Today I bring you good news. I will be continuing on as a member of Hallmark's 2016 Love, Hallmark Blogger Panel, sharing my thoughts on Hallmark Canada's latest products and special offers. Oh, and there may be some prizes in it for you, too! First up, we bring you our top picks for Valentine's Day, such as their Oversized Mugs. These large mugs would make the perfect gift for the coffee lover in your life. Prefer hot chocolate? Just think how many marshmallows you could fit inside. I use my new mug all the time and love wrapping my hands around a warm cup of java. These mugs retail for $12.95 and there are a number of messages to choose from.

Don't forget to shower the love in your life with words from the heart. Choose from either the "I Love Us" pack containing 100 love notes or the "What I Love About Us" collection which you can personalize with notes of your own. Both retail for $9.95 at Hallmark stores.

One of the things I love about Hallmark is that they carry a little bit of something for everyone. For the fashionista, check out their Wrapped in Love scarves, retailing for $19.95. They feature fun patterns but can be worn any time of year. For young ones in love, the Love U Forever trinket box is a cute yet subtle gift idea. It's perfect for storing special little love notes, jewelry or other small mementos. This little red box retails for $26.95. Welcoming a new bundle of joy? Spread some extra love with a Little Cupid plush rattle, only $8.95!

Hallmark has a large selection of other plush toys as well. For Valentine's Day, you can find these adorable Cuddles to Share Bears that are too cute to resist. I love their oversized heads and xoxo printed paws. If you purchase three Hallmark cards, you can nab these cuties for $7.95 each. Or you could up the ante and try the Love-A-Saurus plush that sings and dances to an MC Hammer inspired dino-tune. Although, it's tough to beat Hallmark's Hug-Lovin' Hippo they released last year.

Finally, we can't forget teachers. I don't usually buy gifts for my kids' teachers and rarely do I receive any gifts other than a Valentine with a chocolate treat. But if you are looking to do something a little extra special for that teacher who has gone the extra mile for your child, Hallmark's Memo Pad Set with Pen would make a lovely and practical gift. It contains two memo pads with 100 sheets each, one smaller memo pad with 50 sheets and a matching pen. And it only costs $12.95.

And wait, we can't forget to show a little love to our humble abode. Our home does so much to make sure we are safe from the elements, providing us with shelter and a place to raise our families. That's why I love Hallmark Canada's Happy Pillow. It's a great home décor gift item that will cheer up the living space. The pillow retails for $34.95 but luckily, you can WIN your very own! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form. Open to Canadian residents only, excluding Quebec.

To help you find the coolest gifts for kids, my son and daughter have rounded up their favourite toys from Hasbro. Today, we share three top picks as selected by my 7-year-old son. Given the popularity of the latest Star Wars movie, it isn't any surprise that his top pick is the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Remote Control BB-8. Designed for children ages 4 years and up, BB-8 rolls in the direction that his head is facing. One button controls the direction of his head, the other controls the direction of his body. Inside the body is the mechanism that launches BB-8 in any direction. You will need to open the body and remove the mechanism in order to install the batteries. The mechanism also has a powerful magnet which is used to hold the head in place, although it can be easily knocked off. Tip: Make sure the body has stopped moving completely before replacing the head.

The Remote Control BB-8, which launched last fall, features realistic droid sound effects, just like in the movie. (It also served as inspiration for my latest iPad drawing.) It retails for $69.99 and is available at retail locations such as Walmart and Toys R Us. Requires four AA batteries and two AAA batteries, not included. 

Number two on his list of must-have toys by Hasbro is the Star Wars: Bladebuilders Foam Yoda Lightsaber. I thought for sure he would pick one of the electronic lightsabers that light up and make cool sounds. Instead, he preferred the simplistic foam lightsaber since it does the trick. He likes to re-enact scenes with the kids in the neighbourhood and had been asking for a lightsaber for the longest time. This foam version is lightweight and perfect for imaginative play. It is designed for kids ages 4 and up, and retails for $19.99.

