I have a confession.  Much to my husband's dismay, I want our old farm house to look like it's right out of a Better Homes & Gardens magazine.  I'm not really winning this battle, but it's my hope to one day have a home worthy of being in Country Living magazine.  *sigh* One of these days, my dream will come true.

To add to our "rustic meets modern" home (that's the look I'm striving for), I love a house that smells wonderfully when you walk through the front door.  Apples and cinnamon, vanilla, and the like are so welcoming. I love pretty things and things that smell good.  Who doesn't, right?  This said, I'm very particular about the pretty, scented things I have in my house.  I'm extremely sensitive to fragrances and anything too overpowering makes me ill. Very, very ill.

A few years ago, I was at the Manitoulin Trade Fair and came across a Scentsy booth. I have been hooked ever since!

I love the Scentsy Bars for a wickless alternative to traditional scented candles.  Such a great way to refresh your home.  We've got the Rustic Star Plug In Warmer and I'm in love with the Taro Plug In Warmer!

What I love is that the Scentsy wickless concept is simply decorative ceramic warmers that are designed to melt scented wax with the heat of a light bulb and not with a traditional wick and flame.  As someone with allergies and doesn't do well with smoke, I can appreciate this.


To peruse the wide array of Scentsy products, visit www.anita.scentsy.ca or check out Anita's Scentsy Facebook Page. 


 Because like me, Anita's Scentsy is as excited about all the Scentsy goodness, she wants to share the love with my Life on Manitoulin readers!

Anita's Scentsy has donated a Scentsy Plug In Warmer and the Scentsy Scent of the Month to be given to one lucky fan! This month on the website, the featured scent is Watermelon Mint!

To enter: Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Open to residents of Canada only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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

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.

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.

May is sort of bitter sweet for me. Especially this year.

In May of 2008, we discovered that we were pregnant with Little One. That was one of the happiest days of my life. It was also the 6 year anniversary of my Father-in-law's death.

May was always a happy time for me, because I got to spend Mother's Day with my grandmother and spoil her. She used to come visit us on the Island and I'd throw a big Mother's Day meal together with flowers for all the moms - My grandma, my mom, my mother-in-law, my aunt, and my sister-in-law. My my grandmother wasn't on the Island, I'd get to talk to her on the phone or go to Montreal for a Mother's Day brunch at my aunt's house to celebrate with my grandmother.

In May (end of April, actually) of last year, my then 3 year old daughter and I made the very long plane ride to the Philippines to be with my grandmother in her last days of life. She died in May.

Every time I catch the scent of Olay moisturizer (or any Olay product), I think of my grandmother. My grandmother swore by Olay products. It was her "brand".  To be honest, it makes me happy and nostalgic, yet deeply saddened at the same time. It probably sounds really crazy that a product or brand can bring back memories and have such a powerful effect on a person, but it does.

My grandmother was always so glamorous. Her hair was always perfectly in place, and she routinely applied her Olay moisturizer and her signature red lipstick.

This May marks the one year anniversary of her death. I'm still weepy. The funny thing is that every month, P&G sends me a package in the mail and recently, there have been a lot of Olay products included in those parcels!  It kind of makes me laugh, because it's almost as though my grandmother is reminding me that she's still around and living in our hearts and our memories.

I keep thinking of the fun times with my grandmother. She loved her Spa Days and getting her manicure and pedicure done!

Spa Days remind me of my grandmother. Being able to sit back, enjoy some pampering, and take care of yourself is so very important.

This is why it makes me happy to be able to give my readers a chance to enter a...

P&G Mother's Day Spa Giveaway!

Enough about me walking down memory lane! Mother's Day has always been a time for us to pamper the mothers in our lives (including my grandmother)! What better way to do so than with a Spa Day? Here's what one lucky Life on Manitoulin reader will win:

P&G is providing a Mother’s Day Spa bundle valued at $95*. The bundle includes:  

• Febreze Vanilla & Moonlight Candle
• Pantene Repair & Protect Conditioner 
• Pantene Repair & Protect Shampoo 
• Pantene Overnight Miracle Repair Serum 
• Pantene Stylers Hairspray Flexible Hold
•  COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss Grapevine 
• COVERGIRL LashBlast Clump Crusher Mascara 
• Olay Massaging Bar Soap 
• One Free Clairol Hair Colour Coupon 
• COVERGIRL LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm 

I use all of the above products and am thrilled to be able to give this Mother's Day Spa package to one of my readers! Good luck!

TO ENTER:

Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form. Open to residents of Canada. Ends May 13, 2013 at 12AM EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

P&G has created a fun 30-Day Photo Challenge inspired by the little things we do, and the products we use, that brighten each day.

Are you up for the 30-Day Photo Challenge?

Every year, I try to give my mom something special for Mother's Day. Mother's Day gift ideas are a struggle! What do you get for someone who has everything she needs already?

My mom is really sentimental, so I always put lots of thought into her gifts. My mother also has everything a mom can need. She doesn't need gadgets, nick knacks or dust collectors. She always says she doesn't need or want anything. This said, the one thing she loves is photos of her grandchildren.

