You know the winter weather is upon us when your skin starts to feel dry and your lips feel chapped. It's enough to make you browse through travel catalogues in search of warmer climates and pristine beaches. But for those of us who are stuck facing sub-zero temperatures and the effects of dry air, we can take consolation in knowing that there is a solution to our dry-skin dilemma. And it goes by the name of Burt's Bees.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Burt's Bees, it began back in 1984 as a candle-making operation ran by Roxanne Quimby and Burt Shavitz that produced $200 worth of sales at their first craft fair. (You can read about their "unusual" story written by Roxanne here.)By the end of their first year, their sales reached $20 000, an indicator that their candles were of high quality and their craftsmanship highly valued. Soon enough, their company expanded to include natural soaps, perfumes and eventually lip balm, their best-selling product to date. By 1998, their sales surpassed a whopping $8 million! Their expansive product line now includes other natural products such as body lotions made with natural milk and sugar enzymes, bath products made with sea ingredients, toothpaste, shampoos and a Baby Bee product line to name a few. This year marks their 25th anniversary.

When I first met my husband, I was introduced to the notion that natural and organic was the wiser and healthier option. It has been a way of life for him and his family for longer than most people I know, so when they introduced me to Burt's Bees lip balm almost six years ago, I had to try it. I loved it then and I still love it now. So imagine my delight when I was asked to try Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil for review. The first time I applied it, it went on oh so smoothly and tasted oh so sweet! My husband and I went out that evening to catch the premiere of New Moon, and after having applied it only once, and then devouring a large tray of salty tortilla chips, my lips still felt refreshed and kissably smooth. This naturally hydrating lip balm has definitely earned it's place in my purse! Best of all, it is infused with the antioxidant properties of pomegranate oil that coats your lips with a hint of colour.

As any new mom can testify, starting a new life with a newborn can be both exhilarating and also frightening. While you may feel overwhelmed with joy and excitement, there is still quite often the fear of the unknown. You might find yourself asking what you should do when the baby wakes up crying in the middle of the night. Or you might often worry about the transition back to work after your maternity leave is over. Whatever the situation may be, there may be consolation in knowing that you are not alone, and that millions of women over several generations have experienced similar concerns and asked similar questions. So who do we turn to for the answers? More than likely, you turn to experienced moms, those who've been through it all and those who are going through it right now. Their tips and advice can ease your worry and maybe even allow you that extra hour of sleep or two. That is why Pampers is working with Mom Central on a project entitled "A Parent is Born."

The aim of this project is to compile a list of useful tips for new and expecting Canadian moms. This list will be published in the Pampers Online Tips Sheet and 25 randomly selected entrants will receive a $20 gift card and one grand prize winner will receive a cash prize of $500! (Just in time for the holidays!) To enter, visit MomCentral and share your tips for any of these two categories:

1. How to Cope with Going Back to Work: Ways mom can prepare for the big day and ways to soothe the unease.

2. Baby/Mommy Sleep Tips: Tips on helping both Baby and mom sleep through the night.

Here are some tips I would like to share.

Topic 1: If you intend to return to work after having a baby and need a daycare, start looking at all the available options and put your name on as many waiting lists as you feel are worthwhile. You can always narrow down your choices at a later date but I found you can be on a waiting list for at least a year before a spot opens up. So I'd say start looking while the baby is still in utero.

Topic 2: I'm sure every mom can tell you that routine is key. (Keep late night activity to a minimum to avoid over stimulation; watch for the baby's cues such as rubbing his/her eyes, or in my son's case, sucking his fingers; turn the lights down low; consider a warm bath with calming lavender bubble bath and/or a massage before settling down to read a book.) For moms who nurse, you might want to try nursing in bed while lying down. My friend told me about it and it really made it easier for me to handle late night feedings.

If you have some advice you'd like to share on these two topics, be sure to place your entry before December 10, 2009 at midnight in order for a chance to win. This contest is opened to residents of Canada (excluding Quebec).

(Disclosure: I am participating in a Mom Central blog campaign and I received an Amazon.com gift certificate as a thank-you.)

Hello one and all. I just thought I'd share with you this link to Karen's post. She is hosting a great giveaway to the Disney On Ice: Princess Classics show being held at the Rogers Centre from December 18 - 27. If you're looking to buy tickets, she also has a coupon code to provide you with some savings through Mom Central. So if you haven't checked out her blog post, head over there now and enter for a chance to win 4 tickets!

So it's finally happening. My daughter is starting to sound out words phonetically! It amazes me to know end and although she spelled Africa "Afik" I am so excited to see how her skills will grow from here. It makes me light up with utter joy to hear her spell words on her own and read isolated words. She is so smart! My son is also making some achievements of his own as well. Not only is his lexicon ever expanding, but he is also saying these new words with more clarity. And he notices it, too. I love it!

