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Family Travel

What to Do on a Weekend Visit to Vancouver B.C.

December 5, 2016

As I’d never visited the west coast of Canada, a last-minute weekend visit to Vancouver B.C. was in store and I couldn’t be more excited. What to do on a weekend visit to Vancouver and feel like you’ve explored this beautiful city, defined by its Pacific coastline and mountain ranges? We’ll get to that!

But first, I found some amazing travel deals booking flight and hotel together on Expedia.ca, the lowest prices than anywhere else. I’d booked on Expedia.ca before, and knew that I’d find the best travel prices. I took my mom on this trip for a lovely mother-daughter getaway.

What to Do on a Weekend Visit to Vancouver B.C.

The flight on Air Canada was comfortable, and because it was a domestic flight, we made it from the moment we arrived in the airport to our gate within a half hour. Security was a breeze. Once we arrived at YVR, a car service picked us up from baggage claim, and brought us into the city to our hotel. The driver told us a little about the housing market and prices of homes as we drove through one of the most expensive neighbourhoods of the city.

We stayed at the beautiful Four Seasons Vancouver right downtown (which closed in 2020). Our charming hotel room offered a lovely view of the city. Set above the Pacific Centre mall, the upscale hotel was right in the heart of downtown, a 2-minute walk from Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station and a 10-minute walk to historic Gastown.

The cozy rooms have free WiFi, flat-screen TVs, DVD players and marble bathrooms. The beds and pillows are super comfy. Upgraded rooms add floor-to-ceiling wraparound windows with skyline views. Some suites have dining areas, private bars and/or extra bathrooms. Upgraded 2-storey suites are also available, and kids 18 and under stay free.

Van City Trolley

In order to get around town easily, we took the Van City Trolley, which had a stop right across the street from our hotel. It was a convenient way to get around town, and we toured around the entire city, going through to Stanley Park, Granville Island, Chinatown, Yaletown, and Gastown.

You could get off at the various stops, and then hop back on again. What would’ve been great is if the trolley offered a couple of route options. The route was only one way; clockwise around the city. We enjoyed the commentary from the driver who gave a good overview of the main sites in Vancouver with a little bit of humour.

Stanley Park

One stop we took advantage of was Stanley Park, which covers 1,000 acres in a bustling downtown. The public park borders the downtown of Vancouver in and is almost entirely surrounded by waters of Vancouver Harbour and English Bay. Stanley Park is home to the Vancouver Aquarium and First Nations Totem Poles, and offers a wonderland of forest activities including a Miniature Railway.

Gastown

After we hopped back on, we visited Gastown, the heart of Vancouver. Gastown was designated a National Historic Site in 2009, and offers a saw tooth skyline that dates back to the 1800s, showcasing some of the city’s best Victorian Italianate, Edwardian Commercial and Romanesque architecture. We stopped to take some photos with the steam clock and looked at some of the lovely shops on the strip. Steamworks Brewing Co has some great gluten-free options including pizza and cider. I also enjoyed a Starbucks during our window-browsing; there are apparently 200 Starbucks locations around the city!

Capilano Suspension Bridge

The next morning, we took advantage of the free shuttle to Capilano Suspension Bridge, 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The current bridge is 140 metres long and 70 metres above the river. Robson Street Your visit includes the Treetops Adventure and Cliffwalk in North Vancouver, BC. Canyon Lights November 24, 2016 to January 8, 2017. Re-capture the feeling of wonder and excitement of the holiday season and be amazed by the hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the park. The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon are transformed into a world of festive lights and visual enchantment. See the world’s tallest living Christmas tree (153 feet tall!), go on a Snowy Owl Prowl, decorate gingerbread cookies and make your own Christmas card (by donation) in the Winter Pavilion, and sing-along with the holiday band.

Robson Street

Later, we took a stroll along Robson Street, one of the first streets in Vancouver, and was named in honour of John Robson, Premier of British Columbia from 1889-1892. Today, it is Vancouver’s most famous shopping street and a well-established fashion district. I especially loved seeing various parts of the city at night; with Christmas season, the lit trees and decorative lights are so festive!

