Content is king. As a journalist, blogger and digital content producer, I know that the quality of visuals I use directly impacts the quality of my work regularly. I’m always on the lookout for the best camera/phone (six of one, half a dozen of another). I know that the better my images/videos are, the better I will be to tell and share stories. I have tested out the HUAWEI P40 Pro in Silver Frost for the past few weeks and am impressed by the innovative, refractive matte glass finish that is both dust and water-resistant, and for those of you with kids, you’ll be pleased to know that it doesn’t hold fingerprints.

The phone will eventually be available in black as well.

Huawei is known for its leadership role in mobile photography. The HUAWEI P40 Series delivers another award-winning series of smartphones – named ‘Best Photo Smartphone’ by TIPA and receiving a top DxOMark score of 128 (P40 Pro).

I had heard fantastic things about the Huawei phones from my family that live in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world. Seeing the Quad Vision Leica Camera for myself, showed me exactly what the fuss was all about. The picture quality, depth perception and superior selfies (you all know I love me a good selfie) are impressive. You cannot beat the nighttime photography. 

Inspired by nature, the Quad-Curve Overflow 90 Hz Display provides an immersive view over the entire OLED screen. Unlike other phones on the market, the Huawei P40 uses the whole screen and does not block out the bottom one or two inches.

I own a DSLR camera, but the picture quality does not even come close to the camera, not the HUAWEI P40. 

I’d watch this company closely as they’re shaking up the Canadian market in a big way with smartphones, PCs, wearables, tablets and audio.

The HUAWEI P40 Pro features the Leica Quad Camera’s evolution with a more powerful Ultra-Wide Cine Camera and ToF Camera alongside 50x SuperSensing Zoom.

HUAWEI P40 Pro brings faraway subjects up close with 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom and 50x maximum digital zoom. For the first time, the 5x Optical Telephoto Camera in the HUAWEI P40 Pro includes an RYYB colour filter array to boost light intake and improve the quality of zoomed shots.

Battery life:

If you’re a SUPER phone user like me (it’s a thing, I learnt this from my phone company), you’ll know and appreciate how important it is to have good battery life. Do you want to know the craziest part? Ordinarily, when I plug in my phone, I’m accustomed to leaving it there overnight as I expect it to take hours and hours. I was downright shocked to see how quickly the HUAWEI P40 Pro charges with its 4200 mAh battery, which can be recharged from 0 to 70% in just 30 minutes + 40W SuperCharge. You HAVE GOT TO watch my video to see it for yourself. 

The other epic thing I cannot stop geeking out over is that the Wireless Reverse Charge technology. That means that if I am out with the kids, the family or friends and someone else’s HUAWEI phone’s battery starts to die, I can wirelessly RECHARGE THEIR PHONE!!!! How insane is that?

There are so many amazing features of the phone that I’m still learning about, and it continues to amaze me. Last night, I learnt that I could measure distance and height by clicking from one point to another. This type of thinking-outside-of-the-box innovation continues to impress me.

One concern I had was switching over from another phone brand, is my ability to get my apps on this device. There are three main methods with Petal Search, Phone Clone, and the Huawei AppGallery store. 

Be sure to watch the video below and share this blog post with your friends/family/followers, and when you decide to jump ship from whatever device you’re on and switch to a HUAWEI P40 Pro… I’ll just say you’re welcome! If you would still like to LEARN MORE about the HUAWEI P40 PRO, click here.

DISCLAIMER: Please note I have partnered with HUAWEI to share my honest feedback on this device. This is a sponsored post. As always, I would never share any product/service/brand with you that I do not absolutely love and want to use for myself.

The post Unboxing the HUAWEI P40 PRO #HUAWEIP40Pro appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

Not many people know about Diversity Day on 21 May 2020. It’s often skipped over and is not widely celebrated. But it should be, and here’s how you can do it!

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, or ‘Diversity Day’ for short, is a day organized by the United Nations to celebrate diversity and promote cultural diversity issues. The holiday was created in 2001 as a result of the destruction of the Buddha states of Bamiyan in Afghanistan and has been celebrated around the world ever since. So why should you celebrate Diversity Day too?

