The week of fun giveaways continues as Lil-Sugar and I celebrate both of us reaching 4,000+ Twitter follwers!

To show you how much we appreciate YOU we will be giving away 1 product each day on Twitter for the next few days!! Whoot!! 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
On Facebook - LifeOnManitoulin
On Twitter - @LilSugarMag
On Facebook - Lil-sugar.ca
Hashtag: #4000Party 

 **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.

TODAY'S PRIZE:

#4000Party Contest #6: Set of 4 Pancake Puddle Books! 

Their sense of humour, vivid imagination, and realistic reflections of childhood experiences offer an interesting dimension to their stories for young children. These two gifted writers will be endearing themselves to the hearts and minds of children for many years to come.

Did you know that Pancake Puddle Books have recently received the PTPA Award and are Parent Tested Parent Approved? 

Come watch the video trailers on YouTube for the books:

The Pancake Princess/ No More Peanut Butter, Daniel!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4rRg2SjJ84

Lucinda Queen of Everything and Wake Up, the Baby's Coming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxMQEsULrPg

Enter to WIN a set of all 4 Pancake Puddle books!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

Renowned Fitness and Nutrition Expert Harley Pasternak will be in store at Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens on March 19^th to chat with fans to launch his new book, The Body Reset Diet.  

Times like these are when I wish I were still living in Toronto! I'm a Harley Pasternak fan! Have you checked out his website? I was going to upload a video of Harley on The Chew, ! 

Wish I could make it, but Manitoulin Island is a 6 hour drive from Toronto!  If you attend, please tell Harley I say hello!

With Little One now in Junior Kindergarten, the Scholastic book order forms are something we get really excited about in this house.  Little One loves books. Loves them.

My friend Manitoulin Key Lime Pie started Little One's obsession with Laura J. Numeroff's adorable collection of books when she gave her If You Give A Moose A Muffin, If You Give A Pig A Pancake, If You Give A Cat A Cupcake for her 2nd birthday. At 4 years old, Little One is determined to own the entire series.  Uh huh. Guess what books we'll be ordering from Scholastic?

Okay, you're probably wondering what a book about giving a moose a muffin has to do with Singapore Noodles, right?

If you've read any of the books in Numeroff's collection, you'll notice a pattern.

If a big hungry moose comes to visit, you might give him a muffin to make him feel at home. If you give him a muffin, he'll want some jam to go with it. When he's eaten all your muffins, he'll want to go to the store to get some more muffin mix. 

The moose initially asks for jam to go with his muffin, and after stream of consciousnes-like events in between, the story ends up with something reminding the moose of a muffin and him asking for jam to go with it.

The stories in Laura Numeroff's collection are entertaining, fun, and follow a similar sequence so that children can have fun predicting what will happen. My four year old has all of her books committed to memory. I don't know why she bothers asking me to read them to her every night...multiple times.

Singapore Noodles. Right.

The other day, I posted my Curried Egg Sandwich recipe. Immediately after posting. the idea of curry made me crave Singapore Noodles. I had to laugh, because this totally reminded me of my daughter's books! These books also remind me of how Mommies can oftentimes start off at one point, get distracted by everything that goes on in the day (with work, with home, with kids, with activities, etc), only to end up right where they began. With curry. You know. Curried Egg Sandwich? Singapore Noodles? If You Give A Moose A Muffin? I can't believe you missed that connection.

Without further ado, here is my Singapore Noodles recipe.

Ingredients
5.5 ounces dried rice vermicelli
4 oz chicken, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 Tbps fish sauce (optional - I often forget to use it and I only use it if I'm using shrimp instead of chicken or pork)
1 Tbps oyster sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbps ginger, minced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
4 ounces bean sprouts (if you have them)
3 green onions, sliced thin
oil for stir-frying

Instructions
Soak the dried rice noodles in very hot water for 3 minutes. Do not over-soak them or they will stick together and get mushy when you cook them.

Pull noodles apart as soon as they start softening. Rinse in cold water several times to prevent the noodles from absorbing too much water. This also gets rid of any extra starch.

