SwankMama

Spring Break Staycation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 18:54:00 +0000

Ahhhh, Spring Break. It's like a love/hate relationship, right? It always starts out feeling like a vacation and by the start of the second week, you're wishing you could drop your kids off at school, haha!

All kidding aside, I actually long for the days off I get with the kids because hubby and I usually work for the majority of the break. This year, we took off the last couple days of the second week and decided to make the most of our 'staycation'.

First on our list? One of our favourite attractions on the west coast: Science World!

Being at Science World brings back so many memories of my childhood and, while its been renovated since then, a few of the original exhibits are still being featured (remember those science demonstrations on the main floor, or that majestic treehouse on the upper level, or that structure that takes photos of your shadow?). It's such an amazing feeling to be able to share those experiences with my own children and also see first-hand how Science World has evolved since then.

I'd say you could typically get through all of the exhibits and shows within 3-4 hours. However, if you're a visitor to the city, you may want to spend an entire day there to make sure you have ample time to get the full Science World experience - which will probably include a showing at the largest OMNIMAX dome screen in the world (tickets available here)!

Our favourite part of Science World? The feature exhibition never fails to impress - the Science of Ripley's Believe It or Not! was pretty amazing in a weird/gross/cool way that you'd expect from Ripley's Believe It or Not! Can you believe there was a man that was nearly 9 feet tall??! It was pretty insane to see "him" in person and Zoë was more than willing to take advantage of a quick photo op:

The other galleries that were amazing (not to mention informative) was BodyWorks and the Wonder Gallery, which is geared towards ages 0-5. You should also be prepared to spend a majority of time in Eureka! - an interactive playground that's seriously fun for all ages.

Next up on our staycation intinerary was Western Canada's largest indoor carnival, PlayDome at BC Place!

As the kids get older, this place seems to get more and more fun. Both of them are at the age where they truly enjoy the rides and the joy on their faces.....well, we all live for that, right? Fast forward to a week later and Jadon is still talking about his "exhilarating" experience on the Hellavator (I think he used the words "scary" and "terrifying", which means it was that good!) and how he couldn't stop shaking afterwards (see it was that good!).

PlayDome is a fun Spring Break event for the entire family that is geared more towards school-aged kids (in my opinion).

We also checked out the Vancouver International Auto Show, which turned out to be Jadon's "best day ever". I'll post more about that on the blog later, but for now, here's a little sneak peak:

Finally, we ended our Spring-cation at the Vancouver Aquarium. It seems every time we go to the aquarium, we end up discovering something new!

My tips for the aquarium? Be prepared to spend time at each exhibit and gallery searching for those little and big fish, mammals and creatures. You never know where they might be hiding!

Our favourite galleries would have to be the Graham Amazon Gallery (where you actually feel like you've stepped into an Amazon rainforest) and Treasures of the BC Coast. For kids 0-8 years old, make sure you check out Clownfish Cove - an interactive play area which explores the oceans around us. Speaking of Clownfish Cove, don't forget to check out the Canaccord Financial Exploration Gallery which houses the informative 4-D Theatre that's suitable for all ages!

While we initially didn't plan much for Spring Break this year, it's obvious that we didn't waste any time either! A lot of our daily activities were last minute decisions - just the way we've always lived our lives. I've always been a huge believer that spontaneity keeps life interesting and definitely not boring at all. Oh, and we managed to squeeze in a birthday party, Easter egg hunts and a trip to the movie theatre. Needless to say, I may need a vacation from our Spring-cation, haha!

What was the most memorable moment of your kids' Spring Break? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

Disclosure: Our family received complimentary entrance tickets to Science World, PlayDome and the Vancouver Aquarium in exchange for this blog review post and social media posts. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Science World, PlayDome, BC Place or the Vancouver Aquarium and/or their associates.

Super Car Obsessed with the Vancouver International Auto Show + a Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 20:23:00 +0000

I'm not sure what it is about eight year old boys, but are they all 'super car' obsessed?! It seems the only conversations I have with my son nowadays is whether I prefer a Bugatti over a Lamborghini - literally from the moment we wake up to the minute he falls asleep. Actually, I think this obsession started years ago now that I think of it:

What he doesn't know is that we're taking him to the Vancouver International Auto Show next week. I can't wait to see his face when he finally sees all of his dream super cars under one roof!

The 98th Vancouver International Auto Show returns Wednesday, March 28 - Sunday, April 1, 2018 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Tickets are available here or you could win your way in with us! (hint: BCAA members get a special discount)

{Win It!}

The Vancouver International Auto Show is generously giving one of my readers a chance to win 4 entrance tickets to the Auto Show (valid any day from March 28 - April 1, 2018)! To enter, please follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only and ends on Monday, March 26, 2018 at 9pm PST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of the Vancouver International Auto Show, Vancouver Convention Centre and/or their affiliates. We received a tickets to the Auto Show in order to complete this announcement post. Note that SwankMama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen at random.

Keeping Your Family Safe with BlackboxMyCar + a Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 17:27:00 +0000

And just like that, Christmas is another year away! The kids are happy, multiple trips to the mall are a thing of the past, and I can finally put my feet up and binge watch Ray Donovan, haha!

Life is great.

Over the past few weeks, I've been testing out my new Thinkware F100 dash cam from BlackboxMyCar. To be completely honest, I never thought I would be writing a post about a dash cam and initially struggled with how I would engage my readers about a car accessory that wasn't on the top of my Christmas list. That thought quickly passed, as it become completely clear why I would need a dash cam in the first place - my kids!

As with any parent, my kids' safety is my number one priority and something that I would never compromise. I don't know about you, but I've noticed over the years that other drivers seem to be taking risks and not paying attention like they used to. I often wonder if the main factor of that is distracted driving and the need to be connected at all times via our smartphones and electronics. The one thing that has really left me speechless lately is that people seem to be confused about what to do when an emergency vehicle is trying to pass! All of these factors combined with the fact that my oldest child will be driving in about eight years (OMG!) is causing slight anxiety, but I feel that having a dash cam or equivalent would put my mind at ease when the time does come.

The fact that I now have added security with my Thinkware F100 dash cam gives me piece of mind that if anything should happen, I would have the evidence needed to prove my case. It also enters parking mode when I'm away from my car and continues to film any incidents, such as potential break-ins or hit and runs, making my source of transportation safe and secure.

About Thinkware F100

The new Thinkware F100 is one of the most affordable Full HD/HD dual-channel dash cam systems on the market. It features Full HD 1080P video recording with a 135 degree wide angle glass elements lens and a Sony Exmore CMOS Sensor, as well as option GPS, built-in parking mode and G-sensor, expandable memory size and loop recording.

