Canadianladybug Reviews!

The Naturalist's Notebook

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 12:15:00 +0000

About the book

Become a more attentive observer and deepen your appreciation for the natural world. The unique five-year calendar format of The Naturalist’s Notebook helps you create a long-term record and point of comparison for memorable events, such as the first songbird you hear in spring, your first monarch butterfly sighting of summer, or the appearance of the northern lights. Biologist Nathaniel T. Wheelwright and best-selling author Bernd Heinrich teach nature lovers of all ages what to look for outdoors no matter where you live, using Heinrich’s classic illustrations as inspiration. As you jot down one observation a day, year after year, your collected field notes will serve as a valuable record of your piece of the planet. This deluxe book, with a three-piece case, gilt edges, a burgundy ribbon bookmark, and a belly band with gold foil stamping, is a perfect gift for all nature lovers.

My Thoughts

This notebook is divided into two sections - one to teach you on how to become more observant and see what the nature can show us and the 5-year calendar journal.

The first portion of the book is composed of six chapters which will help you become more attentive to your surroundings and become an observant naturalist. It will provide you with tips and tricks on how to observe the nature wherever you are and will give you some useful tools to have on hands. One specific chapter provides some ways of learning through the seasons. The first 95 pages will be instructive on how to become an observant naturalist.

Here are some examples of the pages found in the first section of the book.

The second portion of the book contains the 5-year calendar of observations. The pages are presented like the example below. You can use this notebook for a period of five years if you are dedicated in doing so every year or you could span it to every second year if you prefer to make it last longer. One thing is for sure, you need to spend time outdoors to be able to fully use this book. This notebook will allow you to track the changes happening in the natural world around you.

In conclusion, if you enjoy the outdoors and take the time to stop and observe, you will enjoy having this notebook in your backpack to jolt down your observations.

This book can be found at your favorite bookstore.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Zen Doodling

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:37:00 +0000

About the book

Today's hectic lifestyle can leave us burned out. It's no wonder that more and more people are engaging in healing activities such as yoga, meditation, and massage. Artistic expression is also a great way to de-stress. Barron's Zen Doodling, combines the calming benefits of meditation with the soothing effects of drawing for a unique new take on relaxation.

Zen doodling doesn't require any artistic training, and there's no need for special tools or equipment. With just a pen and a scrap of paper, many find that the simple repetitive nature of drawing patterns is spiritually rewarding and can boost creative confidence.

Here, professional illustrator and artist, Carolyn Scrace offers simple instructions and tons of beautiful examples that will inspire artists of all levels to get started in this unique art form. You'll find:

A range of exercises from simple patterns using lines and shapes, to more complex mandalas, portraits, and even unique personal alphabets that incorporate depth and color
Great ideas for adding a Zen touch to fabric, journals, china, glass, and more
Basic lessons on color theory, light and shade, and a helpful glossary of relevant terms

With down-to-earth language and engaging design, Zen Doodling offers a distinctive approach to artistic creativity, and a method for achieving personal serenity.

My Thoughts

I personally find it relaxing and calming to draw whenever I can. It takes time and patience to get something you have in your mind on a piece of paper. I remember doodling when I was in school on the side of my paper. Today doodling has become more sophisticated and can become a piece of art in itself. We can find numerous books on doodling on the market. Today I am writing about Zen Doodling.

The book is divided into five sections covering the basics, mandalas, how to be inspired, techniques to experiment, as well as how to use doodles daily.

The book is colorful and offers a ton of ideas to develop your doodling on the go. You will find interesting doodle exercises that will inspire you to be better at it and create your own at some point. If you love to doodle this book can definitively inspire you to expand on your doodling skills.

This book is available at your favorite bookstore.

How Food Works

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:10:00 +0000

About the book

Is red wine good for your heart? Will caffeine raise your blood pressure? How Food Works gives you answers to these and several more questions by investigating claims surrounding a variety of foods and examining them from a biological standpoint. Discover nutritional facts about the food you eat, learn the benefits of superfoods and antioxidants, and go behind-the-scenes of modern food production.

Packed with infographics and colorful images, the book delves into the science behind ways of eating including gluten-free and veganism, as well as the benefits of different diets from around the world. Turn the pages to understand why food intolerances occur, what actually makes food organic, how important sell-by dates really are, and how much salt you should really be eating.

Readers will also learn about the social and economic implications of food choices, such as eating disorders and fair-trade businesses.

Indispensable and accessible to young and old, How Food Works is the perfect health and dietary companion.

My Thoughts

This book is packed with interesting information related to food. Let's admit it sometimes it is hard to follow nutrition and dietary recommendation. Written by

The book is divided into 6 sections: Food Fundamentals, Storing and Cooking, Types of Food, Drinks, Diets, as well as Food and Environment.

Food Fundamentals: In this section, you will learn about the basics of nutrition, how hunger works, flavor, smell and taste, nutrients and much more.

Storing and Cooking: This section presents all you need to know about preservation from storing and freezing, fermentation, how food is processed, additives and how to cook food.

Types of Food: This section presents all the types of food that can be eaten and prepared.

Drinks: This section concentrates on all the different type of drinks that can accompany our meals.