Vancouver Art Gallery

Vancouver Art Gallery was right at outside the doorstep of the Four Seasons, so we decided to have a visit. Unfortunately only two floors of the art gallery were open, but we enjoyed the Walker Evans “Depth of Field” exhibition. The modern Juxtapoz exhibition was interesting to say the least!

While Vancouver, B.C. is an expensive city, its mountains, ocean and mild temperatures as well as the amazing food and neighbourhoods make this place a must-see destination!

Watch my video:

Motherhood

You’re an Awesome Mom

December 1, 2016

Moms, are you feeling worn down? I too am feeling overwhelmed, overscheduled, and even other people notice how tired I look.

So it’s time for a reminder about how awesome you are, mom! I realize you’re in the thick of things right now, but please know you will make it through these exhausting days.

My boys are older now, so I can look back and tell you how much work it is when your kids are little because I lived through it.

I remember what it’s like to breastfeed constantly throughout the night, and want to have a few moments to yourself without being prodded and poked.

I know how hard it is to have to jump out of bed to run to your crying toddler to soothe them because of a bad dream.

I know how often you try to stay focused on your adorable preschooler in the bath tub because they look so cute splashing in the water, but you can’t help yourself from zoning out.

Or screaming “shit! in your head when you tiptoe away from the nursery, only for the baby to wake up the moment you think you’re scot-free.

It’s okay. You’re an awesome mom.

It’s okay to have feelings of anger and frustration, and even desperation, when you just want your baby to go the fuck to sleep!

Your arms are numb from rocking your baby, your back is sore from carrying him everywhere, and you can’t feel your nipples anywhere from your baby’s constant sucking. And you cry because he won’t take the bottle or soother because you’ve reluctantly become his human pacifier.

You celebrate a 6:00 a.m. wake-up because for the first time in months, you haven’t been awoken by a crying baby at 5:00 a.m. and that extra hour has made you feel human again.

It’s okay. You’re an awesome mom.

It’s okay that you plopped your preschooler in front of the TV and let him watch shows for two hours so that you could lie on the couch because you’re as sick as a dog. You even endured two hours of Caillou for your kid’s sake – now that’s love.

You snap at your partner because you’re so exhausted, that you’re seeing blurry. As you drift in and out of consciousness, you have the wildest ideas of selling everything, packing up a few things and moving to a Caribbean island and living off the land. Your kids can become professional surfers – university is overrated.

It’s alright. You’re an awesome mom.

You’re doing your best, and some days you have your big girl panties on, and other days you struggle to keep your shit together. Because this whole parenting thing doesn’t come with instructions. Because there’s no cheat sheet.

We’re all moms just trying to navigate our way. Some days we’re rocking “adulting.” And other days we’re hiding in bathrooms and stuffing our faces with chocolate ice cream.

And that’s okay too. Because even on shitty days, you’re still an awesome mom. Your kids know that too.

Books & Music

Food and Drink Cookbooks (Giveaway)

November 30, 2016

With the rise of Pinterest, and food sites and apps such as Yummly, and those time-lapse videos on Facebook, how often do you pull out a good recipe book?

I love coffee table books and cookbooks, with beautiful and colourful illustrations and photos. With celebrity and Food Network chefs and personalities coming out with cookbooks every week, it’s a challenge to choose a few that you’ll actually use.

DK Canada offers some fantastic cookbooks for every taste. With comprehensive wine encyclopedias and clear, easy-to-follow cookbooks, DK’s selection of illustrated epicurean titles will be sure to please your favorite foodie.

Super Food Breakfasts

Kick-start your day with Superfood Breakfasts. This collection of 25 cook and no-cook recipes is packed with ideas for nutritious grains, berries, seeds, and booster powders to give you renewed vitality. From granola and overnight oats to Green Goddess Juice and Rainbow Vegetable Frittata, all the recipes are vegetarian, refined-sugar- and gluten-free, and designed to make you feel great. Most only take moments to prepare, and once you have mastered the techniques, you’ll find yourself concocting your own superfood breakfasts in the kitchen.

