Five Ways to Enjoy Canada Day

Today we have a guest post by Peter Able is a freelance content writer from Toronto. He specialized in art, travel and entertainment. His passions in life include, art, photography and mango sorbet.

There is no day quite like Canada’s Birthday. My childhood experiences of Canada Day evokes colourful memories; literally “colourful” memories. Colour seemed to have been everywhere, from the carnivals, festivals and parades to the fireworks, and air shows. The purpose of a national holiday is to not only bring the nation together, but also one’s family. Towering high above all of my emotions looking back on past Canada Days, was the feeling of happiness throughout my family –  whether we’d been embroiled in arguments the night before or not. From childhood, to being the father of my own family in adulthood, this tradition has continued and still proves to be true. Here are five things for a family to do on Canada Day.

Granville Island

It is only most fitting that Canada Day is spent at an infamous Canadian landmark. Granville Island is just this, boasting a plethora of theatres, restaurants, shops and of course, the Granville Island Public Market.

It is practically the complete family day trip destination. On Canada Day, the Island celebrates by
putting on nothing short of a show. As a frequent visitor of the Granville Parade in my childhood, Canadian pancake breakfasts (I greedily always ordered two, only to struggle to finish one), performers and live music were enjoyed by the whole family during the Granville Island Canada Day parade.

Kingston’s Rideau Lakes Studio and Garden Tour

There are many reasons that make spending Canada Day 2013 in Ontario’s Kingston the ideal
choice. Firstly, let us speak on the Rideau Lakes Studio and Garden Tour that will take place there
this Canada Day. Featuring hand woven and quilted items, pottery, woodworking, decorative stone
work, decorative painting, watercolour paintings and oil and acrylic, this workshop tour is both great
fun and a fantastic place to leave with a gorgeous piece of pottery for your home.

As it is open from 10am to 5pm, you can afterwards hop along to a drum circle at Ben’s Pub at 105
Clergy Street, which will take every Sunday from Canada Day until October 15

Kingston hotels can be found online for those looking to spend their Canada Day weekend there.

An Exclusive Family Occasion

Here’s a secret: some of the most memorable family days, are those spent exclusively amongst the
family. A barbeque in the garden, the television on in the front room and one’s family occupying the
whole house; a good few of my past Canada Day experiences involved such simple but cozy affairs.
However you and your family like to have fun, celebrating Canada Day indoors can be the best way
to do it.

Canada Wonderland

Ok, nothing spells out family activities more than theme parks. Furthermore, nothing spells out family fun more than fireworks. Put the two together and you get one of those childhood experiences that stick in your head through old age.

At around 10pm every Canada Day, Canada Wonderland puts on a spectacular fireworks display
(unless the weather doesn’t permit it).

Toronto Ribfest

Who here eats meat and doesn’t like ribs? Food is the way to everyone’s heart and no special day
would be complete without a special meal.

Toronto Ribfest, hosted by the Rotary Club of Etobicoke is a massive festival in Centennial Park, with
an array of different foods and of course, ribs! From rides and live music, to carnival games and
fireworks, Ribfest is one of the key places to be on Canada Day. The best bit about it (other than the
ribs) is that is runs for an extended weekend!

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Wordless Wednesday - A New Tenant

Look who we have above our garage light, a Momma Robin

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Time to Dust Off the Bike

Or so I thought it was time to dust off the bike after it has spent almost 7 years in storage. I have been thinking about getting the bike out for almost a month now as both of the kids have kicked their training wheels and have been able to maneuver their own bikes.

I also thought it may be good for Molly to get more exercise by running beside me as the kids and I bike around the neighborhood. Molly can go for long walks, we usually walk 4-5km and still can have tons of energy at the end of it. I am not a runner but I love to bike and thought this would be another great idea to get back into shape after the winter. 

I dug out the bike from deep in the dark basement and pulled it outside to see the light of day. The tires were beyond flat and had to be pumped. I decided to take it down to the community rink to test drive around the parking lot. Remember people I haven't been on a bike in almost 7 years! All was going well until my break didn't seem to come off after I used it. I got off the bike to see what was wrong and my tire had a HUGE bulge and then POP! There went the tube in the tire. I figured after such a long time sitting it would have some problems, maybe need some oiling but I never have seen a blown bike tire. 