Diets: Diets, what are they? How many are there? What are the differences between them? You questions are answered in this section.

Food and Environment: How does food affect our environment is explained in this portion of the book.

The text is easy to understand. The book contains numerous illustrations and graphs to help the visualization of what you read as well as understand the differences between different techniques of cooking and how food affect your body.

If you are interested in learning more about food, this book is one to explore.

The book is available at your favorite bookstore.

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for allowing me to promote their books. I was not monetarily compensated for this post . Please note that the post was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 13:25:00 +0000

This Big Fat Notebook makes it all “sink in” with key concepts, mnemonic devices, definitions, diagrams, and doodles to help you understand computer science. Perfect for Junior High; grades 7, 8 and 9.

Including:

Computing systems
Binary code
Algorithms
Computational thinking
Loops, events, and procedures
Programming in Scratch and Python
Boolean Expressions
Web development
Cybersecurity
HTML
CSS
…and more!

The Big Fat Notebook series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit―borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. Each book in the series meets Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state history standards, and are vetted by National and State Teacher of the Year Award–winning teachers. They make learning fun and are the perfect next step for every kid who grew up on Brain Quest.

My Thoughts

Similar to the other Big Fat Books on Math, Science, English, World History and American History, this book is well made and very colorful. It explains all you need to know about computer science and coding.

Each chapter is written in easy language and contains clear illustrations and explanations. Chapters end with a Check your Knowledge section which you can answer and a Check your Answers to confirm if you were right or wrong.

I really love the style in these books as they are perfect to help understand complex information linked to computer science.

This book and the other ones in the One Big Fat Notebook series are available at your favorite bookstore.

The Sickening History of Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 12:16:00 +0000

The Sickening History of Medicine books are published at Lerner Books publishing. It is a series who will take the readers through the history of medicine, using fascinating and sometimes gruesome illustration to describe ancient epidemics, early remedies, and the scientific discoveries that broght us to where we are today.

I have received four titles from this series.

Plague! Epidemic and Scourge Through the Ages

Being sick is horrible but it used to be worse. Inside this book, you will see evidence of the plagues of the past- rotting skin, dissolving lungs, and sinister swelling all over the body. Diseases like the Black Death wiped out whole towns and villages. Tuberculosis consumed young people like a bloodsucking vampire. Smallpox left its victims scarred for life - if they survived. At the time, no one knew where these killer diseases came from or how to treat them. Eventually, doctors discovered how these diseases and others were spread. Being sick isn't quite as sickening as it was in the past.

Strange Medicine, A History of Medical Remedies

It is easy to take a pill when we aren't feeling well. But did you know that the art of making medicines goes back thousands of years? Early remedies weren't always so easy - or effective. Some seemed downright disgusting. Wine infused with a venomous snake was used to cure fatigue and hair loss. Snail slime soothed burns, and a mixture of ear wax and mud treated headaches. Discover more about how medicine was practiced centuries ago and how, eventually, scientists discovered some truly amazing remedies, from the magic bullet that treated syphilis to the insulin used for diabetes.

Quacks & Con Artist, The Dubious History of Doctors

People have always needed doctors. But the doctors of the past might not look like the doctors you are used to seeing! Sometimes their healing methods were weird, disgusting, or even dangerous. Doctors in the Middle Ages sniffed patients' urine to diagnose disease, and barbers might cut off a person's injured arm or leg. The ancient Chinese fought smallpox by blowing powdered pus up the nose. Many of these old remedies turned out to be dangerous, but others paved the way for modern blood transfusions, vaccines, and anesthetics. If you're not too squeamish, read this book to learn more about the history of doctors.

Tiny Killers, When Bacteria and Viruses Attacks

Invisible microbes cause sickness by invading our bodies and multiplying. But doctors didn't always know that sickness was caused by germs. Most people thought diseases came from smelly, damp air. But over time, those ideas changed. A Dutch scientist saw bacteria through his microscope. Doctors realized that when they washed their hands, fewer people died. And a doctor in London recognized that disease could spread through contaminated water. Because of these discoveries, people eventually learned that hygiene was the key to stopping disease. Hospitals used clean surgical instruments, and cities developed trash removal and sewage systems. Learn more about the discovery and defeat of bacteria!

My Thoughts

The books are beautifully illustrated and contain fascinating information. The information found is short and direct. It is easy to read in one sitting or for reading assignments. I think they would make great starting reference book for a science assignment. I would recommend to also investigate other source of information as well.

The drawings are well made and fun to look at. These books are designed with late elementary children in mind. They are fun to read and look at. Below are examples of pages found in each of the books.

The books end with a timeline and a glossary for definitions. This series is geared for grades 3 to 6 children and is packed with interesting information about medicine. If you have a child who is interested in science particularly medicine, these would be a great series to explore.

This series can be found at your favorite bookstore.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen and Lerner Publishing Group for sending me these books for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own.

Snowpiercer - Complete Second Season

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 15:08:00 +0000

Snowpiercer - The Complete First Season

Synopsis

As Season One ended, so did the revolution, with Layton emerging as Snowpiercer's leader and another threat to the survivors fast approaching in the form of a rival train.