Whether you are health- and fitness-conscious or a parent who wants to prepare healthy breakfasts for your child, Superfood Breakfasts just gave the most important meal of the day the nutritious makeover you’ve been hoping for.

Plant-Based Cookbook

Plant-Based Cookbook includes 200 satisfying and delicious meatless, dairy-free recipes — plus everything you need to know to transition easily to a plant-based diet.

The health benefits of a plant-based diet are at your fingertips in this all-inclusive cookbook with 200 hearty vegetarian and vegan recipes, from basics such as stocks and sauces to appetizers, meatless mains, bakes and casseroles, grains and pasta, tofu, tempeh, and seitan, desserts, and more.

The Plant-Based Cookbook also provides nutritional information, tips on transitioning to a plant-based diet, making your favorite recipes meat-free, sources of protein, cooking techniques and tools, and advice for the newbie on easy-to-do plant-based cooking.

Whether by choice or by a doctor’s orders, you will get all of the information you need in the Plant-Based Cookbook to make satisfying meals — without the meat and dairy focus.

The Gluten-Free Cookbook

Living with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? The Gluten-Free Cookbook proves you can love food, enjoy eating, and still live G-Free! This cookbook helps you avoid gluten and cook food that won’t aggravate your celiac disease or cause you gluten sensitivity. Through extensive research and kitchen tests, you’ll find recipes, home-cooked favorites, and menus that allow anyone with gluten sensitivity to eat well while eating gluten-free.

You’ll find more than 22 delicious and carefully tested recipes in this book, including gluten-free recipes for everything from tasty breakfasts, healthy lunches, easy dinners, and quick snacks. For food that’s gluten-free and incredibly delectable (and gorgeous, too), reach for The Gluten-Free Cookbook, revised and updated with new recipes.

Complete Children’s Cookbook

More than 150 fabulous recipes, divided into nine themed chapters (Breakfast, Soups and Salads, Light Bites, and more) will have you and your child in the kitchen and cooking in no time. From French toast to rainbow salad, vegetable lasagna to tomato soup, and ice cream to mini muffins, Complete Children’s Cookbook has a recipe for every occasion. And with beautiful full-color photography, simple instructions, and a focus on safety, each one makes an ideal cook-together project that will have children excited to try the new flavors in the dishes they helped make.

The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and feature a picture for every step, so children can see clearly just what to do as they build basic cooking skills, safe kitchen practices, and adventurous palates.

These books are available to purchase at bookstores and online from Indigo and Amazon.

We’re giving one lucky reader a chance to win two DK titles from Food and Drink! Use the Rafflecopter below to enter this giveaway.

Good luck!

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Health

Fall Yard Work “Re-Leaf” Raking Tips

November 29, 2016

I love the cool, crisp fall weather, and the gorgeous colours of the trees and leaves. Now that the leaves have fallen, it’s time to put on the rubber boots and garden gloves, and do some yard work.

When I’m gardening, often my back and knees will seize up! Staying in one position for a while can lead to back pain.

Did you know there are some proper techniques for raking leaves?

Raking season can be a pain! Don’t let autumn leaves get the better of you. Follow these four tips from Advil® 12 Hour to get “Re-L.E.A.F.” from raking pain this fall!

Advil 12 Hour “Re-Leaf” Raking Tips

Learn the proper techniques

The right moves make the difference! Use your legs to shift your weight while raking, rather than twisting your back. Switch your lead arm regularly to help avoid exhausting your muscles with repetitive motions. And, bend with your knees instead of your back when lifting.

Ease in with stretching

Raking leaves may not seem as physically demanding as a gym workout, but it can take a toll on your body. Stretching beforehand warms up your muscles and stretching afterwards can relieve muscle tension.

Always listen to your body

Know when it’s time to take a break. If you have lots of leaves to rake and you’re feeling sore, take a time-out instead of trying to push through the pain. Non-prescription pain relievers like Advil 12 Hour can provide fast-acting and long-lasting pain relief.

