• family - Health - parenting

    Give the Gift of Fire Safety This Christmas

    Shutterstock photo by Olga Kovalenko Fire Safety It’s the busiest time of the year. As soon as the snow falls the kids start building their Christmas wish lists and everyone rushes around trying to make the season magical. It’s a given, a tradition, and a blessing too to be able to share time with family, even to be able to afford to entertain, to create moments that are memorable and last for a lifetime. Everyone should be able to share the season with their family. With so much riding on the holidays every year it’s not hard to understand how…

  • family - Giveaways

    The Cadillac of Connectivity – Netgear Router #Giveaway

    Excellence in connectivity. I may have mentioned once or twice that we moved this year. Why do I mention it so much? Well because moving your entire family is a big life change and it comes with numerous other small and sometimes tedious changes that can linger, prolonging the experience for months. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all good and it’s worth it. But there are often tiny things that crop up all year after the move. I mean first there’s the unpacking of course and then the settling in and getting reoriented. The reason for my move was twofold.…

  • family

    Christmas Stories: Tin Soldier app and game by Big Fish Games

      Christmas Stories: Tin Soldier app and game made for PC, Mac, iPad and iPhone is a perfect seasonal diversion for almost any age. Christmas Stories: Tin Soldier app and game is a hidden object adventure game that starts with your return from battle. You are a soldier, finding on coming home that the Rat King has turned several people into toys since you left the palace. You must hunt throughout the palace and the city to find puzzle pieces that unlock treasures.   At the outset of this fun game you receive a letter from your friend Albert asking…

  • family

    Limeapple Love and Girls Clothing – Bubble Jackets #TMMGG2014

    We are in love with the cute and warm girls clothing fashions from Limeapple. Limeapple makes great, and age appropriate, girls clothing. That’s important to me. I don’t like to see little girls wearing grownup clothing. Limeapple seems to understand that. They make clothing that moves and works hard with active girls. Payton received this bubble jacket last week and she’s worn it several times. See the feature on the hands that makes it look a little but like a really expensive Lulu jacket? My kids are all over that. This bubble jacket cost half the price of comparable other active…

  • beauty products - family - Health

    DIY Mint Body Scrub for Gifting

    Mint body scrub is a great refresher for any time you need it. It is particularly energizing in the morning when you need a natural boost. This mint body scrub makes a great gift for someone special and is so easy to make. There are just three simple ingredients and it meets the thrifty criteria for sure. Make it and package it up with some pretty adornments. Perfect for gifting! Mint is a great way to perk up both your mood and skin, so this easy to make body scrubs proves to be rejuvenating for mind and body. When skin…

  • family

    Limeapple Girls Clothing: Twelve Days of Christmas Sale

    Limeapple makes the cutest athletic clothing and girl’s fashions Today my daughter’s school held a cabaret concert. My youngest joined the choir this year which is a big deal because she’s never been interested in singing or music. She’s the girl who runs and swims, rides horses and dives, and kicks and does martial arts. She’s my sporty girl, always on the move, so forgive me if we were shocked, but pleasantly so when we she signed up for choir. Choir? Yes, choir. And when she managed to stick with it, we were quietly supportive. Last year music was a…

  • family - parenting

    Frozen Christmas Gift Tags Printable

    Who doesn’t love the movie Frozen? It’s a massive hit here. At Halloween we had half a dozen Annas at our door trick or treating and Christmas promises to be an even bigger Frozen experience because naturally the movie is set against a wintery backdrop.  As Christmas approaches I have to say I find myself getting into the spirit and wondering where I can put a singing Olaf. I’d love to put one on my lawn actually. I have a bit of a Frozen theme happening here this coming month. You’ll see what I mean if you come back regularly…

  • family

    Shrek The Musical #WordlessWednesday

    This past week we went to see Shrek The Musical at The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. The Grand is a local asset to the arts scene and it is often very family friendly. Both of our girls enjoy the theatre and always have because we have always taken them to see age appropriate plays. My older daughter has of course also done the local youth theatre group in our town too. The girls have a deep appreciation and admiration and respect for theatre and the arts. In fact, they enjoy theatre as much, or maybe even more, than I do.…

  • family

    Sparkup Magical Children’s Book Reader #TMMGG2014

    By Bonnie Way, contributor, I’m sitting at my computer working on a blog post and listening to myself read Sunshine and Lily a story in the living room. Yes, I just said I’m writing and reading at the same time. No, I’m not crazy or bilocating. I simply got them a Sparkup Magical Book Reader. We spent about an hour one night reading their favourite stories together, and they’ve been rereading those stories with the Sparkup whenever they want ever since. The Sparkup Magical Book Reader is a little device (a bit smaller than two hands together) that attaches to…

  • family

    How to Plan a Children’s Christmas Party

    How to Plan a Children’s Christmas Party Children love Christmas and will celebrate any chance they get!  Whether you are planning a children’s Christmas party at home, at church, or helping with a school celebration, I’m sharing a few ideas that will help you plan an unforgettable experience.  From décor ideas to entertainment to refreshments and favors, planning a Christmas party for children can’t get any easier. First, set a festive mood by playing Christmas music, being sure to focus on a playlist of children’s favorites! Invite children into a party space full of magical winter wonderland delights.  Hanging snowflakes and setting up…