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Tips for a great off-season family day trip – With Freedom Mobile

April 1, 2019 by danawyyc 1 Comment

Thanks to Freedom Mobile for sponsoring this post.

Day trips don’t have to be limited to the summer months. In fact, a day trip is a great way to break up the monotony of any season.  It’s not quite ‘tourist season’ yet, but you can still find fun things to do as a family such as great museums, awesome indoor pools and hot springs which are open all year long.

To have a successful day trip in the off season, it’s even more important to have a network you can trust. Freedom Mobile has been expanding their home network and is rolling out Extended Range LTE.

We put this to the test with a trip to Alberta’s dinosaur capital, Drumheller. Below, you can find tips for making your off-season day trip with kids a success as well as learn how my iphone X from Freedom Mobile handled being outside of our home network.

1. Plan before you go

Check the weather and the road conditions, look-up the operating hours of the place you are planning to visit and get an estimate for how long your drive should be. The Royal Tyrrell Museum for example is open year round, but Fossil World is only open seasonally.

2. But stay flexible

There’s no need to stay set on your original plan. Sometimes things don’t take as long as you expect, or you may see something that looks really cool while you are there. You can easily check hours, find directions and look up reviews on the go. We ended up stopping at a couple of roadside attractions on the way home. It was super easy to get directions from Drumheller to where they were located in Irricana.

3. Pack an emergency kit and warm clothes and blankets

This is always a good idea but when there is potential for chillier weather or poor road conditions it becomes extra important.

4. Have activities for the kids in the car

Even if your trip is only an hour or so it can feel like a long time for the kids. Or for you, if you have bored, bickering children. It doesn’t have to be much, a new activity book, car bingo sheets, tablets or a movie can all do the trick. Younger kids may enjoy having a few hand held toys like cars or dinosaurs and some families really enjoy listening to audio books together or playing car games like eye spy.

5. Don’t forget snacks and water

Even though your trip might not be long, you’ll save money, time and your sanity by packing some snacks and water along with you.

6. Bring cords and extra batteries

Although newer phones like my Iphone X have a much better battery life than older phones, it is still a good idea to have the ability to charge your phone. Not only is this important in case of emergency, your also don’t want to miss a cute potential photo op because your phone has died.

7. Check for apps to make your visit even better

More and more places are creating their own apps to enhance your travel experience. The last time we were in Drumheller, we rented audio-sticks so we could listen to an audio tour of the Royal Tyrrell Museum. We didn’t realize it until we got there, but now they have an app that you can download onto your phone for free instead.

The verdict:

Throughout our trip to Drumheller and back, my Freedom Mobile away network was there whenever I needed it. Although there were a few short stretches of on a minor road we took where I did lose connectivity, this was no different from my husband’s work phone which is on another network.

We used the phone fairly heavily (which is pretty normal for us) – we checked road conditions, got directions, searched google for an article about the different dinosaurs figures around Drumheller, downloaded the Tyrrell Museum audio-tour app, made a call home and more.

I’ve tried Freedom Mobile for 6 months now, and it’s been trouble free. Although we spend most of our time in Calgary, it’s great to know that it can handle our road trips too.

Filed Under: Kid Activities, Sponsored

It Just Works – Sponsored by Freedom Mobile

December 19, 2018 by danawyyc 1 Comment

Thanks to Freedom Mobile for sponsoring this article

When Freedom Mobile asked me to try out their mobile network and write about it, I was pretty excited. I wasn’t super impressed with the network that I had been using and I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to try it out and share my experiences.

But there ended up being a big problem. While I was supposed to be trying it out, I hardly thought about it at all.

Impromptu Photos

One of the first things I did was take the kids out to review a new playground. I’ve been using my phone more and more for my photography so having a phone with a great camera is super important to me. The playground pictures and videos I took were great but what I really want to talk about is the photos I took of my kids. At the end of our visit the kids were hanging around a tree goofing around. I pulled out my iPhone X that I got from Freedom Mobile (they have great handset options now) and took some spur of the moment portraits. They turned out really well, especially for impromptu pictures. 

