The Joy Of Play With Fisher-Price

I've been a huge fan of everything Fisher-Price since... well, since I was a child, myself. Now that I'm a mom, Fisher-Price has been a constant in our home since the day we became parents. Both my boys have had so many Fisher-Price items, and toys, that it's hard to keep track of what we loved best.

Now that they're older—four and seven years old—it's nice knowing that they can still laugh, play, and learn with Fisher-Price.

As you know, my little one is a huge fan of everything having to do with Batman and that is solely because of the Batcave we recieved to review from Fisher-Price all those months ago. My child still plays for hours on end with his Batman Batcave, and we have pretty much bought everything else Imaginext makes that goes along with the Batman world. There is almost nothing left to buy for Christmas, but I am saving a few items for him that I know he is going to love!

I also loving seeing my four year old involved in play with his older brother—this play time is helping teach them the importance of sharing and listening and it is helping them solve problems and build a stronger friendship with one another.





Disclosure: I am a Fisher-Price Mom and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Lost In Play

I love being part of the #FisherPriceMoms groups with Mom Central Canada. Seriously, ever since my family received that first box with the Batman Batcave from the Imaginext line, my four year old has become rather... obsessed... (in a good way!) with superheros and especially with the entire Batman world.

My boys have been very busy and active this summer, from going away on vacations to south Florida and Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, and swimming almost daily here in Ottawa, but they also get a few hours a day to enjoy playing at home and doing their own thing.

First thing in the morning, even before my youngest son has had a bite of breakfast, he's in front of his Batman section, playing. I love it! He's lost in his world of imagination and play and it's rather adorable.

I've always been a huge fan of Fisher-Price; after all, almost all the items my boys had in our home since they were babies have been from Fisher-Price, and now that my boys are older, it is nice to see that they're still very much a part of our lives.

You know what else I love? The Fisher-Price Joy of Learning Playtime Guide. I love that I click on the ages of my children to find out more about the stages they're at:

Making friends, forming ideas, following rules … it’s all coming together now, just in time for school! Imagination also reaches new levels, and athletic abilities start to shine. Here, you’ll find ways to make creativity and problem-solving part of each day for your five-year-old, paving the way for continued learning and a “can-do” approach to life.

My four and a half year old has a really awesome "can-do" approach to life, and it's been amazing watching him grow, (as well as his brother) and seeing them play together, and on their own.

I often browse the Fisher-Price website with my son to check out new Batman toys from the Imaginext line, and I have ordered my little dude quite a few items from the website. The website is really easy to use and it totally helps us make purchasing decisions. It's also the place we like to go before we actually visit a toy store in person, so we know ahead of time what we want to buy. He loves checking the mail with me, to see if anything new has arrived. We've also promised him a new toy after his first week of school—he starts kindergarten next week and we're all so excited about that!


Disclosure: I am a Fisher-Price Mom and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Frownies

As we get older, we notice things about our appearance that we may  not be so fond of. For me, that's noticing I don't lose weight as quickly as I used to, which means more hours in the gym, and eating better, and it's also noticing fine lines on my face that never used to be there. I am all for natural ways to help reduce the look of wrinkles and lines on my face, using the best products for me.

I was recently introduced to an anti-wrinkle treatment that has helped thousands of women before me. This company was created in 1998 and is still around, still selling their all-natural product to women around the world. Frownies used to be a well-kept beauty secret between Broadway and Hollywood stars, but quickly gained popularity by the masses. This anti-wrinkle skin care facial patches are easy to use, and results can be seen quickly.

"Frownies Facial Patches are an effective wrinkle treatment that addresses the physical cause of deep lines and wrinkles on the face. Frownies Facial Patches made from natural, skin-friendly materials, easy to use and work to give a younger appearance. Facial Patches are applied to the forehead winkles between the eyes and across the forehead as well as the crows feet at the corners of the eyes and around the mouth, to gently re-educate the underlying muscles to assume their correct, relaxed and natural appearance. Frownies, traditional patch works at night to eliminate the appearance of skin wrinkles, leaving younger, relaxed-looking skin. Frownies Facial Patches are a true anti-aging skin treatment!"


A natural, proven way to get rid of the lines you don't want on your face? I'm all for it!











Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post.

Shopping With The Kids

My boys and I (and my mom) just returned from a trip to south Florida. We go at least once a year, and were there in February, too. However, the ocean was calling our name and so we just had to go back for a week of fun at the Westin Diplomat Resort.

I knew that bringing my children's favourite toys on the trip meant I'd have to pack an extra suitcase, but it was well worth it. Afternoons (after a full morning of swimming!) were spend in our hotel room, where my four and six year old boys would play and play and play with all the Fisher-Price Batman toys. They seriously cannot get enough, and it helped keep them busy and out of the hot sun for a few hours a day.

