When Little One was a baby, I noticed that Lansinoh seemed to be one of the brands all my breast-feeding mom friends talked about.  Lansinoh has everything from breast pumps to breast pads, breast milk storage and bottles and drinking sets.

In fact, one of the best gifts a friend ever gave me was a basket she put together filled with baby necessities from Lansinoh.  The Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads came in really handy, as did the Lansinoh HPA Lanolin.

I was excited to see that Lansinoh also has items for feeding babies as they continue through different stages of their development.  When I first saw the mOmma Spill-Proof Cup with dual handles and Straw Cup, I was intrigued by their unique design.

Because of the round ergonomic shape and soft handles that are designed for baby's hands to grip, and the fact that pliable silicone spout is for of baby's developing teeth and gums, this makes for a great cup. With babies that like to toss things or drop things frequently, it really helps that the spout is spill-proof.

Gadget Girl, one of my mom testers was given the opportunity to try out both the mOmma Spill-Proof Cup with dual handles and the Straw Cup.

Gadget Girl's Thoughts

My 10-month-old daughter is still mainly using bottles, but we have started to introduce sippy cups. She will try to get them to her mouth (a feat she can’t do with a bottle unless she is lying down) and has tried a few types so far. I love the shape of the mOmma, however, when you turn the cap to close the cup, the sipper also turns and can become uneven with the handles. 

Perhaps if the sippy cup had the handles on the top but separate from the cap/sipper feature, it would make it easier to make the sipper and handles line up, thereby allowing the baby to get the sipper to its mouth. The handles are very helpful in helping her get the sippy cup close to her mouth. 

Over all a good sippy and has not leaked yet even though my daughter throws it around.

Can’t wait to try the mOmma straw cup when she is ready for a straw. She's still not quite ready, but she is eager to try sipping out of the straw!



Did you know that the mOmma Spill-Proof Cup has been awarded the PTPA Seal of Approval? Parents Tested and Parents Approved.

Editor's Note:  When using the Lansinoh mOmma cups, it is important to note that one needs to push the spout down all the way inside the collar of the cup before closing to avoid unevenness.  Pushing the spout down all the way inside the collar of the cup will help ensure proper use and an optimal drinking experience for child. 

Disclosure - Our Mom Tester received products to facilitate this honest review.

Who knew that there were so  many different kinds of bottles, nipples, soothers and feeding products out there?  With so much selection to choose from, it can get a little dizzying at times.

When I was a new mom, I went to family, friends and other moms for tips and recommendations when it came to all things baby.  I'm a research person when it comes to all things concerning my family.  I like reading ratings and reviews of products and I like finding out why parents prefer one product over another.

Though I nursed Little One, we also bottle fed her.  Hubby was able to give her a bottle of expressed breast milk so that Mommy could get a bit of sleep too.

Since Little One is now four years old, I have enlisted the help of my product testers for items geared towards infants and toddlers. Here's what my parent testers, New Mommy and New Daddy have to say about Dr. Brown's products.

Zombie Mom No More: Dr. Brown's Helps Parents With All Their Babies' Feeding Needs

I am a Zombie Mom.  I never realized what the hashtag #zombiemom really meant until we had our baby a few months ago.  Since circumstances did not permit me to breastfeed our child, we had to resort to bottle feeding her.  Before you cast any judgment, we do know "breast is best", but medical conditions have not permitted me to give my child that important gift of "liquid gold".

Coupled with me not being able to breastfeed, another challenge we faced was colic.  Yes, our sweet little babe is a very colicky babe.

When you have a colicky baby, you do research.  Lots of research  on how to soothe that baby's discomfort.  We've tried pretty much everything, but to no avail.  When Christine at Life on Manitoulin asked us if we wanted to try some Dr. Brown's items, we were really excited! What I like about Dr. Brown's Patented Internal Vent System is that it reduces colic, spit-up, burping and gas.  This is a big thing for us, as our child suffers from colic.

Bottles are not just bottles

I remember the first time I sent my husband out to the store to buy a few bottles for our baby. I just found out I couldn't breastfeed (after numerous attempts) and sent the husband out blindly into the world of baby stuff and more. The poor guy came back defeated...and armed with (I kid you not) over a dozen different bottles.  Plastic bottles, glass bottles, ones that were bent in odd shapes, straight ones, tall ones, fat ones. Oh goodness.

It also turned out our baby happened to be a fussy one too. Not happy with anything.  Some preferences were made apparent, but then came the colic.

With Dr. Brown's it's great to have the option of having different sizes to choose from depending on your baby's needs.

No technical, science wiz here, won't try to explain how things work. Let me just say that I was impressed with the patented internal vent system, but even more so when I read that in a university study that measured nutrient levels in baby bottle milk showed that Dr. Brown's fully-vented bottles helped maintain important nutrients (like vitamins C, A. and E, as well as lipids) that are key nutrients to baby's health.