Chicken to a bowl and season with the soy sauce and rice wine.

Add curry powder into a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the fish sauce, oyster sauce and chicken stock.

Make sure to have all your prep done ahead of time, because everything will cook very quickly.

Heat a wok over high until very hot then add a Tbps of oil, swirl to coat inside of wok, then add the egg, swirling then scrambling. Put the egg on a plate and set aside.

Add 2 Tbsp of oil, then add the garlic and ginger, and then fry until the fragrances come alive. Oh,  you'll know it when it happens! Add chicken, holding aside the marinade and fry until the chicken just loses its pink color. At this point, it doesn’t have to be all the way cooked.

Add the onion, red and green bell peppers, and bean sprouts. Fry while stirring vigorously. Until the vegetables are a bright color. Add the curry powder and stir-fry until fragrant, then pour in the chicken stock and fish sauce mixture. Stir, to combine, then add the noodles and return the egg to the pan.

 If the noodles start sticking, add some water.

Top with scallions, then serve your Singapore Noodles immediately.You can switch things  up by substituting pork or shrimp for chicken. I've even done this recipe with tofu for a vegetarian option. Add some spicy chili pepper for kick if you wish!

The funny thing is that I wanted to begin this post with something like:

• "Singapore Noodles: Memories of Lunch Dates with My Dad at Le Faubourg Ste-Catherine in Montreal during my university days"
• "Yes, I traveled to Singapore just to sample some real Singapore Noodles and a real Singapore Sling!"

Yes, both of those headers are indeed true.

 Merlion - Most likely the most photographed subject in Singapore! Photo from here via Google Images.

P.S. I know many will think I am crazy, but I wish I loved Singapore more than I do! All I remember was that Singapore was super hot (like please don't let me go outside because I'm going to melt & I NEED A/C kind of hot!), expensive, insanely clean (I was scared something might fall out of my pocket and I'd get caned to death for littering), and the cockroaches were the size of small cats. Maybe not that big, but they were huge! Being so close to the equator, I guess the climate is conducive to roaches? Anyway, Singapore is a beautiful place and there was a lot to see. Love the culture and chatting up with all the ex-pats from all over the world! Fun! Wow. I totally miss my carefree jet-setting days sometimes.

**One more thing. I used this for my Singapore Noodles recipe this time. Hubby and Little One did the groceries and this is what they picked up.

Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post. Janes Family Food gets a mention today because Hubby and Little One love their Janes Chicken. All the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

I hate to admit it, but I am not really good with stress.  There.  I said it.  The past week was pretty overwhelming and I *gasp* could not wait until the weekend rolled around so I could have a drink.  Yes.  I really, really wanted to a drink.  That's something I haven't said in ages!

Our Summer has been hectic and chaotic with work, family, the farm, events, visitors, gatherings, get-togethers, parties, activities, and the household chores, the front yard, the garden, and everything else has been neglected. Little One and her friends completely wrecked our house, breaking things, toppling over the bookcase, trampling over furniture, flinging toys all over the house (which totally ticks me off, because Little One knows she's not allowed to do that). I glanced around the house and thought, "Oh. My. Goodness.  I think I need a drink."

 I haven't really drank much in the way of alcoholic beverages since before I had Little One.  I didn't drink because I was pregnant, then I was nursing for almost two years, and then I was too busy to kick back and unwind with my girl friends because I was running after a very busy little munchkin.

Tonight, that all changed.  I called in the troops and told them they needed to come over for supper and drinks.
I was sent Mommy Mixology and the ladies and I tried out a few drinks.  If you haven't heard of Mommy Mixology, it's written by Janet Frongillo.  As the cover of the book reads, there truly is "A Cocktail for Every Calamity".

It's a fun, light hearted collection of stories accompanied by a recipe for each calamity.  "Mommy Mixology shares stories, sympathies and some strong drinks to keep you laughing through it all."

