Hop Along Friday! Come link up!

Welcome to the Hop Along Friday! As most of you may be aware of, GFC will no longer be available to self hosted blogs and non blogger blogs shortly. We don't want to leave all of those people out! So, we are adjusting our hop to include everyone! There are other ways to follow blogs such as Google+, Networked Blogs, and various other options. We want everyone to link up!

#Knit Seed Stitch Cowl - update

It's DONE! Finally done!

The tedious back of forth of knit, purl, knit, purl, around and around and around...is over!

*freshly finished and rather stiff, need to give it a good soak!*

*here it is almost done..i think i was giddy w excitement at this point!*

*done, like dinner*

It's a very simple pattern, and as per all the other stuff I knit - you can find it on Ravelry (I LOVE ravelry!)..I think i cast on 101 st on 4.5mm circulars, and then knit/purl/knit/purl'd over and over and over till i finally ran out of my skein of Rowan Colourscape 'Frosty'.

I absolutely can't wait to wear it come fall and winter! They're totally my colours! :)

Dreamworks How To Train Your Dragon LIVE - giveaway and discount code

Enter the legendary world of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR, where dragons with 40 foot wingspans fly and breathe fire. This must-see arena spectacle breaks all the rules of traditional entertainment, immersing audiences into a magical and mythical world of Vikings and Dragons.

About the Show:

The live production rolls fire-breathing action, epic adventure and heartfelt

laughter into an original captivating story set in the mythical world of Vikings

and wild dragons. Based on the book by Cressida Cowell, it centers on Hiccup,

a Viking teenager who doesn’t fit in with his tribe’s longstanding tradition of

heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup’s world is turned upside down when he

encounters a dragon that challenges him and his fellow Vikings to see the world

from an entirely different point of view. The story presents a vision so grand in

scale that only DreamWorks Animation and Global Creatures could bring How to

Train Your Dragon to life in front of a live audience.

Thoughts from OHM:
Doesn't this look absolutely AMAZING!! My 11 yr old daughter is over the moon in anticipation of the show. She's read almost all the books in the series, and is very much into all things magical and mythical! And i will easily admit that I am very excited to go too! I must see these awe-inspiring creations in person! Seriously, watching the video gives me goosebumps! :)

Shows:
How To Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular will be visiting London, Toronto, Montreal, Saskatoon, and Winnepeg when in Canada. For more information, and the full tour schedule click HERE.

Discount Code!
You can save 25% on P2 seats (regular price $69.50) to any weekday performance including Friday night with the code MOM.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

One lucky reader will win 4 tickets to the Thurs July 5th @ 7pm

 performance in London ON.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Big Sky Brands Candy -review/giveaway

Oh Canada, how i have some absolutely DELISH candy to share with you!
I was recently sent an assortment of cool tins of candies from Big Sky Brands to check out (and consequently get gobbled up speedy quick! LOL)

Jones Carbonated Candy - Berry Lemonade - definitely a fave of Hero(11 yr dd), she loves anything and everything Jones! Love the 'carbonated' flavour! Love the pop top tin!

Sunkist Citrus Burst - Hawaiian Pineapple - This one a fave of mine! I'm a big fan of tropical/pineapple/coconut/etc, so i was all-over this fab pineapple flavour!

Maple Ice Mints - Wild Blueberry - This was a fave of the mr's. He liked the 'masculine' tin, and also loved the flavour..which had a neat maple-y aftertaste! Cute factor was the maple leaf embossed in each candy! LOVE!

Yogen Fruz Smoothies - peachberrysunset - This was Orangie's (7 yr dd) fave. She's not really a fan of much candy (seriously! what kid doesn't really like candy?!), but she liked the creamy peachy flavour. This one also has the same flip top tin design, like Jones, LOVE it!!

They have so many other types and flavours, seriously, go and check them out!

So...who wants to win some??

One of my lucky Canadian readers will win an assortment of candy similar to mine!

(Open to CANADIANS only, ends July 3rd at 11:59pm EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Claritin Rapid Dissolve - #BzzAgent

Ever find yourself stuck inside on a beautiful afternoon with itchy, watery eyes? Or worse, sneezing uncontrollably when you visit friends with overly friendly pets? If so, you may be suffering through allergy symptons when you don't have to.

Claritin Rapid Dissolve works hard to provide non-drowsy, 24-hour relief from your worst indoor and outdoor allergy symptons, so you can stay as alert and focused as someone without allergies.

Just place a Claritin Rapid Dissolve tablet on your tongue and within seconds it's gone - there's no chalky or bitter aftertaste.

