School is officially out for Summer!  Little One just completed her first year of school!  Forgive me if I get a little bit weepy!  I cannot believe our little preemie is now a Junior Kindergarten graduate!

With the end of the school year and the beginning of Summer, what better way to celebrate than kicking the Canada Day long weekend off a little early?

Oh, Canada!  How we love thee! 

We also love BBQ season...especially with a Canadian favourite ingredient --maple syrup!

Check out my Maple BBQ Ribs recipe. Gotta love adding a little bit of Canadiana with some maple syrup made on our farm!


For outdoor entertaining,  I've also got my Filipino BBQ recipe (which was featured in Eat In Eat Out Magazine!) and my Manitoulin Shawarma recipe (which recently made the Eat In Eat Out Blogger Spotlight).

I have a bunch of favourites my family and friends request that I make, but I'm always on the look out for new recipes to try.  When I'm stumped, I frequent the Life Made Delicious website for recipe ideas.  The recipes are quick, easy, and made with busy parents in mind, I'm sure!  The neat thing is that for most of the recipes, Little One gets to help me from prep, cook, to assembly and plating!

Of course, nothing is sweeter than enjoying quality time with loved ones and a light, refreshing beverage and  a scrumptious dessert together!  Outdoor dining and spending time on the patio is what we look forward to in the Summer!

Some great ones to try are:

• Peach-Berry Smoothies
• Watermelon Cooler
• Creamy Mango Smoothies
• Key Lime Yogurt Pie
• Chocolate Mousse Macadamia Tart

I've found these and countless other recipes on lifemadedelicious.ca. They've quickly become family favourites.

Check out the lifemadedelicious.ca website and let me know which recipes you'll be serving up this Summer!

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious. Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Strawberry shortcake, strawberry jam, strawberry ice cream...strawberries straight up! I love strawberry season!

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

Every parent can relate when it comes to bringing baby home for the first time.  There's the first time putting baby in the car seat, first car ride, sitting in the back seat with them, going home for the first time, and first sleep at home!

I think it's pretty universal that as first time parents, many of us have the same feelings of excitement as well as apprehension bringing baby home for the first time!

For myself, there was a little more drama with Little One being born at 28 weeks gestation.  There was the whole air ambulance trip, hospital bed rest, "spontaneous birth" (Yes! That's what was written in her chart after she canon-balled her way into the world!), 72 days in the NICU and a huge roller coaster ride of emotions.


After our life in the NICU, we got to take Little One home.  Then it sank in...Wow! We're bringing baby home!

I  have to say that I was really impressed to discover that Pampers makes diapers for even the tiniest babies.  The hospital we were at used Pampers Preemie/Size P for the preemies in the NICU.  Though the hospital provides preemie diapers for the preemies in the NICU, something I just learned and think parents should know is that parents need to bring diapers to the hospital with them.

Pampers Size P (for preemies) were the diapers we used when we brought Little One home.  I was so thankful to have diapers that fit my tiny baby!  Little One was 980 grams at birth and when we brought her home from the hospital, she was 5 lbs! Finding a diaper that fit such a small baby would be a challenge had we not had Pampers.  Even Hubby thought Pampers Size P fit Little One really well.  He really liked the fact that the yellow line turns blue when baby has wet the diaper. The indicator line was one of Hubby's favourite Pampers features.

It's no surprise that Pampers Swaddlers is the #1 Choice of Canadian parents and hospitals for newborn babies.


I remember when my brother and his wife had their twins and they used Pampers on their girls. It's a brand they trusted and preferred for fit and leakage protection.

Speaking of leakage protection, I was chatting with a friend recently and she said she loves that Pampers' 12 hour leakage protection helps her baby sleep through the night without waking up with a leaky diaper.  Yes, Pampers has Mom's back from birth to potty training with Cruisers and Easy Ups for baby at each stage.

