Canadian Parenting, Recipe and Gift Idea Blog sharing a variety information for Moms

Nokia Lumia 830 Review

By Amanda | January 22, 2015 - 12:56 pm |January 22, 2015 tech info

Last Christmas, I purchased my first personal computer in a number of years. (Working as an engineer, I have a work-issued laptop that I can take home whenever I want. For personal use, I had an iPad, but found myself wanting more of a full PC experience, so I sold the iPad and purchased a Dell XPS 18.) It ran Windows 8.1 Professional, and it was my first experience with the new tile (or modern, as Microsoft would like you to call it) interface. Within days, I was in love: I could jump to desktop mode and work like I … Continue reading →

How to Make Your Coat Fit When You are Pregnant

By Amanda | January 21, 2015 - 9:08 am |January 21, 2015 baby, women

13 Comments

In October of this year, the weather started to turn cold a bit quicker than I had anticipated. Being 8 months pregnant, while I wanted an excuse to buy a new coat, it didn’t seem practical with only one month to go. I went to a local women’s clothing store and picked myself up a nice shawl-like sweater in hopes that it would see me through the rest of October and into November (my C-section was booked for November 14). After a few weeks, the shawl/sweater was not cutting it. It was around this same time that I learned how … Continue reading →

5 Tips for How to Declutter Your Basement #40Bags40Days

By Amanda | January 16, 2015 - 9:31 pm |August 13, 2015 home, organization

12 Comments

As many of you know, I am participating in a challenge this month called 40 Bags in 40 Days. I have been spending as much time as I can organizing, decluttering and purging items in my home. As I mentioned in my first decluttering post, one of my main cluttered areas is my basement. We have an unfinished basement where I store many, MANY things. Almost 10 years ago, I taught Kindergarten. As a teacher, and specifically, a Kindergarten teacher, I always kept things for my classrooms. When I had my daughter, I left my teaching career in order to … Continue reading →

Teaching Your Kids How to be Hopeful

By Amanda | January 14, 2015 - 12:42 pm |January 14, 2015 parenting

9 Comments

Did you know that hope is a verb, something that we can all do together? It’s also, arguably, the most influential of all emotions. Hope is what gets us through stressful times. It’s also what gives us the courage to reach out for help when we need it, trusting that by doing so, things will get better. At Kids Help Phone, many kids reach out saying they feel hopeless. Young people are under a lot of pressure, even from a young age, to become career-oriented, excel in school, and fit in among their peers in a variety of ways – … Continue reading →

Off to a Healthier Start with a Mixed Berry Smoothie #ONatural #Giveaway

By Amanda | January 12, 2015 - 11:58 am |January 19, 2015 food, recipes

98 Comments

Many people view January as a fresh start. There are many areas in my life that could use a fresh start. One of those areas is my home. I have been DECLUTTERING my home since the beginning of January and I can’t tell you just how much happier and healthier I feel already! Another area of my life that could use some attention is my physical health. I have always struggled with my body as I am not a very athletic person and for whatever reason, my will power when it comes to food choices has been terrible ever since … Continue reading →

Decluttered – Feeling Lighter! #40bags40days

By Amanda | January 9, 2015 - 6:31 am |January 9, 2015 organization

26 Comments

Well, yes, I can share that I am feeling lighter! It is truly amazing just how much clutter weighs you down. You don’t realize it until you free yourself from it and the weight that gets lifted is incredible. Today is officially Day 9 of #40bags40days and I can’t believe how much I have decluttered already! This week, the major spaces that I tackled in my home were my basement and my office kitchen. As I have shared before, there isn’t one room in my home that I can say is clutter free, so instead of making a plan of … Continue reading →

3 FREE Printable 2015 Calendars

By Amanda | January 8, 2015 - 2:00 am |January 8, 2015 organization, Printables

5 Comments

A new year, a fresh start. I always LOVE the way a brand new calendar feels, don’t you? There are so many uses for a calendar in the home and I often find myself printing off single months at a time to keep track of a variety of activities, countdowns, etc. Of course, we have one main, family calendar that is magnetic and stays on the fridge for all to see. I colour code appointments, events etc. (each family member has their own colour) in order to make it easier to read at a quick glance. I also use the … Continue reading →

How to Plan a Minecraft Birthday Party

By Amanda | January 7, 2015 - 9:32 am |January 7, 2015 birthdays, kids

1 Comment

If there is a gamer at your house you can bet he or she would love a Minecraft birthday party! Even if you’ve never played the game you’ll be able to easily pull this party together because, just like in the game, everything is built out of a simple square shape. Ready to build a birthday universe? In the Minecraft game, earthy browns, greens and sky blue predominate the colour scheme. The Minecraft mountains, trees, and oceans can become a beautiful scenario or a fearsome destination. The player is the programmer so s/he constructs the story and the world with … Continue reading →

Decluttered: 40 Bags in 40 Days ‪#‎40Bags40Days‬

By Amanda | January 2, 2015 - 5:55 am |February 6, 2015 family, home, organization

15 Comments

I view January as the opportunity for a fresh start. It is a chance to reflect on our life the way it is now and make any changes that would benefit us. These changes are often things like changes for our health and wellbeing, our routines, home decor and organization and more. This year, I will be participating in a “challenge” called 40 Bags in 40 Days because what I have decided to tackle this new year is my home. I have a lot of things, not necessarily valuable things, but “stuff”. My husband and I are opposites in many … Continue reading →

Chocolate Gingerbread Crunch Cookies – Mason Jar Cookie Mix #FeelGoodHoliday {Giveaway & FREE Printable}

By Amanda | December 22, 2014 - 5:55 am |December 15, 2014 Christmas, food, fun food, Gift Suggestion, Printables, recipes

Multi-Testing Mommy FEATURES