Raising My Boys

Cupid's Cash Giveaway!

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Cupid's Cash Giveaway Event!

Kidsumers and Sober Julie Doing Life have partnered up with lots of different and wonderful bloggers to bring you a fabulous prize, just in time for the Valentines Day!

The prize is $300 USD in Paypal Cash!!!

Giveaway starts February 1st at 12:01 AM EST to February 14th at 12:01 AM EST. Giveaway winners will be announced through the Rafflecopter widget and notified by email by the end of the day on February 17th, 2012. Winners must reply to email notification within 48 hours of delivery, or a new winner will be chosen.

Participating Blogs:

Sober Julie Doing Life

Kidsumers

Nugglemama's Handful; Funny Things Are Everywhere; Between The Kids; Elegantly Said; Shopping in Your Pjs; My Little Review Corner; The Jolly Blogger; A Hen's Nest; Nolie's Place; Wisconsin Mommy; Raising My Boys; Humble Pie; Tara's View of the World; My Secret Home; Shasher's Life; Maple Leaf Mommy; Mommy Moment; Smookie Style; Thriftymommastips; Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar; Rants Reviews; Pixie Deals; Noteworthy; Country Mouse, City Mouse; Mommies Point of View; Bewildered Bug; Canadian Coupon Mom;

My Big Blue World; The Momma Stuff Blog; Number Crunching Momma; Family Tales Not Ties; Mom's Musings

*This giveaway is open to Worldwide entries

*There will be 1 winner chosen to win this giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENDS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 14TH AT 12:01 AM EST

GOOD LUCK!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck Charm

2012-01-30T21:27:00.000-05:00

Little Boo was into the pipe cleaners at daycare again today. He very proudly announced that he had made a present for me, and he presented me with this lovely creation:

Apparently it started out as a flower, but he decided I needed a good luck charm instead. This little gem is to sit on my nightstand. To bring me luck and to protect me. "From Daddy's snoring."

Yup. We'll see how lucky it is tonight ....

Welcome Ms. Brown! #BrownIsComing

2012-01-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

Like my Ms Brown eyeglasses?
Do I look as classy as she does?

So, did you catch the big reveal on Facebook this afternoon? After some brief technical difficulties, the feed came through about 3:20pm. It was pretty cool to see the one and only Neil Patrick Harris introduce Ms. Brown to the world.

And did you notice her football shaped stage? An homage to her official TV debut to come this Sunday during the Superbowl I would imagine. I am guessing that we in Canada will have to wait until Monday to check out the commercial.

Looking pretty good for a gal 70+ don't you think?

Ms. Brown sent along this special autographed picture for us as a thank you for our interest in her reveal. What do you think?

Of course, the other big thank you is the M&Ms gift basket, valued at approximately $90. I consulted Rafflecopter this morning and am happy to announce the lucky winner - Karin D!! (entry #170) Karin and I have been in touch, and her basket of goodies will be on its way soon. Thanks to all who entered!

One Sweet Reveal: Actor Neil Patrick Harris rallies fans during the unveiling of a 20-foot statue featuring the first image of the sixth M&M'S character, Ms. Brown, at The Grove in Los Angeles, Monday Jan. 30, 2012. The statue had been hidden for the past six days while fans from coast to coast counted down to the statues unveiling. (Casey Rodgers / AP Images for Mars Chocolate NA)

Minimize Monday - Week 2

2012-01-30T01:21:00.000-05:00

This weekend I tackled the cupboard under my kitchen sink. The main issue under there (other than dirt) was the insane number of bags. We almost always use reusable bags, so I honestly don't know how we manage to collect so many plastic and paper bags. But we do, and they all get stuffed in this cupboard.

Saturday I filled two big bags full and got them out of that cupboard, my house, and my life.

Doesn't this look lovely now? Can you picture how bad this was with all those extra bags stuffed in there? I did keep the bag container full, but I'm clamping down on the reusable bag use by my family to try to keep this under control. The little blue trash bin in there is for battery disposal, by the way. Dead batteries get collected in there to go to special battery recycling. I am lucky to have a drop-off point for these at my office!

I'm also getting rid of three old phones and a broken Tassimo. These were on their way to the crawlspace, "just in case," but I came to my senses. Phones are going to the Sally Ann. Tassimo is going to the trash. Yes, I could try to have it fixed, and perhaps this is not the best environmental decision. But it was the right one for me just now.