Have you heard of Pampers Village (pampers.ca)?  It's a loyalty program that enables consumers to redeem rewards for every package of Pampers purchased, exclusive coupon offer, newsletters with parenting tips, and exclusive promotions.  Discover all the benefits you can get by joining over 500,000 Canadian parents!  I'm a member!  Despite the fact that Little One is now in Junior Kindergarten, I still enjoy  reading what's on pampers.ca. It's a great resource for new and experienced moms as baby moves through the stages. Plus, who knows if Little One will have a sibling in the future?

For new moms, getting a tailored newsletter for baby based on their stage is a great thing! I also like letting friends know about the exclusive rewards and coupons they can get from Pampers Rewards. Let's face it, moms (first time or veteran) can always use the support of a community and being able to share experiences with other moms.  This is what it's like on the Pampers Canada Facebook page! Chat about everything from bringing baby home for the first time, baby sleeping through the night, and more!

I was just talking about Pampers with my best friend yesterday and smiled when she said, "Pampers is like wrapping your baby's bottom in a cloud".  I love that!
Ready for some exciting news?  Summer is the season of new bumps and babies, and with the Royal baby on the way, Pampers Canada wants to share memories and tips from experienced moms with those preparing for their first big day!

As  an experienced a mom who has been there before, I'll be tweeting with @Pampers, @Gingermommy, @momvstheboys, and @myweeview on June 26th, giving some mom to mom support by sharing what new moms need to know about bringing their first baby home.

It's going to be a lot of fun! Who doesn't love talking about baby experiences?! Plus, the prizes are phenomenal!  Definitely things any new mom would love!

$1,500 in prizing with a Grand Prize worth almost $700! 

Whether new or experienced, mom always deserves to be pampered!
* Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Moisture Mask
* Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Moisture Mist
* Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo & Conditioner
* Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Silky Moisture Whip
* Venus & Olay razor and Satin Care with a Touch of Olay Shave Gel
* CoverGirl Blast Flipstick
* COVERGIRL LipPerfection
* Secret Outlast deodorant
* Vidal Sassoon Hair Colour coupon
* Olay Ultra Moisture Lotion
* Olay Total Effects Daily Anti-Aging UV Moisturizer Plus Touch of Foundation Cream
* Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Eye Cream Line and Dark Circle Minimizing Brush
* Olay Total Effects Refreshing Citrus Scrub
* Olay Total Effects Tone Correcting Night Moisturizer
* Olay Total Effects Tone Correcting Eye Treatment
* COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss (two shades)
* Febreze Candle

Pampers Swaddlers & Memories ($200) THREE WINNERS!
* Two boxes of Pampers diapers
* Pampers Wipes
* Kodak Play Sport video camera
* Ivory Snow Liquid Detergent
* Canada onesie (0-3 months)

Pampers Swaddlers ($80)  THREE WINNERS!
* Two small packs of Pampers diapers
* Pampers Wipes
* Ivory Snow Liquid Detergent
* Canada onesie (0-3 months)



Please join us on Wednesday, June 26th from 8pm-9pm EST.

Follow Host: @chancesmommy
Co-Hosts: @Gingermommy, @momvstheboys, @myweeview
Sponsor: @Pampers
Hashtag: #ILoveSwaddlers

All Canadian participants, excluding residents of Quebec are eligible to win.  
Please RSVP with your Twitter handle (Ex: @yourtwitterhandle) using the linky below:




 Disclosure - I am a P&Gmom. As part of my affiliation with this group I am hosting the #iloveswaddlers Twitter party and have been compensated for my services. The opinions on this blog and during the Twitter party are my own.

Connect with Manitoulin Botanicals on Facebook, their website, or via email ManitoulinBotanicals@gmail.com

 Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post.  Just promoting local businesses and the island we love.

I have two really good girlfriends that I wish I had more time with.  We all live on the Island, except on opposite ends.  Getting together takes planning in advance.  I miss these lovely ladies and really do wish we could see each other more often. Crazy how we all live on the Island, yet due to life, kids, work, and the every day things that keep us busy, we only see each other a few times a year.

