One Cheap Canadian Mom

Wholesale Costume Club - Review

2010-09-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

Halloween is a dramatic .. or should I say traumatic experience around my house. My kids can never decide what they want to be and if they do decide they usually end up changing their minds a gazillion times.

Don't get me wrong .. I love love love Halloween .. even as an adult it brings back all the childhood excitement of trick or treating. I love buying the candy, making the kids halloween cupcakes for school and decorating the house in fall decor. Don't I just sound like the perfect mother ... HA!! You were rolling your eyes at me for a minute weren't you??

I admit that I don't like going Halloween costume shopping .. it is exhausting! I don't like picking through all of the disorganized, overpriced costumes. And really .. there is just no need to. With great online options such as Whole Sale Costume Club you can shop from the comfort of your own toasty home.

I had the amazing opportunity to review a Halloween costume. My daughter and I had so much fun choosing a costume. There are just so many options. She eventually chose this 50's inspired costume ..

It is so adorable and totoally appropriate for a twelve year old. Have you seen some of the short skirts on some Halloween costumes .. umm .. yeah .. not happening. The costume is very good quality and I'm sure will last for years to come.

Personally .. I just think being a good ole fashioned witch is the way to go .. with Whole Costume Club however .. you will have a hard time picking!

Thankyou Wholesale Costume Club for this wonderful opportunity to review your outstanding costumes!

Scheduling Exercise

2010-09-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

My days are jam packed.

I get up around 6am during the week, get myself ready before the kids wake up, make lunches, make breakfast, take the kids to school, take myself to school, drag myself home, decide what the heck to make for dinner, make dinner, cleanup, go through the kids backpacks, flop on the couch, stare at the tv in a semi-coma daze.

The weekends are no less busy. I have my weight watchers meeting on Saturday morning, from there I usually do a few groceries or errands, come home and do some of my weekly cleaning, bathrooms, floors etc. By this time it's usually dinner time, I'm exhausted and haven't even attempted to do any studying. My husband usually gets the laundry going and is really helpful. If I actually tell him I need help and what needs to be done he is game. Yeah I've given up on the 'you should want to clean' thing .. that was at about three years of marriage if I recall correctly.

Sundays are usually filled with finishing housework, baking for the upcoming week and spending time with the kids. Yeah .. actually talking to them, not trying to get them to stop fighting, jumping, yelling, etc. etc.

It's not hard to see how one can put personal fitness on the backburner. I know most of you are with me here. Being a mom is hard. Whether you stay at home with your kids or not.

I try to exercise at least three times a week. Last week it was two times and I'm really not happy with this. I use to wake up at 5am to get my workout in .. ughhh .. this required some strict self discipline. I don't know how I did it. I do remember however feeling so refreshed afterwards and it really did give me a huge energy boost during the day.

I have great intentions during the day .. yep I am going to workout tonite .. and usually I do .. but lately I've been slacking. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself but I'm really not happy with it. I'm feeling the need to actually write my intentions to exercise down. I make an appointment with my dentist, doctor, hairdresser (okay its been about six months, don't judge) .. so why should I not make fitness appointments with myself?

I'm hoping this will encourage me to live up to my intentions. I am determined not to gain any weight back this year that I have lost. 29 Pounds!! I'm feeling great and loving fitting into some smaller clothes. So .. I pledge to write down my fitness dates with myself in my agenda. The plan is to do four workouts a week. Two cardio and two strength training.

Yep .. high hopes here ladies. Does anybody else schedule their workouts?

Hard Candy Cosmetics - Review

2010-09-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

When it comes to makeup I usually stick to the basics. Foundation, powder, blush, eyeshadow, liner, mascara and gloss .. is that the basics? All of a sudden that seems like the works! Maybe because I tend to go for more of a natural and fresh look it doesn't seem like I use that many products. Wow it's amazing how many products it takes to look natural!

I admit to being a past lover of Mac cosmetics. Sure I still buy the odd thing from Mac here and there and have been known to occasionally splurge at the estee lauder counter .. I do honestly believe however, that much cheaper and great quality products can be found elsewhere.
I had the wonderful opportunity to review some products from Hard Candy cosmetics.

I was very impressed by their blush .. I tried 'Living Doll'. It is very pretty and gives a very natural glow with the perfect amount of sheen. Not glittery at all.

I also tried one of Hard Candy's Meteor eyeshadows .. 'Black Hole' .. I find my eyeliner stays on alot longer if I go over it with a fine brush dipped in a little of this eyeshadow.

Hard Candy has a huge selection of products .. as soon as I can get my butt to Walmart I'll be picking up these other eyeshadows ..

High Maintenance

Rock n' Roll

Aren't they just gorgeous?

Hard Candy Cosmetics can be purchased at Walmart and is definitely worth checking out if you are due for treating yourself to a little something. The products are affordable and very good quality!

Charm Factory - Review & Giveaway

2010-09-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

Well TGIF I say ... I'm really really looking forward to this weekend .. don't get me wrong .. I have a ton of stuff to do .. groceries, cleaning etc. but I am still looking forward to a couple of days off! Greeting me at the door today was a super cute charm bracelet from Charm Factory. Now who doesn't love a little bling?

My daughter loves this type of jewellery .. she picked the star charm bracelet ..

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this bracelet .. the picture does not do it justice! It is super duper cute. Charm Factory has a huge selection of charms, bracelets, beads and necklaces.

A little company info ..

We feature almost 5000 high quality, unique sterling silver charms, bracelets, beads and more. Silver charm bracelets are so easy to personalize. Start by choosing a charm bracelet (or necklace). Then add as many .925 sterling silver charms as you like. Each charm comes with a free jump ring to attach it to your bracelet.

Our charms and beads are .925 sterling silver and manufactured in the United States, all lead and nickel free. Our pewter charms are also nickel and lead free. Charm Factory products do not contain cadmium, which is a concern with some products made in Asia.

Charm factory has graciously offered to sponsor a contest for one of my readers to win a finished charm bracelet!

Mandatory Entry

Visit Charm Factory and tell me what your favorite charm is.

Extra Entries

2. Follow Charm Factory on twitter

3. Like Charm Factory on Facebook

2. Follow me on gfc (two entries)

4. Follow me on twitter and tweet this contest. Please leave the link to your tweet. You can tweet 3x per day! One entry per tweet.

This contest is open to US and Canadian readers and will end October October 3 2010. Good Luck!

Kaponga Creme Perfume Company-review & giveaway

2010-09-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

Well howdy doody all you lovely ladies (and gentlemen?) ... my brain has been fried mush since returning to school and I apologize for my lack of posts! Seriously .. I have to get my life organized a little bit more. Anyway .. on a much funner note .. funner note? .. why does that sound so weird .. does that happen to anybody else? .. you say something or write something and it just looks or sounds so incredibly strange .. whatever ..

Okay restart .. I told you .. BRAIN MUSH!

I recently had the opportunity to try out some products from Kaponga .. a company that specializes in organic creme perfumes and body lotions.

If you haven't heard of Kaponga before here is a little information about their philosophy:

We work exclusively with internationally renowned perfumers and the local artisans of Grasse to develop premium nature identical oil blends, ECOCERT certified organic essentials, absolutes and pure plant and fruit extracts. Our perfumes are all phthalate free and contain no sulfates, petro-chemicals, synthetic dyes, triclosan, GMO, PPG, MEA, DEA, TEA or formaldehyde donors. Our products are cruelty free.

Additionally, our perfumed body moisturizers are 100% vegan, wheat and gluten free, contain no glycol, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, silicones, synthetic additives or synthetic fragrances.

We look for the world's best ingredients to luxuriously hydrate and repair your skin combined with unique fragrances to simply delight your senses. We focus on environmentally friendly packaging and overall eco-value. We are The Cream Perfume Company and simply make better scents, naturally!

I tried the Jasmine creme perfume ..

My daughter tried the Raspberry ..

They smell delicious and are not overpowering at all. I have never tried creme perfumes before and I was a little skeptical about how long the fragrance would last. I was pleasantly surprised by the staying power of these creme perfumes .. I could still smell the perfume on myself after a full day.

I also really liked the packaging .. they are small enough to tuck into your purse. I always like to carry something like this with me.

Kaponga also sells a variety of body lotions. The coconut vanilla variety is so yummy!

When I tried it on my hands I immediately knew it was good quality .. you know how some lotions are watery and it seem to take forever to work them into your skin? Blech .. I can't stand that! I was pleasantly surprised at how moisturizing this was.

Okay enough of my bantering .. ON WITH THE CONTEST!

Two of my lucky Canadian/US readers will will one product of choice from Kaponga-The Creme Perfume Company!

Mandatory Entry

1.Visit Kaponga and tell me which product catches your eye.

Extra Entries

2. Follow me on gfc (two entries)

3. Follow me on twitter and tweet this contest. Please leave the link to your tweet. You can tweet 3x per day! One entry per tweet.

This contest is open until October 1st 2010. Open to US & Canadian residents. 2 Winners.

Winners!

2010-09-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to thank everyone who have been entering my contests .. when you are a small blog like mine it means so much!

Winner of Jari Love Get Ripped .. Andrea
Winner of Lunchbox Love .. Angie
Winner of The Best Shammy .. Renee

I have been super duper busy the past couple weeks now that my kids and myself are back at school. It actually feels good though to be getting back to some kind of regular routine .. (ask me that in about two months when there is three feet of snow on the ground and we are waking up in pitch blackness). Ahh well ... live for today right? Right!

Moving Comfort Sports Bra - Review

2010-09-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

Being a busty girl has it's issues .. all of you busty girls out there know what I'm talking about. If you're not busty you will be rolling your eyes at me right now wondering what I am talking about. Seriously .. sometimes 'the girls' can get in the way .. especially when exercising.

