Loulou's views

As the holiday season approaches, many families will be travelling to get away from the cold or to visit their families in other cities. While we stay close to home for the holidays, we area already planning our annual winter getaway to south Florida. I am  so  looking forward to feeling the warm sunshine on my skin again, and spending hours on the beach and by the pool–pina colada in hand! My boys have always been excellent travellers, even on long flights overseas. While I help them pack their carry-on bags, I make sure I have all their favourite  Netflix  shows and movies downloaded. After all,  travelling can be chaotic at times, so why not take a little time before you leave to make sure your kids have what they need to stay entertained, and not annoyed, during your travels? If you travel often enough, you will know that sometimes, the unexpected can happen–delayed flights, lost luggage, long line-ups, and more–and I find that if my boys have th...

With fall definitely in the air now—cooler temperatures, the beautiful changing colours on the trees, the return of pumpkin-flavoured everything—it's time to start think about Halloween. I always loved Halloween but when I became a mom it became even more fun for me, because I found there was nothing cuter than dressing up my boys in adorable costumes, going trick-or-treating, and helping my little ones consume all their delicious candy. (As a parent, that's totally allowed, you know!). This year, we've got something else to be excited about: the return of Stranger Things on Netflix. Our boys are older now—12 and nine years old—and we all watched Stranger Things together months ago when it first came out on Netflix. My boys loved it, and it wasn't too scary for them, though there were definitely some jump-out-of-our-seats scenes. This Halloween, we have a plan: go trick-or-treating to as many homes as possible, come home, turn off the lights, get under the blanke...

Now that fall is almost here, I've starting to once again enjoy evenings at home cuddled up on my couch with a warm blanket, watching Netflix, after dinner and a bike ride. As much as I love shop for gorgeous boots and sweaters, sip a warm latte, take in the beautiful fall sights and colours, and indulge in a favourite Netflix show... or two. Oftentimes, we watch Netflix together as a family; my boys usually select the movie we'll be watching, but it's always something we all want to see, like Rogue One. Sometimes, though, it's nice to sneak in some solo Netflix time, so my husband and I can catch up on our favourite shows. (It's always better watching something you love together, like Breaking Bad. I`m still not over the brilliance of that show!). Did you know that sneaking in some Netflix is basically the new bingeing? In fact, over half of Canadian moms admit to sneaking in TV me-time while juggling a busy schedule, with some even hiding from their kids for...

It’s already mid-July, and summer is flying by. As usual, summer is a busy time for us, with camp, activities, and enjoying the great outdoors every day. My boys spend have spent most of their summer days swimming, which is wonderful. However, we’ve also had quite a few rainy days this month, and that calls for indoor activities. While we do limit our TV watching in the summer months, there is always something on Netflix I know my boys will love, and it’s our go-to for days and nights where we want to just chill and relax. My youngest is a pro at navigating through Netflix—and oftentimes he’s the one selecting what we’ll be watching, whether it’s a TV series, movie, or documentary. (And we're never disappointed!). Something cool and new Netflix has come out with is Interactive Storytelling . Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books we read when we were kids? Well, Netflix has come up with a similar concept, allowing children to be in complete creative control of wh...

As the year comes to an end, there is so much to look forward to in the new year.  To keep things lighthearted—we've all had enough bad news with all the things going on in the world—let's talk about ways we can kick back and ring in the new year with pleasure, laughs, and excitement. Yes, I'm talking about taking the time for yourself to unwind in front of your television, and watch the new shows and movies Netflix will be showcasing this January. Here are some of the movies and shows I'm excited to watch on Netflix, while I anxiously await another seasons of House of Cards and Strangers Things: Movies: American Sniper: I still haven't seen American Sniper so I know what I'll be watching this in January. This movie, starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, and Luke Grimes, is about U.S. Navy Seal marksman Chris Kyle and his chilling story. American Beauty: A classic, and a movie I love watching again and again. You can't go wrong watching anything ...

