There are moms who stoically brave -10 degree weather to make snow-angels and forts in the backyard. They walk 22 minutes in 15cm high snow, pulling the kids in a wagon, to the nearest Mom & Tots play centre. There are moms who dress their child from head to toe and bring out the jogging stroller; counting laps as their push and pace themselves around the neighbourhood cul-de-sac. And to those moms, I salute you!

I am not one of those moms.

Unless it’s 5 degrees Celsius or warmer, you will NOT find me outside. Kids: let daddy take you out on weekends. C is for comfortable; that’s good enough for me.

And so I must do my best to ward off boredom, tedium, lethargy and the like – all symptoms of staying indoors during the cold winter months. Thank goodness I have two boys close in age – they honest-to-goodness do everything together. And I mean EVERYTHING – you can generally find little Reid tearing off two sheets of toilet paper for Ryder when he’s finished with #1. Too much information? You should see it! It’s nothing short of comical.

Even though they keep each other entertained, they do need a little help from me. And although I do my best to cycle through books, colouring activities, TV time and snacking, sometimes the routine does become monotonous and I require a bit of inspiration.

Thankfully, there’s oodles of ideas out there, especially if you know where to look. As a Fisher-Price Mom, I was introduced to this handy little resource: Play and Learn Family Activities. Full of great tips for keeping the little ones entertained indoors, once you click on your child’s age, the site provides you with a list of family friendly activities. (more…)

With Super Bowl 2012 just around the corner, there’s no shortage of recipe ideas for game day. From chips and dips, cocktails and coolers, and of course… NACHOS!… it’s quite simple to put on an enviable spread.

When I first found this Big Batch Chili-In-The-Oven recipe from Life Made Delicious, I had fully intended to go double duty – chili in a bowl for dinner, leftover chili on nachos for Super Bowl Sunday. I had high hopes for the recipe as it currently has 34 thumbs up, and I figured a few dozen people can’t be wrong.

Do you want the good news or bad news first?

Okay bad news. The bad news is that even though I pretty much followed the recipe to the letter, the texture of the chili is completely unsuitable for nachos. There is just SO much rice in the dish, I’d venture to say this is more like Cuban Dirty Rice than chili. There is just rice, rice and more rice everywhere. Yikes!

Good news. Whatever the heck this dish is, it is BEYOND FREAKIN’ DELICIOUS. We can’t get enough! I absolutely adore all the vibrant, pungent flavours that come through; smoky cumin, tangy tomato, fresh cilantro. And, the earthiness of the ground beef and beans. It’s like Chili 2.0: The Wrath of Rice. I will make this dish again, but I’ll either severely cut down on the white stuff or omit it altogether. (more…)

Saying I have an addiction to lip gloss and lip balm is putting it lightly. VERY lightly.

In fact, after spending last Sunday afternoon decluttering my makeup bins – a chore that took most of the afternoon and tested all of my husband’s patience – I was able to whittle down the pile to the “bare essentials”… you know, the stuff I need on a daily basis.

My name is Lena and I’m addicted to lip stuff.

You’ll notice that I don’t actually own any lipstick (sooo 1994) but instead, have hoarded every shiny, sparkly, goopy, glorious lip gloss and lip balm known to mankind (I have a separate drawer for my 32 Lip Smackers and “occasional” glosses). It actually took all my strength to dispose of about 20 additional products, but as my husband so eloquently put it: “Either they go or I go. Get all that sh*t out of here NOW.” (more…)

Note: The following giveaway open to Canadian residents only.

Update: Thanks to everyone who requested a sample of the NEW Hydro Silk razor – all 50 have been allocated. BUT, here’s your chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Since us Northern gals love our leggings, stockings, knee-high boots and various other cold weather add-ons, I feel completely justified in asking this question: how many of y’all have shaved your legs this year?

(What? It’s WINTER, and we’re only 23 days into 2012… so… nobody?)

Frost season is definitely a good time to skip the razor and slack on beauty routines. So when I was contacted by Schick to test out their NEW Hydro Silk disposable razor, I felt good that the product would indeed be reviewed under rigorous conditions… as in, my legs haven’t seen a razor since the quote “Luke, I am your father” was uttered. Well, not quite that long, but you get my drift. (more…)

For most Canadians, snow hasn’t been a major concern this winter… yet. With measurements of the white stuff in record lows, I’ve been crossing my fingers that we can bypass this whole winter wonderland thing entirely. I know, wishful thinking.

