Weather and School

So... once again, I was on a very long hiatus.  And instead of coming back thankful, rested with new perspectives on life, I have decided to open things back up with a "ranting ramble".  What's a ranting ramble you ask?  It's when someone rants to the point of making little sense... usually due to lack of sleep... like me.  So here we go....

I notice the same Facebook posts every year for the first few snow storms of the year

*Note* This picture is not from today.  I was just looking for a picture that had snow in it. :)

1- "Is there school today?"

2 - "The radio said no school in [Community #1], so is there school in [Community #2]?"

3 - (My personal favourite) "Why isn't school cancelled?  The roads are hazardous."

4 - (The opposite of the previous)  "Why IS school cancelled?  It's not even doing anything!  This is just teachers/administration/bus drivers trying to get a day off."

Here are my suggestions for some simple solutions:

1- You are on the internet - it's probably just as simple to look up the district website to see if school is cancelled.  

2 - Do you live in [Community #1]?  No?  You live in [Community #2]?   Then,  schools are open in your community.

3 - You feel your child has the risk of incurring injury due to road conditions?  You are your child's advocate.  Keep them home.

4 - This one is just ridiculous.  Do you think teachers or bus drivers actually have any say as to whether school is closed?  And even if they did, it's a matter of public safety.  Those who make these decisions make them based on the best information they have at that given moment.  When they had to make the call, the weather report may have said a foot of snow was expected.... we got rain instead?  Unfortunately, nobody has the power to see in the future.

So there you have it.  My "ranting ramble" today.  Please note that I have not had my coffee yet.  Probably another reason for this rant.

My Blogging Break

You may or may not have noticed that it has been rather silent on this blog lately.  Save for a few apologies that I posted, I did not generate a lot of content this summer.  Although I do this blog out of pure interest, I do find that I periodically need a "break" from posting.  That may sound funny considering this is an enjoyable pastime for me, but hear me out.  You may have seen people take "technology breaks" or breaks from Facebook, this was my version.  Also, I'm not strong enough to take a complete technology break yet.

I always said that this blog would be about posting for fun and other therapeutic ranting I wanted to do, and I always told myself that if it ever felt like a struggle to come up with content, I would stop.  I decided to take a break when I found I was struggling to find time to write and it was stressing me out.  That was my sign that I needed a break.

Now, I'm back on the blogging train.  I feel refreshed and ready to post again.  So I hope you're ready for some random rambling, travel tips, reality tv and celebrity talk, and other random nonsense from an "overtired mama".

Product Review: Clairol(R) Nice 'N Easy Root Touch Up

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I colour my hair freqently.   I always colour my hair all over when I re-colour, even if I'm staying the same colour.  I was given the opportunity to try Clairol's Root Touch-Up.  The beauty of Root Touch-Up is that you focus on your roots, and don't need to colour your whole head.  The products claimed a quick colour (10 minutes) so I decided to put that claim to the test.  Here is my experience.

I had coloured my hair many weeks before I decided to try Root Touch-Up.  I had quite a bit of re-growth.  I typically lighten my hair in the summer from a light brown to a medium blonde.  So my full colour, done weeks before, was a medium blonde colour.  I was worried about whether Clairol's Root Touch-Up would match the rest of my hair colour.  I chose the "medium blonde" shade and got to work.

The instructions suggested leaving the colour on for 10 minutes, and I ended up leaving it on for 15, mostly because my daughter needed my attention after I had applied the colour.

The end result was perfectly blended, beautiful looking hair.  Here is a photo of me with my beautifully refreshed hair.

I will definitely use this product again, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a quick touch up of their roots instead of spending more time to colour your whole head!

Thank you to Clairol and BzzAgent for providing me with this product free for the purposes of reviewing!  #GotItFree

Give Your Car a Checkup

Summer is a busy time for your car.  Lots of family vacations and road trips.  Is your car in good condition?  You put some pretty precious cargo in your car, so it's pretty important to know what to look for in your car, and what to do if you do run in to a problem.

I was fortunate to be able to attend a Sailun Tire event at my local Coast Tire.  I learned some great tips that I would like to share with you.

Do you change your own oil?  If you do, that's awesome!  I usually take mine in to have the oil changed.  Many garages do an inspection of other elements like the filter of your car when they do an oil change - be sure to check with your garage to see what's included in your oil change.  It may not seem important, but a clean filter helps your car run better, so it's worth your while.

I also learned that inside the driver's side door of your car is a little plaque that has some pretty important information about your car.

A few years ago, I had the unfortunate opportunity to blow out a tire after driving over a pothole on a remote highway.  I had never changed a tire, so I had to learn on the spot.  Sailun tires shared some great information so you won't have to learn the way I did.  Did you know that your car has a specific spot where the car jack will attach so you can raise your car?  Have a look underneath and see what you can see.  Looks simple enough from above when someone else is doing it:

Sounds intimidating, but I've put my own car up on a jack, and as long as you put the jack where it needs to be (have a look under your car), it's not as difficult as you might think.

Does your car have a locknut?  Have a look at your tire, if there's a nut that looks different than others, that could be a locknut.  A locknut is one that needs a key to take it off.  Make sure you keep that key in your car, so you can get your tire off.  The tire below has a locknut - on the right hand side, near the bottom:

It's also important to pay attention to your treads and tire pressure, they help ensure your tires work properly and can stop when you need to, keep a grip on the road, and deal with any weather you may run in to.  I received two handy tools to help me monitor these two aspects.  First is a tire depth card to see whether your tires are too worn.  Have a look at the card below:

You put the corner of the card in your tire treat.  If your treat is in the green, it's in great condition for optimum performance.  If it is in the yellow zone, it performs less than optimally in the rain and snow.  And if it is in the red, it is unsafe.  There are other tire depth tools that you can find at many vendors, be sure to ask at your local garage where you can get one.

