Spring has sprung and this time of the year, I feel exceptionally giddy! The weather is warmer and everything comes out of slumber. It's also time for Easter, Mother's Day and followed by Father's Day and Graduation time.

Recently, my four year old daughter watched the movie, Bambi.  She fell in love with Bambi's friend, Thumper. Surprisingly, we were sent a Thumpin' Thumper from Hallmark and it is the cutest, most cuddly stuffy she's got! She was so thrilled when she received it!

Thumper thumps his foot and says one of three greetings. He quickly became a favourite with Little One! ($14.95 w/ 3 card purchase. Reg. $24.95)

Hallmark has gift ideas for everyone. I was thinking for Mother's Day, the Blooming Expressions with music would be a great idea for moms!

The fabric petals open and reveal a special message and a glittery butterfly. Each flower is showcased in a beautiful vase. The Blooming Expressions with music sell for $24.95. Flowers without music sell for $19.95.

For dads, the One-of-a-kind Creation Frames are a fabulous idea! New Shutterfly gifts allow customers to customize their digital photos for special and unique gifts. I really love the look of these frames! If you visit our home, you'll know how addicted I am to photo frames and family photos!

Another great gift idea for a special person in your life is Mason Interactive Story Buddy. I was going to keep him for Little One (mainly because I fell in love with him)! Mason is a love-worn bear who has been left behind by his previous owner, only to be rediscovered and loved again by his new friend, Jacob.

Mason is so adorable and so soft! He comes with a storybook and an audio CD. You can get coordinating books for $9.95. The new Mason Interactive Story Buddy & Mason's New Friends Interactive Storybook 2.0 sells for $34.95.

Little One gave Mason to one of her best friends since he loves his stuffed animals.


One of my absolute favourite items from Hallmark are the Magic Prints. Little ones don't stay little long, so I love capturing snippets of my daughter's childhood and keeping them for posterity. These Magic Prints are a great way to create personalized gifts.

Mess-free Crayola Magic Solution reveals handprints or footprints from children or pets. Each applicator-Magic Mitt- comes with enough solution for 2 child-sized handprints. To clean up, wipe solution off and wash with soap and water. Solution only works on Magic Paper and is safe and non-toxic. ($24.95)


This time of the year always reminds me of graduation! After the first signs of Spring, it always seems like Summer's in a rush to come. Kids are ending school for the year and beginning a new chapter in their lives. For many, this means graduation.

This year, our niece is graduating from high school and will be going off to college in the Fall. I thought these Pics 'N' Props were so cool! Tell stories or show your love with photos in a creative way, using Pics 'N' Props. Each kit comes with special props and a frame or album to store your memories. I really wish we had these when I graduated from kindergarten, elementary school, high school, college and university! So fun! I know my niece will love it!


As you can see, Hallmark has so many amazing gift ideas for all the special people and special moments in your life. Great ways to show your love and capture moments and memories.

Connect with Hallmark Canada on Twitter and Facebook. Check out their website for great cards. products and gift ideas!

Disclosure - I am a member of the #HallmarkPressPause Panel.  As a member, I receive various perks and info to share with my readers. As always, all the thoughts and opinions on this blog are honest and my own.

Itchy, scratchy, bumpy skin.  That's what my poor Little One has to deal with whenever her skin gets irritated by certain detergents or fragrances.  She has extremely sensitive skin.  Just like her Dad.  Well, at first glance, you wouldn't be able to tell that about my husband, the farmer.  His hands are super tough and  seem resistant to the elements. The truth is, he has sensitive skin when it comes to laundry detergent and fabric softeners. Both he and our four year old daughter react adversely to certain products, so I have to make sure to buy the gentlest of products. Otherwise they break out in hives.

As a PGMom, I was able to try out Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Detergent, Ultra Downy Free & Sensitive Liquid Softener, and Bounce Free & Sensitive Dryer Sheets.

P&G wants to ensure you can care for your fabrics and enjoy clean, soft and static free clothes and towels, even if your skin is sensitive to scents and dyes. Tide, Downy and Bounce have joined forces to provide a laundry regimen that’s gentle enough for sensitive skin.  


