Loulou's views

Right now,  I'm enjoying some sunshine and warmth in south Florida with my family. This is our tenth time staying at the Diplomat Resort and Spa, and we're having a fantastic time—building sand castles, shopping, enjoying delicious dinners out on patios, and swimming. Before I left for my annual vacation down south, I used my WaySpa.com gift card for a pedicure—a must before wearing summer sandals and flip flops again! I went to Holtz Spa in Ottawa for a pedicure with my mom and my sister, since we were all travelling to Florida together, as we often do. Getting together and enjoying a day at the spa was so much fun, especially because we were so excited to be going away, far away from winter.  Spa days alone are great, but even more fun is enjoying the pampering with friends or family. And WaySpa gift cards are the ultimate gift of relaxation and rejuvenation, no matter the reason or occasion. I love when girlfriends get together for a day of spa pampering, and a gre...

This is my second year blogging for Netflix Canada, as part of the Netflix #StreamTeam. It's an honour to blog for Netflix, and so much fun, especially because I truly love Netflix—as does my family! The thing I love the most about Netflix Canada is that there is always something new to watch, something I know I'll love. This month, The Adventures of Puss in Boots arrived on Netflix, and my kids are super excited to watch this great series. It's a Netflix original, too, so you just know it's going to be great. (This just got me excited for the new season of House of Cards!) (Thank you, Netflix!) Anyway, kids will love The Adventures of Puss in Boots , and they'll have fun watching Puss as he embarks on exciting adventures. This show is as exciting as the beloved children's book. "The world's greatest fighter, lover, and milk connoisseur springs into action with comical tales that take him to exotic locations, filled with unforgettable characte...

We're already halfway through January; this month is just flying by. I like to start each year by making necessary positive changes that'll last longer than 31 days, even though sometimes it can be challenging. Here are some ways you can make this your best year ever: Spread the word Share your goals, desires, and/or resolutions with your friends and family. Not only will you gain support from your loved ones, it'll also encourage you to keep yourself accountable. (Trust me, this works!) Sometimes a nice nudge or reminder from a friend will help keep you on track on the days you feel like giving up. Set yourself up for success With the new year, we tend to set overly-ambitious goals for ourselves, so it's better to not set expectations too high. Sometimes, creating smaller goals over the duration of the year will give you better, lasting results. No crash dieting! (I've been so guilty of that in the past!) If you're looking to get fit and h...

Brr... it's been an incredibly cold winter and I'm over it already. Thankfully, my family and I are heading south to warmer temperatures, soon. I'm counting down the days—we all are, actually. I need the sun, the warmth, and the sound of the ocean waves waking me up every morning. I was on CTV Ottawa Morning Live talking about travel tips when you're travelling with the kids , and I had to mention three amazing resorts that I'll be visiting during my upcoming vacation to Florida. Having travelled to Florida many times with the little ones, I know what works, and what doesn't. These resorts are amazing, family-friendly, and very accommodating—and I know they'd be perfect for you, too—whether you're travelling with children, or not. 1. Diplomat Resort and Spa: We can't wait to be back at the beautiful Diplomat Resort and Spa . (For our 10th time!)  The Diplomat has been so kind to us over the years, providing us with amazing perk...

Every winter (and sometimes summer) we travel to south Florida to relax, spend time oceanside, and enjoy the fabulous  Diplomat Resort and Spa.   In a couple of weeks, we'll be heading back to our favourite south Florida resort,  and I can't wait to leave winter behind. Going on vacations with my boys and my family (and taking a break from the harsh, cold weather) is  important to me, and every new vacation gives us many new wonderful, lasting memories. This trip to the Diplomat Resort and Spa will be our TENTH, believe it or not. (That should give you some indication about how much of a great time we have at this resort.) The first time I stayed at this resort, I was pregnant with my second baby boy. (He considers that his first vacation!). I started travelling when I was a baby, and my boys have been travelling since they were infants, too. Because of this, travelling with them has always been pretty easy, no matter how far (Greece) or close (Florida) we go. ...