Waiting at the Doctor

We seem to have had an endless number of appointments this fall. Dentist appointments, doctor appointments, optometrist appointments. Playing eye spy out the window is fine (if you are lucky enough to have a window) but it gets old pretty fast. One of my least favourite things to do is try to entertain a three-year-old in a waiting room or empty doctor’s office. Thankfully, I was able to pull out my phone and distract him with YouTube. Baby Shark may have been endlessly running through my head for the next 3 days but at least I wasn’t pulling out my hair.  This would have been a great opportunity for me to evaluate the network, but I didn’t think about it at all.

Bedtime

My daughter has been having trouble settling at night since school started again this year, so I’ve been playing her guided meditations for kids. Even though my house is fairly small, there’s a dead spot in our WiFi network that happens to be in her room. Since Freedom Mobile has Big Plans that don’t cost big money, like the 10GB for $60 Big Gig plan that I’m currently on, I didn’t think twice about switching off the WiFi on my phone and running the video.

(In fact, for a limited time, Freedom’s Big Binge Bonus offers 100 GB of extra data when you sign-up for a $60/month, two year plan with a new handset. This data doesn’t expire and is automatically applied when you exceed your normal monthly limit, giving you even more freedom to use your data.)

Sharing with Family and Friends

When I’m not using my phone for blogging, I’m usually using it to connect with people. Sharing photos and videos, chatting, facetime, you name it. My kids love sharing all their big news with their family. My daughter lost her first tooth and couldn’t wait to show everyone. She loves showing everyone her cool new gymnastics moves, and I love that I don’t have to worry about whether I’m connected to a WiFi network before I hit share.

Exploring Outside

My kids and I spent some time exploring Nose Hill Park, finding new trails and geocaching. And despite using my phone extensively, I didn’t even think about the network. 

Hanging out at the Playground

When the weather was nice, my kids spent a lot of time at nearby parks. And so I spent a lot of time Facebooking while they played. Facebook is a surprisingly big data suck and few playgrounds have WiFi connections. It ends up being one of the biggest uses of my data consumption. But this fall, I didn’t think about it at all.

I hardly thought about it at all, but in retrospect, that’s exactly what I want in my network – service so reliable, I can focus my energy on more important things. It turns out, that the best kind of phone network is that kind that you don’t have to think about. It just has your back, whenever you need it. It just works. 

Filed Under: Sponsored

Random Acts of Kindness You Can Do with Your Kids – Kindness Sticks #Sponsored

April 16, 2018 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

Thanks to Shaw Communications for sponsoring this post. Check out the bottom of the post for more information about how your child can apply for a Kindness Sticks Grant to make a difference at their school.

Small acts of kindness show your kids that they have the power to make their world a better place and that even small actions matter. Doing small acts of kindness with your kids is also a great way to begin conversations about spreading kindness and empathy to those around them.

You can read our ideas for sharing kindness with people you know here [link]. Another way you can spread kindness is with random acts of kindness. Random acts of kindness are small actions that are intended to bring more kindness into the world. They aren’t done with a specific person in mind, in fact the recipient is often a complete stranger.

Here are some ideas for random acts of kindness you can do with your kids:

1. Pick up trash

Grab a garbage bag, put on some disposable gloves and head out to your local park, boulevard or other area that could use a little extra attention.

2. Paint kindness rocks

Write inspirational messages on painted rocks and spread them around your neighbourhood.

3. Be a snow angel

Shovel the sidewalk for one of your neighbours.

4. Buy a coffee

Pay for the coffee for the person behind you in line.

5. Donate books

Drop books off at a little free library or start your own!

6. Help the Homeless

Put together travel sized toiletry bags and give them to a homeless shelter

7. Hold a free lemonade stand

Put a twist on the traditional lemonade stand by giving the lemonade out for free or collecting donations to support your favourite charity.

