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Kellogg's Fibre Plus Cereal Review

I posted a couple weeks about a great little offer from Kellogg’s. You can check it out here if you missed it. Kellogg’s is giving away a free sample of either kind of Fibre Plus Cereal. I filled out the little survey and requested to try the Summer Berry flavor.

Fibre Plus* Summer Berry Flavor cereal is made with a combination of oven toasted whole grain cereal squares with crunchy granola clusters and the delicious taste of mixed berries baked right in.”

My sample arrived very fast! It arrived in a week and right at snack time. A and I decided to try it out with our yogurt that need to be finished up.  

I mixed up some cereal and vanilla yogurt and we tried it out. The cereal stayed crunchy and tasted great. The berry taste was also a really nice touch with the small clusters granola in it. It was not an overpowering taste but also not a weak taste of berries. Another thing I love is that it is 40% of your daily intake of Fibre! 10g of Fibre. A really enjoyed the cereal and yogurt also and decided the little box it came in was to be kept for her play kitchen!

Along with the tasty cereal sample, I received 100 cents off my purchase of Kellogg’s Fibre Plus cereal! You know how I enjoy my coupons.  The coupon was explained that Kellogg’s is 100% Confident that you will love your 100% free sample!

~Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I received a free sample from Kellogg’s Canada. All opinions are my own.*~

Wordless Wednesday ~ March 30th ,2011

Just a sneak peak at a picture from a great outing with the family.. A post with details coming soon..

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.*~

Giveaway Ending Soon!

This one is for all my Goggle Friends Connect followers that have a special little girl in their life! Canadian Coupon Mom has reached over 200 followers, Yay! I love hearing what you think, good or bad so please do leave a comment on my posts.

Enter this great giveaway for the little girl in your life here. This giveaway will end March 30th! Enter today!

Winner's!

Canadian Coupon Mom has picked 2 Winners by using Random.org!

First up the Winner for the CSN Stores $35 giftcard goes to...........

Comment # 106 by leanne_mac said...

I like them on facebook.
leannemacg at gmail.com

Next the Winner for the $25 Gift Card from Swiss Chalet winner is....

Comment # 101 by Manager to Mom said...
Tweet 03/16
http://twitter.com/#!/managertomom/status/48001362461605889

kristy dot anstett at gmail dot com

I have sent off an email to you please contact me at foreverhealthyaloe at hotmail dot com to claim your prize within 48 hrs. Thanks and Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone else who entered. Please check out the Review/Giveaway tab for other giveaways!

Try Aquafina Plus + Vitamins 10 Cal Free

Here is another Facebook offer. This time from Aquafina Canada! They are offering a chance to try Aquafina Plus + Vitamins 10 Cal drink for Free! You will need to "Like" Aquafina Canada, then click on the Taste the Life on the left hand side bar.

They will send you a coupon after you fill in a short (I mean short) survey. This includes address, which flavor you think you would like and if you have tried it before and why you would like to try it. So hurry over and fill out the survey!

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. Just sharing information.*~

PetCakes Review and Giveaway

My kids and I had the opportunity to review these wonderful little critters called PetCakes and I also have the opportunity to offer up two randomly selected PetCakes to one lucky Canadian Coupon Mom reader! Please read on to find out how much my kids and I enjoyed them.

A bit about Petcakes and then on to the Giveaway! PetCakes are made by Well Made™ Toy Manufacturing Corporation, They introduced PetCakes, a new collectible plush pet line as a sweet treat for children ages 3 & up. Each PetCakes animal features a "frosting" hat, it is nestled in its own cupcake wrapper and has a tag with its very own whimsical backstory. When the children first look they will see a delicious cupcake but then pull up on the icing top to be surprised by an adorable pet snuggled inside!

Combining sweet faces and cuddly plush with a clever cupcake theme, PetCakes provide hours of open-ended imaginative play. PetCakes make perfect gifts and they are ideal for birthday party favors, stocking stuffers and for just about any occasion.  

There are two series available, series one are all puppies Randy Candy, Coco-Coconut, Blueberry Buddy, and Twinkle Sprinkles. The second series includes wild life animals, Roco Coco the Raccoon, Nutty Nicky the Squirrel, Honey Cakes the Bear and Bamboo Berry the Panda.