And because there's no pill required, you can take Claritin Rapid Dissolve whenever and wherever you need it.

Enjoy fast and effective relief that travels with you on your worst allergy days!

Thoughts from OHM:
I absolutely LOVE Claritin Rapid Dissolve!! I was totally skeptical about the taste it would have and was kind of afraid to try it, but was pleasantly surprised that it was like nothing there at all, but with a slightly minty taste! Very unique! Very easy!! And it was a fantastic fighter to my strong seasonal and household allergies, it didn't quite take them fully away, but mine were out of control, so it was MUCH more manageable! I absolutely LOVE the convenience factor of these, just pop in your mouth and go! So I highly recommend!


For more information be sure to check out the helpful allergen-reducing tips and tricks at Claritin.ca!
You can also 'Like' Claritin on Facebook! Where they share the latest in allergy news and coupons!
And for those tech lovin' readers, you should definitely download the free Claritin Pollen Alert app! You can check the daily pollen levels in your area! Cool!


** Disclosure: I received this product(and a handful of $6 off coupons!) for free from BzzAgent.com in exchange for my honest review. As usual, you got it! But your opinion may differ! **

Wordless Wednesday - my man bakes!

Warning ladies..the pictures I am about to show you are pretty awesome, I know that they make me hot! Because a man that can bake is pretty darn sexy! And my man? He's baking a Pioneer Woman recipe..that he found by himself! *swoon* And oh how he knows how to use my Kitchen-Aid!

*The Best Coffee Cake. Ever. (recipe) - by Ree Drummond / Pioneer Woman *

(and yes, it really really is the best EVER!)

1st #SCCTO Twitter Party - June 26

Woohoo! There's gonna be a party! Come join in!

How to Participate:  Join us online for a chance to connect with Brands who love Digital Women. Participating is easy – use your Twitter account and join in on the discussion!

RSVP HERE!

There'll be PRIZES! :)

** Note: June 26th party has been pushed back to 9pm start-time! **

Will I see you there??

DIY - teacher gift

I really don't have much for extra spending money, and I do love to sit down and be crafty!

This is a re-purposed hot chocolate tin that I covered in scrapbook paper, a strip of matching ribbon, and a chipboard shape. I then hit the dollar store for some supplies that i know she uses a LOT of! (decorative post-it notes, stickers, colourful paper clips, decorative pens, etc)

Here's the tin that I made for the piano teacher...what do you think?

I have done similar gifts using the large empty paint cans from the hardware store and FILL the heck out of them with lots of supplies for school teachers! I know that Hero's teacher from JK still has hers on her desk...(Hero is just finishing gr 6 now!)

Hop Along Friday! Come Link Up! - 06/22

Welcome to the Hop Along Friday! As most of you may be aware of, GFC will no longer be available to self hosted blogs and non blogger blogs shortly. We don't want to leave all of those people out! So, we are adjusting our hop to include everyone! There are other ways to follow blogs such as Google+, Networked Blogs, and various other options. We want everyone to link up!

I can't wait for #SCCTO 2012!

I'm still in pinch-me mode here. Last year I was one of 200 'top digital women' to be invited to the ShesConnected Conference in Toronto. This year though, I've been invited back as an Ambassador!!
They even made me into a bobblehead! :)

Last year absolutely blew my mind. I had never been to any form of blogging/social media conference, and other than short videos or pictures, I had absolutely no idea what to expect!

We were mixing and mingling and making connections with some amazing companies such as:

 *This is a mere snippet of the brands/companies who were at the 2011 conference!*

While there, it was so nice to finally put some faces to the names that I had been chatting with online all this time! And it's funny how you feel kinda 'star-struck' when meeting some of them! lol.

But here's where I admit that on day one last year I was completely and utterly sick, I had been up all night quite sick to my stomach and had contemplated backing out at 4am! But one of my carpool friends fed me gravol and water, and took care of me, while driving there, making sure I didn't miss this big opportunity! And when we finally got there, again I admit, I was not only a zombie but completely overwhelmed by all that there was to see and take in! So I admit that I didn't make as many connections as I should have. I didn't get to take full advantage of what was available to me. BUT, and it's a BIG BUT...because of all the personal connections that I made with fellow bloggers last year, and the unbelieveable amount of 'mentoring' etc that they have given me over the course of the year, I feel that I am armed and ready for this years conference! I am ready to take it head on! And I'm so glad that approx 90% of last years sponsor companies will be back! Hey companies! Be prepared to meet a much more knowledgeable and social media savvy OrangeHeroMama!

Here's a short video from the 2011 conference so you can see why I'm so excited to be back!

