With a husband who can cook and make everything taste good, I sometimes find myself intimidated in the kitchen. I know he can cook much, much better than I can so it only makes sense for me not to interfere, right? Thus, I'll stick with the simpler things that require less prep and effort, such as appetizers and desserts. While walking through Whole Foods one day, I came across a sampling table where customers could try a bruschetta goat cheese canapé. It was so tasty and easy to make that I picked up a package of Woolrich Dairy Chevrai Bruschetta Goat Cheese to keep in the fridge for when company came over. For the bases, I decided to use Villaggio Whole Wheat Sliced Bread cut into squares and toasted to add a hint of crispiness.

For this recipe, I used four slices of Villaggio Italian Style bread. Trim the crust, which can later be used to make bread crumbs. Cut into squares or use a cutter to make more interesting bite-size shapes.

Of all the holidays I love best, my favourite would have to be Christmas. Why? Well, the answer is obvious: it means I get to enjoy two weeks home from work with my family and friends. I also look forward to decorating the Christmas tree with the kids and setting up the train underneath. Another reason is all the food we are lucky enough to savour. The best part is that I usually don't have to cook! You see, ever since I moved out to Toronto, it has become a tradition for my family and I to spend Christmas Eve at my in-laws' where my mother-in-law has prepared several different dishes, some of them being succulent seafood. All I can say is my mother-in-law is a rock star in the kitchen. Later on in the evening, it has been known to happen that Santa Claus (a.k.a. my husband) arrives with a sack full of presents. This year, Mrs. Claus forgot to wrap my son's Lego train set because she didn't know where it was. So when Santa noticed it wasn't in the sack, he stopped dead in his tracks. Let's just say it made for a humorous home video.

On Christmas day, the tradition has been that we head down to my hometown of Hamilton for a turkey lunch with my parents and siblings. The kids love it because they get to spend time with my nephew. This year was extra special because they also got to play with my one-year-old niece. Last Christmas, she was merely days old! After a super tasty meal consisting of turkey, homemade spicy sausage, lasagne, oven-roasted potatoes, rice, and salad, my mother always has a delicious spread of fresh fruit and her famous whipped cream vanilla pudding layer cake. Later on, she pulls out a large dish full of shrimp and another one loaded with crab, all seasoned with traditional Portuguese flavours.

The holidays are in full swing and this usually means that A) you will host dinner guests, B) friends and family will have you over for dinner, or C) a combination of both A) and B). Whether you're hosting or dining as guests, I have a simple, no-bake recipe for a super delicious dessert that will have your friends and relatives begging for more. I like to call it the Cool Whip Pudding With Chocolate Wafers Layer Cake. And you think the name is a mouthful?

A few weeks ago, I set out on a challenge to buy some items on my holiday to-do list at Walmart's Etobicoke store. With a $100 gift card in hand, I made it my mission to find a couple of Christmas presents for the kiddies, a fresh stash of wrapping paper and perhaps a couple of scrapbooking items for little ol' me. I joined a group of local bloggers as we were given a tour of the store and as soon as it was over, I made a bee-line for the toy section. Top on my list was a purple Furby for my daughter. I couldn't have been luckier. There were only two left - one in pink and yes! One in purple! AND they were on sale to boot! The list price is about $70 but I found them at Walmart for $52.77. My husband had been bugging me to get one sooner because he thought they would sell out for sure. On Walmart.ca, I noticed that their selection of Furby is currently out of stock. Boy, am I glad I found one in-store!

As I made my way through the toy aisles looking for gift ideas, I happened across the Leap Frog Touch Magic Learning Bus along with a number of other Leap Frog toys that would be perfect for my one-year-old niece.

Every Christmas, it is almost a given that the kids will receive at least one toy that is battery operated. Oftentimes, the culprit is my brother who aims to purposely find the most loud and obnoxious sounding toy on the market. Actually, he's only ever done that once. Or twice. But now that he has a daughter of his own, it's payback time! Okay, I will probably avoid the loudest toy I can find but at the very least I will be sure to throw in a stash of batteries. And they won't be your plain old batteries. They will be Duracell rechargeable batteries. 