Culture and diversity is not widely touched on in those early years at preschool. In fact, most children don’t begin to learn about cultural diversity until they are at elementary school. Research suggests, engaging children in culturally responsive experiences, increases their awareness, appreciation, and inclusion of diverse beliefs and cultures.* If we, as a nation, want diversity to become more accepted in everyday life, it’s important to teach our children about it from a young age.

Teaching diversity doesn’t need to be boring for you or your kids. Diversity Day provides a great reason to teach your little ones in a fun and engaging way. And why not use this extra time with your children in lockdown to explore new cultures!

Here’s some fun ways you and your kids can celebrate Diversity Day 2020 while in lockdown:

1- Dive deep into the world of books

Children just love reading and listening to books and stories, and it’s also a great opportunity for them to take in a book about different cultures and diversity. Why not pop aside the much loved hungry caterpillar and try one of these;-

Disneys ‘It’s a Small World. Hello, World’ is a picture book with bright illustrations. Each page teaches your little one how to say ‘hello’ in a different language, a great way to teach cultural diversity to kids 2 and up. See:

Hats of Faith is a board book which teaches children about different religions. Each page has a different religious head dressing for different religions. This book is a great way to show your children the visual differences in religions while portraying a sense of unity. The book is very easy to read and great for young children.

For a more challenging read, Dr Seuss’ The Sneetches and other stories is excellent. The book focuses on two groups of birds with different looks and how they are treated. The lesson within this book is to show that people are not so different after all and you should treat everyone equally.

2- Watch family fun and educational TV and movies together

TV and movies allow children to learn while keeping them entertained. There are so many children’s shows out there but not many offer cultural diverse content. In fact, last year only 12% of children’s TV shows had a black, Asian or minority ethnic lead**.  Why not tap into a programme that features real diversity and culture in an everyday way.

Zayn and Zayna’s Little Farm is one of the few children’s shows that includes and positively embraces cultural diversity. The show is an English-language animated show and book series for preschool children that incorporates a little Arabic too. Each adventure follows brother and sister, Zayn & Zayna on their British family farm and introduces all children to mindfulness, sustainability and diversity. The show portrays diversity in many ways from skin color  to physical abilities. Alongside the show there are also activity packs which expand on the message from each episode and lets you talk through the lessons with your children.

Also, you might have seen Coco, but if you haven’t, you should! This Disney film is inspired by the Mexican holiday ‘Day of the Dead’ and the film follows a young boy who is transported to the Land of the Dead. The film teaches children about Mexican culture with bright animations and a fun soundtrack! Coco will keep both you and your kids entertained.

3- Get creative with culturally inspired Arts and Crafts

Doing crafts is a fantastic way to keep children entertained in lockdown. There are so many Diversity Day themed crafts that you can do with your kids, and even better they’re not too messy!

Tibetan prayer flags are used to bless the surrounding countryside and can be found in the Himalayas. You can help your children to think of a message of peace or compassion to write on their flag. This craft is straight forward, all you need is a marker, string and some blue, white, red, green, and yellow paper.

https://ourwholevillage.com/tibetan-prayer-flags-inspiring-craft-little-ones/

Another craft you and your children can do for Diversity Day is origami. Origami is a Japanese cultural craft which has been done for centuries. You might have your own memories struggling to make cranes in your youth, but thankfully there are many tutorials online which break down this craft step by step. All you need is some paper!

https://www.origami-fun.com/origami-for-kids.html

4- Take a walk around your town or city

Although we’re in lockdown it is still important to get exercise. Use your daily walk to look around your town or city for different cultural buildings or places of worship. Stroll past your local mosque, church or synagogue and look at all of the details in the buildings! This allows your children to see diversity in their own town and is perfect to demonstrate how cultures are integrating all around us.

If you live in a city you could also visit cultural places like Little Italy or Chinatown and explore the cultural buildings and decorations they often have on the streets.