In Season Two, Mr. Wilford arrives, bringing a secret from Melanie's past. A new power struggle emerges causing a dangerous rift as people are divided between their loyalties to Layton and to Mr. Wilford, who has a new train, new technology and a game plan that keeps everyone guessing. While Layton battles Wilford for the soul of Snowpiercer, Melanie leads the charge over a shocking new discovery that could change the fate of humanity.

My Thoughts

I enjoy watching apocalyptical movies and television series with my husband and children. It allows us to debate on what if scenarios of multiple sorts. Whether we like it or not, I think it is good for our brain to think of how we would react and survive if something dramatic would happen on our planet.

Let me remind you that this series is a reboot of a film, The series follows the passengers of the Snowpiercer, a moving train that circle around the globe, after the planet became a frozen world. The series deal with various themes like class warfare, social injustice and politics during a time of survival.

A series like this is great to stir interesting discussions with your teenagers I find. There is so much we could glean from the episodes and the themes explored.

This BluRay contains a digital code as well as special features that are linked to the arrival of Mr. Wilford.

The series was renewed for a third season which will premiere in January 2022 and has already been renewed for a fourth season. Keep your eyes on this series as I think we will see more new twists and turns in Snowpiercer.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Falkowitz PR for sending me this book for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own.

Superman & Lois: The Complete First Season Blue-Ray and DVD

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 12:16:00 +0000

I will admit something - we do not have cable television for what seems like forever. We simply rely on Netflix, Disney+, AppleTV+ and Amazon Prime.

So I did not know about the television series entitled Superman & Lois. Yes, I know, chocking when it comes to a family who usually follow all television shows and movies from either Marvel or DC. (We are behind on some of these television shows as we do not have cable... but we do watch them.)

Anyhow, when I had the opportunity to promote the release of the Complete First Season of Superman & Lois in both Blu-Ray and DVD, I jumped on the opportunity. Even my husband was unaware of this television series.

So this American superhero drama is based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane and the series is set in the Arrowverse which means it share the continuity with the other television series of the franchise.

This is a brand new television series which premiered on February 2021 - in the midst of the pandemic. A second season was ordered and should premiere in early 2022.

Premise: Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane return to Smallville with their sons, Jonathan and Jordan, where they are reacquainted with Lana Land, her husband Kyle Cushing and their daughter Sarah. Their idyllic lives are upended when The Stranger enters as well as the secret experiments of Morgan Edge.

The Blu-Ray contains all 15 episodes from the first season in high definition as well as a digital code (US only). The 15 episodes are:

Pilot
Heritage
The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower
Haywire
The Best of Smallville
Broken Trust
Man of Steel
Holding the Wrench
Loyal Subjekts
O Mother, Where Art Thou?
A Brief Reminiscence In-Between Cataclysmic Events
Through the Valley of Death
Fail Safe
The Eradicator
Last Sons of Krypton

The special features included are:

Superman: Alien Spirit
Superman and Lois Legacy of Hope
Never Alone: Heroes and Allies
DC FanDome Panel: Superman & Lois.

One thing is for sure is that we are looking forward to watch this television series that we were not aware existed as soon as we have some time to do so.

This Blu-Ray and DVD television series, which is released on October 19th 2021, is available at your favorite store even on Amazon.

Amazon CANADA

Amazon US

Disclaimer: I have received this DVD from Warner Bros, Home Entertainment and Falkowitz PR. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

A Cinderella Story - Starstruck (DVD)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 14:50:00 +0000

A new DVD has been released last year on a familiar story to everyone - Cinderella. However, this Cinderella movie has a few twists on its own.

First of all this is a musical film set in Dreary, Idaho. It stars Bailee Madison as our modern-day heroine Finley Tremain and Michael Evans Behling as her charming remantic interest, Jackson Stone. Second, the title of the movie/musical is A Cinderlla Story: StarStruck is set in a farming community.

Synopsis: Finley Tremaine, a small-town farm girl, longs to spread her wings and soar as an aspiring performer. When a Hollywood film crew arrives in her sleepy town, she is determined to land a role in the production and capture the attention of handsome lead actor Jackson Stone. Unfortunately, a botched audition forces her to change course. Now, disguised as cowboy Huck, Finley finally gets her big break. But can she keep the charade a secret from everyone, including her evil stepmother and devious step-siblings?

This is the sixth installment in the A Cinderella Story movie series. Note that I had no clue that this was part of a series of similar titles that have been released in more recent years:

A Cinderella Story with Hilary Duff
Another Cinderella Story with Selena Gomez
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song with Lucy Hale
A Cinderella Store: If the Shoe Fits with Sofia Carson
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish with Laura Marano

The DVD also also contains special features:

1) Finley's Best Friends: Meet the Farm Animals

2) Dirt Under My Nails: The Making of A Cinderella Story: StarStruck.

If you like Cinderella type of stories, you will probably like this new movie. However, if you find there is too many of these type of movies out there, I would suggest that you find something else to watch until you are in the mood for it.

Supernatural - 15th Season DVD

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 15:05:00 +0000

Watch out Supernatural fans because the fifteenth and final season of the beloved television show is now out in Blu-Ray and DVD. Reunite wit the Winchester Brothers in this last season of the television show.

