In Search Of Ottawa's Greatest Mobile Photographer

First Facebook, then Twitter, and now it's Instagram. I'm totally addicted... are you? 

I call Instagram "Picture Twitter" because it's basically Twitter... with pictures. One of my favourite commercials on television right now is the iphone commercial showing people from around the world snapping pictures. It gets me so emotional every time I see it. Of course it does. 

I love seeing my friends on Instagram, and all the great photos they take. Seriously, there are so many talented photographers out there, and so many of them just happen to be my friends!

Ottawa is a city that loves the arts, and great photography, too, so I'm excited to share the news about a great new mobile photography contest with you:

This Saturday, May 25th, from 11 to 2, Billings Bridge will be hosting an afternoon of entertainment, refreshments, and prizes in support of the Ottawa School of Arts.

This event is also dedicated to insipiring creativity in the community and accelerating expression for those with a passion for arts.

The challenge for Ottawa residents?

Instagram your most inspiring and imaginative pictures for your chance to win an amazing Billings Bridge and Blacks Photography prize!

Take 10 photographs and post them on Instagram between May 23 and May 26 and tag them #gobillings.

Make sure one of those photos is in front of your favourite Billings Bridge store, and you'll be entered to win the Grand Prize valued at over $2,500. Sweet deal, huh? It's a snap to enter, really!

The Grand Prize includes:

Your own Instagram Art Gallery Showcase at Billings Bridge
A spread in Metro newspaper
$500 worth of Instagram products from Black's Photography
$500 Gift Card for Billings Bridge

How amazing is that?

The winner will be announced on Monday, May 27th.

I love contests that not only involve the community in awesome ways like this, but also give back. I think supporting the Ottawa School of Arts is so very important. Art is a huge part of my life, and always has been—kind of hard to avoid when your mom is a famous artist!

What pictures will you be taking? I've got my camera ready to shoot... Ottawa is gorgeous, so inspiration is everywhere for me!

Good Luck and Have Fun!





Disclaimer: I received compensation for this post.

Entertainment 101: Setting The Stage With Ease

Now that summer is almost here, I plan on having guests over all the time to enjoy the gorgeous weather outside and making good use of my patio furniture and newly renovated kitchen. I love entertaining in my home, no matter the season, but there's something so laid-back and wonderful about having guests over when the weather is nice out. 

Because I work full-time and take care of my two children and all their summer activities—swimming lessons, tennis, camp, playdates—I like to try new things in the kitchen that won't take hours to prepare. At the same time, I want to serve my guests food and appetizers they'll love.

I love that Triscuit crackers go well with everything—served as a side with a cheese platter, dipped in homemade salsa, or used to melt cheese on top of. That's one of my favourite snacks—mine, and my boys! Whether it's the Original Triscuit crackers you're munching on, or the Thin Crisps (my personal favourite) you and your guest will be plenty satisfied... take my word for it.

I love having girlfriends over for a Ladies Night, where we sip wine, eat yummy food, talk about our new favourite movie (hello, The Great Gatsby anyone?) while our children run around playing in the backyard without a care in the world.

I'm having a group of girlfriends over next week, and I  plan on making the Greek Antipasto Dip and the Easy Salsa—thanks to Triscuit for providing the easy recipes on their Facebook page, I'm able to get this done in no time at all. Trust me, I'm not a fan of spending more time than necessarity doing anything other than eating when I'm in the kitchen!

Triscuit crackers are so yummy, and my children devour them when they're in the house. Sometimes, I've even had to hide the Triscuits from them—we've all done this, right?

With Triscuit crackers, my stage really is set for entertaining. And that allows me more time to enjoy my friends when they come over to my place to visit.



Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post, but all views and opinions are my own.

Before And After

I still enjoy...

Going on vacations.

Buying new shoes.

Spending time with my family and friends.

Swimming in the ocean.

Watching my favourite TV shows.
Getting lost in Saks.

Going for my weekly blow-dry.

Pedicures. Manicures. Massages.

Dinners out.
White wine.
Sitting in my favourite chair with a good book.

Going to the movies and eating popcorn.
A night out with my closest friends.

However... no matter what I'm doing, there is one thing that is always on my mind—my children. No matter what, I'm thinking about them, and hoping they're okay.

As soon as I became a mom, life shifted for me in a way I never expected.

There is only before and after.

Life before children was mostly worry-free, in the sense that I had no one to worry about 24 hours a day, for all of eternity, except myself. I could be irresponsible, if I wanted to. I could stay out as late as I wanted to. I could sleep in if I was tired.