My favourite feature? Piece of mind that my vehicle and family are safe, plus the convenience of loop recording. This means that I don't have to buy a bigger memory card and I can save any incidents in a separate folder with a touch of a button before uploading videos to my computer.

About BlackboxMyCar

BlackboxMyCar was founded in 2012 by Alex Jang, after he had a personal experience in a motor vehicle accident where the other party denied responsibility, and is now North America's leading dash cam supplier. Aside from selling the top dash cams on the market, BlackboxMyCar also provides convenient installation services - something I highly recommend as their team is very knowledgeable and professional, and they'll have your dash cam installed within an hour.

{Win It!}

The generous team at BlackboxMyCar is giving one of my readers their very own Thinkware F100 dash cam (a $169.99 CAD value)! To enter, please follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only and ends on January 31, 2018.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of BlackboxMyCar and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation from BlackboxMyCar in order to complete this review. Note that SwankMama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen at random.

Photo credit: JamPR

Shopping with Ford's Active Park Assist

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 20:38:00 +0000

Pinch me because I refuse to admit that the holiday season is amongst us! A couple weeks ago, I had the honour of partnering up with Ford again to drive their Explorer for the week while navigating the busy Black Friday crowds searching for their holiday bargains. I remember telling myself that I had to get out and do the craziness in person - not only because I live for chaos, but because I just HAD to try out Ford's Active Park Assist feature.

What Is Active Park Assist?

Active Park Assist is basically an assistant for parallel parking. As a seasoned driver, I wasn't sure how I felt about the feature at first and it felt a little weird letting a computer do the driving for me. My first attempt went smoothly until the car was in the process of straightening itself out. My natural reaction was to reach for the steering wheel to position the SUV in place, but my Active Park Assist(ant) wanted nothing to do with that! You see, as soon as you touch the steering wheel, it disables Active Park Assist and you're basically on your own again and have to park it "old school".

I love the idea of using Active Park Assist for the purpose of maneuvering the Explorer into cramped parking spots - especially during the holiday season when parking is a premium! It takes away the stress of the trip to the mall with two young kids knowing that my trusty assistant is looking out for me and my car, haha! Also, I normally drive a standard sized sedan, so having the piece of mind that I could use this feature with the Explorer if I need to squeeze it into a tight spot.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to capture a video of myself using Active Park Assist (it was a busy week!), but feel free to watch the Ford video below for an inside look at how you can use Active Park Assist to back into a parking spot!

Have you tried Ford's Active Park Assist feature? I'd love to know what you think about it in the comments below!

xo Kristina

Back to School

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 22:10:00 +0000

Back to school.

It was almost as if it wasn't really happening. I've been pushing this day to the back of my mind for over a year now - not only because my youngest is entering Kindergarten, but because it's been a loooonnnng ride getting there.

To make a long story short, the past year has been riddled with anxiety for me just thinking about Zoë going to the big school. I know I'm in the same boat as most parents with kids going to Kindergarten, but this was a first for me. With Jadon, I was like "bye, see ya" (and that's pretty much how the drop-off went with him this morning LOL). With Zoë, it was "will she have support?", "how will she be able to keep up with her classmates?" and "what will her mode of transportation be when the entire class ventures to the local park?".

I've spent close to a year gathering Zoë's doctors' and therapists' reports, and submitting them to her school. Out of pure luck, our Vice Principal is also our learning assistance coordinator and very well versed with cases of muscular dystrophy. When she told me this, it was as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could really concentrate on the other little things of getting a child prepared for their first big day. Of course, the preparation would still be different from my experience when Jadon was entering Kindergarten, but at least I had that piece of mind that Zoë was going to have the support she requires and the understanding that I so desperately hoped for.

I could go on and on about the rollercoaster of emotions that's plagued me in the past year, but that can wait until a later post. Let's get right into the part where Zoë is Zoë and she's been waiting over two years to join her big bro and his friends at the big school!

With the help of Sport Chek, the kids were absolutely spoiled with back-to-school gear for their first day (insert raised hand emojis):

Honestly, Sport Chek has always been my go-to, one-stop shop for all things sports, fitness, back-to-school, Father's Day... you name it! As a working mom, it's extremely convenient for me to stop at one store (especially when I have that long ride home ahead of me!) and be able to grab whatever the kids need for back-to-school shopping gear, as well as pick up anything that hubby and I may need.

A huge thanks to my Sport Chek fam for spoiling me AND the kids with back-to-school gear! Jadon can't get enough of his never-ending Under Amour backpack - that thing is like a bottomless pit and perfect for our newly-minted grade three-er!

xo,
kristina

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Sport Chek and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation from Sport Chek in order to complete this review.

Experiences

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 17:55:00 +0000

As the kids grow older and our house becomes more saturated with stuff, I've come to the conclusion that experiences are far more valuable than material items. The anxiety that plagues me on a daily basis when I get home after a long day of work and see the overwhelming sea of toys and junk the kids have collected over the years is almost unbearable. I'm so tired, I don't even bother with it. And then by the end of the week, it's OUT. OF. CONTROL.

And repeat.

Okay, so this post may sound like it's leading into a 'how to organize your life' post or a 'DIY toy storage' post but, no, it's none of the above. This post is all about experiences - one that we took our kids to last weekend that has been a yearly tradition dating as far back as I can remember!

Whenever our kids are given the chance to experience something, I've found that the need for conversation opens up and they end up learning (and retaining!) from their experience and using those tools towards their daily realities. It also makes for some very interesting morning commute debates!

Last weekend, we had the chance to take Jadon and Zoë to the first Honda Celebration of Light fireworks show of the year and watch it in style from the amazing (and very convenient) YVR Observation Deck. Compared to last year where we arrived early and were able to take in the pre-firework festivities, this year we were running late due to some home renovation work. Thankfully for us, it didn't really matter what time we got to the beach - our seats were reserved! The only drawback was that it was dusk and I missed out on the natural light (photo wise). Ah, the life of a blogger!

While we didn't get any blog worthy photos of ourselves on the YVR Observation Deck this year, we definitely had the time of our lives (hopefully you were able to catch the action on my Instastories - @swankmama!). The kids slept SO good that night and recounted their experience multiple times the following day and during our Monday morning drive in the city. There's nothing like a little bit of firework magic to spark that imagination!

On your way to the fireworks tomorrow? There's still some 'save your spot' options to watch the show in style!

xo,
kristina

Disclosure: The opinions and views in this post are my own and does not reflect that of Honda Celebration of Light or the YVR Observation Deck and/or their affiliates. We received complimentary tickets to the YVR Observation Deck in exchange for a review post.