A few months ago, anticipating that I’d eventually have to face the cold hard truth, I started shopping for Ryder’s new boots. The thing is, I didn’t really know where to begin. We had long been fans of flexible-soled footwear, but with his feet growing at an alarming rate (size 11 already! He’s only 3 years old!) Ryder was well out of toddler tootsies.

So I asked moms of school aged children – which boots should I buy for my little guy with big feet?

Surprisingly, a LOT of them responded with “SKECHERS”.

Really? When I think of SKECHERS, I think of the Shape-ups walking shoes that help my butt stay fabulous. I also think of seriously hot casual shoes, comfy semi-formal shoes, and super cute winter boots. For women. To tell you the truth, I didn’t even know that SKECHERS made boots for little boys.

Turns out I was living under a rock. And not just any rock, but the Rock of Gibraltar. Because apparently, not only does SKECHERS make boy’s boots, but they also happen to be an industry leader, and their entire line of boy’s footwear has quite the cult following. #oops

What makes them so special? Consider this:

Waterproof leather and synthetic upper
Textured leather with smooth and metallic synthetic overlays
Waterproof seam sealed design
Three strap front for easy adjustment
Adjustable hook and loop closures for easy access
Padded collar and padded gussetted tongue
Soft fabric boot lining with durable fabric front panel
Insulated with 200g Thinsulate(R) lightweight thermal material
Temperature rated to -10 degrees F/-20 degrees C
Shock absorbing midsole
Flexible rubber lug traction outsole

There’s more (seriously!). See the entire list of features here.

And so when we received the very cool Boys’ Wyndham – Bartel to check out, let’s just say we were both thrilled to bits. I loved them for – well, everything listed above – and Ryder, who has recently become very fashion conscious, loves his new look. Because we just recently had our first snowfall which actually stuck to the ground, the little guy had a chance to model them for me! (more…)

A few days ago, I accepted a fun-filled mission to make a recipe using Equal Sweetener. As I’ve never cooked with Equal, and since I love shaking things up in the kitchen, I looked forward to selecting a recipe and giving it a go.

Now I assumed that I’d be leafing through a bunch of baked goodies, but was pleasantly surprised to find many savory dishes showcased on Equal Canada’s Facebook Page. Gingered Chicken with Vegetables. Dillicious Salmon Saute. Barbecued Beans. Jamaican Curried Rice. Is your mouth watering yet?

I settled on Asian Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry because we love stir-frys (so healthy and flavourful!) and anything Asian is always a hit chez Lena. The recipe called for 2 tablespoons Equal Spoonful or Granulated – or 3 packets of Equal sweetener, so I took a little shopping trip a few days ago, which you’ll remember from my post entitled Loblaws, #EqualCanada and The Weekend #CBias.

Fast forward to our dinner this evening. (more…)

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

You know how some posts write themselves? Here we go: Chocolate.

(And I’m out.)

Seriously though, if there’s one thing every gal desires, it’s the decadent, sensuous and indulgent taste of chocolate. In fact, given the choice of eating chocolate or doing the deed, 70% of women responded that they’d rather curl up with Mr. Lindt than Mr. Right. Since my husband sometimes reads my blog, I won’t tell you which side I’m on. And the fact that I’m not telling you is very telling, isn’t it?

The Body Shop must be very in tune with our love for the sweet stuff, because just in time for Valentine’s Day and Easter, their new Chocomania bath and body range is here! The products will be available February 6th, so consider this your sneak peek!

(more…)

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

Goedenavond! (That’s “Good Evening” in Dutch! …. I think.)

So why do I have Holland on my mind? It’s all thanks to OPI’s NEW Holland Collection for Spring/Summer 2012. And since it won’t be in stores until February 8th, consider this your sneak peek!

Now I don’t know about you, but winter has barely begun and I’m already OVER it. Instead of dull blues and bleak grays, I’d much rather dream about electric brights, pretty pinks and glistening purples. And it just so happens that all these luscious hues appear in OPI’s Holland Collection.

Also très cool: the colours were inspired by the country’s range of stunning shades – vivid tulips, windmill-dotted hillsides and bustling canals. (There’s even a shade named after their famous clogs!) The collection’s twelve (12) shades offer a mixture of sophisticated neutrals and highly-pigmented brights. In two words: zeer ontzagwekkend (super awesome).

“Holland has a very unique, vibrant beauty to match its open-minded nature,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Spring is the season of color, and the Holland Collection provides an array of pink, coral and orange hues that capture this energy. The bright lacquers are married with neutrals in new variations like red clay and sea green.” (more…)

The following giveaway is open to US/CAN residents.