This specific season contains the final 20 epic episodes from the landmark series' final season, as well as a bonus disc loaded with over two hours of special features including the special retrospective episode Supernatural: The Long Road Home.

The Final season bonus disc is composed of the following features:

Supernatural: The End of the Road
Supernatural: Family Don't End in Blood
Gag Reel
Deleted Scenes
Supernatural: 2019 Comic-Con Panel
Winning Baby: A Supernatural Giveaway
Winchester Mythology: Midwestern Heroes
Supernatural: The Long Road Home - Special Retrospective Episode.

Easy to find at any store where you purchase your DVDs or Blu-Rays.

Reflections on the past year

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Hard to believe it has been a year already...

What am I talking about? Well a year ago I headed back to work after over 13 years of homeschooling my children.

The journey to find work started more than 2 years before that but it takes time now to get employment and I guess it was not the time to do so for me. Besides 2019 was a year of grief and I needed healing in so many different ways.

Nevertheless 2020 started and I had some interviews. In March, I was offered a position under contract at one of the universities in town. My start date was set to March 16.

Was I nervous when this date arrived? You can bet I was... so I drove to work in order to arrive for 8am. I entered the building and went where I was suppose to go. I wasn’t sure which door I needed to take but my supervisor came and asked me if I had received her message. What message I asked? Turns out that all employees were sent home because of the pandemic. Most workplace in Ontario had to respect the new COVID restrictions of the province. I stayed literally many a good 10 minutes. I had to go back home.

Throughout the week, I attended virtual meeting, did online training, slowly set up my computer at home. It took about a week to have access to everything I needed. My training for this position was done virtually.

Then a couple of months later, a coworker was going on maternity leave. I decided to apply on the position because the salary was higher. I got the position and was trained again virtually for 2 weeks before her maternity leave started. For about 2 months I juggled the responsibilities of both positions until the new employee which was taking over the first position started in August.

Today, I am reflecting on the year of busyness as I call it. These positions has brought a lot of activities in my daily work. Not only do I have to work mostly from home but at times I do have to be on site for the learning activities of the students that I am managing. COVID has thrown curve balls at us for scheduling and managing things but we have always found solutions for it. The learning activities I am in charge had to be tweaked due to restrictions in the number of people allowed in the rooms where they are held but in the end we are trying very hard to make the learning be interesting to the students.

Today I celebrate my First year being at the university and I am in awe of the blessings the Lord had poured on our family. One year ago, He has opened a door for me to get back on the market and to build up my confidence. It has been an amazing year trusting Him in so many ways. I am thankful for His presence in my life and His care for me and my family.

I am not alone. He is with me every day of the year - every single year that goes by.

Have you trusted God lately?

Sous Vide Cooking

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 21:54:00 +0000

Have you ever heard of Sous Vide Cooking? I have heard of it but never had tasted it.

According to Wikipedia, Sous Vide is the French for under vacuum. Sous Vide Cooking is known as low temperature long time cooking which is a method of cooking in which the food is place in a plastic pour and cooked in a water bath for longer than usual cooking times at a precisely regulated temperature.

Recently, I have had the opportunity to review a Sous Vide device and over the past week-end, we have cooked not once but twice with it.

The pictures included in this post show you the second meal we have made which was a roast.

We have put the roast in a plastic bag and remove the air in the bag using a vacuum sealer machine. You can also use a Ziploc bag and press carefully to remove all the air.

Afterward, we set up the Sous Vide cooking device on either a pot that can contain a large quantity of water or a Sous Vide container like this one below.

Our Sous Vide device is KitchenBoss G320 model. This one is somewhat different than other models on the market as it allows the water to circulate in the container allowing the meat to be cook equally. This model possess a color LCD allowing you to pick an already set mode or set your own mode like we did below. We have set the temperature to 140F and the cooking time to 2 hours.

Once the water has reached the desired temperature, you simply have to put your bag in the water to cook it.

Once cooked, we can cook the meat to grill it - this usually take less time that you would do usually since you already cooked it sous vide style. For the roast, we cooked it approximately for 15 minutes in the air fryer. Look at this beautiful piece of meat!

We really enjoyed both the meals we have done with the sous vide kitchen tool. This has become my husband favorite item in the kitchen apart from the air fryer.

The meat was so tender it was almost unbelievable. Everyone enjoyed their meal when we used it.

Below are the items we use for sous vide cooking:

KitchenBoss Sous Vide G320

Automatic Vacuum to remove the air

Rubbermaid 12 Quart Container

Philips Air Fryer XXL

Two items that we would like to add eventually would be:

Cover for the Rubbermaid 12 Quart Container

The rack to hold items in the Rubbermaid Container

Have you ever eaten something cooked Sous Vide? I would strongly recommend that you try it out. It is definitively an item that will be part of our lives for years to come. We look forward in discovering other type of meat to cook with this technique.

Bon Appétit!

Doom Patrol: The Complete Second Season Blu-Ray

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 14:41:00 +0000

Doom Patrol - Complete Second Season
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

DC's misfit heroes are back to save the world once again with the release of the Complete Second Season in Blu-Ray format.

You will be able to watch all 9 episodes of the second season of the original DC series and enjoy the extra features which also includes two behind-the-scenes featurettes.

