After several weeks of "Go, go, go!" I can honestly say I'm ready to do little. As in Dolittle. I have spent many late nights trying to perfect interactive digital activities for my students, several hours of video conferencing with colleagues and family, and plenty of afternoons helping my own kids navigate this new world of distance learning. I need a movie night! And with one of my all-time favourite actors as the lead, Dolittle was just the right flick for chilling out with the family.

While we missed out on watching Dolittle in theatres, we were delighted to have received a complimentary copy on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital. Last Friday, we pulled out our stovetop popcorn popper and enjoyed a fresh batch while curling up on the sofa. It was a welcome escape from my busy work-from-home routine and plus, Robert Downey Jr. 

Nuff said.

The story follows the journey of Dolittle, an eccentric doctor played by Robert Downey Jr. who is called upon to save the queen after she has fallen gravely ill. He reluctantly leaves his lush 19th-century home in England and embarks on a perilous adventure alongside his animal companions with whom he has the ability to communicate. Joining him is an unexpected apprentice Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett) and together they form an unlikely bond. The adventurous tale is brought to life with an all-star cast that includes the voice talents of Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, Selena Gomez, John Cena, Tom Holland, and more. 

Overall, we enjoyed the storyline, along with the impressive CGI and visual effects. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Antonio Banderas, despite my having to do a double-take when his character was first introduced. I also appreciated the witty repartee amongst the animal characters and my son particularly enjoyed the fight scene between Chee-Chee the gorilla (Malek) and Barry, the gold-fanged tiger (Ralph Fiennes). For some reason, I was a little thrown off by Roberty Downey Jr.'s performance and I'm not quite sure if it's because of his English accent, his raspy voice or that it sounded more like a voiceover. At any rate, he was a great fit for the role simply because he does "quirky" so well.

Dolittle is now available to own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.

Bonus features include: 

TALK TO THE ANIMALS – Dolittle is surrounded by a motley cast of characters. Take a peek at all the fun the cast had giving each of the animals their unique voice.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. & HARRY: MENTOR AND MENTEE – Acting opposite a legendary actor like Robert Downey Jr. can be an intimidating experience, but Harry Collett handled it like a pro. See the unique bond the two actors formed on-set, and how Downey took the film’s young co-star under his wing.

BECOMING THE GOOD DOCTOR - See the process of how this team of talented artists brought this film to life, and how Robert Downey Jr. transformed into the iconic Dolittle.

ANTONIO BANDERAS: PIRATE KING - Antonio Banderas discusses what attracted him to the project, his experiences working with Robert Downey Jr., and what he brought to the role of King Rassouli.

THE WICKED DR. MÜDFLY - Who is the nefarious villain Dr. Blair Müdfly? Michael Sheen dives into his character's motivations for being Dolittle's foil.

A MOST UNUSUAL HOUSE - It takes a special home to accommodate humans and animals alike. Explore the unique rooms and modifications that allow Dolittle to house anyone or anything - big or small.

Giveaway!

Enter to win 1 of 2 copies of Dolittle on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital. Simply complete the Rafflecopter form below. This contest is open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec. Please note that due to Covid-19 measures, winners may experience a delay in the shipping of prizes.

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

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

Growing up, I always admired my dad for coming to a new country and working hard to be able to provide for his family. When he first started his own business in the construction industry, my admiration for him only grew. He was constantly on the go, travelling from job site to job site, and when he wasn't at work, he would be at home managing the books. I still remember the day he first brought home a cell phone and how it was a game changer for him since he could check things off his to-do list remotely, whether that was connecting with a contractor, following up on invoices or getting updates from an employee. Despite the inherent stresses, he put great effort and dedication into running a successful business and I idolized him for it. Fast forward to a few years later, is it any wonder I married a hardworking man with similar entrepreneurial goals?

At the time that my husband and I were dating, he was an avid BlackBerry user. He loved his BlackBerry phone and relied heavily on it while at work. As most people are quick to recall whenever they talk about BlackBerry, it had the iconic physical keyboard that so many people loved. The first cell phone I ever owned did not have a keyboard. It was an old Qualcomm with a number keypad where you would have to press the numbers multiple times until the letter you wanted appeared on the LCD display. Cell phones sure have come a long way since then!