Our Morning Smile

2012-01-26T21:55:00.004-05:00

When I was a kid, cereal was a huge part of our morning. I know there were sugar cereals available, but we always had either Rice Crispies or Corn Flakes. Sugar cereals were for special treats, purchased in those little multi-packs once or twice a year when we were a bit older.

And how did we eat our cereal? Hot. Yes indeed. I didn't know that you could serve cereal with cold milk until I was about 7 years old. Mom always heated milk for us, and that's how we had our Rice Crispies. We still got the Snap! Crackle! Pop! and I loved it. Then my brother and I spent a summer weekend with our neighbours at their cabin. We slept in a loft, and it was so much fun staying up "late" giggling with our best friend. When we got up in the morning, her mom served us cereal (I can't remember what kind) and poured cold milk all over it. I was appalled! It was such a communication disconnect and her mom had no idea what was wrong. When she realised, she laughed and encouraged me to try it. I was converted - so much crunchier and just as yummy.

Now I am happy to serve a variety of cereals to my family, all cold other than oatmeal. Cereal makes for a quick, nutritious breakfast that is inexpensive to boot. A bowl of cereal plus milk comes in at about 50 cents a serving!

Oddly enough, Raisin Bran is at the top of Little Boo's fave cereals list. I didn't think we'd go for it, being bran and all, but he does love raisins, and he's a pretty healthy eater. Hubs loves Raisin Bran as well, so we keep stocked up.

I have a new favourite cereal, thanks to a care package from Kellogg's, which I received as a welcome to their new "Kelloggers Network." I am officially in love with the new Special K Oats & Honey. Sweet and tasty, made with whole grain wheat & oats, milled corn and rice, it gives me 2g of protein and 2g of fibre. And it's delicious!

Did you know? Kellogg Company was founded in 1906 as the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, by W.K. Kellogg. The very first box of Kellogg's cereal was made of entirely recycled material.

Whether you like your cereal hot or cold, for breakfast or dinner or a late night snack, it makes a quick tasty meal.
What's your favourite?

Disclosure: I am a part of the Kelloggers Network. I received a gift of product as a welcome to my membership. I was not required to write about this product, the Network, nor to complete a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review - Juicy Fruit Desserts

2012-01-24T20:31:00.000-05:00

I am not a big chewer of gum, and when I do partake I generally look for something minty, usually to cover up something I ate for my lunch. But I agreed to try the new Juicy Fruit Desserts gum when the offer came, because I know the Teen enjoys gum, and all the boys in my family like the original Juicy Fruit flavour.

This gum comes in three flavours - Orange Creme Pop, Strawberry Shortcake, and Apple Pie. They all taste amazingly dessert-like, with truly long-lasting flavour. I popped in a stick of Orange Creme Pop before a drive to my mother-in-laws, and over half an hour later there was still good flavour. This gum tastes much like a creamsicle. The Teen's favourite is the Apple Pie. You could see the shock on his face when he found he was really enjoying it, and it really does have the apple, cinnamon and even a hint of pastry taste! I think he had low expectations going in. The Strawberry Shortcake is probably the least favourite around here, though Little Boo does like it. It's a bit sweeter tasting than the others, but still good.

I think this gum could be a good choice for a quick sweet fix for anyone with a sweet tooth, but trying to watch their sugar and calorie intake. The sweet flavour should serve to quench late afternoon sugar cravings.

Overall, I am impressed, though I probably shouldn't be surprised at the quality of this gum, seeing as it is from Wrigley's and part of the trusted brand Juicy Fruit. These new flavours don't disappoint.

You can visit Juicy Fruit on their Facebook page.

WW - Bunny Tracks

2012-01-24T19:08:00.000-05:00

We apparently had a little visitor while we were at work and school. It was cool to come home to bunny tracks in the snow on our deck. I'm always amazed at the wildlife in our neighbourhood.

#BrownIsComing

2012-01-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

There's some excitement brewing in the chocolate world. (Actually, a chocolate world would be pretty exciting now, wouldn't it? Yum.) Anyways, after 70 years of working behind the scenes, there's a new girl in town, ready to take her turn in the spotlight as the newest M&Ms Spokescandy. Ms. Brown is coming to town and will be introduced to M&Ms fans across Canada in a special, live Facebook reveal event on Monday, January 30, 2012.