1. Wash: Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Detergent has been specially designed for sensitive skin. It’s made with no dyes or perfumes and is dermatologist tested to provide your fabrics with a great clean that’s gentle on your skin. 

2. Soften: Experience all the softness of Downy, free from dyes, perfumes, and worries. Ultra Downy Free & Sensitive Liquid Softener is the leading “free” fabric softener that’s also 100 per cent dermatologist tested so you can focus on enjoying fabrics that are wonderfully soft with less static and fewer wrinkles. 

3. Protect: Use Bounce Free & Sensitive Dryer Sheets and enjoy the softness and static protection of regular dryer sheets without perfumes or dyes. It’s like sensitive skin’s BFF.                         

So far so good! Hubby and Little One have not had any reactions to any of the products and this makes Mama very, very happy!

Speaking of laundry regimens, I've got a question.  Most of you already know that laundry is one of my least favourite household chores. Well, I don't mind the actual laundry part, but not the folding and putting away clothes part. That is a chore and something I find tedious. 
My question is: What is your laundry regimen? 

Do you actually wash, soften, and protect? How many of you use laundry softeners? I remember my Mom being the perfectionist that she is, always had a laundry regimen. Me? Throw in dirty laundry, add detergent, run cycle, and either hang clothes out to dry on the clothesline or in toss in dryer (I have the Bounce Dryer Bar). 

Though I hate folding and putting away laundry, I do have one little quirk. I'm obsessed with folding underwear a specific way. This is what my poor husband has to live with...



Okay, back to laundry and sensitive skin.

Would you like to WIN a Sensitive Skin Laundry Care bundle (valued at $25*)?

Yes? Okay. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Growing up in Quebec, la cabane a sucre has always been part of our traditions. I remember going to the "sugar shack" every year. As kids, we'd go with our class on school trips and learn how maple syrup is made. We'd end the excursion with a feast! We'd have a huge breakfast...Quebec style! In other words, our eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes all slathered with delicious maple syrup. Ahhh! Sweet ambrosia!

Now, I have my own cabane a sucre experience chez nous!

I never imagined moving to the countryside and living on a farm, but I have to say that this is by far one of my favourite things about country living. Making our own maple syrup has become something fun to do with Hubby, Little One, and my students when I was teaching (before putting teaching on  hold for social media).


I'm glad our little one is able to experience this every year on our farm. This is one of my most cherished childhood memories. I hope it will become one of hers too.

{ Easy Maple Syrup Salad Dressing }
Ingredients:
1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp tahini
Maple Syrup
Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed and not from a bottle)
Garlic, minced (2 or 3 cloves. You can use less, but I love my garlic!)
Salt

* Everyone always asks for exact measurements, for the maple syrup and lemon juice, but just adjust according to your taste. About 1 tbs or two each will do. I sometimes use more. I have a friend who just uses maple syrup and lemon juice and nothing else and that's delicious on a salad as is!

Add ingredients in a mason jar, cover with lid and shake to emulsify. Pour over your favourite salad greens (we even use this on cucumbers for a cucumber salad). You can add nuts and dried cranberries or pear slices and goat cheese to your salad too. This dressing is a favourite in our house.

Store unused salad dressing in fridge

There's nothing quite so magical as growing a baby inside you.  I know it may sound like an odd thing to say, but I'm sure many moms (and expectant moms) agree.

When I was pregnant with Little One, I was in constant awe of everything. I could not believe that there was a tiny being inside me, growing, being nurtured by me and who would eventually give me the gift of being her mother.

I was in awe of how my body was changing to accommodate this new life inside me. I was in awe of how my emotions could change in a moment's notice. Oh, my husband will tell you how my pregnancy hormones kept him on his feet for my pregnancy! I'd cry at the drop of a hat. "I wanted black cherry yogurt! Not strawberry!" Yes, little things like Hubby not getting the right yogurt from the grocery store would make me cry!

Oh, and you can forget about watching TV with me. Even commercials made me cry!

Though I could not contain my excitement and feelings of amazement and love, I also remember the not so glamorous parts of being pregnant. Though I absolutely loved being pregnant, I had all day sickness for my entire pregnancy. Not morning sickness. ALL DAY sickness.