If I don't have on the right kind of bra, exercising can be downright annoying .. even painful. Jumping jacks in a less than adequate bra? Forget it.
I've bought sports bra's before only to be let down (no pun intended) .. they offered little to no support .. or they where so restricting that they where downright uncomfortable. If I'm going to invest money in a good sports bra it had better work and be comfortable.

I had never really found a product I was happy with until I had the amazing opportunity to try a Moving Comfort Bra. This is the bomb of sports bras .. look no further ladies. I tried 'Juno' .. in a lovely periwinkle color .. isn't it pretty? I love the back detail.

Look at how toned I am getting .. all of this exercise is really starting to pay off ..

Just kidding .. this isn't me .. I had you going though right?

I love this bra .. it gives me the support that I need and it is so comfortable. It doesn't dig in anywhere and the fabric is beautiful .. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about it.

Moving Comfort has a TON of different sports bras all designed based on what kind of activity you are doing. The bra finder feature of the website is incredibly helpful. I always thought I was a C cup until I did my measurements as instructed on the website. I must admit before I ordered the B cup bra as

I was a little perplexed .. I have never been a B cup .. but sure enough .. it fits like a glove. Sometimes you just have to listen to the experts.

Moving Comforts philosophy ..

Greatness starts with a great bra

We believe a sports bras is in fact the most important piece of equipment an active woman can have in her fitness wardrobe. In the last decade, we’ve become respected as the leader in sports bra design and development—an honor we take very seriously. We cringe when we see sag out on the running trail because no woman—whether she’s an A or E cup—should go without the right support in her sports bra. The way we see it, less bounce means more reason to keep going. Toward a happier, healthier lifestyle.

Here are some other Moving Comfort bra's I am oogling over ..

Fiona

Charity

Moving Comfort not only carries an amazing line of bra's but also an entire range of fitness clothing. Yoga pants, tanks, shorts .. you name it .. they got it.

No legwarmers here folks ..

Now those girls are workin' it .. if you are at all contemplating investing in a new sports bra I would definitely check out Moving Comfort . You know how when you find something perfect after a long search you feel a sense of relief? That's where I am at right now with this bra .. I want one in every color!

Trind Nail Care - Review & Giveaway

2010-09-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

As a massage therapist in training my nails have to be perfect .. or about as close to perfect as they can be. Nobody wants ugly hands and fingernails touching their body! Who doesn't want gorgeous nails anyway .. I always notice when people have healthy well cared for hands and nails.

Unfortunately .. my nails are weak .. it seems as though the Gods blessed me with all the awesome genetics in my family .. NOT!

My problem is my nails peel .. usually from the side. In addition to that, my cuticles seem to grow twice as fast as my nails and I am prone to hangnails .. those suckers hurt! I have to keep them fairly short but I'm not a fan of the long nail look anyway. You would think having my hands in massage oil fairly regularly would help but it really doesn't as I am constantly washing my hands. Our drastic temperatures here in Manitoba don't help either .. ughh .. what is a girl to do?

I had the opportunity to review some products from Trind. If you aren't familiar with Trind products here is a little info:

Trind is Europe's most trusted and respected line of hand and nail care. It is found in the finest perfumeries from St. Tropez to the Champs Elyseé in Paris, and from Stockholm to Milano.

Trind is now fast achieving the same status in the United States, having been selected by the spas of Saks 5th Avenue, Dillards, Lazarus Ecotage and Bliss. News of Trind is spreading like wild fire as women everywhere share their stories about the incredible results Trind achieves!

Founded in 1988 by Theo Bouwen, Trind Cosmetics is located in the Netherlands. The outstanding line of Trind premium products evolved from a passion to do the impossible; this is what drives Theo Bouwen! Theo wanted to solve a problem that nobody else had been able to solve – he wanted to develop products that would help all women have strong and flexible nails, a product whose effectiveness was sustainable.

Trind carries a complete line of nail, hand and cuticle care as well as a huge range of fashion colors.

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to try out Trind's 14 day challenge moist and shiny kit. It comes with a nail buffer, cuticle and nail balsam and a nail repair.

I have been using the system religiously and really notice an improvement in my nails and cuticles. I have tried other nail strengtheners before and some of them have completely peeled off in one even layer .. like a sheet of plastic. Some of these nail strengtheners haven't been cheap either! I especially liked the nail balsam .. my nails and cuticles soaked it up in no time.

I will definitely be purchasing the cuticle remover. Did you know you are never suppose to cut your cuticles? I only just learned this! I would also love to order some of the hand cream.Trind Hand Repair is a rich, moisturizing hand cream. It absorbs quickly and does not leave a greasy residue. Your hands will look and feel youthful, supple.

Trind Hand Repair is a rich, moisturizing hand cream. It absorbs quickly and does not leave a greasy residue. Your hands will look and feel youthful, supple.

Just look at this sexy color .. I know summer is winding down but this color would look absolutely hot on my toes!

Trind also carries a french manicure system .. I don't think this look will ever go out of style!

One thing I've noticed about myself is that when I have nice products I really take more of an interest in taking care of myself. When I have cheap crap .. everything slides downhill .. lol .. and really .. why shouldn't we have nice things? As Loreal says .. you're worth it! I will definitely not be buying anymore crappy drugstore nail products!

Okay enough of my bantering .. ON WITH THE CONTEST!

One of my lucky Canadian (sorry US!) readers will win their very own Moist & Shiny 14 day challenge kit.

Mandatory Entry

1.Visit Trind and tell me another product you would love to try.

Extra Entries

2. Follow me on gfc (two entries)

3. Follow me on twitter and tweet this contest. Please leave the link to your tweet. You can tweet 3x per day! One entry per tweet.

4. Enter any of my other open contests (1 entry per contest)

5. Buy a product from Trind.ca (worth 5 entries)

This contest is open only to Canadian residents and will end September 20th 2010. Good Luck!

I am tired and grouchy too!

2010-09-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

Yep .. that I am. I have been back to school for two weeks now and the honeymoon period is ovahhhh! The early mornings are catching up with me and the drain of long days listening to teachers lecture on .. and on ... and ON .. is already getting the better with me .. oh yeah and I am a raving hormonal lunatic too at the moment.

My kids aren't even back at school yet, my husband has been on his holidays for the past two weeks so everyday I've been coming home to a disheveled house .. disheveled is a nice word right? Next week is reality check for everyone .. lunches to make .. kids to wake up ... groan ... oh I can't stand the mornings. Heard enough of my whining yet? I told you I was grouchy! Did I tell you I haven't even done any back to school clothes shopping for my kids?

On a lighter not I am please to announce the confirmed winner of the Shaklee $25 contest .. the lucky winner was Cherdon .. again!

cherdon said...

I hate to clean the basement the most because there is so much sorting that needs to be done.

Oh I hear you girlfriend .. loud and clear. I'm purposely not cleaning a darn thing in my house right now .. grumble ..

I have some great giveaways coming up soon and some fantastic reviews .. one being for csn stores. I know they have been very popular lately in blogland! I am drooling over this coffee table .. isn't it gorgeous? It would look perfect in my rec room. Minus the 5 neighbourhood kids that are down there with it.

I am looking forward to three glorious days of brain mushiness with the long weekend right around the corner .. time to get my poor children organized for school .. anybody have any exciting plans or are you just about as boring as me?

Cormia Design Leather Slippers - Review & Giveaway

2010-08-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to review a pair of Cormia Designs 100% leather slippers. Cormia Designs is a Canadian company located in New Brunswick. In 1990 Mario Cormier, the mastermind behind Cormia slippers set out to create the most comfortable, durable and practical slippers on the market.

Some facts about Cormia Designs Slippers:

•100% genuine leather (2 to 3mm), treated with vegetable oil for increased flexibility. These slippers are also weatherproofed for outdoor use.

•Our leather is produced by a renowned tannery in the US since 1920.

•We branded our signature on each pair as an assurance of quality,

durability and endurance.

•High tensile strength nylon thread and locked stitching.

•Proudly designed and handcrafted in Canada.

•Our leather absorbs moisture and releases it to keep your feet dry.

•The designed is flat sole with no left or right foot. The slippers will stretch after the first few days of wear to custom fit your foot.

•Soft Bio-Pouch for traveling included with every pair of slippers.

I've been wearing my Cormia slippers all week and I absolutely love them. One thing I have always disliked about slippers is they are either too big and bulky and I end up tripping up the stairs .. or .. my feet start to sweat in them. I seriously think I have claustrophobic feet.

After a two days of wearing my Cormia slippers the leather started to mold to my feet .. now when I wear them I forget I am wearing slippers at all. They feel completely natural and are extremely comfortable. My feet do not get hot in them at all and they do not slip off .. I seriously cannot say enough good things about them! I lurrveee them.

My husband was very jealous of my Cormia slippers .. lol .. okay so enough of my bantering ... ON WITH THE CONTEST!

One of my lucky Canadian readers will win their very own pair of Cormia Designs slippers!

Mandatory Entry

1.Visit Cormia Designs and tell me something you learned about their slippers or company.

Extra Entries

2. Follow me on gfc (two entries)

3. Follow me on twitter and tweet this contest. Please leave the link to your tweet. You can tweet 3x per day! One entry per tweet.

4. Enter any of my other contests (1 entry per contest)

This contest is open only to Canadian residents and will end September 15 2010. Good Luck!

Sula Beauty - Review

2010-08-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

I have a major weakness for perfumes and lotions .. I rarely however find a brand that I would consider being a repeat customer for. That is until I discovered Sula Beauty. Sula is a Toronto, Canada-based company with distribution in Canada, the US and the UK.

I recently had the wonderful oppourtunity to review two fragrances from Sula Beauty. If you haven't heard of Sula or tried their products before .. you are in for a treat! Their fragrances are completely delicious. They also last for hours.

Blackberry Blush

Sweetly tart, notes of ripe blackberry and cassis blend with osmanthus, rose and a hints of soft musk and vanilla.