The other aspect I got to try was testing the tire pressure.  Here's a picture of me giving it a try:

And my friend Jill:

You take a little tire pressure tool like this:

Which can be found at various garages and stores.  You put it on the valve where you put air in your tire, and a small gauge on the end will pop out to tell you your tire pressure.  Remember the little plaque on your door I told you about earlier?  Information about your require tire pressure is on that plaque, and some cars actually have sensors that will alert you if your tire pressure is low.

Tires are essential pieces to your cars safety.  Make sure you check your car for the required size before you purchase.  Check the plaque on your drivers door to ensure you're buying the correct size, and make sure you're buying from a reputable dealer.  

Sailun tires offers great quality tires at a reasonable price.  They're offered at many great garages such as Coast Tire.  Check out their website for more information about their tires and find out where you can get your own Sailun Tires:  www.sailuntires.ca

I want to thank Sailun tires for putting on this information session as I got so much valuable information.  

Before you head on the road this summer for the perfect summer road trip, make sure you give your car a checkup!

And as a bonus - check out this awesome giveaway below - you could win some free tires!

Free Set of Sailun Tires

Sorry for the Silence

I'm preparing for a little website re-design, so please bear with me as I transition.

And, yes, I have been pretty silent over the last month with no big excuse... but I'll be back soon.  I promise.

I Tell My Daughter Princess Stories

Ok, not exactly the confession of the century, but, I've been reading a number of posts lately that are very critical of sharing stories about fairy-tale princesses with their daughters.  Why?  Because many of these stories feature princesses that are rescued by a prince.  And many argue that this sends a message to young girls that they need a man to get through life.

I consider myself a strong an independent woman.  Yes, I am married, but not because I didn't think I could survive without a husband.  I love my husband, and we each bring our own strengths to our marriage.

I too was told fairy-tales as a child as well.  I loved hearing these classic stories.  I loved imagining their beautiful dresses, and I even liked the part where the Prince would come to save the Princess.  In my opinion, these are stories, not reality, and the important thing is that we encourage self-confidence and independence in our children.  If they choose to have a partner in life, great, but it's also important for them to know that being in a relationship doesn't define you as a person.

So I will continue to tell princess stories to my daughter.  We will watch our favourite Disney princesses on tv.   And I will continue to encourage her to be happy, healthy, and self-confident.

How do you feel about these kinds of stories?  Do you share them with your children?  Why or why not?  Feel free to share in the comments below.

An "Overtired Mama's" Tips for an Unforgettable Disney Vacation

I've had Disney on the brain lately.... Actually, I always have Disney on the brain, but, these dreams of Disney that I've been having have inspired me to share a few of my own tips for an amazing Disney vacation.

Sometimes I laugh when I read titles like the one I just used for this blog post... how can a Disney vacation NOT be unforgettable, right?  Well, I do think that with any vacation, there is a chance that you can be too tired, too overwhelmed, or trying to do too much, and that can make your vacation unforgettable in a not so enjoyable way.  Here are a few things I recommend to make your vacation more enjoyable:

1 - Get a stroller - Ok, maybe not if you're travelling with teenagers - although they might not be opposed to being pushed around in one after a long day of walking - but if you have young children, or school aged, strollers can be a life saver.  When my daughter was 2, she stopped being interested in riding in a stroller, however, when we made our first trip to Disney when she was 3, the stroller was a must, and even when we went back the following few years, we continued to get a stroller.  Think about it, their legs are short, your legs are long, it takes them almost twice as many steps to go anywhere, that's pretty tiring, even for energetic kids, so to minimize exhaustion, get a stroller.  You can rent them in the park, or, you can do what we did, we purchased an umbrella stroller at Walmart.  Best $20 we ever spent.  Then we handed the stroller on to someone else when our holiday was over.

2 - Drink water.  This may prompt people to say "that goes without saying".  Maybe, but sometimes we all need to be reminded.  You can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the park, and you can actually forget to drink.  By the time you sit down in the hot sun for one of the parades, you realize you haven't had a drink all day.  Not good.  Make sure you take a bottle with you when you leave your hotel in the morning, we kept ours on top of our stroller to help remind us to drink.

3 - Take your time.  This is a hard one.  You want to experience everything.  Especially if you don't anticipate coming back for a while, or maybe you only have one day.  Do your research beforehand, and make a list of your "must dos", but keep your list limited to a few things, that way, you can focus on those attractions first, and the rest is a bonus.  Always allow time to take in the sites, enjoy your surroundings.  I love to sit in the hub in front of Cinderella's Castle and take it all in.

4 - Don't take your camera.   Whaaaaa??  I know.  Crazy, right?  If you can manage it, buy a Memory Maker, and take your cell phone.  I am assuming, for these purposes, that your phone has a camera, perhaps it doesn't, in which case, just take a small little camera for "emergencies", however, hear me out - the memory maker sounds expensive at first glance, but, if you are spending more than 1 day in any of the Disney parks, if you are travelling with a larger group, and if you're looking to minimize the amount of stuff you are hauling around with you.... these are all great reasons to "splurge" on the memory maker.  There are Disney photogs EVERYWHERE,  and the memory maker means you can have as many pictures taken as you like.  And these photographers are good.  It only takes a second, and they get fantastic shots!  They know the best angles, and can add some "extra magic" to your pictures (we had some pictures were Lumière was added to our pictures... awesome, right!?).  Best part? It's unlimited.  As many as you like.  It even includes pictures on attractions like Splash Mountain and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, AND video on some attractions like Tower of Terror.  So cool!  

This allows you to focus on the moment, and not whether you should be getting a picture.  And you have your camera there for those "impromptu" moments that may come up.

5 - Do a character meal - Ok, we ignored this the first couple times we went.  My daughter wasn't a big eater, and we weren't sure we wanted to spend more money than we needed to on what we thought was an "unnecessary" experience, but boy were we wrong.  The benefits of the character meals are 3 fold - 1 - awesome food.  I haven't been disappointed by any of the Disney restaurants we've been too.  Food was always hot and delicious.  2- You get to meet some awesome characters!  We had breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and friends, and I will admit that I nearly cried when I got to meet Eeyore (my fave), Tigger, Pooh and Piglet!  So fun!!  And the look on my daughter's face when she got to meet Pooh?  Priceless.  3 - It "forces" you to sit down, relax, and take it all in.  When you're rushing around the park, sometimes you are so focused on getting to everything, you don't take the time to really enjoy everything.  These meals make sure you do that.