This is why we came up with our Key Lime Pie dates.  We love our key lime get-togethers!  It's a great chance for us to catch up, chat, enjoy each other's company, and enjoy a great lunch.  We always end our visit with a slice of key lime pie.

I made something a little bit different for our lunch date today.

Key Lime Parfaits

As a little girl, I remember my Mom, grandmother, and aunts sitting around the kitchen table, telling stories, laughing and wrapping Turón. The ladies would expertly wrap sliced up plantain, jack fruit and sugar in spring roll wrapper, and fry them.

It was always a special treat and a family favourite.

Whenever I have this Filipino treat, I think of my family and my childhood.

I was so shocked to see the local Foodland had plantain!  I promised myself I'd only cook with local produce in my attempt to tread lighter on the earth, and also help support local farmers.  I couldn't resist though.  I had picked up a few cans of jack fruit when I was in Ottawa recently and had Turon on the brain.

My aunt's original recipe calls for large spring roll wrappers. Our local grocery store only carries the small wonton and egg roll wrappers.  From experience, I know that the egg roll wrappers get bubbly when fried.  That would be a definite no-no.  I settled on the wonton wrappers.  After all, we use what we have or have access to, right?

Ingredients:
1 large plantain, sliced
1 can jack fruit (slice the jack fruit into strips)
sugar to dust (white or brown sugar)
1 pkg spring roll wrappers (in this case, 2 pkgs wonton wrappers)
oil for frying

Instructions:
1. Slice plantain into small, thin slices. I did them about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch thick.
2. Drain jack fruit and slice 3/4 cm in thickness.
3. Take one won ton or spring roll wrapper and place 1 slice of plantain and 1 slice of jack fruit in centre.  Dust with sugar. Brown sugar works best for this treat. The caramelized brown sugar is lovely with the banana.
4. Wrap and form a "roll" by folding ends over the banana and jack fruit, using water to seal.
5. Repeat process until you have used up all the spring roll wrappers.
6. Heat a skillet or pan and add cooking oil. Add a few rolls, but be careful not to overcrowd pan. Cook until golden on med heat, then turn over. Keep cooking until other side is golden. It doesn't take too long to cook.
7. Remove from pan and either place on plate with paper towel. Sprinkle sugar over top while still hot.

These are smaller than the original Turon. Perfect bite-sized treats for entertaining and also perfect for little ones, as I've noticed that the original size Turon can be a bit too much for little kids to eat.  Hubby, on the other hand, can eat his fair share of the original-sized Turon!

Enjoy! This is best when eaten hot!

When my friend (and co-worker), @Dogpaddling told me about the @flyerland #itsbettertogether contest, I couldn't get this song out of my head...

So happy together

Little One is a veritable girlie girl.  She loves all things blingy, sparkly and pink.  She goes to the barn to feed the bull in her puffy tutu and rubber boots.

If you recall, I boycotted pink when Little One was born because I didn't want her to be under the whole notion that girls are all about princess, frilly things, and pink.

Despite my protests and not introducing her to all that is girlie, she somehow embraced all of those things anyway.  She loves Disney princesses, fairies, ballerinas, and PINK!

She also loves digging in the dirt and playing with snails and whatever other bugs she finds in the garden.


Little girls and little boys can do anything and everything they want to do when it comes to establishing their preferences in toys, activities or sports.  I think it's great for boys to play house and play with dolls, just like I think it's fabulous for girls to play with dirt or play with toy tools.  I think it's wonderful for boys to do ballet and girls to play hockey.


What do you think?

Link up your Wordless Wednesday posts here.  Sorry mine is a little "wordy"! We'd love to check your posts out!

Seven years ago today, I had my dream wedding on the beach at Carter Bay.  Yes, it's true!  Today is our 7 Year Wedding Anniversary!