Life after children is wonderful in an infinite number of ways, but the never-ending worry that comes with it was something no one prepared me for. No one can prepare you, really, no matter what you read or hear from your family and friends. The biggest change of your life happens once your baby is placed in your arms.

I was walking around in an unfamiliar state once I got home with my new baby. I never thought I'd sleep again, and I never though I'd leave the house again. I didn't want to see a single human outside of my family. I didn't want to hear from anyone. Of course, as the days and weeks went by, things got much easier, in many ways, but the shift never went back to what it was before. Of course, with baby number two, things were much more easy to handle, but still...

A friend of my mom's once said to her: "My daughter never had children. She'll never know the love of having a child of her own, but she'll also never know the worry that comes with it."

It's the times when your child is sick, when you're in the hospital too scared to even look at the doctor, the times when you can't even put a single piece of food in your mouth because you know you'll just throw it up from the worry you're feeling, that are the harderst parts of motherhood.

And here's something—it'll never, ever go away, that worry. And here's another thing—every age comes with its own set of challenges, fears, and worries. It's the hardest job in the whole world. It's a constant job. We are on 24 hours a day. 

Of course it's worth it.. I never imagined my adullt life without children, and I feel blessed, beyond measure.  But becoming a parent is such a life-changing experience you can't prepare for no matter how hard you try.

We are all in this together, I suppose—we're a special league of superheroes. I'm just trying to figure out what colour my cape is today.

Gonna Make You Sweat

Every morning I wake up at the same time as my children and the mad rush begins—shower! Make-up on! Fix hair! Find something to wear! Dress the children! Run downstairs! Make breakfast! Make lunches and snacks! Beg the children to brush their teeth! Pack the backpacks! When will I learn to get up and get ready before the children? Hopefully one day soon... seriously.

When I'm stressed to the max about getting everyone out the door on time, I thank goodness that I don't sweat it—I handle it! Seriously, I'm thankful for the awesome Lady Speed Stick Power because it provides long lasting protection to help me not lose my cool, so to speak, when I'm in stressful situations like the daily mad rush out the door with two children. It works.

I recently reviewed two new Lady Speed Stick products and they worked like a charm, helping me through all my daily crazy sweat-inducing situations at home, on the way to school and to work, and in any situation you can imagine.

Lady Speed Stick is so awesome, they decided to spread the love, too. They're giving away six baskets full of Lady Speed Stick products!

Just click here to enter! Simple, right? Totally not sweat-inducing! Just tell us... what makes you sweat?

Come on... we want to know! And, okay, we want to laugh along with you, too. Was it a blind date you went on? An unexpected visit from my mother-in-law? Leaving the house with two different shoes on? (Yes, this has happened to someone I know!)
Lady Speed Stick truly offers long-lasting superior protection, and I love the invisible Lady Speed Stick—no need to worry about stains anywhere on my clothes, no matter what colour I am wearing! It's also available in four different frangrances (yum!)  to keep you feeling fresh from morning to night.

Here's a coupon you can use, too. You're welcome! And remember... don't sweat it—no matter the situation—handle it!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post and I received compensation from Colgate. All views and opinions are my own.

15 Reasons I'm Awesome

I'm awesome. Because I'm a mom.

Here are 15 reasons why:

1. I survive—in fact I can function—amazingly well on three hours of sleep a night. I know this to be true because it's been my reality for the last seven years, give or take an hour (or two).

2. I can carry more in my arms than the average human at the same time. We're talking a suitcase, a child, a bottle of water, a purse, two sweaters, a pair of running shoes, snacks, passports, and a stroller. While walking down a broken escalator trying to catch a flight.

3. I host playdates with children and I let them invade my entire house.

4. I live with little dictators and I am a calm and rational person in spite of this.

5. I can put together impossible LEGO creations.

6. I eat Goldfish crackers off the floor for dinner.

7. I put all sorts of weird things in my mouth to clean them.

8. I have endured listening to many hours of that annoying brat, Caillou, without breaking the television set in a fit of rage.

9. I have accepted the fact that I only need 3% of my bed to sleep on.

10. I'm okay with waking up with little feet in my face.

11. I am able to change sheets without waking a child who is sleeping on top of these sheets. This is gold medal-worthy, friends.

11. I  know everything there is to know about Minecraft. Sort of.

12.  I still play Super Mario Bros.

13. I sometimes hide food from my children.

14. I have broken up epic sibling battles while driving through scary snow storms.

15. I have gone on vacations and boarded planes witth two young children without any assistance from anyone, and have lived to tell the tale.

What about you—how does being a parent make you even more awesome than you were before?