I loved this one .. it is fruity and playful ..

Butterfly Kiss

A delicate blend kissed with sweet pea and pink peony, and ethereal notes of freesia, blackberry and gardenia.

Butterfly Kiss is light and feminine .. it is really nice to spritz on at night after having a bath or shower.

Sula sells six varieties of their perfume .. Sunkissed Citrus, Blackberry Blush, Butterfly Kiss, Stilletto Mush, Champagne Sugar, Stilleto Musk .. I want them all! You can buy this fantastic little sampler set if you can't decide on just one of thier scents.

Sula Beauty also sells organic shea body balms.

Pocket-sized, portable and adorable, these tins will become your favorite go-to product to naturally soothe, soften, protect and rejuvenate. Great for cheeks, lips, neck, hands, arms, legs and feet. Works wonders on unruly eyebrows and hair too!

I'm notorious for having 3 lip glosses on the go at once .. I'm dying to try Sula's Vanilla Blossom lip balm!

Yumm-o! I'm seriously considering buying all the females on my xmas list products from Sula. I think the packaging is beautiful. It is classy but not your 'Aunt Mary' kind of way .. it is still fun and youthful.

You can purchase Sula Beauty products at select retailers or online.

Mabels Labels winner!

2010-08-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

We have a confirmed winner of the Ultimate Back to School label package from Mabels Labels!

cherdon said...

tweet

http://twitter.com/iamcherdon/status/21799255711

August 21, 2010 8:22 PM

Congratulations! I hope your grandaughter loves them!

The Best Shammy - Review & Giveaway

2010-08-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

I really do not like buying paper towels. Not only are they expensive I don't think they do a very good job when it comes to cleaning glass and other surfaces .. they always leave the little white fluffies behind! I also cringe at the thought of all the tree's that have been cut down to make them. I can't do much about the toilet paper we use but I can start to eliminate paper towels!

I recently had the oppourtunity to review a set of shammy's from The Best Shammy. The Best Shammy cloths are microfiber cloths made in Germany of 85% Viscose and 15% Polypropylene, specially processed using air-spun technology. This makes The Best Shammy synthetic Shammy cloths super absorbent, lint free, strong, and soft.

The Best Shammy's can be used for all household cleaning purposes .. dusting, cleaning glass, mirrors, countertops, bathrooms, hardwood floors and for soaking up spills. They are excellent for auto car, boat and marine care, pet care .. they even make a sports shammy!

I've been using The Best Shammy's to dust the woodwork in my home and I absolutely love them. They work like a dream on glass too. My husband has confiscated some of them to store in the garage .. he was very excited about this review! I honestly can't see myself buying anymore paper towels.

Okay enough of my bantering .. ON WITH THE CONTEST

One of my lucky readers is going to win their very own set of The Best Shammy

Mandatory entry:

1. Visit The Best Shammy and tell me something you learned.

Extra Entries:

2. Like The Best Shammy on Facebook

3. Visit The Best Shammy and sign up for their newsletter

4. Follow my blog publicly - 2 entries

5. Follow me on twitter

4. Tweet about this contest and leave me the link (1x daily)

5. Enter any of my other contests - I entry per contest

This contest is open to Canadian and U.S Residents and will close Friday September 10th 2010. Winner will be chosen randomly. Please leave your email in the comments unless it is clearly visible in your profile.

Good Luck!

Jari Love - Get Ripped - Review & Giveaway

2010-08-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

If you have been a follower of my blog for more than 5 minutes you know that I am currently on a weight loss journey. I started at 190 lb and I am now 165 lb at 5'6". I'm feeling good and would like to lose about 10-15 more pounds. I truly believe the key to achieving a healthy body weight is moderation. I still eat chocolate, I still eat bread, I still eat cheese .. but all in moderation.

I have also been consistently active over the past four months. I started by walking, then taking longer walks, then doing step aerobics and now I've started strength training. I don't go to a gym and honestly feel I don't need to .. there are so many options out there to increase your fitness level without going to a gym.

I recently had the opportunity to review a set of Get Ripped exercise dvds by Jari Love. The critically acclaimed Get Ripped series enables individuals to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Jari Love Get Ripped Fitness dvds have been featured in magazines like Shape, Oxygen and Fitness.

The first Get Ripped Fitness dvds I chose to try from the collection was Get Ripped and Chiseled.

What did I think of it? I really really liked it. The exercises are straightforward and the entire workout has a no nonsense feel which I can really appreciate. The workout is challenging and I did take a few breaks throughout the workout. Modifications are continually demonstrated and Jari is motivating and very positive without being cheesy if you know what I mean!

I could feel all my muscles working .. I was drenched in sweat by the time I was done and felt like a wet noodle afterwards! I have no doubt that these are effective workouts and plan on incorporating them into my exercise routine.

Okay enough of my bantering .. ON WITH THE CONTEST!

One lucky person is going to win their own set of Jari Love Get Ripped dvds!!

Mandatory entry:

1. Tell me how often you workout .. not at all, everyday, etc.

Extra Entries:

2. Follow my blog publicly

3. Follow me on twitter

4. Tweet about this contest and leave me the link (1x daily)

3. Visit Jari Love Get Ripped and sign up for their newsletter

4. Follow Jari Love on twitter and leave your twitter handle

This contest is open to Canadian and U.S Residents and will close Wednesday September 8th 2010. Winner will be chosen randomly. Please leave your email in the comments unless it is clearly visible in your profile.

Good Luck!

Lunchbox Love - Review and Giveaway

2010-08-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to review a set of Lunchbox Love note cards. Lunchbox love note cards are precious little note cards with fun trivia and thoughtful words that you tuck into your child's lunchbox. How cute is that right??

I often think about my kids when they are in school and wonder how their day is going. This is going to sound weird but I think I love them the most when they are at school .. lol. What better way to show them than these special little note cards! I don't know about you but I seriously do not have the time or imagination to be writing out my own little I love you cards!

The back of each card is contains some really neat trivia facts .. even I had my head shaking at some of the facts. I can just imagine the classroom talk over this one:

'just like finger prints, each person has a unique tongue print'

.. lol .. a classroom full of 3rd graders sticking out their tongues .. priceless.

Lunchbox Love comes in 16 volumes .. each containing ten printed cards and two blank cards. Each volume comes in a durable plastic case.

Lunchbox Love not only creates note cards for children but for some of the other special people in you life.

What a nice way to bring positivity into the workplace! There is way too much drama in the office nowadays!

I think these are a really neat product .. I specifically like the fact that they are very positive and uplifting. The note cards do not contain any of the annoying and derogatory sayings that you see on almost every shirt out there!

Lunchbox Love is currently offering my awesome readers 10% off.

Okay enough of my bantering .. ON WITH THE CONTEST!

One of my readers will win Volume 1 of Lunchbox Love note cards!

Mandatory entry:

1. Tell me if you think about your kids while they are at school. All day, sometimes .. or not at all.

Extra Entries:

2. Follow my blog publicly

3. Follow me on twitter

4. Tweet about this contest and leave me the link (1x daily)

3. Visit Say Please home of Lunchbox Love and sign up for their emails

4. Follow Lunchbox Love on twitter and leave your twitter handle

5. Like Lunchbox Love on facebook

This contest is open to Canadian and U.S residents. Contest will close Monday September 6 2010. Winner will be drawn randomly. Good Luck!

Shopping .. for myself??

2010-08-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

I hardly ever shop for myself. I know .. it's pathetic. I put my kids before myself all the time .. I even put my husbands needs before my own. I wish I was one of these women that go shopping every week .. instead of like three times a year! My fluctuating weight issues over the years .. losing weight .. gaining it back .. losing it .. also don't help. There is nothing fun about shopping when you are overweight!

I wear scrubs to school so I don't really need nice clothing to wear on a daily basis .. most of the time when I get home I practically jump into my pajama pants right away .. they are just so comfy.

Sometimes however it is neccessary to actually buy myself some things. Now that I've lost 25 lbs .. that's twenty-five my pretties!! .. shopping doesn't seem so depressing. My husband and I had a very casual wedding reception to go to this weekend .. yep it was in a barn .. it was very low key! I went out to see if I could find a summer dress thinking they would all be on sale at this time of year .. well I didn't find a dress but I did find some nice tops.

I really like this one ... I have to wear a black tank under it .. I paid $10 .. regular $36!

This one is kind of elasticated just below the waist so it tucks up a bit at that part .. super comfy .. again I paid $10 .. regular $36!

I also got some tank tops from Ricki's as they where having an awesome summer sale. It was buy one summer clearance item get one for $1 so I ended up getting these for $5 each!

And finally I got this green shirt and some shorts .. the tshirt was $5 and the shorts where $14.99 .. I also got a black pair of shorts but they are in the wash already!

I seriously couldn't believe the deals! I didn't luck out on shoes though .. why does shoe shopping suck so bad in this city?

Mabels Labels Giveaway Contest!

2010-08-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

My children are notorious for losing stuff .. and it drives me nuts! Seriously, there is nothing more irritating than spending good money on stuff just to have it go missing. My daughter who is 12 is actually worse than my 8 year old!

I recently had the fabulous oppourtunity to review Mabels Labels, a Canadian based business which began in 2002. The first thing I noticed when my Mabels Labels Classic Ultimate Back to School Combo arrived was the fantastic packaging. All the labels are securely enclosed in plastic envelopes. I just love companies put thought into their packaging .. it makes such a difference!

Mabels Labels has a ton on selection .. my daughter and I sat on the computer for a good while before we decided on the color and icon she wanted. It was alot of fun to do this with her!

My kids don't have allergies but I can only imagine how fearful some parents are about sending their kids with allergies to school. Teachers are so darn busy these days I would feel alot better with my kids having these allergy alert labels on their things.