From the moment the box arrived these cute little animals have been a huge hit with my kids. The kids picked out which ones they would like as their own and off they went to play. The puppies and cupcake holders look really well made and they are very detailed. There doesn't look like any stitches are going to let go anytime soon. The children even slept with them and have had a lot of puppy birthday parties. These are the cutest little stuffed animals around. The really get the children going with their imagination for all kinds of playtime.


Where to Buy: Right now Series one is available at ToysRUs.com and Amazon.com. They are not available on the Canadian sites. They will be available soon on PetCakes.

Win! One reader will win Two Randomly selected PetCakes!

Mandatory Entry:  Please visit PetCakes then come back and leave a comment telling me Which one is your favorite PetCake. 

Please do this first before any Extra entries may count. Please include your email address in your comment. Each entry requires a separate comment. Thanks.

Extra Entries: Please do Mandatory Entry first before any of the extra's will count.

1. "Like" PetCakes on Facebook. (1 entry)
2. "Like" Canadian Coupon Mom on Facebook. (1 entry)
3. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Google Friends Connect (1 entry)
4. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Twitter. (1 entry for following and also 1 entry each tweet - can be tweeted once daily, please leave twitter link in comment) Remember to use @couponmomcanada
5. Subscribe to Canadian Coupon Mom. (3 entries)
6. Blog about this giveaway and post the link where it can be found. (5 entries)
7. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Networked Blogs. Located on right side bar. (1 entry)

This giveaway is open to Canada and US. This giveaway ends on April 10th, 2011 at Midnight EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org on April 11th, 2011 and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!

~*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary set of PetCakes for revuew. All opinions are my own.*~

Project Grocery ~ Week One

As promised, I said I would show you were I am spending my grocery money and how well I am sticking to the grocery budget. I am joining in with TheMrs on this Project Grocery. Feel free to leave a comment and a link to share your grocery budget.

This past week was a little different as we didn’t do too much for groceries. I picked up a couple things here and there. I find when I am in the city there are some good deals or things that can’t be bought at my regular stores so I pick things up here and there. We have also been buying our milk at Shopper’s as it was much cheaper than other places ($3.87). Just recently it went up to $4.09, I will be looking around to see if this is still the best deal as we also get our 30 optimum points with our purchase.

                                                               
Below is our budget for the week. Some items are not pictured as I jumped on the band wagon after buying it and putting it away, I promise I will get better at taking pictures from now on. For the ones I have not included in the pictures I have wrote the breakdown below. 

March 19th -25th, 2011

Wal-Mart = $12.66 - dish rack at $7.97 and two boxes of sandwich bags at $2.50 each and then I used $1 off coupon x2.

Shopper’s = $6.07 - 2 bags of potato chips at .99 cents each, bag of milk $4.09.

Post office = $13.82 – this one is very rare! I mailed out some forms and a book.

Giant Tiger = $13.48 – Sandwich meat x8 at $1 each, Kraft BBQ sauce x2 at .88 cents each, and a bag of hotdog buns at $2.87 for 12, I also got a .03cent credit for having my own bag.

Loblaws = $11.41 The nice thing about the yogurt is that it was on sale for $2.99 and then had that pretty pink 50% off sticker, in total I got 24 singles for $4.47. Also each pack came with a $1 off coupon for the same yogurt!

P. for Pizza Day at school = $2.00

Grand Total this week = $59.44 I used two coupons only this week totally $2.00 and mostly everything was on sale. Not a bad week. Next week will be bigger for sure as there are some good sales and we are out of a lot of things.

~*Disclaimer: This is not sponsored post. All opinions are my own. *~

International Waffle Day! March 25th,2011

Today is International Waffle Day! Are you having waffles? Here is a great basic Waffle recipe that came with our waffle maker, which is a Cuisinart.

Makes 8 waffles                                         

2 cups (500ml) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30ml) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (15ml) baking powder
½ teaspoon (2ml) baking soda
½ teaspoon (2ml) salt
1 – ¾ cups (440ml) reduced-fat milk
6 tablespoons (90ml) vegetable oil
2 large eggs

Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl and combine until well blended and smooth. Let batter rest 5 minutes before using. Preheat your waffle iron, I use setting #3.
When preheated, pour 1/3 cup(75ml) or what is recommended for your iron, onto the centre of the lower grid; spread batter using a heatproof spatula to within ½ inch of the edge of grid. Close lid of waffle iron. When you iron indicates they are ready open lid and carefully remove baked waffle.

