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Motherhood

Is Everything Blog Worthy?

March 5, 2012

Is everything blog worthy?

As I think about this, I am reminded of the classic Seinfeld episode when Elaine buys all the sponges she can get before they are discontinued. She then decides on whether a man is “sponge-worthy” because she’s afraid of using all of her supply.

I couldn’t help but think the same about blog posts.

Is every detail of your life written in a blog post or micro-blogged on Twitter or Tumblr?

I guess I’m not really asking if you choose how much to share, which is what I wrote about here but whether or not you feel that what you share is worthy of a blog post?

Do you blog about everything? How do you decide what is blog-worthy?

Food

Easy Shepherd’s Pie

March 5, 2012

Shepherd’s Pie is another one of my favourite comfort foods, especially in the winter.

Easy Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

10 medium white or cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, sliced

½ tsp dried marjoram

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp black pepper

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups beef stock

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn niblets

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

¼ cup chicken stock

¼ cup milk

2 tbsp dry bread crumbs

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, marjoram and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with flour, stir in beef stock, tomato paste and Worchestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt if necessary.

Meanwhile, cook peas and corn in a separate small pot of boiling water. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes under tender (for mashed potatoes). Drain and mash until smooth, adding stock and milk.

Spread meat mixture in a baking dish (8 x 12” dish). Add a layer of corn and peas. Spoon potato over peas and corn, spreading gently.

In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs with parmesan. Sprinkle on top of shepherd’s pie.

Bake in preheated oven at 375 F for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Featured

McCain® Harvest Splendour™ Medleys Are a Perfect Side Dish for Busy Moms!

March 5, 2012

Ever get stuck wondering what to make for dinner? You and me both, mama!

If I’m having a super busy day, it’s suddenly 5:00pm before I know it and I haven’t prepared anything for dinner.

I can quickly defrost some chicken breasts but what about a yummy side dish?

Well have I got a quick, hearty and healthy solution for you! I had the opportunity to try McCain® Harvest Splendour™ Medleys and I was really impressed.

They are the perfect side dish solution because they bring potatoes and vegetables together. Ahh! A marriage of veggies and potatoes so I don’t have to cook both separately – that makes a busy mum happy.

McCain® Harvest Splendour™ Medleys come in four varieties:

Potato and Broccoli Medley
Potato and Carrot Medley
Three Potato Medley
Yukon Gold Potato and Mushroom Medley

I like the variety McCain offers; I can’t wait to try the three potato medley since sweet potatoes are my absolute favourite.

Did I mention they are healthy? They have no trans-fat and have no artificial colours or flavours. They are made with 100% real potatoes and vegetables.

A 3/4 cup serving cooked has 130 calories and 2 g of fat. A serving has just 13 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of sugar. I usually am concerned about sodium in prepared foods but the vegetables are completely separate from the seasoning packet; one serving has only 105 mg of sodium.

Even if you are on a low-sodium diet, you could even cut the seasoning packet down in half if you so desired. If you wanted, you could simply season it yourself too.

I tried the Yukon Gold Potato and Mushroom Medley which includes specially selected Yukon Gold potatoes, crimini mushrooms (which I prefer to just white button mushrooms), green beans, fire roasted crimini mushrooms, canola oil, and spices.

The bag was easy to open which is also a bonus when you’re in a rush. When I opened the herb package, it smelled like Thanksgiving stuffing… yum! I love a variety of spices so this scent was very appealing.

There is enough for a side dish for a family of five. The 500g package has six servings but even if you divide into four servings, it is still a healthy side dish.

The Medley was easy to prepare – I heated up 1 tbsp. of sunflower oil in a pan, added the seasoning and frozen medley and mixed it up. I stirred it a few times until it was ready. The package says within 10 to 14 minutes; I kept it in the pan for 15 minutes while I quickly cooked some chicken in another pan.

I’m really impressed with these McCain Harvest Splendour Medleys. They are wholesome and well-balanced and a great side dish to compliment a meal.

When dinner needs to get on the table quickly, McCain® Harvest Splendour™ Medleys are a wonderful option.

McCain® Harvest Splendour™ Medleys are now available in the frozen vegetable section nationwide at most major grocery chains for an average retail price of $3.79-$3.99 each (retailer may sell for less). For more information, visit www.harvestsplendour.ca or visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mccaincanada.

