My friend Lil Sugar and I have both recently met a HUGE (to us) milestone! Both of us have reached 4,000+ followers on Twitter! We both love Twitter and love engaging with our tweeps!

To celebrate, my friend Lil Sugar (a.k.a. @LilSugarMag) and I are having a PARTY! To show how much we appreciate YOU, we will be giving away 1 product each day on Twitter for the next few days! Woot! Not on Twitter? Don't worry! We have you covered! All prizes will be announced on Facebook as well!
Just follow the link and enter for your chance to WIN!

SO MANY CHANCES TO WIN! SO MUCH FUN! TO GET STARTED, MAKE SURE YOU ARE FOLLOWING US!
On Twitter - @chancesmommy and @LilSugarMag Hashtag #4000Party
On Facebook - Life on Manitoulin and Lil-sugar.ca

 **No R.S.V.P. necessary** Just join in on the fun and remember to enter daily (via Rafflecopter) to win the prize for that day! All entrants can only win once for the duration of the contest. Open to both US and Canadian residents.



Win this adorable package of music and DVD's from www.markusmusic.com !

1: "Sing Along With the Best of MARKUS"  My new CD release with 14 of my most popular songs from my 9 CDs
2: Big & Small DVD "We're Big & Small" includes 5 episodes
3: Big & Small "Smallish Library" 5 small board books in one pack
4: Howie Plush doll from Almost Naked Animals

Retail value is $60 plus tax!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My friend Lil Sugar and I have both recently met a HUGE (to us) milestone! Both of us have reached 4,000+ followers on Twitter! We both love Twitter and love engaging with our tweeps!

To celebrate, my friend Lil Sugar (a.k.a. @LilSugarMag) and I are having a PARTY! To show how much we appreciate YOU, we will be giving away 1 product each day on Twitter for the next few days! Woot! Not on Twitter? Don't worry! We have you covered! All prizes will be announced on Facebook as well!
Just follow the link and enter for your chance to WIN!

SO MANY CHANCES TO WIN! SO MUCH FUN! TO GET STARTED, MAKE SURE YOU ARE FOLLOWING US!
On Twitter - @chancesmommy and @LilSugarMag Hashtag #4000Party
On Facebook - Life on Manitoulin and Lil-sugar.ca

 **No R.S.V.P. necessary** Just join in on the fun and remember to enter daily (via Rafflecopter) to win the prize for that day! All entrants can only win once for the duration of the contest. Open to both US and Canadian residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My friend Lil Sugar and I have both recently met a HUGE (to  us) milestone!  Both of us have reached 4,000+ followers on Twitter!  We both love Twitter and loveengaging with our tweeps!

To celebrate, my friend Lil Sugar (a.k.a. @LilSugarMag) and I are having a PARTY!

To show how much we appreciate YOU, we will be giving away 1 product each day on Twitter for the next few days!

SO MANY CHANCES TO WIN! SO MUCH FUN! TO GET STARTED, MAKE SURE YOU ARE FOLLOWING US!

On Twitter - @chancesmommy and @LilSugarMag  Hashtag #4000Party
On Facebook - Life on Manitoulin and Lil-sugar.ca

**No R.S.V.P. necessary** Just join in on the fun and remember to enter daily (via Rafflecopter) to win the prize for that day! All entrants can only win once for the duration of the contest. Open to both US and Canadian residents.

#4000Party Contest #2: WrapTraps {5 Winners}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

One of the messages my husband and I are trying to convey to our four year old daughter is that it is better to give than to receive.  We want her to know that it feels good to give to others. Whether it be in the form of organizing a fundraiser, making a donation, performing some random act of kindness, giving to others feels good and makes others feel good as well.

TELUS also believes in giving and they want to make sure that the feeling is alive and strong this Holiday season.

TELUS asked people on their Facebook page "If you could give anything to anyone, what would it be?" The responses were overwhelming. TELUS was amazed by the generosity of their online social community. They took their fans' words to heart and realized they could make some of those wishes come true.

With all the touching and amazing fan stories, I'm sure the decision was a difficult one to make. To capture the power of giving this Holiday season, TELUS shares some of their fans' thoughtful, heartwarming stories:

Check out the videos of Chelsea Schmelzel, from Prince George, BC and some of our other wish recipients at http://telusgiving.com. 

Be prepared to cry! Have those tissues close-by! This video had me sobbing!



Thought I'd share this with you. Happy Holidays!

Yet another reason we love TELUS.