Enjoy!

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This recipe is from my Cuisinart waffle iron booklet.*~

The Never Ending Laundry Pile


I have a never ending pile of laundry. This chore seems to be the only one that never ends and takes over from time to time if I am not looking. I guess that is natural in a house of 4 and both parents work more than the normal 40 hour work week (scary but right now I work 50 hours a week, yikes!!). 

Anyways back to the piles of laundry, dirty or clean I always seem to have a pile somewhere waiting for me to attend to it. I used to love laundry but I had more time and it usually didn’t get out of hand. I also didn’t have anywhere to leave the clean laundry in baskets as our laundry machine was in our tiny kitchen. Now that we have one in the basement, I can get away with washing four or five loads and just leave it there until I have time or there are no clean clothes left upstairs. That does force me to fold and put away laundry. The kids have gotten really good at helping put away their own clothes and A helps does all the folding of the wash cloths!
That is a sneak peak at the hamper only a couple days after washing Dh’s work clothes. The one below is the kids small hamper. I am on the lookout for something bigger as they share one at the moment.  
On average I would say I wash about 4-6 loads a week. My favorite laundry soap is Purex. I watch Wal-Mart for their sales on the huge jug but sometimes buying the small one ends up cheaper. The last time I picked up two small ones for just over a $1 more but got 16 more loads. I believe the breakdown was $8.97 for 94 loads, which would be .095 cents a load. The two small were $4.87 for 55 times two came to $9.74 for 110 loads, which would be .089 cents a load! 

Do you enjoy laundry? What is your favorite laundry detergent?

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.*~

Guest Post: Your Guide to Cold and Allergy Symptoms

by Elizabeth Hurchalla for Sniffle Solutions

Your Guide to Cold and Allergy Symptoms
If you’ve got a runny nose that just won’t quit, you’re no doubt longing for relief. But before you can get better, you first have to know what’s wrong. And since colds and allergies share some of the same symptoms, it can be hard to figure out which one is ailing you.

Is It a Cold or an Allergy?
Both allergies and colds can cause symptoms such as nasal congestion and sniffles. Both conditions can also lead to sneezing, coughing and a sore throat.
But if you’re sneezing a lot, and if you have red, watery, itchy eyes, and your mucus is clear, an allergy is likely to blame. The same is true if you’re sick for longer than a couple of weeks. Here’s why: Since allergies are a reaction to a specific allergen—whether seasonal (such as pollen), or year-round (such as pet dander)—the symptoms can last as long as your exposure to that allergen.
Colds, on the other hand, typically last for three to 14 days. If you have yellow mucus and body aches, it’s probably a cold. Additionally, a cold can cause stronger cough and sore throat symptoms than allergies would.

Treatment for Colds and Allergies
Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can concentrate on treating yourself right with these remedies.
For both colds and allergies:
  • “Water is your No. 1 defence against both colds and allergies,” says Dr. Elizabeth Rocco, a family physician in Lawrence, Massachusetts. “It keeps the mucus thin and moving, which not only unclogs the sinuses, but also helps prevent bacterial infections.”

    Humidifiers, saline nasal drops or sprays and staying hydrated are the best ways to treat children who are too young to take medications, but they also all work well for adults. Nasal irrigation systems like Neti pots have also been proven effective for allergies and colds alike. Be sure to blow your nose regularly with a tissue to keep mucus moving.
  • Take a decongestant to breathe more easily; it can help reduce inflammation in the mucus membranes.
  • Relieve congestion and a runny nose with an antihistamine.
For colds:
  • Cough syrup, cough drops or a topical cough medicine you rub on your chest are all effective against a cough.
  • If you have more than one symptom, take a multi-symptom medicine to relieve symptoms.
  • To fight a sore throat, gargle with salt water or use sore throat lozenges or a sore throat spray. A pain reliever can also help.

For allergies:
  • Nasal steroids reduce inflammation in your mucus membranes, relieving itchy, watery eyes as well as congestion.
  • If you have recurrent allergies, you may want to consider allergy shots, which involve injections of small amounts of an allergen to build up your tolerance to it.
Finally, whenever you’re sick, try to do what you can to strengthen your immune system. In other words, get a lot of rest. Reduce stress. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and yes, chicken soup too. (Studies show it relieves congestion.) “Doing these things may or may not make you feel better faster,” says Rocco, “but if you don’t do them, your immune system may suffer and you may be more likely to develop complications or catch something else.”

