Shoes for Crews–Slip Resistant Footwear

I usually dread shoe shopping because I never know what size I should buy since I have a wide foot and I always end up with low quality shoes that split and break in less than a year.

I was offered a chance to try a pair of shoes from Shoes for Crews so I thought I’d try it as I’d never bought shoes online before. Shoes for Crews makes shoes designed for those who walk or stand a lot, especially for their job. For example teachers or medical professionals who don’t sit much during their work day.

Although I don’t have one of those types of jobs, I do walk a lot as I walk my kids to and from school each day, often multiple times per day. I’m also a Girl Guide leader and I do two units so I am pretty much standing from 5:00-9:00pm once a week and that’s not including all the standing I do before it starts as I make dinner and prepare to go.

My Choice: Eastside running shoe (because I’ve always wanted to try a slip on shoe)

I also ended up going to Toronto twice in one month for the She’s Connected Conference and a P&G Mom event so I was on my feet a lot then too. I think I tested them out well.

Why Shoes for Crews is Different

What makes Shoes for Crews shoes different is their patented SFC Mighty Grip Slip-Resistant Outsole. If you go to that link and view the first video, you will see what I mean. I’ve never seen a shoe with grip like this. I tried the shoe in many conditions, hardwood, ceramic, linoleum, cement, grass, asphalt, carpet and wood. I tried all those surfaces that can be outdoors while wet as well. I have not tried snow yet because we have not had any yet. I never slipped, not even once. I normally walk extra carefully when it is raining because I’ve slipped so many times. Now I have to train myself to walk normally again.

The shoe is also water resistant, made of genuine leather, has a padded collar, stitch-reinforced toe and a shock-absorbent outsole.

Types of Shoes

Shoes for Crews sells different types of shoes like athletic shoes, women’s slip-resistant footwear as well as clogs, steel-toed boots and dress shoes. You can also browse by industry.

What Impressed Me Most?

The shoes came with a little shoe cleaner. It looks like a little piece of of the bottom of the shoe with little picks coming out of it that you can run through the lines on the bottom of the shoe to get everything out of it.  I LOVE IT!

How It Performed

The shoe itself is designed beautifully and I'm sure they will last me a long time. I do wish however that I had NOT gone with slip-ons as I had a hard time deciding on shoe size even with their charts and they are a bit big on me. I had a blister for a while on my smaller foot although I'm fine now. I think if they had laces, I would have been able to tie them tighter and make them fit better. Part of my problem was that this shoe doesn’t come in a wide size and I have wide feet. So I really should have picked a shoe that came in wide.

If you know what size your shoes are or at least don’t have problems with them being quite different in size or one wider, I think you would be fine buying shoes online.  Despite this, I am happy with my shoes. I like that they are athletic shoes but look nice if I go out too since I HATE dress shoes.

Connect with Shoes for Crews

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shoesforcrews

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoesforcrews

*Disclosure: I received the product 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.

5 Most Important Halloween Safety Tips for Children

Halloween is coming soon and I want you to have fun but I also want you to be safe so please follow these 5 important safety rules for Trick or Treating.

1. NEVER Trick or Treat Alone

No one, not matter how old, should ever trick or treat alone. If something happens, there is no one to go get help. Everyone should have a buddy at least, bigger groups are even better.

2. Children under 14 Should Always Have Older Sibling or Adult Supervision

A child, especially one that is so excited to be trick or treating, can easily forget or choose not to follow the rules, whether they be traffic rules (not crossing in the middle of the road), your own personal rules (like watching younger siblings or not going to certain houses) or other rules (not crossing people’s yards, being polite, not going in houses.) Use your own judgement on if your child is ready to go out without an adult or not, the age is just a guideline.

3. Don’t Criss Cross Back and Forth Across the Road – Follow Traffic Rules

I know around here, less houses are giving out candy which can make it more tempting to go back and forth across the street instead of up one side and down the other but this is DANGEROUS. It’s dark and there are cars around and many Halloween costumes are not that easy to see because they are dark. Don’t risk it.

4. Watch Your Visibility

There are two types of visibility. Making sure you can be seen (using reflectors on your costume for example) and making sure you can see (face paint is better than masks, if you choose a mask, use large eye holes. Keep hoods down or back away from the face.) Both are important.

5. Always Have an Adult Inspect Your Candy

It needs to be inspected as sadly not everyone is trustworthy and it should be done by an adult or with an adult supervising at least. Throw out any: homemade goodies, treats with wrappers that aren’t on properly or otherwise don’t look right.

What would you put as Number 6?? Let me know in the comments

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.)