I also worried excessively about my baby. I was already 32 when I got pregnant. This was my first child. I was on complete bed rest and this was a high risk pregnancy. To be honest, I was scared.  Scared something bad was going to to happen to our baby.

Then she decided to propel herself into the world at 28 weeks gestation.

Though I did chronicle my pregnancy on my blog and in a journal/diary, I wish I had an actual pregnancy journal like From Pea to Pumpkin.


I'm getting all emotional just thinking about pregnancy journals! I've got a handful of friends who are expecting babies, so From Pea to Pumpkin is on my list of items to get for the moms-to-be.

About From Pea to Pumpkin


From Pea to Pumpkin is beautifully illustrated. Author/Illustrator, Geralyn Broder Murray's hand-drawn, like-sized fruit and veggie images represent and help chart the size and growth of baby week by week.

I love that this journal is a place to record the memories and thoughts that are most important to expectant moms. There are fill-in-the-blank prompts, spots to put photos and ultrasound pics, and more. It's just the perfect place for all the important memories and great to keep for posterity.  It really does make a great keepsake.

Sure, pregnancy may not always be as romantic and idyllic as some of us make it to be. I couldn't even go to the grocery store without getting nauseous! The meat section was off limits for me. Despite being sick all the time and being a blubbering mess with all the weepy moments, I can still say that my journey can be looked back on with smiles and fondness.
I highly recommend moms (both first time moms and veterans) chronicle their amazing journeys.


Every great journey deserves a great journal.


Connect with From Pea to Pumpkin on Twitter, Facebook and on Pinterest!

Disclosure - I received a copy of From Pea to Pumpkin to facilitate this honest review. All the thoughts and opinions on this blog are honest and my own.

Who doesn't love being surrounded by beautiful things? Have you got family photos you wish to display for all to see? Do you have art work you wish to display on your walls?

Posterjack.ca has a NEW product I think you'll love. 

Photoboards.

Already wildly popular in Europe, Photoboards are printed on a durable, crisp white material, delivering ultra vivid colours with a clean, minimalist finish.

• Minamlist look  
• Ultra durable and super sleek  
• Come ready to display with two hanging options: Float Mount for a clean gallery look or Standoff Kit for an industrial edge -  Aluminum Easel available on smaller sizes  
• Photoboard prints start at $19.99 and come in a wide variety of sizes 

Posterjack.ca is an online company that transforms Canadians' digital photos into big, bold, vibrant artwork on posters, canvas, peel n' stick, metal, acrylic prints and more! 
Ordering from Posterjack.ca is a simple process. Simply upload your photo, select the product, choose the size and you’re done! It’s also shipped right to your doorstep.   For great photography chat and the latest Posterjack contests and news, please follow them on Facebook.com/Posterjack and @PosterjackDotCa on Twitter.


To celebrate the launch of Photoboards, Posterjack is offering free shipping on all orders over $40. To redeem the offer please use voucher code SHIPFREE before midnight on Monday March 25th (TONIGHT)!

When I think of all the many toys that have passed through my parents' house and endured the test of time, tiny hands, sticky fingers, and that have given countless hours of play, I think of Fisher-Price.  I remember playing with the Fisher-Price record player, telephone, airplane, farm, and all the old school Little People when I was a kid. My brothers, cousins and I would spend hours playing with our favourite Fisher-Price toys.

We even kept a few Fisher-Price toys at my grandparents' house so we could play with them when we were there. To this day, I still look back on those days with fondness.

I have to say that when I was little, my favourite Fisher-Price toy was probably the record player. I think it's interesting how children gravitate towards certain toys and have an attachment to them. I know that Little One absolutely loves her Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set!

Little One can often be found pouring tea for her friends and playing hostess, serving up imaginary treats! It is endearing! I am also amazed at how much she has grown, learned, and developed in the past year or so. The Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set has taught her phrases, numbers, and more! I'm in constant awe of how this toy captures my daughter's imagination.

Though the recommended age for this toy is 6 months to 3 years, Little One is now 4 years old and loves this toy just as much as she did when she first got it 2 years ago.

