From September 29 – October 2, Friends of Naturalizer is running a campaign similar to the Friends of Naturalizer campaign they held last April. Their latest campaign will benefit Dress for Success. The charity provides women in Canada and across the world with the support and resources they need to kick-start their career, including professional clothing and suits.


During the campaign, $1 from every shoe and handbag sale from Naturalizer.com or Naturalizer stores will be donated to Dress for Success, up to $20,000. And you get to help determine how Dress for Success will use the money. Anyone can visit the voting page on Naturalizer.ca and vote for the program they’d like to receive the $20,000 donation. No registration required.


If you choose to participate in this simple voting process, you are eligible to win a free pair of shoes from Naturalizer! Itching to buy a pair of shoes? Print this coupon and you can save 30% during the Friends & Family event, valid until October 2, 2011. (Pour recevoir 30% de rabais, imprimez ce coupon.)

The winner of the giveaway will receive a gift code to use on Naturalizer.com to select the pair of shoes that they would like to receive. This code will cover the cost of the shoes, tax and shipping so that there is no cost to the winner and no credit card information is required. Please note: Naya, a specialty brand of Naturalizer, and Naturalizer boots are excluded. The giveaway is shoes only.

Mandatory Entry: Vote for one of three programs on Naturalizer.ca and leave a comment on this post telling me which one you chose along with your email address. (I voted for the Professional Women's Group!) Vous êtes francophone? Votez ici puis laissez votre commentaire en me disant de quelle façon Dress for Success devrait dépenser le don. N'oubliez pas de laisser votre courriel au cas où vous gagnez.
For additional entries, you may choose to do any or all of the following:

• Like the Naturalizer Facebook page. 
• Follow Naturalizer on Twitter.
• Become a follower of Toronto Teacher Mom using Google Friend Connect.
• Like the Toronto Teacher Mom Facebook fan page. 
• Subscribe to this blog by email or in a reader.
• Become a follower of Toronto Teacher Mom on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Tweet daily for additional entries. Feel free to use the following tweet:  

Last month, I shared with you some of the super cool preschool items that Hasbro has in store for this holiday season. Today, I want to share a few of their toys geared towards girls. I'll start off with one of my favourites, the Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven. With this model, light bulbs are no longer needed. The oven comes with a baking pan, cupcake pan, pan pusher, chocolate chip cookie mix, red velvet cake mix, pink frosting mix, rainbow sugar crystals package, paper cupcake wraps and instructions/recipe booklet. I love the colour and the modern design.

Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven - Ages 8 years and up

For the younger crowd, there are a number of toys that will be sure to make it on Christmas lists. Take, for example, the line of Furreal Friends. My daughter fell in love with the Furreal Friends Gogo, My Walkin' Pup last year. She saw the cat in-store and begged me to get it for her. I told her to put it on her Christmas list since I wasn't prepared to spend that kind of money on a single toy. Luckily, Uncle Santa and his wife crossed it off for her. She loved it!

Furreal Friends Gogo, My Walkin' Pup - Ages 4 and up - ARP $69.99

At the preview event, my daughter seemed to really like the My Little Pony Pinkie Pie Learns to Walk toy but at age six, I think it's more suitable from someone younger. Little girls can “teach” her how to “walk” at the press of a button. Simply straighten out her legs and hold the button on her hand and she will start “walking” alongside her “mommy.” She will even playfully kick her legs and say fun phrases to get her “mommy’s” attention.

My Little Pony Pinkie Pie Learns to Walk - Ages 3 and up - ARP $34.99

In our loot bag, we found a Littlest Pet Shop Walkables Pet. My kids fought over who got to play with it. It's kind of like a wind-up toy only it's battery-powered and moves with the push of a button. I think they're cute but I would much rather have a wind-up version and not have to worry about batteries running out.

Littlest Pet Shop Walkables Pet - Ages 4 and up - ARP $9.99

Finally, I wanted to share that the Spirograph brand is back! This colourful, classic toy will keep children mesmerized as they make endless geographic designs. I remember having so much fun getting creative with my Spirograph when I was a kid. The new Spirograph playset is magnetic which will help to keep your piece of paper in place. This is definitely something I would consider buying as Christmas gifts this year. And not just for girls but for boys, too!

