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Awesome Ottawa Giveaway Alert: A Week’s Summer Camp at Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo! (*now closed*)

A fellow Ottawa blogger kindly invited Coffee with Julie readers to take part in an awesome giveaway! Or at least I think it's crazy awesome because my kids are crazy about Little Ray's Reptile Zoo. They've met the Little Ray's crew at their school and even at friends' birthday parties and the excitement never seems to fade. I personally have a tender heart when it comes to Little Ray's because of they are a rescue organization. Sandy from … [Read more...]

When Your Daughter Wants to Play Football

Full range of mouth guards

As part of a social shopper insights study, I was compensated to write this post. Yes, that means I got paid to go shopping. It's tough work if you can get it, but I'm definitely grateful for the opportunity to pick up some outdoor sports gear for my family. Thanks Collective Bias!  My daughter is a book worm. My daughter is the smallest kid in her class. And my daughter wants to play football. Hubby and I aren't sure where the interest in … [Read more...]

I Can’t Handle It. I Need Deodorant! (Lady Speed Stick Review)

Lady Speed Stick Power 65g Gel

As I mentioned in my post on henna hair colouring, one of the most difficult things (for me, at least) has been trying to transition from mainstream deodorant to more "green" options. Over the past few months, I've tried quite a number of different alternatives and none of them worked for me. It was during this period when I was feeling a tad, er, concerned about body odor that I was offered samples of Lady Speed Stick to review (as well as … [Read more...]

The One Thing I Never Travel Without

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  What would you guess is the one thing I have never traveled without … My cell phone? Well, no. I was a backpacking gal long before people carried cellphones. I have an addiction problem now, but it hasn't always been this way. My passport? Not always. It’s only recently that Canadians need to carry a passport to enter into the United States. A companion? Nope. I travel alone all the time. … [Read more...]

My Kraft Pourables Review: Convenient, Tasty, and Low on Calories (#NewPourables)

kraft pourables dressings

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Now It’s Your Chance to Win a Trip! How does Sandals Jamaica Sound to You?

CTS #FeelGoodMovies Contest

Yesterday, I told you I won a trip. So, it's true, people actually win these things!  Today, I was going to tell you all about my trip to Northwest Territories. But since we (in Ottawa) just got a massive dump of snow, I thought you all might want to know about this contest as soon as possible! Remember how much I loved going to Beaches Boscobel in Jamaica? Well, Sandals is the cousin to Beaches. Where Beaches if ultra-family, Sandals is … [Read more...]

It’s Monday. Let’s Do A Giveaway, Shall We? How About a Delicious Gift Basket from Nature’s Path!

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One of the things I am most looking forward to over the  holiday break is being able to skip the morning madness. Instead, breakfasts can be long and lazy. And hey, maybe even a little decadent -- like this Love Crunch Dark Chocolate and Red Berries cereal from Nature's Path Organic Foods? Mmmm .... chocolate covered raspberries and strawberries! Perhaps even better than the decadence is that Nature's Path foods are USDA Certified Organic … [Read more...]

Terra20 Gift Certificate Winners!

terra20 gift cards

Last Monday, I announced a giveaway for Ottawa's new eco-store Terra20. And today, I'm happy to share the names of the lucky winners! The winner of the $50 gift certificate is Jacquie Baillie who that she was most surprised to read about the parabens in tumors. The winner of the $100 gift certificate is Sarah McCormack who wasn't surprised by the article but "i have just had my head in the sand on this topic.  i have made big changes in the … [Read more...]

It’s Monday. Let’s Do a Giveaway, Shall We? Enjoy a Visit to Ottawa’s Terra20!

Daniel Thompson Beauty at Terra20

So, yesterday, I started to tell you about my visit to the Ottawa store Terra20. My goal was to go in to the store and learn a bit more about commonly used chemicals in cosmetics, try out some of Terra20's safer cosmetic brands, and then share it all with you. At the Terra20 store, like most other large department stores, you are welcome to come in and receive a complimentary makeover. I've done this before at other makeup counters ... … [Read more...]

It’s Monday. Let’s do a Giveaway, Shall We? Create A Blurb Photo Book!

Blurb Photo Books Look Gorg!

I suspect that many of you are like me ... with their children's photos sitting around as electronic files on a variety of devices -- phones, tablets, laptops. Digital photography has its reams of benefits, but it makes me cringe just thinking about all the unorganized photos I have hidden in every electronic device I own. … [Read more...]

It’s Monday. Let’s Do a Giveaway, Shall We? Win a “My Pretty Playhouse” by Cascades!

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A few months ago, our neighbour had a large appliance delivered. The big cardboard box that it came in was brought out for all the kids on the street to play with. Despite having a garage full of fancy ride-on toys and other delights of suburbia, the kids just never tired of the cardboard box! I suppose then that it's no surprise that my kids were so intrigued when the "My Pretty Playhouse" arrived to our house. This playhouse is produced by … [Read more...]