Celebration of Lights from the YVR Observation Deck

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 07:15:00 +0000

Just when you thought summer couldn't get any better, Vancouver's much-loved yearly tradition is just around the corner! I have many memories of watching the Celebration of Light over the years - from when I was a young child making my way through the crowds with my parents to my teenage years when I made the trek downtown via the SkyTrain with my first cup of spiked Slurpee from 7-Eleven (don't tell me you've never tried it!) to enjoying the show with my own kids and creating new memories of the magical "fire in the sky" show.

Last year we had the time of our lives of watching the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks show from the (very) family-friendly YVR Observation Deck:

I can't rave enough about how amazing our experience was watching the show from the YVR Observation Deck and, next weekend, we get to do it all over again! Everything about it was geared towards families and people who want to watch the fireworks up close and personal, but also have their personal space. Here are some of the amenities you have to look forward to when you snag your exclusive tickets to the observation deck:

reserved seating (perfect if you have younger kids or are running late!)
access to a cash bar and food service (yaassssss!!)
dedicated washroom facilities
all-ages licensed area, with an alcohol-free zone upon request (we definitely won't be requesting that, haha!)
background music and fireworks soundtrack broadcast during the show
wheelchair accessible

Tickets are $49 plus applicable fees and are available for purchase via TicketLeader for the July 29th, August 2nd and August 5th shows.

Hope to see you there!

xo,

kristina

Roughin' It

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 23:07:00 +0000

You guys!! I just did something that I haven't done since I was 18, maybe 19.

C A M P I N G

Or maybe it was more like GLAMPING, but that's okay. At first when I was asked by my good friend and her hubby if I wanted to go camping with them, my first reaction was nope. There was no way I was going to spend my summer with the very bugs I despised, in the woods completely cut off from the world and the possibility of (gasp!) no showers.

Welcome to #firstworldproblems.

In the end, it didn't take long for them to convince me that it would be an amazing experience for my kids, and then my kids chimed in, "Let's go, let's go!" and that was the end of that. We were going camping!

All I had to do was sit back and wait of the start of summer. My friends were taking care of everything - booking the campsite, getting the food and drinks, and making sure the kids would be entertained for four days. Jadon had been excitedly talking about our camping trip for the most part of June (his teacher said that's all he talked about for the last two weeks of school) and Zoë just couldn't wait to sleep in a tent.

Okay, so we did have a few things that we needed to round up for our camping trip. First things first, I secured an amazing ride from Ford Canada (we loved our experience last year!) - a Ford Edge Titanium. It has all the bells and whistles that a busy parent, like myself, needs with a growing family. There's enough room in the trunk for hockey gear, camping gear, everyday gear and everything gear, as well as many safety features that give this busy mama a piece of mind.

Last year I raved about the Intelligent Access key fob - as long as the key is in your pocket or purse and you're within a couple feet from the car, the door unlocks by itself (I repeat, BY ITSELF!!), leaving you with two hands to wrangle your active toddler or the 500 bags of groceries. The MyKey® Safety System is also a great feature for those of you with older kids that are just learning how to drive and allows for owners to restrict certain features to promote better driving habits.

For those of you that have travelled the Sea to Sky Highway, you probably know that the stretch of road from Vancouver to Squamish (and Whistler) is full of twists and turns. This is where the Driver Assist features come into play, including Enhanced Active Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control (I didn't have a chance to try this because, buttons, but perhaps next time), Lane-Keeping System (the best!), Adaptive Steering (also the best!) and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive. Just to feel these features being activated while driving the Sea to Sky gave me the extra piece of mind that my family would be safe and sound should anything happen.

Back to camping prep. While we did have everything planned for us, I did end up spending the day before searching for camping gear over the course of 7-8 hours (a huge thanks to my bro who tagged along and helped entertain the kids while I wandered aimlessly from store to store LOL). I just wanted to make sure I didn't forget anything. Must be that Type A personality or something. I swear I'm half Type A and half Type B (yes, I totally just Googled it).

Fast forward to the actual days we were camping and I felt like I was in a dream. A good one. I had a few chefs on one side and a few babysitters on the other. The beers were flowing and once the kids went to bed, so did the shots. We roasted marshmallows nightly, had gourmet meals (and even maybe a BBQ fire LOL), attempted a failed beach day (even at 35 degrees Celsius, the wind made it seem more like 20 degrees), braved the cold showers and fought off an endless army of mosquitoes.

And repeat.

And repeat.

This was pretty much my life for the next four days and I was loving it. I was relaxed with no care in the world (Type B), but was also intent on making sure the kids went to bed (sort of) on time (Type A).

The conclusion? WE CANNOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR'S CAMPING TRIP!!!!

THE END.

kristina xo

Photo credit (partial): Modern Fort

This Is Eight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 23:51:00 +0000

To say that summer is finally here is an understatement! We were hit with a heat wave over the weekend and totally unprepared (I'm sitting here writing this post at the mercy of my rotating fan - enough said). We also celebrated a pretty special day on Saturday - Jadon's eighth birthday!!

I still can't believe my baby is 8. He woke up telling me how he felt so much older and possibly a little taller, haha! Oh, buddy, just you wait! We had a pretty hectic day ahead of us, as we scheduled his party on his actual birthday. Everything was running smoothly until we had to wait for hubby to get ready (anyone who knows Gary, knows).

Anyways, one traffic jam later and (only) a half hour late to his own party, we finally showed up at a local trampoline park, Extreme Air Park. Jadon has been dying to have his party there ever since his older sister's birthday a few years ago and, coincidently, we were just there for a birthday party a couple weeks ago.

Here's a few tips to know about having a party at Extreme Air Park:

fill out your waivers before the party
arrive early (like 30 minutes before your jump time). This will give everyone time to check in and have the front desk organize payment, etc.
make sure you count and keep track of your Extreme Air Sox as they are given to you
ensure that your entire party has their Air Sox and time tags (a sticker with the time that they're allowed to jump until)
bring a cooler filled with ice for any items that need to be kept cold (eg: ice cream cakes, drinks, etc.), as you won't have access to your party room until the allotted time
bring a water bottle for the kids. They'll be active for most of their jump time and they tend to get tired/thirsty fairly quickly!
kids 5 and under need to have a paid parent to supervise
make sure you let the Extreme Air Park team know the final number of your party to ensure that they reserve a room catered to your party size
have fun!

Overall, the kids had a blast! If you're looking for a place to tire your kids out, this is it! With 42,000 square feet of trampolines and activities, including 3D dodgeball, zero gravity basketball, half pipe and a huge foam pit, there's definitely something for everyone (adults included!).