8. Start a neighbourhood tradition

Anonymously drop off a little bag of treats at your neighbour’s house with a note attached that says “You’ve been Elfed” at Christmas or, you’ve been “Boo-ed” at Halloween.

9. Put change in a vending machine

Leave a surprise for the next person by pre-loading a vending machine with money for a snack.

10. Pass out stickers to kids waiting in line

Know a place where kids will be waiting in line? Offer them a sticker to bring a smile while they wait.

11. Create fun with chalk

Use chalk to create a game people can play on your sidewalk like hopscotch.

12. Help kids keep warm

Donate mittens or hats to your school for kids who need them.

13. Dry the slides at the park

Take a towel to your local playground after the rain and dry off the slides.

14. Make cards for a seniors home

Brighten their day with artwork and a kind message.

15. Blow bubbles at the park

Create some extra fun at the park by blowing bubbles. For even more fun, bring some extra wands and a dish so other kids can blow bubbles too.

Kindness Sticks Grant Program

Do you know a student who would like to make their school a better place?

With the Shaw Kindness Sticks grant program, Shaw is looking to partner up with students who have an idea to make kindness stick at their school.

If your idea is selected, your school could receive a Kindness Sticks grant of up to $5000 to make it happen. Be creative and involve your school.  Make sure your project is submitted before April 30, 2018, 5 p.m. MST.

Want to apply but not sure where to start? Consider the following questions:

  • How does my project contribute to a positive school environment?
  • What kind of budget does my project need?
  • How can people volunteer and get involved to make my project come to life?
  • Who does my project impact and reach?
  • How is my project creative and unique?

For more information go to the Kindness Sticks webpage.

Filed Under: Kid Activities, Sponsored

Things You May Not Know About Shaw BlueSky TV – Plus Shaw/Netflix Prize Pack! #sponsored

April 11, 2018 by danawyyc 29 Comments

Thanks to Shaw Communications for sponsoring this article

A few months ago, Shaw offered to let us trial their new BlueSky TV system. We’ve been long time Shaw customers and have had a PVR for a long time as well. We had previously been using Shaw’s Gateway system but have now finished our trial and made the switch over to BlueSky without looking back. I already shared our first impressions of Shaw BlueSky (which still holds true after a few months).

Here are a few things you may not know about Shaw’s BlueSky TV:

  1. Content Integration is the best thing you never knew you wanted – You can access your regular cable channels, recordings, Shaw On Demand, Netflix and CraveTV all from the same menu.
  2. Adding shows to your PVR is easy – with the voice controls, you no longer have to spend way too much time typing in a show title. Just say the show you want and it will pull right up. As long as the show is in the system, you can ask it to record new episodes at any time – making it easy to set it and forget it.
  3. Special treatment for special events – Whether it is the Olympics or March Madness, BlueSky TV has special menus to make it easy to find the programming you want to watch as well as see stats, scores and more.
  4. No more ‘accidental’ on-demand purchases by the kids – BlueSky TV’s parental controls make it easy to prevent pay-per-view content from being purchased while still allowing access to free on-demand content.
  5. Automatically adds time to live shows This is not a perfect system, but it is a huge improvement. When a This is Us episode played after the Super Bowl, my PVR recorded it seamlessly without me having to adjust the settings.
  6. Show only the channels you have access to – The guide has a ‘free to me’ menu, which shows only the channels that are part of your subscription. No more wading through channels you can’t even watch.
  7. You can change your theme packs online – If you decide you would like to swap one of your theme packs for another, you can make the change in just a few minutes by chatting online with one of Shaw’s customer service people. We did this the other day and the process was quick and easy.
  8. Easy control of what your kids can watch with the Kids Zone – For example, you can restrict content by common sense media age ranges and require a pin to get out of the Kids Zone
  9. Channels are re-ordered – Similar channels are actually grouped together; all the kids channels are in one spot and all the sports channels are in another, making it easy to navigate the guide.
  10. Sports App – You can find tons of information inside the sports app. You can see stats, compare teams and players and settle debates. Just say “sports app” in the remote to access it.