When to Call in the Antibiotics
Antibiotics only work against bacterial infections—and neither colds nor allergies are bacterial. However, “both put you at risk for developing an ear or sinus infection within a few days to a couple of weeks after developing symptoms,” says Rocco. “When you have too much mucus clogging your sinuses, it can create an environment where bacteria can multiply and result in an infection.”
How do you know if your sinuses have gotten infected? Here are some of the possible symptoms:
  • Sinus pain
  • Headache
  • Nasal congestion
  • Yellowish or greenish mucus
  • Fever
  • Postnasal drip
  • Nausea
  • Pressure when you lean forward
  • Bad breath
  • Sore throat
  • Fatigue
An ear infection, on the other hand, typically causes ear pain and sometimes yellow fluid draining from the ear, fever or a sore throat. If you think your sinuses or ear may be infected, see your doctor.
Sure, it can be tricky to know whether you’ve got a cold or an allergy. But figuring out what’s behind your symptoms means you can take the right steps to get well sooner.

~*Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Sniffle Solutions: Care & Comfort and written By Elizabeth Hurchalla for Sniffle Solutions. *~
 

Wordless Wednesday ~ March 23, 2011

Really hard to do laundry when you find this in your basket! :) 

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.*~

Project Grocery

I have been following a great Canadian blog called TheMrs.ca. For the last Fourteen weeks The Mrs. has a Project Grocery going on. Now this involves an on going attempt to keep a grocery budget under $120 a week to feed, The Mrs, Mr and their two lil ones.

I have been budgeting my groceries for sometime now. I would say likely about a year. I started with a budget of $125/week. Then we decided to buy our meat at a butcher. This will be a blog post in itself. I then dropped our budget to $100/week. Putting aside the $25 each week for our meat. I realized we can make do with out meat order for 3-4 months, so I will be playing around with the budget again.

I am jumping on the band wagon with The Mrs. and will show you how I am making it through the week on our budget and what we buy with it. My grocery budget includes: our food, cleaning supplies, pet food/supplies, pull ups and beer.

Usually I shop once during the week but I am also known to pick up a good deal in the supermarket in the city or pick up milk before the week is over.

Stay tuned for this weeks budget! and don't forget to check out TheMrs.ca for her weekly Project Grocery.

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are that of my own.*~

Kellogg's Fibre Plus Sample

Have you tried the New Kellogg's Fibre Plus? No? oh you need to try this stuff. It is very good. I have only tried the Berry one and just bought the Harvest Brown Sugar. If you would like to try a sample before buying you are in luck, just head over here and fill in the quick survey for your sample. Enjoy!

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. I am just sharing some fun information*~

Cold & Flu Season

I am so ready for the Cold & Flu season to be over. This year it has been a pretty horrible year for it. At work it seems like the last month has been a rotation of colds and the flu. In the fall the kids both had the flu and also Abby had it a couple times. I've had two head colds and a sinus issue (for almost 4 months). I came home last night to find little princess had been sick every where!
This morning Parker woke up with a sore tummy and has been complaining all morning. He asked to have breakfast, I poured him a bowl of cereal and he took one bite and told me he was full :( oh no not him also!

I am looking forward to spring and summer, it can't get here any faster for me. Crossing my fingers that no one else will be sick anymore.

New Coupons at Save.ca


Purex Complete with Zout is the new coupon added to Save.ca! I am hoping to receive my coupon before or on Thursday as this is on sale at Walmart for $4.98, that would make it $1.98 for 55 loads. The regular price at Walmart will be $8.57

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.*~

Giveaway open until March 30th

I would like to Thank all my blog followers, Canadian Coupon Mom has reach over 200 followers!

For a thank you I am inviting all google friends connect followers to enter a giveaway for a great set of Hair bows from Gracie Rose, Girly Boutique.

You can enter this giveaway by commenting on the blog post Giveaway For Reaching 200 Followers. Good Luck and again thanks for following!

Why I am #Fabulous

I normally do not give myself much credit or toot my own horn but from time to time I think we need to realize we are ALL #fabulous in many ways!

I am fabulous because I am someone's daughter, wife, mother and a primary counselor to individuals with disabilities. I work to help these people reach their goals and live life to the fullest. I remind myself and my children we can do anything we put our minds to.