I don't often watch television (mostly just Netflix) but I always make time to watch the Golden Globe Awards, and the Academy Awards. It reminds me of all the movies and television shows I should get around to watching! Anyway... Here are some of my random thoughts from the Golden Globes:   1. Everyone looked so good, so glowy, and so tanned, and, well, clearly the spray tan isn't going away any time soon! 2. Cindy Crawford on the red carpet. She is the ultimate, most drop-dead gorgeous supermodel ever. 3. KATE HUDSON. Perfection. How sexy did she look in that white low-cut Versace dress? 4. J.LO. She was a goddess. (And did we see some chemistry between her and Jeremy Renner?) 5. Reese Witherspoon. Always a favourite of mine on the red carpet. 6. Patricia Arquette made me teary with her speech. 7. Can I get through Boyhood without sobbing uncontrollably? 8.  I miss Breaking Bad. A lot. Sob. 9. Catherine Zeta-Jones is as stunning as ever. 10. KEVEN SPAC...

I have a thing for designer sunglasses—I literally cannot get enough. I stock up, and justify my purchases because I always wear my sunglasses, no matter the season. I just don't wear my sunglasses at night. (Ha!) When I was approached by Smart Buy Glasses to review a pair of designer sunglasses from their website, I instantly said yes. After all, how could I turn down a brand-new pair of Gucci shades? The timing was perfect, too, becuase I can bring my new Gucci shades with me on my trip to Miami in two weeks. I've already started wearing these new classic Gucci shades, though—and I love them so much. I found Smart Buy Glasses to be a really straightforward site to use and shop at—they have an amazing variety of sunglassses and prescription glasses at great prices. Whether you're looking for Gucci, Bolle, Ray-Ban, Fendi, Givenchy, D&G,  Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Valentino, Michael Kors, or Kate Spade—plus dozens more—this site has it all. They provide a huge...

We're over the excitement and craziness of the holidays, and we've settled back into our daily routine quite nicely. Despite the freezing cold temperatures we've been dealt, I'm thankful for our daily routine. After school, although we're busy with activities and tennis lessons and Cubs, I always find time to spend quality time with my boys, so we can talk about our day, and truly connect. I cherish every moment—truly. I miss my boys when they were toddlers and young children; but now, it's an entirely new world of fun. I love seeing and learning about the things they are interested in; reading, writing, building LEGO, playing Mario Kart and Minecraft and spending time on their iPads actually playing educational games and learning while they're online. My oldest son is devoted to science and math; my youngest son loves to use his imagination with play, writing, and creating. They are very different, and yet similar in many ways; for example, they both love...

I know it's just the beginning of winter, and although I loved the holidays and all the fun that comes with winter (and all the shopping and cozing up in front of the fireplace!)  I'm actually really missing summer... In the summer, I don't have to worry about winter clothes and boots and dry, pale skin, and getting dressed in the morning is so much easier... little dress and flip flops, and out the door, into the sunshine! Since summer and warmer days are gone for now, I have to take extra steps in making sure my skin is still looking its best, and I love heading to  Shoppers Drug Mart to stock up on my winter must-have products . Shooppers Drug Mart is Canada's ultimate destination for skin care, especially during the cold, dry winter months. I'm constnatly applying hand cream to my hands! Shoppers Drug Mart  carries a wide selection of skin care products and they offer complimentary skin care consulatations in-store by their Beauty Experts, so...

Christmas has come and gone, for another year. It was truly wonderful—we celebrated every day, with friends and family, and made new memories. The holiday season is my favourite because of all the great times we experience together, and it always warms my heart to see my boys so happy. We are all partied out, and I am totally in detox right now from all the food and drink consumption. (But the holidays are never a time to worry about that, right?) We all made it past midnight on New Year's Eve as we counted down to 2015 with the entire family at the Greek dance, as we always do, and now, looking onward to 2015, there is so much I want to accomplish. I don't like to make New Year's resolutions, but rather, goals to try to achieve. Happy New Year, everyone! Hope your 2014 was wonderful, and here's to an even more wonderful 2015. May all your dreams come true.