The Duracell Quick Charger is handy to have on a holiday trip with the family. It is small enough to fit in your carry-on luggage and provides a fast way to recharge your batteries, taking only one hour to charge them. It has a built-in fold-out wall plug which makes it even more compact and easy to store. This charger includes two AA and two AAA rechargeable batteries with Duralock Power Preserve™ Technology, now guaranteed for two years in storage. The Duracell Quick Charger has a suggested retail price of $24.99. 

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One of my favourite things to do over the holidays is pull out our huge and growing collection of board games. There is something about sitting around the table with family and friends enjoying a good challenge that gets me all excited. It probably has something to do with the fact that I am very competitive by nature. What can I say? I love a good thinking game! This year, we have a new board game that will be sure to get many hours of play - Rubik's Race.

After having kids, I have noticed that my sense of smell has become much more heightened. I am sure it's Mother Nature's way of helping new moms protect their little ones from dangers in their immediate surroundings. Common household odours such as chemicals in cleaning solutions or the residual odours from frying or burning food in the kitchen seem to be detectable mostly by me. Sometimes I walk out the front door and I can smell burnt bacon on my clothes even though it was my husband who did the cooking. And let's not mention that I am mildly allergic to dust mites. Let's focus, rather, on fresh air and how we can limit exposure to indoor air pollutants by using the Bionaire Allergen Remover Mini Tower Air Purifier.

The holidays are fast approaching and I couldn't be more excited. It is the perfect time to spend with family and friends. It's a time to laugh, a time to cuddle, a time to make memories. We have already taken the kids to see Santa and have their picture taken, which turned out great, might I add. But when I look back at photos from Christmases passed, a part of me feels a hint of sadness knowing that my kids will never be this small again. Their tiny hands have become more dexterous and their feet are growing at an alarming rate. Oh, how I miss holding my son when he was a wee lad sucking on his two fingers. Or cradling my first-born as I sang her a lullaby before bedtime. As I wipe away a tear or two, I can't help but feel a sense of regret that I never took the time to make a nice little imprint of my children's hands and feet. I look at how big they are now and find it very difficult to recall how small they once were. This is why I am eager to share with you all of the wonderful ways you can preserve these memories through Memories Made. 

As a member of the Kelloggers Network, I was sent a couple of boxes of Rice Krispies and decorations to create some festive edibles such as ornaments. I decided to try something different and attempted a gingerbread house of sorts. As you can see, the structural stability of said house remains questionable. In hindsight, I should have allowed the roof to harden a bit more before placing on the walls of the house. The lack of architectural planning resulted in immediate consumption, much to my dismay.

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If there is one thing you should know about me, something that I'm not particularly proud of, is my lack of organizational skills. I always have the best intentions but somehow, things manage to pile up and I become overwhelmed. There are times when I wish I could have the likes of Martha Stewart visit my home and reorganize everything for me. Her easy solutions for organization are creative and simply elegant. Since adding Martha Stewart to my Christmas wish list this year is slightly out of the question, I have the next best thing thanks to Staples Canada - Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery. 

This year at Hallmark Canada, they have expanded their line of recordable gifts to help families press pause and record special messages for loved ones. From recordable cards and picture frames to recordable storybooks and iPad apps, there are so many ways to personalize your Christmas wishes. One of my favourite Hallmark gift ideas is Jingle the Husky Pup with Storybook. As you or your child reads the story, Jingle will respond to select sentences as indicated in red font. And now, you can include Jingle's Magic Christmas Recordable Storybook which also works with Jingle the Interactive Story Buddy (2012 buddies or newer). You can also purchase a Jingle All the Way DVD for $9.95 for more interactive fun.