Spirograph Magnetic Playset - Ages 5 and up - ARV - $19.99

Doesn't this bring back memories?

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the Hasbro Holiday Preview Event and received some samples to help facilitate this post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Dinosaur Train’s line of shirts and pants/shorts sets are great for the first month of school. The weather has been so nice lately and I'm so grateful that my kids can still wear their summer clothes. My son was able to try out this really cute shirt/t-shirt and shorts ensemble. He absolutely loves it, although the shorts are still a little big on him. Believe it or not, he prefers to wear pants, even when it's hot out.


Have you seen any of the new Dinosaur Train apparel? They are available at Kohls and Kmart.

Disclosure: I received an outfit for the purpose of this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

A few days ago, I told you about the UGLee Pen. Designed by Dr. James Lee who made it his mission to create a truly comfortable pen, it is believed to be the most comfortable ergonomic pen around. And it only took eight years of experimentation and dedication. That's how much Dr. Lee stands behind his Ultimate Grip pen.

Lucky for you, if you live in the U.S., (sorry Canada) you now have a chance to win your own 3-pack of UGLee Pens. The colour selection will be random. So if you're interested in a chance to try it out for yourself, enter this giveaway using the Rafflecopter form below.

Good luck!

While at home on mat leave with my first-born, I often found myself alone with my baby girl and marveling at all the wonderful joys a baby can bring into your life. I also had a lot of questions and concerns as well as some really difficult experiences as a new mother. Living far from my parents, even though they are only an hour away, was very difficult for me, not to mention the move to the great big city of Toronto. All I longed for was a sense of belonging. It's pretty much the reason why I started this blog - to share moments of motherhood and to connect with other moms. And for the longest while, I felt that mine was just another blog floating around in cyberspace. I really wish that, back then, I could have also shared my experiences and questions in an online forum dedicated to forging a community of parents. A community like Baby and You.

Baby and You is a Facebook page that was "created for moms, dads and anyone else with babies, infants and children in their lives who want to join the conversation" and even share pictures of their little ones. It's great that it is on Facebook because I know a lot of people who use Facebook regularly. It becomes a convenient spot to check in with your newest Baby and You friends. You can also get to know featured Canadian Mom bloggers, Jody of Mommy Moment dedicated to all things Mom, and Lisa from Growing Your Baby, focusing on all things baby. Jody recently shared her daily routine (after having kids) on the Baby and You Facebook page and how her and her husband take turns and share all the responsibilities. Lisa offers three tips on how to adjust to bringing home baby number two.

Baby and You also offers savings and promotions for grocery stores such as Loblaws, Valu-Mart and Zehrs. They have recently added a really cool contest where you can win $500 worth of Joe Fresh gift cards or one of five $100 Joe Fresh gift cards. And with Joe Fresh prices, you know $100 can go a long way. Be sure to check out the Contest tab located under the profile picture to find out how you can win. The contest closes on October 13, 2011.

Disclosure – I am participating in the Baby and You program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Loblaw Companies. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Today I attended We Day 2011 here in Toronto and boy, was it awesome! I just wanted to quickly share some shots I managed to capture before my iPhone battery died. Below you'll see Shawn Desman's We Day dance, new for 2011, actor Danny Glover, Rick Hansen, Craig and Marc Kielburger and Spencer West who announced that he will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Yes, with his hands!

PS. I love We Day!


I wish the picture quality were better.

Anyway, if you have a Wordless Wednesday post, link it up below.

Have you heard about the UGLee Pen? You're probably puzzled by the name as much as I was initially. The UGLee pen was designed by Dr. James Lee who made it his mission to create a truly comfortable pen. After much experimentation and eight years of dedication, Dr. Lee finally created what he truly believes to be the most comfortable ergonomic pen around - the Ultimate Grip pen. It was often referred to as the Dr. Lee pen. It's name is now a combination of the two and so we have the UGLee Pen.