Awesome eh?! For more information about the conference/buy tickets/etc make sure you go HERE ----->  http://www.shesconnectedconference.com

Disclosure: I attended ShesConnected Conference #SCCTO in 2011 and I’m pleased to share my thoughts on last years conference.  As part of the Blogger Outreach program with ShesConnected, I received compensation.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

Wordless Wednesday - Heat Alert!

My city is under a Heat Alert today...so I thought it would be fitting to share pics from my day today...

* Incase you can't read what's in the circles..with the crazy humidity here it feels like 42c or 108f. YUCK! We don't have A/C, no we're not crazy, there really aren't THAT many days that are like this, and our home is surrounded by big trees and we get a great cross-breeze etc...ok, except today and notice all my pics are dark because well there are no lights on in the house. I'm sippin' my ice water, and I've put an ice pack on the guineapiggies waterbottle too! :) It's a great day to just take a break and relax..maybe read a book, I've already had a great nap! lol *

Recent Winners!

CONGRATULATIONS TO MY RECENT WINNERS!!!

Thankyou so much to all of you who enter my giveaways!

Come Link Up! It's Hop Along Friday!

Welcome to the Hop Along Friday! As most of you may be aware of, GFC will no longer be available to self hosted blogs and non blogger blogs shortly. We don't want to leave all of those people out! So, we are adjusting our hop to include everyone! There are other ways to follow blogs such as Google+, Networked Blogs, and various other options. We want everyone to link up!

OXY Clear It Up Sweepstakes BlogTour! #OxyClearSweeps

We’re celebrating clear skin with the OXY Clear it Up Sweepstakes and we can’t wait to spread news about this great promotion! Those turbulant teen years are hard enough as they are, the last thing you need is a face full of pimples! Thankfully, unlike teen dramas and stressful sleepless nights as a mom, there is a solution!

My eldest daughter is almost 12, and I can see the acne starting to creep on the scene! It's only 1 or 2 teeny tiny ones on her nose, but it's still not cool! I'm hoping that both girls will be lucky and only have to deal a couple a month like their dad and I. I also hope that they won't be cursed to get pimples WELLLLL after the teen years like I've been dealing with!

Seriously, I am 32 years old, and THIS is what's going on with my face right now...

( a few small spots and one big one! so embarrassing!)

So I was very glad to see these fine products show up at my door:

I'll admit that my first reaction was that these were geared towards guys. The packaging is very masculine in my opinion. So I was worried that they might be really strong for 'rough man skin'! lol.
But I was pleasantly surprised at the scent for the Deep Pore Facial Cleanser, it had a soft almost cucumber-ish scent, and felt wonderful on my skin! Next up was the Medicated Acne Pads, which I admit were quite strong and clinical in scent, but I love the texture to these, and again it felt nice on my skin. My face felt squeaky clean after! Nothing harsh and scary here! And then onto a quick dab of the Acne Vanishing Treatment on my yucky spots and I was good to go! Please OXY! Help me clear up this face, and quick!

About Oxy Deep Cleaning: OXY’s Deep Cleaning products are powerful and penetrate deep into the pores to deliver fast acne medication. Recommended primarily for oily skin, it is best for those with frequent and reoccurring breakouts. OXY Deep Cleaning products target stubborn blackheads and kill acne bacteria, while providing a refreshing clean sensation on your skin.

Enter the OXY Clear it Up Sweepstakes:

o   Three iPads up for grabs along with weekly prizes of $50!

o   For details and to enter visit http://www.facebook.com/oxycanada

§  PINs get users one bonus entry

§  Contestants may enter once per day and use multiple PINs for additional bonuses

o   BONUS: Here is my unique pincode, it'll get you extra entries!: 2gq8qe2s

(hint hint: other bloggers have pincodes to share!)

* In fact, here's a few links from my friends to get you started! :)
http://www.countrycitymouse.com/2012/06/oxy-clear-it-up-sweepstakes.html
http://lil-sugar.ca/5/post/2012/06/oxyclearsweeps-review-and-win-with-oxy.html
http://www.theknitwitbyshair.com/2012/06/oxy-review-oxyclearsweeps.html
http://www.mommykatandkids.com/2012/06/ipad-oxy-canada-oxyclearsweeps.html


Good Luck! :)

Disclosure: I am participating in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for OXY and receive compensation for my post. All opinions on this blog are my own.

Wordless Wednesday - Knitting at Starbucks!

A lovely friend texted this morning and said 'hey, there's a sale at Starbucks! Let's go!'. It was a bit of a rough morning getting the girls out the door to school, so I sure didn't need to be asked twice. I was most definitely in need of some girlie coffee and knitting time!!