I'm pretty sure I could continue writing this post for another 1000 words or more, but I'll keep it to those tips for now.  You may not agree with all of these tips, or you may have more to add, please share in the comments below.  I love getting feedback, and I love reading about other peoples' experiences!  Most of all, I love to talk Disney!

May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month

I know, I've written about this topic a few times before, but I also know that the more I share my story, the more I help spread awareness.

I am a HELLP syndrome survivor.  HELLP syndrome is a severe form of preeclampsia that can be potentially fatal for mom and baby.  I am happy to say that my daughter was born healthy, and I, after treatment, also ended up OK. 

The signs and symptoms of HELLP syndrome are sometimes ignored or not recognized - in my own case, I chalked them up to "typical pregnancy symptoms".

Some of the symptoms include:

- Headache

- Nausea/vomiting

- Swelling

- Discomfort in abdominal or chest - upper right side.

- Pain in the shoulder and/or when breathing deeply

- Change in vision

- Bleeding

- High protein in urine

- High blood pressure

I did not experience all of these symptoms, but I had some.  Unfortunately I ignored them as I thought they were typically pregnancy pains and discomforts and my doctor did not seem concerned.

Read more about my own experience and how you can learn more here: http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/family/pregnancy/20150505/signs-of-hellp-preeclampsia

Have your own experience with preeclampsia or HELLP that you would like to share?  Feel free to share your story in the comments below.  

Minimally, please consider sharing the signs and symptoms with your friends and family.  Awareness is key!

April is Cancer Awareness Month

You may or may not have known that April is Cancer Awareness Month.  I have some very personal reasons for supporting this cause, so as the month draws to a close, I thought I would share those reasons with you now.

I used to work for the Canadian Cancer Society and was fortunate enough to have met some really amazing people while I worked there.  I was able to learn so much about the many different types of cancer that exist (over 100!), programs available and research progress.  I know longer work for the Cancer Society, but the work they do still touches my daily life.

I've had family members and friends that have experienced cancer diagnoses, but it was when my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2011 that made me truly aware of how a cancer diagnosis affects a family.  Losing my dad was difficult, and an experience that I have in common with many people.  I believe that supporting the Canadian Cancer Society will ensure that people will survive cancer more often, and that those who experience a cancer diagnoses, and their families, will receive the information and support they need.

The Cancer Society provides the hospital with many information resources that were shared with my family and many others.  They have a toll-free Cancer Information Service that you can call and have your questions answered, and through that same number, you can even be matched with a volunteer who has been through a similar experience to receive some emotional support.  

I've heard many people say that they don't believe that Cancer research is resulting in any change in cancer, but it's easy to see that survival rates are changing in many different types of cancer, in particular the survival rates for breast cancer (86%) and prostate cancer (96%).*

In my own experience, there is a history of skin and colon cancer in my family, I've been getting screened for years and have even had some pre-cancerous growths removed.  I also actively participate in cervical cancer screening.  Without research, these cancer screening methods would not be as accurate as they are today.

Even with all of the progress we've made, we still have work to do.  The survival rates for many different kinds of cancer are still low, and there is still research that can be done in to earlier detection and better treatments.  

I continue to support the Canadian Cancer Society and their programs and services, information resources, advocacy efforts, and research, and I hope that you will join me in supporting this fantastic organization.  Visit www.cancer.ca to see how you can get involved.

Interested in supporting me and my fundraising efforts?  I am participating in this year's Relay for Life.  You are welcome to pledge me at http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFL_NB_odd_?team_id=322372&pg=team&fr_id=17846

Or, have a look at our online auction that is running until May 2 at 9 PM Atlantic.  Don't live in Saint John, New Brunswick?  If there's something you're interested in, contact me and we can make arrangements to ship: http://relayforhope2015.eflea.ca/

Minimally, what I hope everyone takes home from reading this post is that there is progress being made, and there are even things we can do to reduce our own risk of cancer, visit www.cancer.ca to learn more, or call the Cancer Information Service and ask one of the Cancer Society's Information Specialists your questions at 1-888-939-3333.

*Source - Canadian Cancer Society.  "Cancer Statistics at a Glance". http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-101/cancer-statistics-at-a-glance/?region=nb. 2015.

Mother's Day Giveaway!

I love giveaways!  And this is a fun one!  I've partnered up with some fabulous bloggers to giveaway $140 in gift cards!  And you get to choose where they come from!  I know, this is a lot of exclamation points for one post, but it's so much fun!

Check back to this post on Thursday, April 30, when our giveaway begins, to enter the giveaway!

Checkout the details below:



                                         

Tammy from My Life Abundant and Tammy from Creative K Kids have gotten together with a few of our bloggie friends to have a giveaway!

      

 We are so excited to be giving away $140 in cash prizes for Mother's Day to one lucky reader. The prize will consist of $140 in gift cards. The winner will choose the gift card(s) you want. Please choose a gift card(s) which comes from an online store. EX: Amazon, Target, Walmart, Macy's, Kohls, etc. You may ask for more than one gift card(s), but must add up to $140.

Now its time to meet our wonderful co-hosts who have made this giveaway possible.

Starting at the top row we have:

Tricia of The Good Mamma | Leticia of Desafio in the City | Audrey of That Recipe | Christie of Sparkles of Sunshine | Laci of Sequins in the South | Sahana of Vikalpah | Zan of Flourishing at Home | Katie of The Ramblings of an Overtired Mama | Terri of Our Good Life | Camille of Chicken Scratch n Sniff | Kim of The Resourceful Mama | Christine of Where the Smiles Have Been

Please stop by and say hi to these wonderful ladies and their blogs.

The giveaway will end midnight on Thursday, May 8th, a few days before Mother's Day. You will have 48 hours to respond to the email claiming the prize. If we don't hear in 48 hours, we will choose another winner. The giveaway is open to anyone over 18 years of age. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck and Happy Mother's Day,

Katie - aka Overtired Mama

* * * *

Product Review: L'Oreal Paris Fibralogy

I was happy to have been selected to review L'Oreal Paris Fibralogy products for Influenster.  I received Shampoo, Conditioner and the Booster, free of charge, to review, compliments of L'Oreal and Influenster.  So what did I think?  Let me start by sharing a  "before" picture:

My hair is typically flat and dull, with very little body, as you can see.  I have extremely dry hair because I am so hard on it (hair colouring, straighteners, curling irons, hair dryers, etc).  So when I received the Fibralogy products, I was excited to give it a try.  Fibralogy products are meant to thicken your hair and provide you with more body.  Sounds good, right?

First, you begin with the Shampoo, once it's rinsed from your hair, you add a small amount of the thickening booster and, without rinsing the booster, add the conditioner, then it gets rinsed out together.   Ultimately, the products are meant to leave your hair feeling clean, thicker and softer.

I've been using these products for a week now, I'm not sure that my hair feels much thicker, however, I do notice my hair is softer and certainly appears to have a little more body to it.  Here is my "after" picture.

My hair after using @LOrealParisCanada 's #fibralogyworks products. #GotItFree from @influenster

A photo posted by Katie (@katie_nb) on Apr 24, 2015 at 8:06am PDT

What I love about these products is that a little goes a long way.  You only need a small amount of product for it to do it's work.  I also love that my hair doesn't feel greasy or weighed down after I use the products, as some products have done in my past.  They also don't have an overwhelming smell, which is great, because I have had some shampoos that are so scented that I can't wear them to my scent-free workplace.

So what does this all mean?  I think these are good products.  I'm not sure that I would purchase them to thicken my hair, but I love the way my hair feels when I use them.  I've scouted these products out at some of my local stores and the prices are very comparable to other similar brands, so you're not breaking the bank for great quality.  I would recommend these products if you're looking for softer hair with a little more body, but the jury's still out on the "thickening" claim.  I plan to continue to use these products to see if I notice a difference.  I will share once I'm done the bottles!

Have you tried the Fibralogy products?  What did you think?

Easy Banana Bread!

I am no master chef, but this recipe has proved to be tried and true for me.

I had tried a number of banana bread recipes, but this one turns out every time (provided you don't forget it's in the oven... did that once), and the bonus - it's a simple recipe.

Here is what you'll need:

Blender
2 eggs
2 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, although, it may depend on your oven, I made this once outside of my own house and had to turn the heat down to 350, you may have to experiment.

In a mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients.

 Then, in your blender, combine the eggs, bananas and canola oil.  Blend until smooth.  Poor the mixture in to your dry mix, and mix together.  Stir until well mixed.  Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom as there tends to be little "pockets" of dry ingredients.

Once mixed, poor everything in to a well-greased loaf pan.

Then put in the oven for 50 minutes.  Be sure to test the bread after 50 minutes with a toothpick.  If it comes out clean, you're done.  In some cases, you may have to put it back in for another 10 minutes.  It will be a very dark brown on the outside.

Feel free to add chocolate chips for that extra treat, but I find this recipe is yummy enough without.

Did you try this?  Let me know how you make out!

Talking about Serious Illnesses and Death with a Child

I realize this is a heavy topic for a Friday, but I've been asked to share, on many occasions, how we approached the topic of serious illness and death with my daughter.  Keep in mind that I am not a therapist or psychologist, and I don't claim that this is the only or best way to approach this subject.  This is just what worked for us.

In September 2011, when my daughter was 2 years old, my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  A serious diagnosis, and a serious topic of conversation.  My daughter and my dad had a special relationship - she was the apple of his eye, and they had special games that they played, that I just couldn't play the same way he did - and believe me I tried.

We knew we had to approach the subject with my daughter somehow, especially once my dad started chemotherapy, his appearance would change, and she would have lots of questions.  Cancer is a complicated topic.  We wanted to be careful not to instill any kind of fear in our daughter - fear of belly aches, fear of hospitals, none of that.  So we explained that Grampy had a sore belly and that doctor's were going to try to make him feel better.  We said that the medicine he needed would sometimes make him feel sick, but that it was working to help make him feel better.

When my dad was hospitalized, we visited often - she actually enjoyed it because the nurses would often fuss over her, and Grampy would sometimes read to her, or they would watch some videos on his laptop.

Eventually, his condition deteriorated, and even when he was in Palliative Care, she would come with us when we visited, and colour him pictures for his room.

When my dad passed away in 2013, we explained that Grampy had gone to Heaven, and that he was happy there.  We allowed her to ask any questions she had and answered them truthfully and as simply as we could.

It's been two years since his passing, and my daughter still asks questions occasionally, and just as we had before, we always try to answer in a way that she will understand.

Some questions are more complicated then others - like "how did he get sick"? And others make me reflect on my own grief - "do you cry because you miss Grampy"?

Grieving is something that is natural, that the whole family experiences.  I actually found that answering my daughter's questions was an oddly comforting exercise for me.

For us, answering our daughter's questions as simply and truthfully as we can allowed her to come to her own understanding of illness and death.  I don't think that hiding his illness, dismissing it or simply not acknowledging it would have done her any favours and would have created more questions in her mind in the end.

Have you had to deal with a similar situation?  Would you like to share your own tips, or ask me any questions about our experience?  Feel free to comment below, or if you would prefer to message me privately, feel free to email me at Katie_NB@hotmail.com.

Travel Deals of the Day - April 14

I think I've mentioned before, I love going away on a holiday.  Sometimes I take a "mini-holiday" in my mind (aka - daydreaming) by looking for great travel deals.  I thought I would share a few of the deals I came across today.

