I have a confession.  I'm a guilt-ridden mom.  I know this insanity has to stop, but I can't help it.  I'm conflicted.  Little One started camp today and I don't know how I feel about it.

I'm excited for her.  In fact, I'm super excited.  She gets to spend a few weeks this Summer hanging out with her cohorts, learning new things, and having fun.

The other part of me feels guilty about not letting her have an easy, restful Summer vacation.  After all, Summer vacation, as we all know is fleeting.  It goes by far too quickly and kids are only little for a short time.  Part of me contemplated letting Little One stay home this Summer and not having structured activities.  She could play outside, play on the trampoline, and we could go to the beach after I finish work.

Yes, I work from a home office, but I put in regular working hours.  The only difference is that I don't leave my house to go to my office.  I know it's a new concept for many and most people who don't work from home cannot comprehend that just because your office is in your home, you can't just take off or do what you want whenever you want.  To be honest, I find it's more of a juggling act to accommodate scheduling and activities. For this reason, it is so difficult for me to work when Little One is home during the day.  Summer camp has been a huge blessing.

The community's Summer Recreation Program is fantastic, and so reasonably priced!  $15 a week! $20 with field trip. You can't beat that!

This week, the kids have Outdoor Expedition Week. They'll be making terrariums, going on a fossil hunt on the beach, making homemade bird feeders, and even going on a field trip to Manitoulin Streams where they will be exploring habitats and creatures in the water.  Manitoulin Streams will be taking the kids on a "Stream Detective" workshop where the children will be netting aquatic bugs, building a bass spawning nest, and more.

Little One is very excited about the upcoming Hands-On Science week.  They'll be doing hands-on experiments, including making their own lava lamps out of an empty plastic bottle!

Despite the fact that I know Little One will have a great time, I only wish I could spend more of the Summer with her. She's only four years old.  When I was four, we didn't do any organized activities during the Summer. For us, Summer meant getting to sleep late, sleep in, hang out with our friends and  play all day. Summer meant freedom.  It was a break from school and just a time to relax and be kids.  I put Little One in Junior Kindergarten at three years of age and now Summer camp activities at four years old.  I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing.


Do your kids go to camp or Summer activities?  What's your take on this? Should kids just be kids and take it easy for the Summer or do you think they need organized activities?

When I lived in Toronto, my canine baby was a pampered pooch.  He got groomed twice yearly and had the royal treatment.  He really was a spoiled boy.

Fast forward a few years and we're no longer living in the city. We're on an island in the middle of one of the Great Lakes and in Northern Ontario!  How on earth did we get here?!

Chance seems to love rural living though.  He gets to run around our farm and be free as a bird.  He is one very happy puppy!  Okay, he's ten years old, but he looks and acts like a pup!

The only drawback of country living is that this once well-groomed city dog is now always covered in gross things and doesn't smell great at all.  I will not mention what he's covered in, but we live on a cattle farm.  You get the picture, right?

There isn't a day that I don't thank my lucky stars for Patti McKenzie, Pampered Pet Grooming owner and dog groomer.

No word of a lie, Patti is the most amazing person ever.  She is so good with the animals and has that magic touch.  I say this because my dog won't let anyone touch his paws, and Patti is always able to get him to let her do whatever she wants and needs to do to get him groomed!

You see, when Chance was a pup, an elevator incident had his paw stuck and dewclaw bleeding. Since then, nobody has been able to touch his sensitive paw. Nobody except Patti, that is!

A few years ago, he was run over by a bus and almost died.  For three months, he was pretty much in a vegetative state. Crushed organs, a crushed pelvis, and no mobility, had our canine baby out of commission for a long time.  It was a miracle when he all of a sudden decided to get up and start running around again! He looks and acts just like a pup still.