And what better time to do it then during the .25 cent coffee promo! Woohoo!

I'm STILL working on the colourful cowl, it's done in a seed/moss stitch (in a beautiful Rowan wool) and well it's a tad on the tedious side. Ok, it's a TON of tedious-ness!! I feel as though I will never finish it! (but in it's defense I barely work on it, as i feel like i'm going cross-eyed when i do! lol)

I've been an allergy zombie this week!

Sorry friends, I really haven't  been around much this week.
Not much bloggin' and not much twitterin'...see on Wednesday morning I finally had my appt at the allergist! It was the day that I'd been waiting eagerly for. There were many questions that I wanted answered about the almost 3 years of headache hell I've been going through. I didn't get much help with the glutamate/yeast questions, other than 'avoid the foods'..yeah well that is all good when you don't have to live with the problem...
BUT, I did get help with why there are so many fruits and veggies that give me 20 mins of torture when i eat them..itchy throat, itchy inner ears, etc..
Turns out that when you have not-so-awesome seasonal allergies like me, you can get something to go along with it called Oral Allergy Syndrome/Pollen-Food Allergy.
So when suddenly you realize that you can't eat msg/glutamate/yeast/etc foods, meaning you have to take out packaged foods(and dairy, vinegar, soy, etc etc) and then you have issues eating fresh fruits and veggies..you basically go mad because there really isn't much you can eat! (which led me to find out earlier this week that a big ol' sweetpotato boiled in veggie stock, then mixed with curry powder and a can of coconut milk and then immersion blendered..makes a REALLLLY tasty soup!)

Anywho..wanna see a pic of my arms all allergy'ed up??
* This pic seriously doesn't do how angry/red/puffy/gross my arm really looked in person! It looked like i'd been attacked by some VERY hungry mosquitos, leaving rather large welts/hives behind! *
*also this is 9am*

*And here it is later, around 3pm, after lots of Benadryl..still hot and angry(but pic not really showing that!!)*

So anyways, I was feeling fine that day, just had itchy/angry arms...started getting a headache that night..woke up Thurs morn quickly popped a Claritin in me, then went to do the eyedrops and realized WOAH my eyes were red and swollen and soooo itchy..guess i won't be going out after all..and the headache is bugging me too, spent day in and out of sleep...headache continues to get worse and then i realize 'OMG, they tested yeast in my arm!'. Thursday night I got the worst msg/yeast headache EVER. The dizzy/nausea/hot-feeling/headache was almost unbearable. I went to bed at 8:30. Friday I wake up and am so thankful that it's all over, even if I'm slightly headache-y..but I still have really itchy eyes etc so i go back to the benadryl(i have now emptied the bottle). At least I can function! Today(saturday) I have moved onto extra-strength Reactine, with my eyedrops, and FINALLY tonight I feel human again!!!
What a crazy ordeal! And she wants me to go through it again next year?! WHY?!

SO, this is where I have been...hopefully you made it through my rambling post. I hope that it made sense...

Do you have allergies? Have you done allergy testing? Did you feel like this after?

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island - giveaway!

Warner Bros. is proud to announce the release of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island on DVD and Blu-Ray; June 5th 2012 along with the Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Blog App!

Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games) finds a hidden signal that he believes will lead him to his long lost grandfather (Michael Caine, Miss Congeniality).  With the help of his new step father (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Scorpion King), Sean finds a map and starts his adventure which leads him to Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens, High School Musical) and the island of Atlantis!  Sean and his friends battle giant bees, killer lizards, a volcano of gold, and electric eels to escape the lost city and make their way home!

*~* I'm having issues with the app being on my blog, so please check it out HERE! It's cool! (you'll need to check it out to enter the giveaway)*~*

What's on the App?:

* Activities: Choose Your Own Adventure! Spin the wheel to get your own personalized adventure!  Will you brave the wilds of Family Movie Night or map your house and have your own treasure hunt!
* Quiz: Would You Survive The Mysterious Island!? Are you a Wilderness Warrior or a Timid Trekker?  Take the Mysterious Island quiz and find out how you would fare in the outback of Atlantis!

Thoughts from OHM:
I absolutely can't wait to see this movie!! It looks fantastic, and I'm kinda a big fan of 'The Rock' *wink wink*. I'm sure my kids will love it too! It's always fun to find a kid-friendly action movie that ISN'T a cartoon!

* Disclosure: I received nothing in exchange for hosting this fab giveaway. Thanks so much to PartnersHub for the opportunity! *
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Update from my Garden!