5 Steps to Better Computer Posture and Less Back Pain and Headaches

Whether you are a fellow blogger, or you work in a sit down job using a computer, or just use your computer at home a lot, poor posture can lead to pain in back or headaches. It seems like everyone “knows” that to have good posture, you should “sit up straight” but there is more to it than that.

I’m going to share 5 easy steps you can take to improve your posture at a desk. My daughter is helping me out by being my model.

1. Sitting Up Straight Does NOT Mean Pulling Your Lower Back In.

To be sitting up straight means that your spine should be straight from your neck to your tail bone. Often times we think we are sitting up straight but we are really bending too much and making our lower backs go in and sometimes our heads go back too far. I told my daughter to sit up straight and this is is how she sat (left.) Just by having her pull her stomach back in a little and her neck forward, she was all of a sudden sitting properly, with her spine aligned.

2. Feet Should Be Flat On the Floor and Supported If You Can’t Reach

I am guilty of this one all the time (even now… ooops!) Your feet should be flat on the floor, not tucked under your chair or tucked under your bottom. (left) If your feet can’t properly reach the floor and you can’t lower the chair, then you should have a small stool or box under your feet as a support. (right)

3. Your Whole Body Should Be In Line

Not only should your spine  be aligned but so should your thighs, legs and feet. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor and your feet should be under your knees.

4. Keyboard Should be Arms Length Away and Desk at Elbow Height

The table and keyboard above are NOT at the right height for my daughter. In the picture on the left, the table is about an arms length away but is too high. You can tell because her arms should be parallel to the floor just like her thighs are. Her upper arm should be perpendicular to the floor. In the picture on the right, I moved the table forward a bit. Her forearm is a bit more straight but the table is too far away. The problem with this is she will most likely lean in to see or reach better.

5. Take Frequent Breaks

The most important thing is to take frequent breaks. Sitting for too long, even the correct way is not good for anyone. It’s said you should take a 15 minute break every hour. Even if that’s not possible, I try to get up out of the chair at least once an hour to stretch my legs and my eyes. After looking at a screen up close, look at something far away (like down the street) to give your eyes a rest. Walking around or laying down will help rest your back.

Be Safe!

^{This Post Brought to You By Healthy Back. See more}

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.

Pink Shirt Day - No More Bullying

Why is it that some people feel it's okay to put others down to make them feel better? Do they not realize there are other ways to feel good about themselves?

Be An Upstander, not a Bystander!

That's the message shared throughout our school this Pink Shirt Day. All around Canada people are wearing pink shirts to show support for anti-bullying efforts today.

If you see bullying happening, don't just watch or walk away, stand up to the bully! Stop it from happening!

So Canada - did YOU wear pink today?

Check out this Pink Shirt Day Flash Mob:


Read these other posts:
Did You Know Canada? - Pink Shirt Day
Multi-Testing Mommy - Bullying Stops Here
Whispered Inspirations - Signs of Bullying
Be Nice or Leave - When Bullying Becomes a Buzzword

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. 

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. 

Click for Babies: Knit Baby Hats for Shaken Baby Syndrome + Period of P.U.R.P.L.E. Crying

Babies Cry.

We've figured out that much so far. Sometimes they seem to cry for no reason, as if  something is bothering them, but you can't figure out what.  Now I'll be honest and say that I've been blessed with babies who don't cry for long periods of time for seemingly no reason. When the first baby was easy, I figured the second HAD to be colicky. When the second was a bit more cranky but still not colicky, I thought for sure the third would have to be. When the third wasn't colicky either, boy was I surprised!

If you are expecting a child or just had a little one, you may have heard of The Period of P.U.R.P.L.E. Crying. If not, you might want to pay attention. I first heard of it in the hospital after having my third. They had us watch the video in hospital and I took a copy home. Let me show you:

Click On Image to See Larger

If you are concerned by the amount of your babies crying, are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted or are concerned your yet to be born child may be "colicky", you should check this out. You can find out more about crying babies at Period of P.U.R.P.L.E. Crying.

Attention Knitters! 

Click for Babies is helping to raise awareness for The Period of Purple Crying and Shaken Baby Syndrome by collecting knitted purple hats for newborns across North America to be distributed in November with information on a newborn's crying phase. The aim is to have a hat for every baby born in November at participating hospitals.

How to Join in Ontario
 Knit or crochet from 5 to 50 purple baby caps using soft baby friendly yarn and send them by mid-October to:

Southwest Ontario
Denise Polgar
Injury Prevention Specialist Trauma Program
London Health Sciences Centre/Children's Hospital
800 Commissioners Road East
Room E1-129
London, Ontario N6A 5W9

Click for Babies is a North American campaign with sites in BC, Utah, Kansas, Iowa and more. Hospital addresses are listed at http://www.clickforbabies.org/ (URL fixed 08/12/11)

CLOSED GIVEAWAY/EVENT: Great Canadian Blog Bash

Welcome to The Great Canadian Blog Bash at Callista's Ramblings!

