Monday, August 13, 2012

#10 Getting Amazing Customer Service!

Each of us have had problems with products or services that we've paid for, and sometimes it can be quite a challenge to get help.  We've all dealt with customer service representatives or associates that have been unhelpful, condescending and sometimes outrageous.  But sometimes you have interactions where not only are your problems fixed, but you walk away and tell ALL your friends about it! 

Just this past week I had an AMAZING interaction, which actually sparked me to write this post.

Last week we decided to start E on cloth diapers.  (I know what you might be thinking, and really, the poop isn't that bad. They have awesome liners that make it a lot easier to get rid of it! And it's not like I have to scrub the diapers at the creek anymore; my washing machine does all the cleaning.) Any way, so one site I came across was Lil Helper.ca.  The creators of this product have an awesome sense of humor! Reading the description of the Organic Bamboo Diaper I found this:
"Remember the time that your kid removed his disposable diaper and went to town on your tempurpedic mattress. That wasn’t a freak accident. You have a lil tree-hugger for a baby." 
Continuing to read, it just gets better! In their FAQs, the first question is "Why should I choose cloth diapers as compared to disposables?" The response is written as if it was a real person talking to you.  You should just check it out here.

I decided to finally purchase a couple Lil Helper cloth diapers. They're a small company, and as Mohammed explained to me later, "we are a young company and what we lack in size, we make up in vigor and enthusiasm."  I decided to start with them for the following reasons:
  • They have an awesome starter kit that gives you one of each kind so that you can try them all out and see which one you like the most. 
  • For every 3 diapers you buy, they donate 1 to a family in need. 
  • The diapers are less expensive (not cheaper as they explain here)
  • They're from Toronto.
  • They're real people with names and families, Nader and Mohammed. And they're funny!
Since I needed to see and touch the diapers before I bought them I went to Diaper-eez at 3290 Bloor Street West (at Windemere).  I ran home, washed them, prepped them and tried them out the next day. They were awesome! Lots of snaps to make sure they fit our big boy, and the inserts were really absorbant. 

The following day I was talking to my mother-in-law on Skype and I was showing her how awesome they were and when I pulled apart one the snaps, it tore out of the diaper!! I was pretty shocked considering it just tore right through the material.  So I jumped online and checked out the Lil Helper website (lilhelper.ca) to see what their return or exchange policy was.  I sent them an email and got a response a few short hours later.  Nader told me that he would absolutely send out a replacement right away. GREAT! So I was expecting to get it on Tuesday or Wednesday, thinking that they would ship it on Monday. 

The next night we were out for dinner and I just happened to see that I got an email from Nader letting me know that he had come by to drop off the replacement, but that I forgot to give him my unit number.  He came to hand deliver it!!! How awesome is that!??! I shot him back a response and let him know that which unit we were. The response I received from Nader told me that he'd leave it at our door and not only did he replace the cover, but also gave us a second one AND some awesome bamboo wipes too!! AMAZING!!! (I later found out that they hand deliver all orders within the GTA within 24 hours!)

We've had some great success with these diapers and we're gonna get more for sure!!


I have not received any payment for this review/post. I just want to share an amazing experience with an awesome company.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

#9 Travelling

There's nothing like visiting a place you've never been, exploring the sites, meeting new people and trying different foods! I've been lucky enough in my life to have had the opportunity to travel to quite a few countries, provinces, states, cities, towns and villages and explore their cultures.

Road trips across Canada with my hubby, cruises to England from Ft Lauderdale, backpacking through Central America. My travel resume is much longer than that, but those are some amazing highlights from some of my adventures.

It's hard to narrow down my favourite place, because I've had some amazing memories everywhere I've been, but here are a few on the top of my list:


#5- Scuba Diving in Roatan, Honduras.  I spent 3 weeks diving here in 2006 as a part of my journey through Central America.  Originally my plan was to finish my advanced PADI course, but I just loved diving and being here so much that I stayed an extra 20 days to do my Rescue Diver certification.  (It took a little longer because we had some terrible weather) I met some wonderful people, had some amazing dives, and even had some of the best croissants I've ever had. Yup! There was a little bakery that was owned and operated by a baker originally from France!! Mmmmm.... 
#4- Cape Cod, Massachusetts. S and I took a road trip through some of the eastern US. We started from Mississauga at 11pm and drove through the night to Boston. Spent the day in Boston and went up to Sandwich, MA for the night. The following day we went up to Providence, MA and explored an beautiful little costal town full of colour, character and candy! (Mmm, fresh salt water taffy is AMAZING) I got to make a glass coaster at the Sandwich Glass Factory and then we went to Baltimore for dinner and continued to Washington DC for a night tour. The next morning went to the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institute and then went home. A lot of driving in 4 days, but TOTALLY worth it!

