An Optimistic Beauty

Two Headbands, One Scarf - TShirt Craft

2012-02-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a post on Good Girl Gone Green I ran to my shirt drawer and grabbed an old shirt that I haven't worn in 6 years, a pair of scissors and went to town :D

It was so easy! The entire project took less than 5 minutes, and is a great green way to reuse your old clothes.

Take your shirt, take your scissors, and cut the top section off your shirt (its okay if its not straight!)

And voila! You have a scarf! It really is that easy. I ended up cutting off the bottom hem as well - which I turned into a headband for myself, and the top part transformed itself into a headband for my youngest daughter.

So amazingly easy - the only hard part? Stealing the scarf back from my 5 year old who has claimed it as her own.

Next on my list of must makes? The Produce Bags!!!

Huge thank you to Good Girl Gone Green for opening my eyes to all these amazing crafts!

30 Days of Photos - dayTWELVE

2012-02-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Red Gold!

Tomorrow is the Multi-cultural luncheon at Tala's school. The kids were asked to bring something traditional to their family to share with the class. Being Gitxsan, Salmon is definitely a traditional food for our people. My Dad came through with 2 different types of smoked salmon. The kids at school tomorrow will have a feast fit for Gitxsan Royalty!

30 Days of Photos - dayELEVEN

2012-01-31T19:44:00.000-08:00

Every night before bed the girls and I have a dance party! Its a great way to wind down, and let the stresses of the melt around. We like to shake our sillies out. Tonight we did the Macarena and the girls were so cute I had to take a picture.

Sexy and I Know It

2012-01-31T19:37:00.000-08:00

NO YOU'RE NOT!

This isn't an attack on LMFAO. I actually kinda like the guys. But it is a post of frustration. My 7 year old daughter came home today singing:

"I'm sexy and I know it"

To which I responded that she's 7 and 7 year olds are not sexy! I asked her where she heard the song, and she told me that the girls in her class at school taught her the lyrics. Which to me is one of the most frustrating parts of being a parent. As much as I strive to teach my girls good manners, and show them appropriate behaviour the moment they leave the house I cannot control what they pick up from their friends. From bad words, to attitudes, and now walking around singing that they're sexy I guess I've seen it all.

A couple of weeks ago I found this video on You Tube featuring the lovable Elmo which in my opinion is a better choice for 7 year olds. This evening I played this version for Tala and quite to my liking she really enjoyed it, and I explained how this version is acceptable for a girl her age, but that the other version is for much, much older kids. I hope that she took in my lesson!

I wish more parents felt the same as I do!

How do you contend with the behaviours your kids bring home from school?

Sneezy Wheezy Day Winner Announced

2012-01-30T19:51:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Pamalot winner of the Sneezy Wheezy Day Giveaway! The kids in your class will love it :)

30 Days of Photos - dayTEN

2012-01-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

Best buddies Callie (Cat) and Malie.

Callie, our cat, doesn't appear to know that she's not one of the kids. She's pretty amazingly sweet though, and shares herself nightly. She alternates between sleeping with me, Tala, Malie and then back to me.

The Sneezy Wheezy Day - Review & Giveaway

2012-01-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

Lions, and Tigers and Cougar Cubs - oh my!

Who can help Boy Cougar feel better when he starts feeling sick? His friends sure try help, but their imaginative, and well intentioned remedies just don't do the trick in this adorable book by author Sharon Cramer.

Low and behold the magic cure is loving care from his sister. I know every child (and adult) can relate to the need for love and attention while their feeling under the weather.

Sharon Cramer's book has a wonderful lilt to it that makes it a dream to read. The wonderfully imaginative cures that the forest friends come up with definitely make this book a keeper, as you wonder what they can possibly come up with next. When Grizzly Old Bear proclaims "The reason you're warm is you have too much hair. Best if you trim it as short as you dare" my heart aches for this poor little cub, who after his haircut truly looks not well!

Aside from the wonderful story the artwork in The Sneezy Wheezy Day definitely set this book apart. Sharon Cramer wrote and illustrated this book, and has done an absolutely amazing job. Each page took Sharon 18-24 hours to create! Now that is dedication!

You can download Cougar Cub Tales on Amazon for free this week (Jan 23-27/2012)!!!!

I must not be the only one in love with the Cougar Cubs as Amazon.com currently has only 1 hardcover copy of The Sneezy Wheezy Day left in stock!!!! You can buy your copy here for $14.95!!!!

WIN IT!

One lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader will be bringing home their very own copy of The Sneezy Wheezy Day just in time for cold and flu season! I'm going to keep this one simple. To enter leave me a comment letting me know what your favourite get better trick is. Its that easy!

Please be sure to leave your email address in your comment so that I can contact you if you win. If I can't get a hold of you, you cannot win!

Giveaway is open to Canadian & US Residents only, and ends on Sunday, January 29/2012 at 11:59 pm EST.

Good luck!

**I received a copy of Cougar Cub Tales: The Sneezy Wheezy Day in return for participating in this blog tour. As always these are my honest, unbiased opinions!**

10 Worst Places To Live?

2012-01-24T19:38:00.000-08:00

Money Sense Magazine is officially in my bad books! Yes I said it. I simply cannot condone any magazine that ranks my dear little town as one of the 10 Worst Places to Live! Out of every place that I've lived nowhere comes close to Prince Rupert. Here's why:

Prince Rupert is absolutely gorgeous! Everyday when I walk to work my breath is taken away by the beautiful scenery in front of me. We are so fortunate to live in an area so full of natural beauty.

Interesting Rainbow Formation in a perfectly clear sky!

The people here are amazing. I find people who call Prince Rupert home to be wonderful examples of good neighbours. The prevailing attitude here is what I can I do to help you? Instead of what can you do for me? People genuinely care and go out of their way to help.

It is sooooo much more affordable to live here! And I don't have to visit the zoo as moments away from my house deer, eagles, sea lions, whales and sea lions abound.

Obviously when Money Sense Magazine made their calculations they didn't take into consideration the wait times to get into the Emergency Room! In Vancouver you might wait 5-6 hours to be seen by a doctor, here you're in and out in record time. I am so amazingly impressed with our hospital and their practice of moving patients through quickly and efficiently. Top Notch!

And yes we might hold a record or two for rainfall, but we also don't face the threat of forest fires, or droughts. Our rainforest is thriving, and provides amazing hiking trails for the entire family to enjoy!

Perhaps I am a tad on the sensitive side, but honestly, Prince Rupert is in my opinion the only place to live in Canada!!!

Curious if your town made the list of the 10 Worst Places to Live in Canada? Check out the Money Sense Article

30 Days of Photos - dayNINE

2012-01-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know if this should be dayNINE or part two in an ongoing series on the inappropriate shoe choices I make for ducking out on my lunch break! At least no heels today though right? haha And I do love these shoes!!!!

30 Days of Photos - dayEIGHT

2012-01-23T22:28:00.000-08:00

High heels in the snowy, slushy icy street FTW! Haha. I totally didn't think my lunch time walk through thoroughly! On the plus side.. .I didn't fall!

Vacation in My Own Town

2012-01-22T19:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we actually made the decision to vacate our waterless premises for the night and took up residence at the Eagle Bluff Bed & Breakfast in Cow Bay. I highly recommend staying there!!! Absolutely amazing location, and Mary and Brian are absolutely fantastic, and we felt like royalty! The girls were ecstatic about being there, and well I was just happy to have a nice warm shower!

You simply cannot get any better than staying in Rustic Cow Bay. Just down stairs from the Eagle Bluff Bed & Breakfast is the Cow Bay Cafe, and down the street you'll find OPA Sushi and the World Famous Cowpuccino's Coffee Bar. If you're in the mood for Fish & Chips be sure to stop in at Dolly's Fish Market for the 2nd most delicious Fish & Chips I've ever had (sorry Dolly's but no one can compare to my Dad's! Love You Dad!).

Plus, Cow Bay is the perfect place to spot wildlife such as Eagles (imagine that with a name like Eagle Bluff Bed & Breakfast!), Whales, Seals and on occasion Sea Lions.

Prince Rupert also has an abundance of deer that freely roam the streets, sometimes they completely slow traffic down, but its absolutely amazing to be able to watch them in their natural patterns. Have you ever seen a deer giving themselves a bath? I have!

We of course stopped in for a delicious supper at OPA. The girls dug right in, and insisted on sitting up at the Sushi Bar where they regaled the Sushi Chef with every single question that popped into their heads. They are now very well versed in the art of making sushi!

The girls were both super proud of using chopsticks instead of their fingers!

And of course a night in Cow Bay just wouldn't be complete without stopping in at Cowpuccino's for an absolutely delicious dessert! The Berry Crumble with a scoop of Ice Cream hit the spot perfectly!

Back at the B&B the girls and I settled in for a night of movies, but the temptation was just too much for the girls who kept sneaking out of the room to check up on the goings on in the kitchen. The smell was just too delicious to not! Their intrepid sleuthing turned out well though as they scored an invite to join the owners for a slice of Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Ice Cream! And well - technically we were on vacation so two desserts is fair game!

This morning we were treated to absolutely delicious Banana Waffles, Fruit Salad, Scrambled Eggs and Bacon for breakfast. I love it when I don't have to cook!

Definitely a wonderful experience! If you're in Rupert be sure to check out the Eagle Bluff Bed and Breakfast. Mary and Brian will be happy to see you, and tell them Jaime sent you!

30 Days of Photos - daySEVEN

2012-01-22T19:24:00.000-08:00

Living the high faluting lifestyle!

SUSHI for the Princesses at OPA Sushi here in town. The very best sushi in the entire universe! The girls gobbled up their rolls with gusto. The perfect way to finish a busy day.

30 Days of Photos - daySIX

2012-01-21T16:37:00.000-08:00

As if we haven't had enough bizarre weather later! Today we had snow, bounce off the streets a foot rain and then some hail!!!! Just another day in Northern BC.

30 Days of Photos - dayFIVE

2012-01-21T00:05:00.000-08:00

OMG I have Underwear on my head

That is All.

Taken for Granted

2012-01-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

As many of you probably know I am without water this week. Not by choice! Our pipes coming into the house are frozen and showing no signs of budging despite the warmer temperatures today. And so we've been roughing it this week. All around town people are without water, and pipes are exploding, needless to say the plumbers have been run off their feet!

After a week of boiling bottled water so I can do dishes and clean, having to dump water down the toilet to make it flush, and going to the swimming pool to shower I can honestly say I had no idea how much I take having running water in my house for granted. I mean seriously, I don't even own a dish rack!

We've all seen the ads on tv and on the internet about countries that don't have safe drinking water, and places where young girls don't go to school as part of their household responsibilities includes traveling miles daily to collect water for their homes. I've always seen those stories and not really connected with them. Its not that I wasn't sympathetic, but I just didn't really click in and say wow I totally get how hard that must be. Not that I can really compare my having to use Bottled Water to unsafe drinking water and trekking miles to collect water, but I finally understand that it is more than a minor inconvenience.

I do wonder though if in these countries not having running water is as big of an inconvenience as it has been turned into here in North America. Is it just a way of life? Something that they just don't think about? The prevalence of water coming into the house, feeding our need for convenience is definitely something I've never thought twice about it. Its always just been here.

Fingers crossed for our water to be back running this weekend!!!

30 Days of Photos - dayFOUR

2012-01-19T21:26:00.000-08:00

Day 3 with no water... so we headed off to the pool for a soak and a much needed shower!!!! I wish I had my camera with me to capture Malie's first ever jump off the diving board into the deep end. It was pretty amazing. Over and over again off the diving board. Hooray Malie!

Making the best of a bad situation, and spending a wonderful evening with my girls. Life couldn't be any better!

The Art of Empowering Your Children

2012-01-18T23:24:00.000-08:00

My daughter is one of the sweetest girls, delicate, with a stubborn streak. She has brilliant insights that keep me laughing. Yet, from a very young age she's been very very sensitive. Starting off in dance at a young age her penchant for crying when she's lost in Freeze Dance (or any game for that matter) was evident.

I understand her quick transition to tears. I recall still having the exact same sensitivity in Grade Four, and truth be told even as an adult I have the tendency to error on the side of being overly sensitive.

This evening we sat down for a "Woman to Woman" talk and with great excitement she told me that she really wanted to join soccer. I could see the excitement in her eyes, and hear it in her voice. This was something that she really wanted to do. And then in her head something changed and her mood immediately turned to sadness. And she told me that there is a boy at school that told her she isn't any good at sports. And that others at school told her she shouldn't play soccer because she isn't fast enough at running, and that she's too small. This made me really sad, not just as a parent, but as a human being. No child should be discouraged from playing any sport if they want to play. All through school I was never the best player on the team, I barely squeaked through, but I gave the games my all. Every child should have that opportunity.

And so I asked Tala who her favourite player on Team Canada was this year. She responded Mark Stone (ok so I'll confess I totally set her up here, I knew who her favourite player is). And I asked her if she knew what people say about Mark Stone? She didn't. I explained that people say that Mark Stone isn't a strong enough skater, but yet despite that fact that he isn't the best skater on the ice he still managed to be absolutely amazing during Team Canada's run in the World Juniors. Being amazing isn't always about being the fastest person on the ice/field, it involves being in the right spot, at the right time, and having a solid shot. And besides a team isn't made up of superstars!

Tala has had a wonderful year of victories. She passed her Grade One Ballet Exam with Merit!!!! This is an absolutely amazing accomplishment for my little girl who for the past two years has been left out of doing her exams. She proved that she can do it to everyone who ever doubted her. Of course I never (seriously never - I've always known that she could) doubted her abilities. And she feels like a million dollars having passed her exam. She is so proud of herself, which is the way it should be.

After going through the same level of swimming 7 times before passing I was pleasantly surprised when my daughter passed her Swim Kids Level 1 the first time through. She sure proved me wrong on this one!!! I expected that she'd take 2 times to get through as is par for course in this neck of the woods. Most kids go through each level multiple times before passing. But low and behold she passed with flying colours the first time through.

As a parent I can't go to school with my children to protect them from naysayers. I wish I could, but that would probably make matters worse. But I can create a home environment where my children feel safe and secure. We have open conversations, and when my girls are feeling down due to the actions of others I strive to teach them that it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. The only person who's opinion matters is your own. If she wants to play soccer then she should play soccer, it doesn't matter if she's the worst player on the team, it only matters that she has fun and enjoys herself.

This evening I did something I haven't done in a very long time. I made a Friendship Bracelet for her to wear to school as a reminder of our conversation tonight. I hope that she can carry the message with her for a very long time.

I know that it is a small trinket, but my hope is that it can serve as a tangible reminder that she is as wonderful a person as she could possibly be. She has flourished this year in everything she's set her mind to, the possibilities are limitless.

What do you do you do to Empower your children and show them that "Yes, they can"?

The 30 Days of Photos Segment will return tomorrow!!!!

30 Days of Photos - dayTHREE

2012-01-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today's photo pretty much sums up my day

Now you might be wondering why any average family would need 3 jugs of water. (And no I haven't taken up delivering water as a second job.) My pipes froze over night.

Despite the fact that I had water running in both the upstairs washroom and the kitchen the little buggers still froze up. It is gosh darn cold out there. It is currently 9:22 pm and -18 degrees Celcius (0 degrees Fahrenheit)!!!!!!!!!!!!! With the Wind Chill factored in its down to -30 degrees. We have an Arctic Outflow Warning in place and it is showing no signs of letting up on us.

And so our intrepid Maintenance Man spent the day attempting to unfreeze the pipes, to no avail. So in came the 3 big jugs of water to keep us going for a couple days. And as the freezing didn't take place in the house we wait for it to warm up a bit so the pipes under the ground thaw some to get the water running again.

I'm just happy that we don't have Hot Water Heat!!!!

30 Days of Photos - dayTWO

2012-01-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

dayTWO Ahoy! Tala's cape for her solo arrived today and so she of course had to try on the entire costume. Simply Gorgeous!

A huge thank you to Kellie from Dress Up Designs (an Etsy shop). The cape is perfect!

30 Days of Photos - dayONE

2012-01-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Day One of the 30 Days of Photos Project! I hope that you enjoy what I have to offer! My photo projects are born from the desire to slow down the day to day life, and take a time out to take photographs, a passion of mine that has taken a backseat as of late.

I love this picture taken on my iPhone 3GS, it reminds me of the cover of a Christmas Card!

The Most Beautiful Place on Earth

2012-01-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

Well friends, this weekend saw more snow being dumped on the Rain Capital of Canada! What the? Haha. I'm not a big fan of the snow, but it sure does look pretty (just as long as I don't have to leave the house!).

These last two are actually the view from my back window! Talk about living in luxury!

Now to hold tight as we enter into a deep freeze. Negative 12 degrees C is no friend of mine!!!!!

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2012-01-15T00:14:00.001-08:00

Let me present my 7 year old, who has been proclaimed by her teachers to have the most unique insights that they’ve ever seen.

Today was a friend’s birthday celebration so we braved the insanity of the snow to pick up a present for said friend. So here we are at Fields and we picked out an adorable Birthday Card that both me and her little sister agreed upon. We head over to the till to check out and she stays over in the card section. Just as we arrive at the cash register I hear lovely Miss T informing me from across the store that we had made a huge mistake in not selecting a card that said “5 Year Old” on it.

Being that we’d already been standing in line for 5 minutes, and there were people in line behind us I didn’t want to cycle back to the card section to select a new “more age appropriate” card. I told her that the card was perfectly alright, and that we didn’t have a need for 2 cards. She was not pleased with me and brought me a more appropriate card that I asked her to put back on the shelf which she did.

