packs.

The Holiday Packs are an assorted package of personalized clothing and shoe labels. They come in two sizes and each size comes in two "types." (basically "girlish" and "boyish" but they aren't marked as such so if your boy loves pink or your girl loves blue and red, go for it!)

So what do you get?

The Holly Jolly Gift Pack is $24.99 CDN

Wrapped in a pretty red foil package, the recipient will receive 15 Multi-Purpose Stickers, 40 Slimline Labels, 12 Shoe Labels, 24 Press N' Stick Clothing DOTS (6 Large, 6 Medium and 12 Small) and 2 Mini-Metal Tags.

The Santa Sampler Gift Pack is $14.99 CDN

Wrapped in a pretty red foil package, the recipient will receive 15 Multi-Purpose Stickers, 40 Slimline Labels, and 24 Press N' Stick Clothing DOTS (6 Large, 6 Medium and 12 Small).

 I reviewed the Holly Jolly Gift Pack which comes in Christmas Jewels or Santa's Pick. I chose Christmas Jewels and one of my daughter's names.

As with all Lovable Labels products, the stickers are made of a thicker material to stand up to use and washings and general wear and tear.

The clothing tags are meant to be put on garment tags or care labels, not directly on the fabric. They can also be put on the liners of windbreakers, snowpants, snow jackets etc. They are machine washable and Dryer and Bleach Safe.

The sticker labels can be used for any household items such as lunch pails, water bottles, toys, cups, anything. They are dishwasher and microwave safe.

Keep in mind if ordering for a very young child (18months or younger) in daycare or something that the shoe labels would not fit into a very small shoe. They should work from preschooler size 6 and up at least I'd guess.

Christmas Jewels

Santa's Pick

For a limited time only you will receive gift seals with your purchase of one of the holiday packs. Lovable Labels ships to US and Canada.

Find Lovable Labels on Facebook and Twitter.

*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: Mumoocie Body Pillow - Sponsor for #12DaysGalore

Come back between Nov 25-Dec 6 for your chance to win a Memory Foam Mumoocie Pillow (RV: $80) in my 12 Days of Gifts Galore Giveaway.

The Mumoocie (pronounced MAH-MOO-SEE) is a body pillow with a unique design. It's designed to mimic another body so that an adult, child or baby can cuddle up to it in a spooning position and feel like they are not sleeping alone.

Anyone can use it but it was designed with children moving from the family bed to their own bed or who otherwise have trouble sleeping on their own, adults whose spouses are on midnights or are away for work (military or business trips) and who will therefore be sleeping alone, or even pets!

"Mumoocie is for anyone who encounters separation anxiety and enjoys getting a good night's rest!"

You can see the gallery of possible uses here.

The pillow comes in fiber fill or memory foam. The one pictured to the right is Memory foam so it holds it's shape. The fiber fill one is more rounded. I was able to try out the memory foam pillow, here's what my family thought:

• Mom's First Thought: I LOVE Memory Foam, the pillow will never go flat but weird shape.
• Dad's First Thought: Is this for me? I need a new pillow for between my legs.
• Daughter #1's First Thought: I LOVE this pillow. It's my favourite pillow now. Can I use it? Can I use it?
• Daughter #2's First Thought: That's a funny pillow, it's so squishy!
• Son's First Thought: (Okay he's 8 months, so I don't know what he's thinking but he seemed to like when I used it to prop him up as he slept in my arms because it was fussy.)

My husband first tried it between his legs but it's not the right size for him, he loves the memory foam though. Now it currently lays between us in bed as when he lays facing the bed, he has to have his arm over a pillow. It's like an arm rest in bed. I use it too when I face that way. I do like cuddling up to it when he's not in bed but I find I don't cuddle up to it the right way. I prefer it backwards (facing me)

It's supposed to retain heat and scent so that if I slept with it in my bed for a few days, I could pass it to my child and it should smell like me or if I sleep with my child and the pillow and then transfer her to her bed, it would retain my heat. I haven't tried it like this as my children have no problem sleeping by themselves generally. I did offer it to my younger daughter when I was going to be away for the night but she forgot to use it.

My eldest daughter loves to lay on it with it under her chest when she watches TV in my bedroom. I also use it to prop up my arm when I nurse the baby in bed or to keep items handy like the remote or his soother, without them sliding down under me. I've even used it as a table when I use my laptop in bed for my USB mouse. The memory foam is that hard and yet that soft at the same time!

I think this pillow is a great idea. You can even add a voice recorder so that when it's squeezed it repeats a message you recorded such as "Go to sleep little one." Check out the Mumoocie YouTube channel for more. Also see Mumoocie on Facebook and Twitter.