“Mommy Mixology” to the rescue! Featuring more than 60 playful recipes, 20 color photos, and author Janet Frongillo’s personal tales of catastrophe and triumph raising three sons, this book shows that a good attitude and a fully stocked bar can keep any mom smiling through the worst and best of times.

My friends and I had some good laughs reading the stories and could totally relate to some of them.  We also got a kick out of the names of the drinks Janet Frongillo came up with.  It's been a very long time since I've been able to let down my hair and just laugh until I cried.  Too funny!  I really feel blessed to have good girl friends!

We tried out three of the drinks in the book and they were all delicious.
Son of a Beach
Shitzer Spritzer
Muffintopmommy Mudslide

I do have to say that I haven't laughed that hard in ages.  It certainly was great to unwind. I have to admit that I am a total lightweight when it comes to drinking, as I haven't drank much since right before I got pregnant with Little One and only have a drink a handful of times a year.  Those three drink recipes we tried were a little too tasty!


Want the recipes?  Get the book! :)

Mommy Mixology: A Cocktail for Every Calamity is available on Amazon.com.

Disclosure - I received a copy of Mommy Mixology to facilitate this honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers all over the world post a photograph with no words or explanation of the photo on their blog. Hence the title ‘Wordless Wednesday’. The idea is that the photo itself says so much that it doesn’t need any description. However, today's post isn't so wordless.

The above photos were taken at the Dinner & A Book event at the Garden Shed Cafe on Manitoulin Island. I was fortunate enough to attend this wonderful book signing and reading, and chat with one of my favourite people - New York author, Bonnie Kogos. 

"Experience Manitoulin Island through author, Bonnie Kogos’ eyes as she takes character, Lily Gardner through a whirl wind of love, sex, adventure & conflict."

Bonnie's sense of humour and amazing ability to tell stories simply draw in her audience. 

Want to hear something cool? The audience was filled with a few other Canadian celebs including artists and musicians. One some of you may know is Canadian singer, Jane Siberry.

Feel free to link up your Wordless Wednesday posts! We love checking them out and commenting!

I  have to admit that one of the things I worry about having a daughter is whether I'm teaching her proper values (okay, and maybe whether she'll fare well in the world outside of our home).  With Little One starting Junior Kindergarten this coming Fall, my anxiety level is through the roof.

Maybe I worry too much, but I won't lie in saying I have concerns.

• Sometimes children are unkind
• Peer pressure can start at a young age
• Not everyone is as kind, loving, compassionate, understanding, open-minded, or thoughtful as Little One is
• Girls can be catty and competitive (boys can be competitive, but not in the same way as girls). Girls can be pretty brutal to each other

 Little One is 3 years old, and absolutely loves listening to me read the Papersalt books to her. She made me read "being a girl" FOUR times in one sitting. This is a fabulous book to read to girls when they are young and up to when they become teenagers. Many lessons (doing the right thing for others, saying sorry when you need to, not giving in to peer pressure, being confident, telling Mom you love her, etc...) can be learned from this book. Just reading it again and again, as per Little One's request, had her reciting back to me many of the 'lessons' in the book.

Many things I even forget about have come up in the book. For example: "Stick up for people when needed. If they're nice and need your help, or if they're doing the right thing and other's don't appreciate it" and "The internet is amazing. It is not always truthful."

"We Do"  (Things the family stands for) is a book that I think all families should have. Lessons like "We do sorry. We apologize. We admit we're wrong. We practice humility" are very important things to teach children. The book is filled with lots of lovely things parents and children should share. One of my favourites is "We do quality time. We turn things off, put things down, pay attention to each other."  I admit, this is one of the ones my three year old has to constantly remind me of. She comes to my home office and tells me I need to stop working for a while or turn off my BlackBerry. The book is a breath of fresh air and brings us back to our main reason for being here in the first place: FAMILY. It's a great reminder of what families stand for. You can also add things to the book, like photos, notes, etc...

I love to bake.  I love creating delectable treats for friends and family to enjoy. I have to admit that I do a lot less baking now that I'm married.  When Hubby and I were still dating, I did a lot of baking!  My Grandmother always told me that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach! Boy, was she ever right!