Find the right-sized rake

Using a rake that’s too long or short forces you to contort your body, causing sore back muscles. Choose a rake that allows you to reach leaves a fair distance away from your feet without having to bend or twist.

These tips are suggestions and do not replace medical advice. Please speak with your healthcare provider for medical advice.

If you suffer from pain, get “Re-Leaf” with Advil 12 Hour’s effective immediate release/extended release formula works to relieve pain in two phases: a quick burst for relief that’s fast and extended release for relief that lasts.

Advil 12 Hour can help Canadians stay active by managing their pain so they can re-focus on their daily life. Advil 12 Hour provides fast-acting plus long-lasting relief of muscle, back, joint and arthritis pain.

Advil 12 Hour is clinically proven to provide up to 12 hours of effective pain relief in a convenient one-pill dose, so you don’t have to worry about your pain reliever wearing off, or when to take your next dose of pills.

Ibuprofen, the active ingredient in all Advil products, has been clinically proven to relieve pain from inflammation. Canadians trust the effectiveness of Advil as a non-prescription pain reliever.

COUPON

Visit Advil.ca to download a coupon for $3 off the purchase of Advil® 12 Hour, and find it in your local pharmacy.

Stay active this season, and manage your long-lasting pain so you can re-focus on your daily life!

Disclosure: This post is proudly sponsored by Advil® 12 Hour. As always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Big Kids

Helicopter Parenting to the Extreme

November 28, 2016

Being a parent means taking care of your kids’ needs first… making sure they are well fed, dressed, and raised to be good, well-respected people.

I am not a helicopter parent, but I’m also not a free-range parent either… I’d like to think I’m somewhere in between. One lesson I’ve learned early on in my years as a mother and parent, is to teach children how to do things themselves.

Teaching kids to do things on their own doesn’t make you less of a good parent. Just because you’re their mom, it doesn’t mean you have to do everything for them. A child should eventually be able to feed themselves, tie their own shoes, and wipe their own bums. They’ll need to be able to poor their own orange juice, make their own beds, and do their own homework – without constant instruction and direction from parents.

Kids must learn to be self-sufficient – the earlier, the better.

Can you coddle your kids too much? I don’t mean just spoil with attention and gifts, but coddle and care for to the point where your child can’t do anything on their own?

Well, apparently yes. A 7-year-old boy has been ordered by a Swiss court to attend a special school because his over-protective parents have left him unable to do things for himself. The boy’s parents literally spoiled their son to the point that he was unable to fend for himself.

The boy’s parents removed “all obstacles” in his life, and kept him away from everyday learning experiences such as playing with other children, according to a school psychologist.

The result? The boy, Marko, was unable to cope in a regular school environment. Child psychologists said the boy was so impaired, he now has developmental problems, and can’t function in a regular school.

While the boy’s parents object and think he has a normal childhood, the court’s decision still stands.

Can you imagine a 7-year-old boy not being able to function in a school setting because his parents never allowed him to be free? I can just picture the parents hovering over this kid every moment, not giving him an opportunity to just be a child.

As a parent, I know it feels wonderful to be needed. We love that our children need our help, and some people feed off that to the point where they are over-bearing. But doing everything for your children is detrimental to their development and well-being in the long-term.

What do you think?

Christmas

Make the Holidays Special for Sick Children

November 25, 2016

The holidays are the time of year when people are thankful for what they have, and wanting to give back to their communities. Of course, one foundation that I fully support and stand behind is The Hospital For Sick Children, and with the holidays approaching, their #GetBetterGifts program.

When children are too ill to go home for Christmas, and stay in hospital over the holidays, it’s a difficult time for them and their families. Almost 300 children have to stay at SickKids over the holidays.

Bringing the holidays to kids at SickKids

I recently visited the Hospital and met Sitar, who talked about her son Hunter’s long visit at SickKids. One Christmas, Sitar brought “Christmas in a bag” to the hospital, including a mini Christmas tree. But the family didn’t participate in their normal Christmas-related activities, such as baking cookies or making crafts.

