My son came home from kindergarten with the cutest thing. It's a called an Advent Mouse. The tail consists of 25 links of construction paper in the Advent colours pink and purple. Each link represents one day from December 1st until Christmas and each day, he can remove one link to count down to Jesus' birthday. On the other side of the mouse is a cute little poem.

ThreeWorks Apple Chips have arrived and can be found in a grocery store near you. They are fat free, gluten free, GMO free and contain no added sugar. Apple Chips are available in six crunchy flavours - Original, Caramel, Vanilla, Lemon, Mixed Berries, and Cinnamon. They are also available in two sizes, the smallest size containing a mere 100 calories. ThreeWorks Apple Chips are made from carefully selected Fuiji apples and dehydrated in a way that retains the fruit's natural flavour, making it a tasty snack.

All I want for Christmas is

a DSLR camera,

a DSLR camera,

see a DSLR camera.

Gee, if I could only have

a DSLR camera,

then I could take pictures

as good as this one!

My brother took this picture of my son using his Canon Rebel T4i DSLR camera and it just reinforces my desire to get one, too. Can you blame me?

Canadian educator and musician Gregg LeRock has an obvious love of teaching and inspiring children through music. An Honours List graduate of the University of Ottawa's distinguished Lettres Françaises faculty, Gregg has managed to incorporate French curriculum in his songs in a way that is diverse and entertaining. He has released three best-selling CDs (Encore, Vive LeRock and JUNO nominated OUI!) and performs up to 175 concerts per year. You may recognize some of his songs in a variety of Canadian textbooks for French such as À La Ronde, Carrousel, Visages, Images, Destinations and Acti-Vie. As his name suggests, kids enjoy his music because "it rocks." French teachers enjoy it because his songs are easy to learn and help teach vocabulary, grammar and verb tenses.

As a child, I remember looking forward to Christmas with much joy and anticipation. Wondering what lay under the tree, enjoying homecooked turkey and visiting with friends and family would always be the highlights of the holiday. Now that I am older and I have children of my own, I am realizing more and more that many parents don't have the luxury of buying expensive toys for their kids or preparing a meal with all the trimmings. They make sacrifices and do whatever they can to pay the bills and provide their children with the necessities, often without asking for anything in return. This is why I am excited to announce that Butterball Canada is hosting a #PayitForward Holiday Twitter Party. On Wednesday, November 28th at 8:00pm EST, we will discuss the best ways to spread joy this season. And to celebrate, we will be giving away six $50 Butterball Gift Certificates. But that's not all.

If you win, you will have the chance to pay it forward.

Each of the six winners will receive an additional $50 Butterball Gift Certificate to gift to someone who could use a helping hand. It could be anyone you know, a friend who has always been there for you, a relative going through difficult times or a stranger on the street. It's entirely up to you.

We hope you will join us to share the spirit of the season with Butterball Canada!

Join us for the #PayitForward Twitter Party!

As a teacher who volunteers with the school choir, Christmas is one of the most joyous times of the year. I know many people frown upon the incessant playing of holiday music everywhere you go but I, for one, love it. I may not be a very good singer or choir leader but there is very little else that can cheer me up more than a traditional carol. When I came home to find some of the latest and greatest holiday themed samples from Hallmark, I was utterly moved by the sweetest, most ingenious holiday gift idea I've seen this year: the gift of children's angelic voices. The Hallmark Wireless Children's Angel Choir comes in the form of four little figurines that play music, sing and move. The best part? These figurines are interconnected wirelessly when they are placed together and collectively sing eight songs, with two songs lead by each one. Press the button on one of them and within seconds, the rest join in. How sweet are they!

Regardless of the NHL lockout, hockey still goes on in communities across Canada thanks to many volunteers who dedicate much of their time and effort to keeping hockey alive. These local volunteers demonstrate a continued passion for the sport, such as moms who help to raise funds for their child's team or dedicated coaches who help kids learn to skate. This year, Kraft has launched a new program called Hockey Goes On which will allow communities from coast to coast to share their passion for the game by recognizing local people in their hockey community and in turn, Kraft will help these individuals give back to grass roots hockey-related initiatives. In my community, Glenn Freer is one of those guys. He is a father of two and hockey coach to many. Here is what he had to say about why he became involved in the local hockey program:

Hockey coach Glenn and son Josh

I started coaching Josh because I love the game of hockey and I wanted to be right beside him as he discovered the game for himself. I didn't want to just sit in the stands and watch, I wanted to participate with him. I have been coaching him in some capacity for the past five years, since he started skating at age four. The early years were pretty tough as we were at the rink on Saturday mornings as early as six o'clock. There were many cold and dark winter mornings where I really, really would have liked to stay in bed. Looking back I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. We have shared some great times along the way and I have been able to watch many kids go from not even being able to stand up on the ice to a point now where I cant keep up with most of them. It's amazing to watch a kid who couldn't skate the first time you saw him who can now skate circles around me. You can also see the kids' confidence grow as they play the game - on and off the ice - as playing organized sports has so many beneficial aspects to it. One of the most important, I feel anyway, is the way it teaches them to deal with winning and losing. Huge life lessons are learned at the rink - the best part is they don't even know it! They think they are just playing a game, it's so much more than that.

To put it simply, I coach because I love it.  I get a huge kick out of seeing their smiling faces and from knowing that most of these kids will play this game for the rest of their lives. It's kind of special knowing I got to be there at the beginning of it all. Over the past four years I have coached approximately 60-70 kids. Hopefully, I have helped them become better hockey players and have taught them some life lessons they can take with them as they grow up.

Without people like Glenn who help to instill a passion for hockey among our children, we would likely not have hockey in Canadian communities. This is why I am excited to share with you that the Kraft Hockey Goes On program is celebrating and recognizing local hockey volunteers and providing them with a way to give back within their community. Through Hockey Goes On, Kraft will be awarding up to $1,000,000 to hockey-related initiatives coast to coast. The top five communities will each receive $100,000 and 20 communities will each receive $20,000.  They are also working with their partners at Hockey Canada to give out $100,000 in grants to communities across Canada in need of equipment. Have a look at this touching video, a salute to community hockey volunteers:

So what can you do? 

Communities have nominated a local hockey volunteer and a panel has determined the top 100 individuals. Canadians can vote by going to www.KraftHockeyGoesOn.ca starting March 23, 2013. The top five winning communities will be announced March 30, 2013. 

In the meantime, let's remind these volunteers how much we appreciate their efforts by telling them, "Thanks! Hockey goes on because of you."

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kraft Hockey Goes On. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

It's here - whether you're ready or not. The unofficial start of the holiday season. How will you fare against the crowds, the elements and the frantic rush to grab the best gifts for the best price? At SHOP.CA, we say - start shopping NOW. And in the comfort of your own home, while grabbing the very best of our Black Friday deals. You'll put a huge dent in your holiday shopping list, all while enjoying FREE shipping and FREE returns. Now isn't that awesome? We're celebrating the savings with a sneak peek for our favourite shoppers -

Join us for the #BlackFriday Twitter Party on Thursday,
 November 22nd from 9:00 - 10:00pm EST.

DATE: Thursday, November 22nd

Moderated By:@Listen2Lena – @FeistyFrugal - @SassyModernMom - @MomvstheBoys - @TeacherMomofTwo

Prizing is available to Canadians only.

In a couple of weeks, I will be attending a symposium on 21st century learning. These are definitely exciting times full of endless possibilities and I am eager to learn more. It seems that shortly after I had entered the teaching profession we were introduced to smart technology and now we are talking about augmented reality. The next thing you know we will be living like our fictitious Star Trek counterparts in a world of holodecks and replicators. In the meantime, we can give our children a glimpse of what is waiting for them in the future by introducing them to Cypher Kids Club Augmented Reality Cards.

As part of the Cypher Kids Club campaign, I made a trip to one of select Walmart locations where they carry the learning cards and picked up one of each set: Letters, Numbers and Wild Animals. You can view my #CypherKidsClub album on Google+ for more photos detailing my shopping experience. I knew even before opening the box that the animal cards would be the most popular set but my son and I also enjoyed the letters set, especially when it came to the letters in his name.

Over the past few weeks, I have made an unsettling discovery that the reason my pants feel tighter has nothing to do with my clothes shrinking in the wash but rather an expanding waistline. I'd like to blame it on my husband who took the kids out for Halloween and came home with twice as much candy than last year. Surely I could not allow my children to consume all of it so, as a diligent mom, I took it upon myself to eat my fair share. And then some. But now, I feel awful. It's time to get back on track and eat better so that I can model to my children the importance of giving our bodies the best possible fuel. Such is the foundation upon which is based a family-owned bakery known as Ozery's Pita Break.