If you spend a lot of time writing, you may have experienced discomfort at some point. I recall always having a preference for a pen that had some sort of a grip on it as well as a pen the writes smoothly. I like my pen ink to flow easily and evenly. When I first saw the UGLee pen, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. The grip takes up about two thirds the length of the pen and has a very gummy feel to it. It also had a slight tackiness to it, which I didn't like. But after using it for the past week, I find I am liking it more and more.

And I'm not the only one.


I received three pens and so I thought I would share them with my office mates; my French teaching partner Julie and the music teacher. Both of them like their new UGLee pens and Julie says it is all she uses now. She raves about how comfortable it is. I will add that the first time I used it and after not using it for a while, it needs to "warm up, so to speak. But it really is only after writing a letter or two. Maybe it had some ink on the tip that had dried up. In any case, it's hardly an inconvenience. It does write incredibly smooth. I'm starting to think that Dr. Lee should come up with an UGLee pencil so that students who have difficulty holding a regular pencil could benefit from the design. I also know of a number of teachers who need to scribe for their students and complain that their hands are sore by the end of the day. One teacher has even complained that a lump forms on her finger from all the extra writing. I'm also thinking that the UGLee pen would make for a great teacher gift. It's unfortunate that they are only available online, however. Hopefully, we'll see them on store shelves one day.

Here's an article by Dr. Lee on Why Kids Need an Ergonomic Pen.

UGLee Pens are available for purchase online at a cost of $19.99 for a pack of 3. Shipping and handling is an addition $3.95.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

To celebrate the 2011/2012 season, Canadian Stage is offering single tickets for its wide roster of productions with incredible savings for consumers. A new twist on the standard “scratch and save”, Canadian Stage is encouraging one and all to “click and save” for their chance to enjoy great Canadian theatre (without breaking the bank).




Canadian Stage is pleased to offer a 6-PLAY Subscription Package (2 tickets) for the 2011/2012 season. With an estimated retail value of approximately $400, this is an amazing prize for theatre lovers and culture enthusiasts who will experience the following productions:

1. Another Africa
2. I Send You This Cadmium Red
3. Red
4. Cruel and Tender
5. Beckett: Feck it!
6. The Game of Love and Chance

Contest closes September 30th and is open to those in and around the GTA who are able to attend. For a chance at winning, simply tweet:

Dear @teachermomoftwo, I want to win a 6-PLAY Subscription Package from @CanadianStage http://goo.gl/fb/2olkw #canstage

A winner will be chosen at random.

Update (Oct. 1, 2011):

And the random winner is: @ennsee

Today, I learned that Build-A-Bear Workshop® has teamed up with “Kinectimals Now with Bears” on Kinect for Xbox 360. The new game has a new island of adventure as well as ten new cute and cuddly bear cubs. But it doesn't stop there. There are four Build-A-Bear Workshop “Kinectimals Now with Bears” furry friends (available beginning on October 11 at a Build-A-Bear Workshop store near you and at buildabear.com®) that will include Microsoft Tag technology. This allows players to scan the bear’s tag with the Kinect for Xbox 360 to unlock matching bear cubs in the game. Each of the four collectible bears start at $23.00 CDN.


You can check out all of the cute Champs (A Champion Fur Kids™, Colorful Hearts Bear, Endless Hearts Teddy or Peace & Hearts Bear) on buildabear.com/kinect.


Wait! There's more.

You can enter the Build-A-Bear Workshop Kinect for Xbox 360 Sweepstakes. One hundred lucky winners will receive a Kinect for Xbox 360 prize pack that includes an Xbox 360 4GB console, a Kinect sensor, “Kinectimals Now with Bears” and a $100 gift card to Build-A-Bear Workshop! This prize is valued at nearly $500. And did I mention... 100 winners? From October 11 through 31, Guests can enter for a chance to win the BABW Kinect for Xbox 360 Sweepstakes in Build-A-Bear Workshop stores, at buildabear.com/Kinect or on the Build-A-Bear Workshop Facebook page. Isn't it time you get Kinected?

