The second long weekend of the summer is upon us and the sun has made its way past the clouds. This means it's ideal weather for a good ol' fashioned barbeque. And nothing says 'barbeque' like a mouth-watering hamburger grilled to perfection. Meet the king of the grill: Sobeys Sensations by Compliments burgers.
When I went shopping for some of Sobeys' Private Label burgers, I was surprised by their broad selection. They had the tried and true classic beef burger as well as new and unique flavours such as: 100% Beef, Prime Rib, Angus, Sirloin, Mesquite BBQ Sirloin, Cheddar & Bacon, Three Cheese, Peppercorn & Garlic and their new Korean-Style, a juicy beef burger with soya sauce, sesame oil, apples and garlic. And for those who are looking for something a little lighter, you'll be happy to know that Compliments Balance has Lean Sirloin Beef, Extra Lean Chicken and Wild Pacific Salmon Burgers.
For this review, I chose the Prime Rib Beef, Lean Sirloin Beef and the Angus Beef Sliders. The one day I chose to barbeque them, Mother Nature decided to rain. So, instead of pan frying, I took out my stove-top grill and got cooking. The best part is that you don't have to wait for them to thaw out before cooking. They're good to go straight out of the freezer. Which means it's perfect for people like me who don't plan meals well in advance or sometimes forget to take meat out of the freezer the night before.


To hold all that flavour together, I bought some sesame-seeded Sensations by Compliments Deluxe Hamburger Buns. I also bought a bag of their mini buns for the Angus Beef Sliders. I boiled some corn on the cob and string beans, added sliced tomato and sunflower sprouts and chased it all down with a glass of Compliments White Grape Juice. The burgers were juicy and tender and the sliders are a perfect size for little hands. My husband had the lean burger which wasn't as juicy as my prime rib beef but he still liked enough to eat it all.
If you're looking for pairing tips, burger topping ideas and recipes, check out the summer issue of Inspired magazine to help create memorable summer meals that will turn your casual picnic into a backyard bash. Inspired magazine is now available at Sobeys stores and online at www.compliments.ca or www.inspired.ca.


By the way, the last I saw, Sobeys had a sale for up to $3.00 off.  Oh, and don't forget to enter the giveaway below!
For this giveaway, Sobeys is offering a $25 gift card to one lucky reader. The gift card is redeemable at all Sobeys, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo and Price Chopper locations across Canada. (Please note, these gift cards are not accepted at Marketplace IGA locations in B.C.)

Disclosure: I was sent a $25 Sobeys gift card to help facilitate this review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Now that it's summer, I get to look forward to BBQ's, fresh salads, picnics, and cold, refreshing drinks. I get to take my kids to swimming pools, playgrounds and on lay dates. I also dread marvel over the endless food prep. As a teacher, I am grateful for the opportunity to spend summers at home with my kids. But what I find most daunting is finding snacks and easy meals to make for my kids that they'll actually enjoy. One of the things I know that they'll eat is raw veggies with dip. Having been given a chance to try Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, I couldn't resist testing it out with my kids.


Hidden Valley has been making ranch dressing for over 50 years, so you know there's a reason why their ranch dressing has become a popular favourite in North America as well as in over 30 countries worldwide. It has a nice blend of herbs and spices, and is oh, so creamy. The ranch dressing comes in three varities: The Original Ranch, The Original Ranch Light and The Original Ranch Fat Free.

Personally, I prefer the Original Ranch. When I brought a whole bunch of the full-size samples to give away at work, several staff members had replied to my email hoping to win a bottle. Most of them mentioned that they would prefer the light or fat free version, which makes sense since a number of them are on Weight Watchers. My vice principal was lucky enough to win one and he decided to keep it in the fridge in the main office. He likes to have it handy since he's always busy at lunch hour and can't always make it to the staff room. Within a matter of days, someone took his bottle from the fridge! Though he was quite disappointed, it just goes to show that Hidden Valley Ranch dressing was a hit among my co-workers.



But was it a hit with my kids?