Can I tell  you that  Dr. Brown's Microwave Steam Sterilizer is a parent's best friend?  I won't mask my excitement when I say the custom tray is molded for Dr. Brown's bottles and parts.  No more boiling huge pots of water and sterilizing your bottles and parts! It's really easy to use too!  Trust me. As one who has made it a habit of boiling all of Baby's feeding items, I've ruined a bunch of them all in the name of sterilization.  No one told me that if you boil some products, they don't work as well or don't end up fitting properly or end up making a leaking mess all over your baby's face.

Yes, the Dr. Brown's Microwave Steam Sterilizer is in fact a godsend.

For the love of soothers!

We have a fussy little baby when it comes to soothers.  We have about two dozen soothers (not kidding) and have been trying to find the perfect one. Soother nipples: Too small. Too big. Too hard. Too flat. Too round.  There doesn't seem to be any pleasing our child.  You won't believe me when I say this, but these soothers actually did the trick.  Now, that is a hard feat!

"My Momma always said, 'Soothers will give ya buckteeth!'"

These soothers were designed by a pediatric dentist and were developed to prevent dental issues. I remember many years ago, people used to say not to give your child a soother because it would give them buck teeth.  1. These were designed to present dental issues and 2. They really do help sooth our little peanut.

Whether you're an experienced parent or a pair of clueless first time zombie parents like us, we hope you maneuver through your parenting journey with relative ease. Remember to enjoy and savour the blissful moments and learn to laugh at everything else...like going to the store about buying a dozen different types of bottles in a sleep-deprived state or doing the dance of joy when your baby decides she loves a particular soother or bottle. For the love of baby bottles, soothers, and all that is good in the world, these moments are fleeting. Enjoy :)

 We're happy to report that you can purchase Dr. Brown's products at http://www.babiesrus.ca.

Thanks to Christine and Life on Manitoulin for giving us the opportunity to test these products.  Thank  you to Dr. Brown's for quality products we can trust on our fussy little peanut. ~ New Mommy and New Daddy


This post was generously sponsored by Dr. Brown’s, but the opinions and images are my own. For more information, visit www.drbrownsbaby.com.

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.

There is no doubt that we have a little girly girl on our hands.  As much as I banned pink, frilly, girly, froufrou, blingy, sparkly items from the very beginning, we somehow ended up with a child who is all about the pink girly bling.

I am not kidding.  The girl wears frilly tutus and rubber boots to the barn!

She does have her ears pierced, though I have never (until recently) changed her earrings.  Of course I had taken them out, cleaned them, etc.  I just didn't give her more than the one pair she had.  She's only 4 years old.  She doesn't need to have a zillion pairs of earrings...yet.

Then one day, I received an email from KanDi Jewelry filled with the most adorable jewelry for little girls.  It was a veritable feast for the eyes...only with zero calories and zero cavities!


The Gummy Bear earrings, bracelets, and necklaces looked EDIBLE! They were the cutest things I had ever seen!  If I weren't 37. I'd like to have some for myself!

My daughter sat with me at the computer and oooh-ed and ahhhhh-ed, trying to decide which earrings she'd like.  I totally thought she'd want the pink, but chose the purple.

When the earrings arrived, Little One was over the moon!
Little One and I fell in love with the Gummy Bear earrings.  She has since asked me to get her the necklace and bracelet too.

Candy heart and jawbreaker jewelry are also available and are super cute.  I still love the Gummy Bears best.

I cautioned Little One that as irresistible as they may look, the earrings are NOT edible.  She looked at me and laughed.  "Awwww! Mommy! You're silly! Of course not! They're not REAL Gummy Bears, silly Mommy!"

Okay, then!

A Little Bit About KanDi Jewelry

 If you have a little girl who would absolutely love a pair of Gummy Bear earrings, you're in luck! KanDi Jewelry is giving one lucky Life on Manitoulin reader a pair of Gummy Bear earrings in the colour of the winner's choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure - I received product to facilitate this review.  All opinions and thoughts on this blog are honest and my own.

There. I said it. Electrolux Canada's Ergorapido Brushroll Clean is a Mama's Best Friend. It's true. Well, maybe third best friend (my first two being Hubby and Little One)!

The one thing I absolutely hate about living in an old farm house is the fact that I am forever having to sweep and vacuum.  I'm talking every day.  To be honest, it's exhausting, annoying and who has time to lug a big 'ol vacuum around every day? I don't!

Dirt dragged into the house, dust from the gravel roads and lane...it's a full time job keeping this house clean and I am failing miserably.  Seriously. It makes me want to cry.

I was recently given the opportunity to try out the Electrolux Ergorapido and I am in love.

I know what you're thinking:

1. Sure. What's so great about a vacuum cleaner?
2. Of course you're going to say you love it if you get to test it out for free and keep it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure - I received the above product for review purposes. All the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

Fill in the blanks: "Coffee makes me feel _______, _______, and _______". 