On a recent trip to Montreal and Quebec City, we were able to sample some divine, delicious, scrumptious treats. These are the kinds of treats I never make because...well, they seem A) so labour intensive and B) the professionals do such a great job at creating them, so why should I bother?
Here's the tiramisu we ordered at juliette & chocolat in Montreal.  The rest of our party ordered various types of pot de creme (I believe there was one with passion fruit and another with chocolate brownie and sea salt).

As soon as we returned from our trip, guess what was waiting for me on my front doorstep?


A copy of Grace's Sweet Life: Homemade Italian Desserts from Cannoli, Tiramisu and Panna Cotta to Torte, Pizzelle and Struffoli!

Okay, how did the book gods know that we have a penchant for cannoli, tiramisu, and basically anything Italian?!

"Now you have no excuse" and "Could you make me that?" were words my husband and our 3 year old uttered through the drool as they leafed through the cookbook!

The book is filled with fabulous yet complicated recipes that can be reproduced in your own kitchen. The photos and presentation are stellar. Yes, my friends...even you can create spectacular, mouthwatering, eye-catching Italian desserts like Grace Massa Langlois can!

To learn more about Grace and to view recipes and stories about her Italian heritage, check out her website: www.GracesSweetLife.com.

Where to Buy:
Available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

Going on a cross-country road trip has been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid.  I think I was in grade 4 when I told myself that I needed to see all of Canada before I die.  Yes, I thought about things like that in grade 4!  I wanted to rent a Winnebago and travel coast to coast, take in the sights, and learn all about this great country of ours.

Thirty-something years later and that dream still holds true. I've travelled around the world, visited over eleven countries, twenty-something U.S. states, and only four Canadian provinces. I am sad to say I've seen more of Asia, Indonesia, and the Caribbean than I have my own country.

The dream is still there and I will one day go coast to coast with my daughter. I'd like to teach her about Canada and all its amazing wonders.

In the meantime, I live vicariously through Gran, Alice, and Cal.

HEY CANADA!

Join Gran, nine year-old Alice and eight year-old Cal as they embark on a magnificent road trip across Canada. Their journey is not told in traditional prose, but rather in a melange of poems, funny songs, and other fun and engaging ways.  They even tell their stories in tweets and blogs! It's a really interesting way to captivate their audience and make readers feel like they're going on a cross-Canada road trip with them.

The three voyageurs share their experiences through story, poems, comics, photos, and talk about historical facts and interesting tid bits about Canada. One really understands how vast, varied and surprising Canada really is. Canada truly is a multi-faceted country with so many hidden gems!

My child is only three years old, but she loves Hey Canada!  In fact, she loves having me read it to her and often repeats to others all the interesting Canadian factoids she's absorbed. As a teacher of ESL (English as a Second Language), I believe this is a fabulous resource for students studying English in Canada. This is a fun and light way of incorporating history, geography, and facts about Canada into a learning experience. It's a great tool for ESL teachers.

I'm taking part of an exciting blog tour. The Hey Canada! Blog Tour is from June 25-29, 2012. Make sure to check out the blogs participating in this virtual blog tour! It's going to be a lot of fun!

More information about Hey Canada!

Written by Vivien Bowers
Illustrated by Milan Pavlovic

Category: Juvenile Nonfiction - People & Places -Canada; Juvenile Nonfiction - History - Canada;Juvenile Nonfiction - People & Places
Imprint: Tundra Books
Format: Hardcover
Pub Date: May 2012
Age: 7-10 years
Trim Size: 8 x 11
# of Pages: 72 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-255-4 (1-77049-255-0)

CDN Price: $21.99 / US Price: $19.95

I have a little secret.  I love the Old Farmers' Almanac.  I have been getting my Dad a copy of the Almanac every year since we moved up to the Island.  Why?  Well, when move to the Island, gardening becomes a huge part of your life.  Dad always had a green thumb and had an amazing way of growing the most beautiful plants, but the size of his garden here is ten times the size of his garden in the city.