Mabels Labels also makes personalized stationary! I know alot of us moms have our own businesses .. how cute are these business cards?

My overall opinion is ummm .. how do we say .. why the heck didn't I think for this first??

Now .. ON WITH THE CONTEST!

Here is how to win your very own personalized Ultimate Back to School Combo (classic or colorful line):

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Mabels Labels and tell me what color you would pick!

Extra Entries:

Follow me on gfc

Follow me on twitter

Tweet about this contest and leave me the link (1x per day)

Enter my Shaklee contest

Follow Mabels Labels on twitter

Like Mabels Labels on facebook and comment One Cheap Canadian Mom sent you over!

This contest is open to Canadian & U.S addressess and will close on Friday August 27th which is just over a week from today.

Shaklee Giveaway Contest!

2010-08-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm a certified clean freak .. yep I get excited about cleaning products .. sad I know .. so when Bette from Frugalmomx3 contacted me about reviewing Shaklee products I jumped at the chance.

Haven't heard of Shaklee before? Shaklee specialized in earth friendly, family friendly products. They conduct over 350 tests on each product to check for harmful traces of certain chemicals! That's more than I can say for the Mr. Clean I've been using.

One bottle of Shaklee Basic H cleaning concentrate makes 723 L of cleaning solution .. now that is economical!

Shaklee also carries health and beauty products.

Now I've been using good old Windex but haven't been that happy with it .. I always feel like I'm struggling to get the streakiness out of the finish .. well let me tell you .. I just cleaned my windows (okay a couple of them) using the basic H concentrate .. TWO DROPS MY LOVELIES .. for 16 oz of water .. and I couldn't believe the result. Streak free .. crystal clear .. me likeee!

Okay enough of my bantering .. ON WITH THE CONTEST ..

One lucky reader will win a $25 gift certificate to Shaklee courtesy of Bette at Frugalmomx3!

Mandatory Entry:

1. Tell me what you hate to clean the most in your house.

Extra Entries: these are worth one comment each

2. Follow me on gfc!

3. Visit Bette's Shaklee website and tell me how you would spend your $25

4. Follow Frugalmomx3

5. Like Bette's Shaklee facebook page

5. Follow me on twitter

Good Luck!

Please leave your email address in the comment box if it is not available in your profile.

This contest will run until August 31 2010 and is open to U.S. and Canadian readers!

That's like two frickin' sacks of potatoes!

2010-08-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Today I can't get this song out of my head .. want to know why?? I weighed in this morning at my weight watchers meeting and I am 24 lb down!! Oh yeah baby .. momma's gonna be smokin' hot in no time ..

Okay now that I have that out of the way .. let's talk motivation. I know alot of us struggle with this no matter what our goals are but for the sake of this post let's stick to losing weight .. okay? Kay.

Where does motivation come from? Motivation is not something you can buy, win or steal .. (duh) .. but you can find it.

It is within all of us .. sometimes lying dormant! I often talk to my mom about losing weight .. she talks about motivation as if it is something that is going to magically appear, drop down out of the sky .. tie her shoelaces up and hold her hand while she goes around the block. No No No.

Motivation comes with action. Ever wonder why you feel so good after you have done something good for yourself? This can be anything from exercise, doing your nails, going to bed early, eating healthy .. the list is really endless.

You feel good physically because your body is thanking you. But it's more than that .. you feel good emotionally because you acted. Purposeful action has a snowball effect .. you feel good for treating yourself well .. and therefore you will want to do it again. You are motivated.

I'm not kidding you and I'm truly not trying to sound like some infomercial guru .. but this is the honest to God truth about tapping into your motivation and spurring you on to reach whatever goals you have. Come on girls! We can do it!

This momma ain't so cheap.

2010-08-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Yep .. despite my blog name I didn't feel so cheap yesterday. I took my kids back to school shopping and dropped a bundle of cash. The sad thing is I'm not even done .. we went with the goal to buy the shoes, backpacks and socks. I always find shoe shopping the most time consuming so I wanted to get that out of the way first.

Do you want to know something even more sad? My kids have nicer stuff than I do!! whaaaa! It's not fair! How did this happen? It's so pathetic how I've jumped on their name brand wagon instead of my own.

Ohhh look .. Etnies .. try these on Griffin ..

I've bought cheaper shoes for them in previous times only to see them fall apart in a month. Griffin is hard on his shoes .. aren't all boys? Payton is getting older so she needs a good quality shoe for gym especially .. from what she tells me they work pretty hard in gym class and I've seen her red face more than once when I pick her up from school.

So with that in mind I splurged a little this year in hopes that their shoes will last. I have no idea why he feels the need to do this to the laces .. apparently it's cool but I don't like it .. it's not even!! I need things even!

These are Paytons shoes .. the ones on the far left where $5 !! Okay I got my cheap giddy for the day .. and what kid doesn't need a pair for kicking around in the yard?

I love these Adidas ones ..I might get a pair for myself. I tried a pair of the Nike's on myself but felt like a total loser .. lol.

So next it's lunch kits and a few clothes .. I'm just so happy to get the shoes out of the way!

Why didn't I do this sooner .. cabinet organization.

2010-08-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

You know when you think you are fairly organized and then you start looking at something and realize your not? Yep that was me this morning looking at the state of my bathroom cabinets while brushing my teeth .. ughh .. can we say gross? GROSS! No rhyme or reason to this disaster.

I'm lucky to have quite a bit of storage space in the bathroom but I needed some containers to group like products together. If we didn't have kids I would pick the pretty fabric lined ones .. but in our house it's just not practical .. I need to be able to wash them out easily.

I found these little baskets at dollarama. I like them because they don't have the little annoying holes in them for stuff to fall out. I wish they came in better colors but they work and I'm cheap so whatever!

My camera is a pile o crap and takes crapola pictures if you haven't noticed .. I am shopping for a new one this weekend .. but the labels say His Stuff, Teeth Stuff, First Aid and Medicine. My first aid basket even has a first aid manual in it .. wootwoot .. isn't it amazing the things that excite you as a 35 yr old mother?

And of course I have to have my own cabinet. Yeah I'm a bit of a product freak.

Her Stuff and Extra Toiletries .. on that topic why is it necessary to open four different bottles of shampoo and three different body washes at the same time .. this drives me batty ... twitch.

I'm pretty happy with it .. as long as it stays that way (it better!).

On my wish list.

2010-08-11T06:08:00.000-07:00

So I'm not one for following these celebrities (do I really need a reason to make their wallets fatter than they are?) and I certainly wasn't a huge fan of Jennifer Aniston until she did Marley and Me. I think it was that scene when she just puts the baby down for a nap and Marley starts barking and she has a complete flip out on her husband. Yeah .. I definately saw myself in that scene.

In my opinion she also has a great sense of style .. and um hello?? A perfect body. I hate you Jen.

When I heard she released her own perfume I admit I was a little intrigued.

'Jennifer Aniston' is described as 'a fruity/floral perfume, inspired by Jennifer Aniston’s earliest and most treasured recollections of scent. A captivating blend of blooming jasmine, citrus notes and a sensual musk base evoke long sunny days at the beach and balmy summer evenings'.

Sounds like my kind of perfume! This will be on my Christmas list for sure .. what fragrance are you all wearing right now?

Just say yes to primer!

2010-08-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

Finally my kitchen is done! What a nightmare .. the next time anybody asks me if I want to buy the paint with the primer mixed in I will say yes. The yellow paint my kitchen was painted previously took .. oh .. I don't know .. about four coats of white paint to cover. Yep .. I sweated my way through this one.

Before:

After:

It's not a huge change .. I just didn't want the bright yellow in there anymore. You can't really tell but the wall with the window is a different color now.

The people at Word To The Wall were kind enough to send me some custom vinyl lettering. I was sooo excited when it came. Here is hubby putting it up:

Isn't it cute? It was really easy to apply (at least the hubby said so anyway!) I got the matte sandstone color/finish.

Word To The Wall has a huge selection .. you can check them out here:

http://www.wordtothewall.com/

how cute would this be with Halloween right around the corner?

Love it! I can see myself becoming addicted to this stuff fast!

Now I really need to do something about this sad tap ..

I am sewing??

2010-08-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

Okay let's get one thing straight .. the sewing machine and I are NOT friends. Lord knows I've tried. I don't know what it is .. I don't have the patience, I can never get the tension right, my lines are never straight. Not having straight lines makes me twitch.
I've always admired women that sew .. they make it look so easy ..we all know these women .. the 'oh it's just something I whipped up' type women.

Ugh .. I hate you .. but I love you .. because I want to be you.

Anyway .. since the kids are back at school soon something made me think I could make a gym bag for my son. I get these weird crafty urges every so often. I had the fabric for my bag shoved in a closet, it's been there since the last time I had one of these crafty urges.

I find it really hard to find these simple little gym bags in the stores without having Disney characters all over them. Yeah .. Griffin does not do Disney.

So I tackled this project with patience in mind. Don't get frustrated, make peace with the machine, treat the machine with kindness, measure twice cut once etc. etc.

You know what? It actually worked! The sewing gods where smiling down on me today because this is my finished project .. it's not perfect (twitch) but it's pretty darn good! It's even lined .. awww yeah .. wootwoot!

At first I thought it was a little big but once he gets his runners in there I think it will be just right. When I showed him he said .. 'mom .. I wanted a hockey bag' .. lol .. what goes on in the minds of eight year old boys?

Now I am not about to jump on a sewing cruise anytime fast .. this still took me a good two hours .. so sad. Sad sad sewing woman. I think I'll stick to what I do best .. what is that again?

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

2010-08-07T03:36:00.000-07:00

For some reason I'm up at 5am .. craziness. This seems to be an annoying pattern my body has decided to fall into, in a couple hours I'll want to go back to bed .. whatever! Anyway since I'm up I've decided to pick the winner of my first contest .. heeheee! Here we go ...