I will be waiting until my hubby gets a chance to take a look at it and see if he can get it into working order before I back out of biking.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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New on DVD - Doc McStuffins: Time For Your Checkup Giveaway (US/CA)

Doc McStuffins: Time For Your Checkup is now available on Disney DVD! A must-add to the family viewing collection, this second DVD installment of the popular Disney Junior series comes packaged with 5 fun-filled episodes and a FREE growth chart. 

A great Disney Jr tv show for preschoolers "Doc McStuffins" tells the story of a nurturing six-year-old girl who heals stuffed animals and broken toys out of her backyard playhouse

clinic.  Assisting Doc at the clinic are her trusty team of lovable stuffed animals including: Stuffy, an overly proud dragon; Lambie, her  cuddly best friend lamb; Hallie, a jolly and

caring  hippo nurse; and Chilly, a snowman who spends a lot of time getting check-ups at the clinic.  Whether it's a case of loose stitching, low batteries or a blow-up toy who has sprung a leak, Doc and her pals are always there to lend a helping hand, while imparting to young viewers the importance of taking care of oneself and others.

This DVD includes the following episodes:                                  

1 – Gulpy, Gulpy Gators! / One Note Wonder

2 – Tea Party Tantrum / Blast Off!

3 – Arcade Escapade / Starry, Starry Night

4 – Bronto Boo-Boos / Brontosaurus Breath

5 – Doctoring The Doc / Hot Pursuit 

Win! Enter to win a copy of Doc McStuffins: Time for Your Checkup! It is super easy to enter fill in the rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents, it will close on June 3rd at 11:59pm EST. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above dvd for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Kraft Chocolate Philly Breakfast in Bed

If you have been following my blog for awhile you will know that I love peanut butter and also chocolate. I also love cream cheese. What more can one ask for when Kraft Philadelphia makes a Chocolate cream cheese? YUM!

One day a friend was talking about it and then she stopped by my house just after that with a big tub of Chocolate Philly. I couldn't wait to dive in and try some. I didn't want to wait for breakfast so I decided to have an evening snack. Right away I thought of some yummy ideas we could make with Chocolate Philly. How about mini chocolate cheese cakes or stuffed crescent rolls or even a dab in some banana muffins. It is great on some toast for a quick pick me up in the morning.

I am super excited to tell you about a new promotion that Philadelphia is doing on Facebook "Likes" Challenge. It is super simple to take part and you can start right away!

In 3 quick and easy steps your loved ones could be serving you Chocolate Philly in bed.

• Just post a Facebook status update that says something like this "If I get 20 Likes, (tag your sweetie/ insert kids names) are/is serving me Chocolate Philly in bed. Help a girl out! Thank you!"
• Your friends will start liking your post and put the pressure on. 
• When your guy/family serves you breakfast in bed with Chocolate Philly, take a photo and submit it to the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Canada Facebook page. 

Also Philadelphia Cream Cheese Canada will be sharing a coupon on their Facebook page starting May 21st. It will be available to download & print, it will be a limited time coupon.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. This is a sponsored post, All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Excerpt from Through the Valley by Eddie David Santiago

Through the Valley Love Endures

What if death came for you today? Would you be ready?

Forced to face his own mortality, Eddie Santiago fought to stay alive in a broken world. His incredible journey through heartbreak, abuse, and adversity left him with one truth: every life makes a difference.

This is the true and compelling story of his supernatural quest through the valley of death, doubt, and darkness. Eddie provides a passionate story that will capture the attention of even the toughest skeptics.

Angels, demons, heaven, hell, Jesus and the devil: are they fiction, or are they more real than anything else in the world? 

Excerpt from the book:

 I realized I had feelings for Erica that I had no clue how to deal with, but after a few months of moping, the light bulb went on for me: pray.

“God, I don’t know how to do this Christian thing. I don’t even know what I’m doing or if how I am trying to live is even right. My heart is still broken, God, and I need you to fix it. If Erica and I aren’t meant to be, then I need you to show me that. I gave her a part of me that I can’t have back. I now see that you weren’t trying to control me, but that you were after my heart so it could finally stop breaking and start healing. I give you what’s left of my heart, God, and I want you to know it is yours.”

