• 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…

  • family

    GoldieBlox is Perfect for Girls #TMMGG2013

    November 25, 2013 - By 

    It’s time for another entry in my 2013 Best Toys of the season gift guide!!                                       My kids are super lucky. That’s all I can say. My girls are fortunate to have access to some of the coolest toys around and they get to try them out almost as soon as they hit the stores. Goldie Blox and The Spinning Machineis a building toy for girls that I had my eye on way back when I heard of the kickstarter project that…

  • family

    Max & Ruby in Nutcracker Suite #Christmas #Ldnont

    November 21, 2013 - By 

    It’s pretty easy to get the kids in the mood for the festive season with so many fantastic family shows on the stage this time of year. We were fortunate to get family passes to see Max & Ruby this year in the Nutcracker Suite at Centennial Hall. Although my kids have outgrown Nickleodeon, I was excited to take them to see this show because of the Nutcracker Suite element. Max & Ruby were staples in my kid’s viewing schedule (LOL) for several years when they were preschoolers. Max’s stubborn streak and his tunnel vision still makes us laugh. He…

  • infertility - Parenting

    Sperm Donor Comedy Fertile Ground: Delivery Man

    November 21, 2013 - By 

    I was invited to see the Chicago Preview of Delivery Man, the movie featuring Vince Vaughn. while I was in Chicago for a blogging conference recently. These are my impressions of the movie. I mean is anyone ever really ready for parenthood? This movie Delivery Man takes that notion and turns it into comedy with an infertility theme too. Vince Vaughn delivers the funny in every movie he does. Delivery Man is no exception. For obvious reasons, given the themes of adoption and infertility that I often tackle here on my blog Thrifty Mommas Tips, I was really curious to…

  • family

    Rainbow Loom – Tween Girls Gifts #TMMGG2013

    November 18, 2013 - By 

    No question this one is the runaway hit of the season. My Aunt Pat bought a fabulous Rainbow Loomfor my girls way back in August when they had a sleepover at her new house. Ever since then the Rainbow Loom has been all I read about or see. You can count the Moms of tweens at centergy class just by looking at their wrists for the colourful bracelets.  So what’s the Rainbow Loom all about? It’s simply a cool plastic loom on which you wrap colourful elastics and design various fancy bracelets, necklaces, rings and ornaments. There is no end…

  • family - homes

    On the Move #ldnont Painted Hallway Reveal

    November 15, 2013 - By 

    BEFORE This was our hallway before we started the massive decluttering and renovations here. We had wallpaper and toys and a big wooden coat rack that we liked. It was a hallway we lived in and raced through, a thoroughfare that was often lined with backpacks and homework and spare car seats.  When we moved in 14 years ago we wallpapered and put crown mouldings in and hung pictures and used the tiniest space in the hallway alcove as an office. My office was essentially a corner with a computer and two filing cabinets. Oh, and a chair too. When…