Ms. Brown, a strong, intelligent woman with a sharp wit and an unmatched knowledge of Milk Chocolate, has worked as the Chief Chocolate Officer at Mars Inc. since 1942. But now she is ready to join the rest of the M&Ms Spokescandy team to tell the world about her product.

??????????

According to the press release,
"Canadian fans will have the unique opportunity to watch Ms. Brown be revealed for the first time during live events streamed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mmscanada. The makers of M&M'S® will unveil her first-ever images during special events being held at The Grove in Los Angeles, as well as M&M'S® World in New York City on Monday, January 30, 2012, at 3:00 p.m. ET."
This event will include a sneak peak at a TV ad, set to air in Canada starting February 6. So, what are you doing at 3pm EST on January 30? Come on by the M&Ms Canada Facebook page and get your first look at this lady of mystery.

You can follow Ms. Brown on Twitter, and follow the hashtag #BrownIsComing for insights leading up the reveal day.

Hot off the press- image of the yummy prize!

To celebrate the launch of Ms. Brown, Mars Inc. is offering an exclusive Ms. Brown giveaway package (valued at approximately $90) to one lucky Raising My Boys reader. This contest will run until midnight (EST), Sunday, January 29, with the winner to be announced right after the big reveal. Entries will be accepted through the Rafflecopter widget below. Canadian residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Minimize Monday - Decluttering My Life

2012-01-23T21:40:00.000-05:00

The lovely Jody, over at Mommy Moment, is on a mission to de-clutter her life. She has declared each Monday "Minimize Monday" and will be updating us each week on her progress.

I happen to be on that same mission and have entered my major post-Christmas PURGE mode. So, I've decided to join Jody and will post on my purging efforts here each week.

For Week One, I am happy to report that I cleaned out the front closet and amassed a big pile of Little Boo's outgrown footwear, plus some old sneakers of mine, all in pretty great condition still. These have gone to the Salvation Army Thrift Store down the road from us, so they can do some good for someone else.

Also, in the process of putting all of the Christmas decorations away, I cleared out a lot of old boxes from the crawlspace and sent those to recycling. We have a bad pack-rat habit of accumulating cardboard boxes because "we might need them some day." Especially ones that look like they would make a good disguise for wrapping gifts.

They're gone!!!!

I feel lighter already.

Lice and You

2012-01-22T23:03:00.001-05:00

Itchy yet? The dreaded note came home from school again yesterday. There is a case of pediculosis in Little Boo's Kindergarten class. That would be "an infestation of lice," for the uninitiated. And, as anyone who has had to deal with these blood-sucking critters knows, lice ain't fun.

Male (left) and Female (right) head lice. Image from Wikipedia.

Head lice is most common in preschool and elementary-aged kids. And it has nothing to do with poor hygiene. The lice spread by contact from one head to the next, or by being transferred via sharing personal items like brushes or hats. They could also (much less likely) be transferred via upholstered furniture or pillows or the like. According to the Mayo Clinic, adult lice can live just two days without food (your blood) and the nits (their eggs) require the temperature they enjoy from their perch so near the human head. This is why spreading from furniture or personal items happens less often than from head to head contact.

Intense itching is really the only physical symptom to notice, other than the appearance of actual lice or nits. If you or your child suspect you have lice, you need to carefully pick through the hair to look for physical evidence. Nits usually are found attached to the shaft of the hair, very close to the scalp. They may look like dandruff, but, unlike dandruff, they are not easily removed. Adult lice are pictured in the image above. (shudder) They can usually be found behind ears, or at the nape of the neck. They are tiny!

It may be easier to search for lice in wet hair. Use a fine toothed comb and carefully comb through and separate at the roots. I remember my parents using a nit comb on my very long hair when I was a little kid. It was not a fun experience. One of the benefits of having a boy is that it is socially acceptable, and even cool, to shave his head. This is my primary louse-prevention strategy. Hubs is follically challenged, so he shaves his head too, making it a viable option in Little Boo's eyes.