Baby, it’s cold outside.

(Technically, it’s a balmy 4 degrees Celsius in Toronto. And raining cats and dogs. But, it’s cold overall, k?)

Time to pull on my fuzzy socks, grab a mug of hot chocolate, and relax with my Warm Buddy Body Wrap. BLISS.

Now if you haven’t heard of Warm Buddy, you are 1) new to my blog and 2) missing out LARGE.

Warm Buddy Company was founded by Karen McKee. Her background as a Registered Nurse, combined with her interest in alternative therapies, herbal medicine and aromatherapy, led to studies in India at a natural healing hospital. She noted the hospital’s application of herbal preparations and heat therapy to provide comfort and relief for many conditions.

Upon her return to Canada, Karen discovered a heat wrap that was microwaveable and loved using it – so easy and comforting. An idea was born.

Note: This giveaway is now closed.

It’s no secret that for the past couple of weeks, we’ve been trading sickness here chez Lena. First Ryder, then myself, followed by Reid, and finally my husband succumbed. What a complete disaster! The good news is that we’re all on the mend, and in the meantime, I was enjoying delectable snacks courtesy of La Crème Cow.

Okay, I suppose “enjoying” is putting it lightly; I was actually participating in the snacking Olympics. La Crème Cow on crackers. La Crème Cow on toast. La Crème Cow stirred into pasta sauce. La Crème Cow mixed into a dip. And I even received a wonderful tip from fellow blogger Deborah from Raising My Boys - La Crème Cow in scrambled eggs! Yum!

“Parmalat Canada is excited to be introducing La Crème Cow – a new line of spreadable snack cheese adults will love, whether on-the-go or sharing with friends. Available in three delicious flavours; Original, Light and Parmesan and Peppercorn, each wedge of cheese has a delicious mild taste with a very smooth and creamy texture. La Crème Cow spreadable cheese is a great everyday snack option because it is convenient – each piece is individually wrapped and can easily be stored and spread on whatever you enjoy.” (more…)

I’ve had a few months to fall in love with the Toshiba 55″ Passive 3D Television, and it’s time to collect my thoughts and offer my final recommendation. And it goes something like this:

Buy it Now.

Well, don’t buy it this second – you should probably read this entire post. But, you know, feel free to make that purchase when I’m done.

So why am I fully, 100% Lena-Approved, wholeheartedly endorsing this product? If I didn’t convince you in my previous two posts (read here and here), then consider this:

The Features.

This television is chock full of splendid features that will enhance your entire family’s viewing experience. From an Expert Mode that allows for more precise picture adjustments for a totally optimized home theater experience, to Local Dimming which controls different “zones” for precise dimming control for deeper images, the TV is ready to wow your movie watchers, gamers, sports freaks and even channel surfers.

TriVector 2D to 3D Conversion.

Push regular viewing to infinity and beyond; Toshiba Passive 3D Televisions have the ability to convert 2D sources into 3D experiences. That means that all of your favourite shows can be watched in 3D – wouldn’t you love to have the illusion of Damon from the Vampire Diaries in your living room? #yesplease

The TV has Friends.

“With built-in Wi-Fi capability, the TL515 series keeps you connected to more than just the latest television programming for an all-in-one home entertainment experience. Toshiba Enhanced Net TV1 offers personalized content with just a few clicks of the remote through Yahoo! TV Widgets. Whether you want to catch the latest releases on Netflix, engage with friends on Facebook, or explore your family’s latest content on YouTube and Flickr, Toshiba Connected TV makes thinking outside the box simple.”

The Best Quality and Value, period.

Thanks to a tip from reader RubyRed67, I was informed that the 55″ model is currently on sale at Best Buy Canada for just $1299.99 until January 12th. What a steal! Feature for feature, comparable models retail for $2399.99 (Samsung) and $2299.99 (Sony). You simply won’t find a better value. And, combined with the Toshiba 3D Blu-ray Player, you’ll be known as entertainment central!

We’re looking forward to many happy moments with our Toshiba 55″ Passive 3D Television this year – after all, this TV was made for families. Start your 2012 off with a bang! If you’re in the market for a television, look no further!

Click here to visit Toshiba Canada.

No, this is not a sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

And did I say “The Situation?” Fist pump!

All joking aside, for the last several months, we’ve had a bit of a situation. Here’s the easiest way I can break it down:

Upon entering our home, we have a lovely, spacious foyer. To the left, the powder room; to the right, the door to the garage. Simply walk up three steps, and you’ll enter our great room.