A few weeks went by. I continued to pray, and one morning, I woke up to find all of my feelings toward Erica were gone. I can’t explain the experience; it was as if I had been reprogrammed. All I felt was peace. I no longer had love for her. Excited, I wanted to share with her new boyfriend.

“Hey, man, there are so many rumors about you and what you do to girls. I pray it’s not true, man, and that you treat Erica right. You don’t have me to compete with anymore. God healed my heart and let me know she’s not the one for me. I was just too stubborn to listen before. I wish you both the very best. Let her know for me that you guys won’t have to worry about me getting in the way. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.” Popeye looked at me with wide eyes and a shocked look. I reached out my hand, and he shook it. He stood, speechless as I walked away with the greatest gift I could ever have, peace.

About Eddie David Santiago

Eddie David Santiago has worked in the mental health/substance abuse field since he was 18 years old. He holds bachelor degrees in both psychology and religious studies and has provided counseling related services for multiple mental health, substance abuse and human service agencies. In addition, he earned his master’s degree in counseling along with certification in educational administration.

With over fifteen years of counseling related experience, Eddie founded the organization L.E.A.D. (Love Endures And Delivers) which offers interactive group trainings, seminar sessions, speaking opportunities for groups of all ages and crisis counseling sessions.

THROUGH THE VALLEY, LOVE ENDURES is based on Eddie’s early collection of writings, through which he found his voice. He seeks to inspire others to find their voice and share their own stories. Eddie resides in the Midwest with his beautiful wife Sarah and their three amazing children, Faith, Isaiah and Makaylah.

Fill out the form below to Enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway Follow the tour!
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Earn Great Rewards with Swagbucks

I know a lot of people are looking to find ways to make some extra cash but at the same time don't have tons of extra time to put into making more money. Why not let the internet help you? Paid online surveys are a quick and easy way to make some extra money while playing and shopping online. If you are like me you may find yourself online just browsing around looking at all the lovely things out there in the big world of the internet take 5-10 minutes and fill in a survey with Swagbucks and earn some money while you do what you love. When you earn Swagbucks you can then redeem them for gift cards to your favorite stores - Amazon, Starbucks or even Paypal to name a few.

It is very easy to sign up with Swagbucks you can even register with your Facebook account. Start earning SB right away when you take the tour to see how you can earn SB. Each day you can shop, play games and answer surveys to earn more SB. It is also super simple to set up the paid online surveys to be sent to your email so you can fill them out right away. You will be that much closet to earning great rewards with Swagbucks.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. This is a sponsored post. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Family Ever After Book Review & Giveaway

Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Perfect Happiness in an Imperfect Family

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard. Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.” Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:

• How happiness in marriage and family life requires a more educated, real-world perspective
• How proper prioritization and defining what’s important in marriage and family is key to success;
• Why conflict is part of an ordinary family experience and how to peacefully resolve it;
• How to cultivate a sense of humor;
• How to develop a thoughtful and sincere habit of complimenting each member of your family;
• How to improve family relationships with extended family members; and
• Learning how to love a family member in the way they understand and accept that love

More than another how-to-have-a-perfect-family book, Family Ever After helps you gain the understanding and the practical skills of what makes ordinary families successful. Family Ever After is an essential and beautiful resource for all women who want to put more happiness in theirs and their family’s life. 

Head over to the Promotional post from last week to read more about the author and enter the giveaway.

My thoughts: This isn't your typical how-to book, instead the author shows us through personal experiences of her own and others on how to bring more happiness into our family for a Family Ever After. The writing is well laid out and doesn't jump around. You are held by the experiences and want to see how you can add more to your own family life. Each chapter has a challenge to help you find your Family ever after. Find more love and fun with your family, learn to show your love how you feel loved by your spouse or family. This is a wonderful practical book that I know I will be going back to as I am going to work on some of the authors challenges and find my family ever after. This book really is an inspirational book and a very handy tool for anyone looking for more happiness in their lives. I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Working out with Lunaling (Review)

Let's just say I am not a working out type of person, never was. I figure skated and danced going up and I loved playing baseball. I never set aside time to workout. Okay that isn't true I did go through a stage where I joined a gym for a bit but it didn't last more than a year. Oh well. I love to swim and walk and that is where I get most of my exercise in.

