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House & Home

Getting my Office Organized with Office Supplies

August 7, 2013

During the summer months and the kids are off from school and wreaking havoc, it’s usually a good time to get my office organized. I usually have to do a complete cleanup and reorganization every season.

Papers keep piling up, office supplies get low or stolen from my kids. So it’s a good time to take inventory and make my way through the mess.

A visit to Staples was in order! The lovely people at Staples generously gave me the opportunity to stock up on some much-needed office supplies.

The essentials? Paper clips, binder clips, binders and file folders were at the top of my list. Also, expandable folders and storage boxes. My favourite thing to shop for? Notebooks and pens.

Then I saw the Martha Stewart Avery line. The turquoise blue colours were just screaming, “take me home.” So pretty. I particularly loved the notebooks and this cute corkboard, which would be perfect for my home office.

The colours and detailing of these office supplies are pleasing to the eye and give your office a personalized feel. The Dry Erase Decals from Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery are brilliant. Stylish and practical, I could post the calendar and several of the plain decals for jotting down important notes on my wall.

Now if only I could keep my office looking pristine all the time!

Health

Women Living in Cities Most at Risk for Post-Partum Depression

August 7, 2013

Women living in large cities have a greater risk of postpartum depression than women in rural areas, according to a study published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

“Living in an urban area is a marker of more stress, less support and a potentially higher risk of postpartum depression for women,” says lead author of the study Dr. Simone Vigod, a psychiatrist at Women’s College Hospital.

Postpartum depression can begin shortly after a woman gives birth and risk factors include a history of depression and lack of social support.

The results are based on data of almost 6,500 women who participated in the 2006 study. Overall, the prevalence of postpartum depression five to 14 months after giving birth was 7.5 per cent.

But among women living in urban areas, nearly 10 per cent reported postpartum depression compared with 6 per cent in rural areas, 7 per cent in semirural and about 5 per cent in semiurban areas.

Rural is defined as settlements smaller than 1,000 people, semirural as smaller than 30,000, semiurban as 30,000 to 499,999 and urban as more than 500,000.

The study accounted for variables such as age, marital status, place of birth, a history of depression and complications during pregnancy or delivery as well as whether women commuted to larger urban centres. It also considered other factors that accompany social isolation, such as immigrant status, interpersonal violence, self-perceived health and social support.

Researchers note that urban cities have more immigrants and more women who report having little or no social support during and after pregnancy.

“It’s really important for new parents, both moms and dads, to get connected to a support network,” says Claire Kerr-Zlobin, founder of Life with a Baby.

“I would suggest getting connected with the Ministry program Healthy Babies, Healthy Children and Life with a Baby. We need to ensure new families have a circle of support.”

I’m surprised by the results, thinking that women in urban areas have access to more services and opportunity for social connection. I would have thought living in rural areas would be more isolating!

What do you think of the results of this study?

Beauty

8 Summer Essentials For You and Your Home

August 5, 2013

There are a few summer essentials that I can’t live without. These are 8 summer essentials for you and your home that you must have this summer:

1. SodaStream.

Make your own soda and sparkling water at home with regular water? Sounds easy enough and it is. SodaStream provides a healthier option to sugary drinks made right at home. Their syrups are lower in calories, carbs, sugar, sodium and caffeine than national brands. Their clear, natural and sparkling water syrups provide natural flavours without the sugars and calories. It’s very simple to use too – just screw the bottle on, pump three times and your water is carbonated.

2. Nautical Beach Tote.

Ditch the designer bag for summer and throw all of your purse essentials into a stylish beach bag like the S.S. Brighton Beach Tote. This roomy canvas tote will fit your beach gear, and then some! My mom picked one up for me while visiting Florida – isn’t she sweet?

3. Colourful Nail Polish.

I’m a fan of OPI and the line inspired by the hit television comedy, Modern Family, is no exception. My favourite of these three colours has to be Alex by the Books. See the complete OPI Modern Family line.

