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!

Planning our Florida Vacation - Part 3 - Flights and Rental Cars

This post doesn't just apply to flights or car rentals in Florida, many of the things I write here will apply to many destinations.

Keep in mind, I'm sharing what I've experience personally, but you may have had a totally different experience, feel free to share your own tips in the comments below!

I started keeping an eye on flights to Florida about 8 months before we traveled.  In my opinion, there is such a thing as booking too early.  The flights 8 months ago were pricey.  We looked at travelling from our home airport in Saint John, New Brunswick (Canada) and we also considered a few U.S. airports within driving distance (Bangor, Maine and Portland, Maine).  In past years, we always found flights were significantly cheaper flying out of the U.S.  but this year was different, we were travelling during Spring Break.  For this reason, flights were more expensive across the board.  So we went in to it knowing we would spend more than we had in years past.  This would be true of other busy travel times such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Despite airfare prices being more expensive 8 months out, I do recommend at least having a look at prices once you know you are travelling.  You can start seeing when prices start going down.  Kayak features on their website a little tool that indicates the likelihood of prices going up or down in the next 7 days as well.

In terms of helpful websites, I have typically found that booking through the airline directly is cheapest.  Even if it isn't, many airlines offer "lowest price guaranteed" offers, so that if you book with them, and you find the exact same flights on another site for a cheaper price, they will match it and/or offer you some kind of discount or rebate on a future booking.

In our case, the cheapest flight appeared approximately 8 weeks before our intended departure date.  We ended up finding a flight out of our home airport for just slightly more than one of the U.S. airports.  Bonus!

My biggest tip when you're planning your trip, is if you can be flexible on your departure and return dates, be flexible as long as you can - occasionally it can be significantly cheaper to fly on a particular day of the week.  We have found that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest times to fly, and the cheapest day of the week to book is usually Tuesday, late afternoon, because a lot of carriers release their seat sales at that time.

As for a rental car, my experience is the longer you wait, the better price you get.  Especially if you aren't stuck on a particular type of car.  We booked our rental 2 weeks before our trip.  We had booked a minivan, which two weeks before we booked was priced at $950 for 2 weeks.  I ended up getting the rental for $450 (taxes and fees included) for two weeks.  Not bad for Spring Break.

Have questions about how we got our deals?  Leave me a comment in the section below.  Or, feel free to share your own tips and tricks.

Update on my Fear Challenge

Some of you may remember a while back when I posted that I was accepting pledges to face my biggest fear, heights.  A new attraction opened at Busch Gardens, Tampa, in 2014 that would allow me to face my fear.  This ride takes people up 335 feet, tilts your chair 90 degrees so you are facing the ground, and drops you at 60 mph towards the ground.  Terrifying.

The pledges I accepted went towards the Canadian Cancer Society and it's wonderful programs, services, publications and research.  I was fortunate to raise $840.  Although I didn't reach my ultimate goal, and I decided to go through with this challenge.  (If you wan't to read more about why I took on this challenge, check out my previous post here. 

To prove to you I actually went through with it.  Here is some video I had my husband take of the experience.

Pardon the Silence

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I hope you'll forgive me but I'll be back soon with new reviews, including a post about Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Sea World and Disney!!!