I am getting so excited for Christmas, and all the fun that comes with it—especially getting the chance to spend some quality time with my children, who will be home from school for two weeks. Actually, this year, the break goes until January 9th, meaning that although we'll be busy right up until Christmas Day, we'll definitely need to find some things to do to occupy ourselves during the long break from school, without going stir-crazy. From getting together with friends and family, to lots of play time in the great (and freezing!) outdoors, we'll be happily entertained—but I know eventually I'll hear the dreaded:  "Mom... I'm bored!" Thankfully, we're set up with Netflix, and that means countless hours of entertainment, from the warmth of our home. My boys love selecting shows and movies to watch on Netflix, and I love the great variety of programming that Netflix has for all its viewers, young and... not so young. On December 23rd, Netflix and ...

I have to admit,—I never watch TV. Unless it's for sports, or the news. The only time you'll catch me getting comfortable in front of my television is when I'm watching a show I love on Netflix. (That goes for my entire family, actually). I'm all about binge-watching, and have been known to watch episode after episode of House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things and Breaking Bad well into the wee hours of the morning. After all, it's impossible to stop after just one... or two... or three episodes, isn't it? Here's an interesting fact about Netflix: TV and movies go better together, and after viewers finish watching a series, they'll will take a pause (usually this lasts for three days, but for it took months before I watched anything after Breaking Bad, convinced I'd never see anything as amazing again!). During the "break", more than half of Netflix members watched a movie to keep the binge feeling alive. (Yes, for rea...

School's been out for a few weeks already (how do the summer months fly by so quickly?) and we've been keeping busy, mostly enjoying the gorgeous weather outside.  My boys have re-discovered their love of soccer, thanks to Euro Cup 2016, and they've been kicking the ball around all day—that is, when they're not swimming until after dark. With two weeks of tennis camp  coming up, I'm mindful that we spend some quality time together indoors, too, doing fun things like "help mom clean the house", "organize your rooms" and of course, snuggling up on the couch, after hours spent playing outside. I  need some "me time" time, too, to get work done, so I totally appreciate that Netflix is  able  to entertain my children when they need time to relax. My boys are a little older so the nice thing is, we're able to enjoy many Netflix shows and movies together, popcorn in hand. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is one of our favourite movies to...

There are quick a few shows I used to watch as a child that still bring back memories, either because I loved the show itself, loved the characters on the show, or loved listening to the theme song. (Dallas for that theme song—or The Wonder Years—none of us can ever forget those, right?) Of course, one of the shows I remember watching as a child was Pee-wee's Big Adventure. How fun (and ridiculous!) was that show? I remember I'd watch it with my friends whenever we had play dates. Well, Pee-wee is back—again—and this time, a different generation of children are watching. This time, Pee-wee is back and he's not in his familiar surroundings anymore—no more small-time routine for Pee-wee! Pee-wee's Big Holiday started streaming on Netflix in March, and in this movie he meets a mysterious stranger, Joe Manganiello. After that, Pee-wee goes on a very big adventure where all sorts of crazy, unexpected things happen to him. We had a little viewing party at home (tha...

When I finish a great book, it always takes me at least a week to pick up something new to read, even though my night table is stacked with books just waiting to be read. I'm the same when I watch television; once I start watching a show, I will not watch anything else and I get easily addicted to what I'm watching on Netflix. Of course, I binge watch seasons of my favourite shows like it's a completely normal thing to do. Just one more episode... just... one... more... until the next thing I know it's 3 a.m. and I have to wake up at 6 a.m. Oh, Netflix, how I love you. My favourite show of all time is Breaking Bad, and believe it or not, it's been impossibly hard for me to get into any new shows even though I keep meaning to watch Friday Night Lights, Pretty Little Liars, and Making a Murderer. And I've got to get back to Downton Abbey. I've watched Orange Is The New Black, and another favourite show of mine is House of Cards. And, you guys? House of Car...

Saturday mornings were all about cartoons for me when I was growing up. Actually, that's not true—I spent most Saturday mornings at Greek School, not watching all the great cartoons my friends got to stay home to watch. Life was so unfair! My boys aren't in Greek School on Saturday mornings and not because I want them to stay home to watch cartoons—but because I like teaching them Greek on my own. Even if they were in Greek school on Saturday mornings, they wouldn't have to miss their favourite shows, thanks to Netflix. Netflix is always a family favourite, for movie nights, for Saturday morning cartoons, and for all the shows I love to watch when my kids are asleep, like Orange Is The New Black or House Of Cards. Now my boys can watch some of my childhood favourites like Garfield, Scooby-Doo, and The Smurfs. Even more fun now is that I get to watch with them. It is always awesome to connect on different levels with my boys, and watching some of my favourite shows fro...