5- Learn a new language

Children learn languages with more ease than adults as they have less inhibitions and are open to learning. There are many ways you can learn a language from home, like using an app or watching shows with subtitles.

Duolingo is an interactive language app that teaches 36 different languages in easy and fun ways! You can continue Duolingo after lockdown and do short daily lessons to build your knowledge. The app is perfect for children as it uses lots of bright graphics and teaches through games!   

Another way to learn a new language in your home, is by watching fun, educational TV shows. As previously mentioned Zayn & Zayna’s Little Farm uses a little Arabic language throughout it’s episodes, making it a great resource to introduce different sounds and words! The Arabic language used, is defined and spelled out for children so they can try to say the word or write it out. This is a great way to incorporate learning a language gradually.

6- Cook foods from around the world

A simple (and very tasty) way to celebrate different cultures is through food. Cooking is a fun activity to do with your little ones and is super easy. Chances are, you have already cooked from around the world already! There are many easy cultural dishes from around the world to try – from an Indian curry to an Italian pizza, or you might want to be more experimental with some Chinese dumplings. BBC Good Food has a page full off recipes for lots of cultures so you can choose your own! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/category/cuisines.

And for extra fun, why not research a few fun facts from the country you’re cooking from and have a chat about them with your child too!

If you try out any of these activities for Diversity Day be sure to let us know and share any creations with us on social media. We’d love to see! Find us on Instagram at @Zaynandzaynas, or see our Facebook page at Zayn & Zayna’s Facebook

About Zayn & Zayna’s Little Farm

Zayn & Zayna’s Little Farm is a branded English-language animated show and book series for pre-school children that incorporates a little Arabic too. Each adventure follows brother and sister, Zayn & Zayna on their British family farm and introduces all children to mindfulness, sustainability and diversity.

Zayn & Zayna is wholesome entertainment for the entire family where each instalment is an adventure and teachable moment in kindness, creativity, family, and community. Playing games, learning, exploring nature and helping their family are Zayn & Zayna’s favourite pastimes. Zayn & Zayna are Arabic and live with their father ‘Baba’, ‘Mama’ and grandmother ‘Nanee’.

You can visit Zayn & Zayna, play games, buy books and watch exclusive content on zaynandzaynas.com or visit the interactive app, available on The App Store and Google Play store. For additional information about Zayn & Zayna, visit zaynandzaynas.com.

The post World Day for Cultural Diversity appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

There are different varieties of dates out there; some are drier than others. I have come to love Natural Delights Medjool Dates specifically because of their flavour and texture. They are grown in Bard Valley, straddling Arizona and California. I love that all of their dates are grown organically. Their new green plastic packaging is made of 100% post-consumer recycled materials. What’s important for me, is that all of their dates and date products are 100% non-GMO. If you’ve never had a date before, the best way I can describe a Natural Delights Medjool date is that it has a creamy texture and a caramel-like taste.

I often keep a bowl of dates on my counter for the kids as an after-school snack or these days, for grazing rather than have us opt for less healthy alternatives. They also make a great and simple addition to a cheese platter when hosting company.

SIMPLE RECIPES:

Medjool dates are simple fruits, and to me, I love to consume them with simple recipes. One staple we try to keep on the table, particularly during the month of Ramadan, are almond stuffed dates. I first had them at a friend’s home twenty years ago. They had just moved from the Middle East and served a plate of almond-stuffed dates. It seemed so strange at first, but it was delicious. I now find myself doing the same thing for my own family. A decadent spin on that is to mash some cream cheese with vanilla and honey then pipe it into a pitted date.

Another super simple go-to for our family are date milkshakes. They are delicious, decadent and packed full of nutrients. Here’s a great recipe from Natural Delights. It’s even more delicious with the additional ice cream, but a wonderful treat as the weather warms up.

So next time you’re looking for a sweet treat, pick up a Natural Delights Medjool Date. And of course, in true Fariha-fashion, I have to end with a classic punny joke. 

“I feel so popular in Ramadan; I have a date every night.”

