July is a fun-filled month. It means the start of summer vacation for myself and the kids, and it starts off with a bang - Canada Day! This July also marked the PanAm Games here in Toronto as well as National Chocolate Day on July 7. But for our family, it's also the month where we celebrate several birthdays and anniversaries. Of particular note was my daughter's 10th birthday. To celebrate this milestone year, we threw her a special Minion-themed party. She originally wanted an Inside Out theme but she changed her mind when she saw Minion party goggles and matching plates at Walmart. We also picked up some customizable drinking cups in yellow with a peel and scratch so guests could write their name or draw their own Minion eyes. My daughter also thought of purchasing yellow balloons so she could draw a number of Minion faces and decorate our main floor. And we can't forget the cake! We ordered a double chocolate Minion cake from Longo's, which was absolutely delicious.

For the party, we decided to try something different and went with a painting party. My daughter wanted to paint something a little more 'artsy' than a Minion cartoon so she went with something that had equally large eyes - an owl. First of all, let me tell you how much I value quiet. But given that it was a party with 16 kids and 10 adults, I prepared for three hours of high volume fun. Instead, it was the complete opposite. I mean, they still had fun. But for the first 45 minutes, the kids were concentrating so hard on their paintings, they barely said a word. You could hear a pin drop! In total, it took about an hour and a half to complete the painting which meant the kids could have some fun outside while their paintings dried. They also played "Pin the Pocket on the Minion" before enjoying some cake. Since they each got to take home a beautifully painted pièce de résistance, I didn't see the need for your typical loot bag. Instead, each guest left with a Kinder Surprise Egg. Minion-themed, of course!

With February looming around the corner, it's hard to believe it's been fours weeks since we took our son skiing for the first time. It was a last-minute family getaway, one that began with a cold evening of fun at Horseshoe's Tubing and Adventure Park. I took my daughter there last year so I am glad we had a chance to share the experience with my son this time around. I will never forget the look on his face when he smiled a great big toothy smile as we flew down the chute on a cushy tube. The following day, we took to the bunny hill and faced cold winds and freezing snow. We wanted to ski some more but the weather wasn't cooperating. Surely we would return for some more wintry fun, right?

We aren't quite halfway through the winter season and, while we haven't been back yet, I am hopeful we will return to the slopes before the snow disappears. What little we have of it, that is. The below-freezing temperatures are a bit of a deterrent and have made it hard to find the time to send the kids outside. This means I have had to find alternate activities to occupy the kids and keep boredom at bay while stuck indoors. We've played board games, watched movies, read books and tried out some new video games. But sometimes it just wasn't enough. So of course, I made it my mission to add some extra cheer, especially where my son is concerned. He loves playing outside with the neighbours and gets really down when he has to stay inside on extremely cold days. I was at the store last week when I noticed a set of KINDER® Surprise Valentines. I picked up a set each of the Transformers and Disney Fairies limited edition sets, saving them as an extra special treat on an extra cold day.

And surely, my son was happily surprised. The look on his face when he saw his new little toy was enough to melt my heart. He has now decided that he wants to collect the entire set and already has three, including his favourite - Bumblebee. He also has his eyes set on the new race cars in the 2015 toy collection.

My daughter has already found some of the new toys, including a little green ball, and is starting her Disney Fairies collection.

September is typically a busy month for many parents and doubly so for those of us who are teachers as well. With the hustle and bustle of the back-to-school season, it is easy to get caught up in the routine of daily lunch prep, homework, piano practice, dance class and tennis lessons. Honestly, I don't remember ever being this busy when I was a kid. I do, however, remember how my parents would bring home a special treat for us. Sometimes it would be in recognition of our best efforts in school. Or sometimes it would be for no particular reason at all. Whatever the case may have been, unwrapping a KINDER® SURPRISE® egg always put a great big smile on my face and gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. It also brought my parents much joy to see us so happy as we assembled our little toy while enjoying a sweet treat. And now, decades later, I get to revel in the same joy with my own children. And this month, I rejoin a fabulous group of KinderMoms, KinderDads and KinderMamans to bring you the latest and greatest on KINDER® Canada! 

This month, KINDER® launches their newest toys that can be found in specially marked KINDER® SURPRISE® eggs. Transformers and Disney Fairies fans will want to keep their eyes peeled over the next few weeks as these special treats will be hitting store shelves. There are 8 Transformers toys and 10 Disney Fairies toys available in specially marked KINDER® SURPRISE® eggs. I am personally looking out for Tinkerbell and Bumblebee.

For those who haven't heard, on August 30 at the CNE, KINDER® Canada broke a GUINNESS World Record for the most people opening candy at the same time. We're talking 817 KINDER® eggs, people! Participants received a free chocolate treat to help break this record and all I can think of was how many different toys they must have found inside.