On Manitoulin Island, there is a place where friendly faces greet you as you stop off to pick up your eggs and vegetables.  You'll likely find people working in the garden and cultivating produce -- food that nourishes the body. Real food...straight from the garden to your table.  You'll no doubt hear singing coming from the garden too.  It's a magical place.

I remember when I was in elementary school, saving up my allowance and being excited to bike to our local Jean-Coutu (a pharmacy in Quebec) and "splurge" on a Father's Day gift and card for Dad.  Back then, a tie or some kind of item that had "Best Dad" or "Dad of the Year" were things I thought were amazing gift ideas for Dad!

Funny how Dad never complained about not wanting yet another tie, coffee mug or pair of socks.  The purchase that made me the proudest was when I got Dad a bottle of Old Spice.  It seemed like all the dads wore it and it was in my price range.  Plus, my grandfather always wore Old Spice.

To this day, whenever I smell Old Spice, I think of my grandfather.  It turns out, my Dad wasn't much of an aftershave or cologne guy.  He wasn't really into fragrances period.  My grandfather was though!  It makes me smile when I think of how good my grandfather always smelled! Old Spice makes me miss my grandfather.

I was reminded of Old Spice and the memories of my grandfather and of my childhood when my four year old got hold of one of our monthly PGMom packages. I detected the scent of Old Spice and came running down from my office.  Little One was sitting on the couch, putting Old Spice deodorant on. She was shocked to see me and smiled, "I'm putting deodorant on, Mama! Now I smell good!"

I immediately thought of my Dad laughing if he saw what Little One was doing.  I also knew that if my grandfather were still alive today and saw Little One putting on Old Spice, he would have a good laugh too.

On Father's Day, we celebrate the men in our lives.  Of course, the first man I'd like to celebrate is my Dad. To the man who sat with us as we did our homework (and helped me as I toiled over math problems), and made sure to always have time for us after work...Thank you.  To the man who built ice forts with us and took us skating and tobogganing...Thank you.  To the man who taught us how to tie our shoes and ride a bike...Thank you.  To the man who taught us so many important life lessons and continues to do so...Thank you.

When I see the special relationship my Dad has with my four year old daughter, it makes my heart fill with joy.  I'm so lucky to have my Dad around.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, and a special Father's Day wish for my Dad!

Disclosure: I am a P&Gmom. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events and opportunities. The opinions on this blog are my own.

McCain wants to know some of what makes Summer "All Good" for you too!  

The McCain All Good Pinathon

This is great for all those who love Pinterest and love Pinning!  I'm a self-professed Pinterest addict.  I can get lost for hours Pinning recipes, DIY ideas, crafts, items for my Dream House, and more!

The contest goes from June 13th to July 11th.  You can win 1 of 5 $100 Gift Cards! C'mon...Go ahead and Pin! You know you wanna!

Here are some of things that make Summer "All Good" for me!

Disclosure - I have partnered with McCain for this promotional post. All thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

Have you ever stopped to really look at an egg before?  They're so perfect and so beautiful.  Each one is so unique.

We get our eggs from Hubby's sister, who as chickens.  We also get eggs from Blue Jay Creek Art Farm.  For the most part, we try to grow what we can and eat and buy locally as much as we can.

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

There was a time when I used to blog for the love of blogging.  I moved to an island in the middle of one of the Great Lakes and needed an outlet to ward off isolation (though I was in love with the Island, I missed my loved ones) and to share my new life with my friends and family far away.

I blogged about my life on an island and in a small rural Northern Ontario town. Did you know that the Island is the world's largest fresh water lake island? The blog also served as a place where I planned my wedding details and asked readers for tips and advice. I asked about things like wedding etiquette, what kinds of bombonieres to give guests at our wedding, what kind of food to serve, music to play, etc. That was back in 2006. I had no idea that people other than my friends and family could read the blog until comments started filtering in.

Why would anyone other than my friends and family want to read a boring blog like mine?