Mommy's Louse-Prevention Strategy

We will be doing daily inspections for a total of 10 days. We're about half-way through and nothing yet. The shaved head should save us, as we don't think the lice will be happy laying their eggs on such short hair. But we'll still keep an eye out.

Should we find anything, Little Boo will need to stay home from school until all evidence of the critters is gone. There are a number of non-prescription shampoos and treatments available at your local drugstore - just ask your pharmacist. If the over-the-counter products don't do the job, your physician can prescribe something heftier.

For those who would prefer to stay away from chemicals on their wee ones' heads, there are many home remedies to try. Many folks swear by tea tree oil, both as a louse killer and a preventative measure. You can add a few drops to your child's shampoo for prevention, or add it directly to their head if lice are present. Olive oil, mayonnaise, or vaseline, applied to the head at night and covered with a shower cap or plastic wrap, are touted as being able to drown or suffocate the the adult lice.

But, from all I've been reading, it seems that the only surefire way to get rid of lice is the good old-fashioned nit-picking. Comb and pick out the adults and the nits. Painstaking, time-consuming, and possibly painful. But effective. We have been lucky so far, and I hope we won't have to actually test out methods ourselves!

For more information on head lice/pediculosis and its prevention, detection, and treatment, please visit the Mayo Clinic's website. They are my go-to internet source for any health-related questions.

For an in-depth survey of what works and what doesn't in terms of treatment, I recommend this article by John Hoffman in Today's Parent, from 2007. It provides a careful look at a number of options that may or may not work or be necessary.

I have to go scratch for a while now. I hope it's just psycho-somatic....

What about you? Have you had a run-in with lice and your kids? How did you treat it? What worked and what didn't??

(Mayo Clinic, Wikipedia, and Today's Parent websites all provided insights for this article.)

Six Year Olds RAWK!

2012-01-21T10:26:00.001-05:00

I left Little Boo eating his cereal and watching TV, to go get my shower.
When I came out, he had put his bowl and spoon in the dishwasher, turned off the TV, and was happily playing a video game downstairs. Which he set up himself.

He made his bed this morning too. I didn't ask him to do any of this. I'm pretty impressed.

We're working on his coffee making skills too (first Tassimo lesson was this morning). But overall I am totally stoked and proud of him for how independent he's becoming. He wants to be helpful and do his part around the house, and, what's even better, at six he is skilled enough to complete tasks well, without making more work for me.

I think it's easy to sometimes forget that our little kids are growing up, learning new things, and becoming more and more competent. I need to remind myself to let go and allow him the space to do these "chores" on his own, in his own way.

The more he does, the more he learns. He feels his own competency, and that makes him proud of himself and encourages his self-confidence. Decreasing my workload is just a side benefit.

What chores do your kids do? At what age did you start assigning chores or responsibilities to them?

Get Your Heart On with YMC and Becel

2012-01-17T23:07:00.002-05:00

Last week I went a bit outside my comfort zone and attended an event at a fitness centre. It was a collaborative effort from the Yummy Mummy Club, The Motion Room, and Becel, and it aimed to raise awareness about women's heart health.

You may not realise, but heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death for Canadian women, and we need to be aware of our risk factors, including high cholesterol, obesity, and inactivity. Once we are aware, we need to take steps to protect our health (and our lives) by making positive changes or continuing on our already healthy path.

Yummy Mummy Club founder, Erica Ehm, has been taking these steps to work on her health and fitness at The Motion Room since their body composition test told her she has too much bad fat on her body, in relation to necessary fat and muscle. That bad fat is not good news.

The Motion Room was crowded with women ready for a work-out and to get their cholesterol tested
then discuss the results with a dietitian. Heart-healthy snacks, including smoked salmon on whole-grain bagels, and fruit kabobs were on the evening's refreshment menu.

The body composition test told me that I am obese.
What this really means is that I have too much bad fat, like Erica .

The Motion Room can use ultrasound to capture an image of your muscle mass. This is my tricep. The blue is muscle (outlined by the trainer with red). The dark area above the blue is fat. This imaging can be used to track the development of muscle throughout your training. The dark area of fat should decrease and be replaced by blue muscle. Then you know your training is achieving the results you're looking for.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation presents some sobering statistics:

- Women are 16% more likely to die than men, following a heart attack.

- Stroke kills 32% more women than it does men.