When I put out a tray of baby carrots and broccoli with some Hidden Valley Ranch dressing as dip for snack time, I watched intently and noted their reaction. Without hesitation, they dipped right in. I anticipated an initial recoil, but happily, they kept on dipping. Nothing unusual. Just dip, after dip, after dip. I threw on some grape tomatoes and voilà! We had three out of five colours covered on our fruit and vegetable rainbow chart. I was thrilled! Not only do my kids like it, but Hidden Valley Ranch dressing contains 0 trans fat.



If you're looking for some creative ideas on how to get your kids cooking in the kitchen, videos tips or recipes, check out hiddenvalley.com.

Want to try out a few bottles for yourself? Head over to Mommy Kat and Kids for a chance to win some Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.

Disclosure: I was sent a package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressings to share with friends and family, and to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

This is a quick card I made for my goddaughter who turned 7 last Monday. It was the perfect excuse to break open my newest Cricut cartridge called Once Upon a Princess. This cartridge is really cool in that you can create your own 3D castle made of paper. I think I'm more excited about that than my daughter...

When it comes to laundry products, I am always on the lookout for sales and savings. I am also particular about choosing laundry detergents that are eco-friendly and effective. So when it comes to saving money and saving the environment, it's an added bonus when you can save time, too, by having a detergent that works the way it should the first time you use it.

The ARM & HAMMER® Laundry product line can help make sense of managing household finances. Not only are the majority of their products environmentally friendly, they are affordable and provide lasting quality. Two of the products that I had been sent for review instantly caught my attention. Both of them are from the ARM & HAMMER Essentials® line.

2.03L/35 wash loads – SRP: $4.99 - $5.99 3.12L/55 wash loads – SRP: $6.99 - $7.99

First, the ARM & HAMMER Essentials® Liquid Laundry Detergent is not only dye free but also phosphate free as well. They make a perfume free version, which is what I would prefer to use, especially with my children's clothing, but their Mountain Rain scent is pleasant and light. Just the other day, my mother washed my son's outfit after he had an accident and used a brand of laundry detergent that contained a perfume so strong, it fills the room. When my son wore the same shorts, it would leave a lingering scent on my arm after I had picked him up. With ARM & HAMMER detergent, I am not bothered by the scent at all. It's also good to know that their "New Clean Rinse" formula leaves less residue. Call me crazy, though. I still find myself adding an extra rinse cycle when doing a load of my kids' laundry.

Did you know..? ARM & HAMMER Essentials® Liquid Laundry Detergent is:

• Perfect for home and cottage, these detergents are safe for septic tanks and contain biodegradable soaps.
• The biodegradable plant based soaps boosted with baking soda have the cleaning power to tackle stains providing clean, white, fresh laundry at a fraction of the cost of the leading liquid detergent
• These detergents are dual high efficiency compatible which means they can work effectively in standard machines and today’s technologically advanced high efficiency washers. 

SRP: $4.99 - $5.99

They also have their new ARM & HAMMER Essentials® Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets which contains biodegradable softening agents and natural essentials oils which come in 100% recycled paper board packaging (35% post consumer content. I find the scent of the dryer sheets a bit strong when you take them out of the box but when I use them in the dryer, it's not nearly as strong.

I was also able to try out the ARM & HAMMER plus OxiClean and plus OxiClean Power Gel. These are both surefire ways of effectively treating those difficult stains since OxiClean is the leading stain fighter in Canada. My friends first introduced me to OxiClean and swore it would remove some of the toughest stains and they were right. It's nice to have a laundry detergent that has OxiClean already in it. The Power Gel is also great for pre-treating stains as well. I use both of these sparingly as I would rather reserve them for fighting the really tough stains or my husband's work clothes.