I just wanted to share this picture I took of them around Halloween.


And here is a recent picture of my little ham!

I'm not quite sure what happened but I am pretty sure I did get plenty of shut eye last night. I just don't understand why I'm so tired to the point where I can't even keep my eyes open. I have tidied up a bit around the house and I really want to do more, but I'd rather curl up under a blanket and watch Grey's Anatomy on demand. Let's hope I can keep my eyes open long enough to see the ending.

During this crazy flu season, you might be one of those moms (or dads) who, like me, is constantly debating about what to do to help our kids be as healthy as possible. Now that my kids are both in daycare, with my eldest attending kindergarten as well, I often worry that they are now at more of a risk of catching the flu and other ailments.

This year we opted out of giving our children the flu vaccine as well as the H1N1 flu vaccine. I think the main reason we chose to do so is simply because our kids now have to get so many more vaccines than we did as children. It's scary to think about what is actually inside these vaccines (such as thimerosal in the hepatitis B vaccine) but it can be even scarier to think about what can happen if our children were to fall ill to the disease itself. I know this can be a very touchy subject but it is one that should be explored, discussed and debated until we can find a definitive answer, which could take a very long time if it is at all possible. It is thus my opinion that parents should do their own research if they are unsure of what to do, cover all our bases, so to speak. I know it can be time consuming and frustrating when you find information that conflicts, so it is handy to know which sources are most reliable and contain the most up-to-date information.

I was asked by Mom Central to participate in their blog tour to help make moms (and dads) aware of the resources provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health. Here are some of their helpful links that may aide in your decision-making process:

Updated flu clinic information

General flu information provided by the Ministry of Health

Online influenza assessment tool

(Disclosure: I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central, who will be sending out a "Fight the Flu" gift pack to the 20 bloggers who have to chosen to participate. Also, my name will be entered into a draw to win an Acer Notebook computer. So please keep your fingers crossed on my behalf!)

I came across this link posted by Valerie Reiss, who writes about healthy and holistic living. She shares some really interesting tips to help prevent you from getting the flu. You are probably aware of some of the tips but there are others that I am going to have to try out for myself. If you haven't already, read up on these simple tips on flu prevention. Hope this helps!

Seventh Generation and millions of babies are crawling to Washington to demand a law that will regulate toxic chemicals found in household products.

Check it out!

Babies are getting on soapboxes to demand toxic chemical policy reform from Congress, and to rally support for The Million Baby Crawl. Just have a look at this video.

And if you haven't already, check out this video: Babies Seen Crawling Through a Crosswalk

Let's all join the crawl!

Okay, so this is my first ever vlog so please don't laugh at how terribly it turned out. I recorded this on Facebook using my laptop camera in poor lighting conditions and to top it off, I sound ridiculous. It makes me wonder what I sound like when I ramble on during a lesson. My students must be so annoyed hearing me talk all period long! LOL I'm going to watch it again tomorrow and if I still feel embarrassed by it, I will most likely delete this post. So here is my Monday Mingle Vlog:

Just a short month ago, I was pleasantly surprised when my personal Clorox cleaning kit arrived at my door. Inside I found a bottle of Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Clorox Clean-up and several packages of their Disinfecting Wipes. You're probably wondering why I got so excited about cleaning products. Aside from the fact that I got to try them out at no expense, all these products have something in common that I find very important - they are DISINFECTING! This came at a crucial time of the year, the ever-dreaded flu season. With the H1N1 flu pandemic causing much concern amongst parents and the general population, it was nice to know that I had a stash of disinfecting wipes that kill 99.9% of household germs such as E. coli, Salmonella, Influenza Virus Type A2 and Rotavirus. Simply wipe any hard, non-porous surface throughout your house, bathroom or kitchen and let it remain wet for 10 minutes and voilà! The surface is disinfected!

My other two favorite products have to be the bathroom cleaner and toilet bowl cleaner. Whenever I think of germs, the bathroom is the first place I think of and hence, the first room I clean. Unlike some of the other bathroom cleaners I've tried, these two products do not have an overwhelming scent. This is very important to me because, ever since I had kids, I find my nose is awfully sensitive to powerful smells. I also like that the spray handle didn't leak, which I have experienced with some other spray bottles. It also gave me satisfaction in knowing that my bathroom was disinfected.

Although I was thoroughly pleased with the results of these products, I am very curious to try their Green Works Natural Cleaners. They contain plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, are not tested on animals and use recyclable packaging. These cleaners are available in a wide assortment, including laundry detergent for high efficiency washing machines, and are said to be powerful eco-friendly cleaners without harsh chemical residue. I am so glad this is where the trend is heading!