After the party, we headed over to the Dragon Boat Festival in False Creek to hang out with the family. Then, we were homebound so Jadon could finally open up his presents. Ah, the life of an eight year old!

xo,

kristina

A Father's Day Experience + a Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 07:22:00 +0000

Isn't it amazing how life comes around full circle once we "grow up"? Way back when, I remember thinking about how uncool my parents were and how they didn't know anything (because teenagers know EVERYTHING, haha!). Now I know that they were just trying to raise us, teach us morals and give us the foundations we would need to tackle this thing called life. There are certain things that I've had to figure out myself, but I know my parents did the best they could.

As I raise my two kids, I realize just how much my dad did for us on a daily basis. From the time I was five years old, I was a competitive gymnast. This meant many practices, gymnastic meets, volunteer hours and commitment - not just from myself, but from my dad. His shifts at work changed quite often (mornings, days, nights), but he always made sure he was present when he could be. If he wasn't working, he was driving me wherever I needed to be or he was at the bingo hall volunteering or at the bottle drive, car wash, selling raffle tickets / chocolate almonds / his life (?) - you name it! And let's not get started on those late night pick ups at 12:15am when my shift ended at my local grocery store at 16/17 years old (poor Dad!).

Whatever I needed, I knew I could always rely on Dad.

I initially intended to document a day of experiences with my Dad for this post, but we ended up running behind and didn't get to meet up until later in the evening. Despite the change of plans, we were able to score Dad (and hubby) an in-store experience and new fit gear from Sport Chek!

Dad is normally a fairly laid back guy, so (as you can imagine) he was completely out of his element when I told him he was going on a shopping spree. I just assumed he knew why we were meeting up, but when I told him he could get something for himself, he was beyond himself (growing up, Dad would always say by 'assuming' you're making an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me' - typical Dad joke, I know)!

We browsed around the shoe department and tried to make Dad 'cooler' by making him try on a pair of Pure Boosts, but that kind of failed haha! I could tell hat he wast trying to convince himself that he truly needed another pair of runners. After circling the store a few more times, Dad received a Fitbit lesson from one of the electronics specialists and he was sold! Nothing like a little nudge and a challenge from his daughter (did you know that you can 'challenge' your friends through the Fitbit app?). And off he went with his new Fitbit Charge 2!!

Since Sport Chek is our go-to shop for Father's Day gifts, I've put together some budget friendly gift ideas for the amazing dad / grandfather / step-dad / special man in your life just in time for the big day!

{win it!}

Father's Day is just around the corner and Sport Chek is generously offering one of our Canadian readers a chance to win a $75 gift card to help out with those gifts for Dad! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only and ends Friday, June 16, 2017 at 9pm PST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Sport Chek and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation from Sport Chek in order to complete this review. Note that SwankMama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen at random.

Unleash Creativity with The WayZoo Colouring Book

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 08:14:00 +0000

Being a working mother, blogger, personal stylist, nurse, cook, housekeeper, personal assistant, dictator (okay, a mom), I constantly get asked how I do it all. Well, I don't. My time at work is a vacation and without the support from my extended family (namely my mother-in-law and my brother), there's no way both hubby and I could do this parenting thing.

All the while, I'm fighting this continuing battle with technology - both with myself and my kids. Our consistent rule is no electronics at the dinner table or during the nightly bedtime routine. These are the times when real conversations happen. I'm also trying to incorporate more arts and crafts into my children's lives - colouring being one of them.

When the popular online furniture and décor site Wayfair.ca reached out to me about their new free printable colouring book, The WayZoo, I hoped onto the creativity train immediately. Ever since Zoë was old enough to hold a crayon, she was busy expressing her feelings and imaginative nature through her drawings, and ever so careful to stay within the lines when colouring (now, not so much, but definitely pretty impressive for a two year old at the time). After printing The WayZoo Colouring Book on our home printer, the kids were able to choose which pages they wanted to splash colour on and Zoë got to torment her older brother by drawing her little stick figures all over his finished products. Ah, the benefits of being the youngest!

So, as your kids are channeling their inner Picasso's, make sure you submit their artistic creations to Wayfair.ca for a chance to win one of five art supply prize packs including an easel, chalk, markers and paint!

HURRY!! Contest ends Monday, March 6, 2017 and is open to legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec).

Disclosure: All opinions in this post are my own and is in no way sponsored by WayFair.ca. The contest is separate from SwankMama and SwankMama has no legal obligation to fulfil the contest.

xo,

kristina

Winter Refresh with Garnier Whole Blends

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 17:29:00 +0000

Disclosure: Although this post has been generously sponsored by Garnier Whole Blends, the opinions and language are my own.

Every Mom can attest to this, I’m sure: a 10-minute shower is like a brief, but long vacation. You shut the door in hopes of getting those precious few minutes to yourself and pray that you won’t be interrupted by those little fists banging at the door screaming, “Mommy! MOMMY!! MOOOOMMMMMMYYYYYYYY!!!!”, as if in the two minutes you’ve been in the washroom, the world suddenly came crashing down.

I’ve been fortunate enough that my children do leave me alone in the washroom for the most part. I’m sure it’s mainly because I put the fear in them early on that unless it was a matter of life or death, if they dared to knock on the door and bother me while I was taking that 10-minute shower, all hell would break loose! (not really, but it seems to be working just fine haha!). As any mother knows, just 10 minutes of peace and quiet can do wonders for our sanity (can I get an AMEN?!)

Now let’s get to the good stuff. This past Vancouver winter has completely wreaked havoc on my hair. I’m talking Flyaway Central! We’re normally used to mild winters with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, but once it hits the minuses (Celsius, that is), Vancouver is in a state of emergency while the rest of our country mocks and laughs at us. I tried absolutely everything to get my flyaways under control – conditioners, deep conditioners, leave in conditioners, styling creams, serums, you name it! If they claimed to banish flyaways, I tried it!

Well, I thought I did! That is, until I was introduced to the NEW Garnier Whole Blends Moroccan Argan & Camellia Oils hair care line from Garnier. Why Moroccan Argan & Camellia Oils extracts? Both are rich in Omega 6 and Vitamin E – a perfect combination for dry, dull hair.

I’ve used Whole Blends products before and couldn’t wait to try the newest addition to their Whole Blends product line. And let me tell you – It didn’t disappoint! The infused blend and rich aromas of Moroccan Argan & Camellia oils made my hair feel softer and healthier, and the Marvelous Oil leave-in oil was the icing on the cake! Not to mention, it made my hair smell AMAZING (just ask my kids)!! Plus, flyaways? What flyaways?

The one thing I love about the Whole Blends line is that the products are paraben-free and contain only natural extracts. Each blend is focused on a unique hair action such as healing, protecting and nourishing, which means there’s a perfect blend for all hair types! Plus, Garnier has just introduced a NEW Legendary Olive blend with virgin-pressed olive oil focused on replenishing dry, depleted hair.