Start Spreading The News

I don't know how I'd handle breakfast in my house if my children were picky eaters. Thankfully, I've lucked out in that department—I have children who consider breakfast their favourite meal of the day!

It's always a mad dash in the mornings at my house, so knowing that my children have a favourite food to eat for breakfast is a huge help. 

My boys love cream cheese, and I love how easy it is to prepare breakfast beacuse of this. We spread Philly Cream Cheese on bagels, tortillas, pita bread, and toast, and with a side of fruit and maybe some oatmeal, breakfast is served! Anything to make things run smoothly in the morning, I'm a fan of.

When I saw the new  Chocolate Philly I knew it would taste incredible—and yup, I was right! It's so, so good. You really do have to try it for yourself. I promise—you'll love it.

My favourite way to enjoy my Chocolate Philly? Spread on a warm, toasted bagel, with a side of strawberries. (Great for dipping, too, of course!) Or, on a tortilla, wrapped up, with strawberries inside. So yummy! Here's the best part—with Chocolate Philly you not only get the dairy goodness of Philly, you're also getting the deliciousness of pure milk chocolate—with half the sugar and calories that other similar products provide. So, you're eating healthy, too. Win-win, right?

You know what goes great with a Philly Chocolate breakfast? Enjoying that breakfast in... bed. That's right. In bed. Served to you by your loved one. I know, I don't remember the last time I ate breakfast in bed, either. Philly has a fun Facebook contest going on right now, where you post a status update saying that if you get 20 likes, your sweetheart will then serve you breakfast in bed. Voila.. the pressure is on, and delicious, Chocolate Philly will be yours to enjoy in your comfort zone!

Philly also has a great coupon offer on their Facebook page starting on May 21. Check it out, because you don't want to miss a great offer like this.

Chocolate and cream cheese were totally meant to be together this way... now go spread the news (and the love) yourself!









Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post, but views and opinions are my own. And I love my Philly cream cheese!

Sun Safety With Coppertone

Summer is finally here! Well, almost. It's May, the weather has been fabulous, the grass is growing, and the pools are open for the season. My boys have taken full advantage of this, already, and it's not even June yet. No complaints from me. Not even one. I will not say a negative thing about the weather until it starts getting cooler again.

Summer is so easy, don't you think? No more snowsuits, boots, messy slush, hats, mitts, scarves... it's just flip flops, sunscreen, and go!

I was flown to Toronto for the day a couple of weeks ago to attend the Summer Lunch and Learn Event on Sun Care and Allergy Symptoms Management with Coppertone, Aerius and hydraSense. It was a very beautiful event that was also very informative. It was great speaking to a doctor and allergy specialist about the effects the sun has on our skin, and especially the effects of the sun on the skin of our young children. It is so important to be aware.

Since becoming a mom, I'm keenly aware of the importance of staying safe when we're outside in the sun. I'm no longer the girl who lays out in the sun wearing a bikini with nothing more than sunscreen with an SPF of 4. I'm now the responsible mom who stays better protected while spending time in the shade, whenever possible. Besides, I don't have the time to just relax in the sun—my boys never sit still to allow that to happen!

I've long ago packed away the oil and have embraced sunscreen with protection of at least 30 SPF or higher. I slather it on my boys, too, and prefer to use a higher SPF on them. I use a generous amount too—did you know each time you apply sunscreen, you should use a golf ball sized amount? At least that's easy to remember! Sunscreen is the number one way to protect yourself from sun damage.

Here are some Summer Sun Safety Tips for you:

Cover Up: Try to wear long sleeves and a hat with a wide brim. Wear protective sunglasses, too. I also buy protective swim shirts for my boys to wear when they're swimming outside—the added protection is great peace of mind for me.

Use Sunscreen: Of course we all know the importance of sunscreen and protecting our skin, right? You should be wearing at least a bottle with SPF of 15 or higher. I use 30 SPF on me, and usually something as high as 60 for my children. Make sure to re-apply every two hours, and every hour if you're in the water, even if the sunscreen is water-resistant.

Find Shade: I used to love spending time in the sun, but now I actually prefer staying in the shade if I'm outside all day, on the beach, by the pool, or just walking around in the great outdoors. If you're going on a picnic, try to pack an umbrella with you, and stay in places that offer plenty of shade, like parks with nice big trees.

Now, go enjoy summer safely. Your skin will thank you!

Disclaimer: My travel arrangements to and from Toronto were paid for, and I received Copperone, Aerius, and hydraSense products to use and review, but all thoughts, views, and opinions on this topic are my own.