Congratulations Michelle! You have won three glade candles. The winner has 48 hours to contact me before I choose another winner. Thankyou so much to everyone who participated in my first baby contest!

I used Random.org to pick my winner .. for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to copy the winner into this post .. I'm technically challenged okay?

When we get there.

2010-08-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

One of the things I struggle with is not living in the moment. I think alot of people struggle with this. Usually alot of my thoughts are consumed with what the future holds. When I finish school, when the kids are older, when the mortgage is paid off, when the weekend comes .. blah blah blah..

I was looking at some pictures of my kids the other day and I can't believe how much they have grown in just a couple years.

Here is Payton just 2 years ago .. aww so sweet.

And here she is now in all her pre-teen gloriousness .. damn I wish I was cool like her.

Lately this has really started to freak me out. Am I going to spend my whole life doing this? Always waiting for when things are easier, better .. waiting for our real life to start? Am I going to spend my whole life waiting for my kids to grow up and listen to me?

I don't want to .. but seriously, I don't know how to stop. I do it all the time!
When it's breakfast time I'm thinking about dinner, at dinner time I'm thinking about the laundry. It's like I'm a hamster on a wheel .. always running .. for what? So I can look back when I am old and gray with my kids grown up and think .. whew .. we're finally here .. the end of our lives. NO NO NO!! This is not what I want.

For the life of me I wish I could just live in the moment. Maybe I need to take a trip to Tibet to visit the monks and do some meditation. Anybody down?

Nine Years

2010-08-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

Today marks the ninth anniversary of mine and my husbands marriage. It seems that it has been a long nine years but has gone fast at the same time. We have had our ups and downs along the way (I believe year 4 I considered hiring a hitman) but we have had so many fun times too!

Are there things I would change about him? Um yeah .. I wish he would cook, I wish he could close cupboards after himself, I wish he was more romantic .. but that just wouldn't be him. At the end of the day, I know I can count on him when I need him and isn't this the most important thing?

Happy Anniversay Hubby!

This woman is going to be the death of me.

2010-08-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

You know when you're working out and starting to feel good, it's getting a little easier .. so you decide to switch it up. Yeah .. let's add in a little weight training .. build up that lean muscle mass.

Dumb idea .. okay well good idea .. but I am hurtin' right about now. I snagged this workout tape from my moms house as it had been still wrapped in the plastic, unused for about a year. Go Mom!

I can't tell you how many times I swore while doing this workout. It was difficult. But that means it works right? If I look anything like the ladies in the dvd after six months I'll be happy.

To be honest I found the music to be a little off with the moves .. this is annoying, especially when you are struggling just to do the exercises. All in all however, it was a good workout. Kathy is upbeat and motivating but not in a cheesy kind of way. You know when they are smiling at you on the screen and you are sweating your ass off and it takes everything in you not to huck your water bottle at the screen??

My appetite was larger today than normal .. which I'm taking as a good sign that my body was trying to repair itself. I think I'll definately keep up with the weights .. at least twice a week.

What have all of you been working out to at home?

Weight watchers weigh in - week 9

2010-08-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

So despite being knee deep in my kitchen painting project this weekend, (post coming soon!) I still managed to get my shrinking butt to weigh in at weight watchers. I lost another 2 pounds. My grand total so far is twenty pounds!

I'm very happy with my progress so far. I would like to lose another twenty pounds but I'm really not in any hurry. I can definately feel that my clothes are getting bigger .. or I should say I am getting smaller. It's so great to actually see results after working towards a goal.

I'm getting a little nervous about going back to school and staying on track as far as my diet goes. It's not easy sitting beside women the size of toothpicks eating whatever they want .. their time will come! I think the biggest challenge for me will just be preparing my food for the day. I am determined that I will do this the night before .. along with the kids lunches.

I've said this before only to find myself scrambling around in the morning trying to do ten things at once .. but this time I mean it! I've been looking around for a cute lunch tote for myself .. can you believe I've found nothing!! Ugh .. shopping in Winnipeg sucks I tell you.

I went grocery shopping on Friday with my son and you know what? He was so good! Now you might think this would just be expected of an eight year old. Well NOT mine. We have had our challenges with him over the past few years.
I was so happy when I actually did all the grocery shopping for two weeks without wanting to sit down in the middle of the isle and cry my eyes out (or punch somebody in my way). Doesn't it just make you all fuzzy inside when your kids behave? It means SO much to me!

Anyway ... I found a great new treat ..

Personally I think Cadbury's makes the best chocolate on God's green earth. I got the chocolate mint variety as I am a lover of anything chocolate mint. They are 2 ww points each .. totoally worth it when you are needing something sweet. I snagged a box of these that where on clearance for 50% off .. works for me!

I realize this post is a little all over the place .. I've been up since 6am so I'm getting a lil' foggy headed by now! Have a great night!

Lionel Richie - Dancing On The Ceiling

2010-07-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

So my husband and kids are gone for the weekend .. we have a trailer about two hours north of us. It's nothing special. It's old .. about as old as my husband .. lol. I actually like the seventies feel of it though! It keeps us warm and dry and it's in great shape for it's age.

I really don't know what to do with all my free time now that they are gone for two glorious days .. ohh .. what to do with all the precious free time!! All I know is I can't get the song Dancin' On The Ceiling out of my head. I don't know how the heck I got this in my head but it seriously just makes me want to dance. Oh yeah .. let's take a trip to the eighties ..

You know .. I get all excited about the idea of having time to myself .. and then comes the guilt. Stupid guilt. Little voices telling me I should have gone with them and that I'm a bad bad bad mom. I hate the guilt.

Dear Guilt Trip:

Go away guilt .. all I want is a little time to myself. I just want to paint the kitchen this weekend. I'm not going to the bar or hanging around with wild and crazy people. I just want to get up tommorow and do a workout tape and be as loud as I want without fear I'll wake somebody up. Heck maybe I'll even clap along when they do on the dvd.

Guilt .. you know I love my kids more than anything in the world. But sometimes I just need a break. Guilt, I am a mom but not a perfect one and sometimes it's just nice to be alone. Alone to read, paint my toenails, watch a movie or two and not have to worry about making dinner for my family.

Guilt, please go and bother somebody else this weekend that is truly deserving of your attention. I really don't need you this weekend!

I am having a midlife crisis?

2010-07-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

I was recently having a conversation with my mom about when I start second year of my massage therapy course. The countdown is on .. August 23rd. My daughter was listening to our conversation and decided to put in her two cents worth. She is twelve and let me tell you .. she has no problem voicing her opinion. She get this from her father .. that's it .. her father.

Just look at that judging face.

Mom .. you are just so like .. out of it .. like geeze .. ! Everyone has a cell phone .. you're like a dinasour or like an alien .. like duh!

Basically she told me I was having a midlife crisis and I should have gone to school when I was 22 .. I laughed .. I had her at 22. To be honest I haven't felt like I have really found my "thing" until now. I love massage therapy. I go to the best school ever and let's face it .. what is better than going to school and getting massages from your classmates? It rocks.

My first year was a struggle, with balancing family, studying and everything that comes along with being a parent and student. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have doubting thoughts along the way .. what am I doing here?? I should have done this at 22.

Most of my classmates are either fresh out of high school or in their early twenties. In alot of ways this has it's advantages. They bring out the fun side of me .. they make me feel younger than I am. A few of them are my age, a few have children and are in the same boat as me.

I don't for one second regret having my kids in my twenties but sometimes I wish I could rewind .. why couldn't I have found my lifes passion earlier?? Take for instance my dentist. She is 28 for crying out loud. When did she start university .. 12??

For some of you, maybe your lifes passion is being a stay at home mom. I applaud you. I was in this boat for four years. And I don't regret it. Maybe all this self doubting is societies expectations of women doing their work on my brain. I'm sure you all know what I mean .. It's really not enough anymore to be "just a mom" is it? Personally I think this is a load of crap .. I never understood why women don't get paid to stay at home and raise their kids. But that is a whole other can of worms post.

Does anybody else going back to school have these thoughts or is my daughter right .. am I actually having a midlife crisis?

Thursday ..time to meet some new friends

2010-07-29T04:49:00.000-07:00

Well hello there everyone! Today I'm participating in Talkative Thursday hosted by Mommy of One and Counting!Isn't it great meeting new friends in blogland, can't wait to connect with all of you.

Can you taste it?

2010-07-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

Okay so I'll probably lose half my readers to this wacky post but I have to do it. If you are trying to lose weight like myself this might help you, if not .. read on .. you might just get a good laugh.

Lately I've convinced myself I can get equal satisfaction from smelling something delicious rather than eating it. Seriously!

Even though I am trying to lose weight there are usually numerous treats around my house. Ice cream, chocolate, chips .. all the bad stuff. My husband has a metabolism of a rabbit on steroids (rabbit on steroids?). He can get away with eating it (damn him) and the kids have their share too in moderation.

When I get the urge to dive into a bowl full of icecream or eat three chocolate bars back to back (true story) .. this is what I do ..

Take the chocolate bar or whatever else it is you're drooling over .. bring it up to your nose. I mean right up to your nose hairs .. you're mouth will probably be watering. IGNORE it.

Close your eyes. Now .. inhale deeply and slowly .. let the gorgeous aroma travel up through your nose... Be at peace with your inner child .. LOL! Okay no seriously .. with your eyes still closed breath in the aroma again.

Now imagine what it tastes like. Imagine you are tasting it. It tastes heavenly. Imagine the texture. The chocolate is melting, the crumbs are crunchy. Now the trick is not to do this too long or you WILL end up eating it. Just concentrate on the smell, breathe it in a few times. Put the food down. Step away from the food.