With Father's Day just around the corner, I have got the perfect gift for my husband. Given that he goes through cell phones almost as quickly as he goes through tennis racquets, I will be gifting him the new BlackBerry KEY2 LE! For the first time in a long time, I know he will be getting something that he will not only love but will come in extremely handy. Take, for example, the preinstalled real-time threat monitoring DTEK by BlackBerry. This proactive security features combines with fingerprint and passcode protection and FireFox Focus for private browsing, making this one of the most secure Android smartphones.

Another notable feature is the sleek yet durable design. Personally, I love how the BlackBerry KEY2 LE feels, since it's thinner and lighter than my current phone. It also has a comfy textured diamond grip non-slip back, which will prove useful whenever my husband is on a job site. (He is notorious for dropping is cell phone!) The BlackBerry KEY2 LE also boasts an impressive battery which can last up to two days. And when it comes time to recharge, Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 gives you a 50% charge in only 36 minutes. 

Additional features include:

I can't wait for Father's Day to see my husband's reaction when he opens up his new BlackBerry KEY2 LE. I know it will provide him the convenience, productivity, and security he needs as a business owner. And with the new dual account feature, he can also stay connected with his personal accounts, too, and easily switch between personal and professional accounts whenever he wants. 

Just when you thought STEAM toys couldn't get any cooler, along comes the littleBits Droid™Inventor Kit. Last month, we received a free kit from littleBits to test out and now it's all I... er... my son and I want to play with. Using magnetic "Bits" that snap together, we were able to level-up on our inventor skills by creating our very own Droid, customizing it with stickers, controlling it with our device and programming it to complete fun missions.

After removing all the contents from the packaging and placing all the littleBits into the handy sorting tray, we downloaded the free Droid Inventor app onto our iPad and followed the instructions which helped us to put together our Droid. 

With this app, we were able to learn about the control hub, driving circuit and internal structure of our Droid. The final mission of the first level in this training program showed us how to put together the droid shell using step-by-step visual instructions. 

On Level 2, the app showed us where to place the stickers. You can choose from red, blue or blank stickers, which are included in the kit. Then you can add personality by changing the colour of the lights and adding sounds from 20+ authentic sounds bank or recoding a secret voice message using your device's microphone. 

Other missions include an obstacle course challenge, draw mode, self navigation mode, code master and more. The Force™ Mode mission is really fun because you can guide your Droid with your hand using the included proximity sensor. But my favourites  are the 6+ new block-based coding missions which give you the ability to program the Droid. We really enjoyed coding our Droid to navigate through a mini obstacle course, which involved a lot of trial and error, but was fun nonetheless! Here's a little sneak peak:

The littleBit Droid Inventor kit comes with everything kids need to create and customize their R2 Unit straight out of the box, including a 9V battery, and retails for $99.95. Please note that it requires a smart device. Either iPhone (iOS 10.0 or later) or Android (KitKat 4.4 or later with Bluetooth 4.0 or later and an accelerometer) is required to build and control your Droid. 

We give it two thumbs up for ease of initial setup, creativity, inventive fun, and overall cool factor. But don't just take our word for it. It is the recipient of the Toy Association’s 2018 Creative Toy of the Year award and six other toy awards. Here's hoping your family will find a littleBits Droid Inventor Kit under your tree this Christmas!

Disclosure: We received product to facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are our own. This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A few weeks ago, my son and I were recruited to join an elite team and embark on a special mission - Starlink: Battle for Atlas. This brand new action-adventure game, created by Ubisoft Toronto, allows players to travel seamlessly throughout the Atlas star system and discover exotic alien planets, each with their own ecosystem, wildlife and secrets. To help us on our mission, we received a little care package that included a Starlink: Battle for Atlas starter pack for our Xbox One and a display stand. What makes this game so unique is the ability to custom build your starship in real life and see it appear instantly on screen!

We first gave Starlink: Battle for Atlas a try at the #XboxTogether holiday preview earlier this fall and it was one of my son's favourites. To be able to select a starship, attach the weapons of your choice and mount it to your Xbox controller was the epitome of cool in his eyes. You can even experiment with the different attachments in real-time as you play, which proves handy once you become familiar with your enemies and learn which weapons prove most effective.