I recently was asked to check out this new line of workout pants called Lunaling. They are a company out of the UK. These pants are suppose to help with weight loss by increasing your body's core temperature which in return increases your metabolism. They also increase your body's energy expenditure by 6% vs a regular control garment and during exercise but also helps your body expend energy by 26% vs regular control garment an hour after your workout!

Lunaling offers three different styles of workout wear, capri, shorts and pants. I received a pair of capris and headed out for my brisk walk with Miss Molly. We usually have to wait for the days the kids are in school for our huge walk which is usually an hour of brisk walking about 5km.

Here are my thoughts: 

Right away when checking out these capris I could tell they are going to be form fitting. They are made from a neoprene type of material and hug every curve. I went with my measurements for a size small. They are snug but I don't think you would want them baggy as they wouldn't be that comfortable and I would think they wouldn't work the same. They do make a bit of a noise when you walk but I don't think it is really noticeable and it seems to be just the first couple times when I have worn them. They are comfy and hold in all the right places.

You can feel your body, legs warming up as you move and at the end of my walk I had to literally peel them off and get showered from all the sweating I did. That part is a bit gross but they do what they say they are suppose to do. I didn't measure myself but I have noticed a slimming of my legs and waist over the last few weeks. I don't get to put them on as often as I would like but that is my goal for the summer is to use them more.

They are super easy to care for, just hand wash and hang to dry. They dry quickly this way if you want to use them again in the day or the next day they are ready to wear again.

Head over to Lunaling website to pick up a pair for yourself. They do ship Internationally!

Don't forget to visit Lunaling on Facebook and see what others are saying.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Mother's Day Gift Idea: The Guilt Trip on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack

Are you looking for a last minute gift for Mom? How about a fun movie to spend time watching with mom? The Guilt Trip is now out on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and if you get it at Target it comes wrapped and ready for Mother's Day! Along with a cute pop up of roses and a clip from Barbra Streisand. 

The Guilt Trip is a hilarious and heartfelt story of one man's cross-country road trip with his mother. This movie features screen legend Barbra Streisand and comic master Seth Rogen. As inventor Andy Brewster (Rogen) is about to embark on a road trip to sell his latest product, he feels compelled to invite his mother, Joyce (Streisand) to come along for the ride. Across 3,000 miles of adventure and antics both Andy and Joyce discover that while they have their differences, they also have more in common than they ever realized.


My mom and I had the chance to watch this movie this week and we enjoyed it a lot. It is a laugh out loud kind of film. While there are some sad parts there are lots of fun scenes that have you thinking about your own relationship with your mother. I know my mom and I have had some differences over the years but really in the end what do mother's and kids really want for each other? Happiness. This movie is all about the ups and downs of a mother/child relationship and you will be sure to laugh a lot throughout this movie. Would you really be able to survive 8 days in a car with your own mother?

I will be giving this movie and a spa gift basket to my mother on Mother's Day along with the knitted slouchy hat I made for her. 

Happy Mother's Day!

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above movie and a gift basket in exchange for my thoughts. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash Review #Doveisdifferent

A couple weeks ago I was asked if I would try out the new Dove Deep Moisture body wash and share my experience with all of you. You can check out the post about the Deep Moisture body wash. Today I want to share my experience using the Dove Deep Moisture body wash. As we know some body washes can be harsh and Dove is said to be different. If you haven't seen the commercial with the experiment to show check it out at the end of this post.

The body wash arrived on my doorstep and of course both my daughter and I gave it a deep sniff, smells good nothing over powering and no floral fragrance. That night I tried it out before heading into work. Right away you can feel this body wash feels more like a lotion than a soap. It glides on and really feels like it coats the skin as you clean yourself. After getting out of the shower your skin feels like you just put lotion on it.   

Last weekend we had some beautiful weather, the kids and I packed some snacks and headed to the park for a couple hours. I got a bit too much sun and had some pretty red skin that evening. After having a shower with my new Dove body wash my skin was feeling a lot better. Usually if I get a burn I will moisturize like crazy and still peel, this time I only put lotion on twice but used the deep moisture body wash daily and guess what? No peeling. My skin is soft and feeling great after being in the sun.