If you're looking for Mother's Day Gift Ideas, Posterjack.ca has you covered.

Posterjack.ca has 5 unique photo art Mother's Day gift ideas mom will treasure. 1.      Speak from the heart –Overlay a poem over your favourite photo with mom and bring it to life on a Canvas Print. 2.      Create a family masterpiece – Surprise grandma with a special painting from her grandkids on Posterjack’s new Photoboard Print.Simply scan the drawing or painting and save the image as a high resolution jpeg.  3.      Traveling family portrait – Nothing makes mom happier than showing off her family and grandkids! Blow up your favourite family photo on Peel & Stick for a family portrait, which travels easily to the office or cottage.  4.      Favourite moments with mom – Create a collage featuring your favourite photo memories with mom, which can be printed on any Posterjack  photo art product - from classic Framed Photos to modern Metal Prints. 5.      Skip the bouquet – Make your mom’s favourite flowers last year round by featuring them on an Acrylic Print. Check out the Posterjack.ca blog for great tips on capturing stunning flower photographs.

Above is a photo we had enlarged last year.  It turned out beautifully.  I love the frameless mounting too. It's a really sweet way to capture a moment.

My mom loves framed photos and sentimental gifts. This year, I think we may do the Favourite moments with mom option, with favourite photo memories of my mom and her grandchildren.

Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post. We just love Posterjack.ca and wanted to share some great Mother's Day Gift Ideas!

Every Spring, I don't just do Spring cleaning. It's more like Spring purging.

I open  up all the windows, get the lighter, brighter bedding out and onto the beds, and I just purge the house of things we do not need or use.

It actually disturbs me that we have so many things. We have too many things.

Every Spring people who need clothing or other items benefit from my crazy upheaval of our household items.

Every Spring I also do this...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

About From Pea to Pumpkin


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

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

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


Every great journey deserves a great journal.


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

Visit Toysrus.ca

Tell me you're not going to try this when you get a chance :)  How do you fold your undies?

I haven't made many videos, so my YouTube channel is pretty bare. I'm contemplating starting a little vlogging soon. Would you please visit my YouTube channel and show it some luv? Please and thank you?

Are you dreaming about lazing on a tropical beach, listening to the waves crash on the shore? It's Winter in Canada, folks! Many of us love the outdoors and activities that Winter brings, right? Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, skating, hockey, sledding, snow fort building, snow angel making, and snow ball fights! Right?

As fun as all of the above are, we all know that unforgiving Winter conditions (Brrr! Freezing temperatures, windchill, and yikes...harshness on our hair with dryness of air from furnace or electric heaters!!!) all make our skin dry and itchy, and make our hair frizzy and uncooperative. Tell me you love the way you get static from removing your tuque?

To conquer the cold, P&G would like to share the following:


The Issue: Kinky, curly, wavy and unruly frizz

The Cause: Some hair types, like curly and coarse tresses, are just naturally prone to frizz, but more often than not, frizz is a sign of damaged hair. The combination of outdoor air and indoor heating can do a number on your strands, causing frizz, fly-aways and dryness.

The Solution: Moisture. Start by using a shampoo and conditioner designed to fight frizz.  Don’t be afraid to skip washing daily - it’s unnecessary and hard on hair.  Try to air-dry your hair when possible to help reduce split ends from heat damage.  And always use heat-protecting products before heat-styling to help protect your hair from high temperatures and unnecessary breakage.

Product to try: Herbal Essences None of your Frizzness Shampoo and Conditioner’s serum-infused formula moisturizes hair with the right amount of conditioning ingredients for lusciously soft and shiny hair.  $4.49* each


The Issue: Delicate hair

The Cause: Blow-drying and heat-styling tools can contribute to more breakage during the winter. Blistery snowy weather also tends to wet and freeze hair in the cold leading to additional breakage.

The Solution: To help avoid winter breakage, it’s important to get regular trims every eight weeks. Split ends split upwards, so the less one trims, the more breakage they will experience. It’s also important to practise a good at-home daily hair routine in between cuts to avoid breakage and keep hair moisturized. Protect hair against damage from the cold outdoors and styling heat by applying a moisturizing mist that’s designed for daily use.

Product to try: Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Moisture Mist strengthens dry fragile hair against damage and preps it for styling.  Try the Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal line (Shampoo, Conditioner and Silky Moisture Whip) for added damage control. $5.99* each


Conquer the cold with a great giveaway from P&G!


One lucky reader will be able to conquer the cold with the seven products below valued at $44!

• Olay Body Ultra Moisture Lotion 
• Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Moisture Mist 
• Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo 
• Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Conditioner 
• Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Silky Moisture Whip  
• Herbal Essences None of your Frizzness Shampoo 
• Herbal Essences None of your Frizzness Conditioner

Simply enter the Rafflecopter form below. Open to residents of Canada. Ends March 12, 2013.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

By entering the following contest you are accepting that if you win your contact information will be shared with a P&G PR agency for the purpose of mailing your prize.  
This giveaway may appear on other blogs as part of the  #PGmom program, however, to be fair, you can only win once per giveaway.  If your name is chosen more than once, another winner will be selected.