I thought for sure that no groomer would ever be able to touch him without his protests, but Patti seems to have the magic touch.  She always sends Chance back to us looking like a brand new pup.  Coat clipped down for his "Summer look", smelling fresh (the good kind of fresh, and not the "ripe" kind), and clean!  He's always so happy when he comes back from the groomer's and he looks a lot lighter too!
If you're on Manitoulin Island, I highly recommend Pampered Pet Grooming.  For more info, check out their Facebook page!

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Never in a million years would I have ever imagined what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of the kind of  love and support we received over a week ago.  When I think about the tremendous outpour of concern and well wishes, I get so overwhelmed and end up crying.

Giving Thanks

A Huge Thank You to CHEO

Thank You to the Blogging Community

Giving Thanks to Some Very Special People

Giving thanks to all the special people in our lives

Over a week ago, my four year old was airlifted to Ottawa and sent to CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario).  Other than her early delivery (when I was sent by air ambulance to Mount Sinai, where Little One canon-balled her way into existence), this experience was probably one of the scariest times in my life.

After Little One's surgery, one of the first things she uttered was, "Now you really have to take me to Disney!"

I had heard of Official Princess Parties through my friend, Canadian Dad's blog posts this past year and knew my four year old would love to meet her favourite princess.

As soon as Little One was discharged from the hospital and had rested for a few days, I wanted to have a thank you BBQ for my friends @flywithbaby (and her husband and family), as well as for @CanadianDadBlog and his family.  Both families were such a great support while Little One was in the hospital. Having a young child in the hospital is scary and emotionally challenging, but coupled with being away from Hubby and being 9 hours away from home, it is even more challenging.

Canadian Dad made the big BBQ party even more special by organizing a meeting with Little One's favourite princess! Little One was so excited to see Belle!
Check out the smile on Little One's face!  Now, that is one very happy kid!

I was really impressed with the entire princess experience.  We were staying at my friend's house and Belle popped in for a visit. She wowed all the children with sing-along tunes, dancing, story time, and cheek glitter and tattoo application!

Little One running to greet Belle.  For a kid who was in a lot of pain from having surgery, she sure ran very quickly to see her favourite princess!




Thank you to Official Princess Parties, Belle, and Canadian Dad for making one sick little girlie very happy!

Connect with Official Princess Parties on Facebook too.

Due to family emergency, I will be away from the blog for a while. Hopefully, I'll be able to post again sometime next week or so. Thank you :)

#WordlessWednesday ~ 4 Generations

I was finishing up some last minute work for a campaign when I looked at the clock on the bottom right hand corner of my computer screen.  All of a sudden an overwhelming sense of sadness washed over me. The date! The date made me burst out in tears. It was a reminder of the saddest day of my life.

My grandmother passed away a year ago tomorrow.

May 15, 2012. I still cry every time I think of her.

Sometimes I feel like I'm going bonkers, because one minute life is amazing and so many fabulous things are  happening for us. The next minute, I'm just so sad. Weepy...and missing her so very much.

My heart hurts so much, I feel like I can't breathe.



Still thinking of you each and every day, Lola.

Tonight we'll celebrate your life by lighting a candle for you, saying a prayer, and cooking some Filipino food like you used to make.

My husband loves his bacon.  When he discovered Maple Leaf Bacon Portions at the local grocery store, he thought it was the best thing ever.  Seriously, I've never seen a man more excited about a grocery purchase ever.

Maple Leaf Bacon Portions are a great idea - so you never waste bacon again. You can keep your bacon fresh for any time you need it. No more need for scissors or the knife to open the packaging, because it comes with easy-to-peel packaging!

When my husband told me about this amazing "easy-to-peel package" and "never waste bacon" concept, I laughed because...We NEVER waste bacon in this house! Bacon doesn't last long enough here with a husband and Little One who love their bacon! This said, I do think it's an ingenious invention because there are days when  you don't  need an entire HUGE package of bacon. The "portions" do come in handy!

Check out what my husband and Little One made me for Mother's Day Brunch!