Wow. These really are women's diseases.

But there are many steps we can take for prevention, including lowering our cholesterol, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress, and monitoring our blood pressure. Not smoking should go without saying.

According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, "Women who are 30 per cent over their healthy body weight are two to three times more likely to develop heart disease." This is sobering for me, as my body composition test put me in this range. Thankfully, I have excellent blood pressure, good cholesterol levels, and no family history of heart disease. So, I have some points in my favour. But diet and activity levels are against me. I'll be working hard this year to take some small, and then larger, steps to get me on a path to good heart health.

Incorporating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains into my diet. Reducing trans and saturated fats. I'll try to reduce my salt, as it contributes to high blood pressure. And I'll be working my way up to a more active life. 30-60 minutes of exercise a day is recommended, but the Foundation suggests even starting small with 10 minute walks every other day will help. They offer a HeartWalk Workout guide to help get started.

What do I want you to do? See your doctor. Talk about your risk factors. Have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked. Educate yourself.

For lots more information on heart disease and stroke, warning signs, prevention, and risk factors, please visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation's The Heart Truth site. Your heart will thank you!

"The bottom line is that awareness—of your risks, of the warning signs, and of prevention and treatment options—is your best defense against heart disease and stroke." (HSF)

La Creme Cow Spreadable Snack Cheese

2012-01-16T22:49:00.000-05:00

I'll bet your snack cupboard is pretty well stocked for your little ones. But what about your own snacks? Do you try to snack healthy? Are you looking to try something new?

Well, Parmalat Canada has brought a new product onto the market. La Creme Cow is a new line of spreadable snack cheese geared to adults. It is available in three delicious flavours: Original, Light, and Parmesan & Peppercorn. The cheese is presented in individually wrapped wedges, making it really convenient for snacking on the go (throw a couple in your lunch!) or for just grabbing a small bite without the worry of having a large block of opened cheese going bad.

I received a lovely gift basket from Parmalat, along with a selection of the La Creme Cow cheeses to try. I have a group of dear girlfriends who get together every Friday evening for some relaxing and chatting and fun. Yes, and wine and definitely snacks. So I decided I had the perfect group here to taste test La Creme. We put together a plate with the three varieties and some crackers, and we dove right in. Everyone had some samples. Then some more samples. Yes, they went over well. One of the girls has declared this her new favourite snack.

The clear taste winner of the evening was the Parmesan & Peppercorn. It has a wonderful flavour with a great peppery kick. The mild, smooth taste of the Original also went over well. The Light version wasn't a favourite, though it wasn't terrible. I found it a little sweet-tasting. It has 43% less fat than the Original, so if fat is a concern for you it is a good choice. And there are 20 fewer calories per wedge. Both the Original and Light are one Weight Watcher's point, so if you are following that plan, there is no points benefit (a couple of the gals mentioned this.).

You can see the difference between the Light (on the left) and Original

My gals suggested a delicious and quick breakfast recipe using this cheese. I tried it Saturday morning and was really pleased.

Scrambled Eggs in a Mug

Break a large egg into a microwave safe mug

Pierce the yolk with a fork and lightly scramble

Add one wedge of La Creme Cow cheese

Microwave on high for 30 seconds

Remove from microwave and mix with a fork

Microwave on high for an additional 40 seconds

Salt, Pepper, and enjoy!

I made this with the Original cheese, but I think the Parmesan & Peppercorn would be even yummier. I chopped the wedge of cheese into three to make it melt more quickly. Along with half of a toasted bagel with butter, this made for a quick and satisfying breakfast.

For entertaining, this mild and creamy cheese spreads easily on crackers and makes a great base for a multitude of toppings. How about trying the Parmesan & Peppercorn with smoked salmon topped with dill!

La Crème Cow spreadable cheese can be found in the dairy section of your local Loblaws or Metro

grocery stores nationwide and is available in the following formats:

- Original (12 pk, average retail price - $5.49)

- Light (6 pk, average retail price - $2.99)

- Parmesan & Peppercorn (6 pk, average retail price - $2.99)

Would you like to try some for yourself? Parmalat is offering up a $100 gift basket like the one pictured above, to one lucky Raising My Boys reader. You can enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

January Jingles $100 Giveaway

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the January Jingles Paypal $100 Giveaway hosted by The Knit Wit by Shair and Multi-Testing Mommy.