When you move to Manitoulin Island, producing your own fresh fruit and veg is just another regular part of life.  When gardening becomes such a regular part of your life, you often consult the Almanac!  Apparently, it makes for some good bathroom reading too. Shhhhh! I wouldn't know that. I wouldn't know one bit about all the amazing tips on blanching vegetables and freezing them for Winter use, or how best to clean everything in your house with just baking soda.  No. I wouldn't even know about what the best kinds of tomatoes are for certain tomato dishes or that we need to consult the Almanac for the best time to plant seeds. Bathroom reading? Nah. Not me! That's just icky.

Anyway, I've become curiously interested in almanacs, so when I was asked to review A Nature Lover's Alamanac: Kinky Bugs, Stealthy Critters, Prosperous Plants & Celestial Wonders, I was elated!

I know! I am a big book work and I could not stop reading it! Hubby and our three year old also love all sorts of facts and trivia, so this was the perfect family reading material!



Isn't that fascinating?!

Oh, there's much more too! There are so many interesting little-known facts about nature in this book. Trust me, you'll learn something new each day!

One of the things my pre-schooler loves the most is the part that mentions which constellations you can see in the night sky each month of the year. Where we live, we can see the the Milky Way really well because there is hardly any light pollution. We can even view the Northern Lights and Perseid Meteor Showers from our front porch. The fact that Diane Olson's A Nature Lover's Almanac mentions cool tid bits like that, just captured the interest of my three year old daughter!

A Nature Lover’s Almanac is written by Diane Olson and illustrated by Adele Flail (Gibbs Smith, $12.99, Paperback, ISBN:978-1-4236-2224-6, June 2012).
Feel free to click here to preview A Nature Lover’s Almanac on Google Books.

Disclaimer - I was given a copy of A Nature Lover's Almanac to facilitate this review. All the opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

Before I became a Mom, I never anticipated all the questions, worries, and concerns I'd have after bringing baby home from the hospital. Babies do not come with instruction manuals.

I thought that parents had built-in programming that automatically helped us through all the different stages of our child's development, told us what to do when they cry, make us know just what to do in any circumstances that we should meet. No. It isn't that easy.

There were nights when Little One would cry and would not be consoled. The sleep deprivation and non-stop crying just about did me in. I had no idea that she was cutting teeth. When I discovered that she was getting her first teeth, I still didn't know what to do. I did what I thought was the best thing to do: Consult our family doctor, ask all my mommy friends for advice, ask family members, check out online resources...and I even sought help on Facebook! Back then, my Facebook status updates were mostly of the "OMG! She won't stop crying!" or "Help me! I'm going bonkers!" nature.

I wish I had Lianne's Quick Guide back then! Lianne has written a series of quick guide booklets for all the things you want to know and need to know in a pinch! They're perfect for carrying in your purse or diaper bag. They're compact and designed for busy parents on the go.

I was sent a copy of the Babies 0 to 6 Months quick guide for review purposes.  She covers common encounters that parents experience in their babies' first 6 months.  What I like is how small the booklet is! I know that sounds weird, but when I was a brand new mom, I didn't have the time to look up big, thick parenting books. I needed the answers right then and there. Of course, the book doesn't give you answers, but offers tips and helpful advice from another mom's experience and point of view.

You can find Lianne on her blog as well.  She's a phenomenal woman - so great to correspond with.
I am really looking forward to Lianne's First Aid for Kids booklet! That is something I will definitely be carrying in my purse at all times!

Are you ready to WIN a copy of Lianne's Quick Guide: Babies 0 o 6 Months? If your child is no longer in that age group, the booklet makes a great gift for any new mom!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. If you are having difficulty with the Rafflecopter form, just refresh your browser and it should work!

In my early adult years, I've witnessed loved ones struggle with addictions. Whether it be a friend with a food addiction, a drug addiction, alcohol addiction, gambling addiction, sex addiction, it was something I could never really grasp or comprehend. Not being able to understand lead to not being able to help these loved ones or properly "be there" for them...without allowing myself to be hurt in the process.