Wasn't that the best darn peice of cake you ever had?? lol

If you are certain I am a lunatic now .. just think of this .. all the companies that make millions every year off of scents. Food scents in particular. Why do we buy them. Yes they cover up odours .. but they satisfy our senses. French vanilla candles, cinnamon bun candles .. even most perfumes have notes of vanilla, raspberry and chocolate.

Gotcha thinkin'? Try it .. it works for me. But I never claimed to be normal.

The fugliest cake you ever saw

2010-07-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

Today was such a weird day for me. The kind of day that you have a list of things to do but you just end up walking from room to room in a bit of a daze. I wanted to go get paint for the kitchen, I needed to make a few phone calls, I really needed to clean the litter box. None of these got done .. and you know what .. I don't give a rats asssss!

Last night my son Griffin asked me if today could be Sliders Birthday. Who is Slider?

World .. meet Slider ..

Normally most of Griffin's requests usually require me to do something that is absolutely out of the question .. did I tell you my kids think I am a millionaire? Mom .. can you take us to the waterpark like every single day this summer?? Can we both get cell phones, and Ipads and whatever else it is they make these days ??

So when he asked if we could make Slider a birthday cake I thought heck why not?

Look at this childs hair. He refuses to get it cut.

I had to tame the Martha Stewart side of me .. she luuurrrkkks inside. While making this cake with Griffin I kept thinking of all the great turtle cake ideas out there on baking sites and blogs. I imagined myself crumb coating and laying a perfect peice of fondant over Slider's cake .. oh Slider ... you are going to be so darn happy.

This is what we ended up with.
I can't believe I'm showing you all this.

Now does that look like a turtle to you??

But you know what .. Griffin was so darn happy and proud of that cake. It makes me happy when my kids are content with simple things. If I have made a memory for him it is well worth it. Fugly cake and all.

Please excuse the sentiment of this post .. I think I am hormonal this week.

Painting Dilemma ..

2010-07-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

So this weekend I helped my mom paint her kitchen. Actually she is painting her entire house. We decided to start in the kitchen because we are both freaks and don't like any project nonsense going on in our kitchens. Best to get that right out of the way first. I am aching today from going up and down the ladder .. and I mean extension ladder .. that woman has some tall ass walls.

So this has got me thinking about painting my own kitchen .. as if just getting the bathroom done wasn't enough. Noooo .. let's tack on another project on the list. Honestly I'm not normally like this .. come August 23rd I'm back to school fulltime so I feel a little under the gun for things I want to accomplish before then.

The yellow just isn't doing it for me anymore. It makes me feel claustrophobic. I think I also read somewhere that couples argue most in a kitchen painted yellow. Not sure on the accuracy of that .. but I'm using this rumor as amunition so my husband won't get annoyed that I am painting again. I'm doing for our marriage honey ... yes that's it, our marriage. NOT!

I don't know why I picked this color, look how it does nothing for the cabinets!

Lately I'm really drawn to crisp whites, they just look so clean. I like clean. I was thinking about painting two walls white and two chocolate brown. Mostly because I have half a can of chocolate brown paint left over from another project and I AM CHEAP PEEPS! The kitchen was painted green when we moved in and I didn't like it at all.

Any advice?

Tomatoes

2010-07-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

It really is amazing what you can do with a little space. I plant about twelve tomatoe plants along side of my house every year. Usually a few herbs too like basil, thyme and mint.

Cherry

Beefsteak

Roma's

A few of my roma's are black on the bottom .. I'll have to read up on that!

Awwwwee .. look at Mr. Froggy .. missing a front leg .. dumb frog.

weight watchers update .. week 8

2010-07-25T05:10:00.000-07:00

I weighed in yesterday and lost 1.8 lb .. that's a grand total of 17.8 lb's in 8 weeks .. I am very impressed with myself! I did workout four times last week so I think this probably helped alot. I'm continuing on with my Kathy Smith step aerobics tapes and walking.

My mom always asks me about my weigh-ins .. like me she struggles with her weight .. we both have a deeeep love of food, cooking, baking and trying out new recipes. When I told her I had worked out four times during the week she commented that she just doesn't know where I find my motivation.
I've never really liked exercise .. sure I like how I feel afterwards .. but do I really enjoy the process ... hell no!

I find if you overthink exercise too much you can really talk yourself out of it in a fast hurry. I have a million and one excuses not to exercise .. believe me I've got them all stored in a file in my brain called 'I like being fat'. I think one of the greatest skills in life is to self aware .. especially of our internal voices. The voices that hold us back from achieving our goals. Without getting too Dr.Phil on you now .. here are little mind games I've been playing with myself to keep the nasty fat girl thoughts out of my head:

1) Fake it till you make it. I pretend I'm somebody else .. somebody else that has been exercising for a long time .. like a real hot, skinny bitch that gets her nails did all the time. She doesn't even think about whether she's going to exercise or not. She has to keep herself up you know. Hotness comes at a price.

2) Just Do It ... get off that frickin' couch and out of that blastard kitchen. Don't think about it .. as soon as you hear the nasty fat girl voice telling you it's a good tv night .. put a gag in her mouth and go for a walk.

3) Remind myself of my committment to myself. I decided to lose weight. I'm not kinda thinking about it .. or doing it half arsed. Why do anything half arsed? If you are going to do anything half arsed don't pick your own self improvement goals ... do it with your housework. Your house is not a living breathing thing .. you are. This can be a tough one .. I am a little ocd when it comes to my house. I've had to practice this one.

Hope this helps somebody out there struggling with fat girl thoughts .. remember to enter my candle contest!

Snuggle Deal (Canadian)

2010-07-24T05:40:00.000-07:00

From Friday July 23 - Thursday July 29 you can get snuggle fabric softener sheets for free at Zellers.

The twenty count is on sale for $1. You can find a $1 printable coupon here:

http://snuggle.ca/en/

I think I'll go and pick a few up as we go through these things fast!

Why????!!

2010-07-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

We live in an area with quite a few kids .. it's not unusual for there to be at least three of them including my own to be hanging around my house. Normally I don't really mind .. as long as they're not running around. I can't stand the running around. It makes me cringe peeps!
Oh yes .. and the juice drinking. I can literally make a full container of juice only to have it completely gone in about 45 minutes by a handful of these people. Can't stand this either .. I've been cutting them off lately. Sorry kiddo's .. have water or drink your spit. Eww okay that was a little gross.
My daughter has one friend inparticular that makes my daughter act like she is a side show freak. Okay she doesn't make her .. but when she is over .. and she is over alot .. Payton acts like she is a cat rolling around in a pile of catnip.

Here they are .. mine is the one that looks like she just sat on something very cold .. or hot .. one or the other.

Sometimes I yell at them to shut up .. sometimes I find myself laughing along with them. Especially when the start doing the random "heeehee" trying to imitate Michael Jackson.

You can learn some cool phrases off them too that you can use yourself. I was recently called a called a planemo .. what is that you ask? I looked it up .. basically it's a planetary object with no solar system of it's own .. it floats aimlessly through space.

Great .. I'm glad they think I am that insignificant.

note: sorry about the crap picture quality .. I am on the hunt for a new camera .. any suggestions?

Contest

2010-07-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

What is it about a candle that can change the mood in a room instantly? I don't know .. but I know I lurrrvve them. I recently purchased a glade jar candle in the scent Angel Whispers .. it is a really pretty scent, not too overpowering. To kick off my blog I've decided to do a giveaway contest. One lucker reader will win three glade candles .. not sure of the scents yet .. it will be a surprise .. heehee.

Here's what to do:

Follow me on google friend connect, in your comment just state that you are following me. Leave your email address so I can notify you if you win!

That's it!

Winner will be anounced two weeks from today .. what is that? August 7th .. time .. whenever I wake up.

Open on to Canadian addresses, no p.o boxes please.

Good Luck!

Can I get a facking minute??!!

2010-07-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Okay so I turn 35 today. Enough said. Don't want to take about it anymore.
I don't know about your kids but mine are very needy. Particularly my son. When I say I am a waitress .. I mean I AM A WAITRESS. This morning he yells from his room that he wants a bagel with cheese whiz. So I get him the bagel. Five minutes later .. he's yelling for another one. So I get him another one. This is not unusual .. in half an hour he'll come in and want a hotdog. The strange thing is he doesn't do this to Keith .. my husband. It's only me. It is so annoying .. so freaking annoying. Especially when I'm in the bathroom .. or in the shower ... or here we go .. the one we ALL love .. on the phone. What is it with kids and needing, wanting, whining, fighting, etc. etc. when we are on the phone? I think my kids actually wait until I am on the phone.

Is she on yet?? Okay .. you go first and then I'll start. And then we can start fighting .. and then I'll pretend you hit me and I'll cry and lets be really loud so she swears again and starts freaking out. And then we will invite all the kids on the street over to eat all the food in the pantry. All her coupon saving will go right down the drain ... ahhhahahahah....

I'm convinced this is how they think. It's hard to admit I think we have made parenting mistakes. We both agree our kids are spoiled. They don't get everything they want but when your kid doesn't even want to go to the mall because you've already told them you won't be buying them anything .. this is a problem .. no?

Oh well .. I still have my cat.

I have to wonder ..