Want to get your hands on the NEW Garnier Whole Blends Moroccan Argan & Camellia Oils? Head over to Garnier for a coupon and find your perfect blend online or in store. Plus don’t forget to join the upcoming Twitter party on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 7pm EST for a chance to win some of my favourite Garnier Whole Blends products and more fun prizes!

Last Minute Gift Ideas For the Guys in Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Dec 2016 21:27:00 +0000

Is it just me or are guys just hard to shop for? I feel like every Christmas and every birthday, I'm faced with the same dilemma when I'm trying to shop for presents for hubby or my dad. I don't need anything, they say, but what I really want to know is what they really want.

When Mark's asked me to put together a blog post about the best gifts to give the awesome dad's in our lives, it brought me back to my childhood of giving my dad socks and underwear (that my mom would buy) every birthday and Christmas, haha! That can get kind of redundant, no?

If you're not familiar with Mark's (formerly Mark's Work Warehouse), they carry outfits suitable for everyday wear and are considered Canada's top jean retailer with brands such as Levi's, Silver and Buffalo. With such a range of variety, it's time to make Mark's your one-stop shop for your last minute gifts for your dad, hubby, brother or uncle. Choose from a huge selection of jeans, dress shirts, sweaters, shoes and outerwear - there's something for every guy on your list!

Personally, I'm loving these complete outfits that the Mark's team has put together:

Sweater | Scarf | Jeans | Watch | Boots

A gift guide wouldn't be complete without a few personal choices picked out by moi:

And, thanks to Mark's, I was able to add a pair of boots to hubby's shoe collection!

Who else is doing their last minute Christmas shopping today (insert raised hand emoji here)??

Happy Shopping!

Kristina xo

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Mark's. All opinions in this post remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Mark's, and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation in order to complete this post.

Family Winter Gear Gift Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 08:04:00 +0000

This post could not have come at a better time! Vancouver was hit hard with a blast of Winter last week and, apparently while I'm writing this post, it's started snowing outside again. It took me three hours to get downtown last Monday morning and I had to leave my car at my mother-in-law's after work because it was pretty much snowed in (also, props to the good samaritan on Patterson Avenue in Burnaby for pushing my car and countless others out of the snow. Without you, I would have been {a} stuck, and {b} extremely late for my first seminar that my brand new employer signed me up for!). You could say that the entire city is in typical "Vancouver snow" panic mode!

Well, make it the entire city except for my kids and probably every other kid in Greater Vancouver! They couldn't wait to get outside in the snow and make snowmen, snow angels and anything to do with snow (unfortunately, I was at work and didn't get any photos of them, but I heard that they had a blast!). Snow has definitely been a rarity in Vancouver over the past few years and I don't think anyone took the 'snowfall warning' seriously until they saw the roads covered in that white stuff.

Luckily, Jadon and Zoe were fully prepared for the cold front thanks to a shopping trip to Sport Chek a few weeks ago. In true mom fashion, I purchased new winter jackets a couple sizes too big for the kids to grow into, but (surprise!) I also treated myself to some new winter gear!!

I'm sure you guys are knee deep into your holiday shopping, and maybe some of you have yet to start, so I'm sharing my favourite winter gifts for the entire family - and everything can be found online or at your local Sport Chek!

1. Boy's Jacket: Firefly | 2. Women's Winter Boots: Sorel | 3. Women's Parka: Helly Hansen | 4. Girl's Beanie: The North Face | 5. Scarf: McKinley | 6. Men's Winter Boots: Ugg | 7. Girl's Jacket: Firefly | 8. Ski Goggles: Bollé | 9. Kid's Gloves: The North Face | 10. Helmut: Giro | 11. Woman's Beanie: The North Face

I'd love to hear how you and your family #GiveABetterGift this holiday season in the comments below!

xo,
kristina

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sport Chek. All opinions in this post remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Sport Chek, and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation in order to complete this post.

Celebrate the Holidays with Image Optometry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 05:08:00 +0000

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which could not be more true. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate the little things in life that may not have mattered as much to me in my 20’s. I’m talking one-on-one lunches or date nights with hubby, ten minutes of alone time (that would be me in the shower), or just taking in the beauty of my surroundings.

I’ve been near-sighted since grade school and my vision has always been closely monitored by my optometrist with yearly eye exams. It’s been very important for me to ensure that my kids receive the same care, since vision-related issues can be hereditary. For now, our optometrist has recommended that Jadon and Zoe both limit their screen time to 20-30 minutes a day, in hopes that it will correct Jadon’s slight prescription for far-sightedness and prevent him from having to wear glasses at such a young age. Zoe is also being closely monitored, as her myopathy (muscle condition) may affect her vision/eye muscles in the future.

As for me, I recently started experiencing discomfort while wearing my contact lenses. I’m not going to lie – I’m an avid user of contacts and I’m not shy about it! I do have a pair of glasses, but prefer to wear them in the evenings only as they can get quite uncomfortable throughout the day around my ears (having hearing aids doesn’t help either!). A few years back, an optometrist found bumps under my eyelids which were caused by prolonged use of contacts. Fast forward a few years and it seemed that the bumps had returned with a vengeance. A visit to my optometrist last week confirmed my suspicions and also showed something that had never happened before: my prescription had a slight change – for the better! Could this mean that my eyes are leaning towards 20/20 vision with each visit to my optometrist? Probably in my wildest dreams, but at least I have reassurance that my eye health is in great hands!

About Image Optometry

Aside from being the official eye doctors of the biggest sports teams in BC, Image Optometry is the largest, most affordable eye care company in BC. They pride themselves on providing affordable eye care and a unique service to their customers by allowing them to try on glasses and contacts before they commit to their purchases. Think online prices with bricks and mortar service!

Vancouver Canucks Christmas Deal

Are you thinking of what to gift to your loved ones for Christmas? Image Optometry, the official eye doctors for the Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps teams, are offering a Christmas deal that you cannot miss!

Book an eye exam between now and December 31, 2016 for $89.95, and you’ll receive a free pair of glasses, if needed. Bring a friend for an eye exam at the same scheduled time and receive a pair of Vancouver Canucks tickets* to one of the following games:

Jan 4th - Canucks vs Coyotes

Jan 15th - Canucks vs Devils

Jan17th - Canucks vs Predators

Feb 2nd - Canucks vs Sharks

Feb 4th - Canucks vs Wild
Feb 19th - Canucks vs Flyers

March 9th - Canucks vs Islanders

March 16th - Canucks vs Stars

*Appointments for the Canucks ticket deal must be booked by December 31, 2016

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Image Optometry. All opinions in this post remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Image Optometry, and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation in order to complete this post.

new hockey season, new hockey gear!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:48:00 +0000

The first time Jadon stepped on the ice, you could see the uncertainty, the fear of falling and the moments where he just wanted to give up because he just couldn't quite get it. Pretty much normal feelings for anyone when they're trying something new, but am I ever glad he didn't give up (those pep talks come in handy!). His first on-ice experience was at a local community centre for a learn-to-skate class. In about 8-10 classes, the only thing he learned was how to shuffle himself across the ice. Luckily, I bumped into another mom who recommended a learn-to-skate hockey class at a premier skating rink close to our house. Supposedly, the instructors from this hockey class had their young skaters skating by themselves by the second or third class. This I had to see!