#3- Camping on the beach in Costa Rica.  During my trip in 2006, we found ourselves dead smack in the middle of a teenaged spring break party in Tamarindo, Costa Rica.  It was just too much for us to handle hundreds of 18 year old brats away spending mommy and daddy's money while taking a break from school. I ran into a guy that I met earlier in my trip and he had a truck. So we climbed aboard and found an amazing beach to set up camp! A few days later we found a different beach. All in all we spent 5 nights sleeping in hammocks on the beach. What an amazing (and a little scary) adventure.
#2- Camping in Makoshika State Park in Montana.  S and I drove out to Calgary in 2007.  On our way out we went through the US and camped one night in Makoshika State Park. Located in the Badlands of Eastern Montana, this park was beautiful.  Sure, the flies were killer, but so was the view! Just looking at how the elements have weathered the rocks and imagining dinosaurs wandering through the same land was a moment that I'll never forget.

#1- Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England.  In 2009 S, I and my family took a transatlantic cruise from Ft Lauderdale, US to Southampton, England.  After disembarking we took a taxi up to Stonehenge.  We walked around the path that circled the stones, laughing at the tourists that were doing an audio tour with these little cellphone like things and totally blocking traffic.  We were just about to leave and S ran away! He ran to speak with someone that worked there, but I had NO idea what he was doing.  A couple seconds later he flagged me down and told me that he had just asked if we could get closer to the stones. The lady that worked there said that we couldn't at that time, but if we came first thing in the morning, or later in the evening, we'd be able to. Knowing that we couldn't hang around much longer, he just did it then and there. He got down on one knee, while we were surrounded by at least 100 people and proposed!!! :) Of all the moments that we had during our trip, I never thought he'd do it right then! He told me that he wanted to do it there because of the fact that it was the first place on the list of our 7 Wonders of the World that we got to see together and that he wanted to explore the other 6 as my husband, and me has his wife.  What an amazing moment!!

Our 7 Wonders of the World
- Stonehenge, England
- Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Grand Canyon, US
- Angel Falls, Venezuela
- Great Wall of China, China
- Machu Picchu, Peru
- Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt


What's your favourite place that you've travelled to or want to go to??



Monday, August 6, 2012

#8 A Day At The Spa


What's better than spending a few hours sitting in a comfy bathrobe, sipping hot tea, listening to calm music while someone pampers you with a manicure or massage?

Every once in a while, my friend Jen and I spend a couple hours at a day spa, where we usually get massages and either a mani or pedi.  It's a nice little escape from our every day lives, and kids! :) We've had our share of laughs too.

So far, we've learned the following:
  • If you book massages for the same time, the people working there may assume that you're a couple. Not too sure why, but it's happened twice now.
  • If you get a deal off of WagJag, LivingSocial or anything else like that, check out the spa BEFORE you buy it.  Look for a day spa that's in a good hotel, or one that has good user reviews online.  Try to avoid new places, unless you're up for a total adventure.  
  • When booking a massage, check to see if your benefits cover a RMT massage.  It might cost an extra couple bucks, but it's TOTALLY worth it! You can ensure that your massage is done in a respectful and private manner, AND the RMT can work on trouble spots like your shoulders and neck.
  • Show up about 15 mins early. It'll give you time to get undressed, and if you're lucky, even get a hot tea or something before your massage.
  • If you're getting a mani or pedi, don't be afraid to tell them if your nails are too long, short or filed to the wrong shape. Even if you're getting a deal, you're paying for it.
  • Generally you tip at the end of your services. But if you're not happy with your service, don't tip.
  • And last, but not least, if you've had a facial, be prepared for them to try and sell you some products at the end. 
Our last spa day was actually quite successful. Nothing crazy or too weird happened! It was at the Zen Spa (www.zenspa.ca which is located in the DoubleTree Hotel in Etobicoke, ON).  I would recommend going.  Oh, and the best part was that our day included a mani, facial and RMT massage. We paid $80 I think, and we got a RMT receipt for $77!! 

So if you're looking for a relaxing few hours, do a little research to make sure that it ends up being just that.  www.wayspa.com is also a good resource (and if you get their gift cards at Costco you save $$$).