Overall, we’ve been really happy after making the switch to Shaw BlueSky TV. It was easy to get used to and my whole family has enjoyed the new features and voice controls. As with any new thing, there are a few things I would tweak, but I haven’t missed our old system for even a second.

Enter to win this Shaw Prize pack including a 3-month Netflix gift card!

Giveaway open to Canadian residents only

Shaw giveaway package includes:

  • Shaw water bottle
  • Shaw lip chap
  • Shaw hat
  • Stuffed Shaw Bot (his name is Bit!)
  • 3-month Netflix gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Filed Under: Sponsored

Acts of Kindness You Can Do In Your Community With Your Kids – Kindness Sticks #sponsored

April 7, 2018 by danawyyc 1 Comment

Thanks to Shaw Communications for sponsoring this post.  Check out the bottom of the post for more information about how your child can apply for a Kindness Sticks Grant to make a difference at their school.

Small acts of kindness show your kids that they have the power to make their world a better place and that even small actions matter. Participating in small acts of kindness with your kids is also a great way to begin conversations about spreading kindness and empathy to those around them.

Here are some acts of kindness ideas you can do with your kids in your community:

1. Bake treats for your neighbors

One of our favourite traditions is baking treats for our neighbours and dropping them off as a special surprise. We usually do it around Christmas but you could do it any time of year.

2. Create appreciation cards

Brainstorm some things that you appreciate about your friends and neighbours. Write a quick note and drop it in their mailbox.

3. Host a neighborhood BBQ

Increase the feeling of community in your neighbourhood by hosting a simple barbecue in your backyard. Invite your neighbors and introduce people who don’t know each other.

4. Drop off treats at your local fire station or police station

Thank some of the people who help make your community a better, safer place to live.

5. Share a meal

Bring food to a neighbour who has had a new baby, illness or death in the family.

6. Welcome new neighbors with a gift and greeting

Nothing makes a new house feel more like a home faster than receiving kindness from your new neighbours.

7. Bring flowers or treats to your child’s teacher

Brighten their day with a few fresh flowers.

 

8. Visit an elderly relative

Take some paper and markers for the kids to keep them engaged when visiting an elderly relative. Then leave their pictures as a reminder of their visit.

9. Write a good review of a business you love

People are more likely to leave reviews after bad experiences than good ones. Help out one of your favourite places by letting them know why you love it.

10. Offer to pick up fruit for a neighbor with a fruit tree

Sometimes neighbours have trees on their properties that produce a lot of fruit, which can be overwhelming to manage. It’s a great job for kids to help with and can be a real relief for someone who needs the help.

11. Recognize someone for giving good service

Make a point of telling the manager at a restaurant or coffee shop that a server or employee did a good job or made an extra effort for you.

12. Bring a cup of coffee for your teacher or hairdresser

It’s an easy way to brighten someone’s day!

13. Make a card for a friend

Create a thoughtful note and drop it in their mailbox.

14. Drop off a sunshine box

Put together a small gift basket of yellow things for someone who is going through a hard time.

15. Host a playdate at the park

Get some neighbours together for a playdate at the park – bring some snacks to share to make it feel extra special.

Kindness Sticks Grant Program

Do you know a student who would like to make kindness stick at their school?

With the Shaw Kindness Sticks grant program, Shaw is looking to partner up with students who have an idea to create positivity and inclusiveness at their school.

If your idea is selected, your school could receive a Kindness Sticks grant of up to $5000 to make it happen. Be creative and involve your school.  Make sure your project is submitted before April 30, 2018, 5 p.m. MST.

Want to apply but not sure where to start? Consider the following questions:

  • How does my project contribute to a positive school environment?
  • What kind of budget does my project need?
  • How can people volunteer and get involved to make my project come to life?
  • Who does my project impact and reach?
  • How is my project creative and unique?

For more information go to the Kindness Sticks webpage.