So about 2 weeks ago, I posted asking for help with my awful garden. You can find that post HERE if you have no idea what i'm talking about...

Anywho, I was SOOO thankful for the advice that you all gave me! I really am such a gardening newbie! So I had the man pick me up 6 big bags of 3-in-1 dirt and some miracle-gro for my watering can. I then sectioned off the garden in 2x2 sections(and a few smallers ones at the back). I planted some basic seeds, and picked up some already started veggies at the garden center. The rhubarb and the strawberries I already had(strawberries transplanted from somewhere else..fingers crossed!)

Here is my garden now!! It's growing!!

* The boards are in there to stand on until i can get a couple penny pavers *

* My little herb planters, and notice the little sprouts coming up in the plot behind them! yay! *

So? Got anymore advice for me?

Are you having garden luck this year?

Come Link Up! It's Hop Along Friday!

Welcome to the Hop Along Friday! As most of you may be aware of, GFC will no longer be available to self hosted blogs and non blogger blogs shortly. We don't want to leave all of those people out! So, we are adjusting our hop to include everyone! There are other ways to follow blogs such as Google+, Networked Blogs, and various other options. We want everyone to link up!

Wordless Wednesday - Turtle Crossing!

The mr and I were out for our morning walk, taking the same path, through a busy park here in town, that we've taken many many times before...only this morning? Look what was at the side of the path!

Not too sure how or why he left the river and hiked up the steep bank, but there he was at the top beside the path. He totally made my morning! :)

Nickelodeon Summer Fun dvds! (giveaway)

SCHOOL IS OUT AND NICKELODEON CHARACTERS WANT TO PLAY!

Nickelodeon Jr. Favorites: All Star Sports Day

Get ready to cheer! Preschoolers’ favorite characters from Dora the Explorer; Go, Diego, Go!; The Wonder Pets!; Blue’s Clues; Yo Gabba Gabba! and Ni Hao, Kai-lan compete and practice camaraderie in popular sports on this DVD.

SpongeBob SquarePants: SpongeBob’s Runaway RoadtripJoin SpongeBob and Patrick for a hilarious and adventurous vacation. Enjoy the Great Barrier Reef, a romantic cruise, a trip to the Ocean Mint, a homebound holiday and a trip that’s out of this world.  Featuring six adventures in one grand vacation, everyone just might need a vacation from this much fun packed into one DVD.

Bonus SpongeBob Episodes:
          o Hide and Then What Happens?
          o Shellback Shenanigans

Dora the Explorer: Summer Explorer

Dora and Boots are having a blast at the beach when all of a sudden they hear a call for help. It's a baby crab stuck in a net! He was on his way to his mommy to bring her a present -- a beautiful necklace made of shells --when he got stuck. With our help, Dora finds a pair of scissors inside Backpack and quickly frees Baby Crab. But as he scurries off, Baby Crab realizes he's forgotten which way to go. Will you help Dora and Boots take Baby Crab through the Squishy Squid's Musical Sand Castle, over a mountain of rhythmically Snapping Clams, and across the ocean to his Mami on Crab Island? You'll have to shake your body like a crab!

“Make Your Own Ice Cream!” bonus featurette

Nickelodeon Favorites: Summer Vacation

Get ready for a summer of play dates and laughter!  Preschoolers’ favorite characters from Dora the Explorer; Go, Diego, Go!; The Wonder Pets!; Blue’s Clues; Yo Gabba Gabba! and Ni Hao, Kai-lan enjoy some fun in the sun on this DVD.

Max & Ruby: Summertime for Max & Ruby

Ruby’s Lemonade Stand

Business is booming for Ruby and Louise who open a lemonade stand to raise money for Bunny Scouts. It’s a nickel a glass and going fast. Max loves lemonade but doesn’t have a nickel to his name.  Max opens a pancake stand to make money to buy lemonade but it’s a bust. No one’s buying until Grandma comes along - Ant and Acorn pancakes are her favorite!

Ruby’s Rummage Sale

Ruby and Louise gather together all of Ruby’s old clothes and toys for a rummage sale, so they can raise money for a Bunny Scout Field Trip. Max wants to help, but everything Ruby wants to sell, Max wants to keep.

Ruby’s Magic Act

Ruby and Louise are practicing their magic act for the Bunny Scouts Talent Show and they need Max to be their volunteer from the audience. Max wants to know how they do their tricks, but Ruby and Louise insist they’re magicians secrets. In the end, Max is the one who surprises them with his own magic trick.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

ONE lucky Home of OHM reader will win THREE Nickelodeon DVDs!

(open to Can/US, ends June 13 at 11:59pm EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway