For school supplies, I am using Avery Kids Self Laminating Labels. These are available in neon and primary colours, and are smear proof and dishwasher safe. All you need to do is lift the self laminating seal and write using a permanent marker or pen, remove the white backer and press the laminated seal down before applying to a dry clean surface. These extra durable labels are also great for lunch box items, bottles, sports gear, electronic devices and more.

Avery Labels are great to help keep teachers organized at school, too. My favourite set of labels are the versatile Avery Address Labels, now available in Easy Peel. I use these every year to create name labels for the nearly 150 students I teach so they can easily find their French folders and notebooks. This year, I tested out the Avery Design & Print Online templates and found some really cute graphics and design ideas. I probably spent more time than I should have personalizing these labels but it was definitely worth it. Aren't they adorable?

And to save me some time, I used Avery Eco-Friendly Address Labels this year to print out a shortened URL that students and parents can access from home.

Because when it comes to French class, I need to maximize every minute while helping my students stay organized. Thanks, Avery Canada!

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Did you know that April 20 is the next Talk with Our Kids About Money Day? It's the perfect time to have those important conversations about money with your little ones - Canadian currency, budgeting, visiting a bank, and saving. And now, parents and educators can turn to a children's book series dedicated to financial literacy, a first of its kind here in Canada. Introducing M is for Money, a collection of books designed to help teach the rudimentary facts about money to young children. Not only is this series made in Canada, I am proud to say that it was created by Teresa Cascioli, a Commerce graduate of my alma mater, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. 

An award-winning entrepreneur featured on Profit and Chatelaine Magazine's lists of Canada's most successful women, Teresa has also been named one of the Women's Executive Network Top 100 Canada's Most Powerful Women and has been awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal among other accolades. Her books feature the financial adventures of twins Tess and Benji as they learn about money, from working hard to earn it and the importance of opening up a bank account to save it, plus much more.

The complete series, which is available at misformoney.ca or at Indigo/Chapters across Canada, includes nine different books and is geared to children ages 5-9. My son received copies of the first three books and has enjoyed reading them with me, as well as completing some of the fun games and activities that can be found at the end of each book. My personal favourite are the "Look & Find" games that require the reader to find a certain number of a variety of objects throughout the book. The messaging within the stories is clear and concise, and the illustrations complement the stories well.


The M is for Money book series would make a great addition to a primary classroom or a personal library. There is also a variety of motivational rewards and other M is for Money themed fun stuff that can be ordered through the site, including bookmarks, magnets, birthday cards, stickers and more.

Disclosure: I received product samples and other perks to help facilitate this post. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

So, I have this problem. I like to shop. More specifically, I like to shop for kids. Whether it's kids' toys, baby clothes, books, or more specifically, toys, I just. Can't. Stop. The good news is that, since my brother and his wife first welcomed their baby girl into the world nearly three years ago, I have been able to pass along bin after bin of my kids' gently used clothing and some of their old toys that were still in good condition. We even passed along our stroller and playpen as well.

When I compare what I had purchased, I noticed that I had bought a lot of clothing for my daughter, because really, those baby girl outfits are too cute to resist. For my son, however, I had purchased more practical bigger ticket items that I was hesitant to buy the first time around, such as a playpen with changing station. But boy, was it ever worth it! I wish I had known that the Graco Pack n Play Playard would have been a saving grace for me. I would have invested in one much sooner so I could have taken advantage of all the benefits of having one with my firstborn. But being a first-time parent, I was unsure if it was worth the expense.

Wouldn't it have been great, though, to have had someone available in-store to help us make more practical decisions and determine which playard would best suit our needs? Someone whose sole purpose it was to help answer any and all questions when planning a baby registry or preparing baby's nursery?

Fortunately, parents-to-be across Canada can now plan their shopping lists more accordingly with the help of in-store specialists. With the aim of offering a better shopping experience for new and expecting parents, Walmart Canada baby departments will feature "Let's Talk Baby" kiosks where you can speak to specialists who will provide support and product knowledge on everything baby. These specialists will also be equipped with tablets for easy access to the Walmart baby registry and Walmart.ca. With a wide selection of baby products from everyday basics to baby gear essentials and nursery necessities, both moms and dads can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they can find a helping hand at Walmart.