The pillow was featured on "The Doctors" in October. You can see the video below (they pronounce it wrong.)




*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/GIVEAWAY: UGLee Ergonomic Pens

For a person with arthritis, carpal tunnel or other problems which make gripping a regular pen painful, the UGLee pen is the first ergonomic pen designed by a doctor!

Despite it's strange shape, the UGLee pen is actually named for the doctor who designed it (Dr. Lee) and the UG stands for Ultimate Grip. The pen isn't just for those few people though. It's designed to eliminate the pain and hand cramping from writing with a traditional pen. This would be perfect for those who write a lot such as students or writers or secretaries. It's the ultimate comfort pen.

Upon first touching the grip part of the pen, I was a bit weird-ed out, it is so jelly and wiggly. It took some getting used to but now I love it and write all my notes with the pen. My mother has Carpal Tunnel and I am sure I have it too, I just keep putting off going to the doctor. I get pain from writing even a few sentences with a regular pen but my hand feels great with the UGLee pen. Also the grip is made to be strong and can withstand chewing on it as well.

The grip is not all that's great about the pen. The ink is extra smooth so the pen glides effortlessly. It's a very light pen too so you don't feel like you are holding the pen up AND writing.

For more information, check out the UGLee Pen webpage, twitter and facebook accounts.

Also see the short video below.



GIVEAWAY

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

GIVEAWAY RULES:
One Person Per Household. Open to US/Canada 18+. Giveaway open until December 1, 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 1, 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. 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.

6 Points to Consider When Buying a Dryer

When buying a new appliance like dryers you have a lot to think about. There are lots of models out there and you don't want to just buy the first one you see. Here are some things that I will be considering when I buy a new dryer (whenever that will be):

1. Do you want Gas or Electric? Gas is cheaper on your energy bill but requires a gas line. 
2. Front loading or top loading? Front loading is more energy efficient but maybe there is a reading why you would want top loading.
3. Capacity. Do you normally do large loads? A family of 8 will want a larger capacity dryer than a couple with no children as they will have more laundry to do. 
4. Noise Level. How loud is your dryer? Does the noise of appliances bother you? Do you want it loud so you notice when it is done and it is time to switch the laundry?
5. Cost. How much are you willing to spend? Make sure you compare prices at stores too.
6. Warranties. How long is the warranty? You would hate to spend lots of money on a new appliance only to have it break down and not have it under warranty.

I've decided I want a gas, front loading, high capacity, medium noise level, low cost, long warranty dryer! 

*Disclosure:I received compensation for this post. All content was written by me and is honest. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

REVIEW: First Alert Smoke & Fire Alarm (In Honor of the Tatas Sponsor)

We should all know how important it is to have working smoke alarms in our home and to test them regularly but many of us slack off and don't have the right amount or have them in the right places, or test them enough.

According to Fire Prevention Canada, eight Canadians die every week from fires and residential fires account for 73 per cent of Canadian deaths caused by fire

It's been a long time since I got a new smoke alarm so maybe all new smoke alarms have these cool features or maybe they don't, I don't know. However I am impressed with the following features:

• Bright Escape Light - automatically activates when alarm sounds to help show the path to safety. Perfect for hallways or rooms without windows.
• Mute Button - The button that can be used to test the smoke alarm can also be used to mute the alarm in case it goes off and there is no danger (like when you are cooking.)
• EZ Access Battery Drawer - You do NOT have to take the smoke alarm down to change the battery. There is a little drawer that slides out (see the package). 
• Optional Theft-Prevention Lock - when activated, batteries and/or alarm cannot be removed without proper tools. This would be perfect for a young child's room where you are afraid they may do something to the alarm during play so that it doesn't work in an emergency.
• Ionization Smoke Sensor - Apparently flaming fires produce greater amounts of smaller particles that may not be picked up by older smoke alarms. This one will sense them.

First Alert is the leading manufacturer of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, combination alarms, fire extinguishers, safes, security camera and much more. It is the most trusted, recognized safety brand in Canada and has protected families and what matters most for over 50 years.

Established in 1986, The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) is the leading national volunteer-based organization in Canada with regional offices in British Columbia/Yukon Territory, Prairies/NWT, Ontario and the Atlantic Region.

So Why did First Alert and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) partner up?

• First Alert and CBCF have one common and important message to spread to Canadians: early detection saves lives – whether it be a middle-of-the-night fire alarm or a routine mammogram.
• October is Fire Safety Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness month. Fires and Breast Cancer can both be fatal and for both, early detection is key.