Growing up, my absolute favourite board game to play was always Monopoly.  My brothers, cousins, friends and I would have games that went on for days during Summer vacation.  I remember even "pausing" the game by setting it aside if someone had to go home or if we had other things we needed to do. We made note of who had what properties and how much money each person had.  Then we'd resume the game once everyone was available again. This was some serious Monopoly playing. Hardcore Monopoly!

What I love is that it helped us with our math skills.  My cousin was always the banker because he was the math whiz.
Yes, Monopoly brings back lots of fond childhood memories.  This is why I'm so excited about Monopoly Millionaire!  The same great game, only the luxury version!  This one has diamonds, limos, movie premieres, and all the things you'd have if you lived the high life!

Want to hear something even more exciting?  There's going to be a Live like a Millionaire Twitter Party on October 9th, 2012 at 8:30PM EST!  Make sure to follow @ShesConnected and @SCConference and use the #first2Amillion hashtag. There will be prizes too! I for one am really looking forward to this! Come join in on all the fun!

To RSVP, click here!

Disclosure - I am participating in the Millionare Monopoly program by ShesConnected.  I received compensation in exchange for my participation in this campaign.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

 It seems like almost everyone is Tweeting about E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey! Women everywhere are chatting about this sexy erotic trilogy.

Join in on all the Fifty Shades of PTPA Tweet Chat happening on Twitter on June 21 from 9-10PM EST!  
PTPA Media Inc., Carol Au Courant and many other Social Media lovers will heat up the Twitter feeds with #50ShadesPTPA! It's going to be a spicy, steamy, fun convo, people! Oh! There will also be some great prizes! Sensual prizes!  You won't want to miss out on this Tweet Chat!

Wait! There's more!  Did I forget to tell you that STLTO Wine is one of the amazing sponsors for this event? They're having a special contest for you!  You can win some fabulous STLTO swag just by submitting a photo of your Fifty Shades and a bottle of STLTO Wine!  What fun!!!
Hope to see you all there! #50ShadesPTPA and #50ShadesPTPASTLTO!

Spring is in the air!  The snow has melted, the birds are chirping, the deer are grazing in our fields, and the coyotes and wolves are making a lot of noise in the bush on our farm.  You were expecting me to say that the flowers are blooming and the sun is shining, right?

Another reason I know it's Spring is that we've got a lot of babies about to make their grand entrance into the world.  Sure, we're expecting our calves to be born on the farm soon, but 6 of my friends are also due soon. Yes, SIX new babies!

This Spring, Fisher-Price is giving everyone something to celebrate!

As of today,  Fisher-Price has up to $90 in savings for you if you use the special coupons available in the 8-page booklet that is available at all stores that sell Fisher-Price, such as Toys R Us and Zellers.  If you haven't picked up your booklet at a store location near you, don't fret! They're available  online through the Celebrate and Save page on WebSaver.ca.

I know people immediately think toys when they hear the name Fisher-Price.  However, Fisher-Price has also made its name with its baby gear. They've got amazing bouncy chairs, swings, high chairs, and more!

With six new babies about to be born, I'm going to need all the savings I can get! So will all the new mamas and papas!

Keeping my friends' new babies in mind, I checked out some of the amazing savings.  A Fisher-Price SpaceSaver High Chair is $10 off (as well as $10 off any baby gear item over $50). The Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium is also $10 off.

A few of the expectant parents are also first time parents. They're going to need baby gear.  I am very excited that they'll be able to take advantage of the special savings on their Fisher-Price baby items!

Other savings include:

• Feature Snugabunny Swing - $20 off any Fisher-Price swing priced at $130 or more
• Ocean Wonders Aquarium - $10 off
• Little People - $5 off any Little People items with combined value of $25 or more
• Imaginext - $5 off any Imaginext items with combined value of $25 or more
• Thomas - $5 off any Thomas items with combined value of $25 or more

Of course, I wasn't only checking out the savings for baby items! I spotted some items my own little one would enjoy.  Our three year old farm girl doesn't have a Fisher-Price farm yet. I know! Unbelievable, right?! I've been wanting to get her one for a while now, but could never decide whether I wanted the Anniversary Edition or the latest one. I noticed that there are savings for the Fisher-Price Animal Sounds Farm! $5 off any Little People items with combined value of $25 or more.

Little One wants me to recommend two of her favourite Fisher-Price toys that she plays with on a regular basis: The Lil' Movers School Bus and Say Please Tea Set.

Hope you enjoy the savings Fisher-Price is offering. If you do take advantage of the coupons, come back here and let me know what you got! I'd love to hear about what items you chose and who the lucky recipients are!