I'm sure no one wants to look ahead to the end of summer when we haven't really seen Spring yet (at least on the east coast), but it's no secret that fall can see some really great prices for holidays in the Caribbean.  Keep in mind, that fall means "hurricane season", so you do take your chances weather wise, but if you don't mind the risk, here are some great deals:

1 - Toronto to Holguin, Cuba - 7 nights at the Blau Costa Verde (leaving August 30, 2015) - $632.97/person (based on double occupancy).

Great price for a trip before school starts.  I've been to Holguin, it's a nice area with beautiful sandy beaches.  This package is all-inclusive: All meals and snacks, beverages, your room, as well as most of the activities and entertainment at the resort and transportation to and from the airport.  Read more about this deal on Air Canada Vacations website (http://vacations.aircanada.com/)

One last note - if you have kids, kids 6 and under stay and eat free, kids 7 to 12 have a special rate.  This resort offers special activities for children.

2 - LAST MINUTE DEAL - If you like the excitement of leaving on a whim, check out this deal.  Toronto to Nassau, Bahamas - 4 nights at Atlantis Paradise Island (leaving April 19 - THIS SUNDAY) - $770/person (based on double occupancy).

This hotel is a cut above.  I've had several friends stay here and talk about what a fantastic property this is.  Enjoy pools and waterslides, a water park, activities, entertainment, and even try your hand at the casino.  Note that this vacation does not include your meals.  For more information, visit www.sunwing.ca

3 - Not ready to leave that quickly?  How about this:  Toronto to Varadero, Cuba - 7 nights at Belleview Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort (leaving May 23) - $675/person (based on double occupancy).

This hotel is only a couple of kilometers from downtown Varadero.  There aren't many resorts that can get you that close to downtown.  It includes all meals, snacks, drinks, as well as most of the activities and entertainment provided by the hotel.  You also get transportation to and from the airport.  I love Varadero.  I haven't been in many years, but I can remember it like it was yesterday.  The beaches are beautiful and the markets and downtown clubs have a lot to offer.  Unlike other destinations in Cuba, Varadero offers day trips to Havana (a must see) at a pretty reasonable price.  For more details visit www.airtransat.com

Anyone else love daydreaming about vacations as much as I do?  Have any favourite destinations or travel tips you'd like to share?  Feel free to comment below.

*Disclaimer - I am not a travel agent, I don't work for any of these companies, nor did I receive any sort of compensation for writing this post.  These opinions were my own, and the prices noted were found on the websites indicated as of April 14, 2015.  Prices may differ depending on availability, dates, and amount of travelers.

Big Brother 3 - April 6

We're back with the aftermath of the HOH competition.  Brittnee has a plan to backdoor Graig.  At the nomination ceremony, Brittnee unleashes her plan.  Brittnee nominates Kevin and Bobby but insinuates that she has a bigger target in mind.  That is, in fact, true, however, her speech makes it sound like Johnny is the target.

We get to see some of the resulting punishment/rewards, including Graig's letter from his parents.  He cries.

On to POV.  This is a dizzying competition involves in spooling ropes on to your body, then putting the rope on another spool.   Bobby and Brittnee come out quick and lead the pack.  Johnny struggles, but not nearly as much as Sarah who feels nauseous and then claustrophobic.  She vomits and Kevin feels bad for her. So do I.  Motion sickness is truly awful.  She says she would usually have a "dube or two" to feel better but since she can't, she quits.

It ends up coming down to Johnny and Zach. .. And Johnny wins. 

Graig says he's skeptical of Brittnee's plan because Johnny's been spending time with her.  Oh Brittnee, what a rookie mistake.  If you want the house to think you hate someone, you can't spend a lot of time with them!  So Brittnee throws Johnny under the bus and tells Graig that Johnny said that Graig told everyone he had Brittnee under his thumb.  Graig is mad and confronts Johnny.

On to the POV - Kevin is saved.  There is a lot of talk about a bully in the house, so Graig is nominated. 

Eviction is Wednesday.  Who do you think is going home?

Big Brother 3 - April 5

It's instant eviction night!  Kevin nominates Naeha and Brittnee.  He's not allowed to tell houseguests under threat of instant eviction, so all the house guests campaign, not knowing the nominations have been made.

Eventually, Arissa reveals the infant eviction.  The houseguests had to write down who they vote for .......  And then reveal their votes to everyone.

Ultimately, Naeha goes home.  The girls realize they're being picked off.

The next HOH challenge is a balance competition that has to be done in pairs.   Most pairs settle on hugging as the best position.... Except Bruno and Graig who pick the most awkward position possible.  Craig describes it as "like spooning".

Losers get a reward or punishment.  But the big winners.... Sarah and Brittnee.  Brittnee gets the HOH.  She gets a letter from her mom and everyone cries.

Graig immediately starts strategy talk, but Sarah is not having it.

Nominations will be revealed tomorrow!

Big Brother Canada 3 - April 1

We start with the aftermath of the nomination ceremony.  Sindy is crying and still finds a way to mention that her name is spelled with an "s". Ugh.  Of course Brittnee and Sindy talk about not back stabbing each other.  Blah.

The Bruno and Graig decide to plant some seeds of doubt in Brittnee about Naeha, and Naeha is mad.

We get a few shots of various showmances.... Zach and Ashleigh, Johnny and Kevin, Kevin and Pilar, and Sindy and Jordan.

Then Big Brother decides to pull an April fools prank by making the houseguests think that one of them purposely damaged one of the cameras.  Rumours fly.  Arissa breaks the news to the houseguests that it was a prank. 

Time for the vote. No surprise, Sindy is voted out unanimously.

Big Brother has been waking the houseguests up to watch a video, and as we all know, this usually translates in to a competition.  So tonight's HOH has the houseguests face off with questions about the video.  Can I just say, Naeha was scary intense in this game.   It comes down to Ashleigh and Kevin, and Kevin wins HOH.