Ozery’s Pita Break is a Toronto-based bakery and sandwich shop that opened in 1996 and has since expanded to better serve its growing clientele across North America. Each day, they bake all-natural, preservative-free flatbreads, pitas, Lavash crackers and most recently Crispy Pitas. I have to give my husband credit for introducing me to the brilliant concept of the Pita Break OneBun. This revolutionary product has "all the best parts of a traditional hamburger bun combined with the benefits of healthy, whole grains." Yes, it is lower in fat and contains no preservatives but the best part is that it's thin and super tasty. And they're even better when toasted!

The OneBun is great for sandwiches, especially for the kids' lunches. You see, when I use sliced bread, I often find that the kids will eat the middle and leave behind the crust. With the OneBun, there really isn't a crust and so the kids will eat the entire sandwich. The kids are also less intimidated by the size since the thin bun makes for a smaller sandwich. I personally prefer the OneBun because I like to savour what's in my sandwich such as tuna, turkey or ham with cheese and tomato.

Santa Claus is coming to the GTA and it looks like the sun will be shining for yet another day. Children of all ages will be heading into the downtown core this Sunday to watch the many magnificent floats as they make their way from Christie Pits to St. Lawrence Market. This year, the Santa Claus Parade has teamed up with the 100th Grey Cup Festival so you can be sure that the Grey Cup will be making its way along the route as well. And for the first time ever, kids of all ages will have a chance to contribute directly to creating some Santa Claus Parade magic in return for new priceless Parade memories, including their names being featured on a float. 

Since maneuvering through downtown traffic can be difficult enough on a regular day, I have included a map below which illustrates the roads that will be in use throughout the duration of the parade. Something to keep in mind if you plan on driving in anytime between 12:30pm-3:00pm. For more details and handy tips, you can visit thesantaclausparade.ca.

The 100th Grey Cup Festival began this week and is scheduled to run until Sunday, November 25. As a member of the Century Team, I am sharing with you a sampling of some of the fantastic events that are happening throughout downtown Toronto. This is a milestone year and as a gift back to the city, the Grey Cup Festival is offering more free events than ever before. There will be ten days and eleven nights of events to be held at various locations including Yonge-Dundas Square, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Nathan Philips Square, Front Street and more.

This weekend, there is sunshine in the forecast making it a perfect time for families to come out to the Nissan Family Zone at Yonge-Dundas Square. There will be a mini football field, live music, cheerleading demonstrations, marching bands and several food stations by the Eaton Centre’s Urban Eatery, Smoke’s Poutinerie, Marc Angelo and more. And the Nissan Family Zone is completely free! It will be open this Saturday from 12pm to 3pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

Head on down to Nathan Phillips Square Saturday morning between 11am and 4pm and be the first to try the Toronto Sun Zipline which is 725 feet long, the tallest urban zipline in North America. The $20 trip will take you from City Hall to the tip of Queen Street. Proceeds from the Toronto Sun Zipline will go to support the Argos Foundation. Later that evening, you can enjoy the Cavalcade of Lights from 5pm to 10:30pm. Sunday morning brings you the mbna Adrenaline Zone which brings you top-notch live music acts, completely free to the public, as well as an obstacle course led by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.

With six weeks remaining until Christmas, a part of me is excited to have a couple of weeks to spend at home with the family. Another part of me, however, is somewhat stressed when I think about shopping for the perfect gifts for loved ones. I know most kids will likely have toys or gadgets on their wish list but I often feel torn over buying play things versus practical items. Sure, toys will bring children instant fun and enjoyment. Yet, once the novelty wears off, they often get tossed aside. Useful gifts such as clothing or consumables such as art supplies, now that is what I would much rather buy. And I love shopping at Canadian stores, especially those that carry unique eco-friendly products such as the ones available via Lavish & Lime.

For greener gift ideas for the little artist on your shopping list, Lavish and Lime offers a wonderful selection of art products that are natural, recycled and non-toxic. From stylish sketchbooks to recycled crayon sticks, there is sure to be some sparks of creativity in the air. I would absolutely love to colour with their bright natural crayon rocks.