I've had friendships and have been in relationships with people who were "difficult". Difficult to be around. Difficult to deal with. Difficult to love.

Yet, I loved them anyway.

Some have said I was a glutton for punishment and allowed people to walk all over me. The truth is, when you care about someone, you often think that they'll change. Sometimes, you think you can be a positive presence in their lives. Sometimes all the support and love you give just cannot help a person out of the negative, counter-productive cycle they've found themselves stuck in.

I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Kate Thompson over a year ago through mutual friends.  A small group of us went for dinner and a movie, and it was only after watching Eat. Pray. Love. that I discovered Kate was also an author (among the many amazing things she does)! I had seen her book sitting on shelves at different bookstores. I didn't realize it was that Kate Thompson who wrote the book! Kate, a counsellor and life skills coach, and Bill Klatte, a psychotherapist co-wrote the book It's So Hard to Love You: Staying Sane When Your Loved One is Manipulative, Needy, Dishonest, or Addicted.

I am pretty certain that we all have or have had people in our lives who are/have been difficult to love. The book helps readers see that there are innovative ways to love a difficult person.

We all have "troublesome loved ones" in our lives. They're adults who continue to get into serious trouble or make the same mistakes over and over. Despite attempts to communicate, this person does not listen or consider suggestions.

Sound familiar? If so, check out It's So Hard to Love You.

I wish I had read this book many years ago. It really helped me understand a bit more how to relate to difficult loved ones on my own terms and how to deal with things and not let my own needs be put aside.


Why did I choose to write about this as one of my NaBloPoMo posts? I really do not know. NaBloPoMo allows me to really think about certain things I may not have made time for otherwise. It's helped me express myself on paper (okay, on the blog) and really get things out. 


Happy NaBloPoMo-ing, everyone!


Question of the day: Do you have a loved one who is difficult to love? How do you deal with this person without pushing them away?

Happy Friday, everyone!

We've been snowed in today (we couldn't even get out of our lane). It hasn't really stopped snowing, but I guess if we want to put things into perspective, we have nothing to complain about. Watching the news of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan really made my heart sink. We're thinking of all our friends living in Japan. I've been frantically trying to contact all our loved ones in Japan.

Times like this makes me realize how fortunate we are to have our family, friends, and health. Speaking of health...
Some of you have been waiting to hear who the Saving Women's Hearts Giveaway winner is. Without further ado, a winner has been chosen via Random.Org.

The winner is...
#12!

~Crazy 4 Daizies~ said... 12

~I am a 40 yr old mother of 4 living sons, 2 predeceased--I know all about stress and what it can do to your body and health!!

Congratulations, Crazy 4 Daizies! Please e-mail me so we can get that prize to you!


Disclosure - I participated in the Saving Women’s Hearts program by Mom Central on behalf of Wiley Publishing. I received a copy of the book to review and gift card as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Heart disease is probably something that many of us worry think about. When I was a kid, it wasn't something I even gave a single thought about. Now, I find myself making sure I go to my dance and pilates classes and go to my Zumba classes. I make sure my family and I healthy, well-balanced meals with lots of veggies. I won't lie. I do worry about heart disease.

I was shocked when I discovered that heart disease is the leading killer of women in North America. Did you know that? I thought it was breast cancer. I was mistaken. It's heart disease!

When asked to review the book Saving Women's Hearts: How You Can Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease With Natural and Conventional Strategies by Martha Gulati and Sherry Torkos, I jumped at the opportunity.  I was happy to discover that the book was written by two highly qualified women. Martha Gulati is a cardiologist, specializing in cardiac disease prevention in women and Sherry Torkos is a pharmacist with training in both conventional and complementary medicine. The book was written in hopes of empowering women to recognize the risks and improve their heart health.

Saving Women's Hearts discusses in great detail, the screening procedures, diagnosis, treatment options, and the prevention of heart disease. What I liked the most was that each chapter was informative and as a whole, helped me understand the illness better.