Monday, July 30, 2012

#7 The Olympics

Well, it's time for the Summer Olympics again! I love that every 2 years we get to see the world's best athletes compete in one location!  As we know, this year the Olympics are in London, England, and although Canadian's are known to be better at the Winter games, we still have some amazing competitors for the Summer games.

Why do I love the Olympics?  Because no matter what kind of terrible conflicts, events, or problems a country is having, everyone comes together to compete and celebrate TOGETHER.  As I type away about how much I love the Olympics, I'm watching the Men's 10m synchro platform diving.  The amount of practice, training, talent, commitment, teamwork, trust and discipline needed to even qualify for this event is amazing! (BTW- Congrats to China (gold), Mexico (silver) and the US (bronze).) If only we could put aside our differences for good, instead of just every 2 years!

Maybe it's because the Olympics is such a positive event that I like it so much.  Sure, there's a handful of negative news, but mostly it's about how amazing a team or individual has been and their success.  It's 17 days of happy things on TV! Rick Hansen has segment called "The Difference Makers". It takes an in-depth look at different athletes, challenges that they've had, and the special people that have made differences in their lives to help them get to the Olympics. 

I probably cry (tears of joy and happiness) more during the Olympics than I do watching Grey's Anatomy, but it's just because the amount of drive and ambition these athletes have is remarkable.  Not to mention the patriotism you see the athletes and crowd have. 

My favourite summer events are volleyball, diving, gymnastics, athletics, trampoline and of course swimming, but really, my tv doesn't change channels during the day, so I'll watch whatever is on.  Being on maternity leave for these games is awesome! I get to watch more events than I normally would.

What is your favourite event? C'mon guys, don't be afraid to comment. :)


Thursday, July 26, 2012

#6 A Great Deal

You know what I really love? Finding a great sale, deal or awesome coupon!  Living in Canada it's not as easy to get the most out of coupons (nothing like Extreme Couponing on TLC), but you can still save some money and have fun.  Being on maternity leave, I've found new ways to save and/or score.  It's a bit of a routine now, and chances are that when I go back to work, I won't give it up.
  
There are a couple different ways I find a good deal:

  1. Flyers
  2. Coupons
  3. Word-of-mouth and/or in-store promos
  4. Package Promos
  5. Price Matching & Combinations

It all starts on a Thursday. Thursday mornings I get my flyer bag.  I get a couple in there and grab my Sharpie marker and circle all the things I'm gonna get/need.  Any flyers that I don't get, I check out online.  I don't get FreshCo and sometimes my No Frills flyers are late.  All their flyers are online on Thursday (the day before the sales starts usually).  Then I put them all together and keep them ready for when I go shopping.

Next I check out my coupon sites.  I check out www.save.ca, www.brandsaver.ca, www.websaver.ca and also www.flyerland.ca.  I order my coupons and wait for them in the mail.  Sometimes I get to print them and use them, but usually at FreshCo, since they now accept printable coupons!  Once I get them I keep them all together and again, keep them ready for when I go shopping. (NOTE: Yesterday BrandSaver (which is P&G) launched their newest coupons).  www.canadianfreestuff.com is a great overall resource too!

Now I listen and keep my eyes open for non-grocery sales! I live close to Dixie Outlet Mall, so there's always a great deal going on there.  Just yesterday my sister-in-law gave me a head's up that there was a big sale at Zellers.  I was out and about with E anyway, so we checked it out.  My Zellers, as with most, are closing mid-September, so EVERYTHING was on sale! I picked up 3 tops, 1 tank top, 1 skirt, a sippy cup, some baby cereal, a new baby gift, 2 greeting cards and some candy for $60! Man I love a sale! It's not my greatest score ever, but it reminded me how much I LOVE a great deal!

Don't forget to check the packaging for additional coupons.  I picked up some Babybel cheese the other day, and right on the bag was a coupon to save $1.00 at the check out.  I've bought Allen's apple juice in the past and the backside of the label was full of coupons for Oasis juice products. Normally I wouldn't have bought Allen's but with over $5.00 in coupons, apple juice is apple juice when it buys me good orange juice!

I love going shopping with my flyers and coupons to No Frills or Walmart, since they price match!  As long as the item you're buying is exactly the same (size, type and brand) they'll match the price, right at the check out. I find that Walmart does it a little easier, but as long as you're patient, it'll work out. Fruit and stuff doesn't normally have a brand, so as long as it's the same kind and quantity you should be ok. I remember one day I went shopping at Walmart, and just with the price matching alone, I saved $35!! 