In this season, Doom Patrol find themselves mini-sized and stranded on Cliff's toy race car track. They are going to deal with their feelings of betrayal with Niles Caulder aka The Chief, while confronting their own personal baggage. As each Super Hero faces the challenge of moving beyond trauma and failure, they must come together to protect the newest family member, Nile's daughter, whose powers remain a mysterious but real threat to bringing on the end of the world.

Special features:

The Transformers: Doom Patrol's Make-up FX
Doom Patrol - Come Visit Georgia PSA

This is perfect for the DC or Doom Patrol fan in your life.

This season of Doom Patrol is available in Blu-Ray or DVD at your favorite store, even on amazon.ca.

Snowpiercer - Complete First Season

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2021 15:32:00 +0000

Snowpiercer - The Complete First Season

Synopsis

Set more than seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity who inhabit a perpetually moving train, with 1001 cars, that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival play out in this riveting television adaptation based on the graphic novel series and film from Oscar® winner Bong Joon Ho (Parasite).

My Thoughts

I personally did not know about this show and reading the description of it I was curious. What I also didn't know is that this television series is also based on a movie from a 2013 South Korean-Czech film and a French graphic novel from 1982 titled Le Transperceneige.

This post-apocalyptic dystopian thriller television drama series premiered on TNT back in May 2020. It has since been renewed for a second season which will come out on January 25th, 2021.

The idea behind the series is interesting. With so many dystopian based movies and series out there, this one has definitively a unique idea. The Earth has become a frozen wasteland and the remnant of the population travels endlessly around the world in a moving train which is composed of over 1000 cars. Can you imagine living in close quarters for days on end while the outside world is an hostile environment? I suspect there will be clashes and battles that will arise for sure particularly when you know that there are classes set up and a social hierarchy is visible. How will the limited resources be allocated within the train?

Interestingly enough the series is set in the year 2021. This is close to home this time for a dystopian story. As I write this just so my future readers understand why I say this - the year 2021 has started 16 days ago and today in Ontario, Canada we are having the first snow fall of the year.

The series investigates class struggle since the passengers are segregated by wealth, social injustice, warfare and the politics of survival.

If you enjoy post-apocaliptic dystopian kind of television series, you will enjoy Snowpiercer.

Maple Syrup Cookbook

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 Dec 2020 14:03:00 +0000

Maple Syrup Cookbook
Written by: Ken Haedrich

About the Book

Maple Syrup Cookbook has convinced thousands of readers that maple syrup makes everything taste better. Now, the revised third edition of this classic cookbook features full-color photographs and a dozen of the author’s favorite new recipes. In all, the book now offers more than 100 ways to enjoy maple syrup at every meal, including Buttermilk Corn Cakes, Banana Crêpes with Maple Rum Sauce (perfect for brunch), Maple Cream Scones, Lacy Sweet-Potato Patties, Maple Bacon Strata, Curried Pumpkin-Apple Soup, Creamy Maple Fondue, Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Orange-Maple Wings, Beet and Pear Relish, Maple-Roasted Root Vegetables, Steamed Brown Bread, Maple Onion Marmalade, Hot & Spicy Shrimp Kabobs, Chicken with Maple-Mustard Glaze, and Crispy Maple Spareribs. There are barbecue sauces and salad dressings and dozens of tempting desserts, from Almond Bars and Coffee Chip Cookies to Maple Apple Pie, Maple Pecan Pie, Maple-Ginger Ice Cream, and much more. There’s even a recipe for Maple Bread-and-Butter Pickles. This is a treasure chest of delightful recipes you’ll turn to again and again.

My Thoughts

I was born and raised in Quebec - the place on earth where you can find maple syrup practically everywhere! After all Quebec is the province in Canada that produces about 9 million gallons of the maple syrup every year.

Maple syrup was part of my growing up in numerous ways - from breakfast with French bread, supper with homemade crêpes to dessert with the famous maple syrup pie my mom made on a regular basis (One of the best pie ever! Not to be confused with the sugar pie in any way.). My mother's side of the family used to have a little maple syrup production on the land they owned. I also remember visiting sugar bush places numerous times while growing up. Once we had children, we went to a private sugar bush to see how maple syrup was done thanks to a co-worker of my husband who also owned a farm with one on it.

But let's get back to the book. Most people will associate maple syrup with sweets like breakfast or dessert. But did you know that you can use maple syrup pretty much in any kind of meal of side dish?

In this stunning cookbook which is all about maple syrup, you will find recipes for breakfast and desserts for sure but also much more than just that. Here is a bird's eye view of the table of content:

Maple from Tree to Table: In this section, you will learn more about maple syrup, how it is produced, how it is graded and its taste and how does it fit in your kitchen.
Maple Mornings - Breakfast Classics, Breakfast Sweets, Breakfast Savories, and Breakfast Extras.
Beyond Breakfast - Soups & Starters, Salads & Sauces, Vegetables & Sides, Main Dishes.
Maple Sweets - Bars, Cookies & Candy, Pies & Cakes, Pudding & More.

Below are two of the recipes found in the cookbook. You must admit that there looks delicious!