Filed Under: Kid Activities, Sponsored

First Impressions of Shaw BlueSky TV- Does it live up to the hype?

January 4, 2018 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

Thanks to Shaw Communications for sponsoring this article

We’ve been long time Shaw customers and have had a PVR for a long time as well. We had been using Shaw’s Gateway system which I have liked but found the menu navigation to be a bit clunky and it had a few frustrating features (like no input button on the remote). I had heard about Shaw’s new BlueSky TV system but I wasn’t sure if I actually needed something better. When Shaw offered to let us trial BlueSky TV I was pretty excited to see if it was really as good as they say and to be able to help you decide whether it’s right for your family too.

We’ve only been using BlueSky TV for a couple of weeks, but I wanted to share our first impressions and what it’s been like to get used to using it.

Voice Commands

I’ve been really impressed by the voice commands. Setting our new recordings was super quick because I didn’t have to spend forever typing in the titles. I could just tell the remote what I wanted and up it appeared. You can also consistently use the voice commands from just about anywhere which makes using it really effortless.

I was a little wary of the voice commands, but I’ve found them to work really well. It can even understand my 5-year-old when she’s talking like a baby instead of using her big girl voice.

Speaking of kids, it’s made it way easier for my kids to access the things they want to watch. They can ask the remote for Disney Junior or Treehouse or to go to the KidsZone (more on the KidsZone below) and don’t need me to set it all up for them.

Content Integration

The voice controls are great, but the content integration is what I’ve been most impressed with. You can access your regular cable channels, recordings, Shaw On Demand, Netflix and CraveTV all from the same menu.

For example, if you searched for Grey’s Anatomy, you will find the first 13 seasons that are on Netflix, the current season On Demand as well as your PVR recordings. In the past, I would rarely use Shaw On Demand because I found it to be too much effort to find what I wanted. Now we use it all the time.

KidZone and More

We have a 3-year-old, 5-year-old and 8-year-old so the kids’ programming and access are big considerations for us. With BlueSky TV and the KidsZone, my bigger kids are now able to use the voice controls to get into the KidsZone and then access programming that’s appropriate for them. My 8-year-old mentioned how much he likes being able to access On Demand episodes of his favourite shows.

KidsZone can be customized for what you want your kids to see – you can limit it by channel, age, rating and even eliminate specific shows if you can’t stand your kids watching them (I’m looking at you Caillou).  The KidsZone is a little difficult to get out of, especially if you’re not used to it, but that helps make it so the kids don’t exit accidentally. 

You can also set all kinds of parental controls in the settings. For example, you can set a code for On Demand purchases (but still allow access to free shows) or limit how long the TV can be on.

Navigation

I was a little concerned that the non-voice control navigation would still not be very good (this was one of the things I disliked the most about our Gateway system). But I have been pleasantly surprised to find that this has vastly improved too. One of the only things I’d like to see changed is that it currently doesn’t hold your place very well when you go back to a show you’ve been binge watching, so you have to scroll down to the right episode.

Sports App

The new sports app is also a big improvement. I cannot tell you how many times we’ve been scratching our heads trying to figure out which channel the Flames game is actually playing on. Now it’s easy to find what sports are currently playing or pull up the upcoming games. You can ‘favourite’ the teams your family likes to watch to make them even easier to find.

There are a lot of other features too, like being able to see stats or game scores while keeping the game you are watching on screen at the same time. One of the new features I really love is being able to set a reminder for when a Flames game is coming on. I don’t want to record every game but we like to see them when we’re home so the reminder is perfect.

Overall, we’ve been really impressed with how easy BlueSky TV has been to get used to and are loving some of the new features. We’re looking forward to trying out BlueSky TV more over the next couple of months and will be reporting back to let you know how it goes.

Filed Under: Sponsored

Stay Ahead of Cold & Flu Season INFOGRAPHIC

October 12, 2017 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

I am a brand ambassador for the 2017 year with Church & Dwight. As part of this program I receive monetary compensation as well as products to review.