The best is when I get something on sale AND use a coupon! So when diapers go on sale at Walmart (sale for me is anything less than $0.22 a diaper) and I toss a coupon from Brandsaver on top and it's a SUPER SALE!

Patience, organization and patience is all you need to save a some $$!  What are your tips to save money? I'd really love to know!! :)

UPDATE: How could I forget WagJag, GroupOn and LivingSocial!!? WOW! I've scored some amazing deals using these sites.  Spa days for $60. Hang gliding for $50. Lick's Burgers for $5.  In-home chefs for $60. 4kg of chicken breast for $29. Just amazing!! :)


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

#5 My Stroller

Just about a year ago, my husband and I embarked on an adventure to find a stoller.  I call it an "adventure" because we went checked out numerous websites and boards, visited about 5 stores and talked to countless people about the things they liked and didn't like about their stroller.  After all this research, we came up with the following criteria:
  1. It had to be light.  If I was going to be going out and about with E, I would need something that I could easily lift into my trunk.
  2. It had to be compact.  At the time I had a VW Rabbit and we live in a condo, so I needed something that would fit.
  3. It had to be easy to collapse and set up.  Based on personal experience, there are some complicated strollers out there and if I was going to be going out, I'd need something I can use!
  4. It had to be affordable. No way could I spent $1000 on a stroller.
Ok. Now what? So we narrowed it down to the Baby Jogger City Select.  An awesome stroller that could be set up into 16 different ways. You could even add another seat, to make it a double stroller.  The only down side was when putting the stoller into the trunk, you'd have to take off the seat, it wouldn't collapse together. But, I was willing to deal with it.  Knowing that we'd only have to buy one stroller and not have to worry when we have our second baby, it was worth it.  

We didn't buy it right away because we were going to be getting it as a gift from my parents.  (Aren't they amazing!).  A couple weeks goes by, and we went to the store (Baby Palace at Sheridan Mall in Mississauga) to buy the stroller.  Looking at the City Select again I realized how big it really was. And actually kind of heavy.  So we told the amazing saleswoman we were looking for something a little lighter and more compact and she then showed us the City Mini!!! Oh MAN! We were in LOVE!  It met all our criteria.  Actually, it blew them out of the water!
  1. It was light.  It weighs 16.8 lbs! (In comparison, my son was 18 lbs at 5 months!)
  2. Oh it was compact alright.  Easily fit into my trunk, with room to spare. (In comparison, my sister had a Graco Travel System and if she had the stroller in her trunk, she couldn't fit anything else.)
  3. The way it collapses makes people jealous!  There is a handle under E's bum that I pull to collapse it. It folds right up in half! Setting it up is as easy as pulling the steering handle up and locking it. That's it!
  4. Affordable is an understatement.  It sells now for $210!
Although it doesn't take 2 kids, they do have a double wide model. So we may look at that in the future.

So, if you're looking for a stroller, or know someone who is, I'd highly suggest the Baby Jogger City Mini

Monday, July 23, 2012

#4- Water

Oh man! There are so many reasons to love water. You can swim in it, drink it, spray it, slide in it, surf on it, cook with it, wade in it, feed your garden with it, soak in it, and of course, dive in it!  There's so many things I LOVE to do with water, I don't even know where to begin! I could sit here and write for hours about how much I love water, but let's just narrow it down to my favourite water activities.

I've been in the water since I was about 8 months old.  I have a picture of me sitting in the water at the cottage, where it's now a beach.  It's amazing to see how much water we've lost in the in the last 30 years or so.  It's a reminder that we need to take care of our planet and about how we need to think about our future and not just the present.  When I see how low the water level is now, I wonder how much will be left when E is 30 and swimming with his kids!  Will they be able to swim at the cottage like I've been able to?

I remember as a little girl watching my dad suit up and go SCUBA diving at the cottage.  I would stand on the dock and watch his bubbles surface as he swam around the bottom of the lake.  When I was 12, I tried it for the first time and was instantly hooked!  The feeling of being free and the peace and quiet was just amazing!  I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to go diving around the world. Honduras, Florida, Panama, the Caribbean, Venezuela and of course, Georgian Bay.  My favourite place so far is probably Roatan, Honduras.  I spent 3 weeks diving there and I'm now a certified PADI Rescue Diver, although I probably should do a refresher. I would highly recommend for everyone to try it at least once.  The serenity of the reef is remarkable!