Last year, I recycled some old Christmas gift tags from the previous year, which were too cute to throw in the recycling bin, and incorporated them into a couple of simple handmade greeting cards. I used my Cricut to cut out the word "Joy" and recycled some old ribbon, too. On one of the cards, I also added an embossed matte. Easy as pie!

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You have seen it in theatres. You have probably watched it on DVD. Now, you get to sea it all over again in 3D. Disney Pixar's Finding Nemo is now available in the Ultimate Collector's Edition. The 5-disc combo pack includes Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray bonus, DVD and Digital Copy. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2003,  Finding Nemo is 100 minutes of underwater adventure that is sure to make a splash this holiday season. The film features the voices of well-known talent such as Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe and Brad Garrett, and boasts the stunning animation we have come to expect of Disney Pixar.

It's magic in a new dimension!

My son came home from kindergarten with the cutest thing. It's a called an Advent Mouse. The tail consists of 25 links of construction paper in the Advent colours pink and purple. Each link represents one day from December 1st until Christmas and each day, he can remove one link to count down to Jesus' birthday. On the other side of the mouse is a cute little poem.

ThreeWorks Apple Chips have arrived and can be found in a grocery store near you. They are fat free, gluten free, GMO free and contain no added sugar. Apple Chips are available in six crunchy flavours - Original, Caramel, Vanilla, Lemon, Mixed Berries, and Cinnamon. They are also available in two sizes, the smallest size containing a mere 100 calories. ThreeWorks Apple Chips are made from carefully selected Fuiji apples and dehydrated in a way that retains the fruit's natural flavour, making it a tasty snack.

All I want for Christmas is

a DSLR camera,

a DSLR camera,

see a DSLR camera.

Gee, if I could only have

a DSLR camera,

then I could take pictures

as good as this one!

My brother took this picture of my son using his Canon Rebel T4i DSLR camera and it just reinforces my desire to get one, too. Can you blame me?

Canadian educator and musician Gregg LeRock has an obvious love of teaching and inspiring children through music. An Honours List graduate of the University of Ottawa's distinguished Lettres Françaises faculty, Gregg has managed to incorporate French curriculum in his songs in a way that is diverse and entertaining. He has released three best-selling CDs (Encore, Vive LeRock and JUNO nominated OUI!) and performs up to 175 concerts per year. You may recognize some of his songs in a variety of Canadian textbooks for French such as À La Ronde, Carrousel, Visages, Images, Destinations and Acti-Vie. As his name suggests, kids enjoy his music because "it rocks." French teachers enjoy it because his songs are easy to learn and help teach vocabulary, grammar and verb tenses.

As a child, I remember looking forward to Christmas with much joy and anticipation. Wondering what lay under the tree, enjoying homecooked turkey and visiting with friends and family would always be the highlights of the holiday. Now that I am older and I have children of my own, I am realizing more and more that many parents don't have the luxury of buying expensive toys for their kids or preparing a meal with all the trimmings. They make sacrifices and do whatever they can to pay the bills and provide their children with the necessities, often without asking for anything in return. This is why I am excited to announce that Butterball Canada is hosting a #PayitForward Holiday Twitter Party. On Wednesday, November 28th at 8:00pm EST, we will discuss the best ways to spread joy this season. And to celebrate, we will be giving away six $50 Butterball Gift Certificates. But that's not all.

If you win, you will have the chance to pay it forward.

Each of the six winners will receive an additional $50 Butterball Gift Certificate to gift to someone who could use a helping hand. It could be anyone you know, a friend who has always been there for you, a relative going through difficult times or a stranger on the street. It's entirely up to you.

We hope you will join us to share the spirit of the season with Butterball Canada!

Join us for the #PayitForward Twitter Party!