Now a lady who was standing directly behind me in line took it upon herself to intervene in the interaction and says to Tala:

”Today is my birthday, are there any cards for a 58 year old"?

To which Tala responded:

”No, but there’s one that says Don’t Worry About Your Age” and she smiles sweetly at the lady who looked quite pleased with Tala’s response.

I could tell that she was toying around with the idea of saying something else and of course in typical Tala fashion she says:

”But there’s a picture of teeth in a cup on the front”
Myself, and the others in the line up broke out in laughter at her honesty and even the “Birthday Girl” had a good chuckle.

Reminiscent of the time while having a Mommy Cuddle Tala turned to me and said:

”You’re so beautiful” ***insert pregnant pause here*** “And old!”

I will say that life is never boring with children!

Attack of Killer Lice from Outerspace

2012-01-09T22:29:00.000-08:00

If you're like most people the thought of Lice probably makes your skin start crawling and itching. The thought of having to deal with Lice sends many a parent into a panic.

Truth of the matter is that animals worldwide live with, and in some cases depend on the tendencies of small organisms for their survival. The Echeneis naucrates (also known as the Live Sharksucker) attaches itself to animals including Sharks, Sea Turtles, Dolphins and Sting Rays and feeds off their parasites and uneaten prey. And while this arrangement primarily benefits the Live Sharksucker, there are also benefits to their hosts. I won't go as far as to say that Lice serve a greater purpose in our health and survival, but I will say at the very least that they do teach us humility.

And while I have to agree that the thought of little bugs running around my head is a terrifying prospect I am a firm believer that an ounce of a prevention goes a long way. I would much rather be proactive, versus reactive, and so me and my girls are very dedicated to our routine.

* Everytime we shampoo we use Tea Tree Oil Mixed into our Shampoo (lice hate the smell - but I love it!).
* I keep the girls' hair secured back into a ponytail or bun every school day! (which serves a double purpose due to a dance schedule that sees them dancing daily)
* Once a Week I straighten the girls hair (the heat from the straightener is proven to zap any nits that might be hiding in the hair, and the girls love the special treat of having their hair straightened)
* Hair checks at least once a week, every 2 days when I've received a notice home from the school (its far easier to deal with a lice infestation in the beginning stages then waiting until things are out of control!)
* Each of us has our own set of hairbrushes, combs, bobby pins, elastics, and hair accessories that are stored in our own labelled boxes (no sharing here!)

This process has served us extremely well, and despite notice after notice of lice in the classroom my girls have never had more than a nit or two in their hair. I strongly believe that the Tea Tree Oil is the trick, and the lice are repulsed by the scent and don't stick around long enough to set up shop. And as long as its working as well as it has been I won't be changing up our action plan!

If you find lice or nits in your child's hair don't panic! While the whole process of banishing the "Killer Lice" can be time consuming, staying calm is always a great practice. Do your research, and find the solution that is going to work best for you and your family.

Heading over to Google and doing a search for lice treatments will bring up a gazillion (okay maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit! There probably aren't a gazillion) treatment options out there, including over the counter products like Nix or Resultz, and home remedies including Tea Tree Oil, Mayonnaise and Listerine. Only you will know what will work best for you and your family. I know for a fact that my children would not be pleased with me lathering their heads up with Mayonnaise and covering it with a plastic bag for hours on end! Hahahaha. I can just imagine their distaste with that idea. I've included Listerine on this list to give a full example of the options suggested online, but I do not endorse this suggestion. I can barely stand the burning in my mouth, I couldn't imagine what the stuff would feel like on my head, especially if I had an open sore!!!!!!!

For me during a recent lice outbreak (I say outbreak but really it was just a single lice and 2 eggs - so glad that we caught it early enough!) I used Tea Tree Oil and was shocked when that little bugger actually jumped off my daughter's head into the bathtub!

If after treating you still see live lice on the head after 24-48 hours you should retreat immediately with another method. According to Wikipedia lice are becoming resistant to some Over the Counter Treatments, so keep this in mind!

After treating with the product of your choice now comes the fun part (SARCASM).... Nit Picking (a phrase that has taken on an all new meaning for me!). Remove any nits that you find and discard. It is recommended that you place them into a sealed bag just to ensure that they don't escape and reinfect. In my opinion flushing them down the toilet and shouting "Die suckers Die!" works too! If you've never removed a nit from the hair the easiest way is to pinch underneath the nit and pull with your fingernails. The nits are glued onto the shaft with very sticky lice spit that keeps them firmly in place, so you will need to be forceful with them. The nits remind me of teensy tiny little droplets of dew on a summer morning. Unfortunately the prize inside isn't nearly as pleasant as a beautiful summer day!

After you've treated the infected heads besure to wash and dry everything in hot soapy water (dry for at least 20 minutes on high). This includes bedding, clothing, jackets, toques and scarfs. Anything that has come into contact with the hair needs to be thoroughly washed (lice are crafty little buggers). Besure to thoroughly vacuum the beds, carpets around the bed (and while you're at it you may as well do the entire house just to be on the safe side), as well as the sofas and anywhere else that the infected head may have come into contact with. Stuffed animals, pillows and likewise that cannot be laundered can be put into garbage bags and stored for 10 days. Newly hatched louse cannot survive without eating within 2 hours of hatching, so after the 10 days any unhatched eggs should have hatched and the louse should have met an untimely end (insert evil laugh here Muah Ha Ha). Hairbrushes and combs can be boiled for at least 5 minutes, and hair accessories etc can be placed into a bag and placed in the freezer for 48 hours. (Or if you're like me you can always use this as an opportunity to restock your hair accessories!)

It is important to check your child's hair regularly, and remove any nits that you locate to prevent further infestation. You should retreat your child's hair after 7-10 days (according to the package direction) to kill any recently hatched lice.

According to HealthLinkBC a child should be permitted to return to school after the initial treatment has been completed. The Canadian Pediatric Society does not endorse a no nits policy in the schools, and encourages confidentiality so not to embarrass the child who has an outbreak of lice. While lice have a stigma around them they do not present a Health Hazard and DO NOT Spread Disease. Having head lice is not a sign of a person being unclean, anyone can get them.

Tender Tootsies Disappointment

2012-01-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

This winter I decided to treat myself to a new pair of boots. Living in an area where it is both cold and wet having proper footwear is important. There's nothing worse then having to work in sopping wet (and cold) feet! So when I found a gorgeous pair of Winter Boots at my local Zellers in my size I was pretty happy. The price was more than I had hoped to pay, but I felt strongly that the price would be worth it as they were from a company that I would consider to be trustworthy and reliable.

Less than 3 weeks later the "genuine leather" started to peel from the boots, and they looked awful. Being that it was past the 2 week mark I couldn't return the boots to Zellers (boo!) and so I decided to suffer through it. I needed the boots, and having spent a little over $60 on them I didn't want to replace them less than a month later.

Fast forward another 2 weeks into the future and the heel has completely come detatched from the actual boot.

Needless to say these boots are now un-wearable. So off I went to my local Zellers and low and behold there isn't a single pair of Winter Boots in my size. I also popped into the other store in town, and there was no stock of Winter Boots for Woman at all.

So it appears that my feet are destined to be cold and wet this winter.

The Many Adventures of Pengey the Penguin

2012-01-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

I don't know about your kids, but since Happy Feet first graced our screens my girls have been obsessed with Penguins. And I can see why, there's something enchanting about them. Perhaps its their fine style all decked out in their black or white, or the strength that they possess to survive in what can only be described as one of the most un-forgiving areas on Earth, but whatever it is they're pretty amazing animals.

Recently I was given the opportunity to read the Many Adventures of Pengey the Penguin by John Burns.

The Many Adventures of Pengey the Penguin follows a young orphaned penguin, who after shunned by the other penguins finds himself drifting on an iceberg all on his own. Weak and near his end he finds hope in the form of a kind Human named Wendy. Wendy is from New York City, but working in Antarctica. Quite to her surprise this tiny penguin shows signs of communicating with her, and then even speaks human. She falls in love with Pengey, and he falls in love with her too. Calamity ensues as Pengey takes off to rescue her from the giant metal Raptor that gulps her up and tries to take her away from him.

Author John Burns has done an absolutely amazing job at making Pengey an endearing character. On his travels he meets a Parrot named Lionel, and a Puffin named Rufus. Rufus, Lionel and Pengey are 3 of the most unlikely friends, who end up making the journey of a lifetime. A journey fueled by a worn out business card of Wendy's that Pengey carries in his little backpack.

Reading this book you can't help but cheer for these three amazing animals, and the people who they meet along the way who help these three intrepid travelers on their way. It is a true story of endurance, of determination, and the value of true friends.

I would say this book is perfect for readers from the age of 5 and up. Amazon lists the age range as 9-12, but my 5 year old is enchanted by Pengey the Penguin, and while she can't read the book on her own, she does love the story behind the book. And I would say for anyone who's ever faced adversity in their life that this book is the perfect read. Life isn't perfect, but the important lesson that you'll learn from Pengey and his friends is to keep on going forward. If you want something bad enough, fight for it.

BUY IT
You can buy The Many Adventures of Pengey the Penguin from Amazon.com in Hardcover ($17.95) or Kindle Version ($9.95). I highly recommend picking up this amazing book to read with your children.

A huge THANK YOU to the author John Burns as well as the staff at PR by the Book for giving me the opportunity to review this amazing book!

I received a complimentary E-Copy of this Book from PR By the Book. The opinions expressed within this blog are (as always) my own.

Hello 2012!

2011-12-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

As the New Year rapidly approaches here I sit in my comfy cozy sweatpants (complete with elastic banded ankles cause I'm super fly like that), sweatshirt, my hair is in a sloppy ponytail, and alas any trace of make-up is remnants from yesterday.

My girls and I are getting ready to settle in for a night of watching Team Canada play Team USA in the World Junior Championships, after that the Canucks are taking on the Los Angeles Kings, and then we have a date with Netflix to see us through to the New Year.

Last year my youngest managed to last until 7pm, while my oldest made it till 930 when she started to fade, so New Year's miraculously jumped forward 2 whole hours and we celebrated at 10 PM (I mean honestly, it was midnight somewhere :D) and she was pretty proud of herself for making it all the way!

Tonight we will feast upon Tacos with all the fixins (including delicious Avocado), Pork Ribs, 3 different varieties of chips, Bits and Bites and Cookies & Cream Ice Cream. A feast for a Queen and 2 Princesses indeed.

And while our New Year's might seem small and insignificant to some, it means everything to us. I have long felt that New Year's is an indicator of the year to come. And well, filling that year with special moments with my little family is definitely a priority to me. And well, filling the night with delicious food is definitely a great omen of the year to come.

What will your New Year's Celebration look like tonight? Regardless of where the New Year sees you tonight, and for the year have fun and be safe. This afternoon on Twitter I saw a New Year's Wish from Nathalie-Roze & Co that I'm borrowing as I think that its just too perfect not to share.

"Wishing you a fab New Year's & an inspired 2012 crammed with creative mojo, love, laughs, soul, ace health & a few cool surprises. xo"

Happy New Year!

Terrible Present

2011-12-28T22:55:00.000-08:00

On Facebook this week a video featuring kids has been circulating like wildfire. Jimmy Kimmel challenged parents to give their children Terrible Presents, film their reactions, and post the videos to You Tube under the title "Hey Jimmy Kimmel I Gave My Kids a Terrible Present."

Presents featured included half eaten sandwiches, onions, bananas, and a potato.

The reactions of the kids (for the most part as there were a couple who took the joke well) were concerning to me as a parent. The reactions of the kids were such that if it had been my own children I would have been embarrassed, and I surely would not have posted such displays of melodrama on the internet for millions of people to see.

This year as many of you have probably heard I set forth to correct past Christmas disappointment in the fact that my Children raced through their presents in record time, and didn't take the time to even look at their presents before casting them off to the side. While I realize that this is typical child behaviour, I do find it disheartening to spend time searching out the perfect gifts only to have them tossed to the side as the kids race to open their presents the fastest.

Our Christmas Tree this year was light on the presents. The girls both knew heading into Christmas Day that there wouldn’t be as many presents under the tree this year as there have been in the past. Presents that (truth be told) were ripped open and discarded in record timing. Presents that were played with for the morning and then forgotten. Let me tell you (as I’m sure you know) that this behaviour to me as a parent is disheartening, and I would be lying if I didn’t say that I found it a tad troublesome. While I am not well off by any means, I am better off than many others in our community. While my girls and I have a beautiful house to live in, food to eat, clean clothes to wear, and some luxuries there are others in our community who are substantially worse off. Our region has one of the highest levels of Unemployment in Canada. We have been a recession for the better part of the last 20 years. Things are tough.

I was on the bus the other day and noticed a guy with an absolutely ancient CD Player – a CD Player that had seen better days, but you could tell by watching him that this CD Player was a prized possession of his. And as I looked down at my brand new iPhone I felt a pang of guilt. Here is a gentleman who cherishes a piece of equipment that if I found in a box I would toss out, while I have a phone with all the bells and whistles. What makes me so special that I could possibly deserve some thing so nice, when others in my community are struggling just to put food on the table?

You might be wondering where I’m going with this tangent, especially as you guys are well aware that this year I went out on a limb and gave my 5 and 7 year old daughters the iPod Touch from Apple. And well my interaction on the bus (ever so one sided) showed me that there really isn’t any point in having nice things if you don’t fully appreciate them. Thus my desire to tone down Christmas was born. I couldn’t take another year of seeing the girls open presents and cast them away within seconds of ripping off the paper. I strive as a parent to raise my daughters to be generous, caring and thoughtful individuals, but they like all children (and some adults too) are prone to the Gimme Gimmes. And Christmas isn’t about how many gifts are under the tree, it isn’t about how much money is spent on you.

I strongly feel that Christmas isn't about how many presents you have under the tree, or how much said presents cost. Less is more in my books.

While I do realize that the videos were made in fun, and the end objective of the parent wasn't (at least I hope it wasn't!) to embarrass their children, I can't help but wonder what the effect of these videos is. As a child the last thing you want is to stand out from your peers. Having your parents post a video on YouTube, that was potentially aired on the Jimmy Kimmell show, which then spread like wildfire throughout the internet world has negative consequences for those children. Children who under normal circumstances I'm am sure are wonderful people, are suddenly broadcasted around the world kicking and screaming, having a temper tantrum and freaking out because of a silly little present. This to me just doesn't feel right. Why subject your child to embarrassment, and turn them into the butt of the joke for the possibility of receiving your 10 seconds of fame on a show that I hadn't even heard of until it popped up on my Facebook feed?

Any thoughts?

Hockey Girls

2011-12-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

Growing up there is one constant that I remember. Hockey was a staple in our family. Whether we were at the Arena watching my Dad play for the Kings (or playing recreational hockey later on down the road), or at home watching CBC hockey was our lives. I grew up at the ice rink, and truth be told being a "Rink Rat" is far superior to being a "Mall Rat", at least in my humble opinion.

And while my girls haven't been bit by the I want to play hockey bug, they do love their hockey. Whether they're at the rink watching our local hockey team play, or watching the Canucks and Team Canada play on TV they're in hockey heaven.

So it wasn't a huge surprise to me when they opened their present from my Dad this Christmas. Daniel & Hendrik Sedin shirts, a shirt that my 5 year old refuses to take off!

Monday night both the Canadian World Junior Hockey Team and the Canucks were playing. For the purpose of this post I will focus on the Canucks game as this is where the magic happened.

Daniel Sedin scored, and Malie (aka as Daniel according to her new shirt) celebrated "her" goal. So later on when Hendrik took a penalty for tripping I said to Tala (my little Hendrik):

"Hey Hendrik, whatcha doing tripping people?"

Her response: "He dived!!!!"

Definitely adorable!

I love that my girls share our families passion for hockey.

Pre-emptive Strike

2011-12-25T23:20:00.001-08:00

This past weekend I did something that I’ve never done as an adult. I hit the mall just days before Christmas. Truth be told, I wasn’t shopping for anything in particular. I just felt like being social, and seeing people, wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.

So my girls and I headed out to the mall and had a look around. While we were perusing Zellers something caught my eye in the middle of the Christmas Department.

VALENTINES!!!!

That’s right – Valentines Day Cards of all varieties. The last thing on my mind Saturday was purchasing Valentines to further clutter up my house the day before Christmas. On my mind was making sure that I had everything that I needed for Christmas Dinner!

I don’t recall ever seeing Valentines Stuff put out on the shelves so early! I wonder how well they sold? Perhaps the stocking stuffer must have of the future?

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T22:42:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! As the Christmas Season has come to an end I must say that this is definitely the best that I’ve had in a very long time! The season was joyous, with friends and family galore.

This year I took a different path, and instead of the tree being overflowing with presents that my children would play with for half a day and then discard (very disheartening!) I went with quality over quantity.

The stockings were fairly light, they had their Mini Speakers (customized with their photographs), a change purse (also customized with their photos), some Gummy Penguins, a craft kit, and that’s all she wrote. Instead of the kids ripping through the stockings to get through everything in record time, without really noticing what was inside, they actually focused on the items that I had carefully picked out for them.

And when it came time for presents (I had already pre-warned them that they weren’t going to have a lot of presents this year) they took their time opening their presents.

Each of the girls had 9 presents, 3 of which were from me. They each received a shirt, “fancy” top, and Malie received a new hoodie (she lives in them) in one package.
In the other package was an assortment of smaller items, including a set of pajamas, a Barbie with 2 outfit changes, and a chocolate decorating kit.