DISCLOSURE: Please note that this is a sponsored post in partnership with Natural Delights. As always, I only ever share products and services I love and use for my own family. All opinions are 100% my own.

The post A date to remember appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

If you do follow me on social, you would know that I have been with the CityNews Montreal team since its inception in September of 2018 where I host the DiverseCity segment. I’m working on sharing more of my CityNews segments here on the blog along with my weekly Op-Ed column in the Montreal Gazette.

My weekly deadlines, social updates and family keep me fairly busy but I always love to hear from you all. I love all the emails you send me, if even it’s to comment on my recent column or segment.

I hope to bring you more content here because this blog is my baby and she’s here to stay.

Until then.

Stay safe!

Fariha.

The post Did you miss me as much as I missed you? appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

I met the owner of Rebel Chocolates, Richard, at Blissdom Canada this past October. Richard is passionate about two things – really good chocolate and creating positive change in the world. With Rebel Chocolates, he combines his passions with the result being a selection of great tasting all-natural chocolates that make a positive impact on the world. Rebel Chocolates sells craft chocolates from producers who use direct trade  – which means that the farmers who grow the cocoa beans are paid a higher price for their beans. With craft chocolate more money goes to the people growing the beans and their communities. 

Craft chocolate isn’t inexpensive but it shouldn’t be. In order to pay everyone involved in producing the chocolate a fair price, the cost of direct trade craft chocolate is higher than traditional chocolate bars. However, the quality and taste of the chocolate are much better than a traditional chocolate bar.  The craft chocolate bars, drinking chocolate, cocoa nibs, and single-origin chocolate chips from Rebel Chocolates don’t have any artificial flavours or colours – making them a great gift for the foodies on your list!  What better way to show your appreciation to that special someone than with craft chocolate made from the best ingredients? With over 30 different craft chocolate bars to choose from, there’s something to please every chocolate lover you know.

If you can’t decide (and believe me I understand!), there are some amazing gift boxes available to purchase. Each box contains a mixture of award-winning craft chocolate products guaranteed to be a hit with the recipient. You can even get chocolate subscription boxes for your favourite chocoholic! Every month a box full of craft chocolate goodness will show up on their doorstep and they will think of you. Talk about the gift that keeps giving!

Rebel Chocolates doesn’t have a physical store location, but their online store is full of amazing treats that you can feel good about giving away or keeping for yourself. The chocolate bars are labelled with the country of origin on them – making it easy to find out where your chocolate comes from. 

As a special treat for my readers, I’ve got a code that will get you 10% off your next order at Rebel Chocolates. But you need to hurry. It’s only good until December 18th. Simply enter the code BTV at checkout and you will receive 10% off anything in the store.

Richard was recently on Breakfast Television Montreal talking about craft chocolate and why sustainability is only the beginning. Watch the interview here:

DISCLOSURE: Please note that while I have partnered with Rebel Chocolates for this post, as always, opinions are 100% my own.

The post Ethical Gift Giving With Rebel Chocolates appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

My panel was called Life By Design, and there were 3 speakers and a wonderful moderator. Each of the speakers spoke about a life changing moment and how following their instinct had brought them fulfillment. I spoke about how I’d always  wanted to be a journalist, telling the story about how I used to talk into my hairbrush and pretend it was a microphone. I also shared the story of how, when I was a little girl, I had gone up to my parents waving a copy of the Montreal Gazette; telling my parents I would write for it one day and my mother responded, “No you want to own it one day”. All of this became a reality earlier this year when I was offered my own weekly Op-Ed column in the Montreal Gazette. Life was amazing! Then it got better – I was offered my job with City News Montreal.