Could you use a little extra cash after the holidays? I know I could. This cash giveaway runs through January 23, on multiple blogs. Visit us all for multiple entries (and to be introduced to some great blogs you might not have met before). The winner will receive $100 deposited to their Paypal account once the hosts have confirmed their entry. Don't have a Paypal account? Just visit paypal.com to sign up.

Happy hopping! And good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway This event has been brought to you by the following blogs: The Knit Wit by Shair, Multi-Testing Mommy, Maple Leaf Mommy, The Education of a Stay at Home Mom, Talking MomCents, HabitueTO, Little Miss Kate, The Spring Mount Six Pack, Sober Julie, Golden Charm Blog, My Secret Home, About a Mom, Emilys Reviews, Sadie Bakes, A Girl Worth Saving, funny things are everywhere, This Mom Loves, Raising My Boys, Show Me The Prizes.

Dads & Boots

2012-01-14T10:23:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Hubs picked up Little Boo from daycare before coming to get me at work. When they arrived I noted that my sweet 6 year old was wearing sneakers. In the snow.

Where the heck are his boots!? Oh, ok, there's boots there next to the seat. We'll live.

Oh look there are his snowpants. The ones that are supposed to stay at daycare. Ok. At least Hubs is trying. (Internal sigh.)

But when we got to our destination, that's when the trouble started.

Those aren't his boots.

Like, really. They're some other kid's boots. Some other kid who may be without boots now for the first fun, snowy weekend of the winter.

Seriously.

It was too late to go back to daycare. I crossed my fingers and prayed the boots were at least the right size, so the other kid could take our boots. Nope. No such luck. 3 sizes bigger. My stomach flipped.

"Hon, these aren't his boots."
"What?!"
"His boots are camo and match his coat."
"But they have his name inside, don't they?"

Mommy takes a look, and yes indeed, they have his name inside. On the tag, right next to the too-big size and the Made in China. His name is the STYLE NAME of the boot.

Pray for me.

I feel absolutely horrible about all this and really hope the true owner of these boots has a spare pair at home. Or maybe they planned to stay indoors by the fire all weekend. (We are in an extreme cold weather alert after all.) Moral of the story - label your kids' stuff. And have a show and tell at the beginning of each season with other family members to make sure they can recognise the important pieces.

Rafflecopter is having their own giveaway!

2012-01-10T14:43:00.003-05:00

A few months ago I started using Rafflecopter to run my giveaways. This was a Beta version with limited sign-up. I was really happy to be accepted as a user, because it made running my giveaways so much easier! So much is automated. Previous giveaways can be used as templates and simply updated. You can notify your winner(s) from within the Rafflecopter widget.

I give it a two thumbs up.

Well, after nine months of limited membership, Rafflecopter just announced they are now open to the public. If you run giveaways on your own blog I definitely suggest you check this out and see if it is for you. Just visit Rafflecopter.com to get started. It's free!

To celebrate their "grand opening" so to speak, the folks at Rafflecopter are running a giveaway of their own. They have an Apple iPad 2 16GB and two Kindle Fires up for grabs. To enter, please use the widget below, and tell them I sent you :) (Whoever refers the iPad winner will win a Kindle.)

Oh! And they are also looking for a name for their mascot (a happy helicopter). From Rafflecopter: "Suggest a Mascot Name – You’ve seen the Rafflecopter smiley-face dude hanging around the web. The poor guy needs a name, and we want to leave it up to you to decide what his (or her?) name should be. For an additional entry, suggest a name! After the giveaway is over, we’ll go through the list of names and pick out our favorite suggestions (be creative!) and bring it to a vote on Facebook. If your name is chosen, you’ll win a Kindle Fire and be immortalized in Rafflecopter history :)"

This giveaway is open for the US and Canadian residents and will close February 9th at 12:01 a.m. EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Six

2012-01-10T07:38:00.000-05:00

Six years ago today I was lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to what felt like a million monitors and drips, waiting for my sweet baby boy to make his early appearance. It feels both like yesterday and like a lifetime ago.

That tiny little 5 pound baby is now a (still relatively tiny) 45 pound big boy in Kindergarten. He can run and jump and ride a bike. He loves to swim. He plays video games with his teenage brother. He reads chapter books and makes up riddles and draws the greatest pictures. He loves to craft and can't wait to be allowed to use the glue gun on his own. (Probably soon now.)

His laugh and his smile light up our lives. (His screaming tantrums not so much.)

Happy 6th Birthday Baby Boy!!

Great Worldwide Blogger Opportunity ~Cupid’s Cash

2012-01-08T19:07:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to have signed up for this multi-blog giveaway. Hosted by the fabulous Sober Julie and Kidsumers, Cupid's Cash Giveaway is a great opportunity for bloggers to reach out to new audiences, and a great way for us to offer a cash prize to our wonderful readers. The giveaway event will run from February 1-14, 2012. Blogger sign-ups will be accepted through January 27.

From the hosts:

Why would you want to sign up?

· To introduce your blog to new people

· To gain backlinks on a variety of blogs

· To increase your followers

· To gain new readers

Fellow blogger friends…now is the time to sign up for this amazing event!

Sign ups are now available and will close on January 27th, 2012 at midnight EST.

Fees to join in are:$7 USD for 1 network, $10 USD for 2 or a special deal of $15 USD for all 4.

Prize will be dependant upon number of entries and will be in the form of Paypal funds.

SIGN UP HERE FOR THE CUPID’SCASH GIVEAWAY

If you would like tobe a part of this great event, please fill out the form above and send payment to:youfoundlexi@live.ca

Entries can include:

Follow on Google +

“Like” on Facebook

Follow on Twitter

Subscribe

Event Date:

February 1, 2012 at12:01am EST through February 14th, 2012 at 11:59pm EST

Event Requirements:

$7 USD per social media entry or $10 USD for two and $15 for all 4 (the made through paypal as gift) to include your blog in the giveaway event must be received no later than January 27th, 2012 at midnight EST.
Entrants will be required to follow the two hosts, and all other participants will be listed as optional entries in the order that they join.
When the winner is chosen, participants may be asked to confirm that the winning entry is valid by confirming that they arefollowing.
Hosts are not eligible to win; participants are eligible to win.
Blogs will be placed in the order in which payment is received
You will be required to use the provided verbiage highlighting the Cupid’s Cash Giveaway in a post on your site on the giveaway start date and up until the giveaway ends.
We will be using Rafflecopter as our required means of collecting entries.
Everyone must display our Rafflecopter widget in their giveaway post during

For more information you can visit the hosts.

And, for my readers, stay tuned for the start of this giveaway in just a few short weeks!

Thanks so much to Julie and Sheri for hosting this!

Re-Post; Christmas Traditions - Part Four: Old Christmas Day

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

In honour of Old Christmas Day, I thought I'd re-post this one from last year. Yes, my tree is still up, but it will come down tomorrow. Once Christmas 2011 is officially over for me. So, Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!
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Today is January 6. Old Christmas Day. What's that? Never heard of it? I think you're probably not alone.

It's funny really, because Old Christmas Day is very much a part of my life and history. But I honestly never really knew why it was important. It just was. My family is of British origin, and we are Newfoundlanders, so I imagine those facts have something to do with it. It's our tradition. Old Christmas Day was always acknowledged, although there was no particular celebration surrounding it. It was more the official end of Christmas, the time when it was time to take down the tree and store the decorations for another year. It is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the 12th day after Christ's birth. (And, so, I never understood why people would be confused about the 12 days song.)

The most salient fact about Old Christmas Day for me though is that it is in fact bad luck to take down your tree any earlier. I have never questioned this. Much like I've never questioned why it's bad luck to turn your calendar to a new month before that month arrives - it just is! My tree is still up. I will take it down this weekend. Once it's safe. I'm not risking bad luck or poor health or disaster in 2011 by ending Christmas early and putting the tree away. (Having an artificial tree certainly helps with this particular tradition. Fire safety and all, you know.)

I actually get all twitchy hearing other people talk about having their tree down by New Year's. EEEP! I know it's crazy, but this tradition and belief is just so deeply-seated in me, it ain't goin' nowhere.