As a teacher who volunteers with the school choir, Christmas is one of the most joyous times of the year. I know many people frown upon the incessant playing of holiday music everywhere you go but I, for one, love it. I may not be a very good singer or choir leader but there is very little else that can cheer me up more than a traditional carol. When I came home to find some of the latest and greatest holiday themed samples from Hallmark, I was utterly moved by the sweetest, most ingenious holiday gift idea I've seen this year: the gift of children's angelic voices. The Hallmark Wireless Children's Angel Choir comes in the form of four little figurines that play music, sing and move. The best part? These figurines are interconnected wirelessly when they are placed together and collectively sing eight songs, with two songs lead by each one. Press the button on one of them and within seconds, the rest join in. How sweet are they!

Regardless of the NHL lockout, hockey still goes on in communities across Canada thanks to many volunteers who dedicate much of their time and effort to keeping hockey alive. These local volunteers demonstrate a continued passion for the sport, such as moms who help to raise funds for their child's team or dedicated coaches who help kids learn to skate. This year, Kraft has launched a new program called Hockey Goes On which will allow communities from coast to coast to share their passion for the game by recognizing local people in their hockey community and in turn, Kraft will help these individuals give back to grass roots hockey-related initiatives. In my community, Glenn Freer is one of those guys. He is a father of two and hockey coach to many. Here is what he had to say about why he became involved in the local hockey program:

Hockey coach Glenn and son Josh

I started coaching Josh because I love the game of hockey and I wanted to be right beside him as he discovered the game for himself. I didn't want to just sit in the stands and watch, I wanted to participate with him. I have been coaching him in some capacity for the past five years, since he started skating at age four. The early years were pretty tough as we were at the rink on Saturday mornings as early as six o'clock. There were many cold and dark winter mornings where I really, really would have liked to stay in bed. Looking back I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. We have shared some great times along the way and I have been able to watch many kids go from not even being able to stand up on the ice to a point now where I cant keep up with most of them. It's amazing to watch a kid who couldn't skate the first time you saw him who can now skate circles around me. You can also see the kids' confidence grow as they play the game - on and off the ice - as playing organized sports has so many beneficial aspects to it. One of the most important, I feel anyway, is the way it teaches them to deal with winning and losing. Huge life lessons are learned at the rink - the best part is they don't even know it! They think they are just playing a game, it's so much more than that.

To put it simply, I coach because I love it.  I get a huge kick out of seeing their smiling faces and from knowing that most of these kids will play this game for the rest of their lives. It's kind of special knowing I got to be there at the beginning of it all. Over the past four years I have coached approximately 60-70 kids. Hopefully, I have helped them become better hockey players and have taught them some life lessons they can take with them as they grow up.

Without people like Glenn who help to instill a passion for hockey among our children, we would likely not have hockey in Canadian communities. This is why I am excited to share with you that the Kraft Hockey Goes On program is celebrating and recognizing local hockey volunteers and providing them with a way to give back within their community. Through Hockey Goes On, Kraft will be awarding up to $1,000,000 to hockey-related initiatives coast to coast. The top five communities will each receive $100,000 and 20 communities will each receive $20,000.  They are also working with their partners at Hockey Canada to give out $100,000 in grants to communities across Canada in need of equipment. Have a look at this touching video, a salute to community hockey volunteers:

So what can you do? 

Communities have nominated a local hockey volunteer and a panel has determined the top 100 individuals. Canadians can vote by going to www.KraftHockeyGoesOn.ca starting March 23, 2013. The top five winning communities will be announced March 30, 2013. 

In the meantime, let's remind these volunteers how much we appreciate their efforts by telling them, "Thanks! Hockey goes on because of you."

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kraft Hockey Goes On. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

It's here - whether you're ready or not. The unofficial start of the holiday season. How will you fare against the crowds, the elements and the frantic rush to grab the best gifts for the best price? At SHOP.CA, we say - start shopping NOW. And in the comfort of your own home, while grabbing the very best of our Black Friday deals. You'll put a huge dent in your holiday shopping list, all while enjoying FREE shipping and FREE returns. Now isn't that awesome? We're celebrating the savings with a sneak peek for our favourite shoppers -

Join us for the #BlackFriday Twitter Party on Thursday,
 November 22nd from 9:00 - 10:00pm EST.