Their big present was an iPod Touch that they are both in love with. I redeemed my airmiles for them (I could never justify spending $200+ on a present for my girls at age 5 & 7!!!!!) so all in all it was a pretty inexpensive Christmas season!!!!!

My Dad (who is Mr Hockey) bought my “twins” (everyone thinks they’re twins) shirts featuring the most famous twins in the world! Daniel & Hendrik Sedin!!!!

Tala is tickled “blue and green” to be named Captain!!!!

My Dad was tickled “red, white, and black” over his Team Canada sweat pants and tshirt that he will proudly wear while watching the World Junior Hockey Action this week. GO CANADA GO!
Did you make any changes to Christmas this year?

The Finished Product

2011-12-21T22:47:00.001-08:00

Those of you who've been keeping up with me this holiday season probably are well aware of my pursuit to make special presents for those close to us.... ON A BUDGET!!!

Everything turned out swimmingly well - and the cost for the 14 packages was very reasonable!

Each bag featured some delicious homemade Peppermint Bark, English Toffee (also homemade) and a beautiful Monogram Initial Ornament!

Here's a breakdown of the costs:

3 packages of 5 bags at the dollar store for $1.50 per package: $4.50

2 packages of White Chocolate Chips @ $4.00 per package: $8.00

1 package of Dark Chocolate Chips @ $4.00: $4.00

Candy Canes: $2.50

3 orders of beads bough on Ebay: $2.47 (shipped)

Wire (bought at the Dollar Store): $1.50

Total cost: $22.97/14= $1.64 per package!!!!!

I was terrified to try making something as fancy as English Toffee or Peppermint Bark but let me tell you they were incredibly easy to make, and delicious too! The recipes are linked above!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Mary's Son Winner!

2011-12-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

The winner has been selected in the Mary's Son Giveaway! Beth C has been contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond - if I haven't heard from her within hours a new winner will be selected.

Congrats Beth!

Mabel's Labels Winner Announced

2011-12-04T10:14:00.001-08:00

Hello friends! Its another beautiful day in the neighbourhood and one lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader will be bringing home a Stocking Stuffer Combo of their very own!

Congrats to Amy!

I will be in contact with you shortly! If I haven't heard from within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

Santa, Santa Everywhere

2011-12-03T22:02:00.001-08:00

Today was the culmination of our annual Winterfest Celebration. As part of our family tradition we went to the Santa Clause Breakfast so that the girls could have their pictures taken with Santa before heading off to the Santa Clause Parade. This year, once again, Tala gravitated towards Santa and was very happy to have her picture taken with him. Malie however was a tad on the shy side, and once again declined to visit Santa and have her picture taken.

So this evening at the annual Christmas Dinner at our church I was pleasantly surprised when she hopped right up onto Santa’s knee, had her picture taken (all smiles), spent a couple minutes chatting with him, and then came running back over to me to make sure I’d gotten the picture on camera.

What made the difference this evening to see her hop right up there, whereas this morning she wouldn’t get within any proximity of Santa? It could definitely be the fact that we were at Church in an environment where she felt safe, and secure. Our friends at church understand that she can sometimes be hesitant to get into activities, and so they called her name first. She was the first child to see Santa which was really special to her. At the Santa Breakfast she had to endure a long line up to get her breakfast, and the environment was definitely loud and crazy. I can definitely understand why she might not feel as comfortable with the goings on as she was this evening.

Now you might be wondering why I would share this story with you. Really it’s the small victories to me that count. I know that some parents out there might be upset with their child for refusing to sit on Santa’s lap and have their picture taken to add to their collection. I’ve learned over the years, and thoroughly grown as a parent having a daughter who has anxiety issues. Tonight she got right in there, had a great time, and she is very very proud of herself for getting her picture taken with Santa on her own accord. I would much rather have a picture of her with Santa with a genuine, relaxed smile, versus a picture of her looking miserable after being forced to sit on Santa’s lap.

Happy Holidays Everyone! Enjoy your families, celebrate the small moments.

Candle Warmers Etc Review

2011-12-03T21:41:00.001-08:00

On my doorstep Wednesday was a wonderful surprise from the folks at Candle Warmers Etc. You may recall a couple of weeks back I posted a giveaway for a wonderful collection of products of Candle Warmers Etc. At the time of the giveaway post I hadn’t received my sample products for review, so I went ahead and posted the giveaway without a review. And well, let me just say that the wait was definitely worth it. I am so in love with my warmers that its actually pretty humorous!
My box of goodies included the Aurora Candle Warmer Lamp, along with a secondary seasonal themed shade, Pumpkin Spice Candle to go with the warmer lamp, and an adorable Santa Illumination Fragrance Warmer, with Christmastime Scent. I love both warmers, and the scents are simply amazing. Pumpkin Spice is definitely among my favourite scents period.

The Aurora Candle Warmer Lamp is absolutely gorgeous! The gentle glow that the set up puts off is glorious, and so relaxing! The girls are obsessed with the candle warmer, and insist that it must be on at all times while we’re home. And well with the fragrant scent being thrown off the candle I certainly don’t mind it going. The scent is heavenly, and I am amazed at how long the scent lingers after the candle has stopped being warmed. We use the warmer very regularly, and unlike other flamed candles there is no black soot to contend with, as well as the fact that you can hardly tell that we’ve used the candle! I can definitely see these candles lasting substantially longer than the traditional variety (which is a huge plus in my books!)

One of my favourite features of this Illumination Fragrance Warmer is the huge melting pot. I’ve had other similar products where the tray is simply too small, and ends up making a mess. And of course they also made use of a flame, which resulted in a lot of extra mess. Which is why I’m so glad to have been introduced to Candle Warmers Etc. The design is absolutely adorable, and there are so many other designs on the website that I would love to call me own as well!

If you have anyone on your list who is a Candle lover I definitely recommend checking out the wonderful selection of products from Candle Warmers Etc. You will not be disappointed!

To the wonderful folks at Candle Warmers Etc I would like to extend a huge thank you. As a single parent the special treats for Mommy are few and far between, but the wonderful assortment of products that you sent definitely made my day, and I’m sure they will continue to make my day for a very long time!

Winner Announced- Candle Warmers Etc

2011-12-02T22:38:00.000-08:00

One lucky reader is going to be jumping for joy when they receive their amazing assortment of products from Candle Warmers Etc! I know I sure was :)

Congrats Rebby! I will be in contact with you shortly, after which time you will have 48 hours to respond confirming acceptance of this amazing prize (that you are going to love!). If I haven't heard from you within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

PS - my review of Candle Warmers Etc will be up tomorrow! I will say though, that my girls and I are in love! Our warmers have been very well used since they arrived on Wednesday night!

Christmas Baking - Peppermint Bark

2011-12-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Watch out world! I'm kind of liking this whole creating masterpieces in the kitchen thing!

Here's another one of the absolute most easy recipes that you'll every try! 2 ingredients, a microwave, and a cookie sheet and you're pretty much done.

PEPPERMINT BARK!

Ingredients:
1 pkg of white chocolate chips (I used the Chipits with bonus Airmiles offer last week)
24 hard peppermint candies

Method:
Place White Chocolate Chips in a microwave safe bowl. Put in microwave and microwave for a minute and a half. Remove from microwave, stir, and place back in the microwave for 30 seconds. Continue this pattern on removing, stirring, and replacing until you have a smooth consistency of melted chocolate.

While you're microwaving the chocolate chips, place the peppermint candies in a freezer bag and smash them up.

My helper, trying to hide the fact that she ran some quality control tests on the Peppermint Candies!

Next step is to pour the peppermint candies into a strainer and shake to release the small pieces of candy into your chocolate mixture, mix. Pour the chocolate and peppermint candy mixture onto a baking sheet coated with aluminum foil. Spread out to your desired thickness. Spread the remaining pieces of peppermint candy over top of the chocolate. Place in the fridge to set, break into pieces, and enjoy!

Christmas Baking - English Toffee

2011-11-29T19:58:00.001-08:00

I will be the first to admit that my culinary skills are not the greatest in the kitchen. While I do try I just don't have the knack of creating culinary masterpieces. My meals are (for the most part - haha) edible, but they aren't works of art. As such I've shied away from a lot of Christmas Baking but this year I decided to give it a shot. Here's my first Experiment in the kitchen!

I have to say that English Toffee in all its glory is one item that I never thought that I'd be able to master. But in reality this is probably one of the easiest recipes that I've ever made, and the result was absolutely divine (and very well received by all!).

ENGLISH TOFFEE

WHAT YOU NEED:

Large heavy bottomed pot

Thermometer (I used a digital meat one, it worked perfectly for my purposes)

2 cups of butter

2 cups of white sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)

Thinly sliced almonds (or any other nut that you fancy - or no nuts at all - its your call)

Baking Sheet, covered with wax paper or aluminum foil

DIRECTIONS:

Attach your thermometer to the side of your pot. Mix the butter, sugar and salt in your pot, over medium heat bring to a boil. And then you keep boiling it, and boiling it, and boiling it until your thermometer reads 285 degrees fahrenheit. At this point (or close to it) your mixture should start to turn a lovely amber colour. Keep boiling until it reaches 300 degrees fahrenheit. Remove from heat and transfer to the coated baking sheet.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips, leave them for a couple minutes, and then spread them out across the English Toffee. Sprinkle with nuts. Place your cookie sheet in the fridge to set. Once completely cooled and set break into pieces.

And voila! You have absolutely delicious English Toffee that was surprisingly easy to make.

Libre Tea Bottle Winner!

2011-11-28T23:47:00.000-08:00

One lucky reader is going to love their Libre Tea Bottle!

Congrats to Tinatchick for your awesome win. I will be in contact with you shortly. Please confirm to me within 48 hours your acceptance of this amazing prize, if I haven't heard from you within 48 hours a new winner will be selected (and I really hate having to do that!).

Where are the Recipes?

2011-11-23T23:38:00.000-08:00

Wondering where all the delicious Christmas Recipes I promised are? They're coming! Stay tuned for recipes for delicious English Toffee and Peppermint Bark among others coming up next week. It simply wouldn't be prudent of me to start baking this early! My waist surely wouldn't be overly thankful!

Christmas Extravaganza Giveaway - Mary's Son

2011-11-22T23:19:00.000-08:00

I love books. I love reading. And I love that my children share my love of books. Most of the books that I read are simply for enjoyment. I love being transported into a different era. Its not to say that the books that I choose to read lack substance, but I read to escape. My book time is when I get to curl up in bed and have some special time just for me. As long as I can remember my Mom always had a book in her hand. She could finish an entire book in an evening. Truth be told, I have had my fair share of books that I've stayed up all night to finish reading as I simply couldn't put the book down.

Earlier this month I was contacted by PR by the Book wondering if I would be willing to share a book titled Mary's Son by Darryl Nyznyk with my readers. I of course said yes. After reading the description of the book I felt strongly that the message in the book was the message that I've been trying to teach my daughters. Christmas isn't about having an overflowing Christmas Tree, its about the people that you spend it with, and what you can do to others. I personally feel no greater joy than watching those close to me open up their carefully selected presents. And truth be told, while I realize that my girls are still young, I do feel lost when I bring them shopping to buy presents for other people and they spend the entire time begging me to buy this, and that for them.

Mary's Son sees Nicholas (or Santa if you please) visit the lives of 2 children from completely different worlds. Sarah is 11 years old, the daughter of a workaholic who is raised by the household staff. She is a very lonely little girl, and longs for the attention of her father above all else in the world, but her father doesn't have the time for her, and her Mother passed away in an accident years before. She lashes out angrily at everyone in her life, and the household staff dislike her, and her father more or less ignores her completely.

The second child is Jared. A young thug who hatches a plan to rob the Stone family (Sarah's family). He's a street tough boy, who was forced to grow up too quickly after his father deserted his family on Christmas Eve. A definite trigger to hate Christmas for anyone!

Mary's Son is a heartwarming tale that transforms both children but teaching them the true point of Christmas. Christmas is a celebration. A birthday celebration. Through their interactions with Nicholas both Sarah and Jared not only learn the truth behind Christmas, they also regain that magical wonder that Christmas is all about.

I read this book in a night, and I thoroughly recommend it everyone. Adults and children alike. I will admit that I cried, and cried at the end of the book. A truly heart warming tale if I ever did find one.

My 7 year old is starting to get pretty confident in her reading abilities, and while the recommended age is 9 she did an awesome job at reading Mary's Son - A Tale of Christmas on her own. She's just started in on reading chapter books so having a chapter book of her own to read was a treat for her. The two of us have teamed up to read the book along with her little sister before bed. Even my youngest is captivated by the magic.

FREEBIE ALERT!

Darryl Nyznk feels strongly about the lesson in Mary's Son - A Tale of Christmas and for this week (November 23rd-November 30th) you can download Mary's Son for free. Yes I said free. Visit Amazon to take advantage of this amazing deal!

Don't have an E-Reader? You can also buy the hardcover copy through Amazon.com or you can enter to win a copy of your very own!

WIN IT!

One lucky reader will bring home their very own Hardcover Copy of Mary's Son by Darryl Nyznyk. To enter please leave a comment letting me know what your favourite Christmas Book is. Its that easy!

Mr Coffee Review

2011-11-22T22:39:00.001-08:00

This year for Christmas I splurged and bought myself a Mr Coffee, Single Serve Brewing System by Keurig. I'd seem some reviews around the blogosphere, and I found one on sale for $69.99 (regularly $119 in my small town), and so I used one of my HBC Giftcards that I redeemed my airmiles for and bought one.

Of course, due to forces beyond my control the coffee maker simply didn't stay in its box until Christmas rolled around. The force beyond my control? My Dad! My Dad loves coffee almost as much as he loves the Canucks. And so when he saw the box he immediately had a bunch of questions. Then every time that he came over he commented, it sure would be nice to be sipping some real nice single serve coffee right about now. And well being that I am a Daddy's girl through and through eventually he managed to wear me down and so out came the coffee maker.

AND WELL.... I couldn't exactly put a used coffee maker back in the box could I? hahaha. So here's my opinion on the Mr Coffee Single Serve Brewing System by Keurig.

I LOVE IT!! For me its great to be able to brew a single cup of coffee in next to no time. It seems like I'm constantly running around and while I would love to sit down and enjoy a pot of coffee, it just won't happen. And so pot, after pot of coffee goes to waste. I also am not one to drink coffee that has been sitting on a burner for any period of time. I dislike burnt tasting anything, and coffee is no exception. The Mr Coffee Single Serve Brewing System definitely takes that out of the equation! I've always been a sugar in the coffee person, and with the Single Serve Brewer I've been able to cut the sugar out of the equation as I no longer need to cover up flavours that are un-appealing to my taste buds!

The only thing that frustrated me at first was the difficulty of finding the K-Cups. My local Safeway only carries 3 varieties, while Zellers stocks 5. Today I happened across the mother load at Overwaitea, and even managed to locate the hot choclate cups for the kids! I am very happy indeed. Of course you can always order them online, which is never a bad option when you live in a small community with limited shopping options.

The K-Cups retail for approximately $0.70 a piece, which to me is well within the realms of acceptable costs. A coffee at Tim Hortons will easily run you twice as much!

I do wish that this particular brewing system made a large cup of coffee, though for the price it is definitely worth it!

Can you guess what my Dad will be finding underneath the Christmas Tree this year?

This is a completely unsolicitated review of the Mr Coffee Brewing System. The opinions expressed in this post are honest, and candid as always.

The Ultimate Cold Weather Accessory

2011-11-20T21:53:00.001-08:00

Some of you may be privy to the fact that I live in Northern BC. And while I do live in the North, I also live on the Pacific North Coast of Canada. Which means that while it does get nippy here, typically we don't see a lot of snow. Rain, yes, snow, no. Until recently that is. And this year true to form the snow arrived a lot of earlier then I seem to recall it arriving in the past.

Yesterday marked the first significant snowfall for us, so of course when my girls woke up this morning they were adamant that they had to go outside to enjoy the snow while it lasted. As I mentioned earlier, we get a significant amount of rain here (we hold the record for the most rainfall in Canada annually) so when we do get a dusting of snow it turns slushy rather quickly.

So I dragged myself out of bed, brewed a quick cup of tea in my Libre Tea Bottle and braved the elements.

My Libre Tea Bottle definitely surprised me this morning (pleasantly I must add!)... even after taking a seat in the freezing cold snow for 15 minutes my tea was still piping hot! Which is why it takes the cake as the Ultimate Cold Weather Accessory! If you haven't already entered to win a Libre Tea Bottle of your own what are you waiting for? Trust me, you want to win one!

I <3 You Libre Tea Bottle!

Of course our morning of fun was about way more than tea! I was a tad on the snap-happy side this morning. I took oodles of pictures of my girls having a blast. Even the cat got in on the snow action, I really don't think she realizes that she's a cat.

Snow Angels!

Garbage Bag Sleds FTW!

Wipe Out!

All in all a great way to spend the day :)

Christmas Extravaganza Giveaway! Mabel's Labels

2011-11-19T19:42:00.001-08:00

What would a feature on my blog be without Mabel's Labels? If you don't already know, I have a love, love relationship with Mabel's Labels. Any product that helps my kids bring home all their gear from school and dance is definitely in my good books!

What sets Mabel's Labels apart is the fact that the stay put. The tap shoes that I labelled 3 years ago made it through 2 tap seasons and are still going strong. To me that's pretty amazing. My kids (much like every child out there) are hard on their stuff, they wear through things way before they out grow them. And while their shoe collection may be pretty worn, their Mabel's Labels still look as gorgeous as they did when we applied them.