4. Minimal Makeup.

The only makeup you need during the summer is under-eye concealer, clear mascara and a stick of eye shadow/pencil, like the Great Lash clear by Maybelline and a Cream Eye Shadow + Liner by Marcelle.

5. A good sun tan lotion.

Ombrelle’s moisturizing SPF 60 sun lotion has antioxidants and is dermatologist recommended. I like this lotion because it’s non-greasy and fast absorbing and provides protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays.

6. Cold Treats

Why buy ice cream when you can make it at home? This Hamilton Beach ½ Quart Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Maker makes ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, sorbet and more. I must have this ice cream maker.

7. Good Skin.

Showing off your skin during the summer means you need to exfoliate and moisturize. Moroccanoil Body Buff and Body Soufflé leave your skin feelings soft and silky.. Follow Moroccanoil on Facebook and Twitter @Moroccanoil.

8. Fresh local fruits and vegetables.

You need a home canning kit and jars to preserve all of summer’s goodness. All those fresh fruits and vegetables like peaches and raspberries, tomatoes – you need to save some for the winter! Canning is the only way and right now, we’re have a giveaway to get you started.

Other summer essentials? Let’s not forget vodka and fresh mint for Mojitos!

Happy Summer!

Contest

Preserve Summer Freshness with Bernardin and WIN! (Giveaway)

August 1, 2013

Summer is… local fresh fruits and vegetables. If you follow my posts and Instagram, you know how much I enjoy cooking and shopping organic and local. But how do you “bottle” those summer flavours?

Canning. Side note – they could call it jarring, which they do but then people would confuse jarring with the other definition of the word! Preserving strawberries, raspberries, peaches and in August, tomatoes – is a tradition in our home.

What do we jar? Apple pie fillings and soups like butternut squash, and of course, tomato sauce! My husband makes his Italian giardiniera, called “sotto aceti”, which means “under vinegar”, hot peppers and more.

Bernardin is the nation’s home canning leader and the maker of the original mason jar, which is what we use when we make preserves. The Home Canning Starter Kit is a great beginner’s guide to home canning and includes all the necessary tools to naturally preserve your favourite food – and we’re giving one away! (see below). The Home Canning Tool Kit comes in handy and makes the canning process so much easier and neater.

National Can It Forward Day, Canada’s home canning awareness day, is on August 11, 2013. Whether you’re an experienced canner, or just looking to try it out, you should take part!

The canning demonstration on National Can It Forward Day will be live broadcast from Cirillo’s Culinary Academy in Toronto and hosted by Executive Chef Emerie.

Here are the details of National Can-It-Forward Day!

Date: Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 1:00pm EST

Where: Live Stream

How: Before August 11, 2013, register here or Bernardin’s Facebook page.

Then join the online demonstration by visiting the Live Stream and get your canning questions answered live by asking questions in the chat room.

Be sure to use the hashtag #CanItForward and follow @Bernardin on Twitter to join in the conversation!

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!

amotherworld and Bernardin are giving away a Home Canning Starter Kit!

Use the Rafflecopter to enter this giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Appetizers & Soups

Thousand Island Dressing

July 31, 2013

This Thousand Island Dressing is easy to make and tasty in salad, as a dressing for potato salad and can also be used as a dipping sauce with fish or chicken, or on hamburgers.

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise (get the one with olive oil)

4 tbsp. ketchup

4 tbsp. sweet green pickle relish

4 tbsp. finely diced onion

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Dash black pepper

Directions:

Stir together all ingredients and keep in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to use.

Appetizers & Soups

Potato Salad with Creamy Avocado

July 30, 2013

Summer means barbecue and salads – simple recipes and more time to spend with your guests. Potato salad is requirement on any summer menu. This recipe is made with creamy avocado and yogurt so it tastes less like straight mayonnaise!

