• family

    Five Great Toys for Toddlers

    December 16, 2013 - By 

    Hunting for the perfect toy for your niece or nephew? One of my favourite things to do as an aunt is toy shop for the most current, educational and affordable toys. With two toddlers on my list this year I have some fun shopping to do and I already have some toddler toys picked out. Classic Brands I enjoy buying some classics like the Fisher Price corn popper – which has been around forever. (In fact I had one as a child) and Fisher Price Little People toys too. These are classic toddler toys on my books and they are…

  • parenting

    First Dance #WordlessWednesday Linky

    December 11, 2013 - By 

    Posting this picture super fast because when she gets in from martial arts and sees I posted this on my blog she’ll kick my butt. (totally kidding, sort of) This past week my oldest daughter had her first ever boy-girl dance at school. Sigh. I remember when it was us two dancing around the living room to Raffi. Blink. There goes your heart dancing out the door with some boy.

  • family - Food - Health

    Cuisinart Sparkling Beverage Maker Review

    December 9, 2013 - By 

    This past mont, I have been cataloguing my recommendations in Thriftymommastips Gift Guide. Many have been toys and a great number of the gifts have been specifically for girls and tween girls. Today’s idea is a beverage maker for adults. The Cuisinart Sparkling Beverage Maker is a toy for adults. And it is perfect for this season. The New Beverage Maker Makes a Great Gift The Cuisinart Sparkling Beverage Maker is a gift that begs to be opened early. Entertaining at all this year? Then this Cuisinart gem will add the sparkle and fizz to any occasion. Shop.CA sent this…

  • family

    Amazing Superhero Gifts for Boys #TMMGG2013

    December 9, 2013 - By 

    Iron Man and Hulk: Heroes United (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) Marvel Iron Man and Hulk Heroes United special edition DVD and Blu-Ray arrived here last week from Disney. Actually, although this movie is listed here under superhero gifts for boys and is the latest edition in my gift guide, my daughter has always been a massive superhero fan. She has a cool Iron Man costume and mask and frequently wears them with a dress. She’s quirky like that. So, I was excited to see what she thought of the Hulk portion of this new animated video. It’s been…

  • family

    My Top Five Family Christmas Movies

    December 5, 2013 - By 

    This time of year we love to take the afternoon or evening and watch Family Christmas movies together. Are you the same way? There’s something super festive about watching Christmas movies together as a family. If your family is at all like mine, then Christmas is a great opportunity to snuggle, take a break, pop some popcorn, and plan a movie night. Who wants to go out after eating all that turkey? I’d much rather cuddle and watch something fun before Christmas too. Wrapping presents and decorating the tree is always a good time to share a special movie. In…

  • Health - infertility - parenting

    Mallorie’s Story: When All You Want for Christmas is the Chance to Conceive

    December 2, 2013 - By 

        This is Mallorie’s story. I am leaving it in her words because it is her story of infertility and it deserves to be heard. She and her husband only wanted a chance to conceive.      Unfortunately this Christmas, this Arnprior, Ontario couple is still waiting to become parents and hoping for the chance to conceive. Waiting for Health Care Treatment  The health care treatment that has been recommended to them is in vitro fertilization with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). In Ontario there is no OHIP coverage for in vitro fertilization or ICSI. If this couple lived in…

  • family

    Best Gifts for Girls – Bitty Twins #TMMGG2013

    December 1, 2013 - By 

    No secret here that we love American Girl dolls, accessories and outfits. As a child I would have been all over these sweet twin dolls. It was this summer at Blogher 13 when this Canadian Mama first experienced American Girl on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. American Girl gave us a party experience to remember with pretty American Girl foods and the shopping experience too. I fully anticipate bringing my girls to this amazing store one day soon. Maybe 2014 will be the year for them to experience Chicago.  The American Girl craftsmanship here is exquisite and the lovely thing…

  • family

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Anything #TMMGG2013

    November 29, 2013 - By 

    Who knew that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which were hot years ago would end up staging a huge comeback in 2013? We received these back in the summer when I went to the toy show Sweet Suite at Blogher 13 in Chicago. My girls, who do martial arts, had already been watching the movies and the TV shows for weeks at that point. So these guys, TMNT Flingers were a crazy hit. I knew I couldn’t hold them back until Christmas. Now, listen up because these guys are all the rage and will be hot this Christmas. Donatello and Teenage…

  • family

    Saving Money and Energy: Four Simple Tips

    November 28, 2013 - By 

      This is a sponsored post on behalf of E.ON. It is extremely relevant to my readers in the UK. There are tips throughout about ways to save energy applicable to all my readers regardless of their location.   Winter is here to stay and with it comes potentially high heat and energy bills. Shorter days mean more lights and less access to outdoor activity means more time spent surfing Youtube, or parked on a sofa playing video games. It’s easy to see how lights stay on longer. You fall into a pattern of staying warm and cocooning for the…