All of a sudden, I had a core group of friends in the blogosphere whose blogs I frequented.  We commented on each other's blogs religiously.  We blogged for the love of blogging.  Things were different back then. I miss the daily banter between Ms.Mamma, JellyJules, Uncivil, Wisconsin Candy Dish, and Curiosity Killer.  The only one from that vintage who still corresponds via the blog regularly is CanineCologne.  Though I keep in touch with my old school bloggy friends, it's outside of the blog. Canine has actually visited us with her family twice in the past few years and is a regular fixture in our loves via email, phone calls, text messages and care packages.

Where was I?  Oh, right...

Then I ended up on complete bed rest for my high risk pregnancy, and to my surprise, blog friends around the world were watching, praying, giving me phone calls from California and New Zealand!  It's hard to describe the amazing friendships the blog brought me.  It was a community family that was built.  Genuine interest and genuine comments.

Little One catapulted herself into existence at 28 weeks gestation.  It the most difficult and the most terrifying time of my life.  Our life in the NICU lasted 72 days.  It was a long and challenging journey for us, yet she proved (and continues to prove) what a fighter she really is.

I had become a Mommy.

I was a Mom with a blog.  I guess by default, that made the blog a "Mom blog".  I blogged about life with a preemie, parenting, and everything under the sun.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.


All of a sudden, the blog morphed into something else.  It turned into a way I could supplement our family income.  I was able to put teaching English on the back burner because I was monetizing the blog.  I was shocked to see how the blog took on a life of its own.

There was a brief time a few years ago (I think Little One was two years old), when I wanted to shut down the blog.  I went on a brief hiatus.  It was turning into something that wasn't me.  I felt like I was losing my voice and losing the reason I started blogging in the first place.  Though the blog had been around since 2006, I didn't really start monetizing until 2009 and wasn't even seriously blogging until 2010.  That's when all the big opportunities started coming in.  The blog also became secondary to all the social media jobs I was getting as an offshoot of the blog.  My main job is with PTPA as their Social Media Community Manager on Twitter.  Had I not started a blog back in 2006, I wouldn't have opened up a Twitter account.  Had I not opened up a Twitter account, I would not have engaged and formed relationships like I did on Twitter.  Had I not done all of that, I wouldn't have been given the amazing jobs I am now happily working at.  It's almost dizzying to think of how one thing led to another and how so much has changed.

A girlfriend of mine shared her new blog with me and as I read, it was bitter sweet to me.  She recently moved to the Island and started her blog for pretty much the same reasons I did back in 2006.  Her blog posts made me smile.  Reading her posts made me wistful and nostalgic. That was me seven years ago.  Holy smokes! Seven years? That's crazy!

As I read my friend's blog, I remember a time when blogging was just blogging.  I remember a time when I blogged because I loved it.  I still love it, but sometimes I feel like the blogging world has turned blogs into something else.  It's not a bad thing - As long as we preserve our voice and continue to write about what we love and are passionate about.

I guess I just miss the older blogs where people used to visit and read each other's posts. I mean really read and comment.  Don't get me wrong.  I love each and every comment I receive and I adore my friends and readers.  There's a kinship I feel with those in my blogging community.  I do feel people who comment on the blog are genuine in their comments.  It's just that somewhere between the reviews and giveaways, and producing posts like you're a machine, I think we've lost something.  We may be gaining readers and followers, but part of me just misses the old school blog.

I love the blog and all it has given me.  It's an extension of me and something to keep for posterity.  It has given me so many incredible opportunities from ambassadorships and conferences, to sponsored posts and making fabulous friends (many of whom are not simply online friends, but in real life friends too). Feeling a little nostalgic and wistful tonight. Kind of miss the old school blogs.

Know what I'm sayin'?

End of rant.

Please show my friend, New Country Mama Manitoulin some love.  She's new around here. :)

Some other interesting facts about MarcAngelo Foods:

The Great Grocery Giveaway