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by McCain via Glam Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of McCain.

Health

Free Online Diet and Nutrition Program

March 2, 2012

Looking for a free online diet and nutrition program?

Look no further!

I had a chance to try Truestar vitamins and learn about their website and wanted to share it with my readers.

Truestar Health is a Canadian company and the supplements are manufactured in Canada. Truestar.com is a personal profiling total health program website based upon five key areas of health: Nutrition, Exercise, Vitamins, Attitude and Sleep.

When you visit the website, you can simply join for free. Enter all of you information and choose your own meal plan, exercise plan and find out more about vitamins, sleep and mental health.

The weight loss plans on the website are healthy – no crash diets here. The website offers very customizable meal plans, friendly for those with dietary restrictions and health issues. You can also create your weekly menu and the site will even create a grocery list for you. The site offers a food tracker as well and recipes.

The exercise plan is also customizable, with cardio and weight training options, and even has videos you can watch and yoga programs too. The site offers a 30-90 day challenge to get you in shape.

There is detailed info on the vitamins and supplements which are free of additives and made of pure quality product. The site includes an encyclopedia for food, ingredients in homeopathic medicines and health conditions.

If you wanted to get your kids involved, you can – the site offers a section with customizable meal and exercise plans for kids too.

I’m trying the Carb Blocker, True Craving Control as well as the TrueLEAN Extreme formula vitamins.

Truestar.com is all about living well, eating well and creating a balance in your life.

Contest

LEGO® DUPLO® Play Challenge and Giveaway!

March 2, 2012

What kid doesn’t love LEGO®?!

But little hands need BIG Bricks!

Kick off your child’s building career with LEGO® DUPLO® bricks – specially-designed for little hands with BIG imagination.

Get started today by taking The 30 Days of Play Challenge and you could WIN a trip for four to a LEGOLAND® Park of your choice. Check out the contest over at Today’s Parent.

We’re also giving away two LEGO® DUPLO® sets to our readers!

Three ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment daily below to enter

2. Tweet about the contest daily with a link in the comments below to count as your entry. Use “Win LEGO® DUPLO® on @amotherworld ~ Can only, ends March 9”

3. Enter the form below and subscribe to our newsletter!

Canada only. Ends March 9, 2012.

CONGRATS TO NATASHA FIORINI!!!

Featured

Five Things You Should Do Every Day That Are Free

March 1, 2012

by Christy Laverty

The best things in life are free.

There I said it.

When you think about it you know it is true. I am talking about simple, everyday things that we often take for granted but when we embrace them they enrich us and make us happier. And being in a state of happiness will do wonders for you.

The happier you feel the better you feel. Just think about some of the best days of your life; your wedding, birth of your child, celebrating your birthday. Remember how happy you felt. Just thinking back to those days probably makes you feel happy.

There are simple things we can do every day that will enrich our daily lives; simple things. I am all about simple. I have enough craziness in my life on most days, just like a lot of Moms! We have enough on our plates, we don’t need complicated or difficult. Easy and simple are perfect for me. And if you add free to the pot and stir in a little happiness that is one tasty soup in my mind.

So here we go. Just five simple things you can do every day to bring a little more happiness into your life!

1. Soak up the Sun

I am not talking about sun tanning. What I am saying is when the sun is shining take advantage, soak it up. Get outside. There is nothing better for the body than some Vitamin D. It is a sure fire cure for the winter blues and blahs. It just makes you feel good to have the warmth of the sun shine down on your face. It puts a smile on my face that’s for sure.

2. Look at the Stars

I work evenings and so I don’t get home from work until about 1 a.m. Every time I pull up in my driveway and get out of my car I look up to the night sky. I love to take a few seconds to wonder at the stars. It is just so beautiful. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere you can actually see the stars in the sky at night, you should do it. It is awe inspiring.

When I get a chance to get up to our family cottage it is jaw dropping. There are so many stars I can hardly see them all. I am speechless whenever we sit by the fire or sit on the dock and stare up at the night sky. It is truly something everyone should see just once in their lives. It makes me happy. It costs nothing to take a few minutes to look up to the stars but it’s value is priceless for the soul.