Arissa springs on us that we'll see an instant eviction after nominations, so we'll find all that out on Sunday. Feeds will be down, so no spoilers!

Thoughts on tonight's episode?  Share in the comments!

Review: Stella & Dot - Chelsea Tech Wallet

You may have heard of Stella & Dot - they offer bags, wallets, jewelry and other accessories.  I knew a number of people that raved about their products, but I never experienced any of their products myself, until now.

My friend Jill was a true fan of Stella & Dot and ultimately became a Stella & Dot personal stylist!  She encouraged me to try out one of the products, and I chose the Chelsea Tech Wallet because I loved the pattern, and I liked the idea of having a wallet that could hold my cell phone.

This wallet has lots of sections and a few spots for credit/debit cards.

What I love about this wallet - it has plenty of room for money and cards.  I am notoriously famous for carrying too many cards, but this wallet was able to accommodate all of my credit, debit, loyalty and membership cards, as well as hold my cash, and still left plenty of room for my cell phone.  It has a wrist strap that was very sturdy and allowed me to go without a purse and carry this alone.  

My family and I went on a recent vacation to Florida, so I carried this wallet with me and couldn't believe how many compliments I received!  It's stylish and practical.  I LOVE this wallet.  

There is only one change I would make in this wallet, and that is that there is no change compartment.  I initially put the change right in with my cards/cash, however, they coins got stuck in between cards and were hard to find.  Eventually I settled on putting a small change pouch in the wallet to hold my change.  It still holds the pouch, my cards, cash and phone.

I highly recommend having a look at what Stella & Dot has to offer.  You can have a party at home with a personal stylist to show you everything  (and, bonus, you get some great deals), and there's even an opportunity to have a fundraising party where proceeds from sales at your party goes towards a cause close to your heart.  I'll be doing the latter in a couple weeks with Jill as our personal stylist!

Have a look at Stella & Dot though the link below, and, BONUS, the wallet I reviewed in this post is on sale at the time of this publication!!!

http://www.stelladot.com/ts/5pe66

Have you tried Stella & Dot?  Share your favourite products in the comments below.  

*Note - I received the wallet free of charge to review (Thanks Jill!), but the opinions are all my own.

Big Brother Canada 3 - March 29 and 30

Back at it!  Picking back up with HOH, Brittnee and Kevin are the first to drop.  Eventually it comes down to Sindy and Bobby.  Sindy's strategy is to try to seduce (?)/distract Bobby.  It doesn't work because Bobby wins.  He nominates Kevin and Brittnee. 

Sarah and Sindy commit the first sin of Big Brother and decide to have a strategy chat in the bathroom without checking to see if anyone is in there first.  They reveal their girl "alliance" and Kevin hears it all.  The girls freak out and Kevin runs to fire up some of the boys.

Time for POV.  It's a beaver themed challenge and these beaver costumes are ridiculous.  Looking pretty low budget.  Anyway,  the houseguests have to gather logs, and spell a sentence out of the letters.  This challenge reinforces for me that these houseguests would not survive on Survivor.  Everyone is cold and talking about their bodies "shutting down".  Ultimately, Kevin wins.

Next, a little mini-challenge.  Johnny has to watch the other houseguest's line themselves up from least to most.... And Johnny has to guess the categories.  The categories are intelligence, hygiene and likelihood to win Big Brother.  They get them right, so they win a pool party.

The pool party gets wild with a game of spin the bottle.  Johnny gets to kiss Zach and describe  Zach's lips as being like unicorns and butterflies.  And we see a budding Ashleigh and Zach showmance.

On to POV - Kevin takes himself off and is replaced by Sindy, who is mad.

Thoughts on tonight's episode?

Big Brother Canada 3 - March 25

I LOVE Big Brother.  I've been watching since the first season of Big Brother US, so when a Canadian version came out, I was ALL IN.  I'm going to do some recapping of this season, fully acknowledging that I didn't recap the first episode this season, but hopefully the rest of my recaps make up for it.

Recap of the first episode - The houseguests entered to no furniture or supplies and none of their belongings.  They were told they would all be HOH and each nominate too people.  The two people nominated the most would end up as the nominees so those two people were Risha and Sindy.  On the the POV Sindy takes self off block and nominates Pilar in her place.  Risha feels like she's not connecting with anyone because of her age (she's 41).

Back to the present, it's the first night in the house.  No blankets, no beds, not much for comfort, so most houseguests are using towels to sleep on.  Johnny reveals he has crush on Kevin.  *yawn*

Everyone complains about how hard the first night was.  Obviously none of these people will be signing up for Survivor.

Arisa reveals that all furniture/supplies, etc are in a vault and there will be a challenge to open the vault.  There is a code to open the vault and the numbers are contained in big balls.  Houseguests must keep balls off the ground for 5 hours each.  If anything happens that they fail, they have to start over.

Kevin is offered $1000 to sabotage the challenge by having the houseguests fail.  He accepts and goes out and pops the ball.

Sarah & Brittnee decide to work together, and suspect Kevin as Saboteur.

Risha goes topless in the hot tub.  This is her strategy?  No wonder houseguests are referring to her as "the cougar".

Back to the challenge.  the houseguests prevail and get the numbers to crack the code.  They have to work for a while at it, and ultimately, Zach and Jordan crack code, but this is not the end.  Houseguests have 45 minutes to place stuff in specific spots as Big Brother has outlined.  And they do it... seemingly with ease.

Graig doing yoga with most people - Risha and Sindy decide not to participate.  Risha talks about how hard she's working and how little Pilar is working.  I don't get it.  Did I miss something?  Pilar is being social, which seems to me to be the thing that Risha is missing.

Arissa reveals Canada voted for eviction.  Houseguests are shocked.  Risha immediately looks pissed. It's like she knew.... because she's the one that gets evicted.  Arisa reveals it was a close vote and that there was a a #SaveRisha campaign on Twitter.  Arisa of course reveals that there may be a way for Risha to re-enter.  One of the first five evicted may re-enter, following a competition.