Chapters that caught my attention:
* "Affairs of a Woman's Heart" and "The Risks to a Woman's Heart": Why heart disease is different and unique for women. I was interested in reading about Non-modifiable, Modifiable, and Emerging Risk Factors for Heart Disease Development. I won't spoil this read by giving all the details, but there are lots of interesting facts about genes, ethnicity, age (among other factors), and the roles they play when it comes to heart disease.

* Nature's Pharmacy - the role of vitamins and other supplements
Again, I won't ruin this for you (as I know you are now aching to get your hands on a copy of this book so you can check it out for yourself!). All I  have to say is: Green foods, garlic, cinnamon (to name a few heart-friendly foods)!

* The impact of stress and practical tips on managing stress: This is a chapter I should be memorizing! Strategies for surviving stress and managing stress are discussed in Chapter 10. The chapter opens with the story of Leslie, a single mom with two  young children, who owns her own business, puts in at least 10 hours of work a day, plus has all the responsibilities of her kids and their activities. She goes to bed at midnight and has to get up for work at 6AM. Apart from some slight differences, Leslie's routine sounds strikingly similar to mine. The running from one commitment to another with no time to relax, feeling out of time, anxious, overwhelmed, stressed out...Ummm...Hello?! I feel that way!!!

* The role of sleep and heart health: Yikes! Were you aware that lack of sleep can increase your risk of heart disease and other health problems?

I've read the book from cover to cover and would definitely recommend it to every woman out there. This is something I'm considering getting for my female family members and friends.


Would you like your own copy of Savings Women's Hearts? You're in luck!

WIN IT! Here's how! 

MANDATORY ENTRY:  To be entered to win your own copy of the book, simply leave me a comment about why you'd like to read Saving Women's Hearts. Please remember to leave your email address so I can reach you if you win!

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: 
* Follow me on Twitter @chancesmommy (2 entries)

* Tweet this contest: #win book Saving Women's Hearts @chancesmommy (Ends 3/9) #giveaway (each Tweet = one entry--you may tweet once each day, please leave link to your tweet)



*  Grab my button and leave me the link to where you posted it :) (2 entries)




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This giveaway closes on Wednesday March 9th, 2011. Open to Canadian Residents only.



Disclosure - I am participating in the Saving Women’s Hearts program by Mom Central on behalf of Wiley Publishing. I received a copy of the book to review and gift card as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Once Upon A Potty has been around for a long time.  I suppose it's not by accident that this potty training aid has endured the test of time.  The book was written and illustrated by Alona Frankel for her son, Michael. Once Upon A Potty has been around since the 1970s and is a best-seller worldwide. There is a version for boys and one for girls. In the boy's version, the main character's name is Joshua and in the girl's version, the main character is Prudence.

Since Little One will be celebrating her 2nd birthday tomorrow,  Gadget Girl gave her the Once Upon A Potty book and DVD as a present.  Perfect timing, since Little One has been showing some interest in potty training.  I did say "some" interest.  It's pretty much touch and go right now.  Some days, she's keen to sit on her potty.  Other days, she's not so interested.

This said, she LOVES the Once Upon A Potty book and DVD!  She keeps bringing the book for me to read to her over and over.  She wants to watch the DVD at least six times a day.  She can't get enough of the Prudence's potty training experience.  She dances to the music, sings along, and says "Bye-Bye Wee Wee! Bye-Bye Poo Poo!"

For the most part, I think the video is a great potty training tool.  I think I was just surprised at the language used. "Wee Wee" and "Poo Poo" were used to describe bodily functions. I don't know if we'd use those exact words with Little One. I was deliberating on whether or not we should teach Little One "other" names for "bowel movements", "voiding"...you get the picture.  I think we've been using "Pee" and "Poo".

The other thing I was a bit surprised about was that the video was pretty graphic in showing the anatomy. I'm fine with that. I believe children need to learn about their body parts. I do like that all the body parts are shown and their functions are explained. I was just a bit shocked at first.  The video even shows Prudence's "hole" for where Poo Poo comes out of.