Last, but definitely not least, is Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron Iron Man Arc FX Armor. These articulated Arc FX gloves feature a light-up repulsor in the palm of one glove, as well as sound effects. This is the perfect accessory for his Iron Man Halloween costume but he also enjoys playing with them all on their own. Our family really loved the Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron movie... well, we pretty much love every Marvel movie... so these Iron Man gloves are fun to have around. They are a nice addition to our growing Marvel costumes and accessories collection which includes Marvel's Thor: The Dark World mask and battle hammer. The Arc FX gloves aren't snug around the wrists like regular gloves but my son has never mentioned it as being uncomfortable at all. He plays with them inside and outside, too. The gloves retail for $24.99 and require 1 AAA battery but a demo battery is included. 

Next up is Hallmark's Time for Cookies Snowman Techno Plush which features two utterly adorable snowmen and their pup. I love this one for the fine details and the ultra soft plush but watching these cuddly characters sing and dance makes this one hard to resist. You can save $15 when you purchase this plush with 3 Hallmark Cards. It also coordinates with Hallmark's "There's Snow Time Like Cookie Time" storybook, sold separately.

  

And they haven't forgotten about us Disney Frozen fans. Head into Hallmark to pick up a Will Anna and Elsa Miss the Ball? Puzzle Book. Read the story, build the puzzle and solve the mystery of the friends get to the ball on time. This set comes with a 24-piece puzzle and a softcover book.

Featured above are two gift ideas that would be perfect for teachers, I say. The first is a Nordic Clipboard Bundle that includes a 60-page notepad, two magnets and a pencil. The second is a festive Guest Towel and Basket Set. 

Of course, Hallmark has a very large range of greeting cards, including these Holiday Boxed Cards. They range from elegant to fun and are filled with heartwarming sentiments. 

Now don't go rushing off to your nearest Hallmark just yet. I have a Keepsake Kids My First Tree to give away. This huggable tree is made with soft felt fabric and is covered with large, colourful buttons for hanging Keepsake Kids Ornaments, sold separately. To be eligible to win, complete the Rafflecopter form below. Open to Canadian residents, excluding Quebec. And don't forget to check out Hallmark.ca to find more holiday gift ideas.

What's that you say? It's almost June? I hadn't noticed. It's not like I was counting down until the last day of school. No, not me. But now that you mention it, I am really looking forward to June. Graduation is always an exciting time and, although I do not teach any grade 8's this year, I still help during the graduation ceremony by handing out the French awards and looking after the music. Last year, I even worked with two graduates who performed a rendition of "Say Something" while I played the piano. It's always nice to send off the graduating class as they embark on their new journey. And they're lucky to have amazing grade 8 teachers who work extremely hard to put together a graduation celebration and luncheon, not to mention an amazing yearbook year after year. It's such an important occasion and what better way to commemorate than with a memento from Hallmark.

At the top of my list of Hallmark must-haves is the Autograph Graduation Bear. This adorable fabric bear includes a black marker and plenty of room for autographs. It retails for $16.95 but you can save $4 with any purchase. They also have a couple of dated mugs with designed handles: Class of 2015, as seen above, and YOU DID IT! Tassle Mug. These ceramic mugs are dishwasher safe and retail for $12.95 each. Of course, they have plenty of frames as well, including graduation frames. The one above can hold a 4" x 6" photo and includes the sentiment, "When their dreams come true, ours do, too." This frame costs $12.95 but other sizes are also available. Don't forget to pick up some graduation themed gift bags or a set of thank you cards for your future grad.

Now I know, June is not just about grads. Dads celebrate a special day, too. Luckily, Hallmark has you covered with a fabulous assortment of Life is good products. From wooden Father's Day Frames ($16.95 each) and matching gift bags to ceramic mugs with uniquely designed handles ($14.95 each), there are plenty of gift ideas at Hallmark. My favourites are the golf and BBQ towels. They are 100% cotton and retail for $16.95. The best part? Life is good donates 10% of its net profits to help kids in need. So it's like your gifting twice!