After my son set up his Zenith Starship and started out on his mission, I could hear him exclaim, "This is so cool!" multiple times, commenting on how easily he learned to manoeuvre his ship and how smoothly it travelled. His shouts of excitement were too compelling to ignore so I soon found myself taking over his game. For me, I was happy to find the video to be fairly stable in the sense that I didn't find the constant movement overwhelming, unlike some of the racing games he likes to play. It is also a relief to know that the game is rated Everyone 10+.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is available for $99.99 on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4 but is currently on sale for $52.99 on the Ubisoft Store. The Xbox One starter kit we received includes:

You can also purchase additional accessories such as additional starship packs, pilot packs, weapons packs and controller mounts for as little as $12.99. Check out the Ubisoft store for the full lineup and to take advantage of their current sale where you can take advantage of savings up to 50% off.

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

If there's one thing I love most about being a mom, it's that I get to vicariously relive my childhood through the eyes of my two children. And one of my favourite ways to do just that is to introduce them to classic stories and movies that brought me great joy long ago. Who can forget classic loveable characters such as Thumper, Goofy and Winnie the Pooh? Watching them come to life in animated motion pictures was one thing. But seeing them in live action is an experience altogether magical. This is why I am so excited about the release of "Christopher Robin" on Digital and Blu-ray, just in time for the holidays!

In this heartwarming adventure, the young boy who embarked on countless adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood with his band of spirited and lovable stuffed animals, has grown up and lost his way. Now it is up to his childhood friends to venture into mid-century London and help Christopher Robin remember the loving and playful boy who is still inside. 

"Christopher Robin" is one of those Disney movies that will remain in my movie collection for years to come. Not only do I love Ewan McGregor as a grown-up Christopher, I am pleasantly surprised by the live animation of Winnie and his friends. And I can't forget to mention that it includes captivating, behind-the-scenes extras. 

Did you know that "Christophe Robin" is the 16th feature film inspired by A. A. Milne's stories? Check out more of this Canadian connection:

When was the last time you counted your blessings? For me, it was this past weekend. I was so very fortunate to be asked to present a keynote speech at our school board's ed camp featuring G Suite. It was nerve-wracking to say the least. Not that it had anything to do with speaking in front of a large group of educators. Rather, I was nervous about effectively communicating my message and whether or not my speech would put the crowd to sleep. Though the delivery wasn't perfect, I think I did a decent job. It was truly an honour to have been able to share my journey as a Google educator but more than that, it was a blessing. And because I had such a supportive group of peers, including my mentor and sketchnoting guru Sylvia Duckworth, who were there for moral support, I'm counting that blessing twice.

Plus, thanks to Hallmark Canada, I have a beautiful rustic wood sign to remind me. Isn't it pretty? I love that it has a slightly weathered look, and because of its monotone colours, this sign could easily fit in with any decor. Stay tuned below for your chance to win your very own!

Since October is the month of gratitude, I wanted to share some of my other Hallmark finds, including a two-tone ceramic bowl with stoneware finish. What I love most is the stamped lettering inside rim that reads "Full of Thanks". It retails for $16.99 and is both dishwasher- and microwave-safe. 

And of course, the farm animals ceramic measuring spoons is too adorable not to love. The set includes 4 sizes: 1 Tbsp. (cow), 1 tsp. (sheep), 1/2 tsp. (pig) and 1/4 tsp. (rooster). Each spoon has a different-colored glaze trim and easy-to-read size noted on its handle. This set, which retails for $16.99, must be washed by hands. The spoon set even matches Hallmark's "Gather Chickens" paper luncheon napkins, which sells fo $6.95 for a set of 20. Also seen above is a "Welcome Family" placemat, currently listed at $7.99 each.

Finally, we can't forget that Hallmark offers a wide assortment of all things Halloween. Check out this fun glass bead bracelet that sells for $9.95. You can also find gift bags, tissue paper and even skull socks. But personally, I'm more excited about these Paw Patrol Halloween themed stickers. Each pack comes with two sheets and costs only $3. Isn't that grrreat?

Now, on to the giveaway. One of my readers will win the Rustic Wood Sign, valued at $19.99. To be eligible to win, you must be a resident of Canada, excluding Quebec, and complete the Rafflecopter form below. 

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

Kapow! Have I got some super awesome gift ideas from Hallmark to help celebrate the dads and grads in your life! For real, these superhero themed Father's Day gifts are sure to knock your dad's socks off. I'm talking about this fun "What happens in the Batcave stays in the Batcave" Embossed Metal Sign and the boldly coloured Superman Grilling Apron. And you gotta love the Hulk Grilling Mitt! Although, I think it have been even funnier if it read: "You wouldn't like me when I'm HANGRY." These gifts range from $14.95 for the sign to $29.95 each for the apron and mitt.