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

As a parent, when it comes to choosing the right products for my little one (be it anything from an infant carrier, stroller, or even her first sippy cup), I research company websites, check out reviews, and rely heavily on what other parents have to say about the products.

Parents who have tried and tested said products are a valuable resource to me. This is why I love PTPA! The winning products that earn the PTPA seal of approval are all Parent-Tested, Parent-Approved!


Check out the latest winners over here!  You'll find winning products for all your child's needs. For example, the Click Lock Sippy Cups are perfect  spill-proof and leak-proof cups. They're also easy to grip!

PTPA has got winning products for potty training, breast pump, travel needs, and more! Don't just take my word for it, though. Check it out for yourself!

Sharon from PTPA will be on the Global Morning Show to preview some of her favourite winners on Thursday. You won't want to miss that!

It might come to no surprise to anyone when I confess my love for two men -- Neither of whom are my husband.
I've been in love with Steven and Chris for years!  They are the funniest, wittiest, best dressed guys on TV.  They know fashion, relationships, food, cooking, home decor, shoes, and all things trendy and beautiful.

Yes, my friends...Long before the days of Pinterest, it was Steven and Chris.  My dream is to have them someday help me redecorate our old farm house. We need some serious help! I'm not kidding!

I've been watching the show for years and am addicted to their style tips and basically everything on the show.  Who can throw the most amazing cocktail party? Steven and Chris. Who will tell you that those pants just don't do your posterior any favours? Steven and Chris. Well, no. They're not that brazen. At least Steven isn't! Let me just say that these two are HI-LA-RI-OUS!

The episode that got me hooked was the one when Chris was talking about how he was at a friend's dinner party and opened up the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and spilled a bottle of something (I can't remember if it was oil or cream of some sort) all over the place. Then he asked the audience if anyone had ever been guilty of doing that. You know, going into someone's bathroom and snooping around!

I have to say that I don't do that, but know for a fact that people have done it at my house. The episode made me very self-conscious of my bathroom and the condition my bathroom cupboards are in! Yikes!

Thus began my love for Steven and Chris.

I often make the recipes they have on their show. They always have the most amazing guests and chefs/cooks! Tonight I made the Pine Nut & Raisin Stuffed Pork Loin.



Okay, perhaps it wasn't exactly Pine Nut & Raisin Stuffed Pork Loin. We ran out of pine nuts and since I'm married to a beef farmer, he asked me to use beef loin instead of pork. We didn't have any Emmenthal left, so I substituted another cheese for it.  Fine. The recipe was quite different from nothing at all like the original recipe posted, but it was still very delicious! Click here for the original recipe.

I'm hoping to have a Steven and Chris date with my friends, Geek with Style and Bewildered Bug next time I'm in Toronto. Geek with Style shares my love for S & C, so we're hoping to make it to the taping of one of their shows together.

Do you love Steven and Chris too?  What do you love the most about them and their show?

When it comes to administering vitamins or meds to my child, I check the labels carefully, do my research online, ask her doctor beforehand.

When I discovered IronKids, I was really excited because I really liked what I read. The ingredients were ones I was happy with. I really like to know exactly what I'm giving to my child. Plus, the best part was that she absolutely loves her IronKids gummy vitamins! In fact, she is the one who tells us every morning, "MOM!!! You need to give me my vitamins!"
Little One loves the IronKids Omega 3's vitamins. She calls them her "Nemo vitamins" because they're shaped in the form of little fish! The flavours are ones that she likes. In case you're wondering, yes, I've tried them and they're good! I always try things before I give them to my child.

Just like the Adult Essentials vitamins, these are really tasty. I've never been as excited to take vitamins! Now that I have my Adult Essentials, I actually want to take my vitamins! The same goes for Little One with her IronKids Gummies!

One of the even greater things about IronKids Gummies is that they are dairy/gluten/nut-free! How great is that?!

GIVEAWAY TIME!
Would you like to win some IronKids Gummy Vitamins of your own?
The Prize:
A cash prize of $100 CAD paid through paypal AND $100 worth of IronKids products. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Act fast! This is a flash giveaway! The giveaway is only open for 5 days! Open to residents of Canada and the U.S.

We've got some exciting news brewing! One of the coolest things I wanted to share is that I am the newest member of the PTPA Blogaholics! {doing the happy dance}

Many of you are already familiar with PTPA. For those of you who aren't, let me give you a brief introduction. PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved) has parents (Yes, parents!) as their product testers. Real life parents test and evaluate products and give their honest opinions. That's how the products earn the PTPA seal of approval.