Growing up with a gazillion cousins, I attended a lot of bridal showers, weddings and subsequent baby showers. I remember thinking to myself how I just couldn't wait to get married, build a family of my own and finally be showered with baby gifts and well wishes. It had nothing to do with that silly little bonnet made of bows that I would get to wear or watching family and friends attempt to guess the circumference of my belly. It had more to do with the special celebration of a miraculous bundle of joy and sharing the anticipation with loved ones. And perhaps it had a little to do with feeling spoiled, I'll admit. I recall how everyone would fuss over mom-to-be, oohing and ahhing over the cutest baby gifts and tiniest outfits. I also remember how many women of the older generation would marvel over the innovative Diaper Genie. Oh, how I wanted a Diaper Genie!

Unfortunately, I never had a baby shower, except for the unexpected party my dear colleagues threw for me at work. While I am truly grateful for their kindness and generosity, I still longed for a baby shower with my family and friends. Was it selfish of me to yearn for the excitement inherent in planning for baby's arrival and creating a baby registry? Maybe so. But perhaps I should have signed up for a registry anyway. It sure would have come in handy when people asked us what they should buy for our kids for Christmas or for their first birthday. Plus, it could have helped them find the perfect gift in their price range. I know I always found gift registries so helpful. It was gratifying to know we would be getting something for the parents-to-be that they would actually need and that they could also remember us by. There are so many great gift ideas available that it is rather useful to have a list of items on a registry to help narrow down our selection.

To help Canadians get ready for a new baby on the way, Walmart Canada recently launched its new baby registry on walmart.ca. Featuring a large assortment of baby products from diapers and bath supplies to car seats and strollers, Walmart offers more than 1,500 online exclusives to help you find every little thing for a very big moment. And registering for a baby registry is as easy as 1-2-3!

Are you a parent who lives in the GTA or have a baby on the way? Fisher-Price is hosting an exclusive Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages VIP Breakfast, taking place on Saturday, September 27th, 2014 at The Baby Show being held at Direct Energy Centre, Toronto. And we want you to join us! One lucky winner will win two (2) adult passes and yes, children are welcome to attend as well!

At the breakfast, which begins at 7:45 AM on Saturday morning, you will be among the first to learn about Smart Stages, a NEW technology in select Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn toys. In addition to enjoying a complimentary breakfast, ALL attendees will receive a Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages toy, in addition to two (2) adult passes to The Baby Show for Saturday, September 27th!*

If you are bringing your children, there will be plenty of toys to keep them entertained. Plus, children under 12 receive FREE admission to The Baby Show!

With September right around the corner, many of us are scrambling to squeeze in just a bit more summer fun before heading back to school. In our home, we are also trying to get the kids back on schedule and help prepare them for a successful academic year. This is why we agreed to take part in the HP Canada Brain Training Challenge by completing a series of Creative IQ™ activities that are fun and engaging. To help us complete these tasks, our family was provided with a brand-new ENVY Rove20 Mobile All-in-One desktop, an ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One printer, an HP Printing Supplies Kit and a copy of Creative IQ™ full of a variety of educational challenges.

For our first challenge, my daughter and I opted to hone in on our drawing and designing skills to give my daughter's bedroom a makeover. We began by drawing her bedroom with a pencil and tracing it in black marker, customizing the layout, wall art, bedding, etc.

Then we photocopied the bedroom design a couple of times with the HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One so that my daughter could experiment with different colours to see which combination looks best.

While she busily coloured to her heart's content, I used the HP ENVY yet again to scan a copy of the drawing using the photo option so I could email a copy to myself in jpeg format directly from the printer. Then I logged onto the HP Rove20, downloaded the email attachment and opened the Fresh Paint app.

Today I have the much anticipated pleasure of sharing with you some very exciting news. Staples Canada has recently given their blog (yes, they have a blog!) a brand new facelift. As you can see from the snapshot above, there are now five main categories containing articles geared specifically towards parents, tech, small business, teachers and lifestyle. And guess what! I have been invited to join the Staples Canada team of writers!

As a teacher heading into my 11th year of teaching, I hope to provide some relevant content for the Staples easyBlog. My first article has already gone live and I invite you to check it out. I would really love your feedback and, if any of your friends or relatives are teachers, I hope you'll share the new easyBlog with them, too!

• Back-to-School Savings Tips for Teachers 
• What Students Need for the First Day of School 
• How to Prepare for the First Day of School

I have also added some ShareThis buttons below so feel free to share and say, "That was easy!"

Teachers, don't forget to mark your calendars for Teacher Appreciation Days at Staples!