To help make sense of saving cents, ARM & HAMMER has provided this laundry list:

• Go the Distance and look for products that provide more savings like ARM & HAMMER Essentials® Liquid Laundry Detergent that works out to $0.17 per wash load versus Tide Original at $0.21 per wash load.
• Stock Up when it comes to laundry items when they are on sale. This will help to cut down on overspending out of convenience as detergent and dryer sheets are items you’ll always use in your household.
• Cost for Quantity is always a good checkpoint. Try Arm & Hammer Essentials® Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets that offer 100 sheets per package – 20 sheets more than the leading brand for the same price. Match it with ARM & HAMMER® plus OxiClean® which is 66 per cent of the cost of the leading detergent on a per wash load basis.
• First Time’s a Charm when using products that fight stains the first time. Try using ARM & HAMMER Power Gel plus OxiClean® as it sticks and ensures the elimination of persistant stains.

You can visit www.armandhammer.ca for more laundry tips and to find out how you can save up to $10.75 in ARM & HAMMER in the Savings Centre.

Disclosure: I was sent samples of ARM & HAMMER laundry products to facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Welcome to Christmas In July! This giveaway hop is brought to you by Just Married with Coupons, Matter of Cents and Money $aving Michele, with over 120 blogs participating! Once you enter for a chance to win a $50 Amazon.com (or Amazon.ca) gift card here on Toronto Teacher Mom, make sure to stop by other participating blogs to enter their giveaways, too. Happy hopping!

Today, we took the kids for a morning ride, went to the mall to buy new sandals for my son, stayed there for lunch and then I took them to zoo where they enjoyed a pony ride and a Zoomobile ride among other things. Afterwards, I took them to their grandma's for dinner only to hear my oldest complain that she had such a boring day. Yeah, the nerve, eh?

Apparently, summertime challenges even the most creative parents with how to keep their kids entertained, active and limit all day snacking.  That makes me feel a little better.

Fortunately, Pocoyo and Langers Juice may have a solution.

Beginning August 1 through August 31, you can receive a copy of the all-new Pocoyo DVD – Dance Pocoyo Dance! to help keep your little ones entertained and engaged in physical activity. With the purchase of 10 Langers Juices, you just need to pay $1.99 for shipping and handling to get your own copy, while supplies last. Not that I'm encouraging you to offer juice to your kids every chance you can get. Far from it. According to the American Academy of  Pediatrics and the American Heart Association, "children  between 6 months and 6 years can safely consume 4 to 6 ounces (118 to  177 milliliters) of 100% fruit juice a day; while those 7 years and  older can consume between 8 to 12 ounces (237 to 355 milliliters) per  day.  About 4 ounces (118 milliliters) of 100% fruit juice equals one  serving of fruit." I prefer to strongly limit juice consumption in our house. Some days, my kids have no juice at all. But when they do, I make sure to offer 100% natural fruit juice. Another easy way to get your hands on a copy of the DVD is by winning one right here on Toronto Teacher Mom!

How you feelin'? Hot, hot, hot? I'm not surprised. With today's weather hitting a record high here in Toronto, I'm sure we all had the AC cranked at max. Especially in the car. On my way out to visit my mother-in-law, I sat in the car for less than a minute before my eyeballs started sweating. No joke. It's a good thing my minivan is in good working order. But for those who don't have AC in their vehicles, I'm sure traveling on the road seems less than appealing.


This summer is no ordinary summer. It’s Disney Junior’s Sienna Summer! That means you have a chance to win your very own Toyota Sienna! It is the ecoENERGY award winner as the most fuel efficient minivan on the road in Canada, and the Automobile Journalists of Canada named the 2011 Sienna the best New Minivan in the 2011 Canadian Car of the Year Awards. Complete with Toyota’s Star Safety System of standard features, split and stow seating, ample cargo space, removable second-row, an available multi-panel moonroof and dual view entertainment system, it's that kind of minivan that makes my heart sing.



Starting July 18th, here’s how it’ll work:

Stage 1: Jump over to DisneyJunior.ca with your little one and decorate a Toyota Sienna with a Disney Junior twist!
Stage 2: Enter your amazing design for a chance to see it on TV during Disney Junior’s August Watch and Win Event.
Stage 3: Starting August 1st, each day Disney Junior will feature a new Toyota Sienna design.
Stage 4: When you or your little one sees the decorated mini-van, head to DisneyJunior.ca to enter the date/time/show on the contest page and voilà! You’re entered!