HOH competition is up next, which is an endurance competition, so we won't learn the outcome until the next episode (unless... like me... you check in on the live feed spoilers).

What are your thoughts on the first two episodes?  Share in the comments below.

Travel Deals of the Day - March 17, 2016

Are you experiencing a little bit of "cabin fever"?  For many living in colder climates, this tends to be the time of year that we all say we've had enough of winter - unless you like cold weather or love winter sports, perhaps.  For me, I always feel like a virtual hermit during the winter.  Home and work are my two destinations, for the most part, in the winter months.

Whether you're currently planning a trip, or simply daydreaming about one, I thought I would share a few deals I came across today.  

*Disclaimer* - I am not a spokesperson for any of the companies I mention in this post.  Any of the trips shared below are listed based solely on price.  Also - these were the prices at the time of my post, and prices may change as the sales continue.  

Now, with all of that out of the way, here's what I found today.

Because I have readers from all over the place, I didn't want to simply focus on departures from my local airport, so I chose a couple of "hub" airports and had a look at those, so, you have to consider whatever additional cost their may be to get you to and from these hubs.

Flights from Toronto:

To New York (LaGuardia or JFK) - flying Wednesday to Saturday (I used April 29 to May 2 as sample dates), for $255. To Chicago is just slightly more expensive at $289

Flights from New York:

Spirit air is having a St. Patty's Day sale today and tomorrow from multiple airports.  From New York, you could travel to Dallas Texas or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for $68.09 one-way.  Or head to Miami for $89.09 one-way.   

Flights from Chicago:

Maybe you'd like to head further west for a vacation?  With Frontier Airlines you could head to Las Vegas for $170.20 round trip. Or Lost Angeles or San Francisco for $168.00.

The key, in my view, to getting a great deal is when you can be flexible with your dates or even your destination.  In my experience, I have found Tuesdays and Wednesdays to be some of the least expensive flight days, but you may find other "diamond in the rough" flights on other days of the week.

Another tip, when you see a price listed, check and see if it includes all your taxes and fees before you book, some of those fees can be quite a surprise.

Below are a list of the websites where I found the deals listed above:

Air Canada - http://www.aircanada.ca
Spirit Airlines - http://www.spirit.com/
Frontier Airlines - http://www.flyfrontier.com/

Have you found any deals lately?  Do share in the comments below.  

Tips for a Fantastic Time at Disney Parks

Disclaimer: These tips and tricks are based on my own experience, there are not endorsed by any travel company, theme park or other organization.  If you have your own tips or tricks, I'd love to hear about them. Share in the comments below.

My husband and I were in our 30s when we made our first trip to Orlando.  I didn't think theme parks were my kind of vacation, boy was I wrong.  Florida theme parks are about more than "just rides".  Each theme park offers different experiences.  I can't speak to all parks, but I can give some tips on the parks I have visited.

Some general tips for Disney parks - I highly recommend strollers, particularly for children under the age of 6.  Disney parks involve a lot of walking.  We found we were able to make it around a lot faster with a stroller.  There are strollers available for rental at the park, and I've heard of a number of companies that rent strollers as well.  If your child is under 40 pounds, an umbrella stroller will do the trick, we were able to pick a Disney themed stroller up at Wal-Mart for $15.  We left it at our rental house for others to use when we left Florida.

Food - We've eaten in the Disney park, and I found the food to be quite yummy, but we had one morning that we ate breakfast at the park, and it was so much food, that we didn't find we needed to eat a big lunch, so we packed some granola bars, water and a couple sandwiches in the event that we got hungry.  Definitely bring water.  

For parades - shaded areas go first on hot days (I'm sure that seems like a no brainer), but if you want a shaded spot for a parade, you need to sit down at least half hour before the parade.  One thing we wished we had done this past trip was brought an umbrella to use as a parasol.  When you sit on the concrete, it gets hot quick.

Disney's Magic Kingdom - This is my favourite park.  It may sound cheesy, but it truly is a magical place.  Any pictures or video you've seen, it's what you've seen but 100 times more!  I grew up with Disney movies, so to see so much of it come to life is truly magical.  If you only experience one of the Disney Parks, this should be it.  There's a combination of child friendly rides, like The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Dumbo, and rides that are fun for older kids and adults, like Space Mountain and Rocky Mountain Railroad.  I recommend hopping on the Disney train and heading to the back of the park, Fantasyland, first.  A lot of people rush through the gates and run down Main Street USA, so the closest rides get busiest first.  We were able to get off in Fantasyland and meet Daisy, Minnie, Goofy and Donald with less than 5 minute wait times!   For hot days, my favourite places to cool off (besides Splash Mountain) are the queue for the Dumbo ride - it's an indoor play park, with air conditioning, People Mover (almost no wait - even on busy days), Carousel of progress (again - air conditioning), and It's a Small World.

Disney's Animal Kingdom - Expedition Everest is a great rollercoaster for thrill seekers, but there's plenty of " low key rides for those that aren't in to roller coasters.  The Safari is a 'must do' .  I recommend doing it more than once, no two safaris are the same.  Even if you have a fastpass, I recommend heading right down to the Safari when the park opens, the wait isn't usually too long.  For a hot day - Dinosaur is a good spot to go for relief.  If you have small children, this ride may be frightening, and there is a height requirement.

Disney's Hollywood Studios - This park doesn't have a lot of rides, but the ones they have are thrilling!  Tower of Terror and Rockin Rollercoaster.  There are lots of shows and experiences at this park.  Any of the shows are a good place to head on a hot day, or the Great Movie Ride.  

We didn't visit Epcot, so unfortunately, I don't have any tips to offer here.

Fastpass+ - This is Disney's system to be able to go in a quick queue and make your way to the front of the line faster.  With a Fastpass, you book a specific time to head back to the ride.  Up to 30 days before your visit (if you're staying off site), if you have your tickets, you can book your Fastpasses in advance.  You're able to book further in advance if you're staying at a Disney Resort.  I recommend booking your fastpasses a soon as you're able to, some of the attractions that are very popular and the fastpasses book up quickly, such as the Elsa and Anna meet and greet and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. 