What's your favourite water activity?


(Top left picture was taken in Venezula in 2008. The middle picture was taken at the cottage in 2012, and the bottom picture was taken onboard the Independence of the Seas while travelling across the Atlantic in 2009.)





Saturday, July 21, 2012

#3 Picnics In The Park

On such a beautiful and sunny afternoon, what's better than a picnic in the park?  A lot may think it's daunting to pack for a picnic, but with a little preparation, it can really be quite simple.  E and I have picnics about once a week because he loves playing outside on the grass (FINALLY! We went through a stage where he was afraid of the grass).  So here's how I get ready for a few hours at the park:

  • First we need a blanket.  Although it's nice to sit on the grass, the ants get to you and your food faster without one.  If you don't have a blanket, a flat sheet from your bedding works well too, and it's easy to wash after.
  • Next we need some toys. Nothing big or bulky, just something simple like a soccer ball, or a toy walker or something.  If you're lucky and your little one loves to run and play, pick a picnic spot near a playground, this way you don't need to pack any toys.
  • Now for some food and drink.  I make sandwiches because they're the easiest to make, pack and there's little clean up after.  Just pack into a reusable container to keep them from getting squished.  I pack a water bottle for me and a sippy cup and bottle for E. That'll keep us hydrated on those hot afternoons. And a container of Cheerios will keep him entertained for a while too!
  • And last, but certainly not least, SUNBLOCK and HATS.  Protecting yourself from the sun is really important.
After our picnic I keep the sunblock, hats, blanket and toys together in a reusable shopping bag, so I know exactly where they are for our next day out.

Today we're off for a picnic with some friends. We just need a couple more sandwiches and a few more drinks and we'll be ready for a great afternoon!

How often do you have picnics?

Friday, July 20, 2012

#2 My Giggling Baby!

Oh man! How I LOVE the sound of a laughing baby, and of course, I love mine the most!

It's amazing the things I do to make these chuckles come out. From making funny faces to singing silly songs to a good tickle session, a laughing baby is a sign that I'm on the right path as I build a relationship with my lil E.

But of course, the best laugh is the one I get to hear whenever my husband calls me. You see, I used this awesome app called Ringtone Maker that lets you use your own sounds and songs to make ringtones. I just made a Voice recording of him laughing and queued it up. Once it's saved I synced my computer and set it to be my husband's ringtone. It took all of 5 mins.

How do you make your little one laugh?

#1 My iPhone 4S


So this is my first blog, EVER.  I've decided to start this because I feel the need to spread the LOVE.  You always hear about complaints and sad stories, so I've made a deal that my posts will be positive and happy! :)
Of course I LOVE my family more than ANYTHING in the world! They're so supportive, fun, happy, exciting and amazing, and I could spend all day writing about them, but I don't think that would be enjoyable to anyone else. So here's the start of the other Things I Love.
Since owning my iPhone, I've discovered the real divide between iPhone and Blackberry users and how it has even sparked some real arguments between friends.  Each person feels their phone is the best and to each their own, right?  
Not to say that other phones can't do these things either, but here's why my iPhone 4S has made the list of Stuff I Love:
  • Easy access camera.  Right from the lock screen I can open my camera.  This lets me capture those amazing moments that my 10 month old has, without missing a beat.  
  • Calendar sync.  Oh man, I can add appointments, reminders and events on my laptop, my iPhone and even my husband's iPhone and they all sync to each other! Makes it easier to keep track of all the things we have going on.
  • Countless number of apps available in the App Store! I have apps to keep me on budget, apps to play games, apps to make money, apps to meet people, and even apps to help my little guy sleep! There's an app for pretty much everything!
  • Although it's not technically in my iPhone, I LOVE my LifeProof case! It's waterproof, freeze-proof, dirt-proof, drop-proof and basically baby-proof! It completing encases my phone which means that I don't have to worry about little E breaking it! (Available at Best Buy)
  • And who could forget, the built in iPod. From "Wheels on the Bus", to "Sexy and I Know It" my iPod has music for any taste, and if I want to listen to something I don't have, I can easily download it from iTunes.  I used to download music from file sharing sites, but for $0.99-$1.29 I can easily grab a song without having to worry about viruses or anything else. (Buying iTunes gift cards on sale helps too!)

So needless to say, my iPhone lets me live my life while out and about.  I can snap a picture, email it to my hubby at work and post it on FB all in a matter of seconds! Makes it easier to share amazing moments!
Thanks for reading!