But that job almost didn’t happen. Media, especially videographers, aren’t supposed to have opinions, and my Op-Ed column and blog are not exactly neutral. Maintaining my online presence and the community I have worked so hard to build over the years is important to me. Thankfully, City News believed in my voice. The life I now live was born. I am so proud to host a regular segment #DiverseCity on CityNews Montreal and Breakfast Television Montreal as the FIRST hijab-wearing woman on television in Quebec history.  I get the honour of exploring the culturally diverse communities in Montreal and sharing those stories with our viewers. Thankfully, it’s on a network that exemplifies our nation’s diversity at its finest by hiring not one but BOTH of Canada’s first hijab-wearing journalists. Huge hat (or hijab) tip to my colleague Ginella Massa for being the first hijab-wearing television journalist in Canada on CityNews Toronto.

The other speakers had similar stories of perseverance through adversity. Biko Beauttah came to Canada seeking political asylum because she identifies as transgender – a crime in her native Kenya. Biko had to leave everyone and everything she valued in order to be her true self. She came to Canada with only $200 in her pocket, not knowing a soul. Living in a refugee shelter, unable to find work despite her experience and education Biko decided something had to be done. Biko created the change she needed – she created Trans Workforce, a job fair specifically for workers who identify as transgender. She is also a UNCHR #Glambassador – spreading her message of love and tolerance for refugees and the LGBTQ* community. 

Emily Mills had it all – a family, a place in Toronto, and a great paying career with Canada’s national broadcaster working on the morning show as a senior communications strategist.  It was a dream job in a competitive industry but there was something missing.  While working on preparations for Canada’s 150th birthday, Emily noticed that there was a lack of representation and diversity in the stories being told. Where she wondered, were the women like her? So, she created HERstory in Black – a photo project that highlighted 150 black women for CBC.

For years, Emily had been running a side gig called How She Hustles – a diverse network connecting women in the GTA and beyond. When her photo project took off, it earned a lot of attention – including from the Prime Minister. Soon, it became apparent that Emily couldn’t do both. She had to choose between a steady job at CBC and her side hustle that she believed in.  Emily walked away from a steady job that most people would jump at in order to pursue her dream. 

Three women. Three stories. On the surface, they seem so disparate, but each of us stood at a fork in our path and made a choice. Not the safe choice, not the easy choice, but the choice that would fill our cups.  The Blissdom Canada panel we spoke on inspired people to follow their dreams and forge their own paths. The energy in the room after the talk was amazing and the buzz was palpable. I am certainly grateful to have had the opportunity to speak on such an amazing panel.

The post Blissdom Canada: Follow Your Dreams, They Know the Way #BlissdomCA appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

The night was wonderful – even with the minor tech glitch that saw me delete my prepared speech seconds before heading up to the mic. Oops. I should have gone old school and used index cards. I spoke from the heart and don’t think that I missed anyone in my Thank Yous (If I did I’m sorry).  My family, friends, and colleagues have all been so amazing through this transition and I couldn’t have done it without their support. 

I made sure to thank my brother, both for coming out despite his hectic family schedule, but also for encouraging me to start blogging. While I’ve always wanted to work in media, if he hadn’t put the idea of starting a blog in my head years ago, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  Of course, because he’s my brother, I ignored his suggestion at first. But eventually curiosity won over and I’ve been blogging for 7 years here at CanadianMomEh and it’s been nothing short of an incredible ride. 

Celebrations are always bittersweet for me without my mom – especially ones concerning my career. When I was around 7 years old, I was reading the Montreal Gazette and was very excited. I rushed up the stairs and announced proudly to my parents that one day I wanted to write for the paper. My mother said “No, one day you want to OWN it”. Every time I celebrate a new career achievement, I can’t help but think of how proud she would be. I feel particularly close to my mom when I take my lunch break at City News Montreal and eat with The Price is Right on in the background – she tried to never miss an episode. 

I don’t know if there are words to adequately thank the wonderful staff at Jack Astor’s Dorval for an evening full of fun, food, and friendship as we celebrated new beginnings. They’ve got a customer for life in me – a fact which will undoubtedly make my kids happy since they love it too. Thank you to everyone who came out and to those who sent well wishes via social media. It was a wonderful night. 