For me, doing research on what products are the best and the safest for my Little One is really important.  What I value the most is honest opinions from parents just like me. Let's face it. Parents know what's best for their kids. With PTPA, it's just like getting feedback on products from your best friends or from other parents at play group. Very cool.

Whenever you see the PTPA Winners Seal, you know it's a product you can trust for your family.


Want to browse the some of the PTPA Winners? Click here for the list of all the winners.
You can join their growing community of over 40,000 parents and test products too! Just head on over and register!

 Once upon a time, there lived a brave and gallant knight.  He saved princesses from the flames of an angry dragon, defended his kingdom from enemy forces...and all while wielding his trusty cardboard sword.
Remember last week when I posted about that great Cardboard Adventures Knight costume we received from The Orb Factory?
I mentioned how it provided hours of creative/make-believe fun for the kids. Well, in all my excitement, I forgot to mention that the good people at The Orb Factory are giving one of my lucky readers a Cardboard Adventures™ Knight  too!
Okay, perhaps it wasn't so much as lapse of memory from excitement, but more a "Mommy Brain"/"Momnesia" moment! Hey, having a 3 year old is a good excuse for Momnesia, right?

Do you want to win a Cardboard Adventures™ Knight  for a special little boy or girl in your life? Now is your chance!
Enter the giveaway by filling out our handy dandy Rafflecopter form below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway is open to Canadian residents only and ends on January 31, 2012.

Disclosure - We received a Cardboard Adventure Knight kit from The Orb Factory to facilitate this review.  All opinions on this blog are honest and my own.

 The other week, the family and I enjoyed a rare "day out" together.  Many of you know that we live on a farm. Because we've got cattle and there are always lots of chores to do on the farm, we don't get to have a family day out together very often.

We spent the day in the "big smoke" and even had a chance to get some items for a doggy basket for Chance. He's been a good pup and deserves some treats!

We decided to check out the new Walmart in Sudbury.  We usually go to the one located at the New Sudbury Center, but wanted to see how the new Walmart fared.  I am happy to say that the pet supplies section had a lot to choose from.  There was a good selection of Milk-Bone® and Pup-peroni treats, but no Milo's Kitchen treats to be found.

We brought home Chance's goodies and Little One helped me make a doggy gift basket for him! In the basket, we added a stuffed animal (Chance loves his stuffed friends!), Milk-Bone® dog original biscuits, Milk-Bone® Oral Care Crunchy Bites, Milk-Bone® Soft & Chewy Chicken Drumsticks, Pup-peroni Lean Beef flavoured treats (with Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat), and a doggy chew toy.

Yes, this is one lucky puppy!

 Little One was pretty impressed with herself.  She picked out all the goodies for Chance herself (with the help of Mom and Dad, of course)!
 Chance, the very happy recipient of this doggy gift basket, was willing to show us every trick he has in his repertoire (which isn't very much)! :)

We love our canine baby...and he loves his Milk-Bone® Doggy Basket!
You can view all the photos of our excursion by viewing my  Google+ album.

Disclosure - This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions on this blog are honest and my own.  #ILoveMyk9 and #CBias

2011 has been an eventful one.  We've experienced some amazing highs, some moments of frustration, and moments of sadness.  Like my father always says, "You can't appreciate the good if you don't experience the bad".

January
Balancing family, the farm, freelance jobs and teaching ESL proved to be more difficult than I thought. Thankfully, I have some very supportive family members (thanks to my Hubby, Lola, Grampy, and MIL). I also have great friends who help me get through even the toughest, most challenging moments of mommyhood.

February
There were moments when I thought I was going to completely lose it.
 I don't think I ever told anyone (except my husband and my best friend) how difficult a time I was having trying to keep things together. I struggled immensely with trying to balance motherhood and all the zillions of other things I had on my plate (like work, committees, farm, house, and everything else). To this day, I am still amazed at how women all over the world just do it and not get burnt out. I don't believe it has to be an either or decision - motherhood or work. I believe the two can be happily married, but it is a challenge. It's a lot of figuring out how to do both and do them both well.

Little One moved into her "big girl" bed. Everything is changing. I'm not sure if I'm ready for all this change.

March
I try to always trust my gut instinct. Thank goodness too. I was almost a victim to an online scam where this person tried to swindle me out of my money by posing as an ESL student in need of assistance. Luckily, I'm not that gullible. Luckily, I do my research. I just hope he/she/they don't take advantage of any other good, kindhearted people. If you see a suspicious-looking e-mail, always report it. I hope the police can nail this person. It just makes me sick to think of all the unsuspecting people who have already fallen victim to him.