2010-07-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

So recently I repainted my bathroom. It was in desperate need. The previous owners thought it would be such a great idea to paint latex over oil paint. Ahhh of course! What a great freaking idea! NOT.
To make a long story short I spent a good three days scraping and sanding, priming and painting to make the bathroom ceiling look like something other than what you might find in a ghetto house and then proceeded to paint the bathroom walls. This also was not without complications. The paint started to drip down the walls. It was sneaky too .. it waited until I had carried on to another section to start dripping. Stupid paint.
Finally the bathroom is done .. well not really .. I think I've just given up. I could go in there and touch things up but while I have put so much effort into this bathroom I have to wonder ... how many other women put their house before themselves? I'm sure alot.
Last night as I was inspecting my work I glimpsed in the bathroom mirror at myself. I looked terrible. The bathroom looked great but I looked awful. I hadn't showered, my hair was greasy, no makeup. Sometimes I wish I was one of those women who wouldn't dare touch a paint brush. I could look up painters in the yellow pages on the way to get my gel nails refilled. Heck .. I could even hire a cleaner ... and a cook, and a nanny ... okay getting carried away here.
The truth is .. this just wouldn't be me. I don't mind doing projects around the house, but seriously after this one .. I looked a mess. Today is a new day .. and here are my plans to make myself feel better:
1) Do a workout .. yes before I shower .. extra grease and sweat is good for the hair don't ya know?
2) Pluck my eyebrows
3) Put a little makeup on
4) Heck maybe I'll even get out the old straightening iron and do my hair.
5) Heck maybe I'll even paint my nails! Whoa .. now i'm getting carried away.

Does anybody else have these thoughts or am I the only nutjob out there?

Finding friends in blogland

2010-07-19T04:49:00.000-07:00

So I'm trying to connect with other Canadian bloggers and recently came across Jen. She has a fabulous Canadian site called A Busy Mom. Check out her latest contest!

Also .. check out Tenille's blog Fiesty, frugal and fabulous for a fantastic opi contest

My buns are a burnin'

2010-07-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

So this morning I did this workout ...

Let me tell you .. it is NOT easy .. every time I do it I feel like I've been kicked by a quarter horse .. no kidding. I've had this dvd for a while .. I don't think Kathy Smith is that popular anymore but I really like her dvd's. Even the cheesy outfits .. and the music. Exercise is exercise right? I'm contemplating ordering this one ...

I've heard mixed reviews on it .. but the general opinion is that it is quite challenging. I think when I get to a weight loss of twenty pounds (which is only four more pounds!) I might order it and give it a go.

I used to have a membership at a gym and while I really enjoyed going it always seemed to be somewhat of a job to get myself there. Working out at home also has it's drawbacks however ..

1) There is nobody watching me so I can stop at anytime and not feel like a wimp for doing so.

2) I tend to look at any dust bunnies on the floor when I am working out and they seriously irritate me. Not enough to stop the workout.. but enough to feel overwhelmed by the never ending list of things to do around my house.

3) The timing has to be right .. or my kids will pull each others hair out, they will have every neighbourhood kid in the house .. and might possibly burn down the house at the same time. This usually means getting up earlier to work out while they are still sleeping .. major motivation required.

Nonetheless .. it seems to be working out okay, I'm not paying for a membership or the gas to get to the gym. And let's face it .. I have nobody to impress in fancy workout gear .. no lululemon here! Okay I have ONE lululemon hoodie that my husband bought for me for mothers day.

I think the only catch to working out at home is having a variety of dvd's so you don't adapt to the same tape. So .. I really need to start adding to my collection. The good thing is dvd's aren't all that expensive. Any suggestions?

Week six weigh in ... and an ice cream review

2010-07-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

Just got back from my weigh in .. I don't know what it is about getting weighed by somebody else that makes it completely different from weighing myself. I get soooo nervous! Anyway, I lost 2lb this week! So that makes a grand total of 16 lb's in 6 weeks. I am very happy with myself, my clothes are fitting better and to be honest weightwatchers has given me freedom to eat alot of things that wouldn't be considered on other diets.

Take for example this icecream by Breyers ..

Let me tell you ... it is the best darn ice cream I have ever had. This is the only flavour I have tried so far. It was heavenly ... the kind of icecream that makes me feel like I can float across the room and hear angels singing kind of icecream. I would dare to say it's even better than full fat icecream. Half a cup of this bad boy is 3 points .. well worth it in my opinion. Yesterday I picked up the dule de leche flavour. It was a hard decision because I enjoyed the coffee fudge brownie so much, but variety is the slice of life right?

So tonite Mr. dule de leche and I have a date .. he is hidden in the freezer where my kids can't see him .. yes they are not allowed to eat him. They get the 4 litre pail crap! Call me a mean mom .. but some things are just sacred right?

Cravings ...

2010-07-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

Okay so I wouldn't say I get cravings for certain food and drink very often but lately .. omg .. I feel like I could just dive into a vat of chocolate and drown myself into oblivion. Being on weightwatchers has left me with freedom to basically eat what I want .. but not how much .. unless I want to spend a whole days worth of food points on three chocolate bars .. and then feel like crap afterwards .. no thanks. But one can fantasize .. no??

Oh yeah .. I'm talking milk chocolate covered macadamia nuts .. love those things. Or how about some chocolate covered peanut brittle covered peanut brittle?? Can I get a woot woot? Okay back to reality .. here are a few things I do when the urge to binge strikes ..

1) Remind myself how I will feel after eating the chocolate, cake, cookie.
2) Remind myself of all the hard work I've done.
3) Do something nice for myself .. paint my toenails or have a nice bath.
4) Exercise
5) Clean something
6) Eat a sweet peice of of fruit
7) Have just a peice of what you want

I am luckily one of those people who can have a peice of what I want .. let's say a taste .. and feel okay. As long as I know it still fits within the guidelines of my diet. I do know people who can't do this (my mother for example) would enhale an entire cake if she had one bite.

What do you all do to kick the cravings to the curb?

Bento Boxes??

2010-07-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe I have been living under a rock but I seriously had never heard of these things before. When I asked my daughter if she knew what a Bento Box was she just looked at me like I was an alien. She is obsessed with Asian culture. Something is wrong when your twelve year old has tried sushi and you haven't. Yes folks .. I am feeling my age here.

Anyhoo .. if you are not familiar with Bento boxes I think they are really really cool. Basically little boxes that let you get creative with lunches. And yes .. it is only July but in the back of my mind the dreaded school lunch monster hides .. I detest.. DETEST ..making school lunches. Mostly because my eight year old son is the pickiest eater on the planet. I'm looking for ways to get him to eat more fruit and veggies.

The Bento Box community is huge folks. I had no idea people where into this, it is amazing! I love the little two leveled ones like this:

Can't wait to order me some bento boxes!

Weight Watchers

2010-07-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

Okay so I have been doing weight watchers for the past five weeks. Over the course of the school year I gained alot of weight .. lets say 40 lbs ?? I know .. terrible. To be honest I have struggled with my weight most of my life. I do not have great genetics! I lost weight on weightwatchers after my daughter was born 12 years ago and I remembered how easy the program was to follow so I decided to give it another go. I have tried every diet out there .. even the "I'm not on a diet, this is healthy eating" diet. Anyway .. here are my stats for the past five weeks:

Week one - lost 4 lb
Week two - lost 4 lb
Week three - lost 4 lb
Week four - lost 1 lb
Week five - lost 1 lb

14 lbs!! I more pound to go and I get another star sticker .. lol. It's really weird how those little stars mean so much! I love talking to others on weight watchers and learning about what their favorite treats are .. is anybody out there on ww too??

I have been exercising .. but not anything drastic .. mostly long walks and the occasional step aerobics tape.

seriously have i been away this long?

2010-07-05T06:40:00.001-07:00

Okay .. I've not posted here in .. um let's say a year just to round it up. It's been a crazy year, i finished year one of my two year massage therapy course. Yipee! I'm still all about saving money .. that hasn't changed one bit! The kids and I are off for the summer and we are all in need of a much deserved rest.
I've been trying to come up with things to do that are inexpensive and fun. I don't have an income for the next seven weeks! We went to see the fireworks on Canada day, the kids have been enjoying the sprinkler, and i'm trying to do one small organizing project each day .. yesterday I did the furnace room which took me about half an hour but what a difference! I'm also thinking about painting the kitchen as it hasn't been done since we moved in five years ago .. I think it's time. What have you all been up to?

recipes

2009-10-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

So the girl (my daughter) wasn't feeling well on Sunday so I decided to keep her home from school on Monday .. which was good because although I missed class I caught up on some much needed studying .. okay and I made these cookies. They are seriously to die for .. although they have peanut butter in them, which means I can't send them in the kids lunches they don't last that long around here anyway. I made a double batch and froze one of them.

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter .. I used natural unsweetend this time because that is what I had opened already
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips .. I've also added raisins before

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cream together butter and sugars, add the egg and vanilla .. dump in the rest of the ingredients .. yep I never mix the dry seperately .. because that would just dirty another bowl .. like hellllooo .. I have enough to clean already thankyou!

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes .. I always take them out when I think they could use just another minute or two .. this will ensure your cookies are soft on the inside and not like little hockey puck!

It's friday!

2009-10-23T05:07:00.000-07:00

Okay so I really don't like the day of the week to dictate my mood but I am so glad it's Friday today .. it's been a long week .. and we are getting new carpets installed in our bedrooms today! So last night hubby and I moved everything from our room and the kids rooms to the living room and swept and cleaned the bedroom floors in preparation .. it actually didn't take as long as I thought it would. One rule I want to uphold in our house is not having juice or food in the bedrooms .. I can't tell you how many times the kids spill their drinks on the carpets .. and previously they where a light beige color .. it seriously took us about six months of living in this house before they looked like a bunch of two year olds had a koolaid party.

okay fast forward 12 hours .. came home to perfectly installed dusty rose carpets when I ordered gun metal grey ones .. OMG. This is what happens when men organize things .. sorry men .. you are good for some things but not for others. I am actually not that mad .. I think I am still stunned. Actually I think I just decided not to be mad. Yes .. I do make decisions like this. I really try not to focus my energy on things I cannot change. Again .. I know this sounds completely corny but really .. try it. Don't get me wrong .. I am a hot tempered woman and push the wrong button you will see Reagan from the exorcist .. okay well maybe when I was in my twenties .. I seem to have chilled out abit in my thirties, or given up .. one or the other. Anyway, I'm just saying .. focus on what you can change, not what you can't. Just let it go .. you will feel a heeuuugggge relief when you do!