Have you have ever borrowed something that fit you like a glove? Perhaps a beautiful dress or a gorgeous pair of pumps? You then look in the mirror and think, wow! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. It's that feel-good feeling that makes you feel like a million bucks. Now, I love a great dress just as much as the next gal but when it comes to vehicles, nothing gets my heart rate going as much as... a minivan.

There. I said it.

So you will understand why, when offered to test out the 2011 Toyota Sienna as a Disney Junior Mom, I nearly fell out of my seat. How could a girl who's been driving a minivan since she first got her license refuse an opportunity like that? Right? People are often surprised to learn the following. When my dad asked me what we should get as the next family vehicle after our first minivan was kaput, I did not hesitate when I said another minivan. Heading into university, my friends wondered why I didn't pick a smaller, 'cooler' car. I'm not entirely sure why, only that I was comfortable with driving them. Three minivans and two kids later, my husband and I now own our very own. My husband did a lot of research and it was a toss-up between the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna. I remember one of the things my husband took into account was the re-sale value of both models after ten years, which were pretty much the same. All I knew is that I wanted a new minivan!


Now, while I really like my current vehicle, which is a 2007 base model, there are certain features in the 2011 Toyota Sienna that I really miss. It's been four weeks since I had to part ways with the Swagger Wagon, such sweet sorrow. But I will attempt to highlight some of the things which my hearts longs for. Apart from the cool exterior and sporty 19" aluminum alloy wheels.


One of the first things that caught my eye was the dashboard. This is what you get to look at when driving around in a 2011 Sienna Sport Edition. Pretty awesome. (Insert wide-eyed grin here.) I love the look of the speedometer and the leather wrapped steering wheel is just so nice to handle. I quickly noted the USB audio input, for my phone charger, but was happily surprised to hear that I could sync my iPhone via Bluetooth so that I can not only listen to music stored on my phone but also answer incoming phone calls, hands-free, and talk using the car speakers. My mother called while we were on the highway and I thought for sure it would be noisy on her end. But she said she could hear us crystal clear. This is definitely a feature I would want in my next minivan.


The sporty gear shift was really cool though it took some getting used to. The climate control came in handy while driving to our camping destination as did the adjustable cup holder, which was able to accommodate my large Disney Junior tumbler.


The next feature that caught my eye was the middle row extended Long Slide function. This is probably what I miss the most about the Sienna. Apparently, the dashboard was pushed back to provide more cabin space and they added a little to the width of the minivan as well. With the slide function, you get incredible range in terms of accessing the middle and second rows. But that's not all. My kids are no longer within range to kick the back of my seat. Which means I get to enjoy an even smoother ride!



This also means that I have A LOT of space to move around when installing car seats.


Also, note the markers that fell between the seats. With the long slide function, it was SO easy to retrieve them. I was worried they could fall into the tracks but that never happened.



The removable and storable centre seat can accommodate an eighth passenger or be easily stored in the back. Once removed, you have a couple of extra cup holders.



The retractable window shades for the middle row were nice and wide. They are wider than the ones in our current minivan, but then again, the windows are wider too.

Another must-have feature is a large storage space at the back. The Toyota Sienna had ample space for the tonnes of camping gear we brought with us. And it also fits our double Chariot stroller perfectly.

The second row Lounge Seating is great and easily folds away with an almost seamless design. Did I mention how easy it is to stow them? The seats are like they're on hydrolics or something. I was able to lift and store with one hand while I recorded this video with the other.


Finally, I have to point out my kids' favourite feature. The sun roof! It was a fun feature but something I could do without. Base models start at $27,900 (as of this posting) and the SE model full of several additional features goes for about $36,600.



So all in all, I had a wonderful week in the Sienna. We took it camping, we visited Ontario Place. Twice. And I drove to Hamilton with tunes a-blaring in true SwaggerWagon style. What do you think? Doesn't the Sienna suit me?