Fastpass is free with every ticket.  If you are staying off site and live out of the US, you will receive tickets when purchased as opposed to magic bands, which are bracelets equipped with RFID technology that replace the tickets.  The benefits of the magic bands are that they're right on your wrist, so there's no fumbling around for tickets.  Tickets and magic bands are linked with your finger print, so with tickets, you need to keep track of who's tickets are who's.  Magic Bands come in lots of different different colours and designs.  The price of the bands starts at $12.95 USD (for solid colors, once you get in to the designs, the price goes up).  You can purchase magic bands in the Disney Parks and at Downtown Disney, which I where we got ours.

My other recommendation for Disney Parks is to download the Walt Disney World app.  With this app, you can view maps, wait times, parade times, character meet and greet times, make fastpass reservations and changes, and even dining reservations.  Confession time - I sometimes check the app from home to see what the wait times are, out of curiosity.

Dining recommendations - In my opinion, the best character meal is Breakfast at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom You get to get some great breakfast foods and Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore visit every table.  We booked our reservation for 8:40 AM, 20 minutes before the park opens.  The park staff are at the gate with the list of reservations to allow you in the park a little before your reservation.  This is a fantastic time to get pictures of the castle and Main Street USA. And if you have a Memory Maker, the photographers are out to get some great family photos.  Here is a shot I got walking down Main Street USA.  

Memory Maker - The Memory Maker is a photo account that gathers any photos Disney photographers take in one spot.  You can download them all at no additional cost.  You can also order printed photos or products like calendars or mugs with your Disney photos on them, at an additional cost.  Not only do you get photos, but some attractions feature video, such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Tower of Terror.  Some pictures can even feature "extra magic" like inserting some Disney characters in to your pictures.  Any person linked to your "My Disney Experience" will be able to add pictures.  The Memory Maker is linked to everyone's Magic Band\ticket in your My Disney Experience account. I've been asked if the Memory Maker is worth getting.  The price is $199, but you get $30 off if you purchase in advance.  If you plan on spending multiple days in the parks, it's great!  No worrying about having your camera with you and you get unlimited pictures by experienced photographers.  It's also fantastic for big families or groups.

I'll leave you with this shot of my daughter on this magical vacation.  Remember that the memories you make on a family vacation are priceless.

Have any questions about my tips and tricks for Disney? Leave your questions in the comments below or on my Twitter (@overtired_katie) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/overtiredmama).  I love to talk Disney!

Element5 Spa - Review

I recently had the opportunity to enjoy half a day at Element5 Spa in Saint John, NB.  If you're anything like me, it can be difficult to find the time to have a "me day", but I highly recommend it.  I have felt guilty in the past when I take time for me, but I truly believe that when you're happy and relaxed, it's contagious - a good contagious.  

I've had gift certificates before for a spa, and I usually stretch it as far as I can - multiple appointments on different days.  This time, I decided to try something different, book them all at the same time.  One big package.  And it was AMAZING.

Whether you live in Saint John, New Brunswick, or if you're planning to visit, I highly recommend a visit to this spa.  I'm going to share my experience in hopes of encouraging you to make your own "me day".  

Element5 Spa is located in Market Square, one of my favourite buildings in Saint John.  A beautiful, bright space surrounded by shopping, eating establishments, and even a museum.  One of the best parts, particularly for people visiting the area, it's connected by an "inside connection" to hotels, the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, Harbour Station (hockey rink/concert location), Brunswick Square (more shopping) and the iconic City Market.  You can easily make a whole day out of visiting this area of the city.

Element5 has recently had some renovations which include a new entrance and reception area with lots of products to browse through.

As you enter the reception area, you're greeted by a friendly staff, and taken to a relaxing waiting area with a fireplace, comfy chairs, and some Aveda Comforting Tea.  The tea is amazing, and the perfect way to start an appointment.

I began my appointment at 9 AM with a visit to their changing area where I was provided with a locker and a robe to wear for the duration of my visit.

I started with a leg wax.  Best to get the uncomfortable bit over with first.  My esthetician helped me feel relaxed and I barely noticed any uncomfortable feeling. A fantastic result, nice smooth legs, to move on to the remainder of my appointments.

Next, was a facial and a massage.  The massage was fantastic.  I've been to Element5 for massages before, and their RMTs are always very professional and discuss with you, before you begin, any trouble areas you may have, and what your goals are for the massage.  And the facial...this was a new area for me.  I had only had 1 facial before, and it wasn't a great experience, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the facial was so relaxing, included a hand and head massage (heavenly), and my skin felt fresh and moisturized afterwards.  

Here is a picture of me feeling relaxed after these first few services.

And of course it was relaxing, check out the treatment rooms:

On to a pedicure and manicure.  Their rooms are equiped to handle groups as well, so you can have a pedicure and/or manicure with your friends and/or family.  Both the manicure and pedicure include trimming and shaping of your nails, cuticle treatment, foot filing for the pedicure, massage for both, and polish.  

The result:

Just prior to beginning my pedicure, I was actually brought a menu to order some lunch from a restaurant close to the spa, Ryan Duffy's.  I ordered fish and chips, was taken to a room after my pedicure and was able to eat and order a glass of wine.  It was delicious and continued my relaxing experience.

Check out my delicious lunch!

After finishing all of my appointments, I vowed to make another "me day" again sometime soon.  I left there feeling like I had just had a vacation!  Don't believe me?  Check out my "after" photo... this is the face of relaxation:

I had multiple staff take care of me during my day at the spa, and each was professional and courteous.  

So my recommendation - take a "me day" and visit the spa, and, if you have the time, book more than one service... it's the ultimate in relaxation.  I can't wait to get back!

Have questions about my experience?  Feel free to leave questions in the comments below!