If you are interested in learning a little about Old Christmas Day, you can check out these links:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_old_christmas_day
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/orthodox-christmas-day
http://www.telliquah.com/OldXmas.htm

These don't all completely agree, but two themes emerge - Epiphany (the visitation by the Magi) and controversy around the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Whatever. For me, Old Christmas Day is the final day of the Christmas season, and all things Christmas remain in my home until that day has passed.

So, one last time, Merry Christmas! :-)

Watch Your Language!

2012-01-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

Little Boo and the Teen were playing a video game last night (a new Zelda game - they can totally bond over these). Apparently Little Boo was getting frustrated, and Hubs overheard the following exchange.

Little Boo: DAMN IT!
Teen: Watch your language.
Little Boo: What?! Am I speaking Spanish or something??!

Then he stormed off. Which is probably a good thing, as the Teen totally lost it in fits of laughter.

WW - Disembodied

2012-01-03T20:14:00.000-05:00

Recipe: Chocolate Rum Balls

2012-01-02T16:59:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer: This is not my own recipe, so don't think I'm all that talented in the kitchen. This came from a Philadelphia Cream Cheese insert, I think from Homemaker's, eons ago. I make these every Christmas, some for us and some for gifts. They are super easy, if messy and a bit time consuming. Although the prep time is listed as 25 minutes, I think it's longer, particularly with the waiting for the mixture to chill.

And they are DELICIOUS!
Enjoy :)

Chocolate Rum Balls (from Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese)

Hubs likes them with icing sugar

Prep time = 25 minutes

1 125g pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup blanched ground almonds
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1 teaspoon powdered instant coffee
¼ cup dark rum
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

Blend cream cheese, ground almonds, icing sugar, coffee & rum; mix well.
Add melted chocolate.
Chill until firm enough to handle.
Roll mixture into 1 inch balls

Roll balls in coatings of your choice.
Makes about 3 dozen

Suggested coatings:
Chocolate sprinkles, holiday coloured sprinkles, toasted sliced almonds (slightly crushed), icing sugar, toasted coconut, cocoa (my favourite!)

New Year, New Outlook

2012-01-02T11:53:00.000-05:00

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging (and everything else) over the holidays and tried to concentrate on relaxing and spending time with my family. We were off from work for almost two weeks; we did some visiting; we had pajama days; we ate potato chips and watched movies in bed; we went to the Ontario Science Centre; we enjoyed fires in the fireplace while drinking egg nog and listening to Christmas music.

I let go.

And I needed it. I was dangerously stressed before the holidays. You might say I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Everything was weighing on me - work, Little Boo's ADHD diagnosis & ongoing behaviour concerns, the pressures of keeping the house running, blogging commitments I had made, the need to prep for the holidays. I had too much. So, I took care of all commitments I had made to friends, family, PR firms, etc. And then I let things just flow. And I did some thinking.

I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions, but I have made a few decisions to help me find some balance and sanity in 2012.

For one, I am for real this time giving up on my Pampered Chef business. I have never been able to give it the time it needed to really succeed. And it became just one more thing to take me away from my family on the weekends. Gone.

Secondly, I am going to stop complaining about my work and actually do something about making a change. I have applied to some opportunities, but haven't put a big enough effort in. My ideal situation would be to work from home - writing, editing, community management, or something in that range. (Anyone hiring?) I need to ditch my commute and be able to focus more on Little Boo and what he needs from me. If that means a pay cut, we'll figure out how to deal with it.

Finally, I have realised that I have to stop hoping my family can read my mind. I need more help around here than I am getting. Really simple things like putting the toilet lid down so the cat doesn't play in the water and then track muddy paws all over the house. (Guess who gets to clean up?) I need to be open and clear about this, without bitching or blowing my lid when it happens AGAIN. I think we might try a family meeting later this month, to talk about expectations, from all of us, and how we can work together to keep the house running happily. (Anyone have any experience with that?)

So, maybe these count as resolutions, but I don't think of them that way. The timing is coincidental simply because this is when I had the time to stop and be quiet and think. Now I have some decisions and goals, and I'll do my best to end 2012 in a much better place than I did 2011.

Happy New Year! Happy New Beginnings!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T15:02:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukkah! Happy Holidays!
from my crazy family to yours

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

WW - I'm Ready...

2011-12-21T10:09:00.001-05:00

...for the entertaining. Come on over!

I love Chateau des Charmes GenSeven. Just sayin'