Admit it... you lie. You probably lie every day and forgive yourself for it, because sometimes, well, you just gotta lie. I'm not talking about big, bad lies—more the little lies that don't really hurt anyone. Sometimes you might be stretching the truth a little, and that's okay. We are all guilty of this. Like telling your friend she looks perfect in that dress. Or coming up with a wild excuse for why you weren't able to attend the school council meeting. (Yawn.) And, of course, the little white lies we tell our children. Being the mom of two young and curious boys, I've lied before... like hiding the chocolate so I can enjoy it myself after the kids have gone to bed (" Sorry boys, there is no chocolate in the house!" ) or convincing myself I better eat the last cookie, because if there are no cookies in the house, my boys will eat something healthy. I've lied to my boys and told them the stores were closed  because I didn't r...

March break is almost over, and spring has arrived—but the weather does not yet match the season, as we're dealing with a lot of snow, and cold temperatures, still. No matter, though. Spring is here, and before we know it, we'll be sitting outside enjoying the weather we've been craving since January. For now? We spend some time outside, but enjoy coming back inside to warm up, and watch some of our favourite shows on Netflix . (Let me just take a moment here to thank Netflix Canada for this great package I received last month to welcome me back to the Netflix Stream Team for year two—I'm happy to be part of this great partnership again!) Anyway, my boys? They love watching anything that teaches them something new. It's all about educational shows for my science-loving boys, and right now, Netflix is featuring movies and shows that are exactly what my boys love to watch, including Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. This is such an interesting, inspiring, sh...

Summer is here and that means the television probably won't be turned on at all during the day. When the weather is nice out, we're never indoors—we're travelling, we're out exploring, and we're just taking in all the wonderful things that summer has to offer. And there is a lot to enjoy during our very short summer here in Ottawa. No matter how busy my days are, once the kids are asleep and my work is done, I love relaxing under the sheets with my favourite Netflix shows—House of Cards, Orange Is The New Black , ( have you seen Season Two yet? I'm so bummed I had to miss the screening in Toronto with the Netflix Stream Team!) and of course, my most favourite show of all time—Breaking Bad. I became addicted to Orange Is The New Black instantly, and of course, the same thing happened to me with Breaking Bad—can you say obsessed? I watched all five seasons of Breaking Bad in a few weeks. I watched three episodes a night and only stopped myself from watc...

I love looking through everyone's Throwback Thursday pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. It makes me feel so good to know that I wasn't the only one rocking weird and wacky hair! It's a fun way to bring back memories of my youth, too, and to share with my friends and family pictures that have been sitting around in photo albums for far too long.  I love everything about the 80's and 90's, including the music and the classic movies. Ghostbusters is still my favourite Halloween movie of all time, and I just introduced my children to the movie Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, because I knew they would love it, and I was right! My eight year old really enjoyed it because he loves everything that has to do with science. It's such a cute movie, and made us talk about what we'd do if we were smaller than ant-sized.  I love that you can watch your favourite classic movies on Netflix right now—it's the very best blast from the past.  Th...

I love Netflix. In fact, I primarily only watch Netflix. All my favourite shows— Breaking Bad , Orange Is The New Black, Homeland, House Of Cards—are on Netflix. I watched all five seasons of Breaking Bad in three weeks. Waiting that long was hard, and it took a lot of will power on my part to not power through an entire season in one night—I had to pace myself. (It was, like everyone was saying, the best show ever. And I finally understand now why they kept willing ALL the awards!) I'm not the only one in my family who loves Netflix—my husband is a huge fan, and so are our children. My oldest son has a TV in his room (and Netflix) and he has limited time to watch TV when he's home. When he does watch, he is almost always watching an educational show about animals, the earth, science, or marine life. When I was recently asked to be part of the Netflix Stream Team , I was thrilled, because, well, I'm the biggest Netflix fan—everyone in my family is! Now that Earth M...