I am fabulous because I am a Women! I am a blogger, a helper and an honest person.

This is my entry to win a Tablet2 on FabulousSavings.ca check it out to enter yourself. Let the world know why you are #fabulous!

Winner's!

And the Winner for the $5 Dinner Mom Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook is…. 

# 27 One Cryptic Mama said...
like $5 Dinner Mom on FB (jaimee wood)
onecrypticmama AT yahoo DOT com

The Winner for The Portable Pediatrician by Dr. Sears is……

# 46 Alicia C. said...
I follow Ask Dr. Sears on Twitter - amccrenshaw
ohmiss14 at yahoo dot com

I have sent off an email to you please contact me at foreverhealthyaloe at hotmail dot com to claim your prize within 48 hrs. Thanks and Congratulations!
 
Thank you to everyone else who entered. Please check out the Review/Giveaway tab for other giveaways!

Swiss Chalet Rotisserie Chicken Gift Card Giveaway!


Swiss Chalet Rotisserie Chicken has made a small screen debut with 24/7 channel on Rogers television. Remember the Yule log channel at Christmas time? Where it was a burning fire place if you turned on the channel? This is the same sort of deal but with a Rotisserie chicken cooking all day long! 

I had a chance to interview the Swiss Chalet team a bit about this new channel. Here is what they would like to share with my readers:

How did the Rotisserie channel idea come to life?
The idea came out of a TV spot created by our ad agency BBDO that featured one of our restaurant associates imagining a real Rotisserie Channel. With collaboration from our media agency MEC Canada and the Rogers cable advertising sales teams, the idea came to life.

What is the reason for the Rotisserie channel?
At Swiss Chalet we are incredibly proud of what makes our famous chicken taste so good - the rotisserie cooking method. We thought that a Rotisserie Channel would be a great way to celebrate this in a brand new way. Plus, since we are always looking for new ways to engage our Facebook fans, we thought the Rotisserie Channel would be a great way to give out offers that our Facebook fans could redeem easily through our fan page.

Why only on Rogers tv?
Even though Rogers had never created a channel like this one before, they were as eager as we were to bring the idea of The Rotisserie Channel to life. We were thrilled to work with them in this shared enthusiasm.

How can non-Roger users view this channel?
The channel also plays on swisschalet.com so any Canadian can visit the Rotisserie Channel whenever they please.

What kind of coupons and promos can viewers expect? Do they expire? How often can you get a coupon from the channel?
Our coupons range in value but most importantly they are all tied to our Rotisserie Chicken offerings. The coupons expire two weeks from the date they are generated on Facebook, but as soon as the coupon expires each user can return for another one. Offers will appear regularly on the Rotisserie Channel all day and every day. 

If you like Swiss Chalet chicken head on over to Roger`s 208 or online at SwissChalet.com and watch for a coupon code to redeem on Facebook. 

Win! The gang at Swiss Chalet would like to give a $25 gift card for Swiss Chalet to one Canadian Coupon Mom reader.  

Mandatory Entry:  What is your favorite from Swiss Chalet? Please do this first before any Extra entries may count. Please include your email address in your comment. Each entry requires a separate comment. Thanks.

Extra Entries:

1. "Like" Swiss Chalet on Facebook. (1 entry)
2. "Like" Canadian Coupon Mom on Facebook. (1 entry)
3. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Google Friends Connect (1 entry)
4. Follow Swiss Chalet on Twitter. (1 entry)
5. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Twitter. (1 entry for following and also 1 entry each tweet - can be tweeted once daily, please leave twitter link in comment)
6. Subscribe to Canadian Coupon Mom. (3 entries)
7. Blog about this giveaway and post the link where it can be found. (5 entries)
8. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Networked Blogs. Located on right side bar. (1 entry)

This giveaway is open to Canada only. This giveaway ends on March 27th, 2011 at Midnight EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org on March 28th, 2011 and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!

~*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored giveaway by Swiss Chalet for a $25 gift card to Swiss Chalet. All opinions are my own.*~

Telltale Signs Your Child Has a Peanut Allergy

Peanut butter is often considered one of the great all-American children’s foods. Unfortunately, peanuts also account for the majority of severe food related allergies, and these allergies usually develop early in life. If your child has a peanut allergy, or you suspect they might be developing one, peanut butter can take on a whole new, not so positive light.