As a child, I felt rather lucky that I was one of few students in my class who needed to wear glasses. I still remember being given preferred seating when I was in Grade 1 and how excited I was when my teacher suggested I get my eyes checked. I always equated wearing glasses to being intellectual and sophisticated. (Yes, my dear Watson, I was slightly delusional.) Then, once my prescription had been filled and my parents had to pay out of pocket, the excitement dwindled. They didn't have health insurance and worked laboriously to make ends meet. So when I broke my frames a few months later while I was horsing around, I was mortified and too ashamed to tell my parents. Instead, I tucked them under the TV stand and pretended that I had lost them. At least that way there was still 'hope'.

For many years, I went on with my daily activities and acted like my vision wasn't so bad. I only really needed glasses to read and watch television anyway. It wasn't until I had applied for my driving permit that I had to start wearing them again. And this time, I did not feel lucky at all. Not only was my poor vision the reason my parents had to spend money on new frames, it was also the reason my dad had to pay for car repairs. You see, while undergoing my eye exam, someone had backed their car into my dad's minivan, causing serious damage and resulting in a trip to the police station. Needless to say, this was not the most ideal way to start off my driving experience.

This is what I would have looked like with contact lenses. And a bad perm.

In my teenage years, I really wanted to try contact lenses and there were many reasons why I longed to make the switch. On sunny days, all I wanted to do was put on a cool pair of sunglasses so I wouldn't have to squint. Summer months were particularly difficult, seeing as we would spend Sundays at the beach playing active games and sports with the family. In the back of my mind, I worried about breaking my glasses and being rendered helpless without a backup pair. Plus, my field of vision was limited to the size of my frames, making it harder to see, especially when it came to peripheral vision. To this day, I often wonder how much more enjoyable those days would have been if I had had contact lenses. And also, maybe I should have eaten more carrots when I was growing up...

As a teacher with two kids of my own, I can fully appreciate how wearing glasses can affect your performance in team sports and in the classroom as well. These days, it seems more and more students rely on corrective lenses to improve their vision. When they forget their glasses, lose them or break them, they struggle to accomplish the simplest of tasks throughout the day, such as copying the date into their notebook. As a mother, I hope that my children have inherited their father's optical genes but at the same time realize there is a chance that they could require glasses like me later on in life. In the event that they do, I will do my best to support them and will acknowledge the benefits of wearing contact lenses either as a complement to or a replacement for glasses.

Speaking of contact lenses, Olympic bronze soccer medalist, Kaylyn Kyle, has partnered with Bausch + Lomb to create a program called, 'Focus on Performance.' Dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of lenses, Kaylyn encourages parents and teens to consider using SofLens® daily disposable contact lenses during practices and games in the following video:

For more information, visit www.soflens.ca.

Last weekend, my daughter and I attended a baby shower for one of my oldest friends. And by old, I'm not referring to her age, because we were born in the same year so that would imply that I'm old. Which I'm not. What I mean is we've known each for about 30 years and I couldn't be more thrilled for her. I sat at a table with a number of friends from high school, many of whom just had a baby or were expecting. It was a virtual babe-fest, in fact. When I heard that Melissa, the creative mind behind Hitch-it ~ don't lose it, offered to organize a friend's nursery right after having baby number three, I was amazed, and a bit envious, that she seemed to have a knack for organizing. And wait, she actually enjoys it! It goes without saying that I had to tap into her motherly wisdom so that I could have the honour of sharing it with you, my readers. She claimed that she wasn't very good at writing and wasn't sure she could come up with enough tips but I think she did an amazing job. Here they are:

Five Tips for Organizing the Nursery

The holidays are fast approaching and I couldn't be more excited. It is the perfect time to spend with family and friends. It's a time to laugh, a time to cuddle, a time to make memories. We have already taken the kids to see Santa and have their picture taken, which turned out great, might I add. But when I look back at photos from Christmases passed, a part of me feels a hint of sadness knowing that my kids will never be this small again. Their tiny hands have become more dexterous and their feet are growing at an alarming rate. Oh, how I miss holding my son when he was a wee lad sucking on his two fingers. Or cradling my first-born as I sang her a lullaby before bedtime. As I wipe away a tear or two, I can't help but feel a sense of regret that I never took the time to make a nice little imprint of my children's hands and feet. I look at how big they are now and find it very difficult to recall how small they once were. This is why I am eager to share with you all of the wonderful ways you can preserve these memories through Memories Made. 

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.