So off to the new skating rink we went for Jadon's first hockey class. It wasn't anything spectacular - he didn't learn how to skate backwards let alone forwards. He basically stood in one spot while the rest of the 3-4 year olds in his class skated professionally around him. I felt bad. So bad. You see, Jadon is a perfectionist. And I could see him just standing on the ice in pure fear. Thankfully, the coaches recognized this and got him a walker so he could learn to move around the ice. No such luck. Jadon just didn't want to fall down. Of course, the coaches were right on top of it, sat him down on the back of the net and took him for a ride around the rink.

The rest is history.

Now that the new hockey season is gearing up, its time for some new hockey gear! We teamed up with our favourite sporting goods store, Sport Chek, to get Jadon ready for his Fall hockey season. He's not playing on a team right now, but he is perfecting his hockey techniques in a skills class. I took the kids to our local Sport Chek so Jadon could get fitted for his new hockey gear and ended up ~~debating~~ spending close to three hours to make sure everything fit properly. Trust me, hockey gear is no joke! Thankfully, I had a very patient and knowledgable hockey shop expert helping me pick out the right sizes and making sure the gear fit properly. Here's a look at what Jadon ended up with (or equivalent). He already had the hockey bag, but we love it so much, we had to add it to our must-have list:

Next Summer, we'll be putting Jadon in a 3-on-3 hockey team so that he can get some practice playing in a team environment. After that, it looks like early morning practices and lots of coffee will be a normal part of our schedule for years to come!

Once you have all your hockey gear, don't forget to take advantage of Sport Chek's free skate sharpening and stick cutting services. Don't worry - if you didn't buy your gear from Sport Chek, you can still access these services for a small fee. Plus, save up to 25% off mix and match protective equipment (see in-store for more details) - we took advantage of this promotion and it made a huge difference!

Junior Hockey Skate Exchange Program

Since young hockey players are constantly growing, Sport Chek wants to ensure that their skates fit properly for optimal comfort and performance each season. That's why they offer their Junior Hockey Skate Exchange Program! Here's how the program works:

Buy any new junior hockey skates at Sport Chek.
Bring back your junior skates in good condition within 12 months of purchasing, accompanied with the original receipt and receive 50% credit of original purchase towards your next junior hockey purchase at Sport Chek; or
Bring back your junior skates in good condition within 24 months of purchasing, accompanied with the original receipt and receive 24% credit of original purchase towards your next junior hockey purchase at Sport Chek.

It's that easy! For more information on the Junior Hockey Skate Exchange Program, visit your nearest Sport Chek location.

xo,

kristina

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sport Chek. All opinions in this post remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Sport Chek, and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation in order to complete this post.

IndigoKids Holiday Wishlist Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 07:25:00 +0000

Eeek!! I can't tell you how excited I am to be writing this post! I've been a fan of the Canadian company Indigo for years, watching them grow from my neighbourhood bookstore into a dream lifestyle brand/store that is a haven for people from all walks of life. From their lifestyle line to their carefully curated lifestyle products, Indigo never fails to surpass my expectations time and time again.

As a mother of two young kids, I at times find myself roaming the mall aimlessly until I ask my kids where they want to go and their first answer is always INDIGOOOOO!!! So, off we go making a beeline straight into the IndigoKids section where my little ones could spend hours (if I let them!) looking, playing and reading while I take a moment to relax. Given Jadon and Zoe's enthusiasm about Indigo, you can only imagine how thrilled they were when I told them they could create an IndigoKids Holiday Wishlist of their favourite books and toys:

I’ve always been in love with the fact that IndigoKids is the perfect holiday destination and one-stop shop for all of my kids’ (and cousins and friends on our holiday lists!) wishlist items. Not only that, but did you know that IndigoKids offers a FREE gift wrapping service all year round to make your shopping experience that much easier? Checking it once and checking it twice – it’s such a relief knowing that everything will be checked off my list early with a shopping trip at IndigoKids (and that should give me more time to make my own wishlist, wink wink)!

IndigoKids Open House - Saturday, Oct. 22nd

Want to get a head start on your holiday shopping and spend some time with the family? IndigoKids is hosting an Open House on Saturday, October 22nd at participating Indigo and Chapters locations (excluding Coles and Indigospirit stores). There's fun for the entire family, including storytime, hands-on play, activities, giveaways and more!

Don't forget to check out Jadon and Zoe's full list and more hand-picked holiday wishlists from Indigo's favourite Canadian Bloggers!

xo,

kristina

Disclosure: I am part of the IndigoKids Holiday Wishlist influencer program. All opinions in this post remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of IndigoKids, Indigo, and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation in order to complete this post.

our geocaching adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 18:34:00 +0000

This weekend's weather was nothing short of the typical Vancouver weather that we know (and love/hate) so well - especially on Saturday. We started the morning off at Jadon's hockey practice trying to avoid the torrential downpour from the car to the rink and just ended up getting soaked to the bones. All I could think of was doing some sort of sun dance (kidding, not kidding) because after hockey, Jadon and I were headed to Stanley Park for a geocaching hunt with EnviroKidz at their Ecokeepers Discovery Day. Thankfully, the wishing and praying for the rain to disappear ended up being successful!

After a quick brief with the Ecokeepers' team, Jadon and I were off on our first geocaching adventure! Our first destination was the stone stairs leading to the beach, and while we didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into, Jadon made sure he took full advantage of the weather clearing up!

Honestly, we weren't the best at geocaching (we found all of the locations, but not the geocaches) and we may have been freezing our butts off, but the one-on-one time with my main guy was well worth it! After reviewing everyone's #Ecokeepers posts on social media, I can attest that the geocaches were cleverly hidden ;) It wasn't a total bust for us though - we ended up with a swag bag full of EnviroKidz goodies which made Jadon very happy on the way home (three granola bars happy!).

And Zoe didn't waste any time getting her hands on the swag bag, haha!