The post A Night To Celebrate My Dreams Coming True at #jacksdorval appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

Part of the reason why is that it’s a great chance to get back to my blogging and influencer roots. Another big part of why I love going to Blissdom is that I get to reunite with old friends and meet online friends in person. In some cases, these relationships have evolved into some of closest friends. The final piece of the puzzle is the content. There are always  great speakers, and this year there is going to be a remote keynote by Deepak Chopra!

I’m very excited to listen to Deepak Chopra talk about mindfulness and how to cope in a world that’s full of stress and negativity. I strive to be more mindful in my everyday life and know that every so often I need to reset myself by unplugging and reconnecting with those who mean the most to me. I’m really looking forward to hearing what Deepak Chopra has to say about the mind-body connection where he thinks healthcare research is heading in the future. It isn’t as simple as mind over matter, but attitude and mindfulness can play a large part in how you see life. 

If you aren’t coming to Blissdom, then you’ll miss the amazing virtual keynote but don’t fret. If you’re in Toronto or Vancouver or can get to them, you can still see Deepak Chopra live on his tour supporting his new book, The Healing Self. Some of the topics up for discussion on the Future of Wellbeing tour include: How does our understanding of consciousness as pure potentiality enhance our capacity for intuition, creativity, conscious choice making, healing, and the awakening of dormant potentials such as non local communication and non local sensory experience? As well as: how does our understanding of consciousness also enhance our capacity for total well being (physical, emotional, spiritual, social, community, financial and ecological)? I’m not going to pretend that I have the answers to those kind of deep questions, but if you want to hear Deepak Chopra’s take on them, go and see him live. 

Deepak Chopra will be in Vancouver on October 10th and Toronto on October 13th – use the code Bliss15 when you buy your tickets and you will save 15% off a single ticket or on the fabulous buy three get one free packages they have going on. 

But, back to Blissdom Canada and why I’m making time to attend this event.  I’ll admit that I’m extra excited this year because I’m going to be a speaker this year at Blissdom Canada! I can’t share the details of what I’m going to be speaking about yet, but with the line up of amazing presenters, it’s going to be an awesome event. I know that taking a few days and heading to Toronto for Blissdom Canada will refill my proverbial cup. I’ll come away more energized and with my passions for blogging and social media reignited.  Blissdom Canada has been on a bit of a hiatus for the last two years so reconnecting with my Blissdom Buddies will be extra special this year! 

The post Why I’m Excited About Blissdom Canada This Year #BlissdomCA #PromoCode appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

I’m not going to pretend that this isn’t a dream come true. As a little girl, I used to stand in front of my mirror and practice my announcer voice. The voice I would be using when I was on television one day – or at the very least, on the radio. Now I get to use my announcer voice every day when I say “In Montreal, Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed, City News” at the end of a segment. It’s proof positive that with hard work, your dreams WILL come true. 

I love that I’m now a role model for little girls of colour or who are a religious minority. They can turn on City News Montreal, see one of my stories, and realize that if they work hard, they could one day be on the television. Representation matters – when I was a young girl, practicing into my hairbrush, there weren’t any visible minorities on TV. Now, thanks to organizations like City News Montreal, diversity is slowly beginning to come into the television news world.  

The new position, with all of the training for the start of City News Montreal, plus my job at the Montreal Gazette, all while raising a family and serving my community has been exhausting. However, it’s the good kind of exhausting; the kind where you close your eyes at the end of the day knowing you worked hard for something you believe in. I’m not home as often as I used to be, but I’m teaching my kids what it looks like to work for your dreams. 

In case you missed it, here’s the big announcement of my joining the City News Montreal team. It was an awesome day and I’m so thankful to the wonderful people at Breakfast Television Montreal for being so incredibly supportive.

https://www.facebook.com/BTCityNewsMTL/videos/1891912104221070/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB2TO6d6TpiQBsZmcHmyhfqMNmgDXnr430x6-DryZwmiyDEIDhG9q_ZwGs1j5uW3x9tD-ZgGDTl1KI7ZJRxYdYB34J5eF0Rb-uVV-ic20_UCwXW4t3lIqCAqMCViQfT4HlFcHuUk2Tx1jA7n9uoA7k-950lVrF8KqglVKkyJw1LvKuJq2X8_Q&__tn__=H-R

The post If It Feels Like A Dream, Is It Really Work? appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

I have always been a huge believer in giving back to my community – whether it’s the geographic community I live in, my cultural and spiritual community, or the greater community of people that make up this great country. I’ve taught my children that volunteering their time and talents is one of the greatest gifts they can give. I work hard to be more than just “that woman in a hijab” but “that woman helping people, who happens to wear a hijab”.

