• adoption and tweens - Parenting

    We Stay: Five Things I Never Told You About Special Needs Adoption

    I am not unlike you. I love my kids more than anything on the planet. They are my heart. They are my life. They are my first glorious sight in the morning. (One of them bursts into my room every day at crack of dawn, but that’s another story) and one of the last things I see at night. There is nothing that can bring out the mama bear in me like someone wronging my child. My family is not perfect, but it is mine. Everything I do is to build a future for them. Most of you know by now that…

  • family

    AnPanMan Colouring Page Printable

      This little guy is a Japanese cartoon character that my kids are crazy for. He’s also someone decorating most of my nephew’s toys from Japan. I think that he is quirky, but my opinion doesn’t really matter on this one. Anyways,  today I am offering a free colouring page printable because apparently people like them. So here you go. Right click and save and then print it out and let the kids colour. Have fun! I have some free printables and colouring sheets offered each week here right now.

  • family

    Wordless Wednesday Winter Wonderland

    Winter was here  last week and it was quite beautiful despite the big snowfall. The kids welcomed the snowy weather, as kids do, and they built snowmen and snow serpents and they even tobogganed on the weekend. My morning walks were freezing, but nonetheless gorgeous. All the neighbourhood dogs were out in their snappy little sweaters. I snapped this picture just down the street from us and it reminded me of those old fashioned Currier and Ives pictures my Mom used to love so much. I don’t mind the snow when it creates a pretty sort of landscape that has…

  • family

    Disney Live Mickey Music Festival Family Tickets (4) ARV $100 #giveaway #ldnont

    What could be more fun than a family show filled with Disney characters right at the start of the new year? This January 4th Disney characters Mickey and Minnie visit Budweiser Gardens to share their musical extravaganza with Londoners of all ages in Disney Live Mickey Music Festival. Disney puts on a show that is always magical and fund and entertaining. This particular show. Disney Live Mickey’s Music Festival tends to be slightly younger in age range and less intimidating in size than the larger than life Disney on Ice spectacular. Disney Live is just right for the preschool set. Mickey…

  • family - Health - parenting - Travel

    Five Facts About the World Vision Gift Catalogue 2014 #WorldVisionGifts

      By now you know that gifts from the World Vision gift catalogue 2014 matter. They matter to children like these girls who are able to attend school in Colombia thanks to sponsorship and often thanks to donations from the gift catalogue. They matter to the boys in this picture playing soccer and building a healthy outlook for life in an area where drugs, gangs and poverty are very real threats to children. They matter to children you might never meet all over the world in so many countries that need help. Tonight on twitter, we are talking about the impact…

  • family

    Beados – Fun Craft Gifts for School Age Children #TMMGG2014

    My kids are crafters. In fact that’s why I originally signed my older daughter up for preschool many years ago. I couldn’t keep up with her need to craft. It was constant. She still loves to craft and little daughter has followed in her footsteps. So, I always know when it is birthday time, or Christmas, a great craft kit will be appreciated almost more than any other item or toy. Beados arrived here on a day when Payton came home from school because she had been feeling sick. Beados is now one of my new favourite craft gifts for school…

  • family

    Arianna Huffington Interview #WordlessWednesday

    Last summer I attended Blogher 10 in San Jose. One of the highlights for me was Guy Kawasaki – social media guru and smarty pants – interviewing Arianna Huffington, who was a total breath of fresh air. She responded to his questions with razor sharp comebacks that were all sort of directed exactly where she wanted them to go. It was the most hysterical thing. She gave great responses and had everyone laughing. She was also clearly used to commanding attention in any room and she was promoting her new book Thrive. The crux of that seemed to be get…

  • family

    Hot Collector Toys for Christmas #TMMGG2014

      Mutant Mania arrived here this week and I originally thought, well this is just another trendy toy. But, then we started playing with them together, my daughter and I, and I really found myself enjoying these hot collector toys. First thing to know, these are not for teeny people under five years old or anyone who puts too many toys near their mouth. They are, however, extremely fun hot collector toys. The heads and bodies of Mutant Mania Mix and Match Wrestlers come apart and can be interchanged to make each tiny figure into something different. These are so much…

  • family

    Best Toys for Toddlers 2014: Fisher-Price Smart Stages Laugh & Learn Toys #TMMGG2014

      Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages toys have earned the first spot in my 2014 Christmas Gift Guide. Fisher-Price is a brand I love. It stands the test of time and continues to innovate. Fisher-Price has been a part of my life from the time I was a child, and as my kids have grown, it has been a constant household name. I love that Fisher-Price Little People toys are creative and special. This year the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages toys are my choice of best toys for toddlers 2014. Why are Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages toys…

  • parenting

    My Traditional Christmas Gift Guide 2014 #TMMGG2014

    Several weeks ago I announced my Gifts with Heart gift guide here on Thrifty Momma’s Tips. That Christmas gift guide 2014 is meant exclusively this year for gifts that give back to the world, or the community. Right now that means that it is dominated by World Vision Canada gifts. A gift from the catalogue there gives back to children and families living in poverty around the world. I have launched that guide and asked all my personal friends and family members to buy things such as artisan gifts from the World Vision gift catalogue. Many of my friends have informed…