Ingredients:

6 medium potatoes, cubed

3-4 carrots, shredded

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced or chopped

½ red pepper, thinly sliced or chopped

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Dressing:

1 ripe avocado

2 tbsp. mayonnaise (the one with olive oil)

2 tbsp. Greek yogurt

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. sea salt

Directions:

In a large pot, boil 8 cups of water. While water is on, prepare the vegetables and place into a large bowl. Boil the potatoes until fork can go through smoothly – do not overcook. Drain and cool. Add to vegetables in large bowl.

In a small bowl, stir together Dressing ingredients and pour over potatoes and vegetables. Cool and serve! Double the recipe for more than 4 guests.

Try another potato salad recipe with Thousand Island Dressing!

lifestyle

5 Boating Safety Tips

July 29, 2013

In Canada, summer means cottage country and all the fun activities that go with it – boating, canoeing and my personal favourite, sea-dooing!

But safety should always come first – each year, 125 Canadians are killed and another 6,000 are injured in boating accidents. Having a boat license is just as important as having a driver’s license – just do it.

BOATsmart! is Canada’s leader in boating safety the country’s largest Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) provider. To help keep people safe on the water, BOATsmart! offers these five simple tips for safe boating:

1. Get Your BOATsmart! Operator Card

If you’re operating a motorized vessel, you need a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Test your knowledge, learn boating safety skills and take the official Transport Canada Accredited exam at BoatSmartExam.com. Your passengers will be at ease knowing you are qualified and have a boating license.

2. Wear a Life Jacket

It’s simple – wear a lifejacket or Personal Flotation Device (PFD). Eighty nine percent of people who drown while boating are not wearing a life jacket. Having them on board is not enough; Lifejackets don’t work unless you wear them! So be sure that everyone on board is wearing an approved PFD before heading out on the water.

3. Don’t Drink and Boat

Alcohol and boating don’t mix. The effects of alcohol are up to four times greater on the water due of the motion of the craft, the wind, waves and hot summer sun. Stay hydrated by drinking water only – leave the alcohol on the shore.

4. Be Prepared Before Boating

Before you head out on the water, make sure your boat, safety equipment and passengers are prepared. Check your local weather before heading out and leave extra gas in the tank for a safe trip home. Invest in insurance protection – recreational boat insurance is available at www.BoatSmartAssure.com.

5. Take a Refresher

Even if you’re an experienced boater with a boating license, refresh your memory with a BOATsmart! course. From emergency preparedness to right-of-way rules, the novice boater will learn everything needed to boat with confidence. If you already have your boating license but need a quick refresher, be sure to download the BOATsmart! CONNECT APP complete with Free Animated Refresher Lessons for iPhone and Android.

Before the long weekend, get your BOATsmart! Operator card. All operators of motorized vessels require a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Test your knowledge, learn boating safety skills and take the official Transport Canada Accredited exam at BOATsmart!

Disclosure: This post is proudly sponsored by BOATsmart! All opinions are my own.

Travel

Long Point Beach Ontario: Beautiful Sandy Beach

July 26, 2013

Last weekend my family and I visited Long Point Beach. Long Point is a sand spit and medium-sized hamlet on the north shore of Lake Erie, part of Norfolk County in the Ontario.

The Long Point Provincial Park is just a part of a 40-kilometre-long sandspit in Lake Erie which is recognized as a biosphere reserve by the United Nations. The Long Point Company owns a large piece of the point which is not accessible to the public.

It had rained so the tides were high but the kids loved feeling the waves crashing into them. The water was quite warm too. The boys spent hours digging in the sand – bonus, no rocks under your feet when you go into the lake.

The next day, the water was so calm and beautiful.

We stayed at atPlay Adventures, the only lodging in the area along the beach with the adjacent restaurant, The Causeway that has a takeout booth, small market and an ice cream shack. A King Suite included a king bed and a pull-out sofa in the next room as well as lake views. They also offer Queen Suites as well as cottages.