Disclosure: I’m part of the Disney Junior Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

In a couple of weeks, my daughter will be starting an all-day camp. She's really looking forward to it and I'm also looking forward to having some one-on-one time with my son. What I'm not looking forward to is packing a lunch and snacks everyday. I mean, I should probably start getting used to it since she'll be in grade 1 this September and I will have to start getting into the routine of packing lunches and snacks sooner or later. Truth be told, I'm a woman of convenience, so the easier, the better. And if my kids like what I pack, it's a bonus. Where snacks are concerned, I am happy to know that my kids have a new favourite: Popchips!


Here is a snack that is sure to satisfy your taste buds. Available in seven delicious flavours, Popchips set themselves apart from your regular chips in that they aren't fried or baked but, rather, popped. With a little heat and pressure, you've got wholesome potatoes that are all natural, crispy and yes, good for you. Why? Because Popchips contain no trans fats, no cholesterol and no preservatives, and are low in saturated fats.

Our family first tried Popchips several months ago on a road trip. We stopped off at a gas station convenience store and it looked like the healthiest snack I could find. I grabbed a bag of Sea Salt & Vinegar and as soon as I returned to the car, I had to fight for them. The full-size bag was emptied faster than you can say "fiddlesticks." So when I had a chance to try out a variety pack of Popchips, I made sure to sneak some into my little hiding place for safe keeping. Oh, c'mon. Don't judge. I did share. Half of them.


My husband and my children all loved Popchips. We even pledged The Snackers' Credo. The single serve bags are just the right size for an individual to snack. To be a little more eco-friendly, I plan on buying the larger bags and storing them in reusable containers when I pack my daughter's lunch bag. All of the flavours were pretty good but, of course, we had our favourites. My personal favourites were, in the following order: Sea Salt & Vinegar, Barbeque and Sour Cream & Onion. The cheddar was okay but I did find that the Salt & Pepper had too much pepper for my liking. The single serve packs came in handy when we set out on our impromptu getaway at Blue Mountain for the Canada Day weekend.

All in all, Popchips are a tasty natural snack that will make packing lunches for camp and daycare a little easier. The fact that they are gluten free is an added bonus. I think I'm going to have to pull out my Toronto Teacher Mom stamp of approval for this one. Well done!


Disclosure: I was sent a variety pack of Popchips to help facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Look! He's even waving at me!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Anthony, you are so cute! See you at the Big Birthday Bash this Sunday! *wink*

Next week, I will be participating in the Christmas in July Giveaway Hop hosted by Just Married With Coupons, Money $aving Michele, & Matter of Cents. This will take place from July 25-31. There will be over 100 bloggers giving away some amazing prizes with a minimum value of $50. I, myself, will be personally sponsoring a giveaway for an Amazon gift card, because what better way to prepare for Christmas with some early shopping. Right?

The Christmas in July Giveaway Hop will launch at 9am EST on July 25th and end at 11:59 pm EST on July 31st, and there will be a linky list of all the blogs that are participating when my giveaway post goes live so you can find them all in one place.

Also, if you would like to sponsor an additional prize, feel free to send me an email at diana@torontoteachermom.com.

See you soon!

Update:

Did you hear? I'm making the switch. I'm trading in something short and boring for something tall and downright sexy. Truly, I'm beyond thrilled! No, I'm not switching my husband for the man pictured above. I'm switching my toothbrush.

For the next few weeks, I have the pleasure of testing out the super cool Sonicare FlexCare+ Toothbrush by Philips. Can't you just see me smiling?

I beg your pardon.

There's a piece of lettuce stuck in between my teeth?

Have no fear! Sonicare is here!

Check out this handsome little devil:

Ain't it a beauty? If my teeth had pearly whites of their own, they'd all be smiling right now. It's designed using patented sonic technology that is safe and gentle, helping to naturally whiten your teeth. And not only does it come with a charger, a sanitizer, two brush heads, a travel charger and additional brush head colour rings, this toothbrush is jam packed with cleaning performance features that'll make your heart sing.