This Father's Day, Hallmark brings us this rustic Dad and Duct Tape Rustic Wood Quote Sign, which costs only $9.95 with the purchase of three cards. You can also grab a copy of Beer-topia: A Heady Brew of Beer Miscellany Book or a set of Whiskey Rocks Set With Storage Box for under $20. And their Signature gift cards, well, they're like a gift in and of themselves. The navy card with cork letters on a faux leather matt is quite beautifully crafted.

My nephew is graduating from elementary school and so I'm giving him this adorable Snoopy 2018 Graduation Stuffed Animal Gift Card Holder. The top of his hat has a nifty pocket to hold a gift card, while his collar commemorates the year. And it only costs $12.95. The Going Places Leather Luggage Tag, which is listed at the same price, comes in a bright turquoise blue to help luggage stand out. My personal favourite is the ceramic Go Places - See Stuff Mug, just because of the bright colours. 

At Hallmark, you won't have a problem finding the perfect greeting card. You just may have trouble walking away with only one, they're so beautiful! The card on the right features a removable bookmark with a fun tassel, while the one on the left matches so well with the She Believed She Could Book.

Enter for a chance to win a Superman Grilling Apron from Hallmark, valued at $29.95. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only, excluding Quebec, who have reached the age of majority. Please complete the Rafflecopter form below to be eligible to win.

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

Spring is in the air and so too is Mother Nature's calling to revitalize, rejuvenate and rejoice. After a long and stress-filled winter, I know I feel compelled to escape the everyday, indulge in some rest and relaxation, and celebrate the beauty of the season, which also happens to be replete with many a birthday. Luckily, I had a little help from Hallmark in finding the perfect gifts for my family and friends. First up is this beautiful Mark & Hall Camel Colorblock Tote Bag, featured above. Stripes are always fashionable and this handbag has the perfect blend of simplistic style and practicality. It's a steal at a special value of $14.95. Featuring comfortable shoulder straps and a reinforced bottom panel in attractive vegan leather, it pairs beautifully with a matching embossed luggage tag and passport holder set. We gifted this as a bon-voyage-slash-early-birthday gift for my sister-in-law who is living in Italy for a few months while she works on writing her cookbook. But it would also make a great gift for a graduate, honeymooning bride and groom, or a friend journeying abroad. We also threw in a botanical inspired Floral Grey Scarf, available at a special price of $9.95.

For the littles celebrating springtime birthdays or kindergarten graduation, check out these new Happy Go Luckys mini plush toys ($12.95). The Springtime collection includes Twirp, the adorable chick, who is as mighty as he is little, his friend, Boe Kay the flower, who loves to brighten everyone's day and the street-smart gray bunny, Hip Hop, who bounces through the day with a style all his own. And of course, I can't forget Floral Print Floppy Snoopy ($12.95). This stuffed animal screams "spring" and is just begging for little hugs!

Finally, whether you're going away for the weekend or planning a staycation filled with yoga and meditation, don't forget to spoil yourself. Hallmark's Hot + Cold aromatherapy Lavender Comfort Wrap ($34.95) soothes, relaxes and rejuvenates achy shoulders, sore spots on lower and upper back or the tummy area for relief of uncomfortable cramps. It features a blend of aromatic herbs known and selected for their qualities to calm, soothe, and release stress, including flax seed, lavender, chamomile, peppermint, spearmint, lemon grass, rosemary, cinnamon and other natural ingredients. While you let the wrap do its thing, chill on the sofa in a pair of "Just Chill" lotus flower slippers. These fun and casual slippers are soft and cozy, and retail for $29.95. And remember to rehydrate and remind yourself that glamour has no age limit with a sassy 17-ounce water bottle, featuring a double-wall construction and a screw-top lid. Need somewhere to store them all while on your mini getaway? Check out their classic faux-leather Mark & Hall zippered tote. It features two decorative tassels, gold-tone expansion zippers and a bright floral-lined interior that makes it easy to find what you're looking for. It also includes a zippered interior pocket and a detachable zippered wristlet.