Every Easter, our family looks forward to spending time with relatives and friends both here in Toronto and back in my hometown. This year will be even more special now that we have a new addition to the family, my baby nephew! I don't often buy gifts for this particular holiday, aside from some delicious Easter-themed chocolates, but I happened to have some Easter DVDs as well as some really cute plush toys from Hallmark that we received for review. I even thought about buying the Bunny Mugs and Bunny Serving Platter above as a little hostess gift. Don't you just love the spring colours? The platter retails for $19.95 and the mugs are $10.95 each.

This month, my goddaughter will be spending some time with a few of her favourite characters thanks to the NEW Treehouse Ultimate Collection Cube. Inside this boxed set is a collection of ten Treehouse favourites, each in its own DVD case. Included in the set are two DVDs each of the following shows: Toopy and Binoo, Max and Ruby, Octonauts and My Big, Big Friend. Also included are: one Franklin DVD and one The Berenstain Bears DVD. In total, she will be able to enjoy over 100 of the best Treehouse episodes over and over again! When I visited over the weekend to deliver this special gift, my goddaughter couldn't wait to open it. And when I started singing the theme songs for Max and Ruby and Toopy and Binoo, she looked at me like I was out of this world. In a "you're the coolest godmother ever" kind of way.

With Easter right around the corner, I also brought over another new Treehouse release. Zack & Quack have arrived in Canada for the first time on DVD in Zack & Quack: Popping Hopping Easter (available March 10). This adorable show by Kaboom! Entertainment follows Zack and Quack as they take a trip to the circus. During their fantastic adventures inside a pop-up book, they find a cure for Belly-Up's hiccups and help the Easter Bunny get her special chocolate chickens back to the coop just in time to save Easter. It all takes place in a world full of surprises, where pulling pop-ups makes exciting and unexpected things happen. This DVD includes five fun episodes and include: Zack & Quack Pop-Up Circus, Popping Hopping Hiccups, The Pop-Up Easter Egg Hunt, The Poparang 3000, and The Pop Up Easter Egg Hunt.

And remember Little Nutbrown Hare? He returns this year in the new release titled Guess How Much I Love You – The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare – Someone Special. Inspired by the best-selling books, this DVD follows the adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare and his father Big Nutbrown Hare through seven heartwarming episodes. Little Nutbrown Hare sets out on a hunt for treasure in a meadow, tries to touch the stars and learns to find his way home while spending time with someone special. It's the perfect reminder that there is no greater love than that shared between a parent and child. Episodes include: Moon Dance, Can You Touch The Stars, Field of Flowers, Treasure Hunt, Wind Whistle, Lucky Stick and Shadow Play.

This year marks my fourth year as a member of the Hallmark Canada Blogger Panel and I am looking forward to sharing some Hallmark love with all of you. To kick off the year, we will begin with some fun Valentine's Day gift ideas. 

First up is Hallmark's super cute Hug-Lovin' Hippo. She dances and sings a parody of one of my favourite '90s songs:

Hug-Lovin' Hippo is just as adorable as The Hearts A-Hoppin' Frog that came out last year but I love Hippo's song even more. If you buy three Hallmark cards, you can purchase Hug-Lovin' Hippo for $17.95 at participating Hallmark Gold Crown stores (regularly $32.95).

If you're looking for a classic tale of puppy love, Hallmark has a Lady and the Tramp gift book with a matching Doggone Sweet Lady and the Tramp plush toy. Both my kids wanted this one so I took a pair of scissors and separated the two dogs so they could each have one. They really don't need more stuffies but it reminded me of a special movie date for two I had with my son a couple of years back. We are big fans of Lady and the Tramp. Speaking of which, I had uploaded some Lady and the Tramp colouring pages and printable activities if you're looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend.

One really cute gift idea which I hadn't seen before is the Penny Paperheart Mini Bake Shop Play Set. This paper play set includes Penny and her friend, Patti, story card, paper outfits and accessories, and perforated Hearts of Kindness. Plus, it has a pull-out drawer to hold it all. This is just one of six sets and would be a great starter set in a paper play collection.

Of course, Hallmark has a myriad of Valentine's Day themed gift ideas for adults, too. Their Marjolein Bastin Heart-Shaped Memo Pad would make a great teacher gift and their ceramic Love Cup with Marker is great for leaving your special loved one sentimental notes. The best part is that you can erase and repeat day after day! Hallmark also has some really beautiful gift bags to make gift-giving even that much easier.

