Trying to Kick the Sweet Tooth {Life}

Like a lot of people in a caregiver role, I sometimes feel guilty for putting my needs into the list of priorities.  I realized that if I don't take care of myself, I am an unhappy and sometimes sick, and a mommy who can't keep up with her preschooler.  I'm sure you will get to hear a lot more about this new 'sugar-free' adventure!

Day 5 of sugar detox is going surprisingly well.  I am not crazy hungry, and no one has run away from home in fear of my mood swings.  I am not going to use the "D" word, that begins with "DIE".  I prefer to call this new eating plan, downsizing.  Mostly because I hope it results in downsizing my pants, shirts, dresses, etc.  It is also a prettier word to describe something that isn't always pretty or easy.  I have lost significant amounts of weight in the past, and even managed to keep most of the pounds off.  For me it requires constant vigilance, and that is the part that wears me down eventually. Here are a few things that keep me moving forward in my downsizing plan.

See your doctor for a check up and tell them you are thinking about losing weight.  Then talk to a dietitian and find out healthy ways to reach your goal. My check up last Fall revealed that I have anemia and could account for the reason I am having a lot of food cravings and extreme tiredness. I've been taking iron and B12 supplements for 6 months and am feeling a bit better.

Set a weight loss or health goal and figure out how you are going to achieve it.  Do you have more success with a work-out partner?  Do you need a weigh-in buddy to be accountable to or give moral support?  I am a lone ranger for the most part, but do need a meal plan to give me specific examples of what I should eat. 

Keep positive: Don't let negativity keep you from reaching your goal.  If you have a bad day or week, move on and try to do better, allow yourself a do-over.  Reward yourself with 'non-food' treats when you have success.

Educate yourself :  Read packages, you will be surprised at what is hiding in some of your favourite foods.  Learn about portion sizes, invest in a good food scale, measuring cups, and digital weight scale.  I find that using a smaller plate, or bowl will help me keep portions in check too. For example, I began to measure portions, and took note of just how much the serving sizes are for some of my favourite foods.  They aren't necessarily all junk foods, but things I eat everyday, and contain some sugar.  I don't eat a lot of take-out or junk food, 'normal' foods are making me fat because my servings are often super-sized! 

Proper Portion.

My morning cereal regime was double the suggested serving.  

Some people find that counting calories and keeping a food journal helps them.  I opted out of those routines.  I have a meal chart from my dietitian that tells me how many starches, proteins, veg, and dairy I should be aiming for during the whole day. Last, but not least, get moving!  I enjoy walking, but not much else when it comes to exercise. 

Find something that works for you and your schedule and stick to it.  Consistency is important, it is hard to reach any goal without it.  Whether it is working toward a promotion at work, or teaching your toddler to potty train. I am finding it difficult to fit some of my new goals into an already busy schedule.  I find that I have to constantly give myself permission to 'think of me'.


This post is anecdotal and is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional.

Personalized Gifts for Mom & Grandma #HallmarkPressPause

 Mother's Day is tomorrow and I have already finished and hung my own gift, a personalized family photo and hand print in this pretty frame.  This gift came with a frame, 2 pre-cut sheets of magic paper and a magic solution.  The instructions were super easy to follow- simply wipe the moist towel on your child's hand and carefully place on the paper provided. Their hand print will magically appear and reveal words and phrases only visible in the areas the solution has touched.

Magic Prints retails for $24.95
Also available in Grandma themes, as well as
single magnetic frames.

My MIL will be receiving this Blooming Expression Flower.  This flower blooms all year, with the touch of a button and comes with the 2 AAA batteries required for operation. I know this gift will have special place on her mantel.

Blooming Expressions Flower without music
retails for 16.95 and comes in a variety of colours and captions.
The musical flower retails for $24.95

This We Love Grandma prop kit also caught my eye and will be made into a scrapbook with pics of all the grandchildren.

Pics N Props retails for $24.95 and comes in a can be found in a
 Nana, Mom, or School Days theme.

Some of these products are available for sale online and others are only available in store.  Visit Hallmark.com/shop for more gift ideas for any occasion.  Stay tuned for more gift ideas for Dads & Grads in June.


Disclosure: I receive special perks as a member of the Hallmark Canada Press Pause Panel. All images are courtesy of Hallmark Canada, and all opinions remain honest and my own.