I strive every day to be a positive role model not only for my kids but also for all of the Muslim kids, teens, and adults who don’t see themselves represented positively in the media. When I do interviews on television, radio, in print media, and now as a member of the media, I am able to represent my culture and community in a positive light and shine lights on aspects of our culture that may be misunderstood or misrepresented otherwise.

When I found out I was nominated for the Community Builder award through the Canada Pakistan Affiliated Chamber of Trade (CPACT), I was humbled. I’d written about the upcoming awards ceremony in an article in the Gazette, which really drove home the importance of the award and the need for positive representation of the Pakistani Canadian community both within and beyond the community itself. You know the saying “it’s an honour just to be nominated”?  It sounds really cliché, but it’s totally true. I was so incredibly thankful just to have been recognized, but then when I found out I’d won? Amazing. If you’re wondering just what a community building award encompasses, I don’t blame you – it’s a broad term and could mean many things. Here’s the criteria CPACT uses for their award:

This award recognizes an individual/business who has made a superior contribution to furthering the culture and climate for professional volunteerism and incorporating the essential elements of leading volunteers. The recipient, through his or her personal model, exemplifies the ideals of selfless contribution to community that professional volunteer administration nurtures.

As I said, I was honoured just to be nominated for the award, especially given that criteria.

https://www.facebook.com/BTCityNewsMTL/videos/541037989651333/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAt89vJj4KyK_dLDgJwiF8TRjn78PtbkWXC5VeWgL9GyEEFOVdxDR0fpniLQ6Y3eJFmdqUl6aOXMcB9JRsnLpk2iVbrXiOQCiExY0xWjUmOJCq3iveS2QHgaMub_jtUAV0ljylxjqCyoYsLLomYDtBGPypGXduU4lXxLn39UVCw8ehXyy0Rxyw&__tn__=H-R

Here’s a clip from Breakfast Television Montreal of myself and Amber discussing the award and what it means to us.

The award was decided by votes – and it was incredibly hard for me to ask my friends and followers to vote for me. It felt like some kind of shameless self promotion, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that pushing aside those insecurities and putting myself out there would be a big benefit to all the young people who felt like I did – that it was okay to work hard but not to ask for recognition. Sometimes, you get a chance to be the example you needed when you were younger, so I took the plunge, asked for support, and won!

I felt like a princess on the night of the gala in a dress custom made for the occasion by Balbea – and my cheeks hurt a little from all the smiling I did. It’s one thing to know you’ve won an award, but then to receive it at a gala with everyone applauding is a little surreal. The support I received from my online community when I posted pictures was truly incredible. As I said in my Instagram post, Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for me, supported me and believed in me. Being a visible and religious minority public figure has not come without its own set of challenges but to every little girl who might not look like everyone else but has big dreams, this one’s for you.

The post It Really is an Honour to be Nominated appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

I was recently clicking around online and noticed an ad for these fabulous Bean Bag chairs. I was weary. After the experience I had, I was reluctant to go through that same mess again. This time, however, the reviews were amazing, and this chair stood out. It was in part because it was GINORMOUS, but also, because of its high quality. So I tried it out for myself. I am impressed to say that not only is it super comfortable but it also doubles as a bed and lounge chair. The possibilities are endless. It pairs perfectly with just about any decor, is versatile and I couldn’t ask for better customer service. It gets delivered RIGHT to your door.

I love to support (and tell you guys) about companies with exceptional customer service. To me, the service is just as valuable as the product itself. The fact that The Sumo Lounge Bean Bag chairs offer free shipping and 100% satisfaction guaranteed means just that. 