This holiday season Mabel's Labels is offering customers the opportunity to stuff stockings with something to help kids keep track of their new gifts.

The Stocking Stuffer Combo includes 6 sets of tags in your choice of designs. Need more than 6 sets? No problem! Pay just $5 for each additional set.

Each set includes 1 bag tag, and 5 sticky labels which is a great start to your labeling needs!

One of the features that I love the most about Mabel's Labels is just how customizable they are. Choose from 30 different designs, including 4 limited edition Christmas themes.

These combos are the perfect stocking stuffer, but also present toppers for the kids on your list.

BUY IT

You can buy the Stocking Stuffer Combo online for $30 (includes 6 sets), that's only $5 per set!

WIN IT

One lucky Optimistic Beauty reader will be bringing home their very own Stocking Stuffer Combo courtesy of the amazing folks at Mabel's Labels.

To enter simply comment on this blog post letting me know which of Mabel's Designs are your favourite! Its that easy!

Please make sure that you record all of your entries in the handy dandy Rafflecopter widget!

Winners Round-Up

2011-11-19T19:24:00.001-08:00

The first winners in the Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza have landed!

Congrats to Erin for winning the Winter's Night Pop Up Advent Calendar!

And the winner of the $50 Town Shoes Giveaway!

Congrats Anne!

I will be in contact with each of you shortly to confirm acceptance of this amazing prize.

As always the winners will have 48 hours to confirm acceptance of their prizes. If I haven't heard back from them within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

Christmas Extravaganza–Snowy Balloon Ornaments

2011-11-16T08:03:00.001-08:00

While perusing the Martha Stewart website a couple weeks ago I came across this beautiful ornament that I couldn’t wait to try. And despite the fact that it isn’t my favourite ornament that I’ve made this holiday season it did turn out well, and so I am sharing it with you all. I don’t know if I would do it again, though it might be one of those things that get better with more practice.

What you need:
* Balloons
* Cotton String
* Glue
* Water
* Paint Brush
* Glitter
* Ribbon/String to hang your ornament

Directions:
Blow up your balloon into a small ball (the staff at Martha Stewart recommend slightly smaller than your fist). Tie the string onto your balloon and start wrapping the string around the balloon. [This was a tough process for my 5 year old to do, and even after I got it started for her she still had a tough go with it.] **be careful not to overlap the string too much** When you have it sufficiently covered in string (approximately 3/4 of the balloon should be covered with criss-crossing string) you’ll start with the next step.

Water down your glue slightly, and apply it all over the string. This part is definitely kid friendly!
Hang to dry (we left ours overnight).

Next up, you’ll pop the balloon and remove it gently through the gaps in the string (they recommend using tweezers, I used the tip of my scissors).

Final step, mix glue, and glitter, and then brush it on. Allow it to dry, and string it up with your ribbon or string.

And that’s all she wrote.

You can check out the original craft, along with the “expert” instructions here

Christmas Extravaganza Giveaway–Candle Warmer

2011-11-14T19:48:00.001-08:00

I love candles. There’s something so refreshing about the gentle glow, and the scent that fills your room. As much as I adore my candles, as a parent I shy away from having an open flame around the house out of fear of my children burning themselves. I also have a long standing fear of fire, and I feel safer to not have an open flame around the house that could inadvertently be knocked over, or left burning while unattended.

I was recently introduced to the Aurora Candle Warmer Lamp by Candle Warmers Etc. The Aurora Candle Warmer Lamp™ is a revolutionary new concept to the candle warming industry. With a patented soft halogen light the Aurora Candle Warmer Lamp creates the ambiance of a burning candle releasing the candle’s fragrance within minutes. Having the benefit of the ambiance, and scent without the danger of a burning flame is a huge plus to this Mommy!

A definite must have underneath the tree for any Candle Lover on your list!

The folks at Candle Warmers Etc definitely take your safety into account, and I absolutely love the fact they have so many products available, at a range of prices for everyone on your list. The Illumination Fragrance Warmers are the perfect price point for an office gift exchange, or thank you gift for a teacher etc. And there are so many choices available!

The amazing line of Jamie Clair Candles available through Candle Warmers Etc. boasts 50 scents, which is outstanding, including some delicious Christmas Scents! Including Santa’s Cookies, Peppermint and Home for the Holidays. There is nothing that I love more than Peppermint! All Jamie Clair Candles are hand poured in America.

BUY IT

You can purchase the Aurora Candle Warmer Lamp (or one of the other amazing Candle Warmers Etc products) online.

WIN IT

One lucky Optimistic Beauty winner will bring home their very own Aurora Candle Warmer Lamp, with Candle. As well as a Santa Illumination Fragrance Warmer in a fun Christmas Scent!!!!

To enter simply leave a comment letting me know which delicious Jamie Clair Scent would top your list of must tries! Its that easy!

As always, please be sure to record your entries in the Handy Dandy Rafflecopter Widget.

A full review will be posted shortly, I rushed this giveaway along so that there will be lots of time for the lucky winner to receive and enjoy their Candle Warmer!

Christmas Extravaganza–Easiest Craft Ever

2011-11-13T21:11:00.001-08:00

While the traditional snowflakes are cute, and can be very beautiful and intricate they pale in comparison to this Easy Update!

At the bottom of this post I am linking to a You Tube video tutorial that shows just how easy this craft can be!

At the family craft night at my daughter’s school last year we were delighted with this quick and easy craft that looks amazing. Especially when hung from the ceiling where it has the freedom to spin. Here’s what you need:

* Paper (an old kind will do! You could even use a sheet of scrapbooking paper if so inclined which would create a neat pattern – hmmm that gives me a great idea!)
* Ribbon
* Scissors
* Tape

Optional: Glue and Glitter

And here’s how to make these amazing snowflakes:

First step is to transform your paper from a rectangle to a square. Cut off any excess. Next bring one corner to its opposite corner to create a triangle.

Now you want to cut a series of strips, without cutting all the way to the top. I would say to leave approximately 1cm of no cut zone. Coming from each side up towards the point.
After you’ve cut as many strips as you’d like unfold your paper it should look similar to the picture above.

Now comes the fun part. Starting at the centre bring the two points together to form a cylinder. Secure with tape. Flip the snowflake over, and repeat the process on the other side with the next available points. Repeat the entire process over flipping each time until the entire snowflake has taken form.

After you’ve finished making the snowflake form you can jazz it up with glue and glitter. Attach the ribbon to the top and that’s all she wrote!

You can watch a Youtube How to tutorial here

The Finishing Touch

2011-11-11T14:55:00.001-08:00

I seem to start a lot of posts off saying that I’m no “so and so”, and so it only seems fitting that I start this post off the same way. So…..

I’m no Buddy Valastro (of Cake Boss fame) but look at what I made!

This Cheshire Cat Cake is the perfect addition to my Daughter’s 7th Birthday Celebration this weekend. All in all her party is coming along swimingly. I made the heart shaped playing cards (along with my very own creation “Tala in Wonderland”), beautiful Locket Necklaces for the goodie bags, miniature hats (very Mad Hatter of me – I seriously must be mad to spend 2 hours making hats for 10 little girls!), and now this cake.

And while I am no Cake Boss I am so proud of the way the cake turned out. I had an idea in my head of what I wanted it to look like, and I managed to bring my ideas to fruition. And I learned how to make and work with Fondant!!!

A huge thank you to my wonderful friend “CeCe” who was right beside me the entire time helping the cake come together.

And while Buddy might not be impressed with our handiwork my number one (and most important) critic loves the cake. She thinks its perfect just the way it is.

Christmas Extravaganza Giveaway–Libre Tea

2011-11-10T21:54:00.001-08:00

Tea. It’s a staple in my house. I drink at least 4 cups of tea in a day, and my kids too are huge fans of tea (how very English of them). My youngest daughter finds the greatest joy in sitting down with Mommy in the morning and enjoying a cup of tea together. Reminds me of the joy that I found sitting with my own Mommy drinking coffee in the mornings as a young girl (most likely Malie’s age) and then as an young adult sitting on the front porch drinking coffee as we watched the sun “wake up” the Livingstone Daisies.

As much as I love my tea it isn’t always the most convenient to brew on the go, especially when you drink loose leaf teas. So when I had the opportunity to try out the Libre Tea Bottle I was ecstatic. I’ve seen other Tea Bottles on the market that seemed flimsy, and so when I received my Libre Tea Bottle in the mail I was pleasantly surprised. This is a tea bottle that is exceptionally well designed!
You can use your Libre Glass’n Poly Tea Glass in one of two ways. If the tea that you drink isn’t restricted in steeping times (like a green tea, or the kids tea that I buy the girls which is mixed fruits) you would put your loose tea in the bottle, fill with hot water, and when its time to drink you would drink it through the strainer.

If you’re drinking a tea with short steeping times (like a black tea), fill your Tea Bottle with water, screw up on filter, and then place your tea on top of the filter. Screw on the lid securely, and flip your bottle upside down to infuse the tea. When its reached your desired steeping unscrew the lid and filter and drink directly from the tea bottle. As shown in the diagram below. Please note that this method applies only to the Libre Glass’n Poly model!

Here’s my honest opinion on the Libre Tea Glass’n Poly Tea Bottle

I love my Glass’n Poly Large Tea Bottle to pieces! I found that even when filled with boiling water my tea bottle did not become too hot to touch. It did warm up, but not to the point where it was uncomfortable to touch. I use my Tea Bottle for both loose leaf tea, and for bringing my Red Rose Tea to go. The lids screw on securely and I have had no issues with my tea leaking in my purse. It is so much more convenient than toting around a Travel Cup. It is actually so convenient that I use it for at home use too. I found that the bottle retains heat exceptionally well and the tea that I brew is hot from first sip to last sip. I have had so many people ask me about where I got my bottle because it looks amazing and is definitely top on my list of must haves this holiday season!

BUY IT

The Libre Glass’n Poly Tea Bottle Large (420mL) retails online for $32.50. You can also pick up the Glass’n Poly Original (260mL) for $24.

WIN IT

One lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader will be bringing home their very own Glass’n Poly Large Tea Bottle courtesy of the folks at Libre Teas! Woohoo!

To enter please leave a comment letting me know what your favourite tea is! Its that easy! Please be sure to record your entries in the handy dandy Rafflecopter Widget!

Labour of Love

2011-11-08T23:42:00.001-08:00

We interrupt the regular scheduled Christmas Extravaganza to bring you this amazing project!

As many of you know my darling daughter is turning 7 years old in the very near future. Hooray! She decided awhile back that she wanted to have an Alice in Wonderland Theme Party, complete with a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

And well you simply cannot have a Mad Hatters Tea Party without the hats! I searched high and low for some reasonably priced mini-hats for sale. The best I could locate was in the $9 range per hat. With a possible 10 guests in attendance there was no way that I could justify shelling out $90 plus shipping for some cute hats.

Plan B – Learn how to make cute hats a fraction of the cost! Hello You Tube (I <3 You!) and using goldiestarling. After watching her video I was convinced that I could indeed make an impressive looking hat.

The one in the front is for the Birthday Girl, just a little extra pizazz!

Here’s what you need:

Foam Sheet (8x10/8x11.5 size) any colour

Styrofoam Cup

Feather

Ribbon

Scissors

Glue Gun

X-acto Knife

Please note that I usually try to keep the crafts featured on my blog suitable for Children of all ages, however this craft is not recommended for the younger crowd. The hot glue gun and glue and little fingers do not mix week, and myself, I was not willing to risk the chance of burns. I burn myself frequently and I’m a “professional”.

Method:

Using your Xacto Knife, carefully cut the Styrofoam Cup approximately half way up. (This will form the top part of your hat)

Now, cut along the rim of the Styrofoam cup to make a small ring (this will form the base of your cup). Discard the middle section keeping only the bottom of the cup, and the rim.

Cover the bottom of the cup with glue (the glue gun worked wonders here), then wrap with the craft foam

Using your scissors careful trim the foam so that it is level (or fairly level) with the shape of the cup

Cut a piece of foam large enough to cover the top of the cup. With your hot glue gun affix the cup to the foam, open side down. Using your scissors cut around the foam to once again make the foam level with the cup.

Now cut a narrow strip of foam, long enough to completely enclose the cup rim. With your glue gun attach the foam strip around the rim, and then cut the foam so that it is level with the outline of the rim.

Cut another square piece of foam, and attach the rim to the foam, cut around the rim to make the edges even.

Now you should have 2 pieces, ready to assemble (you’re just about done!)

All you to do finish is take the cup section, and along the bottom (exposed edge) coat with Glue. Plant it in the middle of the base, and voila!

To finish the project add a strip of ribbon in your choice of colour, and a feather (or two) and you’re set!

Total time for the project (9 hats made): 2 hours
Total cost: $7.00 for foam sheets, the rest of the supplies I had at home

Cost per hat: $0.77

You can watch the video tutorial by goldiestarling here

I did have some issues in locating the right foam sheets for my project in town, but I managed to make things work and am so pleased with the end results. Tala hasn’t seen them yet, and she will be so excited when she lays eyes on them in the morning!

Christmas Craft–Recycled Card Ornaments

2011-11-06T21:54:00.001-08:00

We all have them laying around the house. Old Christmas Cards. I’m one of the (seemingly) few who still take the time to send off Christmas Cards to Friends and Family. There is something to be said about going to mail box and finding Christmas Cheer instead of the usual bills. So the cards that we do receive in the mail I store away. I don’t know why really. But now I’ve found the perfect use for those old cards. You can repurpose them and create beautiful, unique ornaments. Every one that you make is different which adds to the charm.

Here’s how you can make these beauties!

You need:

Christmas Cards
Scissors
Single Hole Punch
No. 3 Brass Plated Fasteners

The No 3 Brass Plated Fasteners were the only item that I didn’t already have at home. I picked up a box of 100 from my local Office Supply Shop for $3.75. You should be able to grab them at the Dollar Store though at a lower price, or check into large chains like Staples, Office Depot or Walmart. The fasteners have the round head, and then the two prongs that you open up to keep documents in place (the same as you’d find in a duotang).
The first ornament that I made was a little on the large size, so for the next ones I cut the card down a bit to make the ball smaller and more compact. My strips ended up being approximately 4 inches long, and just barely wider than the size of your hole punch (clear as mud? haha. Don’t worry I will post pictures). Please note that my strips are not uniform in size.

Using your hole punch, place holes on each side of your strips

Thread the strips onto a fastener, and secure. Repeat on the other side.

Next you take both ends into your fingers and pull the fasteners towards each other to create a dome shape. You’ll then fan the strips out creating a ball.

TA DA!

A quick, fun craft that is great for the whole family to partake in. The girls loved the craft, and they turned out exceptionally well! We have lots of fasteners left over for use in future projects and cannot wait to put these up on the tree!

Christmas Extravaganza Giveaway–Town Shoes!

2011-11-05T09:34:00.001-07:00

What girl doesn’t love shoes? I have recently discovered my love of shoes (unfortunately that love of shoes includes many pairs that I cannot make it through an entire day wearing! Me and my delicate feet! – haha), and my daughters are no exceptional to the rule. Its like they’re drawn to the shoe section without even knowing it.

This last summer during a She’s Connected twitter party I was fortunate enough to win $50 in Town Shoes giftcards. How exciting! Unfortunately I live nowhere near a Town Shoes, and the gift cards are in store credit, valid in store only. And so my friends, here is my Christmas Present to one lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader. A shopping spree!
To avoid disappointment please check out the Town Shoes Store Locator to verify that there is a location close to you!

To receive your first (mandatory) entry please comment and let me know (be honest) when your tree goes up! Its that easy. Be sure to record your entries into the Handy Dandy Rafflecopter Widget! As always there are multiple ways to enter.

Good luck my Bloggy Friends! Happy Holidays!

This Holiday Season Give Back

2011-11-04T18:49:00.001-07:00

We all take our health for granted. We have healthy food to eat, clean water to drink. Its hard to imagine what life would feel like if we weren’t as fortunate to have full bellies, and our good nutrition. There are so many things that we take for granted in our day to day lives.

I was recently introduced to a wonderful organization called Vitamin Angels. Vitamin Angels helps provide Vitamin A supplements to the estimated 190 million children who live with Vitamin A Deficiency. Vitamin A Deficiency causes blindness and death.

“Most people don’t know that chronic malnutrition is the underlying cause of death for more children than AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis,” said Howard B. Schiffer, President of Vitamin Angels. “The amazing thing is, malnutrition is solvable. We don’t need to do any research. We don’t have to try to find a cure. Just getting nutrients, especially vitamin A, out to children is the lowest cost, highest impact intervention you can provide. We invite you to join us in giving children worldwide a chance to lead meaningful and productive lives.”

Through this initiative Vitamin Angels is hoping to raise $250,000 which will be matched by their very generous sponsors which means $500,000 raised to help those who need it the most. When you take into consideration the cost of the supplements is only $0.25 that means that the $500,000 could be used to provide life saving nutrients to 2 Million Children!

The 100 Days of Giving launched on September 23/2011 and will wrap up on January 1/2012 so there’s still time to make a difference.
About Vitamin Angel:
Vitamin Angels is dedicated to reducing child mortality worldwide by advancing availability, access and use of essential micronutrients, especially Vitamin A, among at-risk populations worldwide. In 2010, Vitamin Angels connected over 22,500,000 children in 43 countries, including the US, with the vital nutrients they need as a foundation for good health.

To learn more about Vitamin Angels or to make a donation visit http://www.vitaminangels.org/ today!!!

Christmas Craft Beaded Initials

2011-11-03T19:43:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the first Craft Special of the Christmas Extravaganza Event! Keep on the lookout for more amazing projects that you can do with the entire family (and on a budget too!).