Finally, if you haven't already bought Valentine's Day cards for your kids' classmates, you still have a few days left to buy them. Hallmark carries all sorts of branded kids' Valentine's Day cards including Star Wars ™, Disney® Princesses, Mickey Mouse Club House and the ever-popular Disney's Frozen.

And just so you know, I totally approve of the Frozen Valentine for teacher. You gotta love Olaf!

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.

If you thought Disney's Frozen was the #1 animated film of all time, you're wrong. It's Frozen Sing-Along Edition. You can still enjoy the same colourful characters and beautiful backdrops as you follow Anna on her journey to find her sister Elsa and save Arendelle. But now you can sing along with your favourite Frozen tunes by following the lyrics on-screen with a bouncing Frozen snowflake. This feature was clearly designed with parents in mind since practically every child I know has memorized all the words to the songs. At least, they know them much better than I do.

Ho, ho, ho-ly mackerel! There are only two weeks left until Christmas and I still have much to do to get ready. Okay, I will never be ready just like I have never been ready for Christmas since I'm such a procrastinator. Leaving things to the last minute has always been a fault of mine. I guess that's why I loved childhood so much. It was my parents' job to worry about getting ready for Christmas while all I had to worry about was begging them to let me open just one gift on Christmas Eve. Golly, those were the days! Now, I need to make sure that I have enough gifts for everyone, all the decorations are up and the house has had a good cleaning before hosting dinner guests next weekend. At least I've had some help with one of those items on my to-do list thanks to Hallmark Canada.

For a special little one on my shopping list, I will be gifting the adorable Perfect Tree Snowman Plush that has a sign that lights up as the snowmen sway. It is a great commemorative item for 2014 and this year the plush features a parody of "Up on the Housetop." If you purchase three Hallmark cards, you can nab this plush for $15.95. It also coordinates with "There's Snowbody Like You!" storybook, sold separately.

And what child wouldn't love a Push and Play Techno Plush? Hallmark's Rudolph is simply irresistible, so much so that I had to keep him at work. My grade one students are so eager to be chosen as my special helper who gets to take care of Nez Rouge during French class! Also available: Clarice, the reindeer and Bumble, the abominable snow monster.

Hallmark is also expanding their collection of itty bittys® with their Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 50th Anniversary Collector Set. Buy the whole kit and caboodle for $29.95 or individually for $6.95 each.

If it's a hostess or a teacher gift you're looking for, Hallmark has several "Gifts to Go" that come packaged with a designer to/from hang tag and a festive sprig of evergreen tied with a bright red ribbon. Choose from a cozy mug, nesting bowls, a Christmas tea set or an appetizer plate set (featured above).

Being a visual/spatial learner, I have always veered towards books with pictures that are captivating and beautiful. There is something to be said about well-written books that are accompanied by artistic and creative illustrations. Even in my adult years, I find it hard to resist a good picture book. Recently, I happened across a couple of books that instantly caught my eye. 

The first picture book is Creature Features by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. This book is jam packed with many cool facts and visuals on 25 different animals; where they live, what they eat and why they look the way they do. Humorous and accurate explanations coupled with torn- and cut-paper collage artwork make this a great addition to any home or classroom library. An educator guide is also available to accompany this book. This list price is around $23 but you can purchase Creature Features on Indigo.ca at a current price of $16.60. There is also a Kobo eBook version available as well.

The second picture book I would recommend is Fall Leaves by Loretta Holland. A native of North Carolina, Holland has spent much of her time roaming through hills and valleys, paying particular attention to the change in seasons. In this book, she focuses on autumn and captures the spirit of change in a style that is part poem, part silent stage. It is illustrated by the talented Elly MacKay, a paper artist and children's book illustrator who painstakingly creates her illustrations piece by piece, forming a miniature theatre. Currently residing in Owen Sound, MacKay's inspiration for this book stems from her memories of growing up in Big Bay, Ontario. Her illustrations in Fall Leaves using ink, yupo paper, light and photography have resulted in a remarkable work of art.