This chair is so epic that you’re going to want it for yourself. I mean, after all, kids get all sorts of cool toys, why not keep something this excellent and comfy cozy for yourself.

The folks over at Sumo Lounge offered me a chair to give away to one of YOU so you can see how awesome it is for yourself. To enter the giveaway widget below, leave a comment down below and good luck!

To tell you a little bit more about the chair we’re giving away:

Sumo Lounge Bean Bag Gaming Chair is The Beanbag Gaming Chair you’ve Always Wanted

Take your gaming skills to the next level around the home with the Sumo Lounge Gamer, the bean bag gaming chair you’ve always wanted. Why sit in a dull, uncomfortable computer chair when you can relax and play your favourite games in one of our fantastic game bean bag chairs?

Our gamer bean bag chairs come in a variety of looks, with different colours and materials. Choose the microsuede for a soft to the touch, comfortable gaming bean bag chair in either red or black.

Corduroy is another popular choice and comes available in four different colours. When you want a chair which offers the utmost in softness and standout style, then choose fur, and one of three colours to match your look.

The Gamer bean bag measures 42″ x 42″ by 34″, a perfect size to lounge and play your games anywhere around the home. Our bean bags will always stay full, fluffy and comfortable, and they’re built to last.

ENTER HERE:

DISCLOSURE: Sumo Lounge provided me with a complimentary chair for the purpose of this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

The post You need to know about the most awesome bean bag chair out there! #giveaway #CanWin Ends 3/25 appeared first on CanadianMomEh.

We’re midway through the school year already. Ms B just finished her first ever set of midterms and she (read: we) survived! Her winter break was spent relaxing and periodically reviewing for her exams. She’s at the stage where going to the mall or movies with her friends is all the rage. She’s blessed with a great group of friends, most of whom she’s known for the last five years, if not longer. I usually try to be present at the mall so the girls can check in every so often, and have someone nearby to contact should they need to. The question of whether or not she can go to the mall with so and so is usually followed by “Can I have some money please?” 

We have specific rules set up when it comes to spending. She’s given a budget and we ask her to bring home all the receipts for anything she buys so we can help guide her on tips and tricks to save money. I’m not big on doling out cash. Instead, I much prefer to send her shopping with a gift card whenever possible. I find they are easier to manage, safer and so much more convenient. In fact, for most of my many nieces and nephews, birthday presents have become gift cards to their favourite store or mall. They are more personal than cash but still allow them the flexibility of choosing what they’d like to get.

If you’ve been following along on the blog or social channels, you’ll know that I recently applied for the MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®. The biggest benefit of the card is that it’s like having five different rewards cards rolled into one. From travel to merchandise, gift cards, and even charitable donations, it’s great to have the flexibility to redeem points for the rewards I want. Out of the wide selection of rewards, I chose my favourite three and I have been speaking about each of them in a series of posts. The first blog post I shared was about redeeming points for travel to stay close as a family. In the second blog post, I spoke about how we redeemed points for charitable donations to teach our children the importance of giving back, and this one is about one of my favourite ways to redeem points: for gift cards. 

Ms. B is at that critical age where it’s important to give her freedom while still setting boundaries. Sending her to the mall or movies with gift cards is a great way to do just that. With my MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® I can be rest assured that I’m collecting points on eligible purchases for gift cards – It gives me more peace of mind than sending her with cash. You can check out MBNA’s full rewards catalogue here: https://goo.gl/JMyE2P 

I’ll continue sharing more about the #MBNA #AllinWonder card on my social channels as well – Stay tuned! In the meantime, what sort of rewards do you look for when selecting a credit card?

To learn more about the MBNA Rewards World Elite® MasterCard® click here: https://goo.gl/k6gGhU 

The Toronto-Dominion Bank is the issuer of this credit card. MBNA is a division of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
® MBNA and other trademarks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

The post The unique gift pre-teens actually want to receive. appeared first on CanadianMomEh.