• Performance: Removes up to 83% of plaque in hard-to-reach areas
• Health benefits: Improves gum health in only two weeks
• Whitening benefits: Helps remove tea, coffee and other stains
• Modes: 5 Modes: Clean, Sensitive, Massage, Refresh and Gum Care
• Brush heads: 1 ProResults standard brush head for an All-Around Clean and 1 ProResults compact brush head for a Precision Clean
• Speed: Up to 31,000 brush strokes per minute
• Timer: Smarttimer and quadpacer

I also love that the UV Sanitizer removes up to 99% of bacteria found on brush heads. Over the next few weeks, I will be using my newest gadget to see whether or not it will help to remove tea and coffee stains, while still drinking tea and coffee. Honestly, won't be giving those up any time soon. I'm also curious to see how gentle and effective it is reaching the molars near the back of my mouth including the one that required crown lengthening surgery. My next dental appointment is scheduled in late August so it will be interesting to see if my dentist will have noticed a change, too.



In the meantime, I'll be busy flexing my biceps while my new Sonicare toothbrush takes care of all the hard work involved in keeping my smile bright. What can you do? So glad you asked. You can enter to win a Sonicare FlexCare+ toothbrush of your own, right here on Toronto Teacher Mom! (Valued at $219.95)


For this giveaway, I will be using the new Rafflecopter. This means you will only need to leave one comment on this post as the mandatory entry. You do not need to leave any comments for bonus entries as you will be indicating that on the form. I have already heard some positive feedback but you can always send me a message on Twitter, Facebook or via email if you have any comments or questions. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Disclosure – I am participating in the PHILIPS SONICARE FLEXCARE+ program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Philips Canada. I received a Sonicare product pack and a gift card as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own..

The school where I work has been trying to obtain funding for an outdoor classroom for the past couple of weeks. We are just finalizing our application and are really excited about this wonderful opportunity from Majesta. Please note that the contest is open to all Canadian schools and the deadline for applications is August 12, 2011. Good luck!

What can I say? I love my Cricut!

For the end of the year, I chose to give out gift cards to my kids' teachers. I made about a dozen seeing as they have many daycare teachers and my daughter also had a kindergarten teacher, too. I also made a few for some people on my staff. I used the Cricut Tags, Bags, Boxes and More cartridge which doesn't get used often enough. I will post more pictures and details when I get a chance to write a post on Diana's Designs Blog.

When my son was first born, I remember there had just been a massive recall of baby bottles because they were discovered to contain BPA, or bisphenol-A. It was pretty scary to know that I had been using those bottles with my first-born.

In October 2008 the Canadian federal government declared BPA a hazardous substance and placed it on the list of toxic substances.

I immediately replaced them all with BPA-free baby bottles and the only ones I could find at the time were by a company called BornFree. I even went so far as to buy glass baby bottles, which weren't very fond of the floor. Anyway, I was so happy to have discovered BornFree. Since 2006, BornFree has been dedicated to providing safe baby feeding products that are free from the potentially dangerous effects of BPA-infused plastics.

A growing body of scientific research suggests that the chemical may leach out of polycarbonate feeding bottles and containers, especially when the contents are acidic, high in fat, or heated. Research also suggests that BPA may act as an endocrine disruptor, a substance which mimics natural human hormones and could cause developmental and neurological problems in children such as early puberty, and attention disorder syndromes. Further studies have shown an association between BPA and heart disease, diabetes and high levels of liver enzymes, while the U.S. National Institutes of Health in September 2008 determined there was some concern about BPA`s effects on fetal and infant brain development. (NewBornFree.com)

Now that my son is three years old, he obviously doesn't use baby bottles anymore. He does, however, love using water bottles. The one he has used the most has a sports bottle top which he has a hard time lifting open. Then he got to try the Twist'nPop Straw Cup which is ergonomically designed for a child to grip and hold. He was so excited! It's all he asks for these days.