About The #Ecokeepers Program

EnviroKidz is a family-focused brand that encourages positive change in young minds. Their Ecokeepers program is all about getting kids outside and discovering the world around them to develop a life-long relationship with nature. According to the Ecokeepers website, studies have shown that kids who spend time outdoors:

are happier and less stressed
see a boost in classroom performance
have enhanced problem solving skills and imagination
are leaner
can experience a reduction in ADHD symptoms, and
better understand the need to nurture

Did you know that the Ecokeepers program is free to camps and schools?! The program provides an interactive explorer activity to encourage children's natural curiosity and sense of discovery, while providing them with free EnviroKidz peanut-free, gluten-free, organic and non-GMO granola and snack bars to help fuel their journey.

If you're interested in bringing the Ecokeepers program to a school or camp near you, email ecokeepers@envirokidz.com for more info!

xo,
kristina

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of EnviroKidz, the Ecokeepers program, and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation in order to complete this review.

vintage back to school shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 16:47:00 +0000

Today is the first day of school and it's only fitting that we celebrate (yay!) with an inside look into a vintage back to school shoot that I styled last summer with my friend, Cindy Dueck of Confetti & Sparkle Party Shop.

Our kids + a friend were the stars of the shoot, modelling their best vintage looks while displaying extreme will power in trying to keep the sweets from the dessert table out of their mouths (at least until the end of the shoot!). The shoot was set in an apple orchard with a ton of kid friendly sweets and treats surrounded by vintage decor. Jadon had a ton of fun running around freely with his new friends - ones who now meet up regularly for Pokemon trading sessions, haha!

Now it's time to sit back, relax and enjoy some of the images from the styled shoot (more on The Swank Social's blog). After all, we now have tons of time on our hands now that the kids are in school, am I right?!... so WRONG.

Styling: The Swank Social + Confetti & Sparkle Party Shop

Photography: Type A Photography

Cookies: Whisk

Cake: Cakes by Kristin

Apple pies: Tracy Cakes Bakery Cafe

Caramel apple pops: The Swank Social

Decor: Spruce Collective

Back to school print: Kardz Kouture

Florals: From the roadside

Location: Apple Barn

xo,
kristina

back to school wish list

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 19:35:00 +0000

Is it true? Is summer really coming to an end? Over the past couple weeks, I've been seeing a ton of back to school posts on social media, stores stocking up on school supplies and parents roaming the malls with their kids in hopes of beating the back to school crowd, and I feel like I'm still oblivious to the whole thing. I had planned to go to the uniform store yesterday to pick out Jadon's new school threads and completely forgot - oops! All I can think about are beaches, play dates and the sunshine! After all, summer isn't over yet!

Jadon is going into grade 2 (I keep saying grade 1 and he's going to kill me!) and can hardly contain his excitement at seeing his friends again. Sasha is starting grade 11 and I thought she'd be dreading going back to school, but I just talked to her via Skype the other day (she's currently in Russia visiting her mom for the summer) and she told me she was really excited - mostly to see her friends as well. Zoë is hopefully going into preschool, but I haven't even gotten on that yet. I swear, September came waaayyyy too fast.

So all this back to school craziness made me think of all the new gear that kids are wanting nowadays. Let me just say, their options are a lot cooler than they were in the '90s when I went to school...

summer unplugged

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 16:55:00 +0000

Summertime should be all about beaches, fairgrounds, playgrounds, ice cream and cotton candy, am I right?

Wrong.

It's more like giving your kids (who are usually at school, but because it's summer....ah, don't get me started!) whatever electronic device you have that will keep them occupied for the next five minutes, so you can start chipping away at your to-do list, emails, orders and whatever else you have up your sleeve. For five whole minutes.

{All my work-at-home-moms, put your hands up!}

Of course this practice only encourages and enables my children's love for electronics.

Every day feels like I'm fighting an uphill battle of trying to balance our days with outdoor and indoor play, reading, errand running and the 20-odd meals that my children seem to consume, all while limiting their screen time to 30 minutes per day. Zoe is usually fine when I tell her her time is up, but Jadon can be relentless. He'll beg me all day long to 'play' on my phone until it gets so annoying, I take the privilege away indefinitely. It's almost as if I have to wean them off electronics (I've done it before and I'll do it again!).

This obsession just couldn't go on any longer. I knew I had to do something and I had to do it now.

A few weeks ago, I introduced Jadon and Zoe to IndigoKids' summer reading guide, themed Passport to Reading. Indigo's experts have picked the top books for every age group and stage of reader, and rounded them up to create their summer reading guide to ensure kids get the most out of reading this summer. Passport to Reading introduces kids and their families to take countless reading journeys to places they've only imagined, wished for or dreamt about.

Both Jadon and Zoe were given the opportunity to make a list of their favourite books from IndigoKids' summer reading guide, with the intent that they would continue to challenge themselves by reading a book a day. I saw this as a definite advantage for Jadon, as he had some difficulties with his reading skills during the past school year. His teacher was able to act on it as soon as she realized that Jadon would benefit from additional resource assistance, and was she ever right. After only a month of being supported by his school's learning resource teacher, Jadon had already moved up two levels in reading! Seeing this made me realize what I had known all along: as soon as Jadon gained the confidence, there was no stopping him. So why not continue encouraging that throughout the summer?

Geronimo Stilton MiceKings: Attack of the Dragons

Lego Nexo Knights: Graduation Day

The BFG

Dragon Masters: Song of the Poison Dragon

Finding Dory: Ocean of Colour

Lego Play Book: Ideas to Bring Your Bricks to Life

Geronimo Stilton and the Kingdom of Fantasy: The Hour of Magic

Zoe Gets Ready

The Day The Crayons Quit

Let's Play

My Little Pony: Phonics Book

The Jungle Book (BabyLit)

Moby Dick (BabyLit)

Instead of packing electronics to keep the kids distracted while we're out, the kids are now bringing one or two IndigoKids approved books and immersing themselves into an imaginative and interactive world of play, dress-up, ponies, Lego and fantasyland. I see how proud Jadon is when he masters that difficult word, and how attentive and curious Zoe is when she listens to her big brother read to her (not to mention I have full possession of my phone - haha!). It's a win-win situation here, guys!

Make sure to check out Passport to Reading for this summer's hottest books. The summer reading list is conveniently categorized according to age and stage of the reader, as well as the genre of the book. Summer may be halfway over, but it's never to late to get started!

xo,
kristina

{win it!}

IndigoKids is giving one of our readers a chance to win a prize pack full of some of the titles from Jadon and Zoe's summer reading list! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only and ends on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at 9pm PST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Indigo and/or their affiliates. We received all of the books listed in this post from Indigo in order to complete this review. Note that SwankMama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen at random.

introducing our newest family member

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 09:41:00 +0000

Before you jump to any conclusions, let me clear up a few things. First of all, we do not have a pet and, secondly, it's not a baby (haha!). Confused yet? Allow me to introduce you to Bob!