DATE: Thursday, November 22nd

Moderated By:@Listen2Lena – @FeistyFrugal - @SassyModernMom - @MomvstheBoys - @TeacherMomofTwo

Prizing is available to Canadians only.

In a couple of weeks, I will be attending a symposium on 21st century learning. These are definitely exciting times full of endless possibilities and I am eager to learn more. It seems that shortly after I had entered the teaching profession we were introduced to smart technology and now we are talking about augmented reality. The next thing you know we will be living like our fictitious Star Trek counterparts in a world of holodecks and replicators. In the meantime, we can give our children a glimpse of what is waiting for them in the future by introducing them to Cypher Kids Club Augmented Reality Cards.

As part of the Cypher Kids Club campaign, I made a trip to one of select Walmart locations where they carry the learning cards and picked up one of each set: Letters, Numbers and Wild Animals. You can view my #CypherKidsClub album on Google+ for more photos detailing my shopping experience. I knew even before opening the box that the animal cards would be the most popular set but my son and I also enjoyed the letters set, especially when it came to the letters in his name.

Over the past few weeks, I have made an unsettling discovery that the reason my pants feel tighter has nothing to do with my clothes shrinking in the wash but rather an expanding waistline. I'd like to blame it on my husband who took the kids out for Halloween and came home with twice as much candy than last year. Surely I could not allow my children to consume all of it so, as a diligent mom, I took it upon myself to eat my fair share. And then some. But now, I feel awful. It's time to get back on track and eat better so that I can model to my children the importance of giving our bodies the best possible fuel. Such is the foundation upon which is based a family-owned bakery known as Ozery's Pita Break.

Ozery’s Pita Break is a Toronto-based bakery and sandwich shop that opened in 1996 and has since expanded to better serve its growing clientele across North America. Each day, they bake all-natural, preservative-free flatbreads, pitas, Lavash crackers and most recently Crispy Pitas. I have to give my husband credit for introducing me to the brilliant concept of the Pita Break OneBun. This revolutionary product has "all the best parts of a traditional hamburger bun combined with the benefits of healthy, whole grains." Yes, it is lower in fat and contains no preservatives but the best part is that it's thin and super tasty. And they're even better when toasted!

The OneBun is great for sandwiches, especially for the kids' lunches. You see, when I use sliced bread, I often find that the kids will eat the middle and leave behind the crust. With the OneBun, there really isn't a crust and so the kids will eat the entire sandwich. The kids are also less intimidated by the size since the thin bun makes for a smaller sandwich. I personally prefer the OneBun because I like to savour what's in my sandwich such as tuna, turkey or ham with cheese and tomato.

Santa Claus is coming to the GTA and it looks like the sun will be shining for yet another day. Children of all ages will be heading into the downtown core this Sunday to watch the many magnificent floats as they make their way from Christie Pits to St. Lawrence Market. This year, the Santa Claus Parade has teamed up with the 100th Grey Cup Festival so you can be sure that the Grey Cup will be making its way along the route as well. And for the first time ever, kids of all ages will have a chance to contribute directly to creating some Santa Claus Parade magic in return for new priceless Parade memories, including their names being featured on a float. 

Since maneuvering through downtown traffic can be difficult enough on a regular day, I have included a map below which illustrates the roads that will be in use throughout the duration of the parade. Something to keep in mind if you plan on driving in anytime between 12:30pm-3:00pm. For more details and handy tips, you can visit thesantaclausparade.ca.

The 100th Grey Cup Festival began this week and is scheduled to run until Sunday, November 25. As a member of the Century Team, I am sharing with you a sampling of some of the fantastic events that are happening throughout downtown Toronto. This is a milestone year and as a gift back to the city, the Grey Cup Festival is offering more free events than ever before. There will be ten days and eleven nights of events to be held at various locations including Yonge-Dundas Square, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Nathan Philips Square, Front Street and more.