“As a parent you get wrapped up in what’s going on with child’s illness but child is still a child and needs a childhood,” she said.

SickKids goes above and beyond to make kids feel normal especially at Christmas time and to help families get into the holiday spirit. The hospital and staff help bring the holidays into the hospital with various activities, such as baking and ornament decorating.

Get Better Gifts

But the hospital can’t do it without our help and generosity. The Get Better Gifts program offers gifts that help children miss home a little less during the holidays. You can truly brighten the lives of the children and families with one of their many gift options.

Many items in hospital can’t be shared due to risk of contamination, so many children must have their own items, such as art supplies, crayons, and video game controllers. Gifts vary from crib mobiles for little ones, to games for all ages, to movie nights for teenagers.

Arts & Crafts Supplies

Holiday Cooking and Baking Supplies

Make twice the difference.

This year specific Get Better Gifts will make twice the impact thanks to Orinoco Foundation, who will generously match your gift. Look for the matching gift tag throughout the website.

Order Deadlines

Order your gifts by December 2nd to have your card sent to any Canadian address by December 24th.

But if you need a last minute gift, PDFs and e-cards are always available. Get all the details and browse the full catalogue of gifts online at GetBetterGifts.com

With Get Better Gifts, not only are you giving a heartfelt gift to someone special, you’re also helping almost 300 children who have to stay at SickKids over the holidays, miss home a little less!

Christmas

Can Lying About Santa Damage Your Kids?

November 24, 2016

Kids, have you been naughty, or nice? With Christmas just around the corner, children are excitedly making their lists and checking them twice. They’re dreaming about Christmas tree lights, and stocking filled with presents, and Santa flying on his sleigh with Rudolph leading the way.

While these tales capture children’s imaginations, and transform Christmas into a magical time, you have to wonder if the Santa lie may do more harm than good.

Psychologists now worry that this “Santa lie” might be damaging to kids in the long-term.

The Santa Lie

In a paper published in the Lancet Psychiatry, psychologist Christopher Boyle and mental health researcher Kathy McKay, suggest that telling kids that Santa or Father Christmas is real may actually lead children to be distrustful of their parents in the future.

“The morality of making children believe in such myths has to be questioned. All children will eventually find out they’ve been consistently lied to for years, and this might make them wonder what other lies they’ve been told,” says Professor Boyle, of the University of Exeter, in a news release.

“Whether it’s right to make children believe in Father Christmas is an interesting question, and it’s also interesting to ask whether lying in this way will affect children in ways that have not been considered.”

I’ve often wondered if this little white lie about Santa, and the tooth fairy, will undermine children’s trust in their parents.

I worry that when they discover the truth, they will feel betrayed, and then unable to trust their parents.

“If they are capable of lying about something so special and magical, can they be relied upon to continue as the guardians of wisdom and truth?” researchers say.

Is this theory too extreme?

The authors also acknowledged that occasionally lying to children may be appropriate, and justifiable. These are white lies, which can prevent children from feeling hurt.

“An adult comforting a child and telling them that their recently deceased pet will go to a special place (animal heaven) is arguably nicer than telling graphic truths about its imminent re-entry into the carbon cycle,” they said.

But when such a big lie repeated by all the adults around them, I can see how children could wonder whether lying is really all that bad. It might lead them to question whether other things they have been told are also untrue.

“If adults have been lying about Santa, even though it has usually been well-intentioned, what else is a lie? If Santa isn’t real, are fairies real? Is magic? Is God?”

While studies on the topic are limited, the two scientists point out that all of this may have long-term effects on children that have not yet been considered, for instance on their development or on their understanding of what is moral or not.

The Bright Side

Some researchers have argued that discovering the truth about Santa and understanding that sometime parents can lie also has positive effects: it can promote healthy skepticism in children that will help them as adults.

Dr. McKay also offers an explanation as to why adults get into the trend of perpetuating fictitious characters like Father Christmas.