A couple of weeks ago, I started watching the first season of The Vampire Diaries. Not because I had a genuine interest in watching a television series about a topic that has become so clichéd. Rather, it was out of mere curiosity that I decided to tune in. There had been so many tweets popping up in my Twitter feed expressing excitement over season four of The Vampire Diaries, that I felled 'compelled' to see what it was all about. You see, I have a confession to make. I have a thing for vampire stories. Good vampire stories. And when they are depicted on the big screen or on my television set, I become even more enthralled with the dark, handsome portrayals we come to expect of the modern day vampire. Whether or not I have a giant poster of Robert Pattinson is not up for discussion at the moment. But I will confess that the devilishly good-looking Ian Somerhalder has recently caught my eye and has thus earned his way into this post as one of the most irresistible reasons for turning on my new high-definition flat screen TV. To date, I have managed to work my way through to the end of the second season, as a purely research-driven assignment, of course. And while the extremely high number of causalities in The Vampire Diaries seems to drastically outnumber those in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, the far-reaching story line is nonetheless much easier to tolerate when you have the likes of Ian's character Damon Salvatore as a distraction. Is it just me or does Damon's brother Stefan pale in comparison?

Fess up. Are you on Team Damon or Team Stefan?

It is the beginning of November and we are currently experiencing near-freezing temperatures. With the furnace pumping out warm, dry air, I find my skin is already becoming dry and my lips chapped. One of my favourite lip balms is made by Burt's Bees and this year, they have a whole lineup of holiday gift sets which would make great stocking stuffers or teacher gifts. My personal preference is for Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balms since they add a nice hint of colour while providing moisture. To add to my collection, I now have a pomegranate lip balm that is included in the Burt's Bees Body Scrub and Balm Set, featured above. The cost of $14.99 is quite reasonable considering that Burt's Bees are made using earth-friendly and natural ingredients.

Quick. When you think of breakfast, what is the first food that enters your mind? For me, it's eggs. For my husband, it would likely be bacon and eggs. And while I love the smell of bacon, I often find it hard to ignore all the fat and grease that you often get with the regular variety. This means I usually pass it up. Until I tried Butterball Bacon Style Turkey, that is.

As part of our grade 4 unit Logos-animaux, my students create their own version of the story Droles de chats. I like to call it a poem. It is an opportunity for them to use the adjectives we have studied in the unit and use the correct form based on the gender of the animal they have selected. They will also need to use the correct form of the possessive adjectives mon and ma.

After the students have written a rough draft in their writing books, they use a blackline master or template that I have created in Microsoft Word to write out their good copy and illustrate their animal. I have embedded the file below which you may download and use in your own FSL classroom.

Here's a personalized card I made at the request of a co-worker. Can you tell I love making butterflies using my Cricut?

You can view additional cards over on my craft site Diana's Designs Blog. And don't forget that the  Stampin' Up! Storytime Suite giveaway valued at $70 is still running. Open to Canadian residents only.

Today, our grade seven students were delightfully entertained by the brilliant Mike Ford, a  Juno-nominated Franco-Ontarian solo artist who has released four acclaimed albums of Canadian history-inspired songs. A few years ago, he performed at an arts workshop at the Royal Ontario Museum and I was in awe of his performance. The song that stood out most to me was the fast-paced song called I've Been Everywhere. Don't ask me how he can sing the length of that song without being winded. I am actually listening to his CD Canada Needs You: Volume One as I write this, a gift from my teaching partner who happened to have one in our office library. Lucky me! I can't get enough of  The Oak Island Mystery, a musical journey to Nova Scotia's "Money Pit." It makes me want to dance. I kid you not. All throughout my younger years, I found history and geography so boring that I subsequently ended up with poor grades in those subject areas. Songs about Canadian history that make me want to sing and dance? Yeah, where were they twenty years ago?

Mike Ford’s 1812 song-cycle “Flames Across The Border,” made possible in part by support from The Department of Canadian Heritage and the Toronto Arts Council, is being performed across Canada at schools, clubs and festivals over the next three years in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the ‘War of 1812’. And for some of our students today, the 1812-1814 conflict came alive in music and words thanks to Mike Ford's "original songs about epic events (the invasion of Little York, Great Lake ship battles), famous characters (Tecumseh, Fitzgibbon) and unsung participants (farm-trampled settlers, deep woods couriers)." You can hear the songs and access lyrics and a study guide by visiting the1812 page on MikeFord.ca.

Mike Ford is also known to many for his former life in the folk/rock/vaudeville Moxy Früvous. Remember them?