Want the perfect excuse to just chill? Enter for a chance to win a pair of "Just Chill" slippers, valued at $29.95. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only, excluding Quebec, who have reached the age of majority. Please complete the Rafflecopter form below to be eligible to win.

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

If there's one factor that motivates my hunt for the perfect Mother's Day gift, practicality rules about 90 percent of the time. I often look for a gift that serves a purpose and won't otherwise collect dust or end up in storage after just one use. No, the pragmatic side of me cannot justify pulling out my digital wallet just for the sake of spending money. I would much rather give a sentimental gift, such as a handmade card or a photo album with pictures of the family. And if I can print my photos from home, all the better. As luck would have it, I have been testing out the Epson EcoTank ET-2750 All-In-One Printer for the past couple of weeks and, if you're looking for the ultimate tech gift for your multi-tasking mom, check out this practical gift idea. 

The ET-2750 would make an ideal for Mother's Day because it's the gift that keeps on giving. It has an automatic double-sided feature to help save paper, making it a great gift for the eco-conscious mom. And I cannot tell you how much I love cartridge-free printing. It comes with up to two years of ink so mom won't have to worry about buying additional ink for quite some time. The specifications indicate that, with the ink provided in the box, the ET-2750 can print up to 6,500 pages in black or 5,200 in Colour, which is roughly the equivalent of 30 ink cartridge sets.

Filling your EcoTank 2750 is easy, especially when you find the handy notch near the top of the plastic packaging. Simply tear and voilà! No need for scissors. 

To fill the ink tank, you need to lift the scanner unit and follow the instructions on the "Start Here" guide. After you remove the bottle cap, you will notice that the top of the bottle fits the filling port of ink tank reservoir perfectly, like a puzzle piece.

Once positioned according the instructions, you can sit back and wait while the ink flows into the tank. It stops automatically when the ink is filled to the upper line. How smart is that! The bottles even come with a little of extra ink so you can top off the ink after running the initial print tests to calibrate and reset ink levels.

For the multi-tasking mom who juggles it all, the Epson Expression ET-2750 EcoTank All-in-One Supertank Printer can help lighten the load, one print, fax and scan at a time. And from virtually anywhere, too, thanks to the convenience of wireless printing. It is currently listed at $379.99, which is much more affordable than the ET-3600, but if you're looking for a more budget-friendly Mother's Day gift, have a look at the following printers by Epson.

Crafty moms will love the printer’s superior photo quality, fast prints speeds and a sleek design. The Expression XP-6000 can print a 4” x 6” photo in as fast as 15 seconds and its auto-photo correction and red-eye removal ensures perfect photos every time. This reminds me of the Epson Expression Premium XP-630 that printed amazing photos.

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-2860 All-In-One Printer - $129.99

For the Boss Mom

Powered by PrecisionCore printing technology, the space-saving WF-2860 delivers laser-quality prints and features a 150-sheet paper capacity and a 30-page Auto Document Feeder. Its network-free wireless printing allows mom to print directly from her laptop, tablet or phone. Whether preparing a brochure, a client report or an invite for a family party, the WorkForce Pro WF-2860 will help mom get the job done.

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

With Mother's Day approaching, I am really looking forward to celebrating this special day with my family. The kids usually bring home a creative craft or a one-of-a-kind card that they made at school and spoil me with hugs and kisses. It's also the perfect reason to visit their nonna and then make the drive to Hamilton to spend some time with my parents and the rest of my family. We don't travel to Hamilton nearly enough so these special occasions are extra precious because, well... I miss my mom. And my dad, of course. It is also when we celebrate my son's birthday since it falls so close to Mother's Day, making it even more special. Plus, my mom makes the best barbecue - pork chops, homemade sausage, chicken. I can't wait!

As much as I love spending a Mother's Day barbecue with my family, I do feel guilty that my mom spends all morning preparing for the barbecue, even though she is used to hosting. She isn't getting any younger and her arthritis is only getting worse. So when I received an invitation to attend a special Mother's Day wrapping party hosted by Hallmark Canada and Rick Campanelli, I didn't even bat an eye. There were so many beautiful gifts on display and guests were invited to pick out a gift for mom. It turned out to be harder than I thought, since Hallmark managed to throw together an incredible collection of Mother's Day gift ideas. Did you know they carry jewelry? Check out the gorgeous set of rose gold plated filigree heart bracelets above.