While I am no Martha Stewart, I do try, and at times I can create some pretty gosh darn amazing projects.

This year I have a very large list of people who have made my life so much easier then it otherwise would have been. As a single mother I’ve long since learned that I simply cannot do it all myself. So I have a long list of people who I would like to thank for their assistance over the last year. And while I do have a long list, I unfortunately do not have a large budget. So this year I will be making up gift packages filled with delicious homemade English Toffee and Peppermint Bark.

As it’s way too early for me to be going at it baking all those delicious treats (honestly if I did I would most likely eat them because they’re going to be too delicious to resist!) I have set forth to make a little something to go with the packages. These Beaded Initials will be attached to the packages, and can be used to hang on the wall, or as an ornament on the tree. They turned out better than I had even hoped for. I love them to pieces!

Here’s what you need:

Craft Wire (I used the .5mm)
Seed Beads
Needle nose Pliers
Template (you print off the letters from Word in a fancy font of your choice)

Cut off a piece of wire approximately a foot long. At one end use your needlenose pliers to make a little circle/swirl to keep the beads on the wire. Bead your wire (this is a good activity for the kids to do to practice their fine motor skills!). Next you’re going to shape your wire into the design. You can do this by hand, print off the letters of your choice from word. As I manipulated the wire into the shape I wanted I wrapped the wire around itself at crossing points to help keep the shape true to form. I haven’t tackled a hard letter like the M yet (why do so many people on my list have to have M’s anyway? lol) but the ones that I have done turned out exceptionally well (even if I do say so myself!).I haven’t decided if I’m going to attach a red ribbon hanger, or a metallic threat to these. What do you think would look amazing?

Christmas Extravaganza–Giveaway One

2011-11-01T22:04:00.001-07:00

What is one of your favourite traditions to start the holidays off? The countdown to Christmas has always been a special one for me. And now as a parent I love giving my girls the excitement of having an advent calendar to count down the days. My youngest has sugar sensitivities and so I’m always on the lookout for great products that help with the excitement of the Christmas Countdown, without the added sugars of chocolate advents.

This year we received a new Advent Calendar by Caldecott Medal-winning artist Beth Krommes. The Winter’s Night POP-UP Advent Calendar is gorgeous. The artwork is outstanding, and there are so many different elements to adore. I love that when you open the calendar for display you can piece it together so that the tree which adds definition to the calendar. Each day you flip up a number, and the picture underneath adds to the magic of the overall design and creates an enhanced scene.
The work that Beth has put into this advent calendar is simply amazing. My girls are 5 years old and (almost) 7 years old. When they first laid eyes on this calendar they were immediately entranced. Both girls excitedly searched through the picture pointing out to each other and Mom every little detail that popped out to them.

BUY IT

You can buy the Winter’s Night Pop-Up Advent Calendar through Chapters.Indigo.ca or through amazon for a MSRP of $12.99.

WIN IT

One lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader will be bringing their very own copy of the Winter’s Night Pop-Up Advent Calendar by Beth Krommes! This is the perfect addition to your Christmas Traditions!

To enter let me know via comment what your favourite part of Christmas is. Its that easy!

Please be sure to record all of your entries in the handy dandy Rafflecopter Widget!

Good luck!

Seasons Greetings!

2011-11-01T18:19:00.001-07:00

Goodbye Halloween, hello Christmas! Only 53 days until Christmas. Are you done shopping yet? If you’re not done yet the Optimistic Beauty is here to save the day! Over the next few weeks you’ll find oodles of products to make Christmas magical for everyone on your list, on every budget! You’ll also find giveaways for some amazing products, and some crafts for the whole family to make and enjoy.

Happy Holidays!!!

My Little Family

2011-10-30T15:36:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we had the opportunity to work with the lovely Laurie Gray to have some family portraits done. I’ve been wanting to have family portraits done for a very long time. Finally the opportunity came up to have them done as part of a fundraiser.

I picked up the CD today and could not wait to get home and plug it into the ole compute. I so love the pictures. They turned out way better then I had hoped! Even my camera shy 5 year old got in on the action (much to my delight). Tala as always was a hambone in her pictures, she’s never met a camera she didn’t like. In the pictures with us was my Dad (just incase you were wondering).

A huge thank you to Laurie Gray!!!! The pictures are fantastic!

Mabel’s Labels to the Rescue (again)

2011-10-27T22:42:00.001-07:00

Dance can be expensive. For starters there’s the cost of classes (and when your child is competitive that cost is even higher). There’s the cost of exams (good-bye $150, hello Ballet Exam). And of course there are supplies.

Supplies can definitely be a huge cost, especially when you have little girls. Which is why all of our dance stuff has been labeled. And not with just any old labels, Mabel’s Labels! While the bodysuits are labeled they aren’t my main concern. Bodysuits around here come and go, they disappear for a couple weeks, then mysteriously reappear. They fade, they wear out, or even turn green (see post here ). But truth be told we have lost very few bodysuits at the dance studio.

Shoes on the other hand go missing frequently. Its so easy to misplace them. Sometimes they end up in the lost and found, and other times kids (or parents even) might confuse them as being theirs and bring them home. Since I “met” the lovely Cait M of Mabel’s Labels the occurrence of missing shoes has drastically declined. We still lose the odd shoe here and there, but thanks to our labels the shoe finds its way home eventually. Today was one of those days!

Malie lost a jazz shoe a couple of weeks ago and has been borrowing her big sister’s for her Jazz class (they’re only a half size apart in shoe sizes). Well this morning wouldn’t you know it Tala’s Jazz shoes disappeared. So we were down to one single jazz shoe. Oi vey! Fortunately Tala’s Jazz Shoes turned up at the School (they fell out of her bag in her classroom) - problem solved. And if that wasn’t enough, I spotted a rogue black jazz shoe on the shelf and when I picked it up I immediately noticed the bright label inside clearly stating that this shoe did infact belong to Malie.
Now if I could only figure out a sure fire way to keep our bobby pin cost down! Either that or perhaps I should consider buying stock. We go through so many, and I honestly have no idea where half of them end up!
If you don’t know Mabel yet I encourage you to check them out. Their products are top notch, and I love the fact that the labels that I stuck on their stuff last year is still holding on tight. Considering how rough and tough my girls are on their stuff this isn’t an easy feat. Mabel’s slogan is “Labels for the stuff kids lose” and it couldn’t ring truer. If its not physically attached to their bodies odds are that kids will lose it at one point or another. Mabel’s Labels help you get that stuff back!

I Can Be

2011-10-24T20:30:00.001-07:00

What is the most important thing you do for your children? For me its always been showing them that they can be who they want to be.

Growing up I had hockey superstar Dad, and my Mom was his biggest fan. My Dad inspired me to believe that if I reached for the stars anything was possible. I learned from my Dad my attitude that failure wasn't an option. And even to this day I tackle every obstacle that comes my way with the knowledge that I will get through it, there really isn't any other option!

Many of my readers probably aren't aware that in the last 4 years I have completely restarted my career. I worked for years in Insurance, then I moved into a Private Medical Clinic, and then headed off to work in a Butcher Shoppe. After that I took some time off to be a Mom. Heading back out into the workforce years later was a scary, and exciting period of time for me.

Through heading back into the workforce I have shown my girls exactly what a Mother can be. Up until the time I went back to work my girls aimed to be Mother's too. I always asked them what else they wanted to be; and the answer was always a Mom. Which is fine. Stay at Home Mom's are great. If I had the resources to be a stay at home Mom that would be ideal (though I must confess that now that both of my girls are in school Full Time I'm not sure what exactly I would do by myself all day, every day!) but its not my reality. As a single parent I need to work, there isn't any other option. And truth be told I love my job, I love the people that I work with, and I love the example that I set for both my girls and other people within the community.

Now that my girls have seen me at work they've both come up with new careers that they'd like to be in addition to being a Mom. I think its wonderful that they have aspirations that will see being everything that they can be.

I've touched on my daughter's love of dance recently. Tala's love of dance goes a lot deeper than simply enjoying to dance. It is her passion. And at only 6 years of age she has come a long way in her goal, and aspires to be a World Famous Prima Ballerina like Karen Kain when she grows up. And while most people scoff at her aspiration, I know exactly how far you can go with a dream, and the willingness to work hard to achieve your goal. You see, once upon a time I too was a dancer. I worked my pahtootie off and if it wasn't for an injury I would have been great. It is possible to reach for the stars, and find success. You need the right frame of mind, and the inspiration, and drive to succeed. Even if she decides down the road to follow a different path her dancing career (ever so young) will have given her so many important life lessons to bring forward with her including dedication, discipline, drive and a competitive edge.

As a Mom it doesn't matter to me what my girls do, as long as they find something to be passionate about. Be that dancing, painting, hockey (Grandpa’s Choice!), soccer, creative writing, sciences or band (to mention a few) that's their choice, and I will stand behind them 100%, their biggest (at at times most embarrassing) fan.

Barbie gets that. For more than half a century Barbie has inspired girls to be all they can be. Did you know that in that time span Barbie has held 125 different careers? That's pretty gosh darn impressive! Barbie has been inspiring girls to dream big since before I was even born.

In their commitment to inspire girls to dream big Mattel Canada has launched a new website within Facebook. Barbie I Can Be is a new community where you can find valuable information and inspiration on how be a role model and mentor to your daughters. I encourage you to head on over to Barbie I Can Be and have a look around. You will find information on how to help your daughter be smarter, stronger, happier and more fulfilled. Parenting Coach Terry Carson will also be on hand to tackle some of those tough parenting questions.

This October 27th is National "I Can Be Day" where participating schools are encouraged to invite Moms into the classroom to discuss their careers. What a great opportunity to get parents involved in the classroom, but also to open up eyes to all the different options available to women!

How do you inspire you children to be all that they can be? What lessons did your Mom instill in you?

Disclosure – I am participating in the Barbie I Can Be campaign by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Mattel Canada. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza Winner Announced

2011-10-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

A huge congrats to Shari for her win of a $25 Starbucks Giftcard in correlation with the upcoming Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza!

Shari has been contacted via email. If I haven't heard from her within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

Pumpkin Fluff Dip

2011-10-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

Its potluck lunch season around here and I decided to take a different approach to the events. Its not that my Broccoli Salad has even been poorly received (in fact its always one of the first items to disappear) but I just wanted to do something different. And so this morning the girls and I set out to make Pumpkin Fluff Dip. Perfect with the Fall Season upon us indeed.

All in all the Pumpkin Fluff Dip was delicious. In the future I would probably choose to use a more tart apple like a Granny Smith instead of Gala. The Gala apples are very sweet naturally, so adding more sweetness to them isn't necessary.

PUMPKIN FLUFF DIP

INGREDIENTS:

1 can Pumpkin (I used the small can of Safeway Brand)
1/2 tub of Cool Whip (I bought the 1L tub so that we had some leftover for another day)
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (I used Safeway Brand to keep my costs down)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all of your ingredients together, and voila! You have a delicious treat.

Even the spider thought the dip was delicious!

Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza

2011-10-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Hello Bloggy Friends!

Just a quick post to let you know that the Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza is postponed until November 1/2011. I have decided to start the Christmas Festivities after Halloween!

Sorry for the delay, but better late than never right?

Oh the Irony

2011-10-10T16:07:00.001-07:00

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving which means we’re not at work. However, as a competition student doing her Grade One Ballet Exam in December, Tala had a special ballet class today. So yesterday I grabbed her brand new blue bodysuit and threw it in the wash. A brand new bodysuit that she’s only worn 6 times (she has 2 classes a week x 3 weeks). A brand new bodysuit that she has to wear for her Grade One Ballet Exam in less than 2 months. A brand new bodysuit that has already been replaced once this dance season (her last one had grape juice spilled on it that wouldn’t come out).

So to continue. I washed her brand new bodysuit Sunday. Moved it into the dryer last night, and well we got a nasty surprise today when we pulled it out. 1/3 of the bodysuit is now a light green colour. Insert a so not impressed face here {did I mention that it was a brand new bodysuit? lol}. Egad!

And so the process to try and remove the stain began.

Oxy-Clean did not work! Even after scrubbing with a toothbrush. It did lighten the stain, but trust me that it was still very visible.

Shout Ultra did not work! I let it soak for 10 minutes too, twice as long as the bottle recommended for tough stains. The Shout did absolutely nothing to even diminish the appearance of the stain (boo!).

Jen Banks from abusymommy recommended hairspray, and well that didn’t work either (do you notice a theme appearing here?).

The studio recommended letting the bodysuit soak in Pine Sol for 30 minutes, then washing it with detergent. This method was surprisingly effective, but the bodysuit is still stained and will need to be replaced (le sigh).

And I haven’t forgotten the title of the post. The ironic part is that I managed to locate the cause of the green stain

This crumbled up {and now very clean} piece of paper was the culprit. I know what you’re thinking. I obviously don’t know the meaning of the term irony. And I promise you that I do. You see this crumbled up piece of paper used to be a coupon for 20% off at the dance supply store!!!!! How ironic that her brand new bodysuit would be destroyed by a coupon enabling me to save money at the very same shop that I purchased her bodysuit a mere 3 weeks ago.

Malie has a tendency to pick up paper here and there to add to her “collection”. This lovely green coupon was folded up and tucked into the pocket of her green sweater. A green sweater that is the exact same colour as this coupon used to be. And so when I threw it into the wash the coupon blended right in with the sweater and passed inspection. I will in the future start physically checking the pockets, versus a visual inspection. My bad!

And yes. If anyone was wondering if I grabbed another 20% off coupon, I sure did! Now I just have to hope that they still have her size in stock!

Homemade Cranberries

2011-10-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

Presenting my world famous Homemade Cranberry Sauce! This is honestly one of those recipes that you try once and never go back to canned {Sorry Ocean Spray - I do love your juice and Craisins! And when my local grocery store has your fresh cranberries in stock I buy those for this recipe}. It is so unbelievably easy, uses only 3 ingredients {does water even count as an ingredient? lol}, and takes less than 5 minutes to make.

I usually double the recipe cause we really love our cranberries. And that way I have enough cranberry sauce left over to make delicious treats like Cranberry Squares {busted! I can bake, but shhhh don't tell anyone!}.

INGREDIENTS:

* 12 ounce package of Cranberries

* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup water
* Enthusiastic Helper

Check, check, check and check

DIRECTIONS:

Add sugar to the water in a medium saucepan {or pot - I prefer to use a pot}. Mix till sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries and continue cooking over medium heat until the cranberries start popping. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Now comes the tough part. You need to decide if you want to mash up the sauce a little bit, or if you want to have more of a chunky sauce.

Cooking is always more fun when wearing cool shades! Safety first!!!

IMPORTANT TIDBITS OF INFO: Your sauce will thicken as it cools. Do not panic if it looks runny! I make my sauce the day before so it has ample time to thicken and the flavours can completely mingle. If you're more of a day of cooker then give yourself a good 3-4 hours for everything to settle up.

Cooking the cranberries

Very delicious, very easy recipe. Your guests will be amazed that you made the cranberries yourself, and they don't have to know how easy it was!

Pampered to the Max

2011-10-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

A day of pampering on a "dime", and for a great cause! Tickets for the Mother/Daughter Social today were $10 each. The cost included hair, makeup, manicure (professionally done to boot!). We had a blast as a family unit and Tala was even able to have some professional photos done!! Miss Malie could have had her photos done too, but she decided against it.

Between last night and today I got a lot better at curling hair!

Make Up Station courtesy of Mary Kay!

All dolled up with one of their best friends!

Pretty, pretty nails! Thanks to the ladies from Coastal Nails! The $10 admission was well worth it as you can see!

And as lovely as our nails look my favorite part of the day was the Photography by Laurie Gray. The girls had the opportunity to dress up and have professional photos done. The prints were $2 each. I cannot even begin to express how much I love these photos! Please excuse the quality as these are pictures of pictures.

She looks so grown up!

A huge thank you to the Jazz Production Association, the staff of Coastal Nails, Laurie Gray and all the volunteers who made this event such a huge success! The girls and I had a blast, and all in the name of a great cause.

Glamorous

2011-10-01T23:55:00.000-07:00

While Fergie may live the G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S life, us regular folk can have fun being glamorous too!

I am the first one to admit that I'm not a girly girl. My hair is never perfect, and I am never dressed to the nines. People are compelled to comment "You're wearing makeup!!!" on the days that I actually manage to get myself and the kids up and ready to leave the house with 2 minutes to spare. {I confess, my makeup routine takes less than 2 minutes even on a good day}

But it is fun to pretend some days, and my girls being little princesses they always enjoy having time to play dress up.

Tomorrow we are attending the Jazz Productions Association's Mother/Daughter Social. Its a fun annual event to get glammed up, and be girly girls. Complete with hair, makeup and nail stations everyone will leave a little bit more fancy then they arrived. The event is for a good cause (it helps fund the BC Annual Dance Competition here in town) and I {unlike Sue Sylvester} love supporting the arts! This will actually be Tala's first year competing in the BC Annual so definitely pretty exciting.

In preparation for tomorrow we played around with hairstyles this evening. Being that I seriously lack skills in the Glam department a trial run was definitely necessary. I have the act of hair straightening down pat, but the curling iron has always eluded me. Tonight I managed to make some progress though. I'm actually pretty gosh darn proud of the results. Of course a spritz or two of hairspray will be necessary to make the curls last a little bit longer tomorrow, but there's only so much glamour needed for sleepytime!