What a Monday .. and already thinking about Christmas

2009-10-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day back to school after a week long study break from my fulltime massage therapy course. Yep I was hit with a physiology test at 8:20am sharp! I would be lying if I said keeping up in school, running a home, taking care of the kids and trying to keep my fitness up is easy (oh and feeding my deal hunting addiction!).. it is alot o' work! I love to be busy but today .. ohhhh ... today was tiring. Thoughts of the busy Christmas season are in the back of my mind .. every other year I have always bought presents along the way, stocked them up neatly in my furnace room and felt so content to know I was prepared. ummmm yeah ... not sure that is going to be the case this year. And actually .. I'm not sure if I want to do it that way anyway. I think I spend more money and time this way. This year I think I will shop one day for the kids, and one day for family. That's it .. when it's done, it's done .. when the money is spent .. the money is spent. No more running out for this-and-that .. yep two shopping days and it's done. I don't have a big family and either does my husband so this is easily done .. especially since I will preplan my trip to make the most of my time and gas money. I'm hoping hubby will want to come along this year (he never gets in on the Christmas shopping!) and it is really nice to go out Christmas shopping with your spouse. Luckily I bought lots of wrapping paper last year on sale after Christmas so that is one thing I don't have to buy! One thing I have been thinking of doing as a family .. and I know this is going to sound very very corny ... but I really want to do something charitable and enable my kids to experience the good feeling of giving. My kids are old enough (7 & 11) to really get this experience and I'm looking for some ideas! Has anyone else done something like this as a family?

I will be okay if we are snowed in ...

2009-10-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

My best deal this weekend was at Superstore .. I had found some $1.50 off Melitta coffee coupons at Sobey's and Safeway and matched them up with the $1.50 off instore coupon at Superstore. If any of you didn't know .. you CAN combine a superstore instore coupon with another manufacturers coupon. Superstores instore coupons are posted right when you walk in the door on a big board.

Soooo ... that meant I would get $3 off per tin/bag of coffee .. the tins ended up costing me 46 cents each!! The bags of coffee beans ended up being $6. Hubby and I are big coffee drinkers so this was great for us .. but if you're not a coffee drinker don't let that stop you from taking advantage of this great deal. How cute would a gift basket of coffee, a couple mugs and some fancy cookies be as a Christmas present??

Am I the only one ...

2009-10-18T03:36:00.000-07:00

that watches other people shop?? Seriously .. I can't believe what some people are willing to pay for things. The same things that I will seriously debate in my head purchasing for a fraction of what they do. Just last night while out coupon shopping I held a bag of chocolate almonds for literally five minutes before i decided that they simply weren't cheap enough to buy even after my coupon. I don't consider myself by any means a coupon expert but sometimes I really want to take people and grab them and say .. "there is a better way!!!".
My relationship with couponing started about three years ago and I must admit .. it is a parttime job. Sometimes I get frustrated with it .. but mostly I love it. People have commented to me that they are amazed but just don't have the time to devote to save money by shopping multiple stores, price matching and using coupons. Now this .. I just don't understand. It takes time to make money so of course it will take time to save it! More than that .. there is something so satisfying about getting a great deal .. it's like beating the system in some way! Granted maybe alot of families aren't as tight financially as we are but I know alot of them are .. and .. the pressures of the holiday financial burden is coming soon enough .. below are my top tips to get started in couponing ..

1.Don't buy things you wouldn't normally buy just because you have a coupon .. (unless it's free!). This is a major trap .. and will not save you money in the long run. However .. be flexible. If you are loyal to a particular brand consider trying a brand which there is a coupon for. At the end of the day .. when it comes to food items .. it is still food .. and you may like the different brand better!

2.Start small, coupon kings/queens can seem intimidating with all that they know and you may think you will never be at their level. Couponing and saving money IS a skill .. one that comes with experience.

3.Always .. I mean always grab coupons you see and hold on to them .. even if you think you will never use it or the item will never go on sale. I can't tell you how many times I've held onto a coupon which has sat in my coupon binder for six months before the deal comes up.

4.Be organized .. when your flyers come .. sit down with them and your coupons .. scope out the best deals, prices, what you can match up with your coupons.

5.Become a member of smartcanucks.ca .. a wonderful Canadian site, so many tips .. links to coupons, a section to brag about your deals .. I lurrrvee this site.

When did Halloween go and get so expensive?

2009-10-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one that realizes how much Halloween has changed over the years? When I was a kid there was no special trip to go and buy our costumes .. we made our own from stuff around the house, used our moms makeup .. and got creative. Each year we have spent at the very least thirty dollars on each of our kids Halloween costumes.

No more I say .. no more. As my kids where eating breakfast this morning, I broke the news that this year they will be creating their own costumes .. well you would have thought the sky was falling and I had told them they where eating their last meal and after that they where both going to get teeth pulled!

My kids are spoiled .. but we have done it to them .. over the years. My reaction to their protest is mixed .. I feel guilty .. and I feel determined. Guilty because I have become accustomed to buying my kids what they want and now am pulling the plug. I am determined however not to give in and really think they will have fun getting creative with costume designing.

Missing in Action ..

2009-10-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

So since starting this blog .. there have been alot of changes in my life .. hence the no posts .. sorry! I started massage therapy school and am totoally loving every minute. It is very hard and time consuming but for the first time in my life almost I feel like I am exactly where I need to be .. okay that sounded very 'Oprah'. Finding time to study with a family is difficult but I try to get as much done at school as I can .. and so far .. the grades are good!

October came fast and so did the cold weather in Winnipeg .. normally I enjoy fall but this year I am really really really dreaded the winter. Every year it's getting worse and I wonder how I will get through another one .. but somehow we survive and still .. I feel so lucky to have a healthy family and a nice home at the end of the day.

My deal shopping has slowed down considerably since starting school .. but moreso I've tried to change my focus and concentrate on shopping for deals on food .. I mean really .. how many bottles of bodywash does one family need?? This new attitude to coupon shopping has come from the stark reality that we spend too much money ... yep it's time to create a budget .. and stick to it. Even though I am an avid price watcher .. I wasn't really sticking to a set amount of money for groceries .. or anything else for that matter.

Using the "Till debt do us part" show as inspiration we will now be living on cash. I am excited .. hubby is .. well lets just say he's in agreeance .. so far I've estimated that we will spend $500/month on groceries. Every month I will transfer this amount into a Presidents Choice financial account .. I need this money seperate from our regular account! Having a montly amount will also enable me to spend more on weeks that the deals are hot .. and with this account you also earn points .. for .. you guessed it free groceries! Does anyone else have a PC financial account?

Clean Sweep

2009-08-04T04:13:00.000-07:00

For the last week I have been organizing like a mad woman .. a MAD woman I say! I am determined to go through every room in my house and get rid of anything/everything we don't use anymore. There is a steadily growing pile right in the middle of my "for company" living room .. all heading to a garage sale this weekend.

I have planned that the proceeds of the garage sale will go towards new towels (upon realizing we have the oldest towels ever!) why we have so many different colors I don't know .. but this is starting to niggle at my brain .. yep .. these things bug me.

I find this task .. completely refreshing. There is something calming about living in an organized house. I can think .. clearly .. try it .. honestly.

Not only getting rid of junk .. but also coming across items that I have been looking for and have given up trying to find. While I have been clearing out I have made new homes for things we are keeping .. all with this in mind .. what is the logical place for this item?

This not only creates an organized home .. but also an effective one.

I really need to train my kids to start putting things back when they are done with them and have them leave a room the way they found it (within reason). My total pet peeve is seeing dishes all over the house .. ughhhh.

tomatoes

2009-07-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of my tomatoes which I grew from seed .. every other time I've had the inclination to grow anything it's usually dead by the time the soil is warm enough to plant outside .. these are roma's and as you can see are still very green .. but there are so many of them.

My daughter is addicted to cheese and tomatoe sandwiches (toasted with mayo of course) and I'm sure she will be a very happy camper in a few weeks time. How are all of your tomatoes doing?

Chair project

2009-07-27T12:59:00.001-07:00

I hate to do this .. but .. I've started another project while having two others on the go. I've justified this by two means:

1) I'm having a hard time finding hardware I like to finish #1 unfinished project a dresser for my room which I've put a white wash stain on.

2) The other project is in limbo while I decide whether I want to continue staining two end tables .. or break out the paint.

So off I ventured this morning with the kids in tow to Value Village in hopes of finding some special treasure that would keep me busy.

Amongst alot of junk I came a cross this chair for $3.99 .. it is a solid chair in great shape and is just what my daughter needs for her desk .. right now she is sitting on one of those really ugly orange plastic school chairs. I have no idea where this orange chair came from!

I'm not sure what color to paint it .. my daughter immediately said purple .. what is with girls and purple?? I'm thinking plain white .. but how boring is that? I'm sure my daugther who is 12 in November thinks I am the most un-coolest person in the world.

My wild side is thinking fuschia ..

Clean toilets anyone??

2009-07-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have to credit my mom for the heads up on this amazing deal.

At Safeway the lysol products where on sale for $1.49 - $1.74 each when using your Safeway Club card.. as if this wasn't a good deal enough there where coupons to save $3 wub 3 lysol products right in the store in front of all the lysol products.

I grabbed nine of them and my bill after coupons came to $10.26. Not bad for lysol .. not bad at all! I think I am possibly set for about 3 years at least?? I headed back to pick more up Saturday night (yes .. my weekends are that exciting) but unfortunately the deal was dead .. :(

Must remember to take full advantage of these rock bottom price deals when I see them!

Welcome

2009-07-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome everyone to my new blog!

Here I will post great deals that I manage to find on grocery, health & beauty items, clothing .. and anything else I manage to come across. These will be Canadian deals. I will also post details on great recipes, projects I am working on, makeup and anything else that may be knocking around in my head. Can't wait to get to know all of you!