Remembering the Top Five Milestones and Moments of Parenthood #NatrelBaboo

 How can you pick five top moments of parenthood?  I brainstormed for memories and then sifted through thousands of pictures to try and match up with those special moments. I'm glad we're a shutter happy family since most of my top five were captured as digital reminders.

#1-Going Home

I was so scared in this pic, shaking in fact.  I was wondering
what to do with this 6 pound, squirming, yellow baby that
wouldn't nurse.

#2- Learning to feed herself

"Mmm, it tastes so much better on my fingers."
I was so glad to find a food that my picky eater
seemed to enjoy.

#3- First Steps

She was being saucy- would pretend she was going to take her hand
off the exersaucer and quickly put it back on when we
tried to take a pick of her free-standing.

#4- First tower

Fiercely independent, she spent 30 minutes on
this simple construction.
I snapped this quick before the tower tumbled.

#5- First transition from crib.

Her expression seems to say "What? You really took
the big rail off and set me free? Neither one
of us is sleeping tonight!"

Some of my biggest worries involved feeding my girl.  Was she eating enough? Was she eating enough of the right foods?  A few worries diminished as Princess grew older.  And I have some moms at the childcare center that ask me- How do you know when children are getting enough to eat?  My usual answer is, to talk to your family doctor if you're really worried. He/she will probably ask you to keep a food journal, which will help you remember how much they are eating, and what foods they request most.  I stopped worrying about my own picky eater when I realized, she has energy to play all day without naps (she dropped those at 22 months) and is generally in good health.  Supplements are another way to help balance your child's diet.

Why Baboo?
"Baboo from Natrel is the first dairy product on the Canadian market made with fresh milk specially designed to ensure a smooth transition from breast milk or infant formula to regular milk, providing an ideal complement to the balanced diet of growing toddlers aged 12–24 months." For more information about Baboo visit their page for loads of great content.  

Would you like a coupon for a free trial of Natrel Baboo?  

“Disclosure: I am part of the Natrel Baboo Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Make the 20th #McHappyDay the Best Ever! {#CAN Giveaway 06/08}

McHappy Day® is just around the corner on Wednesday, May 8th. This year marks the 20th McHappy Day in Canada and we want to make it the biggest and best ever!

History of Smiles video- 

learn how Ronald McDonald House Charities 

helps give sick children what they need most – their families.

What is McHappy Day?

Ronald McDonald House Charities were built to support families dealing with the illness of their child/ren.  They give parent's a place to stay, close to the hospital so they can be near their children at a time when they would otherwise be separated due to distance. Parent's would otherwise be staying in a hotel which is costly. Did you know that 10,000 families stay in a Ronald McDonald house each year?

How Do I Support McHappy Day?

I've never had to rely on the Ronald McDonald House Charities personally but there are many families that benefit from their services every day. Visit a McDonald’s restaurant on Wednesday, May 8th where $1 from the purchase of a Happy Meal, Big Mac, or Hot McCafe beverage will be go to Ronald McDonald Houses and Local children's charities. Last year McDonald's raised $8,000,000!

__________________________________________________________________

Now, I want to give you a treat! Enter below for a chance to win a McDonald's Canada Gift Card from me! Open to CANADIANS only, 18 years and older.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. The giveaway is not sponsored nor endorsed by McDonald's Canada.  Blog administrator is supplying the $20 gift card but will not be responsible for lost or mis-directed mail.

Taking Care of My Skin with Deep Moisture Body Wash #DoveisDifferent #Sponsor

Two weeks ago I shared a cool contest from Dove. They were inviting women to share why they would consider making the switch to Dove Body wash. There are a few more hours to get in on this contest, with a chance to win Dove Body wash for you and a friend.  I have to be honest and say that I personally don't use use Dove Body Wash exclusively. I'm a creature of habit and tend to stick with what I like until the product no longer meets my needs.  

Visit the Dove facebook page (click on the "SKIN" tab at the top of the page) to get a $2 off coupon and keep
up to date with other exclusive offers. 

After seeing the swatch tests showing that some body washes are harsh on our skin, I decided to consider making the switch to try Dove.  It's time to update you about my experience with the new and "proven best" Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash.  In the two weeks that I have been using the product I've noticed a difference in my skin. A natural skeptic, there was little expectation from the body wash on my part, though the Dove brand name has been trusted for many years.  (I use the Dove Baby Soap Bar on my daughter.)  FYI, my usual skin care routine includes at least one shower a day, sometimes 2 or three in the summer.  I use copious amounts of bath/body washes and apply a 24 hour moisturizing lotion after shower and at least one more time during the day.

