As a child, counting down to Christmas was a surefire way to brighten our spirits once the weather turned cold. Sometimes the countdown would end sooner than usual if we had a family vacation down south to look forward to. Whether we spent the holidays at home with the family or abroad on the beach, holiday smiles were pretty much a guarantee. Today, as a mother of two, I realize how much I had taken that all for granted. For the first time, we will be spending time in the hospital visiting with my mother-in-law who recently slipped and broke her leg. This was devastating news for my youngest, who wanted desperately to see her but was hit hard by the stomach flu. It was a difficult reminder that life isn't always easy; that illness and injury can take us all by surprise. 

For thousands of children and their families, the holidays will be spent in Canadian hospitals. But because Duracell believes in powering the imagination of sick children by helping to ensure kids can still be kids, they can still enjoy the magic of the season. For the 10th consecutive year, Duracell is donating a year supply of batteries to hospital playrooms across the country. The goal: to power smiles and imagination this holiday season and beyond. Knowing that a new working toy or game can help make a child's hospital stay a little brighter, Brampton singer Alessia Cara joined Duracell, who donated $180,000 to SickKids in her name, to promote their Powering Smiles campaign. In addition, Duracell, in partnership with Hasbro, also delivered a shipment of toys, along with the batteries to power them. Among these toys was the new Furby Connect.

In our home, Furby has been bringing smiles to my kids for the past four years. It first started with the original Furby and then the family expanded with a Furby Boom. For each one, we always made sure to use Duracell batteries. This year, we are thrilled to welcome Furby Connect to the family. My favourite features are his moving ears and his colourful eyes that display more than 150 animations to help express what Furby wants. You can pet him, tickle him, shake him, or turn him upside down. Furby reacts each time! Plus, when Furby Connect syncs with the Furby Connect World app, there are more physical and digital ways to interact and more surprises to discover, making this a great gift idea for the holidays. And don't forget to power Furby Connect with Duracell batteries since Duracell makes the magic of the holidays last longer.

For every pack of Duracell batteries sold at Walmart in December 2016, Duracell will donate to Children’s Miracle Network. Now only will you avoid a child's disappointment in receiving a battery-operated toy that is powerless, you will also help make a child’s hospital stay a little brighter. Join the Powering Smiles Campaign and help them reach this year's goal to raise $150,000.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Duracell. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Have you ever bought a battery-powered toy as a gift for a child but then forgot the batteries? Nope? Neither have I. Okay, yes I have. It's worse when the child opens the gift on Christmas day when there aren't any stores open where you can pick up some batteries after the fact. But imagine having to spend the holidays in the hospital. Think of the thousands of children across Canada who, instead of asking for toys and games, hope instead for a full recovery or a cure that will allow them the luxury of never having to spend another holiday in the hospital ever again. To help ensure these kids can still enjoy the magic of the season, Duracell is donating a year’s supply of batteries to hospitals across Canada, batteries which will power the thousands of playroom toys and games that children and their families will be playing with this holiday season and beyond.

In addition, for every pack of Duracell CopperTop and Quantum batteries that are purchased at Walmart locations in Canada from December 1st to December 31st, 2014, Duracell will donate 20 cents to Children’s Miracle Network. Their goal: to raise $150,000 for the Network. To learn more about the campaign follow @Duracell on Twitter.

It’s the middle of our March Break and the sun is shining. The kids are enjoying outdoor activities and had the pleasure of spending a few days with my family in Hamilton. We even paid a visit to my darling niece who is only two months old. In a few weeks, the whole family will reunite to celebrate Easter together and share some tasty treats. We will also partake in our yearly scavenger hunt for chocolate eggs. But this year, we won't just count how many eggs we find. This year, we will also count our blessings.