Yes, the curls aren't perfect. But neither am I. There's a tv commercial from years back that has stuck with me. The messaging was that you don't have to be perfect to be a wonderful parent. And well, I think this is so true. The time that we spent curling hair was quality, family time. We had fun doing it, and the girls don't know that the curls aren't perfect, and quite honestly I don't think they would care either way. In that moment they felt like the most beautiful girls in the entire world. And you know what? In my eyes they are the most beautiful girls in the world. They are absolutely perfect and being who they are and I wouldn't change them for the world.

And yes - I did also practice on myself. Taking those few moments to curl all of our hair I not only felt like a pretty Mommy, but seeing the smiles on their faces made me feel like the bestest Mommy in the whole world.

Perfectly Imperfect photo!

Crafty Mommy am I

2011-10-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

In my typical super Mom fashion I have set out to make a spectacular 7th Birthday Party for Tala. This year's theme is Tala in Wonderland. While there are oodles and oodles of Alice in Wonderland items for sale online I really wanted to come up with some unique ideas, and so tonight I set out to make some necklaces for our guests. I managed to make 10 necklaces in an hour this evening, and I cannot wait to show Tala my creation in the morning. She is going to love them!

I bought the lockets and keys online from Etsy Seller Wan Wan Corner. Total cost including shipping for 10 of each was $13.65! The ribbon I picked up from ebay at a cost of $0.99 shipped, and the velcro closure was $1 at our local Dollar Store. Grand total for the necklaces: $15.64. That's only $1.56 each!!!! Which according to me is simply fantastic. I had initially hoped to spend less than $3 on the lockets alone - mission accomplished!

The lockets are absolutely adorable. They look like little books, and definitely lend themselves to the Alice in Wonderland theme. You know, because it is a book! Haha. I added the key to the design on a whim. At first I couldn't seem to get it to work with the general design. But the key to me is a crucial part of the Alice in Wonderland storyline so I kept at it and found a solution. After all, without that darn key Alice never would have made her way into Wonderland, and there wouldn't have been much of a story.

Most definitely a fun project!

Next on the docket? Making my own mini top-hats for the guests to wear at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

I always say that I'm not a particularly crafty person, but I do have my moments where anything is possible! Happy dance for pulling together a super awesome craft that will bring a huge smile to my daughter's face!!!!

Maybe Next Year

2011-09-26T20:28:00.001-07:00

You should have seen the excitement that I exuded when I found out that I was one of the selected few chosen to attend to So Connected Conference this year. I felt super duper awesome about myself and was immediately so excited at the possibility of meeting all my Blogging Buddies who were also chosen to attend. Then life got in the way. All of a sudden the excitement that I had turned into sadness that I would have to miss all of the excitement going on in Toronto.

Next year I’m going to try and plan my holidays a little bit better, and then definitely work on saving a little bit more during the year to make a trip to the conference next year a reality. That is if I’m accepted next year! (Fingers crossed that I will be).

To everyone heading off to So Connected I hope you ladies have a wonderful time! I am so jealous of all the great activities that you will be participating in, helping you become better bloggers.

Fingers crossed that the next conference is a little bit closer to home, I’ve heard whisperings of Vancouver which would definitely work exceptionally well for this BC girl.

Reading Eggs

2011-09-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

Last night in my internet travels I came across a webpage called ReadingEggs.com
. I also came across a coupon code that gives you 5 weeks for free to try it out (thanks to luckynvancouver on Frugalshopper.ca!). The program is geared towards kids aged 3-7, so I thought I'd give it a try. I registered both of my girls, and we have mixed reviews around the ole homestead.

My 5 year old absolutely adored the program. She was a little irritated at first with the constant repetition, but once I explained to her why she was doing the same thing over and over again she was fine with it. She really was able to get into the program, and it was easy enough for her to navigate without any help from Mommy which a huge confidence booster for her. I would put her current reading level at beginning - she can read some words, and can recognize all the letters of the alphabet, as well as the sounds that they make. She's not really into actually sitting down and learning to read, so this program is a great way for her to learn without realizing that she's learning.

My 6 year old is an avid reader. I would rate her reading level as Intermediate. There are very few words that she doesn't know, and the ones that she doesn't know she can sound out easily. She is in Grade Two, and will be turning 7 in 2 months so really she is on the upper end of the Reading Eggs recommended age group. I decided to register her in the hopes that she would be able to cement some of the reading skills that she has already learned. In this case I was wrong. Tala is definitely not a fan of Reading Eggs. She did the first 2 lessons, and gave the computer back to her little sister who was happy to get back onto her lessons. She then grabbed a couple books off the bookshelf and curled up for a read. I am in agreement with Tala on this one. The lessons simply were not challenging enough for a reader who has the fundamentals down pat.

The home page of Reading Eggs lists the benefit to 6-7 year olds as being practice, but I think that the levels could definitely be a little more challenging in order to keep the kids interested in the activities.

I would definitely recommend ReadingEggs.com to kids who are just starting off on the path of reading. My 5 year old definitely took well to the program. The characters are pretty cute, though they talk a little funny! You have the choice of picking the accent, and the closest to ours was the American Accent. And being that we don't have an accent up here in Canada {haha - at least according to us we don't!} I did find their voices to be a tad distracting at first. There is a good assortment of activities to do with each level, and while loading the next activity there is a mini-activity to play with. As I mentioned earlier navigation through the lessons is very simple, and my 5 year old had no trouble doing things herself.

All in all its worth a try with the free trial. If you find that your kids don't enjoy the program then you haven't lost anything, and if they do love it then you're in luck. No credit card required for your free trial.

ACCESS CODE IS: CCP21BCC

I am always on the lookout for new ways to help my girls expand on their reading skills as it is such an important skill. I love reading, and have worked hard to instill in my girls the same love that I have for books. A love that I acquired from my Mom. My Mom had bookcase, upon bookcase filled to the brim with books.

Winners Announced

2011-09-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Two winners to announce tonight! The My Memories Giveaway has ended, and a redraw was necessary in the BRANDED Giveaway as I haven't heard from the original winner.

The Winner of the My Memories Scrapbooking Software is Robin. I have contacted her via email, and she will have 48 hours to confirm acceptance of this amazing prize. If I haven't heard from her within 48 hours a new winner will be selected (in accordance with the giveaway rules). Robin will be receiving a copy of the #1 Rated Scrapbooking Software by My Memories. Lucky girl!

Didn't win this one? Save $10 when you purchase the My Memories Scrapbooking Software! Simply add this code to your order (where it says promo code in your shopping cart!) and you’re golden: STMMMS52812. As an added bonus you also get a $10 credit for shopping in the My Memories store when you use this code. How awesome is that?

Another Robin won the redraw for the BRANDED Giveaway and will receive her choice of a T-Shirt from BRANDED's Etsy Store (excluding the DIY listings). She too will have 48 hours to respond confirming acceptance of this amazing prize. If I haven't heard from her within 48 hours a new winner will once again be selected.

Congrats to all the lucky winners!

Cute Stocking Stuffers

2011-09-17T20:31:00.001-07:00

Last night I designed some adorable little stocking stuffers for the girls courtesy of my friends at Artscow.com! These mini coin wallets were 2 for $4.99 shipped, with each additional coming in at $1.99. This is an absolutely amazing price. Regularly they cost $6.99 plus shipping!

Tala’s Coin Wallet/Purse

And here’s Malie’s

Here is what the finished design will look like – back sides only (cause they’re my favourites!)

Coupon Code :	MCP499199
Expiry Date:	9 / 21 / 2011

Happy Shopping!

Overscheduled Children

2011-09-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite Children's programs is the Berenstain Bears. The Bear family brings us a unique look at the inner working of the family circle. Each episode they face a challenge, and then overcome that challenge.

The episode that sticks in my mind the most is the one where all the Bear Family becomes overwhelmed with too many activities. The episode culminates in Mother Bear breaking down in the vehicle due to the stress of everything that has to be done. The cubs join her in the waterworks. Father Bear puts his foot down on the chaos and they make sacrifices to make their lives easier. The entire family cuts down on their list of scheduled activities, giving the family more time to just be a family.

There is a lot of truth in Too Much Pressure. It seems as if children are more scheduled now than ever before. As such this week I'm going to put my foot down on adding an extra activity to their plate.

The registration for Sparks is tonight. I'm feeling a lot of pressure to register my girls for the program which runs Wednesday nights from 630-730 pm at a nearby school. While I do believe that there is a lot of value to be had in the Sparks program, I just don't know if I can justify adding another activity to the girls' increasingly busy lives.

Here's what a typical week looks like in our household:

Monday: Tala Ballet
Tuesday: Tala Jazz/Malie Ballet
Wednesday: Tala Musical Theatre
Thursday: Tala Jazz/Malie Acrobatics/Tala Ballet
Friday: Malie Jazz
Saturday: Mudworks (its a pottery type class offered through the Civic Centre
Sunday: Free Day {AKA tackle the mountain of laundry day}

If you were keeping track, Tala has 5 dance classes a week, plus an art class on the weekend. Earlier this summer she made the decision to join the Dance Team at her studio which meant doubling up on a lot of classes. The Musical Theatre class is optional, but the 2 ballet and 2 jazz classes are mandatory. I decided to go ahead and do the Musical Theatre class as she has a song in her heart. As a former Competitive Dancer myself I know all too well what we're getting into, and as long as she's enjoying herself then I am committed to helping her be all that she can be.

Malie has 3 classes a week, one jazz, one ballet and her acrobatics class. Depending on how things go she may or may not drop the acro class. And before you think that I'm a big mean Mommy for pulling her from a class for not excelling, that simply isn't the case. Malie took the summer acrobatics class this summer and did amazingly well. She listened perfectly, patiently waited her turn, and quite simply rocked the class. However, she is only 5 years old, and the typical starting age for the acrobatics program during the school year is 6. So she's starting a year early. And while I know that she has the skill to do everything the older kids are doing, it might end up being that she's just too young this year.

Through the activities that the girls already participate in I do believe that they are becoming well rounded individuals. Dance gives them exercise, a chance to express themselves through movement, and also discipline. The competition program will give Tala a competitive edge that should last throughout her life. A drive to succeed is never a bad thing! Dance has also helped mountains with giving them confidence. I've gone with the Saturday Mudworks class so that the girls have the opportunity to work with their hands, and get messy, another important part of being a child. I strive to give them as many opportunities to express themselves, and use their imaginations.

I have always said that I don't care what my children do, as long as they find something in life to passionate about. I am okay with the fact that down the road they might decide that dance isn't for them. They might decide that music, or writing, or acting, politics, or sports is their passion. But for now I think that I've done a good job giving them the foundation to succeed in life.

And as much as I might feel pressured to sign them up for Sparks tonight, I think we're just going to stay home, have some family time, and enjoy each others company.

Healthy Schools

2011-09-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

This year marks the first year that both of my kids are in school. It also marks the year that our school district switched to a Middle School System. All kids Kindergarten through Grade 5 are in Elementary School. Grades 6 thru 8 are in the new Middle School, and the High School is housing students in grades 9-12.

The biggest benefit that I have seen so far is that being that there are substantially less students in the Elementary School they have been able to schedule the kids for Gym Class EVERYDAY! I think this is absolutely wonderful news. There are so many kids who simply do not get enough exercise day to day. So making a mandatory time every school day is a huge step in the right direction.

This is also the first year that I have made the decision to put my kids on the lunch program. The lunch program at the school has a suggested contribution of $30 per month, however you pay what you can. And for so many families in our community this option is a huge benefit.

The lunch program is delivered to the classes right before their lunch time and features a sandwich (on whole grain bread), a piece of fruit, a package of vegetables and a beverage.

Here's a look at what my girls found in their brown bags so far this week:

Yesterday: Turkey on Whole Wheat Bun, Snow Peas, Apple, Chocolate Milk
Today: Tuna on Whole Wheat Bun, Pear, Baby Carrots, Juice Box

Tomorrow's menu calls for a Roast Beef Sandwich, Veggie, Fruit and Chocolate Milk.

They truly have done wonderful job in providing these meals to the students, and for those who's families are having a tough time making ends meet its a huge blessing to say the least. You can't always control what your finances are going to do. But its nice to know that there is a nutritious and delicious lunch available to your child for whatever you can afford to pay that month.

I don't know about you but I couldn't put together 20 lunches for only $30 including a milk or juicebox! The milk alone would cost me $1, juice boxes you can usually pick up for $0.25/per if you watch the sales. But even on sale it would still be difficult to beat this price! An amazing value indeed.

I also find that kids are more likely to try a new food if everyone else is eating it too. My 5 year old ate her Tuna sandwich {despite making me pack her a cheese sandwich replacement this morning} because all of the other kids were eating theirs. And she liked it!

Our schools are making wonderful progress in helping our children learn healthy habits for their lives. Unfortunately they cannot control what kids do what they do when they go home, but every little bit counts. I applaud the efforts of the teachers and administrators in helping our kids be happier and healthier.

While both of my kids are active in Dance Classes not all children are as fortunate to have this luxury. I have however heard that the school my girls attend has seen a increase in enrollment this year. Probably a lot of do with the popularity of shows like So You Think You Can Dance. Dance can definitely be an expensive venture, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. There is nothing wrong with opting to do a single class per week. The school might try to get you to sign up for more, politely decline and stick to your guns. You can get second hand supplies easily (and inexpensively) as kids grow so quickly that they usually outgrow supplies before they wear them out. And for all my American friends out there, Amazon.com is a great resource for inexpensive dance supplies! If you can add on free shipping then its an absolutely amazing deal.

Thankfully there are programs out there that make fitness activities available to those who might not be able to afford them otherwise.

A note for all the single parents, single income families, or no income families out there. Check with your local Community Center about funding options. Both of my girls are registered with Everybody Gets to Play. The Everybody Gets to Play program will pay for any program that is offered through the City provided you meet the requirements of being a single parent, single income family, or no income family. This includes swimming lessons, art programs, acting programs, as well as summer camps. My girls have both taken numerous rounds of swimming lessons, and are currently taking a Pottery Class.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2011-09-12T15:36:00.001-07:00

As I touched on last week I have a love, love relationship with my slow cooker {though I will admit that I do not love cleaning my slow cooker}. Most weeks I use the slow cooker at least once to get a tasty dinner on the table after work. There is nothing better than getting home from work and sitting down at the table in 15 minutes.

Today I made one of our favourite recipes. Pulled Pork Sandwiches so delicious that my kids snack on the left over pork all night.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

One of the benefits of using the slow cooker is that you can get away with using less expensive cuts of meat. As such this recipe calls for a pork shoulder roast (boneless). As the shoulder roast typically comes with a fat cap on the bottom you should cut this off. Huge chunks of fat do not fair well in the slow cooker!

Ingredients:
2-3 pound pork shoulder roast
1 cup water
Seasoning to taste (keeping in mind that the cooking process will intensify any seasonings you use! – today I used a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper and a tsp of Epicurean Greek Seasoning)
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce of your choice

Place the pork roast in the crock pot, sprinkle with seasonings and then add the water. Cover. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 7-8 hours. Remove the roast from the crock pot and drain the liquid from the crock pot. You will then shred the pork and return to the crock pot. Add the bbq sauce and cook on high for 10-15 minutes until heated throughout. Serve on buns. And voila! A delicious meal that your kids will love!

You can play round with the seasoning and using different bbq sauces to change up your creation. The sky is the limit!

My Favourite "Holiday"

2011-09-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

From the time I was a child my favourite "holiday" was always Halloween. I say "holiday" as I'm not 100% certain if it really qualifies as a holiday per se. We don't get the day off work, though I would argue that we should!

As a parent I've made the decision in recent years to make my own costumes. This doesn't always work out the way that I would like, and quite frequently I have ended up paying more for my homemade costume then I would have purchasing a costume. Now why would I go through the effort {and added expense} of making my own costumes then? Well I have two reasons:

1) Costumes on the market are in my honest opinion too sexy for a Mother of 2. Sure they're fine for wearing to the bar with friends, but dropping my girls off at school and then heading to work, and then out trick or treating with my girls wearing a overly sexy costume simply isn't going to cut it!

2) Its pretty fun!

Now since I've pretty much covered off my thoughts behind reason Number One, I'll focus on reason Number Two :)

While I am no Martha Stewart I do enjoy the challenge of coming up with costume ideas. My favourite costume of late is my Lydia Costume. Growing up my favourite cartoon was always Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! So I wanted to create an absolutely amazing costume for Lydia.

Now if you think about Lydia's costuming on the show, the most memorable piece of clothing that she wore was her Red Poncho with the Black Spiderweb design. So I set out to make my own adaption.

Some of you may recall that I live in a small town. As such it can at times be difficult {make that downright impossible} to find exactly what I want. So being that I have to channel my inner MacGyver, and as we don't have a fabric store in town, I re-purposed a red rectangular tablecloth that I found at the dollar store. Its a polyester blend fabric, with a slight sheen to it. I also picked up a skein of black yarn. I used my scissors to shape the tablecloth with a point down at the front and the back, and cut a whole for the head. Thankfully the material was non-fraying, though I did end up coating the edges with some clear nail polish, just to be on the safe side.

It took me about 2 hours to do the spiderweb pattern across the entire poncho but well worth the effort. I was glad that I decided to use the yarn as it added a little extra dimension to the finished project.

My costume was deliciously sweeping, and when paired with a black shirt, black leggings, and black shoes was absolutely smashing.

To finish off the look I bought 2 sheets of felt the dollar store in purple and pink to make Lydia's trademark hairpiece. I cut a strip of purple, and a second strip (approx 1 inch wide) of pink. As I had completely forgotten to make this at home I threw it together at work in less than 30 seconds using staples {I told ya, I'm all MacGyver and stuff - Martha would not be pleased - haha!}. With my high pony tail coming down the back you couldn't see the staples anyway!