I have to say that after viewing the DVD for the first time, Little One stripped down to her diaper, removed her diaper, grabbed her potty and sat on it...while watching Prudence learn about potty training on TV.  I was shocked at how aware Little One has become of her body.  She was pointing to body parts that I had not taught her about yet.  Oh, boy! I'm not sure I'm ready for all of this  yet! :)

Have you heard of Once Upon A Potty before? Have you used this as a potty training tool?

Can you believe it's almost Halloween?! That means October is almost over. That means Christmas is just around the corner. That means the New Year is almost upon us! Whoa. That is crazy!

Anyway, we are happy to announce that the winner of the Today I Ate A Rainbow! Giveaway is:

 

Robyn said...

I have your button (www.beingmom1.blogspot.com) (entry #3) arctic_teacher AT yahoo DOT ca

October 15, 2010 6:49 PM

The winner of the  Cheerios Play Book Giveaway is:
Jennie said...

Great contest! My little one's milestones.. the most memorable one was his first steps at 13 months. He walked a few steps on his own towards me and just plopped right on me.

October 7, 2010 12:39 AM

 

The winners have been chosen at random using Random.Org's random number generator. Winners, please contact me at cg_lee121875 at hotmail dot com with your shipping info so your prizes can be mailed to you. Thank you to everyone who entered. More contests are coming up! :)

The winner of last week's contest is...

Alyssa!!!

Congratulations! You have won a copy of Rosemary Wells' Read to Your Bunny! Your prize will be shipped to you sometime this week. Enjoy!

Our Iams ProActive Health contest is still open. Enter to win something for that special canine baby in your life! Thanks to Iams and Mom Central, one lucky reader will win a voucher for a free bag of Iams ProActive Health. Deadline for entries is May 12th, 2010. Enter the contest by clicking here.

I started reading to Little One when she was still a tiny little sprout growing inside me.

Since she was born at 28 weeks (3 months premature!), we spent the first 70 days of her life in the hospital. While she was in her isolette (incubator), I read to her. When she "graduated" to a "big girl crib" and was moved to the Level II nursery, I read to her. I have to say that those long days spent in the NICU, I did a lot of singing and reading to Little One.

She's now 17 months old and I still read to her every day. Okay, more like several times a day...only because she is constantly bringing books to me so I can read them to her.

I often wonder if those early days of being read to explain why Little One just loves books now. She loves her books more than she loves her toys. She just sits on my lap and listens, points and talks to the pictures on the pages, sings, laughs, turns the pages...and then wants more! She can sit through three or four books and still want to be read to!

The gift of reading is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. What better way to cultivate creativity and imagination than to share the wonderful world of books with our kids?

One of Little One's absolute favourite books is Rosemary Wells' Read to Your Bunny. Little One's Neonaologist gave her a copy at one of her Neonatal Follow-Ups as part of the www.caringforkids.cps.ca Reading with Young Children's "Prescription to Read".

Little One never seems to get tired of that book. The pictures and rhyming story seem to appeal to her. It's one of the books I have to take with us in my "magic bag of tricks" whenever we go anywhere. Margaret Wise Brown's Good Night Moon, Sandra Boynton's Barnyard Dance, and a few other books are always in that bag too (along with lots of snacks and a few non-noisy toys).

Here's some great news for you guys! We're giving one lucky reader their very own copy of Rosemary Wells' Read to Your Bunny.

To enter the contest, all you have to do is:
1. Leave me a comment and tell me what your child's favourite children's book is.
2. Additional entries can be obtained by mentioning this contest in a post on your blog. Please link back to me and let me know that you've mentioned the contest.
3. You can also receive additional entries for Tweeting and Facebooking the contest. Again, please let me know if you've done this.
4. Yet one more entry can be earned by following this blog with Google Friend Connect. That's a total of up to FIVE entries per person. That's five chances to win!

The contest closes on Monday (May 3, 2010). The winner will be announced here on May 4th.

Little One absolutely loves her copy of Read to Your Bunny! I hope your child will too.

**Don't forget to enter our Iams ProActive Health contest too! The contest closes on May 14th!**