Your other options for lodging are some bed and breakfasts in nearby Port Rowan. But we wanted to be right on the beach – and we are definitely not campers. Please don’t mention the word glamping to me, it’s just ridiculous.

What a gorgeous sunset and view.

There was a Christmas in July parade that came through the area just as we were about to go for a drive, and somehow we ended up being a part of the parade.

We had breakfast at The Causeway Restaurant – delicious coffee, the best homefries and the yummiest sticky buns I’ve ever tasted.

We drove home but this time took the scenic route, driving through Port Rowan…

…and Port Dover. The beach is tiny at Port Dover compared to Long Point.

Long Point Beach is about 2 hours from Toronto and a definite must-see Ontario destination.

Food

#LoveSobeys Taste of Summer Twitter Party

July 24, 2013

Summer is all about barbecue, picnics, fresh fruits and vegetables and ice cream!

Join the #LoveSobeys Taste of Summer Twitter Party and share your great ideas for summer barbecuing, thirst quenching drinks, quick marinades, summer entertaining tips and more.

Every tweet gives you a chance to win a Sobeys gift card – up to $1,000 in Sobeys gift cards are up for grabs!

When: Tuesday July 30, 2013

Time: 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET (10:00 p.m. AT / 7:00 p.m. MT)

Where: On Twitter, using the hashtag #LoveSobeys

Hosts: @Sobeys, yours truly @amotherworld,Tammi @MyChaos, as well as all the other lovely LoveSobeys bloggers.

But you need to RSVP first right here.

Hope you can make it and see you at the party!

lifestyle

Luxury and Performance: 2013 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec

July 24, 2013

The Hyundai Genesis is a large sedan that offers performance and luxury all in one sleek package. I had the chance to drive one around for a week.

Immediately I fell in love with the simple and sleek design of the body. It’s a car that can definitely compete with those German competitors but without the high price. Prices start at $53,499.00 for the 5.0 R-Spec but the 3.8 prices start at $39,999.00.

The Genesis 5.0 R-Spec is a real looker! My neighbours had to take a closer look at the car – that’s how gorgeous it looked on the driveway.

The convenience of having a key-less starter? Amazing. No need to dig through my purse to find the keys – the proximity key senses when you’re near the car and you can lock and unlock the door just by touching the button. The side mirrors also tuck in when you’re parked.

While driving, I liked the wheel control – it’s easy to handle very stable when taking sharp turns. The speed is what I love the most – with its 429 horsepower 5.0-litre V8 engine. I loved accelerating within seconds. And you don’t hear a loud roar from the engine either – it’s very quiet from inside and outside of the vehicle.

The dash is simply designed with an 8-inch display screen which is easy to navigate and a rearview camera when backing up. Again, this car thought of me – the audio is incredible. The Surround Sound Audio System has amazing acoustic quality. There are also jacks for your iPod/USB and a power outlet located in the center console box.

The interior is super comfortable with its leather seats that offer cooling and heating options. In the summer, in a few seconds your seat is comfortable. In the winter, there is a heated steering wheel and heated seats for all passengers, including the back seats.

My kids sat comfortably in the back seat, and even when I had a third passenger, they were all very comfortable. The power rear sunshade that automatically deploys with either touching a button, or when you throw the car into drive, is great for keeping the kids cool.

The trunk is also quite large; I was able to store hockey equipment as well as camping chairs and bags without an issue.

Now that my kids are older, a luxury sedan like the Genesis Sedan R-Spec would suit our lifestyle – pleasing the adults for its aesthetic appeal and speed, and the space for older kids.

Quick Facts:

2013 Hyundai Genesis Sedan R-Spec
Type: Luxury Sedan
Engine: 5.0-litre V8 engine
Horsepower: 429 hp
Transmission: 8 speed automatic
Drive: Rear-wheel drive
Performance: 13.5/8.5 L/100km
Seats: 5
Price Rance: Starting at $53,499

For more info, visit http://www.hyundaicanada.com/genesis-sedan/