So First Alert developed a line of Canadian Breast Cancer Fire Safety products: two smoke alarms, a carbon monoxide alarm and a kitchen fire extinguisher. For each product sold, First Alert will donate $1 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

First Alert has donated some smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms as prizes for the In Honor of the Tatas event starting tomorrow so come back to win.

I'll leave you with some Home Safety Tips from First Alert:

1. First Alert recommends having a working smoke alarm on every level of your home. In addition, you should also install alarms inside or near every bedroom.
2. Smoke alarms wear out and should be replaced every 10 years as per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC).
3. The number one complaint about smoke alarms is that it can be difficult to change the battery—purchase one that has an easy access battery door so it never has to be removed from the ceiling.
4. Fire extinguishers are often your first line of defense in a residential fire. Keep at least one extinguisher on every level of your home—especially in the kitchen—and ensure every member of the family knows how to use them.
5. Carbon Monoxide is odourless, colourless and tasteless—it is a silent killer. Ensure a detector is installed on every level of your home and if the alarm goes off, get out of the house immediately. Review a fire escape plan for your family. Walk through exit paths and decide on a place to meet outside—then practice it.

*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: Pink Ribbon Bags (In Honor of the Tatas Sponsor)

The Breast Cancer Society of Canada has partnered with Enviro Healthcare Inc. to develop an exclusive line of pink ribbon garbage bags for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  You will have an opportunity to win some of these bags starting tomorrow during the In Honor of the Tatas Event.

Enviro Healthcare Inc. is a leading supplies of high quality hospital laundry bags and other healthcare products.

Enviro Healthcare is donating $0.50 from each sale directly back to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. The campaign will continue throughout the holiday season. They are hoping to raise a minimum of $35,000 across Canada by the end of 2011.

The pink bags are available in the following sizes:
Large Bags - for average household garbage cans - 67 liter capacity
Small Bags - kitchen and bathroom garbage cans - 31 liter capacity
Both sizes come with twist ties and are on rolls for easy storage and to limit packaging.

Can I just say, PINK was a great choice and not just because of Breast Cancer Awareness. My girls got more excited over the pink garbage bags we received than they did over a toy we received for review around the same time. They have a Dora garbage can in their room and they quickly took the garbage out so they could put a pink bag in!

The garbage bags are of really great quality, very durable. 

You can purchase the bags at many major national and local retailers across Canada including: London Drugs, Thrifty Foods, Northwest Stores, Overwaitea Foods, Buy Low, Sobeys, Loblaws Superstore, Metro, Fairway Markets and Atlantic Co-op.

You can find the Pink Ribbon Garbage Bags on Facebook and Twitter @PinkRibbonBags

*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. 

(Guest Post) Beware: Dog in the House

(c) Flickr User Clay Larsen

Dogs are wonderful companions to those with children or those who live alone but don’t want to be lonely. They can be the bonding link in a family, a way to test one’s ability to care for others, or added protection from both human and animal intruders.

It’s a good idea to be prepared for an animal friend because they significantly change the way you go about home security, holiday planning, and home selling. Let’s examine these situations one by one, shall we?

Doggy Door

Your dog can contribute to home security him- or herself – especially if he or she is large enough to scare off human intruders. Unfortunately, there are security risks involved with having a doggy door as well. If you’re kind enough to give your pet a doggy door so that it can go in and out at will, you’re effectively leaving a hole in your security. Not only does a doggy door make it easier for human intruders to sneak into the house or circumvent your other security measures, but it will allow almost any other type of small animal to roam into your place when you and your dog aren’t home. And if you haven’t had a raccoon or skunk pay you a visit, know that it’s not of the most pleasant experiences. Not only can the animal loot your place for food and other goodies, but it can often leave you a nice “greeting” on the floor, on your bed, or in your bathtub. (Learn more about Raccoon control and about the animal itself.)

To keep unwanted animal intruders out, you will likely have to install a lockable doggy door so that you can secure the house while you’re away or asleep. This will, however, prevent your dog from moving inside or outside the house as well — unless you teach him or her to use handles and keys, that is.

On the bright side, a doggy door is a great way to maintain tidiness in your house on all other occasions. If you can train your dog to run outside of the house after its meal, you’ll save yourself plenty of headaches — and arm aches.

Doggy Holidays

Each time you go for a longer holiday, you’ll have to find somebody to take care of your pet, or you’ll have to take him or her with you. Taking a pet along is easy if you’re driving and are visiting pet-friendly places along the way, but forget about flying with your dog or taking him or her on a ship unless you absolutely have to. The mere hassle and stress imposed upon your beloved animal friend make it not worth the effort in most circumstances.