Add some purple and pink eye shadow, some very black liner and you're all set.

In the end the materials for this costume cost me $10 ($8 for the tablecloth, and $1 per sheet of felt). Not too shabby! And took me approximately 2 hours and 30 seconds. {the 30 seconds is for my makeshift hairpiece}

Are you in the habit of making your own costumes? If so which one was your favourite?

PS... just incase anyone is wondering - this year's homemade Halloween costume is Omega Geek! {though I'm contemplating on changing my name to Gamma Dork} Sure to be a lot of fun, and as my nickname has long been Dorkius Maximus I may as well channel my inner geek :)

Winner Announced

2011-09-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

The winner of the BRANDED Giveaway has been selected and contacted via email.

Congrats kenyetta on this amazing win! You will receive the TShirt of your choice (excluding the DIY listings) from BRANDED's Etsy Shop. Have you decided on whether you'll pick the Mom since 1995 shirt, the Sweet Dreams, or the Off With Their Heads shirt?

If I haven't heard from kenyetta within 48 hours a new winner will be selected!

These are a Few of Her Favourite Things

2011-09-06T20:36:00.001-07:00

First day of school and she’s got homework already! At least it was an easy assignment. Miss T was charged with collecting up to 5 items that show who she is a person, and things that she’s good at. Here’s her selection of items:

1. Ballet Shoes – need I say more? While her love of dance extends to jazz and Musical Theatre, Ballet remains her strongest suit.
2. Giant Shell she found at the beach – The entire family enjoys heading out and collected shells and sea glass along the seashore. Being that we live on an island, and as such are completely surrounded with water, the pickings are great!
3. One of her birthday party “Tala in Wonderland” designed playing cards. I love that she loves this! And she put it in there because it shows what a good imagination she has. And indeed a good imagination definitely describes her to a T.
4. Skating Badge – she actually wanted to put her Swimming Badge in there but its gone AWOL so the skating one will do. She won’t be taking Skating this year as her dance schedule has grown so rapidly. But she will be doing Girl Guides so I’m sure she’ll be getting more badges to add to her collection!

And while she didn’t get the teacher that she had hoped for (she really wanted to have the same teacher that she had last year), she was pleasantly surprised to find so many of her classmates were joining her again this year. There is a grade 2 class, and a grade 1/2 split. She’s been assigned to the grade 2 class and is excited to have her very own desk for the first time.

How was the first day of school on your end?

All Grown Up

2011-09-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I swallowed my tears and sent my oldest off to her first day of Kindergarten. Tomorrow she'll be heading off to her first day of Grade Two. It just doesn't seem possible! Where has the time gone? Obviously I know where the time has gone, so I guess the real question is where can I get a slow down button? Next thing I know she'll be heading off to University!

Looking all grown up in her new outfit! She looks super cute, and so smart all dressed up.

Despite having two years of school under her belt the transition to Back to School isn't an easy one for Tala. Being a November baby she's feeling apprehensive about starting school. She really dislikes that fact that she's among the youngest in her class every year. And try as I might to explain that there's nothing I can do to change that, there's just no reasoning with her some days. I won't even try to point out that she could have been even younger had she not insisted on making her debut 6.5 weeks early!!!

Making the transition into Grade 2 a little easier is the rumour that Tala's Grade One teacher will be taking over the Grade 2 class. A teacher who was supposed to retire at the end of last year, but who's staying on for another year. We will find out tomorrow for sure, but our fingers are crossed!

The progression over the years, Kindergarten, Grade One and Grade Two. Amazing how quickly they grow isn't it?

Regardless of whether your little one is heading off to School for the first time tomorrow, or if they're a seasoned veteran have a great one! In less than a week my baby will be starting Kindergarten. Yikes!

Along with starting Grade Two this month will see her start dance classes again. She has been added to the list of competition students, and will be tackling 5 classes each week. Tala is in her glory knowing that she'll be a part of the Dance Team. She is ecstatic to be dancing as much as she is, even though I put my foot down at 5 classes! If she had her way she'd be dancing even more. She's dropped tap, and picked up Musical Theatre which I am super happy about. Miss Tala has a song in her heart, and so Musical Theatre is the perfect fit for her! I can't wait to find out which piece they'll be performing. Regardless, I'm sure it'll bring tears to my eyes, it happens every time I watch her dance.

Cooking with the Optimistic Beauty

2011-09-05T16:29:00.001-07:00

While I will go to the grave swearing that I am not as bad a cook as my smoke alarm would have you believe, the truth is that cooking isn’t a skill that I have completely mastered. Sure I can get by, but really my recipes are usually basic, and most involve my “best friend” the slow-cooker. Its not that I don’t try (because I do), but I am scared to try new and exciting recipes, and sometimes feel overwhelmed when I’m looking at a recipe that has a substantial listing of ingredients.

Truth be told there is only one meal that I truly have mastered. Turkey dinner. And in my books that’s the most important one! My turkey dinner is second to none. My bird is always moist, my stuffing delicious, and my gravy is absolute divine. Closer to (Canadian) Thanksgiving I’ll give you all a rundown of my secrets for Christmas Dinner. Despite working during Christmas season in a busy catering kitchen I still use my Mom’s recipes, passed down from her Mother. Which is probably why my turkey dinner tastes so darn good! I even make my very own Cranberry Sauce. After making my first batch 3 years ago I just cannot go back to canned!

But enough about my turkey dinner. This was supposed to be a post about the delicious creation that is gracing my plate tonight! And because I’m nice like that I’m sharing it with you (well actually this is going to be a weekly event).

And so without further ado, I present…. my dinner!

Cheesy Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken
This recipe incorporates Cream Cheese added at the end to give the dish a zesty, cheesy flavour.

INGREDIENTS:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if so inclined to keep the cost down)
1 can Mixed Beans (or any can of your favourite bean)
1 can Corn (I usually use Peaches & Cream, 1 cup of frozen corn works too!)
1 jar Mild Salsa (approx 2 cups worth)
2 tbsp Fajita Seasoning (you can substitute Taco Seasoning if its what you have on hand)
1/2 cup of Cream Cheese
Shredded Cheese (to your liking)

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in the crock pot. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours, most definitely until all the pink is gone from the chicken!!!! Remove lid and add cream cheese, stir and recover. Cook for an additional 30 minutes until the cream cheese is nicely melted. This is the perfect time to cook your rice (or whichever starch you’ll be serving the Fiesta Chicken with).

Spoon your mixture on top of rice, sprinkle with your shredded cheese and enjoy! You could also use wraps, add some lettuce, and tomato and you have a delicious wrap.

Like your food spicier? Add medium or hot salsa in place of the mild. Adding taco seasoning versus Fajita seasoning will also make your supper have more bite. Alternatively, if you are very brave, you could also add jalapenos to your recipe. Please note that I am not that brave, and using mild salsa is a stretch for me!

Cooking with the Optimistic Beauty is set to become a regular event around here! It is my goal to share one recipe per week. And if you have a recipe that you would like to see featured please let me know, I am always happy to have guest posts. If you are interested in contributing to the Optimistic Beauty please contact me direct via email (located on the sidebar to the left - no not that left, the other left - haha. Trust me, you don't ever want to be driving with me giving you directions!)

Wow! Talk about timing

2011-09-03T16:27:00.001-07:00

While at a birthday party this afternoon we were all held captive by a rare glimpse at the circle of life. A dragonfly caught himself a nice afternoon snack and set out to devour it in front of the entire party without seeming to notice the throngs of children and adults gawking in awe at the spectacle!

Photo was taken with my iPhone 3GS and I am amazed at the detail that it captured for a phone camera. What an amazing treat to be able to see the circle of life.

Coach Wristlet Winner Announced

2011-09-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the Coach Wristlet courtesy of the folks at abreva and Mom Central Canada! I had a record number of entries into this giveaway which is super exciting for me! And one lucky reader is going to be pretty excited to receive their Coach Wristlet!

Congrats to Leslie who carries in her purse her iPhone, Wallet, Keys, Camera and Nail File, but wasn't sure if they'd all fit into a wristlet! Please let me know if you can!!!

I have contacted Leslie via email and she will have 48 hours to respond confirming acceptance of this amazing prize. If I haven't heard from her within those 48 hours, or if she's won on another blog, a new winner be selected (even though I really hate having to do so!).

Didn't win this one? You can still enter the BRANDED, My Memories or Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza Giveaways currently running!!!!

Disclosure – I am participating in the ABREVA program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline. I received a Coach wristlet as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Great Gift Alert

2011-08-31T22:24:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year I ordered a set of 2 Cushion Cases from ArtsCow.com and have absolutely fallen in love with them. They are exceptionally high quality, and like all of the products that Artscow offers highly customizable! And to make the deal even better you pick can up 2 Cushion Cases for only $10.99 USD Shipped!

Coupon Code :	COMFYCASES
Expiry Date:	9 / 14 / 2011

Now if you haven’t already ran over to Artscow to start designing your covers then here’s a little extra fuel to get you on your way.

The Cushion Covers fit standard cushions in them perfectly. They close via a very sturdy (and well attached) velcro closure that runs across the entire length of the pillow cover. I love how vibrant the colours are. I went with a black and white, with pink accent theme for my pillows, and the pink colour really pops right up off the fabric.

What I do not like about these Cushion Covers is that my children seem to think that just because they have their pictures on them that they belong to them! Haha. But seriously, I am constantly having to reclaim them from their room under the cover of darkness while they’re sleeping. Stealthy, ninja Mommy am I! And then of course once they realize the cushions have resurfaced on the couch the battle starts again! But seriously. I have yet to find any downside to this amazing project. And when the price is right its even that much better!!!!

These pillows would be the amazing gift for family members, or if you’re like me your own stocking!

To stick with my theme I used black and white as well as sepia images. As mentioned previously I used a black and white theme, with a splash of pink. The reason I did so was to complement the highlighted barrette in my oldest daughter’s hair (in the first picture). The 2nd picture is the back of the pillow and features my 6 year olds birth announcement photo. The third picture is of my youngest on her first halloween. She was a bunny, and the gosh darn cutest bunny in the history of ever. I chose to go with the older pictures as I love taking a walk down memory lane. I made use of the free kits available on artscow to spruce up my photos. They really add that little bit extra to your finished product.

In the interest of being unbiased I will say that in general with Artscow you do need to leave yourself enough of a buffer for shipping times. Everything ships from Hong Kong and during busy times shipping can slow down a little bit. Always better to order early to avoid disappointment in the off chance that your item doesn’t arrive on time. Other than that the quality is outstanding. I am a frequent orderer, and you simply cannot beat their free with shipping deals (like this one).

Happy shopping!

I would love to see your finished creations! Please feel free to leave a comment linking to your blog, website, or artscow account to show off your products.

Please note that this post was unsponsored, and I do not receive any compensation of any sort for sharing these products with you. I do so as they are amazing products :)

Coach Wristlet Giveaway

2011-08-31T21:23:00.001-07:00

You could win an absolutely amazingly beautiful (and immensely stylish) Coach Wristlet courtesy of the folks at abreva and Mom Central Canada! Have you entered yet? Winner will be drawn on September 2nd, which means that you have until 11:59 pm EST September 1/2011 to enter to win. Trust me, you do not want to miss out on winning this amazing prize! Enter here!!!! You know you wanna :D

#Spa4Mama Winner!

2011-08-31T21:17:00.001-07:00

Another thank you goes out to the lovely Jen from A Busy Mommy for providing the $50 Way Spa Giftcard for this here giveaway! Thank you Jen!!!!!

And since we’ve sent a huge thank you a huge congratulations goes out to emmafb @benitozk! Congrats on the amazing win!

I will be in contact with you via twitter, after which you will have 48 hours to respond. If I haven’t heard from you within 48 hours a new winner will be selected. Please do respond, as I have having to take back prizes and give them to someone else!

Winner Announced–School Years

2011-08-27T21:21:00.001-07:00

The winner of the School Years – A Family Keepsake of School Memories giveaway has been selected! Congrats Lauren on the amazing win. I’m sure that you’ll love this book!

Winner has been contacted via email and will (as always) have 48 hours to respond. If I have not heard from them within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

A huge thank you to Chronicle Books for providing this book for giveaway! Without my amazing sponsors these giveaways could not happen!

But I’m a Girl

2011-08-27T20:09:00.001-07:00

For the most part I grew up in a household of boys (I have 4 brothers). As such I have always been one of the guys. I quickly learned that the excuse “But I’m a girl” simply wouldn’t fly with my Dad. He’s always insisted that I be a hands on person, and instilled in me the belief that if its worth doing then its worth doing right. I remember spending hours and hours with my Dad in the backyard perfecting my badminton game, my swing, my catching. He had me on the ice skating as soon as I could walk.

And so, this afternoon as the words “Because I’m a girl” slipped of my mouth I knew that I wasn’t going to get away with it. Get away with what exactly? I was trying to get away with not assembling the Adirondack Chairs that have been sitting in my storage room for almost a year.

Here’s how the event played out:

Whilst awaiting dinner to be done on the barbie I mentioned how nice it would be sitting in my new chairs. Chairs that have been sitting collecting dust for almost a year in the boxes they came in. My Dad was like, why aren’t they put together Jem? (my Dad being one of the few people who still calls me Jem all these years later. A nickname that’s lasted the test of time – 25 years later and its still going strong.) And then it happened. Those 4 little words slipped out. BECAUSE I'M A GIRL. Whoops.

Of course my Dad didn't stand for that at all. And so in typical Dad fashion he then sent me in house to grab the boxes and my tool kit. He laid the pieces of the kit out, and truth be told I started to get excited. Perhaps for the first time in the history of like ever I was actually going to get away with it! Wrong! He handed me the instructions and pointed out which pieces I should start with. He then supervised me as I put those chairs together, piece by piece. After a brief break for supper I finished up piecing the first chair together. It wasn’t nearly as daunting of a task as it had appeared at first. While I don’t foresee a future for myself in wood working I am proud that I was able to overcome the limits that I placed on myself. And I even have a blister on my hand as proof of my hard work!

My Dad promised to bring over his drill to make putting the second chair together go faster. Haha. I’m thinking that I was painfully slow, but to my Dad’s credit he stood back and let me go at my own pace. I think that’s a lesson that all us parents need to learn. In order for our children to grow then need to learn to do things on their own, regardless of how long it may take them to do.

I hope everyone is having a marvelous weekend! One of the last before the girls go back/start school. So far the threatened rain hasn’t arrived and its been absolutely gorgeous. Who said it always rains in Rupert anyway? Lies! Lies, I tell ya! Ha ha.

My Memories Review & Giveaway

2011-08-23T20:30:00.001-07:00

Let’s admit it. We all have drives filled to the brim with pictures of our little ones. Photos that are just sitting there. Why? Obviously with the digital age the option is there to take substantially more photos now than in the past. Storage is simple, put them on the computer, burn a back up disc and forget about it. No more bringing your film down to the photo shop to have them developed simply to see if you got any good ones! But is the best place for our photos our computer drives? Photos are meant to be displayed!

Recently I was contact by the company My Memories about doing a review of their Digital Scrapbooking Software. And while I do have a computer filled to the brim with photos I wasn’t sure how good a fit Scrapbooking Software would be for me. I mean I already photobook, do I really need to scrapbook too? I decided to give it a shot, what could I possibly lose? Why not transform some of our favourite family moments into a beautiful scrapbook to show to friends and family? And as My Memories is currently Amazon’s #1 ranked Scrapbooking Software the precedence for greatness is already there!

While I was (patiently) waiting on my download to finish I had a look through the My Memories website at the Free Kits available. As a Frugal Mama to the core I always gravitate to those that are free. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised, sometimes not so much. This time I was very impressed with the selection.

The My Memories website features 63 free kits for download. Your software purchase includes a $10 store credit – so never fear, even if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for in the free section you do have some “play money” to get some kits that you truly adore. The pay kits vary in price, and start at approximately $0.99. The search function for the Paid Kits is absolutely outstanding. You can find exactly what you want, when you want it. Tres cool! I love it when website designers understand consumers. I like to find exactly what I’m looking for, at the exact moment in time that I want to find it. My Memories makes that possible which is a huge plus!

My favourite Free Kit was definitely the Haunted Landscapes! Halloween has long been my favourite holiday. And this kit is definitely Hauntingly fantastic!

The Software:
The software comes loaded with oodles of pre-designed pages for your choosing. I chose to work on an album, using the Princess Diva Theme (as this here house is overrun with divas x3!). The program is incredibly easy to use. You can customize your pages to the max, and the pre-designed album selections give you everything you could possibly need to create an amazing selection of pages. Here’s the 6 page spread that I created in under 20 minutes. Not too shabby!

After creating your masterpieces you have a couple options. You can create (and order) an album through My Memories. You can export to your computer, create a movie real, burn a DVD, or even make an i-pod ready movie! And of course, you do have the option to print directly to your home computer.

And of course I couldn’t very well not create a scrapbook page featuring the Hauntingly Fantastic free kit I found could I? Well I’m I could have not done it, but well that wouldn’t be very Jaime like now would it? Please take note of my wickedly awesome Lydia costume that I made by hand!! It took me many, many hours to hand stitch the spider’s web, but I did it and it looked utterly fantastic, as does my Scrapbook Page.

All in all I really did enjoy the My Memories Scrapbooking Software. It was easy to use, and had a lot of great features. I love how easy it is to add new and exciting kits to the program, a lot of which are free. The sky is the limit for customizing your pages, and the My Memories Suite makes it so easy to do!