When it came to wrapping up our gifts, there were so many options from which to choose. Thankfully, we had a wall full of ideas to inspire us. And Rick, of course, who was on hand and ready to roll up his sleeves to help out with the wrapping. Did you know he is originally from Hamilton, like moi? It was so fun chatting with him about our hometown while putting final touches on our Mother's Day gifts. Stay tuned as I share more of my #LoveHallmarkCA Mother's Day gift ideas and a giveaway, too!

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

Did you know that the origins of Valentine's Day date back to the third century? According to Roman legend, Valentinus was imprisoned for his Christian beliefs and sentenced to death. While in jail, he restored the sight of his jailer’s blind daughter. On the eve of his death, Valentinus wrote a note to her and signed, “From Your Valentine.” He died the next day on February 14, 269 A.D. Centuries later Romans would honour Juno, the pagan goddess of love and marriage, on the 14th of February when men would draw women’s names and court them for marriage. Around 498 A.D., Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day to honor the martyr Valentinus and to end the pagan celebration. Today, approximately 144 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged industry-wide, and this does not include packaged kids’ valentines!

This Valentine's Day, Hallmark Canada has once again made it easy to share the love with heartfelt greetings and gifts for all of your special loved ones. Their Signature collection of greeting cards, as always, offers a beautiful selection of quality designs. Of particular note is Hallmark's new Disney card collection. And I have a little soft spot for the golden dinosaur embossed card, one I know my nephew would love. These are cards that are a gift in and of themselves, that's how beautiful they are.

For those who like to journal or sketch, then you must definitely check out Hallmark's Signature Multicolour Brushstrokes with Gold Dots Journal. It is filled with 160 blank pages and features a colourful acrylic cover with gold foil accents that adds a comfortable weight and durability to this fashionable journal. I also love the Signature Tri-Fold Purse Notepad. This 75-sheet memo pad comes with a mini pencil and fits perfectly in a purse, tote bag or car glove compartment. It features an abstract painted pastel heart and gold foil accented cover design, and it includes 12 mini cards with super sweet messages that fit in a side pouch. It also matches perfectly with Hallmark's Signature gold heart gift bag, seen above, complete with matching gold beads on the handles.

And of course, we can't forget about all the stuffed cuteness Hallmark has to offer. In addition to their itty bitties and other stuffed toys, Hallmark brings you Cu-Pug, a plush pooch with gold lamé wings and a chiffon sash. They also have an incredibly soft Sweet Singin' Elephant that sings "You Are My Sunshine". He's so cute, I just want to cuddle him all day long!

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

There's always one. That one person on your holiday list for whom finding the perfect gift is next to impossible. But at the end of the day, do we really need more stuff? As much as I would love a 60 inch 4K Ultra HD TV, I really don't need one. If there is one thing I do need, it would be more down time, some good ol' rest and relaxation. And that's not something you can easily wrap in a box. Thanks to Breakaway Experiences, we can think outside the gift box and treat our loved ones to unique experiences and fond memories to be treasured forever.

We were then invited into our private luxury suite where we revelled in a 60 minute holistic massage. Inside the suite, there was a colour therapy shower with a rainforest cascade, and a mini lounge area. It was the perfect place to escape the everyday chaos and relish the serene atmosphere of the spa.

Afterwards, we were invited to enjoy a complimentary tea in the luxurious tea room where gentle music played.

And before our experience ended, I was able to enjoy some quietude in the relaxing steam colour therapy sauna in the ladies' change room. (There is also one in the men's change room as well.) This is actually recommended before the treatment but I completely forgot and didn't want to pass up on the chance to check it out. It's not like any sauna I've been in. The ceiling is dotted with tiny lights that slowly change colour. So pretty!

This Luxury for 2 at Novo Spa experience is but one of many spa experiences available through Breakaway Experiences. But that's not all. They have flying experiences, hot air balloon rides, driving experiences, dog sledding, gourmet experiences, snowshoeing, horseback riding, dance classes, aerial adventures, segway tours, family fun experiences and... need I go on? And if you just can't choose, you can't go wrong with a Breakaway Experiences Gift Certificate. It's kind of like a gift that gives twice!

Speaking of gift certificates, Breakaway Experiences has offered up a $100 gift certificate to one lucky Toronto Teacher Mom reader! To be eligible to win, please complete the Rafflecopter form below. Open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec.

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Disclosure: I received a complimentary experience via Breakaway Experiences to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.