Eating Local | #LMDConnector

You might not know this but I interviewed the authors of the 100 Mile Diet for Canadian Girl magazine a few years ago.  (Side note: 100 Mile Diet is a book written by a Canadian couple who decided to eat only what was produced within 100 miles of their home for a year...needless to say they went without chocolate).

However, what they did eat were seasonal foods picked at their freshest and with the lowest food-miles.  Worth a year without cocoa.

I am a big farmer's market city girl.  And local berries are my family's latest farm to table treat.

You can find some easy recipes for cobblers, crisps and more at that link. 

I've already made my yearly double batch of Ontario strawberry jam...local and delish!

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own

Brilliant Basics is a go-to toy | #playpanel

I have been trying (so unsuccessfully) to get things done around the house.  My almost 7 month old wants, whines, and wills me to entertain him.  And I get frustrated, resentful, derailed.  I'm not sorry that I have this wonderful baby to entertain.  I just get frustrated in that my house looks like a tsunami hit. Everyday. 

Enter in the Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Blocks and I have found the magic key to unlocking a bit of time to get things done concurrently with entertaining the babe.

These blocks are just the right size for his little hands to hold, bop (on his highchair) and drop on the floor (he looks for where they've gone).  I place the bucket on its side on his highchair tray and he's happy to play with the handle, pull out the different shaped blocks and hit them on the table making tap tap tap sounds.  And I can wash the dishes!

What's best about these blocks is that they are really easy to grasp.  My son - not co-ordinated at this age - can pick-up, turn and play with the 10 blocks very easily.

The simplest toys are always the best right?

Now he's not at the shape sorting age yet nor can he stack them up...but this is a toy that will grow with him to when he hits those milestones.  (Aside: I've seen my 10 year old sorting the blocks through the shape-sorting lid - siblings can play with this toy too!)

It's great to have a go-to toy to play with when Mom just needs to get the dishes (or whatever) done.  This is our go-to toy right now.  And it's brilliant.

Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price #playpanel program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Blurb Review & Giveaway

Years ago, I did a Blurb book (my first foray into manscript writing).  That's it right there -> "a MOM book". (it's still on the Blurb store bookshelves if you want a copy or three).

I liked template choices for book layout, colours and set up.  And it was EASY!

With blurb you can write your own cookbook, write a novel, publish your portfolio, create custom educational books for your kids, and of course, tell the story of your wedding or vacation.

With Blurb, there are three ways to design your book http://www.blurb.com/make/:

1. PDF to Book gives professional users full creative reign over the bookmaking process, offering blank Adobe® InDesign® templates

2. Booksmart makes it very easy and lays out a template for you

3. Bookify lets you unleash your creativity from cover to cover

THE GIVEWAY!

THE WHAT:  Enter to win a promo code for $50 for Blurb (prices start at just $13.95)

THE WHO: Open to Canadian and U.S. residents

THE HOW: Surf over to http://www.blurb.com/, get inspired and comment below about the book you would make.

THE TIMELINE: contest running 2 weeks

THE RULES (because life has rules):

one comment per day

FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRIES - LEAVING SEPARATE COMMENTS

Follow @ParentClub on Twitter and tweet the contest (and comment here that you did so) = an extra entry

Become a "Follower" on Parent Club (over there on the right -> the google friend connect on right sidebar at bottom)

Disclosure: winner will be randomly selected using a random generator

Giveaway now closed - thanks for entering.