Sweater weather, sore throats and runny noses can only mean one thing – the start of cold and flu season! Luckily, there are easy ways to protect you and your family, and with the proper care and a lot of TLC you can say goodbye to cold and flu symptoms in as little as three days. By taking these preventative steps, you’ll fight every flu season with confidence.

Practice healthy eating: Maintaining a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables will help keep you healthy. But sometimes it’s hard to keep up and give your body all its recommended nutrients. To help keep pace with your hectic schedule, take a multivitamin to help support your immune system. If you’re like me and don’t like swallowing pills, try Men’s and Women’s Complete Multivitamin – they come in an easy-to-take gummy format and taste delicious.

Be active: Keep your body moving every day. Take a brisk walk or spend 30 minutes at the gym to keep your immune system healthy and your stress levels low.

Combat stress: Stress can affect how your immune system functions and a weakened system can lead to colds and the flu. To keep your immune system strong, get plenty of rest, and relax– not just when you’re sick!

Drink plenty of liquids: Fluids in general will help soothe a sore throat, loosen congestion and flush out any bacteria in your system. Drinking plenty of water also helps to prevent dehydration and replace fluids lost from a fever or respiratory infection.

Rest and recuperate: Unless you were one of the lucky ones this fall, and managed to avoid getting sick, you may have to spend a few weekends indoors resting. Keep plenty of tissue nearby, enjoy a movie marathon and recover with Gravol™ Multi-symptom Cold & Fever.  This natural health product is an all-in-one anti-nauseant, pain reliever and fever reducer. The medicinal ingredients that make this formula so effective are Ginger and Willow Bark extracts, traditional herbal medicines used for centuries.

Know when to see a doctor: The symptoms of different viruses and bacterial infections can be very similar and often confusing, which is why it’s important to know when to see a doctor. If you don’t start to feel better after a few days, your symptoms worsen or you’re in a high-risk group to develop flu symptoms , you should see your doctor.

Tip: Antibiotics are great at fighting the bad bacteria that makes you sick, but for some women, they can also affect good bacteria (also known as vaginal flora) making them susceptible to bacterial vaginosis (BV), which causes discomfort, discharge and itching. If you’re prone to BV when taking a prescription medication, try RepHresh™ Pro-B Probiotic. Just 1 oral capsule daily while using oral antibiotics can help treat bacterial vaginosis and help maintain vaginal flora in a normal range.

To help you stay ahead of the flu season, print out this infographic and post on your fridge for constant health tips and reminders.

Filed Under: Sponsored

Family Planning – Tips for Couples Trying to Conceive – sponsored

August 23, 2017 by danawyyc 1 Comment

 

I am a brand ambassador for the 2017 year with Church & Dwight. As part of this program I receive monetary compensation as well as products to review.

Having a child can be one of the most exciting times in a couple’s life. Whether it’s your first baby or you’re looking to expand your clan, once you’ve decided to have a baby, the last thing you want to do is wait!

Getting pregnant isn’t an exact science but you can put some planning behind your baby making to help better your chances:

Take a multivitamin: Start the journey well prepared. Taking a prenatal vitamin prior to pregnancy is an essential part of keeping you and your baby healthy.  The NEW FIRST RESPONSE™ Prenatal Multivitamin is a great option. It helps ensure you and your baby get the essential nutrients needed to stay healthy, maintain immune function and bone health. Two of the vitamin gummies provide the recommended folic acid intake per day to help prevent neural tube defects, which are commonly developed within the first month of pregnancy** and often before many females know they’re pregnant. As a bonus, this vitamin has a naturally sourced fruit flavor, low in sugar and gluten-free—making it easy to remember and delicious to take.


Understand your cycle:
You probably don’t know your own ovulation schedules or know when you’re most fertile. But knowing when and if you’re ovulating is going to help you know when to try to conceive. Did you know that there are just two days during your cycle when you’re most likely to conceive? So how do you find these two days?  Pick up a FIRST RESPONSE™ Advanced Digital Ovulation Test. What makes it so great? It’s over 99% accurate in detecting luteinizing hormone (LH) surges in laboratory studies.  LH indicates when you’re most fertile and likely to conceive which is 24-36 hours after you detect your LH surge.