BUY IT!

Save $10 when you purchase the My Memories Scrapbooking Software! Simply add this code to your order (where it says promo code in your shopping cart!) and you’re golden: STMMMS52812. As an added bonus you also get a $10 credit for shopping in the My Memories store when you use this code. How awesome is that?

WIN IT!

One lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader will be bringing home their very own copy of Amazon’s #1 ranked Digital Scrapbooking Software! Valued at $40!

Mandatory entry: Visit the My Memories website and then come back here and let me know (via blog comment) which of the kits is your favourite. Its that easy!

Etsy Spotlight on Lyndsey McGrath

2011-08-22T20:28:00.001-07:00

As I’m sure every one of you knows by now I have a serious love, love, love relationship with Etsy. I simply cannot get enough of the amazing products featured online. As I was sitting on my computer (well I wasn’t actually sitting on my computer, that would be pretty silly!) watching the Recently Listed Items scroll down I came across one of my new favourite sellers!

Lyndsey & her husband Brian, of Brown Dog Natural Creations, create some of the most beautiful pieces that I have ever had the opportunity to see! Their attention to detail is second to none, and the result of their hard work is statement pieces, that are sure to empower you, and have everyone asking you where you got your necklace from!

In searching through the pieces on Brown Dog Natural Creations it was hard for me to pick just one favourite piece. They all speak to me, but I was able to narrow it down to 2 that really speak to me.

This Moss Agate Pendant is simply breathtaking! The twisted silver detailing wrapped around the pendant really gives it an extra dimension. I love the colour of the stone, which is perfectly accented in contrast with the silver wire. It looks absolutely darling on the choker (included) and retails for only $18! What an amazing price for such an amazing piece of jewelery! It is definitely on my list of pieces that I would love to add to my collection!

The second item that I’m sharing with you today is the item that brought me over to Brown Dog Natural Creations!

Let me start by stating that I adore Jasper. I would consider Jasper to be my power stone. Something about it just makes me feel invincible when I wear a piece of jewelery with Jasper. As such I am immediately drawn to any piece of jewelery that features “my precious” Jasper. I love how Lyndsey and Brian have used both copper and silver wires to create dimension to enhance the beauty of this Chrysocolla Jasper Pendant. The swooping of the wires at the top of the pendant remind me of a warm embrace, something that we all need from time to time (no matter how much we may deny that fact!). I also love that the pendant comes with the double wire choker, featuring both the copper and silver wires. This added detail brings unity to the marriage between the pendant and necklace, but also adds a certain charm to the necklace. This is definitely an eye catching and enchanting piece of jewelery!

Brown Dog Natural Creations is new to Etsy, but is so full of talent that I strongly encourage you to head on over and have a look around. With Christmas coming up quickly (124 days!) it’s the perfect time to pick up an item or two for under the tree. I know that if I were lucky enough to find any of their pendants under my tree I would be ecstatic!

Thank you to Lyndsey and Brian for allowing me the opportunity to feature your shop on the Optimistic Beauty! I wish you all the luck in the world! You both should be very proud of your amazing creations.

Speaking of Christmas-Free with shipping deals ahoy

2011-08-21T21:23:00.000-07:00

While we’re on the topic of getting ready for Christmas now is a great time to order from Artscow.com. I know what you’re thinking. Its still August (barely!). Artscow is one of my favourite sites, but they do at times get inundated with orders, and shipping times can vary with products. So its never a bad idea to order early to avoid disappointment! Oh, and did I mention that there are some absolutely amazing deals right now?

Get 4 Coasters for only $2.99 shipped! Now these aren’t just any coasters. They’re designed by you, featuring your pictures. What a great present for the family! Stocking stuffers, or a part of a gift basket with some mugs, coffee & treats and you have an amazing customized present! (I think I’m going to steal my own idea! Haha). You have the choice of creating 4 different coasters, or ordering 4 of the same. No limit on quantities!

Coupon Code :	4CSTS299
Expiry Date:	9 / 10 / 2011

You can also order 8x10 Stretched Canvases for $8.99 shipped. I stand by the outstanding quality of these amazing stretched canvases. My house is filled with them! I love going with a stretched canvas versus framed photo because it just adds something extra special. It turns your photos into a work of art that I’m very proud to display on my wall. With the Stretched Canvases you can also use the Scrapbook Kits to spruce up your photos, even turn them into collages featuring a couple of your favourite prints.
Two stretched canvases that I made last spring. They are the 5x7’s and are absolutely adorable!

Coupon Code :	8X10CV899
Expiry Date:	8 / 31 / 2011

If you’re feeling really creative you can head over to a site like www.befunky.com and create a true masterpiece with your photos like I did (see photos below). Trust me hang these on your wall, or give them as gifts and people will be asking you where you got such beautiful artwork done. And you can say that you did it yourself! It is really so simple, and well worth it!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

3rd Annual Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza Kick-Off Celebration

2011-08-21T19:37:00.001-07:00

Psst…. did you know its only 125 Days until Christmas? I did! And as such for the past couple of weeks I have been feverishly working on putting my 3rd Annual Christmas Wishlist Extravaganza together!!!!

What can you look forward to? Some of my favourite products, and must haves for everyone on your list. I have some amazing products lined up to giveaway to you my readers to help get you started!

Spots in the Extravaganza are filling up quickly, so if you have a product that you think would be a perfect fit for the upcoming holiday season please contact Jaime via email at bargainhuntingmommyblog(at)gmail(dot)com

Christmas is always a bitter sweet time for me being that I have lost so many people close to me. And also being that I am a single parent the Christmas Tree is usually pretty bare for Mommy. My girls are still both pretty young and so they can’t go shopping on their own, which means that the gifts under the tree are for everyone but me. Good thing I take joy from making others happy and instead can relish in the joy and excitement that those around me are feeling as they open their carefully selected presents. I am a people watcher and through the year pick up on their subtle clues and then find the absolute perfect present for everyone.

One of my special Christmas Treats just for me has always been a Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks. The perfect refueling before heading back out into the mall and finishing off my shopping trip. And as I love to share a giveaway to help get you in the mood!

WIN IT!

One lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader will bring home a $25 Starbucks Gift Card! Mmmm Coffee!

Mandatory Entry: Leave a blog post comment letting me know what your favourite Christmas Tradition is. It’s that easy!

Giveaway Round-Up

2011-08-20T18:37:00.001-07:00

I have a four amazing giveaways currently running. Have you entered to win them yet?

BRANDED. Win a T-Shirt of your choice from the wonderful team of Jennifer & jeN. Another of my Etsy finds – a definite must check out! Giveaway ends September 9/2011. CAN/US!

Win a Coach Wristlet courtesy of the folks at abreva & Mom Central Canada! Giveaway ends September 2/2011! CAN only!

Win a $50 WaySpa Gift Card with my #Spa4Mama Giveaway! Tweet up a storm, and then get the relaxation that you so deserve! CAN only!

Send you child off to school and document their School Years in Style! School Years: A Family Keepsake of School Memories courtesy of Chronicle Books! Giveaway ends August 28/2011. CAN/US!

A Smurftastic Afternoon with 4 chickets

2011-08-20T17:41:00.001-07:00

While in reality I have only 2 chicklets, it isn’t unusual for me to be seen around town with 3 or 4. The response I get from people is quite humorous. No they’re not mine. Yes, they did multiply! At least I know that people are paying attention right?

Today was one of the occasions where I had mine plus two. So I decided to bring them to the movies.

You might be wondering why on earth I would decide to bring four kids, six years and younger, to the movies. Well the answer is pretty simple. Earlier in the week the daycare brought the big kids to see The Smurfs at the theatre. My youngest was a little young to be included in the field trip so I made the decision to have both of the girls stay behind. I promised to bring them this weekend, and well a “Promise is a Promise” (one of my favourite Robert Munsch Books – you should read it if you haven’t!). I make every effort to keep my promises to the girls.

So off we went. We took the bus downtown (always a fun adventure). Quite to the pleasure of the bus driver and the other 2 passengers we sang a wonderful rendition of the Wheels on the Bus for the majority of the trip. I bet you didn’t know that the Wheels on the Bus Song just goes on and on and on? Neither did I!

After a quick bite to eat at a restaurant (OK. So in the interest of being completely honest it was really our friendly neighbourhood Tim Hortons – but when you have four children in town its as close to a restaurant as you can get). The girls were are amazingly well behaved thanks to me bribing them with the offer of glittery stickers after the movie if they were all on their best behaviour. Smart Mommy am I!

After devouring our lunch we headed across the street to the movie theatre. As I’m one smart cookie we all made a bathroom stop (nothing like having to drag 4 little girls out of the theatre part way through so one can go bathroom). Then we picked up our “Big Kid Boosters” (heaven forbid you call them toddler seats to 6 year olds intent on growing up way too fast!), and reserved our seating with our jackets.

Hello Concession! I may be a Super Mom, but even I cannot juggle 4 kids packs on my own, so I made them come with me (cheap labour – will work for Kinder Eggs!). A whopping $42 later we were sufficiently fueled up to enjoy the movie. And yes, I said $42 later…. at least I saved 10% by using my SCENE card right? haha. Wait! What was that I said about cheap labour? Hmmm – it appears I may be sadly mistaken.

The Smurfs Movie was fantastic! All four of the girls, aged 4-6 were enthralled with it. I was worried that it would echo the insanity that the Muppets Movies have become over the years. But all in all the movie was utterly smurftastic!

I love the story behind the movie. It wasn’t a bunch of Smurfs running around New York willy nilly.

Here’s a quick Optimistic Beauty synopsis on the show.

The movie opens with the Smurfs getting ready for the Blue Moon Festival. Papa Smurf wants to take a look and make sure that everything is going to run smoothly. But wait! The vision shows a disastrous ending to the Smurfs. And Clumsy is to blame! Oh dear! Gargamel (the super evil Wizard Guy intent on capturing the Smurfs and stealing the essence to make him the most powerful man in the world) finds a
way into Smurfland and Clumsy runs out of town towards the Forbidden Falls, the “core” group follows him to save him. In the middle of the Forbidden Falls opens a vortex, and instead of allowing Gargamel to capture them Papa Smurf lands himself, Gutsy, Clumsy, Grumpy, Smurfette, and Smart Smurf in Central Park. Hilarity ensues as they end up befriending two humans who help them try and get home.

Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays (of Glee fame) shine. Neil Patrick Harris is just amazing period. And I was so happy so see Jayma Mays not as Emma Pillsbury! Don’t get me wrong. I love Glee, and I think that Emma is an important character in the show. But it was refreshing to see Jayma in another light.

Narrator Smurf was absolutely hilarious! Definitely a highlight of the show :)

And yes I will confess that I did get a little teary eyed in the end. Please tell me that I’m not the only one! Something about a solid front just gets me every time.

After the movie we battled the pouring rain and the gusting wind to get to the Dollar Store. Me and my commitment to keeping my promises! Picked up the stickers as promised and headed home. My girls got busy working on their sticker albums, and their friends headed home to do their own books. All in all a great day.

My only question is who’s going to clean up this mess? I am positive I told the girls that we wouldn’t leave the house to go to the movies until it was picked up and put away. Hmmmm. Guess you can’t win every time!

What did you do this weekend?

Mabel's Labels Winner Announced

2011-08-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that a winner has been selected in the Mabel's Labels Giveaway. One lucky reader will be bringing home the Ultimate Back to School Combo! The Ultimate Back to School Combo has everything you could possibly need to label up all those school supplies (that are seriously costing more than ever!).

Congrats Kerry! I have contacted you via email! Please be sure to respond within 48 hours to confirm acceptance of this amazing prize. If I haven't heard back from you within 48 hours a new winner will be selected (and I really hate having to take prizes back!!!!).

I’ve been BRANDED–with Giveaway!

2011-08-18T21:03:00.001-07:00

The title says it all. I have been BRANDED, and I’m loving it! I was ecstatic when I found the lovely duo of Jennifer of jeN on Etsy. As an admitted Etsy’aholic I am always on the lookout for new and exciting artists. I have found so many amazing new items through Etsy that its unbelievable, and the shirt that I received from BRANDED is no exception.

Their slogan is Tees inspired by Film, Words, Music, Television & Family – which is exactly what you’ll find in store!

As a pre-teen and teenager my four brothers were a very bad influence on my television programming. We watched a steady stream of scary movies, sometimes to the very early hours of the morning. From the Halloween Movies to Chucky, to IT and Pet Cemetary we watched it all. But the ones that were always my favourite were definitely the Nightmare on Elm Street Movies.

I even have a Freddy Kruger inspired sweater that I wear on a regular basis. No really I do! See below for my best “scared female lead in a scary movie” pose! (no wonder why my children have a tendency to be little posers! HAHA!) A friend of mine actually didn’t want to offend me by calling it that, that is until she overheard me saying it. Why on earth would I be offended? Its an amazing sweater! And truthfully – it reminds me of my childhood, which is never a bad thing (just please don’t send Stacie & Clinton my way! I’m sure that my beloved sweater would be heading off to the dreaded garbage can).

I will never forget the lyrics:

“1,2 Freddy's coming for you! 3,4 You better lock your door! 5,6 Grab your crucifix! 7,8 Better stay up late! 9,10 Never sleep again!”

So when I came across the Nightmare of Elm Street, Sweet Dreams T-Shirt I simply had to have it! I love this shirt! I chose to go with the Plum shirt colour – which goes amazing with the design. There are 6 other choices though – which is pretty awesome. I love how customizable the shirts are (more on that later!). The T-Shirt is very soft, and fits perfectly. The design of this shirt is perfect, and I will definitely be adding it to my regular rotation!

Don’t you just love the hand coming up from the bottom of the shirt? I think its ingenious! And of course the Sweet Dreams lettering further lends to the legend of Freddy. Way to go Jennifer & jeN on creating an absolutely amazing shirt!

One of the other shirts that caught my eye was the Vintage Mom & Vintage Dad line. And this is where the true customization comes in. Not only can you pick your shirt colours, you can also customize this shirt with the year that you (or someone close to you) became a parent for the first time. My greatest accomplishment in life is definitely the day that I became a Mother. These shirts would be perfect for new Mom’s and Dad’s, as well as for Mother’s Day, father’s Day, Christmas etc. Or even would be a super amazing present to give parents on their child’s graduation day! I think they’re just awesome! And its not just Mom & Dad’s that can get in on the excitement either. BRANDED also offers a Vintage Grandpa Line too!

BUY IT!

You can pick up any of the shirts I featured today, and many many more at BRANDED’s Etsy Shop!

WIN IT!

One lucky Optimistic Beauty Reader will bring home their very own BRANDED T-Shirt of their choice (excluding the DIY Listings). The only question is will you be able to pick just one?

Mandatory Entry: Please leave me a comment letting me know which of BRANDED’s amazing shirts you would choose, and why. It’s that easy!

Please be sure to leave all your entries in the handy dandy Rafflecopter Widget to make sure you receive all your ballots!

Why

2011-08-17T21:36:00.001-07:00

I often get asked why I do what I do. And while my 5 year old’s response of “because y has a long tail” may be cute and all, it really doesn’t apply itself to the wonderful world of blogging. The truth is I love it. There is something so exciting about reading the comments left on my blog posts, about logging onto Twitter and seeing my “mention” column filled right up, about hearing from companies that they’d like to work with me.

Its almost like being back in high school. At times I feel like dancing around singing, they like me, they really really like me! Ok – so I might be embellishing this a little bit. But there have been many a times when I’ve told those close to me that blogging does in a lot of ways feel like being back in high school. There are the super cool kids, which I do at times wish I could be. But truth be told now that I’m an adult I’m pretty okay in my own shoes. I am happy being me. What I have been able to accomplish at the Optimistic Beauty has been amazing in my books.

I don’t actually remember why I set out into the blog world in the first place. What I do know is that on Thursday, January 3, 2008 the Optimistic Beauty was born. Of course at that time this ole blog was actually known by the name “A Bargain Hunting Mommy On the Go”. I imagine that I was looking for an avenue to express my never ending opinions. Low an behold over 3 years later I’ve shared opinions on everything from books, to movies, eco friendly solutions, clothing, jewelry, electronics and even cosmetics. You can find my first ever blog post here. “I’ve been Suckered In”.

One of my dear internet friends, Jen Banks (from A Busy Mommy) and I set out on the path of blogging together. Together we learned the ins and outs of changing things around on Blogger. We had many the late night plugging away through html coding, and being that she lives on the East Coast and I live on the West Coast her nights were substantially later!

And yes I do refer to my internet peeps as friends. I do believe strongly that the friends I’ve made online are just as amazing as those friends I have in “real” life. I know their children’s names, I celebrate their highs, and lend a shoulder for their lows.

And so my friends I encourage you to “blog” on!

Easy Lunch Boxes Redraw

2011-08-17T20:14:00.001-07:00

I didn’t hear back from the original winner in the Easy Lunch Boxes Giveaway so in accordance with the regulations I have conducted a redraw. Congrats Haylie on your win! I have emailed you, if I haven’t heard from you within 48 hours a new winner will be selected! Please don’t let this happen as I hate having to do that :(

Young Readers Giveaway Winner Posted

2011-08-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

The winner in the Young Readers Giveaway has been selected and contacted via email. Angela will have 25 hours to respond to my email, if I haven’t heard from within that timeframe a new winner will be selected!

EasyLunchBoxes Winner Announced

2011-08-14T21:22:00.001-07:00

The lucky winner in the Easy Lunch Boxes Giveaway has been selected!

Congrats Heather! I have emailed you, please be sure to respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected!!!!