Either way, you’ll have to make sure that your pet receives enough food and liquids while you’re travelling, and that her or she has suitable conditions (temperature, shade, moisture, et cetera) to get by comfortably in your absence.

Selling and the Dog

When you decide to put your house on the market, you can expect visitors who wish to tour your property and see how they like it. In these cases, even a perfectly trained dog in the house can cause trouble. Sometimes, your potential buyers may be allergic to pets and may refuse to tour houses with pets in them. Other times, when your buyers own their own pets, your dog may be more aggressive or unfriendly towards them, which definitely does not bode well for you. In the extreme case, your buyers may bring their own pet along (although this is very rare and rather unwise of them), at which point a cataclysmic clash of the titans may ensue in your home.

Nothing of the above may be your fault, but if any of it happens to you, it won’t increase the likelihood of your attracting that particular buyer.

For these reasons, it’s wise to plan ahead when you’re considering selling your house and to find a friend or relative who would take care of your pet until the transaction comes to a close. While this may seem a harsh measure to you, not having a dog at home will allow you to perform thorough cleaning procedures without risking poisoning your pet. It will allow craftsmen or craftswomen to repair or upgrade your dwelling without annoying your dog or vice versa, and it will decrease the likelihood of a debilitating allergic reaction chasing your buyers away.

You can move your dog with you into your new place in the end, after all, and he or she will be happy to “gain new territory.”

Author Bio: Whatever your needs and wants, work with The Julie Kinnear Team to ensure that your Toronto real estate transaction is as smooth as possible and that you’ll find a pet-friendly new home for you and your furry friends.

REVIEW: Lovable Labels Wire Tags

Lovable Labels is a great way to keep your family organized, whether it's their clothing, your food containers in the kitchen, books, bags or even your garbage bins.

They stick very well and won't come off if they get wet and should last a long time as they aren't easily worn down. You can easily order personalized labels online and have them delivered to your door, anywhere in the world. 

Lovable Labels carries all kinds of different labels from ones made for shoes, to bag tags, clothing labels, household labels, stationery and even id bracelets or bracelets for kids with severe allergies.

One of their newer products is wire tags.

Designed to go around the various power cables in your house, they will help you see at a glance, which cord to unplug from the mess behind your entertainment stand and desks. (It's not just like that in MY house is it?)

They are long and skinny stickers with the name of the cord on both sides so when you fold it over the cord it sticks to itself and it says the name on both sides.

The kit comes with labels for every cord you could imagine. My camera wouldn't take good photos so I got permission to use another blogger's photos. Thanks Sweet Peas and BumbleBees!

Our Plumbing Is Going Down the Drain

(c) ziptrvia

I bought my house in 2005 when I was only 22. Needless to say I knew nothing about buying houses. However I wanted to do it myself, without my parents help.

I didn't have an inspector check out the house because it was an extra cost. I should have. The people who lived in this house before me tried to do redecorating and renovation by themselves and did it all wrong. Nothing is right in this house. We've had the electrical fixed the windows and roof done, but the plumbing is still messed up.

There is no trap between the bathtub and the toilet, the kitchen sink doesn't drain right, the bathroom sink doesn't drain right, the basement tub often overflows, the bathtub tap is broken and who knows what else. I'm so sick of something or another not working right.

It doesn't help that my children won't stop putting or dropping things down the bathroom drain. Q-tips, toilet paper, even goldfish crackers (why were they in the bathroom?) Kids do the strangest things.

I really need to get a plumber in here to redo everything!


What items have your children put or dropped down the drain?

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

House Cleaning Tips from Reader's Digest Canada

Flickr User go_greener_oz

Have you heard these tips before? Do you do any of them? Tell me in the comments!

Do you clean your jackets and coats? Unless it looks dirty, I usually never think of it. Well if you wash your nylon coat (or it just gets wet) make sure to hang it to dry in a DARK place. Why? Light can damage nylon so keep it out of direct light whenever you can (i.e. when you are not wearing it.)

Have you painted your house lately? I have. Have you ever thought about how to make it easy to use the leftover paint again? Label the can with paint colour number, date of purchase and a dot of colour. When pouring paint, pour so that paint doesn't cover the instructions on use and care so you will be able to read it again next time.

Are you guilty of not cleaning up spills on the stove right away? I am. I'm busy serving up 3 kids and 2 adults, usually while my baby is fussing or even crying so it's the last thing on my mind. If you've waiting too long and the spill is cooked on the stove, just use more elbow grease, maybe a soaking, or some vinegar or even an all-purpose cleaner. But do NOT use abrasive cleaners or scrubbers. They will just scratch the surface and new spills will just cling to these scratches, making them even harder to remove.