My Top 5 Product Picks for Road Tripping!

This post is sponsored by Snuggle Bugz. Starting today, Snuggle Bugz is celebrating Canada Day by offering 5 days of Daily Deals. These deals won't last -- each day there will be one amazing deal – but just for that day!   Our family is heading out on a road trip to spend Canada Day up at a cottage. We’ve got our share of travelling under our belts, but I always find I can use a few extra things to keep things rolling smoothly. So I took … [Read more...]

It’s Monday. Let’s do a giveaway shall we? Today: A Dorset Cereals Extravaganza!

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So, you might recall that I have a habit of buying expensive, lovely-packaged cereals when I hit the grocery store. Well, a gorgeous box of Dorset Cereals is definitely something I've been known to come home with, while managing to forget to buy other staples. I can't be blamed really ... how does one resist such an attractively designed package? I just love a yummy muesli! Why? I don't know ... there is just something so comforting about … [Read more...]

Help! I’ve Got a Kid

If I'd actually had enough spark left in me at the time, that's precisely what I would have cried out to the world almost ten years ago. But I didn't. Because it was too hard just to get out of bed, let alone care for my new born baby. I'd been smacked hard with a postpartum depression stick and was completely and utterly overwhelmed. I knew other mothers didn't feel like I did. And that made things feel worse. I distinctly recall observing … [Read more...]

Free Money Monday! (and Canada’s Children’s Arts Tax Credit)

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It's Sunday, but I've already got the Monday blues. It's not that I don't like my job, it's just that the longer winter goes on, the more I just want to do nothing but curl up with a book and a fresh pressed coffee. A beach sure sounds nice right about now. But I digress ... I'm actually here to write about the taxes. I kid you not. I really am. Specifically, Canada's newly introduced Children's Arts Tax Credit. You've already likely heard … [Read more...]

Smuggs — here we come!

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Our family didn't downhill when I was growing up, nor did Hubby's. We'd like to introduce the kids to downhill while they're still young. You know ... before that fear factor sets in. Fear stops a lot of people from doing a lot of things. But when you start young, or at least have a little introduction to something when you're young, it always seems to make a difference. Like learning to swim as a kid versus an adult, or a new language, or sport … [Read more...]

Giveaway: Tickets for Svengali Ballet at National Arts Centre

"Svengali: A person who manipulates or exerts excessive control over another." The origin of the word we know commonly know as "svengali" is actually from a novel published in 1894 by George Du Maurier. In it, a singer named Trilby is captured by an unsuccessful musician, Svengali. Svengali manages to live a life of luxury by keeping Trilby under hypnosis, performing concert performances and living as his slave. In 1931, this same plot line … [Read more...]

Congrats to the TGIF Winners of Tim Horton’s Gift Certificates!

Many faithful Tim Horton's fans entered my coffee giveaway this week as well as followed @TimHortons on twitter! This is really no surprise considering how addictive their coffee is and just how quintessentially "Canadian" it is to drink a Timmys. The two lucky winners of the $25 Tim Horton's gift certificates are: krista, who is currently in India and desperately missing her Timmys coffee Km_66, who likes her Timmys as Large Black but … [Read more...]

A Latte for $2. Need I say more? Okay, I will … you know I will …

I like me my Tim Horton's Coffee. I used to be a Large Double Double, girl. Now I've managed to wean myself to 2 Cream, 1 Sugar. I know, my self-discipline is amazing. A-MAZE-ING. One day I will move to milk and no sugar, but I could be really, really old by then. Like, maybe when I'm really old and have completely lost all my faculties so that I know longer can remember how much better coffee is with cream than milk. Then. But only then, I … [Read more...]

And the winner of the $50 Mark’s Gift Certificate is …

Wow, this has been the most popular giveaway that I've done so far! I'm going to have to let Mark's know how much you all love their stuff (and to continue to include us in their fun promotions!). The objective of this particular promotion was to raise awareness of their new e-commerce site. And I've just been back to the site to check things out again and boy, have they been busy. The selection has radically expanded since the first day of … [Read more...]

“Month of Me” post #09: It’s my party, so I’ll wear sweats if I want to

“Month of Me” is a little ol’ wild and crazy concept: In October, the month I celebrate my 40th birthday, I will do a whole slew of things that I love. Just because. You can read the kick-off post here. Hubby: Sweetheart, it's your 40th. You should have a party. How about I organize a party for you. Me: Uh, remember, I don't do fun. Hubby: But, it's your 40th. Me: I'm having an entire "Month of Me," so it's not like I'm depriving … [Read more...]