Of course for me no trip to Florida is complete without shopping! Although I like to spend in hours in the Bal Harbour Shops or Aventura Mall, my boys only have a little patience for that kind of shopping...

The kind of shopping they love, though? When I take them to Target or other stores that sell toys! I brought them along with me for our annual trip to Target, stocked up on some Fisher-Price Batman toys they were missing, and bought some beach toys to keep them busy by the pool and ocean while on vacation.

My tip when you're bringing the kids along on shopping trips? Keep it short and sweet, and know what you're there for. You can avoid melt-downs far easier that way! And? Snacks always help, too.

Happy summer shopping!





Disclosure: I am a Fisher-Price Mom and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Miinto: Your One-Stop Shop For Online Fashion Purchases

You all know how much I love shopping, and fashion, right? My new favourite addiction is online shopping. I mean, when I can't make it to the mall, I can still shop, and what can be better than that, right? I love discovering new online places to shop at, that carry brands and items that I instantly fall in love with.

My new obsession? Miinto.com. Miinto.com is all about putting local fashion on the international map. They partner with local, specialty boutiques that inspire global fashion by offering shoppers a unique experience. There is so much to choose from online!

"We partner with local, specialty boutiques that inspire global fashion by offering them a solid, online and social presence."

Minto started up in the United States in 2011, after a successful run in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, and with over 700,000 unique visitors, their website proudly features one of a kind fashions for women, men, and children. Fashion lovers like me have constant, up-to-the-minute fashions to choose from, and shopping online is easy, secure, and fast!

From 7 for all mankind, to BCBG and a great selection of items for children, it can be your one-stop shop for all your fashion related online purchases.

"On our website, we offer everything that a self-confident woman needs: adorable accessories, swimwear outfits, blouses, pants, suits, jackets, jeans, dresses, lingerie, skirts, shorts, shoes, jewelry, bags, watches, hosiery, rompers, sweaters and much more. No matter which type of a woman you are, you will find something beautiful on our listing because we have thousands of different fashion brands here waiting to be discovered by you."



Miinto.com has generally agreed to give each of my readers $15 to shop at their online boutique! All you haev to do is "like" their facebook page by clicking here.
 Leave me a comment and I'll contact you on how to get your gift card! I'll accept entries until June 15, 2012.
 
Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post.

Making Friday night even more awesome: the Pizza Hut Dinner Box!

I work full time, so when I'm finally home at the end of a long work day, I prefer to spend those precious hours with my children, playing, talking, laughing and just catching up.

Most nights my boys will (thankfully) already have eaten dinner by the time I get home, because my inlaws and parents look after them when I'm at work and often do the school pick-up. On the nights that I'm lucky to be with them before they've had dinner, I like to keep things simple, and save the complicated cooking for the weekend. That's why we love to have pizza most Friday nights. It's a simple dinner solution, and the entire family is always happy. Pizza is, after all, my favourite meal.

Pizza Hut is my favourite place to bring the kids on Friday nights because I know we'll be well fed, and leave completely satisfied. Right now, Pizza Hut has something totally awesome for the family: the Dinner Box.  

The Pizza Hut Dinner Box is an entire meal in a box, and includes appetizer, main course, and dessert. Inside you'll find 10 signature WingStreet boneless chicken bites, 1/2 a PANormous Pizza, and Chocolate Dunkers. Your kids will LOVE this, trust me. The best part? It's just under $20. Talk about a great family dinner!











What goes great with pizza on Friday night? Making it even more awesome by ending the evening with a movie and some popcorn. This is a really fun Friday night family tradition we've come to love.

Pizza Hut recently gave me some gift cards so my family could experience the delicious Dinner Box, and we loved it so much. I'm so excited because they're also giving one of my fabulous readers a $50 gift card, too, so YOU and your family can experience this awesome meal, too.

To enter to win, just tell me what your Friday night tradition is! I'll pick a winner randomly on June 1st, 2012. GOOD LUCK!

Hungry for more information? Visit www.pizzahut.ca.

Strawberry and cream cupcakes, oh my!

I love entertaining my friends over the summer. Summer entertaining is more relaxed and laid back, and we can just all chill outside with a cold beverage while the BBQ is on. The thing is, I'm not the greatest cook, and I often buy a lot of foods that are already prepared when I'm having people over. Getting a party catered, or taking the steps I know will make things easier for me is totally okay with me.

However, I will always make something for desert. And because summer is almost here, I am really into deserts that are light and not too heavy. Like strawberry and cream cupcakes. Don't they just sound divine? I know this will be a summer treat staple in my house! Especially because my children love strawberry picking every summer. Now, we can do even more with our fresh fruit!

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.