Tip: Be sure to keep a journal as well. This may be an app on your phone, a charting website, or a plain old paper one. The more you know and are in rhythm with your cycle, the more likely you are to pinpoint ovulation. There is a wealth of resources available at  www.1stresponse.ca.

Use a sperm-friendly lube: The last thing you want to do is decrease your chances of getting pregnant because of the lubricant you choose. Pre-Seed™ Fertility-Friendly Lubricant is sperm friendly. It not only enhances your comfort; it’s specially formulated to mimic your body’s fertile fluids. Other lubricants, saliva and even oil can inhibit sperm from reaching the cervical opening but Pre-Seed is pH-balanced and isotonic, allowing sperm to swim freely.

Don’t let the suspense drive you crazy: The amount of time it takes to get pregnant is different for everyone but if you’re “dying” to know, try the FIRST RESPONSE™ Early Result Pregnancy Test. It’s sensitive enough to capture scant amounts of pregnancy hormones to give you results 6 days sooner than your missed period.

Turn to others for advice: Remember, we’re all here to help you along your pregnancy journey—you’re not alone. Chances are, there is someone else out there who is going through the same—or similar—experiences, so don’t be shy about reaching out.

Help spread the conversation: In the spirit of giving advice and sharing to help others in a similar situation, I’d love to hear your conception stories and especially some of your misconceptions around ovulation, birth control and tips for getting pregnant. Share your stories and engage in the conversation online using #conceptionmisconceptions

 

* https://sogc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gui324CPG1505E.pdf

**Helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects when taken daily at least three months prior to becoming pregnant and during early pregnancy.

Filed Under: Sponsored

The Great Balancing Act

July 12, 2017 by danawyyc Leave a Comment

I am a brand ambassador for the 2017 year with Church & Dwight. As part of this program I receive monetary compensation as well as products to review.

Tips to keep you happy and healthy ‘down there’ this summer

Oh, summer, how I missed you. After a long winter, there’s nothing I’m craving more than the hot sun and patio weather. What I don’t miss are the pesky issues “down there” that also come with soaking up the sun. Yes, you read that right. For many women, the warmer temperature brings an increased risk of an “itch” that nobody likes to talk about – yeast infections.

Surprisingly, yeast infections affect more women than you think! Approximately five per cent of women experience reoccurring yeast infections (3 to 4 infections in the last year)[1] and this has a lot to do with heat. The infection occurs when moisture gets trapped and yeast can overgrow, causing itching, burning and discomfort. If you’ve had one, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

The good news is that with a few simple tips, you can avoid that pesky itch.

  1. Remember to dry off: Relaxing in a hot tub is the perfect way to enjoy a warm, summer evening. However, yeast grows best in a moist environment, making hot tubs a breeding ground for unwanted infections. This means it’s important to dry off well afterwards and change into dry clothes right away. Use this same approach when spending the day at the beach or pool.
  2. Know your pH: Many vaginal health issues, including odour, itchiness and yeast infections stem from an unbalanced pH. RepHresh™ Gel is a gynecologist recommended product and clinically proven to be pH balanced which can help to eliminate feminine odour and relieve feminine discomfort.
  3. Wear cotton undies: Unfortunately, your tight skinny jeans may not be the best option this summer. Warm, tight clothing allows for little oxygen movement making the perfect breeding ground for yeast. If you must rock the skinnies, wear cotton underwear.
  4. Take healthy measures: RepHresh™ Pro-B reduces the number of urogenital pathogenic bacteria and yeast on vaginal surfaces. It’s clinically tested and works by balancing the yeast and bacteria that are naturally present in a woman’s body to help restore and maintain proper vaginal flora. Try adding one capsule to your daily routine to keep your body on track and ensure nothing slows you down this summer!