Nowadays, I have cut drastically on sugar intake in my diet but I will admit to you that every once in a while a bit of maple syrup is enjoyed by yours truly. Maple Syrup is definitively part of my life and will continue to add a bit of sweet in my meals just to tease my taste buds. Having this recipe book will help to diversify the recipes using maple syrup.

Maple Syrup Cookbook is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on Amazon.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Storey Publishing for sending me this book for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own.

BookOutlet Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 14:01:00 +0000

Do you love books?

Do you know someone who would love a good book during a vacation, the Holidays or simply for pure enjoyment?

Are you the type of person who enjoys reading?

Do you want to instill the love of good books to your children?

Do you love savings so that you can purchase more books?

If you have answered 'YES' to one or more of these questions, I have the perfect place for you to shop for books in Canada!

Earlier this year I have discovered BookOutlet.ca which offers a wide variety of books at a fraction of the price that you would pay elsewhere. Granted, their selection is probably not as huge as other online stores or bookstores near your home, but if you are patient sometimes the book you are looking for will come on the list.

During Covid, I find that you also have to be more patient with certain titles. For example, my daughter waited months before being able to order some Warriors titles she was hoping to purchase. She did not want to pay full price so we waited. Recently, she passed an order for some of the titles. And because she spent over $45 of books (which by the way contained 8 books total including 2 hardcovers ones), she received free shipping.

We love shopping at BookOutlet Canada because it is a great way to purchase books for a lower price.

If you would like to discover this website, click on the logo below and you will get a $10 coupon on your first BookOutlet purchase of $25.

Enjoy your shopping on BookOutlet.ca

Disclaimer: I was not monetarily compensated for this review. I just wanted to share a great site to get books for less. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own. The link provided is an affiliate link.

Compounded Board Game

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 14:52:00 +0000

Are you an homeschool mom or a parent who is trying to make chemistry interesting to your kids? Or are you a chemistry teacher who is looking into a creative way to teach your students about compounds?

I think I might just have the game for you - COMPOUNDED.

Compounded is a game in which players take on the roles of lab managers, competing to complete the most compounds with elements that they are managing before their competitors finished - or before their lab explode.

Players can freely trade elements, lab tools, and even favors between each other.

The game is very well designed and the cardboard parts are sturdy. There is no way you can bend them (unless you use sheer force that is!). Even the cards themselves are thicker than normal playing cards in other games I have seen.

The box comes with a instruction booklet, periodic table scoreboard, lab tools, flame tokens, wild element tokens, personal fire extinguisher, 100 plastic elements, cloth element bag, wooden start player lab key, 68 compound cards, thick cardboard work benches for each player, as well as wooden player pieces with custom stickers.

The game can accommodate 2 to 5 scientists and can last from 30 to 90 minutes. This game is suggested for ages 13 and up.

Compounded is available to purchase at your favorite gaming store even on amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Dice Hate Me Games for sending me Compounded for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own.

Graphic Science Biographies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:58:00 +0000

Do you want your kids to be interested in scientists from the past? Looking for a way to make them read on the discoveries made long time ago? Search no longer as Graphic Science Biographies introduces scientists from the past in a fun way - by reading comics.

I have received three of the titles released by Lerner Publishing Group to review. The titles are Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion, Marie Curie and Radioactivity, as well as Albert Eisntein and the Theory of Relativity.

Isaac Newton's youth was marked by constant curiosity. As he began a life of research and experiments, he turned this curiosity into major insights about the working of Earth and the universe. He even developed three laws to explain the motions of objects. This graphic biography moves from Newton's childhood inventions to the breakthrough theories of his adult life. It also spotlight his time at England's Royal Mint, where he combated counterfeiting, and Newton's gift of knighthood from Queen Anne.

At the start of the twentieth century, Marie Curie, a Polish physicist and chemist, stunned the scientific world. Her research led to the discovery of two elements, polonium and radium. She also examined the most unusual property of these elements: radioactivity. This graphic biography follow Curie from her early life in Poland to her scientific education in France. It also spotlights her work with Pierre Curie and her efforts to treat wounded soldiers during World War I.

Albert Einstein's restless intelligence drove him to ponder the biggest topics the universe has to offer: light, time, mass, energy, and more. His conclusions changed the way people thought about the laws of physics. But first, he had to pass his university entrance exams. This graphic biography traces Einstein's path from his home country of Germany to his studies in Switzerland to his time in the United States. It also follows his life as an international scientific celebrity and his refusal to stay silent in the face of anti-Semitism.

These books are fun to read and will allow you to discover more about scientists from the past. I have enjoyed the drawings and the colorful panels through the pages of these books. I personally found that it is an ingenious way to present the life of scientists in order for kids to learn more about them. At the end of the books, you will also find a timeline, a glossary as well as a list of further resources to expand your knowledge.

These books are available at amazon.ca or any other bookstore.

Phonics Comics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:15:00 +0000

Phonics Comics have an innovative way of encouraging children to read and practicing their phonics at the same time. Thanks to fun stories your child will be practicing reading while reading comics.

Phonics Comics have three levels of readers.