Those f#%ing three steps.

And for the record, they weren’t in the blueprints when we bought the home (shakes fist at “builder’s right to make changes due to grading permits”).

So here’s the problem.

1. Our little dude likes to tumble. In fact, not only is he the most uncoordinated toddler I’ve ever seen, but he’s also a daredevil – you know, the kind who’ll fling himself willingly down the stairs just because. A very unfortunate combination.

2. Our older dude is ridiculously hospitable. If the doorbell rings, he’s only too happy to catapult down those three steps and open the door to strangers. In fact, when someone comes a knockin’, it’s generally the Gong Show over here as I try to contain Reid from falling down the stairs, and stop Ryder from answering the door. I usually win the war, but I’ve been known to lose a battle or two.

3. Remember that aforementioned “spacious foyer”? That means a wide staircase. 55″ wide to be exact. Three wide, incredibly inconvenient steps that have been the bane of my existence ever since toddlers roamed my home. (more…)

Folks, it’s Thursday, December 22nd. And there are just *THREE* more shopping days until Christmas. By the time you read this, there may be only two.

#areyoufreakingoutyet?

I have a suggestion that may help cross one (or more) people off your list. It’s the TomTom VIA 1435 TM, featuring the voices of Bert & Ernie from Sesame Street!

“The voices of Bert & Ernie are now available for TomTom devices. Developed in association with Sesame Workshop and Locutio Voice Technologies, drivers can join the duo on their adventures, whether they’re off to Sesame Street or anywhere else.

Bert & Ernie’s directions will help to put a smile on every drive. The friends deliver navigation instructions together and enjoy fun banter such as: ‘U-turn ahead, Bert. Just me turn? All of us Bert.’

Bert & Ernie are sure to lighten the mood and inject some fun into any drive.” (more…)

A few weeks ago, I was one of several bloggers contacted to review HEXBUG Nano, touted as “one of the hottest finds for both boys and girls ages 3+”. Not one to pass up hot finds, I agreed to receive a whack of HEXBUG toys.

Truth is, I had no idea what the heck HEXBUGs were.

So sue me. I’ve got toddlers, okay? They still play with toys that are shaded in primary colours. But, I had seen mentions of the micro-robotic bugs popping up all over the place. “Best Innovative Toy of 2011″. “Top 25 Toys for Christmas”. “Best Toy of 2011″. And my personal fave – from Time Magazine, “The 15 Smartest Toys for Young Geniuses”. Interested? You bet I was.

The box arrived. Inside, I found:

• 1 HEXBUG Nano 5-Pack
• 5 Glows in the Dark HEXBUG Nano bugs
• 1 Glow in the Dark HEXBUG Nano Habitat Set
• 1 HEXBUG Nano Spiral Starter Set
• 1 HEXBUG Nano Bridge Battle Habitat Set
• 1 HEXBUG Nano Elevation Habitat Set
• 1 Carton of “Bug Food” (batteries)

Still, I was unmotivated to set it all up. Call me crazy, but I worried that it was too complicated a concept for my two boys. So, I sat on it.

Then the blog reviews started popping up. Here, there, everywhere – the toys were universally adored. And I began thinking… perhaps I should really see what all the fuss is about. (more…)

When I was young, getting the whole “3D” experience was a mission.

First, we had to wait for a 3D movie.  (The young’uns take it for granted now, but back in the 80′s, I believe exactly two 3D movies were released per year.) Then, we had to trek to the only theatre in town that was screening this type of movie. And after spending about the price of a Coach wristlet on popcorn, candy and drinks, we had to wait in line, don silly-looking glasses and pray that the movie lived up to the hype.

Today, we simply take a seat on the couch in our living room.

This year, Christmas came early with a Toshiba 55″ Passive 3D Television with LED Backlighting. I actually gushed about the quality of the picture last week in a post entitled Be a Holiday Hero: Toshiba 55″ Passive 3D Television. In it, I posted photos that were actually taken from my TV screen, rendering ridiculously high quality images. Let’s just say I’ve been spending a lot more time in the ol’ living room.

And did I mention we were also treated to a Toshiba 3D Blu-ray Player? Yup, the Blu-ray pleayer works with the Passive 3D Television to create an experience so realistic, we’re tempted to reach out and touch the air.

Mom as Holiday Hero? Oh yeah.

So essentially, on any given Sunday evening, you can find my guys lined up like 3 stooges on the couch.

Yes, this is as much fun as it looks. (more…)