“The persistence of fandom in stories like Harry Potter, Star Wars and Doctor Who well into adulthood demonstrates this desire to briefly re-enter childhood. Many people may yearn for a time when imagination was accepted and encouraged, which may not be the case in adult life,” she said.

“Might it be the case that the harshness of real life requires the creation of something better, something to believe in, something to hope for in the future or to return to a long-lost childhood a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away?”

Food

Comfort Food with Family and Friends: Mexican Casserole

November 17, 2016

Doesn’t it feel crazy that it’s November already? We’re weeks into a new school year, and a new hockey season, which means that our weekday schedules are jam packed with activity. Despite our hectic calendars, we are pretty good about making time to sit down together for dinners.

A great solution to our weeknight dinner woes is casseroles. A casserole is comfort food at its best; a simple, crowd pleasing meal that only requires one pan – with a little easy prep ahead of time.

When you don’t have time to make dinner every night of the week, a make-ahead casserole recipe is just the solution to a delicious, homemade dinner.

It’s always a good idea to have several food staples in your pantry, including Old El Paso Soft Bowl Tortillas, Old El Paso Thick N’ Chunky Salsa Mild, and Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix. Knowing you have these on hand for when the mood for Mexican strikes – which is often! – can be super convenient.

Also, have fresh ingredients in your fridge, including sour cream, salsa, lime, cilantro, and hard cheese like cheddar, Monterey Jack, or authentic Mexican cheeses like Asadero, or Oaxaca.

A hearty Mexican Casserole is versatile because you can stuff the deliciousness in your choice of Old El Paso Soft Bowl Tortillas, Old El Paso Crunchy Taco Shells, or Old El Paso Flour Tortillas.

You can all gather around the table, and make your own dinner using the Mexican Casserole as the base. A Mexican style dinner wouldn’t be the same without extra salsa, sour cream, avocado and other toppings on the side for a fun, interactive meal with friends and family!

Here’s my recipe for Mexican Casserole, which is packed with hearty beef, beans and veggies as well as other surprises inside!

Mexican Casserole

Ingredients

300 grams rice

1 cup chicken stock

1 lb ground beef

1 red pepper, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

1 package Old El Paso™ Taco Seasoning Mix.

1 cup sour cream

1 can pinto beans (or beans of your choice)

1 cup Old El Paso Mild Chunky Salsa

1 ½ cup cheese (cheddar, Monterrey Jack or cheese or your choice)

Method

In a pot, boil rice with chicken stock and added water until almost cooked. Remove from burner.

In the meantime, in a separate cast iron or frying pan, cook the ground beef until pink is almost gone. Add the onions, garlic, carrot, pepper and cook until soft. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and taco seasoning. Remove from heat.

In a roasting pan, mix rice together with beef mixture. Add the beans, sour cream, salsa, 1 cup of the cheese, and stir together.

Scoop into a casserole pan, and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the top with remaining ½ cup cheese.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until top is bubbly. Serve with Old El Paso Soft Bowl Tortillas.

Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Old El Paso and as such receive perks and compensation for my participation. As always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Contest

Getting to Know the Nutrition Facts Table

November 16, 2016

How well can you read a food label? I’m sure you’ve heard of Serving Size and Percent Daily Value – but can you really read the label properly?

My son and I visited the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign booth in collaboration with the Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC), Health Canada, Retail Council of Canada (RCC), the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and we were put to the test.

The NFEC “Focus on the Facts” was created to help Canadians use the Nutrition Facts table (NFt) to make informed food choices by starting with the Serving Size and then looking at the Percent Daily Value (% DV).

By using the Serving Size and % DV in the NFt, consumers can choose foods that have more of the nutrients they want like fibre and calcium, and less of those they don’t want, like saturated and trans fats and sodium.

My son was quizzed on ten facts about the Nft, where he was taught how to read the table. For each correct answer, he was given a chip that we took over to play a “plinko” type game to win some prizes.