Fortunately, with Sun Butter, a child developing peanut allergies doesn’t have to give up tasty, easy sandwiches, gooey Check Mix treats, and yummy cookies. If your child has been developing any of the telltale signs of peanut allergy listed below, you should take them to the doctor right away. Then you’ll have to get to work on making them some Sun Butter brownies, to make them feel better.
  • Skin reactions like hives, redness, or swelling: Reactions of the skin are by far the most common sign of peanut allergy, with 89% of sufferers experiencing them. In younger children that can’t verbally complain about an upset stomach, this is the easiest way to tell that your child has developed an allergy.
  • Itching or tingling around the mouth: If your child complains that their mouth feels weird or strange after eating peanuts, don’t ignore it, especially if they have other symptoms like hives and an upset stomach. This seemingly small sign may point to a peanut allergy.
  • Coughing, wheezing, and feeling congested: Respiratory symptoms are the second most common effect of a peanut allergy. In severe cases, this respiratory congestion can constrict the airway, making it difficult to breath, especially for children who also have asthma.
  • Stomach and gastrointestinal pain: About a quarter of peanut allergy sufferers will become sick to their stomach after eating peanuts or being exposed to them. If severe enough, they can also experience vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Tightening of the chest and low blood pressure: In a small number of cases, severe peanut allergies can lead to shortened breathing, heart palpitations, and other cardiovascular issues. Get to a doctor right away if your child is experiencing these symptoms.
What is anaphylactic shock, anyway?
Anaphylactic shock is a full body response to an allergen, and can often be brought on as a result of peanut allergy. In anaphylactic shock, most people experience one or more of the symptoms above, along with a rapid pulse, dizziness, and constriction of the airways. If you suspect your child is experiencing anaphylaxis, you should treat them with an epinephrine pen if you have one, and get them to the emergency room right away.

What if I suspect my child has peanut allergies?
Then a trip to the doctor is in order. The doctor will perform skin and blood tests to check for the allergy. If your child has a peanut allergy or intolerance, there are several ways to be prepared for an allergy attack.
  • Over the counter antihistamines can reduce hives and other minor symptoms.
  • People with severe allergies should carry an epinephrine auto-injector pen. This syringe with a concealed needle can be injected into the thigh during an attack; the single dose of medication inside will quell the life-threatening allergic reactions.
  • Parents can also check out this resource for allergy sufferers, for more information and ideas.
~*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by Maureen Gotly, Mother of five, earned a degree in social work by taking courses online scheduled around her busy family life.*~

CSN Stores $35 Gift card Giveaway





As part of the Boy Birthday Bash being held at SAHM's Crazy Life, The Accessory Barn and on Canadian Coupon Mom there will be a few reviews and giveaways! Please check back a few times and I will be posting them throughout the weekend.

My son's birthday is coming up in May and I have been wondering what the "big" gift this year should be. He will be turning 5! Since his birthday is at the end of May and we all love to spend time outside during the summer I was thinking the "big" gift should be something for outside. I have spent sometime on CSN Stores searching for a great gift idea as they have over 200 + stores to browse through.

Parker does need a new bike this year, or maybe some new roller blades, I was also looking at the swing sets at CSN Stores. They have a huge selection of wood, metal and plastic ones to offer. They are also on sale with free shipping right now! What a great time to pick one up. The choice is hard through since they have so many great swing sets for kids

http://www.swingsetsandmore.com/
Win! CSN Stores is sponsoring a $35 gift card for one lucky reader of Canadian Coupon Mom.

Mandatory Entry: Please visit CSN Stores and tell me which store you would love to buy something from.  Please do this first before any Extra entries may count. Please include your email address in your comment.

Extra Entries:

1. "Like" CSN Stores on Facebook. (1 entry)
2. "Like" Canadian Coupon Mom on Facebook. (1 entry)
3. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Google Friends Connect (1 entry)
4. Follow CSN Stores on Twitter. (1 entry)
5. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Twitter. (1 entry for following and also 1 entry each tweet - can be tweeted once daily, please leave twitter link in comment) 
6. Follow SAHM's Crazy Life on Google Friends Connect. (1 entry)
7. Blog about this giveaway and post the link where it can be found. (5 entries)
8. Follow Canadian Coupon Mom on Networked Blogs. Located on right side bar. (1 entry)

This giveaway is open US and Canada. This giveaway ends on March 26th, 2011 at Midnight EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org on March 27th, 2011 and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!