Hopefully you're not thinking I've gone mad. Bob is simply our 'pet' vacuum, also known as bObsweep PetHair. I know we technically don't have a pet, but we do have two little ones that are known to make just as much mess (if not more) as say, a family dog. It seems like every time I sweep or vacuum, huge mounds of crumbs start accumulating within a blink of an eye. Then they go about their merry way and guess who's stuck with cleaning the mess up? Well, since we've welcomed Bob into the family, it's definitely not me anymore!

Bob comes fully loaded and you may even feel a little intimated by all of his accessories, but don't worry because he comes with detailed instructions and a help line should you feel the need to reach out to a real live person ;)

Before I could read the instructions, Jadon started unpacking the box and, upon inspection, told me where each piece went and how to install them. Of course, I ended up reading all of the instructions front to back and came up with the same conclusion as Jaodn. It's always nice to be schooled by your seven year old.

Once Bob was fully charged, both Jadon and Zoe were ready to put him to work!

So we now have a new morning ritual and a couple of eager kids fighting over who contributes to the 'housework', aka who gets to turn on Bob - haha!

My conclusion? I found that it took time for Bob to be accustomed to his new home and we had to be patient while he got used to his surroundings. Sometimes it helped him to move furniture out of his way when he got confused. We also learned not to leave any cords lying around, as Bob may think it's 'food' and swallow it up. I love that you can set a schedule for Bob to clean - this includes set days and time (cue cheers from parents all over the world). With our busy work schedules, it really helps to not have to worry about yet another chore.

Thanks, Bob, for making our lives easier!

xo,
kristina

PS: Bob is available for purchase on Amazon. You can thank me later :)

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of bObsweep PetHair and/or their affiliates. We received a bObsweep PetHair in order to complete this review.

too cool for school

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 17:29:00 +0000

Annnnddd just like that, summer is already halfway done! Over here in Vancouver, we've felt like summer just began a few of weeks ago, as the first couple weeks were a little chilly than normal. Don't worry though - we took full advantage of the amazing weather while we were living in New West (here and here).

So now that it's August, it's time to think about the most exciting time of the year... BACK TO SCHOOL!! Okay, it may only be exciting for grade school-aged kids, but it's always the best time of the year for parents (am I not right?!). No more constant bickering, no more trying to find daily activities to keep the kids occupied (and off those electronic devices), and no more late nights.

We're hoping to put Zoe in preschool in September and have been considering our options, given her muscle condition. I know I haven't posted full details about it yet, but let's just say that her gross motor skills are slightly delayed and, while she may look perfectly healthy and normal from the outside, she struggles with a lot of normal everyday things that most people wouldn't think twice about. However, since she loves to do anything that her big brother does, I decided to include her in our recent back-to-school shopping trip courtesy of Sport Chek!

The kids and I headed to their flagship Metrotown location for a fun afternoon of shopping. While it can get kind of hectic shopping with two littles (Jadon is very meticulous and Zoe is a happy-go-lucky, go-with-the-flow kind of girl), we ended up having major success in finding everything that the kids needed for school come September.

And here are my little models with their new Sport Chek gear (insert heart emoji). While I couldn't find all of the items online, I've linked them below. The items that we got from Sport Chek are Jadon's runners and basketball hoodie, and Zoe's yellow backpack, tank and joggers.

ON JADON // Hoodie: Nike | Runners: Nike | Tee: Modern Fort | Hat: Whistle & Flute

ON ZOE // Tank: Under Armour | Joggers: Nike | Runners: Nike | Backpack: Fjallraven | Sunglasses: Gap Kids

xo,
kristina

{win it!}

To kick off your back to school shopping, Sport Chek is generously offering one of our Canadian readers a chance to win a $50 gift card! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only and ends on Monday, August 15, 2016 at 9pm PST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Sport Chek and/or their affiliates. We received a form of compensation from Sport Chek in order to complete this review. Note that SwankMama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen at random.

city walks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 19:11:00 +0000

Our last day at our New West townhouse was filled with mixed emotions, but that didn’t stop us from exploring our beloved city one last time. In between packing, appointments and cleaning, we made a last minute trek down to a couple of neighbourhood stores for extra packing supplies. Of course, along the way, we couldn’t help but stop off at a few of the historical landmarks in our adopted city:

My little guy is such a daredevil and couldn’t resist making my heart stop a few times as he ran downhill beside a waterfall. There are some moments where I’m this overprotective mother, and other times where I just let them live in the moment and hope they don’t fall or trip or do all those things that kids do. This was one of the times where I just said “screw it” and let him live in the moment.

It probably helped that we were both excited to show off our new matching Sk8-Hi’s from Union Jack Boots (Jadon was over-the-moon that we had matching kicks – something that I hope won’t wear off anytime soon, ha!). I must have been living under a rock, because apparently these Vans styles are pretty popular (thanks bro for the heads up!), comfortable and stylish, not to mention perfect for those walks around the neighbourhood.

We sure will miss New West, but can’t wait for our next adventures with our Sk8-Hi’s in our newest city!

xo,
kristina

JADON: Shoes | Tee
ZOE: Dress
ME: Shoes | Tank | Shirt

Disclosure: All opinions in this review remain my own and do not reflect the opinions or views of Union Jack Boots and/or their affiliates. We received complimentary products in order to conduct this review.

bittersweet beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 18:26:00 +0000

While it feels like we had just gotten adjusted to our new digs (for one month - more on that in another post), the past couple weeks were all about adventuring around our temporary neighbourhood, which is surrounded by a rich history, plenty of parks, accessible transit and River Market at Westminster Quay (formerly Westminster Quay Public Market).

It was so fun to discover with the kids that we had the world in our own backyard. We're a couple blocks away from the nearest Skytrain station, River Market, and a park with two playgrounds, a spray park, beach volleyball, hammocks, a concession stand and more. And we can't forget the trendy and quaint stores that line the historical streets of downtown New Westminster. I think that's what I really fell in love with. The history of the city (also, thanks to Pokemon Go and its Pokestops, we're learning a lot more about the city's history!).

We've also been blessed with hot summer weather the past couple weeks and we've taken full advantage of it!

I'm definitely going to be sad leaving this neighbourhood today, but I feel like it's a start to a new beginning. We sold our townhouse and are on our way to a rental property while we wait for our purchase to close in a month. From there, we'll start renovations and will soon make another house our home. To say that this day is bittersweet, is an understatement.

Stay tuned for more on the move!

xo,
kristina

PS: Make sure you follow along on Instagram (@swankmama) for "real time" updates!