For me it's happy, extremely relaxed, and warm all over.

I read in a teen magazine many moons ago, that your description of the way coffee makes you feel is reflective of the way love makes you feel. Do you see a correlation there? Not sure if I do, but that was from one of the fun quizzes in teen magazines that I used to love when I was a tween/teen.

Who doesn't love a hot cup of make-me-feel-good-all-over coffee in the morning?

Keurig Brewer ~ Top 5 Things I Love About Our Keurig

The way she giggles and the way her big, bright smile lights up the room make me want to cling onto every moment I have with Little One.  I realize this may sound a bit over the top, but Little One being the miracle baby that she was makes me appreciate and value her so much more than I could have ever imagined.

She's an only child at the moment and if you visit our home, you will see that I've tried to capture many of our special moments with Little One. As a parent of a single child, I have hundreds and hundreds of photos of my four year old.

For parents, both new and experienced, with all the baby photos and family photos, you've surely asked the question "Where to print photos?"

Where to print photos?

Earth Day for Kids and some little things we can do at home to teach our kids about taking care of our planet.

Some fun Earth Day activities for Kids

How Energy Efficient are you? (Game - kids find out how much they know about reducing energy and greenhouse gases). Source: EcoKids.ca

Plant a tree or garden - Source: Toronto4Kids

Bring a litterless lunch to school! Actually, Little One brings a litterless lunch to school every day. It's something we think is important to practice in order to tread a little lighter on the planet. For our family, this is important every day and not just on Earth Day.

Lunch ideas for Earth Day for Kids

Earth Day for Kids and MyFunkins

Another thing that helps with our litterless lunches are MyFunkins! Last year, I happened to cross paths with MyFunkins on Twitter and instantly fell in love. With Little One about to start Junior Kindergarten, I wanted to make sure her lunches were going to be as litterless as possible.

Below are some of the latest designs MyFunkins has to offer. My little girl is all about ballerinas and mermaids these days, so these are perfect! I've never seen a kid get so excited over fabric before! Love it!

Little One gets a different Funkin in her lunchbox every day and she's always tickled pink when she sees which one she gets! It's a surprise every day!

I love that we reduce our disposable paper napkin use this way too. It's not just Little One who loves Funkins! I even carry one in my handbag! They come in handy when eating an orange while waiting for your child's school bus to arrive! They also double as a place mat when out and about and grabbing a bite to eat!

For more ways to use Funkins, check out their site.

MyFunkins are a great idea for reducing classroom lunch waste. To see how your child's school can use MyFunkins as part of Earth Day for Kids or for every day lunchtime, visit the Funkins website.

It goes without doubt that our little girl is definitely a princess-fairy-tutu kind of girl.  She loves bling.  The shinier, the better!

This is why we were really excited to be asked to host a Fancy Nancy play date! We were asked to try out some  Orb Factory items and have a Perfectly Posh Party with Little One's friends!


Fancy Nancy products we received:  
24 jewel-by-number stickers
8 make-you-own tiaras
a special host gift



What a blast the girls had!  A play date with tiaras!

I liked that the tiara kit had four different tiara designs to choose from in each box. We were given two boxes (8 tiaras in total), so I thought it would be ample to choose from with no fighting over which girl got what tiara.

I was wrong. Total and utter mayhem. The girls LOVED the tiaras so much that they all wanted the same tiaras. They were all fighting over tiaras. I'm talking full on pulling tiaras out of each other's  hands and crying.

The age description reads ages 5+. Our girls are 4 years old. Only one of the girls was 5.

The activity grabbed their attention. I have to say, our girls love to create. They were focused on matching the stickers to the correct numbers. So much fun!

In the end, the moms ended up finishing the tiaras for the girls! We had a great time too! Matching the sticker jewels to the coordinating numbers was almost therapeutic!

The Fancy Nancy Stickers with the jewels are so much fun!


They are great to keep in your purse and whip out when your kid gets a little antsy.  We had two of little ones boy friends over and they were really focused on completing the Fancy Nancy stickers! Amazing to see the concentration in their faces!





Little One's favourite item was the sunglasses kit! She doesn't leave the house without her "blingy" shades!

All of the above products are fabulous for quiet time activities, arts and crafts play dates, or for just having fun with your kids as a Mommy and me activity. Actually, Hubby was the one who spent most of the time assisting Little One with her sunglasses!

I'd say that the recommended age of 5 years is a good one. Also, the Fancy Nancy Orb Factory products are a fabulous gift item. I would definitely give these for birthday or Christmas gifts. These are definitely a hit with our little girl. She loves the stickers and now that she's learning her numbers, matching the stickers, colours, and numbers gives her a huge sense of accomplishment when she has completed her "work of art".

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

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