~*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored giveaway by CSN Stores for a $35 gift card to any of their 200+ stores. All opinions are my own.*~

Blog Hopping!

Blog Hopping today over at the Blog Entourage. Come join in!

The Blog Entourage

Free Sorrento Cookbook

I love cookbooks and magazine's as my bookshelf is overflowing with them. Okay I will admit I just love food in general! Here is a great Freebie for anyone like me who loves cookbooks. It is from Sorrento and called For the Love of Lasagna. It is available to both US and Canada! Check it out. Thanks Lorrie from Tupperware, Tattos and Tantrums.

~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. Just sharing information with you.*~

Great Deals at LW Stores

If you have an LW Store near you and you are looking for a bean bag chair or a pillow pal, check them out until Monday March 14th, 2011. Right now they have both for $5 each. My LW Store had a good variety of Pillow Pals but only Yellow and Purple for bean bag chairs. They also have brand name jeans for $5.


~*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.*~

Don't Worry, Be Happy: 10 Tips for New Mommies

So, you’ve just had your baby! Congrats, you’ve made it through the hardest part (besides the teenage years, that is). Now you’re ready for a care-free period of loving bonding with your new baby, right? Unfortunately for many new moms, the unexpected stress of being a new mother can get in the way of enjoying this precious time. Here are a few ways you can bring down the stress level and deal with the day-to-day trials of new motherhood, in order to make the most out of your baby’s infancy. After all, it will be gone faster than you can imagine.

1. Let Go of Rigid Schedules
One thing new moms may not realize until after their baby is born is just how much time it takes to get anything done with a newborn. To lower your stress, don’t make hard-set schedules; taking it moment by moment will help your mental state.

2. Get Organized
Your house is never going to be as neat as it was before you had children. After that has sunk in, remember however that the more organized you are, the easier your day will go. Preparing to go to the store won’t be a 30 minute ordeal, if you always have a diaper bag packed. 


3. Recognize that Your “Bad” Feelings are Normal
There will be times when you wake up in the middle of the night to crying and have passing thoughts about wishing the baby didn’t exist and that you had your old freedom back. This is totally normal, and all parents (especially new ones) have them from time to time. It doesn’t make you a bad parent, just human.

4. Make Time for Sleep
Many new parents will both wake up in the middle of the night to care for a wailing baby. While it feels nice to support each other, you must resist! Taking turns getting up at night is the way to go—it will let you both get at least a little sleep every other night.

5. Get Help
It’s okay to take time for you—in fact, it’s essential to feeling fulfilled as a parent. Consider getting a nighttime babysitter one or two nights a week, so you and your spouse can have time alone.

6. Clean Their Hands, Then Let it Go
Many new parents want to wage germ warfare on every toy in the house and on every individual that comes within a 10 foot radius of their kid. In reality, you can’t keep even close to all germs away. Stick to washing you and your child’s hands frequently, and carry around a little bottle of hand sanitizer for others who might want to hold them.

7. Keep Your Mind Busy
Once the baby “honeymoon” wears off, many new moms find themselves bored by taking care of their baby all day. Not that they don’t cherish the time, it’s just that many people need additional intellectual stimulation to feel whole and content. Whether it’s working a sudoku, taking an online class, or going back to work, determine what sort of brain exercise you need to stay sane.

8. Eat Well and Stay Healthy
Taking care of a baby is difficult enough without the added stress of feeling down because of lack of exercise and bad eating. If you have to, plan meals ahead to avoid making food decisions you’ll regret later.

9. Share With Your Spouse
In scientific studies, the happiest new parents were the ones that talked completely honestly with each other about what they were feeling. This sharing helped each partner understand that they weren’t alone in the stress and pressure they were experiencing about parenthood.

10. Know Your Limits
These days, it’s easy to feel like a crap parent. You can’t open up a copy of Us! Weekly without seeing some celebrity breast-feeding her cloth-diapered baby. Realize what your own limits are, and if you can’t follow the “experts” advice to the T, don’t fret—a loving, calm mother is most likely better for your baby than an incredibly stressed out one who follows all the latest trends.

~*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, written by Joy Paley, who holds a biblical counseling degree and hopes to attend sonogram technician school next Fall.*~

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