3. Take a Walk

Firstly, the exercise will do you good. It also gives you a great opportunity to see what is around your neighbourhood, around your house or work. You might even get the chance to discover some hidden gems. It also offers you a chance to be by yourself and think. I think we all need time to be with ourselves, it does the body and mind and spirit good.

4. Reach Out and Touch Someone

We are social creatures. There is nothing more important than the connections we have in our lives; they support us, they inspire us, they nourish us, they love us. So do something that will bring you happiness and will give happiness to someone else and take a few moments to call, write or email a friend or loved one. It is often something we forget to do as our lives get busy.

I have a childhood friend that I don’t talk to very often. She isn’t on Facebook or Twitter and doesn’t really use email so the phone is the best way to get in touch. I have let that connection slide a bit. I miss her. So this week I am going to call her. You should do the same, call a friend, reconnect. It is important. It will nourish your soul and spirit. Let’s face it talking to friend can make you so happy!

5. Stop and Smell the Roses

Yes, if there are roses, or any other flower, you should stop and smell them. Flowers are meant to be enjoyed not just by the eyes but also by the nose BUT that isn’t all I am saying. This is a reminder to enjoy the beauty in your life every day. Slow down. Take a few minutes for yourself every day. You deserve it and it will nourish your mind and your spirit.

What simple things make you happy?

Christy Laverty is a mother and an editor for a Toronto all news radio station. She also does freelance writing for several parenting magazines. Visit Christy’s blog where she updates the trials, tribulations, and fun of being mom of two beautiful girls.

Featured

5 Things to Look for When Choosing a Summer Camp

February 29, 2012

by Danielle Christopher

Cup of coffee in hand, I sit down at the kitchen table. I begin flipping through the Summer Camp Guide with a keen eye. My oldest is now five years old and it is time to look at summer activity options for her.

After reading through half the information that I picked up at the library I close it with frustration, feeling overwhelmed. I have no clue where to begin to pick a summer camp for kids. I felt that since it was only February the sixth, I had time.

Once I began the task of narrowing it down, I began to make phone calls to ask questions about the specific camps. Much to my horror the top three choices were already booked up. It’s February!

After the third phone call I went to my Facebook and Twitter community to ask what camps they liked or did not like. What I got back was a large amount of information all within an hour! I could have done that in the first place!

Those lessons that they shared, including what I learned on how to pick a summer camp are:

1. Talk to friends and family about the camps they have experienced. If you do not know anyone then ask the camps for referrals.

2. There is a big difference between day camps and overnight camps. Each child is unique. I learned that my five-year-old will benefit from day camps as she has yet to do sleepovers, etc.

3. My biggest concern is included in the list of questions found at OurKids.net: “How does the camp deal with individual needs and differences, homesickness or bullying?” That one is huge in particular, the awareness is in schools about bullying. How do camps deal with it?

4. Look at your family budget as to what you really can afford. Day Camps can run $25.00 to $500 per week depending on the structure. Overnight camps can run from $200 to $1000 per week. If cost is an issue some camps do offer financial aid. Also, research the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit as it may help parents to add extra camps benefit the kids and taxes.

5. For more information check out Camp.ca or attend a Camp Expo. They happen at different times in a city near you. Having many under one roof can answer your question all in one day.

I fine tune what I will sign my daughter up. Going to camp is a great social tool for her. By building her confidence and emotional intelligence will help her excel in her everyday life. After spending a lot of time together over the summer I think we both need a little break.

My coffee is empty and sign-ups have been completed. I call her in to tell her what she has to look forward to in the summer. Seeing her excitement validates that I did the right thing. I never went to camps as a kid however participated in sports. The lessons I learned while playing helped me since then.

Danielle Christopher is a stay-at-home mom of two daughters, ages one and three. She blogs for The Momoir Project and writes book reviews for Women’s Post. Her teen story is in the collection “Parent/Teen Stories: Without Judgement”. She lives with her husband of seventeen years and her girls in Langley, B.C.. Follow her on Twitter.

Celebrities

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Have a Baby Boy!

February 28, 2012

It’s a boy for Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck!

The couple have welcomed a son in Santa Monica, a source confirmed to PEOPLE. Baby boy Affleck joins big sisters Seraphina, 3, and Violet, 6.

What will they name him?

With names like Seraphina and Violet, we can only imagine that Affleck and Garner’s son’s name will be unique as well.