I  have never seen a frittata this fluffy! It was delicious! I wanted to share the recipe with you, but it's my husband's secret recipe and he won't even share it with me! He did say that one of the most important ingredients is the Maple Leaf Portions! I think he cooked up the bacon in the cast iron skillet and then used the bacon grease to cook the frittata.


Isn't that gorgeous?

Here's a little video of my two loves. They're so cute! Shameless plug coming up...I made this video with my BlackBerry Z10's STORYMAKER! I love that feature!


Humour me for a second while I tell you a super cute story.

Listening to Hubby & Little One making lunch for "the moms" & fam. I was laughing so much, I was crying.

HUBBY: This is how we make a Frittata for Mother's Day.

LO: I know what a Frittata is! Hakuna Frittata! It's a wonderful thing. It means no worries for the rest of your life...

Isn't that hilarious?! My 4  year old cracks me up! I think we should hence forth call that frittata the Hakuna Frittata! Any Lion King fans out there? *sigh* You know you're a parent when...

If you check out the Maple Leaf Foods website, you can find lots of great recipes to make with bacon! Check out these Maple Bacon Waffles I made! I used maple syrup from our farm!

They were delicious! A definite keeper! I'll be making these again (and again).  The recipe is on the Maple Leaf website here.

Now that I've probably got you thinking BACON, would you like to win some? TWO lucky Life on Manitoulin readers will win $20 in FPC (free product coupons) EACH. That's $40 of product in total we're giving away.


To enter: Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Open to residents of Canada. Ends 5/29.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Mother's Day, I usually give a huge shout out to my Mom for all the love and encouragement she has given us, as well as the sacrifices she has made for us.  My Mom has a heart of gold and would do anything for her loved ones.  She's also a little feisty and I can see a lot of her characteristics in my daughter.

I also give a big shout out to my amazing Grandmother every Mother's Day. She died last May and this is our first Mother's Day without her. So much of who I am is a large part of my grandparents' involvement with us and the values they instilled in their grandchildren. I miss my grandparents dearly.

This year, I want to reflect on what being a Mom means to me. I ended up writing my four year old daughter a letter.


Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing Moms out there!
What does being a Mom mean to you?

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?

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?

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!

Many people who live with the hustle and bustle of busy city dwelling always tell me how much they love heading to the cottage on Summer weekends. For me, I've left the city and have through some strange turns of events, ended up embracing a life of country living.

Glorious sunrises and Monet-like sunsets, cattle grazing on green pastures, and afternoons at the beach are all part of our every day.

What kinds of meals and snacks are our favourites for country living?  Homemade biscuits, homemade chocolate pudding, and Crocodile Pie are some family favourites. Hubby and Little One know that I like to limit our sugar consumption, so I only make desserts (like puddings, pies, cakes, cheesecakes, tarts, muffins, cupcakes, or cookies) on special occasions. Sweets are meant as a treat for every once in a while. Lucky for me, casseroles and salads of all sorts are also high on the list of things my family loves to eat.

If you're at all familiar with country living,  you'll know that using what ingredients are local and readily available dictates what kind of meals you will likely prepare.

Because we have an abundance of raspberries, apples and rhubarb on our farm, I have to figure out as many ways of using them in recipes.


Raspberry-Apple-Rhubarb Pie 

aka Crocodile Pie (I don't know why it's called that, but that's what my Mother-in-law told me it was called)

Ingredients

This Crocodile Pie is always a crowd pleaser. It's so pretty and is a hit at any party, picnic, BBQ or potluck. It's the perfect dessert to bring when going to a friend's house for dinner. To me, when I think of pies like this one, it reminds me of good 'ol country living.

If you're looking for inspiration for quick and easy recipes for the cottage, check out the Life Made Delicious website! They've got tons of great recipes to choose from! Who knows? Maybe one day, my Crocodile Pie recipe will make it on there! A girl can dream, right? :)

What foods or dishes remind you of country living or Summers at the cottage?
 

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