Little One is still as busy as can be. Some days, I wonder if I'll be alive by the time she's five.

April
We said goodbye to my ESL student. I taught him for eight months. It was really sad to say goodbye. Little One was particularly fond of him and thought he was part of the family. It's amazing that he saw her from not really talking to all of a sudden speaking in sentences. I love that Little One is exposed to people from different cultures.

May
Little One's vocabulary has increased tenfold. I've been learning how to cook more Korean dishes. That's one of the great things about teaching ESL. My students learn English and they learn about Canadian culture. In return, I learn so much from them (like cooking Korean Bulgogi)!

June
Hubby and I celebrated five years of marriage.

We took Little One to the Mount Sinai Hospital NICU/Preemie Picnic. Hard to believe our healthy, happy, fiercely independent toddler was once a 980 g baby. It was a very emotional day. It was great to meet up with some of the nurses, staff, and other NICU parents who helped us through Little One's first few weeks of life.

July
Every now and then, I am reminded of how blessed we are to be living in our little corner of Ontario. Though I sometimes miss my city life, I am reminded of how breathtakingly beautiful Manitoulin Island is. We're surrounded by beaches and we're not too far from Tobermory. I took my students to Tobermory for a class trip. The glass bottom boat tour and the shipwrecks were a hit with the students.
August
August is always a busy time of the year on the farm. Our students learn a lot here. They don't only learn English, but they learn about where their food comes from. 

Little One won the Cutest Baby contest over at PhotoCaptiva.


I am excited to say that I am a recipient of the Mom Central Canada Blogger Grant! What an incredible honour!

September
I was invited to the She's Connected Conference in Toronto, where I was able to network with brands, meet some fabulous ladies, learn more about the social media world and what brands are looking for in social media women, and just hang out with some of my favourite Tweeps.

Okay, I was a bit starstruck when I got to meet one of my favourite TV cooking personalities!Yes, it's Christine Cushing! Does this woman ever know how to cook!? Amazing!

Little One was weaned from her soother/pacifier. We went to Montreal for my godson's baptism and I conveniently forgot to pack her soothers. She was forced to go cold turkey and hasn't looked back. It was a brutal few days and she kept asking for it. Okay, she kept crying screaming for it! She survived and hasn't had it since.


I was given the opportunity to be an official food blogger for Food Network Canada's reality TV show, Recipe to Riches! 
October
We learned that a good friend of ours died. He and his wife used to come to the Island every Fall and spend a week with us. The news had me so depressed. With each announcement of the passing of friends, I am more and more aware of how finite life on earth is. With loved ones and family members getting to the age where death or serious illness is not surprising, I think about my grandmother in the Philippines and wish she could be closer to us. It makes me really sad to think about losing family members.

I won a Toshiba Tablet from a ShesConnected Twitter party. Love, love, love!
November
Little One turned three years old. 11/11/11. Lucky year, maybe? She seemed to have gone from my sweet little preemie to all of a sudden a little girl. She feeds herself, dresses herself, and wants to do everything herself. I have to be honest and say that I really, really miss the baby years. It's true when people say, "cherish these moments forever, because they grow up fast". They really do.

I was selected as a #ToshibaBrandAmbassador! Thank you, ShesConnected!

December
I attended the taping of Recipe to Riches' season finale. I also had dim sum with Melaney Gleeson-Lyall as well as a coffee date with Melissa Lam (Recipe to Riches contestants). Through the Twitter world, we've become friends (online and offline).

With Melissa (Banana Chocolate Wow Cake) and Brad (Maple Pouding au Chomeur) at the taping of the finale.

I was selected as one of the #FisherPriceMoms! So excited! Thank you, Mom Central Canada!


We also started a new tradition with our friends - Olde Fashioned Christmas! A few friends with children Little One's age will celebrate each Christmas (well, the weekend before Christmas) with a potluck party and good times for all. The kids made Christmas ornaments, the adults had a good visit, and before the night was done, the kids exchanged homemade presents with each other.


Little One seems to be completely toilet trained. After a few weeks of potty retraining, a few set backs and accidents, she seems to have finally mastered peeing and pooping in the toilet. She is so proud of herself! I am so proud of her. I am also so relieved for myself. That had to be the most frustrating two weeks of my life.

BabyBro came to the Island to spend Christmas with us. One week is definitely too short. He's only been gone two days, but I already miss him.


Looking forward to another wonderful year with friends and family. May the New Year be a very happy and healthy one for everyone.