Or maybe they’ll name him after best friend Matt Damon? Or William after her dad or Timothy after his?

Well wait no more! Ben wrote on his Facebook page: “We are happy to announce on February 27, Jennifer gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Samuel Garner Affleck.”

Garner and Affleck, both 39, announced they were expecting in August. She told Jay Leno in January that they knew the sex of the baby, but weren’t sharing.

Congratulations to them!

Entertainment

Dancing with the Stars Season 14 Cast Announced

February 28, 2012

Are you ready for a new season of Dancing with the Stars? The Dancing With the Stars Season 14 cast has finally been revealed.

Who are the stars this season?

Here are the new DWTS contestants and their professional partners:

Melissa Gilbert of “Little House on the Prairie” fame with do the cha cha with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver will dance with Peta Murgatroyd.

William Levy, who is known as “The Brad Pitt of Mexico” is paired with Cheryl Burke.

The View’s Sherri Shepherd will do the tango with Val Chmerkovskiy.

Opera star Katherine Jenkins will be dancing with pro Mark Ballas.

Pop singer Gavin Degraw will have Karina Smirnoff as his partner.

Jack Wagner of “Melrose Place” and “General Hospital” fame will do the tango with pro Anna Trebunskaya.

Tennis star Martina Navratilova will dance with Tony Dovolani.

Roshon Fegan the of Disney Channel, who is the youngest contestant at age 20, will be partnered with Chelsie Hightower.

Extra host Maria Menounos will dance with Derek Hough.

Jaleel White who played Steve Urkel from “Family Matters” is paired with pro Kym Johnson.

Gladys Knight is partnered with Tristan MacManus.

Dancing with the Stars Season 14 premiered March 14^th.

photo: ABC

Entertainment

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax Review

February 28, 2012

by Sharlene Henry

When I was asked if I wanted to attend The Lorax sneak preview at AMC theatres on Yonge and Dundas with my family, three things came to mind: 1. Absolutely, I would love to go. 2. What the heck is a Lorax? 3. What is Seventh Generation?

My children all love Dr. Seuss as do I, but we’ve never read The Lorax. After getting our picture taken and walking the “green carpet”, we settled in to a wonderful movie with a lesson that is easy to understand for all ages. The Lorax is reminiscent of WALL-E but with humans and animals in an action-packed film with cool 3D imagery.

For the love of a girl, Audrey (played by Taylor Swift), a young boy Ted (Zac Efron) decides to impress her with a task most impossible in a futuristic world of plastic – find a tree. He travels to the outskirts of Thneedville to find a tree from the mysterious Once-ler, the man responsible for the disappearance of Truffula trees in the land.

He is told about this man by his feisty granny Norma played by none other than Betty White. What I love about her character is that she shows the importance of grandparents and their link to the past (her knowledge of trees). Ted learns about the Lorax (Danny DeVito) is and the perils of consumerism to the environment. Ted’s mom, granny and Audrey help him fight off the greedy Mr. O’Hare, manufacturer of bottled-air.

The Lorax a feel-good movie that left me laughing and a little teary-eyed at the end. It is a family-friendly must-see, especially in 3D.

After the movie, we were treated to loot for the kids and the grownups from Seventh Generation, a company that makes eco-conscious environmentally-friendly products. For the grownups we received a reusable tote filled with natural laundry detergent (in a paper bottle!), dish soap, and chlorine-free baby wipes. I can’t wait to try them all.

seventh generation products — Seventh Generation products; reusable fabric lunch bags for the kids were filled with baby trees.

Seventh Generation partnered with Universal Pictures to bring the Lorax’s crucial message of ecological hope and environmental action to a new generation of children and parents. Their hope is to get the message across that protecting the Earth and staying healthy can be as simple as making the right shopping choices.

The best part of seeing the film is that their school had already planned a day-trip to the movies to see the film but I wouldn’t be able to go with them. So they were very excited and happy to see it first before their classmates, with mom and have popcorn and drinks too.

the lorax, dr seuss lorax — Holding the tree, planting her tree, getting the Lorax on!

The Lorax hits theatres on March 2, 2012.

Sharlene Henry is a busy mum of four kids: 11, 10, 3 and 9 months. Follow her on Twitter.