Are you ready to beat the summer heat? I would love your feedback if you’ve tried either of these products.

[1] http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/oh-no-not-another-yeast-infection

Filed Under: Sponsored

Oh Canada! Arm & Hammer™ Baking Soda to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary #sponsored

June 14, 2017 by danawyyc 11 Comments

 

I am a brand ambassador for the 2017 year with Church & Dwight. As part of this program I receive monetary compensation as well as products to review.

I’m sure you’re all familiar with that little orange box in your fridge, freezer or baking cupboard. Arm & Hammer™ Baking Soda has been helping generations of Canadian families cook and clean for decades.

Over the years, the team at Arm & Hammer – with the help of their loyal fans – have come up with more than 100 uses for baking soda and I’m sharing some of my favourites here.

  • Baby, baby, baby. Baking soda is an all-natural cleaning product that’s gentle enough for even the tiniest baby clothes, yet effective enough for big baby odours. It can be used to treat spills on carpets, clean equipment and toys, deodorize baby bottles and diaper pails as well as freshen stuffed animals to give them a new life.
  • Have you tried it in the bathroom? It helps remove the dirt and grime from bathroom tiles or no-wax floors quickly and easily. It’s also effective at cleaning shower curtains, deodorizing drains and wastebaskets, surface-safe cleaning and for septic system care.
  • Not just for cooking in the kitchen. Yes, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is a staple baking ingredient as it causes dough or batter to rise, becoming light and porous when heated, but it can also be used in the kitchen to clean lunch boxes, microwave ovens, dishes, pots and pans, recyclables, drains and garbage disposals. Did I mention it removes odours from plastic containers, polishes silver, freshens sponges and stinky sinks, refreshes tea pots, cups and mugs and works great as a fruit and vegetable scrub? It’s also a common deodorizer for fridges and freezers. Changing the box regularly (every 30 days is recommended) helps ensure optimal odour elimination.
  • Don’t fret about your floors. It helps remove unsightly scuff marks without unwanted scratch marks from tile and no-wax floors. It’s also great at neutralizing common household odours and freshens stale-smelling air in your home.
  • Tackles the greasiest of garages. Arm & HammerBaking Soda safely cleans your car lights, chrome, windows, tires, vinyl seats and floor mats without you having to worry about unwanted scratch marks. It’s also a great deodorizer for car interiors and camper water tanks and tackles oil and grease stains on your garage floor or driveway.
  • Smelly gear no more. Use Arm & Hammer baking soda to clean and deodorize smelly sports equipment like hockey or camping gear, as well as gym bags.
  • Don’t forget to take it outside. It is a must-have for your next camping trip! It’s a dish and pot scrubber, hand cleanser and deodorant, just to name a few. It also cleans your plastic and vinyl pool toys as well as lawn furniture when it’s time to bring them out for the summer and works wonders on barbecue grills.

And that’s not all!

Because of the gentle and all natural formula of Arm & Hammer™ Baking Soda, it’s a popular personal hygiene product for many. It can be used as a body and facial scrub, hand cleanser and a refreshing bath soak. It also helps to fight bad breath and body odour and is great for washing hair.

For a full list of these 100 uses of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and usage instructions, visit www.armandhammer.ca. You’ll find them under the ‘Solutions’ tab.

We’re offering one lucky reader the chance to win 12 boxes of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda – one for every month of the year – in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary! Share your favourite baking soda secret for a chance to win!

Giveaway includes the following Arm & Hammer Baking Soda products:

  • Three (3) 250g boxes of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
  • Nine (9) 500g boxes of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

 

Approximate value: $20

What is your favourite way to use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda? Let me know in the comments below to enter to win! 

Filed Under: Sponsored

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About Me

I'm an experiential playground expert and mom to three young kids. I live with my husband in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. When I'm not looking after people, I'm reading all the YA fiction I can get my hands on and am attempting to learn photography. My laundry-folding suffers due to more interesting pursuits.

You can also find me over at:
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