I also blog at http://smsbookreviews.blogspot.com which is also participating in this event so check over there for more giveaways.

My name is Callista and I'm a SAHM of three children, a dog, a cat and a fish. I love blogging and talking with others about my ideas and advice. I also like bringing local news to people I know, especially parents. This blog started out (2003) as a more personal blog but in 2007 I realized people made blogs for others to read and started posting my opinions and thoughts. I've moved over to a review/giveaway type blog and I also feature information of use to women and parents, especially Canadians. Just recently I've started featuring more local content.

Windsor Fireworks from Flickr User Tukanuk

I live in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and am a very proud Canadian. I love reading Canadian blogs. I don't currently have an actual blogroll but will be making a Canadian Family Friendly Bloggers blogroll soon and every Canadian blogger I meet this week will be included in it. Have you ever been here to the southernmost part of Canada before? It's strange, all Canadians know Canada is above the US but here in Windsor, we are actually below part of Michigan!

You can find me on twitter, facebook, stumbleupon, goodreads and linkedin. If you follow me on any of these and/or Google Friend Connect, let me know and I'll return the favour as long as your blog is in English.

GIVEAWAYS

So for the giveaways, please fill out the form at the bottom of the post. There are a few extra entries possible, some for each prize, some for any prize. Read carefully before you enter.

RULES:
Canadians Only
Open till July 1, 2011
Winners picked by July 3, 2011

Prize #1

From FemMED - a Canadian company created by a woman who couldn't find what she needed in the health aisles. FemMED has 13 different formulas for different problems such as menopause, insomnia, breast health, heart health, Libido, Pregnancy, weight management and more.

1 Bottle of your choice of supplement to TWO winners

You will need to tell me which formula you think you'd want if you win so click on over to FemMED for a minute and check them out. You can change your mind if you win, it's not final.

Extra Entries for This Giveaway Only:

Follow FemMED on Twitter
Fan FemMED on Facebook

Prize #2
from Lovable Labels - get personalized name labels for clothing, allergy alert labels, wire tags to label the wires from your electronics, kid bands and more. Canadian too!

$50 Online Coupon to purchase whatever you want from their store. Can only be used once before July 3, 2012. Your order must be a minimum of $50.00 before taxes for it to work.

To enter for this one, you will need to click over to Lovable Labels for a minute and tell me one of the awards they have won (check the main page for answers)

Extra Entries for This Giveaway Only:

Follow Lovable Labels on Twitter
Fan Lovable Labels on Facebook


Extra Entries for Any Giveaway
(+1 for EACH one you enter. So if you do one of these extra entries and enter for both giveaways, you get one extra entry for EACH giveaway.)

Follow me on Google Friend Connect(GFC) (see sidebar or click here if widget is down)
Follow me on twitter (or sidebar)
Fan my page on facebook (or sidebar)

There's More to Car Seat Safety Than Proper Installation

Ad for http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/kids

If you are Canadian, have you seen the ad above yet? Do you know that car seats expire? Do you know why?

While trying to buy a used car seat/stroller travel system online I was amazed by how many people listed expired car seats for sale. Most didn't even know they expired. This is not good. If someone else who doesn't realize they expire buys from them, there are more people using expired car seats around. They expire for a reason!

What reason?

1. The material it's made out of doesn't last forever. Plastic breaks down or gets small fractures too small to see but enough to cause danger. Straps deteriorate. Even the safety stickers and labels fade or wear away. 
2. As new safety features come out, older car seats won't have them and therefore won't be as safe as a newer car seat.
3. Car seats haven't been tested past 5 or 6 years. So we don't know how much danger the above two mentioned points would cause.

The average car seat lasts 6 years but different brands last different lengths. Expiration dates are printed on the underside of the car seat and base. You can also check out the Transport Canada website for how long common cars eats last.

Please do NOT use an expired car seat or sell it to someone else. The bases expire too. Don't just throw them out though either. If you put it to the curb, someone else will take it home and use it. It is recommended that you cut the straps

Furthermore... in Canada, you are ONLY supposed to use car seats manufactured in Canada as they are the only ones that bear the National Safety Mark which ensures it's been tested by Transport Canada.

If throwing out a car seat or turning down a great sale in the USA seems like a pain to you, remember, IT'S A MATTER OF CHILD SAFETY!