Here are notes from my "Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash" review journal:

Day One - The smell is pleasant, the texture is creamy, almost lotion-like, it lathered nicely in the shower poof, seems to rinse out of my skin well. (I only applied it to my fore arms and hands to test my allergy sensitivity.)
Day Two - The smell did not trigger my allergies as it lingered on my skin after showering on day one.  I also did not get a rash so decided to use it in the usual manner (all over coverage).
Day Four - I slept in and in the rush to get out the door forgot to put on body lotion after my shower, realized a few hours later that my skin does not feel tight. (Normally my skin will feel tight and itchy when I fail to use lotion after my shower.) I felt as though I needed to use lotion by the time I was finished work and arriving home for supper.
Day Five - I decided to use much less lotion after my shower today with great results.  Didn't feel a need to reapply later in the day (only after hand washing).

Day Ten -  I have noticed a difference in my skin texture and appearance. The dry patches on my elbows are getting smaller and my hands are not as dry and itchy.

Verdict- 
This is not a miracle product but I was pleasantly surprised by my experience with switching to Dove Body Wash and have shared full sized body washes with my friends.  I invite you to try the new Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash to see for yourself why Dove is different.  

Disclosure: This is a compensated post. All opinions remain honest and my conclusions about this product may not mirror your own. I encourage you to try for yourself and make your own conclusions.

Summer Camp Can Make Memories to Last A Lifetime #MuskokaWoods2013

The vision of Muskoka Woods is to “inspire youth to shape their world” 

Well, I hate to rush the seasons but it's already MAY which means we only have a few weeks left to the school year.  How many of you plan summer camp as an option for your children?  My daughter isn't old enough for camp yet but I do hope she will be willing to attend camp when the time comes.  I'm so glad that my parents made the choice to send me away for sleep over camp, though I may not have been so happy about the plans at the time.

What Summer Camp Did For ME.
The idea of leaving my home for a full week, or heaven forbid two weeks, terrified me at first. By the time I was 9 years old I was sent to Summer Camp for the first time. It was a fabulous Christian Camp (in Newfoundland) where I got to stay over for 7 days. After a day or two of home-sickness, I soon embraced the Kids Camp routine and loved it! I returned to the same camp for the next 8 years (the last 2 as a junior leader).

I can speak from experience when I say that Summer Camp changed me deeply. I was SUPER shy and traumatized by a few negative experiences in my early childhood. I didn't warm up to new people and could barely speak to people I knew well. Many years later my extreme anxiety about speaking in social settings was given a name...SELECTIVE MUTISM. If you're not familiar with the term, Google it. After years of confidence building activities at summer camp (among other programs throughout the year) I had recovered enough to graduate High School, get my first job, and become a Junior Leader in my Church and at my beloved sleep over Camp. Positive social experiences away from parents that I hid behind opened up my self- imposed silence and gave me the confidence to pursue new experiences, speak to new people, and make friends.

What Can Camp Do For Your Kids?


Summer Camp is Awesome from Muskoka Woods on Vimeo.

What Do Muskoka Woods Camps Have to Offer?
They appeal to a wide age range-children and youth aged 7 - 20 are offered many types of camp experiences based on outdoor living, recreation, and water sport, fitness, and creative arts opportunities and much more!  Sit down with your kids and take a virtual tour of the sprawling acreage to get an idea of what your children will see, where they will sleep, what they will eat and see highlights of the multitude of activities and experiences.

"Muskoka Woods is a Christian Youth Resort that welcomes all young people to life changing experiences. Camp guests choose from water sports and athletics, media and arts, leadership and team building programs. Muskoka Woods operates all year round on Lake Rosseau as a non-profit youth organization. Our skilled staff are selected for their trustworthy character, ability with children and love for their Creator. Muskoka Woods is a safe place where kids grow mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. A place where creativity reigns, friendships flourish and confidence grows. FUN IS OUR TRADEMARK!" 

Have you made your decision? Don't wait on signing your children up for this fab opportunity to attend Muskoka Woods Camps, reserve your space today.

“Disclosure – I am participating in the Muskoka Woods Blogger Campaign by Mom Central Canada. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.”