Do you lose socks in the laundry? I think we all do. Give each family member their own colour mesh bag to put their dirty socks in. Wash them in the bag and put the whole bag in their clean laundry to put it away. Voila, no missing socks.

Keep your kitchen counter clear of non cooking clutter such as purses, phones, books etc. Not only do these make it cluttered but they can leave germs behind on food preparation surfaces.

Are your kitchen cabinets disorganized? Take food staples (flour, sugar, cereal) out of their original packaging and put them in stackable containers so you can fit more in.

Find these tips and more on house cleaning at Reader's Digest Canada.

Do you have any house cleaning tips? Please share!


*This is a sponsored post. I received payment in exchange for creating this post but I highlighted tips I truly found helpful and love Reader's Digest Canada and I only do sponsored posts for companies I believe in.

REVIEW: Lysol No Touch Hand Soap System - Stainless Steel Look

Last year I reviewed the Lysol No Touch Hand Soap System and I'm happy to announce the product now comes in a new Stainless steel look to match your kitchen.

If you aren`t familiar with the product, it`s a way to get soap without touching the pump and getting the germs all over it. Sure you are washing your hands anyways but I often brush the soap pump while reaching for something or move the soap pump out of my way for a moment and I don`t wash my hands again before moving on to something else. Think of all those germs.

There is a new refill soap fragrance as well: Aloe Vera with Vitamin E. It`s soft and creamy and very soothing on your hands. So you can clean and moisturize your hands at the same time and it smells great.

I do wish it was refillable instead of needing to buy a new cartridge but what I do is use it for really unsanitary things such as when I`ve been handling raw meat. My husband uses it for other things too.  I find the batteries last a long time, considering it`s used at least once a day. I think I changed the batteries twice total in the year I had the first one.



Find out more about the Lysol No Touch.

*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: Scentsy Wickless Candle Warmer

Do you like the smell of candles but don't like having an open flame in your house? Or perhaps you are afraid of falling asleep with a lit candle and burning down your house?

Scentsy's Wickless Candle Warmers are a great solution. It's an electric warmer that heats up and melts the scented wax in it's little bowl. The smell permeates the room and when you turn it off, the wax hardens up and is ready for the next use.

I gave it to my mother to try out and this is what she had to say:

Pros:

• Switch on the cord which makes it easy to turn on and off
• It starts to melt quickly and you can smell the scent almost right away.
• Even when the wax is cooled and hardened it has a lingering scent that you can smell when you walk in the house. 

Cons:

• If you are sitting at a certain angle and you can see into the holes, the light is blinding. You have to experiment with what way to put it so this does not happen.

The Warmer I Received

I'd also like to add that one of the reasons I gave it to her was because I had nowhere to put it. You have to put it somewhere out of reach of children but since it plugs into the wall, you don't want it anywhere where kids could pull it down on themselves or could get caught up in the cord (like underneath a table.) I have very few free surfaces and they all require the cord to stretch across to the outlet.

There are lots of scents available and if you want to change scents before you've used up all of the first scent, you just turn it on and wait till the wax is fully melted. Then you pour it back into it's tray and let it harden in there and you add the new scent into the warmer.

Another con for me is not being able to purchase it in stores but you can either purchase online or find a local consultant to get them from. 

There are also lots of warmers to choose from, plus they sell other products. I have the full size warmer but there is a mid-size warmer, plug in, Scentsy Buddies (stuffed animals), room spray and more. There are warmer styles for everyone.

*I received a full size warmer and scent bar for review from the company. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are honest and are not affected by how I acquired the product.

Donate to Habitat for Humanity This Mother's Day

*This message brought to you thanks to the Brand Buzz Network who alerted me to it.

Gifts from the Heart cards in honor of mothers help Habitat for Humanity build homes

This Mother’s Day, give a Gift from the Heart and help build Habitat for Humanity homes in honor of mothers.

Make a tax-deductible Gift from the Heart donation to Habitat for Humanity and a special Mother’s Day card will be delivered by e-mail or postal mail to the recipient you choose to let them know a donation has been made in their name. Donations made through Habitat’s Gifts from the Heart will help families achieve the dream of owning a home of their own.


“What better way to show our moms how much we love and appreciate them than to invest in the dreams of mothers around the world,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “A Mother’s Day Gift from the Heart is a beautiful way to say ‘I love you.’”

When you make your donation, you will be able to choose Mother’s Day or another occasion and the recipient the donation is honoring.

To give a Gift from the Heart, go to http://www.habitat.org/md2011



About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved more than 400,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 2 million people. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit Habitat.org.