Another reason I love the Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set is because Little One has been severely opposed to learning her numbers. To say she was resistant is an understatement. When she entered Junior Kindergarten last Fall, at 3 years of age, I tried to practice recognizing and writing her numbers and alphabet. She would always get distracted and not want to have anything to do with her numbers and letters. However this particular Fisher-Price toy has recently piqued her interest in numbers without her even knowing it. Before, it seemed like it was all about just playing. Now she's been counting and using her numbers - even when she doesn't realize she is.


It makes me so thrilled to hear her say things like "One tea for you, and one tea for me! That's two cups of tea!" or "If I have five biscuits and Daddy eats one, I eat one, Mommy eats one, and Chancey eats one, we only have one left!"

Apart from the obvious educational element, I'm most pleased about the fact that it's pure joy when Little One plays with her Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set.


About the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set:

•    This adorable set has 3 play modes-learning, music and imagination.
•    Teaches baby about numbers, shapes, opposites, manners, greetings and more
•    Tip the tea pot to hear fun sound effects. Three sung songs.
•    Press the teabag to hear a sung song or lift the lid to learn about opposites and manners
•    Includes 2 teacups and a shape-sorting cookie tray with 3 teethable cookies

Check out the Fisher-Price Favourites! They're specially picked to help give you and your baby a toy box packed full of fun that will help you grow together through the joy of learning.

This is one toy I always tell my friends about. If they don't have it on their "Must Have" list, I get it for their kids for birthdays or Christmas. That's how much we love this toy!
Toys aren't the only things on Mom's "Must Have" list! There are also so many Fisher-Price Baby Gear items that I tell my friends I absolutely loved having (and needed) when Little One was an infant!

A few items I've gotten for expectant mom friends are the My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'n Swing, Ocean Wonders Aquarium, Infant to Toddler Rocker, and the Space Saver High Chair.

To pick just one favourite would be too difficult, because they all have their purposes and they all help make Mama's life a little easier! Having said this, I think the Space Saver High Chair is a definite must.


We certainly didn't have room for a big, bulky high chair. A high chair like this is perfect. It's easy to clean, portable, and it doesn't take up too much space. What's not to love?

Fisher-Price Favourites are toys that have been tried & tested through the years, and year over year have been favourites of moms, not just in Canada, but World over. They encourage child development and support children in achieving important milestones.

EXCITING NEWS!

I've got a Mom Central and Fisher-Price blogger discount code to share with my readers! With the code FISHERPRICE20 you will be able to receive 20% off Fisher-Price favourites at Toys ‘R Us! This PIN is effective March 29 to April 30. Visit: http://www.toysrus.ca/home/index.jsp?categoryId=2567269 to use the exclusive PIN code!

If you don't already have the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set, I highly recommend it! I'd love to hear what favourites you'll be buying with the use of the special PIN code!

Do you have any Fisher-Price favourites? What are they?


Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

For many parents, finding ways to help their children who suffer from eczema can be a challenge. Eczema can vary from persistent skin conditions of dryness and recurring rashes to the more severe blistering, cracking, crusting, or flaking.

It's not pleasant -  no matter what your age is.

I was surprised at the number of infants and young children that are affected by eczema, and that eczema is most common in infants and young children. I was even more surprised at what can trigger outbreaks in some. One of my good friends and her little ones all have eczema and it is not a pleasant thing to have to live with.

My own Little One has extremely sensitive skin, just like her Daddy. We have to be extremely careful with which soaps and detergents we use for her. Environmental irritants, stress, fragrances, and chemicals cause her to react. This said, her skin condition pales in comparison to what her friends with eczema endure.

As you may know, La Roche-Posay is always looking to improve the life of those with sensitive skin. In 2012, La Roche-Posay organized the “100 families” – a program to follow families with children suffering from eczema and to provide them with the education necessary to better manage their eczema, as well as free Lipikar products. The Lipikar product line is designed for dry and eczema-prone skin and is especially adapted for children and infants. Once again, La Roche-Posay Canada wants to put children at the heart of their contest on their Facebook page.


This spring, thanks to their “Itch-Free Day” contest, La Roche-Posay is strengthening their social media presence to better the lives of those with sensitive skin. The principle is simple: ask children suffering from dry skin and eczema to draw what an itch free day looks like!