Level 1 - Easy Readers contain easy-to-sound words, introduce long and short vowels, possess simple sentences as well as strong picture clues and introduce beginning sight words.
Level 2 - Developing Readers contains long and short vowels, varied consonant combinations, longer sentences and introduce the reader to intermediate sight words.
Level 3 - Confident Readers contain multisyllabic words and more advance vocabulary, complex vowel sounds, more challenging storylines as well as advanced sight words.

I have received the following two books to review.

As you can see the comics are bright and colorful. The text is easy to read as well.

I find these very interesting for kids who are learning to grasp reading on their one. The images will allow them to stay connected to the story. Being a visual type of person myself I can see that this can help a young child to stay interested in the story. Each book I have received contained 3 stories.

There is about 24 pages per book. At the end of the book, you will have a list of story words as well as a light of sight words.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me these books for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own.

Eyewitness DVDs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 May 2020 12:13:00 +0000

Through the years I had the privilege to present a wide variety of Eyewitness DVDs on this blog. The Eyewitness DVDs would be great in this time of social distancing to allow your kids to learn on specific subjects like plant, insect, ocean, birds and so on.

I have two other ones that I would like to present this morning.

EYEWITNESS DVD INSECT

Like it or not during our spring, summer and fall seasons (at least in Canada anyways) we are surrounded but a wide range of insects. Discover a world of creatures that are industrious, sociable, and environmentally useful. Unfortunately for some of them, we do not have the patience to have them around us buzzing constantly in our ears.

But there is much to learn on these creatures. This DVD will allow you to explore the wonders of the insect world through macro photography and 3-D graphics. You will observe a queen wasp building her nest, a caterpillar devouring a leaf, a damselfly nympho emerging as an adult and so much more.

EYEWITNESS DVD WEATHER

Weather is something we experience day after day in life. Sunshine. Rain. Snow. These are only a sample of what weather is. Sometimes it can be deadly like lighting, extreme winds, hail...

This DVD takes you on a tour of Earth's turbulent atmosphere and reveals the forces that make our day a nice one or a disastrous one.

Conclusion

Both of these DVD can make a wonderful unit study for your kids when learning from home - whether you are a veteran homeschooler or a new one (voluntarily or not due to Covid-19).

Each DVD are about 25 minutes in length and are packed with information that is interesting and educative at the same time.

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me these DVD for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own.

Kraft Dinner Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 11:50:00 +0000

So with the self-isolation that we are living these days my kids have decided to put together a blog and YouTube channel that will present you a variety of recipes that you can do with Kraft Dinner.

The idea and leadership of this endeavor comes from our oldest son, Alexandre, who has decided to use their skills in making original recipes using Kraft Dinner with the use of technology - video, YouTube and blogging - in order to offer ideas in using a well known product on the market and creativity for making meals.

On his blog - https://kraftdinnerrecipes.blogspot.com/ - he already has three recipes posted.

Check his message below and do not hesitate to follow his YouTube channel and blog.

Enjoy and as we say in French - Bon Appétit!

I Still Believe Movie Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 23:30:00 +0000

Recently, my family had the privilege to preview the movie I Still Believe from the comfort of our home. The theatrical release is coming soon as it will be in theaters in Canada on March 13, 2020.

What is the movie all about?

From the creators of I Can Only Imagine comes an inspiring love story for the ages. It is the true life story of Christian music mega star Jeremy Camp. Jeremy's remarkable journey of love and loss proves there is always hope in the midst of tragedy and that faith tested is the only faith worth sharing.

I Still Believe stars K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson, Melissa Roxburgh, Shania Twain, Gary Sinise, and Nathan Parsons.

Our Thoughts

When we saw this movie, it was during a week-end. We usually do a family movie time during the week-ends. Unfortunately, my oldest son was working that day and he was not able to see it with us. Sometimes, it is not always possible to have the whole family together when an opportunity like this comes.

I have read the memoir of Jeremy Camp a while back so I knew a bit of the story behind I Still Believe. I knew of the love story and the diagnostic, the struggles and the grief, the hope and the faith. I won't go too much into details because it would ruin the movie for you. But seeing it with my eyes and witnessing the story through the movie was simply touching and my emotions were stirred.

I think the love story in this movie is simply beautiful and awe inspiring for young people. It showed commitment and faith throughout the story. It is the kind of movie that you would want to watch again.

In conclusion, I seriously think that I Still Believe is a movie that is worth watching. It is clean, inspiring and thought provoking in many ways. Faith is prominent in it and it can show people that even hard things happens in life, you can still believe in God.

The movie open in theaters on March 13, 2020. It will be playing in Ottawa at both Landmark Cinemas - Kanata and Orleans. To discover more places where the movie will be shown in Canada please visit https://www.istillbelievefilm.ca/.

Oh! And do not forget some tissues because if you are like me you will need them.

GIVEAWAY!!!!

I have one pass (2 tickets) to go see the movie for someone to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Thanks to Faithfilms.ca and Graf-Martin for allowing me to preview the movie for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinion expressed here are only my own.

Shape+Store Burger Master

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:13:00 +0000

We used to purchase our burger patties at Costco and have ground beef patties in our freezer at all time. But with the price of beef that keeps going higher we have switched to ground pork. However, I dislike making burger patties by hand because they are never the same size. One day, my husband decided to purchase the Shape+Store Burger Master to see how it would work.