Here are some FACTS on Nutrition Labels:

FACT:

A nutrition facts table gives you information on:

serving size
calories
% DV

It also gives you information on the 13 core nutrients: including fat, saturated and trans fats, sodium, fibre, sugar, and more

FACT:

Serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat. The serving size tells you the quantity of food used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table.

By checking a product’s serving size, you can:

understand how much of a nutrient you are eating
compare calories and nutrients between 2 similar packaged food products
compare it to the amount you actually eat

FACT:

You may be eating more or less than the serving size listed in the nutrition facts table. Adjust the calories and nutrients based on how much you eat.

The percent daily value (% DV) tells you if the serving size has a little or a lot of a particular nutrient.

5% DV or less is a little
15% DV or more is a lot

Serving Size

The information in a nutrition facts table is based on the serving size. Serving size can be found at the top of the nutrition facts table.

You can use a nutrition facts table to compare the serving size to the amount of food you actually eat.

For example, the serving size of bread in a nutrition facts table could be 1 slice. But if you eat 2 slices, you need to double the amount of calories and nutrients.

How to Use Serving Size and % Daily Value

Step 1: Start with the serving size under the header, “Nutrition Facts”.

Step 2: Use the % Daily Value to see if a Serving Size has a little or a lot of a nutrient. Less than 5% DV is considered a little, more than 15% DV is a lot.

Step 3: Compare the nutrients to find your best choice. Look for foods high in protein, fiber, vitamin A, calcium, and iron, and foods low in sugar, sodium, and trans fats.

Print your own copy

ENTER TO WIN

I’m giving away a $100 grocery card! Use Rafflecopter below to enter this giveaway.

Learn more about reading Nutrition Facts, then visit Focus on the Facts for a chance to win a $300 grocery card! Link to

Learn more at Canada.ca/NutritionFacts!

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House & Home

The 12 Stinks of Christmas!

November 15, 2016

The countdown to the holidays has begun!

This time of the year is always hectic for everyone. There is much activity jam packed into the weeks leading up to Christmas and holiday season: shopping, entertaining, decorating, baking, and attending holiday parties. My boys also have hockey tournaments in December which means two weekends are already booked solid. The last to-do on my list is usually cleaning, which doesn’t bode well when unexpected visitors drop in!

One thing that is tough to control during holiday season is the smells inside the home. Open the window for a few minutes, but the cold air can’t always eliminate the various scents and smells that the boys in my house tend to create! Work and hockey means stinky clothes, equipment and stinky feet from wet boots.

You know the song, the 12 Days of Christmas? Well, we’ll be singing “The #12Stinks of Christmas” along with Doug E. Fresh, Doug the Pug, and the Febreze Limited Edition Holiday Collection. It’s the cutest video you will want to share because Doug the Pug is the coolest almost-human social media sensation!

Here are the TOP 12 STINKS OF CHRISTMAS – please add yours in the comments!

The #12Stinks of Christmas

Hockey/sports equipment
Baked or fried fish and/or seafood
Pillows and blankets in the family room
Fabric chairs/couches
Front hall carpet
Extra clutter with Christmas decorations
Bathrooms
Broccoli/cauliflower
Pets
Wet socks/ boots
Laundry
Anywhere the kids hang out!

Also the extra clutter that accumulates during holiday season means you’re not always able to do a proper clean. Sometimes you have to eliminate it with a lovely scent.

A quick spray of Air Effects Fresh Twist Cranberry on the front hall carpet, and a NOTICEables Fresh Twist Cranberry in the powder room can make a world of difference. Your guests will think you’re the hostess with the most-ess… just make sure to keep all the clutter behind a locked door!

Febreze Limited Edition Holiday Collection includes scents like Apple, Cranberry, Pine and Pumpkin… yum!

What do you do to eliminate the stinks in your home? Share on social media using the #12Stinks hashtag.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Febreze. As usual, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

About

Hi I'm Maria! I'm an author, lifestyle and travel writer, rock-concert-goer & gluten-free foodie. Oh Baby! A Mom’s Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year: Because Moms Need a Little TLC, Too! is available at Chapters/Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon!
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