This weekend, there is sunshine in the forecast making it a perfect time for families to come out to the Nissan Family Zone at Yonge-Dundas Square. There will be a mini football field, live music, cheerleading demonstrations, marching bands and several food stations by the Eaton Centre’s Urban Eatery, Smoke’s Poutinerie, Marc Angelo and more. And the Nissan Family Zone is completely free! It will be open this Saturday from 12pm to 3pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

Head on down to Nathan Phillips Square Saturday morning between 11am and 4pm and be the first to try the Toronto Sun Zipline which is 725 feet long, the tallest urban zipline in North America. The $20 trip will take you from City Hall to the tip of Queen Street. Proceeds from the Toronto Sun Zipline will go to support the Argos Foundation. Later that evening, you can enjoy the Cavalcade of Lights from 5pm to 10:30pm. Sunday morning brings you the mbna Adrenaline Zone which brings you top-notch live music acts, completely free to the public, as well as an obstacle course led by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.

With six weeks remaining until Christmas, a part of me is excited to have a couple of weeks to spend at home with the family. Another part of me, however, is somewhat stressed when I think about shopping for the perfect gifts for loved ones. I know most kids will likely have toys or gadgets on their wish list but I often feel torn over buying play things versus practical items. Sure, toys will bring children instant fun and enjoyment. Yet, once the novelty wears off, they often get tossed aside. Useful gifts such as clothing or consumables such as art supplies, now that is what I would much rather buy. And I love shopping at Canadian stores, especially those that carry unique eco-friendly products such as the ones available via Lavish & Lime.

For greener gift ideas for the little artist on your shopping list, Lavish and Lime offers a wonderful selection of art products that are natural, recycled and non-toxic. From stylish sketchbooks to recycled crayon sticks, there is sure to be some sparks of creativity in the air. I would absolutely love to colour with their bright natural crayon rocks.

A couple of weeks ago, I started watching the first season of The Vampire Diaries. Not because I had a genuine interest in watching a television series about a topic that has become so clichéd. Rather, it was out of mere curiosity that I decided to tune in. There had been so many tweets popping up in my Twitter feed expressing excitement over season four of The Vampire Diaries, that I felled 'compelled' to see what it was all about. You see, I have a confession to make. I have a thing for vampire stories. Good vampire stories. And when they are depicted on the big screen or on my television set, I become even more enthralled with the dark, handsome portrayals we come to expect of the modern day vampire. Whether or not I have a giant poster of Robert Pattinson is not up for discussion at the moment. But I will confess that the devilishly good-looking Ian Somerhalder has recently caught my eye and has thus earned his way into this post as one of the most irresistible reasons for turning on my new high-definition flat screen TV. To date, I have managed to work my way through to the end of the second season, as a purely research-driven assignment, of course. And while the extremely high number of causalities in The Vampire Diaries seems to drastically outnumber those in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, the far-reaching story line is nonetheless much easier to tolerate when you have the likes of Ian's character Damon Salvatore as a distraction. Is it just me or does Damon's brother Stefan pale in comparison?

Fess up. Are you on Team Damon or Team Stefan?

It is the beginning of November and we are currently experiencing near-freezing temperatures. With the furnace pumping out warm, dry air, I find my skin is already becoming dry and my lips chapped. One of my favourite lip balms is made by Burt's Bees and this year, they have a whole lineup of holiday gift sets which would make great stocking stuffers or teacher gifts. My personal preference is for Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balms since they add a nice hint of colour while providing moisture. To add to my collection, I now have a pomegranate lip balm that is included in the Burt's Bees Body Scrub and Balm Set, featured above. The cost of $14.99 is quite reasonable considering that Burt's Bees are made using earth-friendly and natural ingredients.