Burger Master is a silicone device that allows you to shape your burger patties so that you can freeze them rapidly in the perfect shape. The shape looks like a beehive.

All you have to do is purchase your meat and add the spices you desire to put in order to add flavor to your burger patties. Then with your hands (washed!) you push the meat inside the bottom section in order to fill it up

Once you are done, you simply put the top portion over and push it in order to divide the burger patties in the silicone container. Make sure that the top is properly pushed in on all sides.

And then all you have to do is put the Shape+Store Burger Master in your freezer in order to freezer your newly made burger patties.

We originally purchase two Burger Masters but since then we have purchased two other ones in order to make more burger patties for our family of six people. These stack nicely in the freezer and barely take any space whatsoever. I love the flexibility of making my own burgers and have different flavor too. I highly recommend the Burger Master for an easy way to make your own burger patties.

Shape+Store makes different containers for different purposes. As you have seen the Burger Master allows you to make delicious burger patties. They also have containers to make meatballs as well as one for separating the cookie dough into portions to make individual cookies.

You can find the products from Shape+Store at Amazon.ca as well as Amazon.com.

Burgers

Meatballs

Cookies

Disclaimer: I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Polti Magico AG100

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 18:48:00 +0000

So yesterday my husband received an item he had ordered on Amazon. At first I was wondering what it was because... well it looked like a squeegee in a way but more bulky if you see what I mean.

You see we have a bit of an issue with windows that fog up and drip during the winter. Seeing as we were painting and wanted to find a solution for this, he decided to investigate on what could be use to help us manage this tiny problem. We had been using towels during the winter but they get soaked quite rapidly and end up having a ton of towels to wash on a weekly basis.

So he found this device which can be used to help you wash the windows and suck up the water after cleaning them. If it works for this why not for the water on our windows? So this morning I tried it on the window in our ensuite bathroom.

As you can see the water was sliding down this morning.

So I proceeded to use this interesting device to see if it will do the job that it is suppose to do. For proof I have included a video below.

And it does the job!!! Within a minute, the ensuite bathroom window was clear of all the water and I could see clearly through it.

I even did our big window in our bedroom and the view was perfect as well.

I am very impressed with the Polit Magico AG100. It possess a plug so I ca recharge it whenever the battery is depleted.

The Polti Magico AG100 is available for purchase through amazon.ca as well as amazon.com.

Disclaimer: I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Beyblade Burst Turbo SlingShock Cross Collision Battle Set

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 16:47:00 +0000

I remember the days where my kids would play with Beyblade in their rooms. They would make up competition and enjoy playing together. Now they are all grown up...

However, today I am presenting you a new Beyblade product that can be found on the market. Introducing the Beyblade Burst Slingshock Cross Collision Battle set which includes a Beystadium as well two slingshock battling tops and their launchers.

Head-to-head battles are sure to clash in this new version of a somewhat classic toy for kids. This particular version has a twist under its sleeve so to speak - you will need to download an app. Scan the code on the Beyblade Burst Slingshock tops energy layers and cross collision Beystadium to unleash each in the Beyblade Burst app.

You can also customise your top's energy layer and choose your spin direction with a combination of energy layers and direction-changing chips. In all you can have eight possible combinations.

Beyblade is a toy geared for 8 years and up old boys and girls. So nothing stops mom, dad, uncles an aunts to have fun with the kids this Christmas season!

The app is available for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch as well as select Android devices. You will need to have the iOS 8 or later for the Apple devices.

The box contains the Beyblade Burst Slingshock right-spin top, left-spin top, direction-changing chips, right/left-spin launchers, Cross Collision Beystadium and instructions.

The Beyblade Burst Turbo SlingShock is available for purchase at your favorite store, even on Amazon (Canada and US).

Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

NERF Megalodon (N-Strike Mega)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 16:22:00 +0000

Hasbro has new NERF Blasters on the market and one of them is called the Megalodon. It is part of the N-Strike MEGA line of NERF Blasters that Hasbro has created.

As you can see the Megalodon possesses a rotating drum which can hold up to 20 NERF Mega darts. This special toy blaster will permit you to have plenty of firepower in your NERF battles with friends.

All you will have to do is crank the handle back and forth and pull the trigger to launch 1 dart at a time, or unleash all 20 of them rapidly with the slam-fire action.

This mega firing power will shoot darts up to 25 meters (85 feet for my American readers). What could resist against this machine?

This blaster comes with 20 darts as well as instructions. These darts are especially designed in order to make a whistling sound as they fly through the air. Official NERF darts are tested and approved for performance and quality.

Designed for ages 8 and up. However, by extremely cautious when using it as you want to avoid injuries. Do not aim at the eyes or face of your opponent. Also, it is strongly recommended to use only the darts designed for this product.

Our church sometimes put on NERF nights for the kids and my own children often bring their own NERF blasters to compete during that night. They have different activities that can be done from battles between two camps to challenges to demonstrate skills.

NERF has been part of the life of my children since they could hold a blaster. They made great memories with them whether at home or at church during the NERF nights.

This Christmas bring a little excitement in the life of your kids (or dad as well) and get them the NERF Megalodon blaster.

The NERF Megalodon blaster is available for purchase at your favorite store, even on amazon (Canada and US).