La Roche-Posay Facebook fans will vote for their favorite drawing and a jury will then select the winning drawing among the top 10. The artist will win a selection of La Roche-Posay products and will see his or her drawing on a limited edition Lipikar Baume AP container, released in October 2013.

Disclosure - This is a sponsored post, however all the thoughts and opinions on this blog are honest and my own.

This morning, when I read this post on Mashable, I got a little emotional. Yes, I know. A YouTube video about Twitter made me cry. Hey, I'm the girl who cries when I watch Tim Horton's commercials!

In all seriousness, the birthday video for Twitter encapsulated seven years of our history as a group of people  with shared experiences...in a few seconds of video.

Twitter connects people and keeps us in touch with news, thoughts, and opinions in real time. It keeps us connected to the world at large.

It sounds odd to say, but Twitter has definitely changed my life. First and foremost, it has been a place where many friendships with like-minded people were made.

While I was on complete bed rest during pregnancy, Twitter helped me keep in touch with people and offered lots of support from tweeps around the world.

After I gave birth to a preemie, Twitter was a place where I connected with other parents of preemies who knew what it was like to live with a baby in the NICU and to worry about our babies just making it through another day.

Twitter has also given my opportunities to cultivate and maintain relationships that are work-related. I have actually put my teaching job aside in the past two years to work in social media and digital marketing as a community manager for a few brands.



Love,
@chancesmommy
A Self-Proclaimed Twitter Lover

Zerona Canada Reduces Inches

Zerona Fat Be Gone A Thon

Zerona truly changed my life

Twitter Party Alert!

Do you know what those items in the photo are? Have you ever had hot cocoa this way before? So good!

Link up your Wordless Wednesday post! We'd love to check them out!

Since today is International Day of Happiness, I was thinking about things that contribute to my happiness and things that I do to make others happy.

Things that make me happy

• Sunshine and blue skies
• My smiley little girl
• Daily walks with my canine baby, Chance
• My husband surprising me by occasionally doing something thoughtful like doing the dishes after supper or making me a cup of tea
• A delicious, healthy meal
• Being with the people I love most
• Seeing my little one with her grandparents
• A good dinner party
• SPRING!

Who doesn't love a good sale? With quite a few friends who are expecting or who have just had babies recently, I'm always on the lookout for a great sale on baby items, toys, etc. With Little One being in Junior Kindergarten and being invited to countless birthday parties, I always need the perfect item to give as a gift.

I just so happen to have the scoop on an event parents will be excited about! I figure that I'd be doing you all a tremendous disservice if I didn't share this amazing info with you!

Toys "R" Us is having a Moonlight Madness Sale for Canadians this Friday! That's right! Friday, March 22nd! You'll be able to find some great deals!

The Moonlight Madness Sale will take place at every Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us locations (with the exception of Express stores and where prohibited by local by-laws) as well as online at Toysrus.ca. The sales begin in-store at 6pm local time (check your local store for hours) and online at 6pm EST. With featured deals ranging from 30% to 50% off added every hour on everything from toys to baby gear, parents and gift givers are sure to find something for everyone!

In addition to these fantastic savings, shoppers will earn 100 Bons Air Miles Rewards Miles when they spend $100 or more during the event!

Some of the Moonlight Madness deals customers will find online and in stores include:



This event is too good to pass  up! I'm going to grab one of my expectant mommy friends, and another friend who is a new mom, and bring them to Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us for the sale! We may even have a lovely dinner after scoring some great buys! I know the friend who is expecting was looking for a crib! I see there's a Save $50 on the Graco Sarah Convertible Crib! It's only $169.97! The other friend has a baby in diapers and I see that Pampers Jumbo Diapers are on sale for $10.97 each. It just so happens that my friend's baby wears Pampers! 

Little One happens to have a birthday party for her friend on Saturday, and I've been too busy to go shopping! Thank goodness for the Moonlight Madness Sale! I'll be picking up a birthday present for Little One's friend (among other items for  nieces and nephews)!

Who else is heading to Toys "R" Us on Friday?

Visit Toysrus.ca