I will continue to use Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash as it has been leaving my skin feeling soft and it doesn't leave my skin feeling tight after my shower. I love that I don't feel the need to moisturize which as a busy mom is great, if I can avoid another step while getting ready for my day or even getting ready for my night at work I am a happy camper.

Why not try out Dove's Deep Moisture Body Wash for yourself? Head over to Dove Canada on Facebook and click on the "skin" tab to get a $2 off coupon. Also don't forget to join in on the twitter conversations with hashtag #doveisdifferent



~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn on behalf of Dove Canada. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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More Peas, Thank You Review & Giveaway!

Did you know Harlequin offers more than Romance books? I know from growing up I thought they just offered fiction/romance books. I was very happy to have the opportunity to review a couple books from Harlequin that are not romance. Don't get me wrong I love romance books and that seems to be a lot of the books I have read as of late but I also love parenting/funny/non-fiction and of course food books!

Today I wanted to share a new cookbook I had the chance to take a look at called More Peas, Thank You by Sarah Matheny. This is a Vegetarian cookbook but you don't need to be vegetarian to enjoy the recipes in this book. As a mother I love to offer my children more fruits and veggies whenever possible, I also love to open up the food world to more than the regular meatloaf, spaghetti and mac & cheese world. Not that there is anything wrong with those dishes I like to have my kids to have a wide variety of food that they enjoy and so far so good. They are not that picky and will pretty much try anything once.

A bit about the author of More Peas, Thank You:

Sarah Matheny didn't always have a vegetarian-inclined diet. She used to eat meat and practice law. Then she became a mom. Sarah is the creator of the blog called Peas And Thank You.

"More Peas, Thank You deliciously pairs vegetarian recipes and stories from a mainstream family eating a not-so-mainstream diet. "Mama Pea" has lightened up family favorites like cinnamon rolls, tacos, lasagna and brownies, using fresh, nutritious ingredients. From hearty breakfasts to easy snacks and tempting desserts, there's something here for everyone to love."

Purchase More Peas, Thank You on Harlequin for $17.56. Also available in e-book format.

My thoughts:

I'm always a bit skeptical when I pick up a vegetarian cookbook as I try to keep our food budget low and always look for easy to find ingredients as we live in a small town and don't always have access to some more rare ingredients. Each recipe has mostly easy to find ingredients and are simple and quick to make.

I like that this book is more than just a cookbook, before each recipe the author gives a little story, something about when the author was growing up or about her family, etc. Each recipe has a nutritional value and little icons that tell you if the recipe is Freezable, Packable (lunches), Veg Value, Wannabe Recipea, and Pealightful.

With mouth watering photos I drooled looking through this cookbook. I am not a vegan and well my husband is very far from one but as we went through the book together we both saw TONS of recipes we would love to try out. We all enjoyed the recipe below.

Chocolate Cherry Cashew Bars
Makes 12 bars

INGREDIENTS
parchment paper, to line baking sheet
3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds (or approximately 2 tablespoons whole flaxseeds before
grinding)
1⁄2 cup maple syrup or honey (or a mixture of the two)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1⁄2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
1⁄2 cup cashew pieces
1⁄2 cup dried cherries
1⁄2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine ground flaxseed and sweetener. Mix well and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine salt, almonds, peanuts, cashews and cherries. Pour flaxseed-syrup mixture over nuts and cherries and stir until evenly coated.
4. Spread the nut mixture on the baking sheet evenly, from corner to corner.
5. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until nuts are slightly brown and edges are crisp. The nut layer will be soft but will harden upon cooling.
6. Melt chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave or over a double boiler. Drizzle chocolate over almost cooled nut layer. Chocolate will be wet but will set upon cooling.
7. When nut layer and chocolate have set, pull parchment paper from baking sheet and set bars on a flat cutting surface. Cut nut layer into twelve equal squares, and store in an airtight container. Bars will stay especially crunchy if you refrigerate them.

Nutrition information per serving: 210 calories, 12 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, <5 mg
cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 17 g sugar, 5 g protein, vitamin A 0%, vitamin
C 0%, calcium 4%, iron 6%

Took a break from biking to have a yummy snack!

Enter to win a copy of More Peas, Thank You by Sarah Matheny by filling in the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn on behalf of Harlequin. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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