Disclosure: I’m part of the Disney Junior Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

A couple of days ago, I woke up with a sore throat. The following morning, my son vomited and later came down with a fever. Luckily for me, my husband was able to stay home with him. I continued to ignore my sore throat until Wednesday morning when my daughter woke up complaining of a sore throat, too. She also felt feverish. I, myself, felt like I had swallowed razor blades. Looks like I would take my first sick day of the year. We lucked out and got an appointment with the pediatrician who didn't seem too concerned about the kids. But he took one look at my throat and knew instantly that I had strep. Great! We were in and out quickly which meant I could go home and rest while the pencillin takes effect. Right? Not with two little sick kids to tend to. They had a mild fever for most of the day but drank plenty of water and had some of my homemade chicken soup. I kept them entertained as best I could but Sibling Rivalry reared its ugly head. Ack! I just wanted some quiet time to myself!

Day 2 of being practically house-ridden, I decided that enough is enough. I needed to take the kids outside for some fresh air. So I loaded them into their wagon, bundled them up all nice and warm and headed to Shoppers Drugmart for some comfort food. The location closest to home is fairly small with a limited selection of goods. I ended up getting some Tostitos chips with salsa and some Coke. This was strictly for my "me time" snack, an indulgence that was long overdue. While the kids sat down with their snack and watched a t.v. program, I took the time to focus, though briefly, on myself. I had no one there to pamper me so I pampered myself! It was almost like reliving my younger years when I had very few cares in the world and could veg with chips and dip like I used to when I was a kid. I strongly believe that "me time" is important, especially when you're sick. Don't you?

Check out my This Moment story - Shoppers Drugmart "Me Time" Shop:

 

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.

“In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations. ” ~ From the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy

« Dans toutes nos délibérations, nous devons tenir compte des répercussions de nos décisions sur les sept prochaines générations. » ~ de la grande Loi de la Confédération iroquoise

When I was a wee lass, I made every effort to recycle paper, plastics and glass, as well as reduce and reuse whenever possible. I thought I was being very responsible when it came to being eco-conscious. As I grew older, I realized there was so much more that I could do. It wasn't until I met my husband and we had children that my outlook towards the environment changed drastically. The biggest change centred around cleaning products, namely those that had a harsh, chemical smell. I'm pretty sure my sense of smell became more heightened post-pregnancy, but I like to think it was my body's way of saying that I needed to be extra cautious when it came to exposing my children to potentially harmful products. This is why I am grateful for brands like Seventh Generation.

Seventh Generation has been on a mission to help protect the environment with naturally safe and effective household cleaning and personal care products for over two decades. For review, Seventh Generation sent me coupons redeemable towards some of these products. I opted for the new fragrance-free Automatic Dishwasher Gel, a Natural Kitchen Cleaner in wild orange and cedar spice, and the Free and Clear Liquid Fabric Softener. I've used the dishwasher gel in lemon in the past as well as their laundry detergent whenever I find them on sale. They are non toxic and chlorine free which makes me feel more at ease when using them regularly on the kids' clothes and such.



The natural kitchen cleaner is also biodegradable, an added bonus. I am glad that they have fragrance-free products, although I really like the scent of the wild orange and cedar spice kitchen cleaner. And it is also nice to see that some of their products, like their dishwasher gel, come in bottles made with 90% Postconsumer Resin. Seventh Generation also discloses their full ingredients list on their packaging along with a little break down of select active ingredients and their function.




If you want access to coupons, special offers and great tips for green and healthy living, join the 7th Gen Nation today. And while you're here, don't forget to enter to win a Seventh Generation gift pack.

One Canadian reader will win a Seventh Generation Gift Pack that includes: an Seventh Gen Eco lunch bag with FREE coupons for Seventh Generation’s Free & Clear Diapers, Free & Clear Baby Wipes, Natural Household Cleaner and one of their Dishwashing and Laundry products.

You may enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

Disclosure – I am participating in the Seventh Generation program by Mom Central Canada. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

I took this picture about three years ago. It's one of my favourites. It also reminds me how much my daughter has blossomed over the years. Don't you just wish you could relive those early years?