Thirsty Thursday: Peach Smoothie


As we see the last few weeks of Winter I'm sure like me, many of you  find that it's hard finding good quality fresh fruit in your local stores these days. Although fruit is always in our grocery stores, they never taste as good as they do when they are in season.

February is National Canned Food Month. So why not substitute the fresh fruit you would normally eat with the fruit that's been canned? This is a great way to make sure your family is still getting their dose of daily fruit.

Recently California Cling Peach Board did a survey showing that almost two thirds of Canadians think that the canning process affects the nutritional content of the peaches, which is not true. The canning process has been proven to increase nutrients.

DID YOU KNOW...

A recent study reveals that canned peaches compared to fresh peaches are Higher in antioxidants and Vitamin A, Nearly four times higher in Vitamin C and Ten times higher in folate.

That's why this week's Thirsty Thursday will be this delicious and healthy Peach Smoothie that will have you feeling both nourished and energized to get through the rest of these weeks left of Winter. There are tons of recipes you can use with canned peaches. I know for me when Peaches aren't in season and I'm craving for a peach dessert, I often replace fresh peaches with canned. What are some of your favorite recipes to make with peaches?



PEACH SMOOTHIE
Serves 1
Ingredients:
½ cup cold Almond milk
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
8 slices canned California cling peaches
3 strawberries
1 tsp. honey
3 to 4 ice cubes

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and pour into a glass.
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received a Sobey's gift card to create the above mentioned recipe and to share info on National Canned Food Month. No other compensation was received.


New Year, New Colors from Nicole By OPI


Now that we're in the year 2014, along with our New Years Resolutions and goals we all have, I'm exciting to announce some new colors from Nicole By OPI!

Nicole by OPI has released 15 new lacquers ranging from shades that are dark blue to cool mints and creamy nudes. I love that these colors are all so vibrant and I can wear throughout the Winter, go into Spring and start Summer wearing these new polishes.

I had the opportunity to try three colors from this collection and I received, The Blue Is So You, Emerald Empowered and Taupe of My Class. Three colors that goes on well especially during our lasts few weeks of Winter. My favorite from the three is definitely was the Emerald Empowered. I love the depth of the color and how gorgeous it looked making my plain ordinary nails look much better.




What I love best about all of OPI's nail lacquers is that they are not only all beautiful, but also long lasting, drys fast and there are some lacquers where you don't even need to put more than a coat on to have your nails looking beautiful.  Take a look at the new colors below. Which ones do you want to try or have tried?


Be Awesome 
A rainbow of light that takes your breath away. 

Sweet Surrender 
Defeat looks sweet when wearing this pink blush. 

Fabulous is My Middle Name
Pink and silver super-shimmer is my game. 

Always a Flirt! 
This luminous fuchsia is more than just a wink of pink. 

Something About Spring 
When I saw this hot pink, it bloom my mind! 

At Least I Pink So 
I’ve got this pretty bubblegum pink on my mind.

I’ll Have the Salmon 
I’m hooked on this peachy-pink! 

Yoga-then-Yogurt
Oh my! This creamy white is quite yummy! 

That’s Putting it Mild 
This luscious, creamy nude makes a big fashion statement. 

Taupe of My Class 
This earthy taupe is a real overachiever. 

I Shop Mintage
A timeless minty green with real retro appeal. 

Teal Me Something New 
This of-the-moment teal has headline-making style. 

Oh That’s Just Grape! 
How am I supposed to resist this cool and juicy violet? 

The Blue is So You! 
This dramatically dark blue was created with you in mind. 

Emerald Empowered 
When I wear this gemstone green, I feel like I can conquer the world!

These new beautiful colors are available for purchase for $7.99 at the following retailers: CVS, Kroger, Kmart, Walmart and Meijer. In Canada, they're available for $10.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart, Target Canada, Walmart Canada, London Drug, and Loblaws. 

You can find out more about OPI and their collections at www.opi.com
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received samples from the new 2014 Collection from OPI at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.




Adventure Time: The Complete Third Season DVD Review



Cartoon Network just released the third full-season installment of its most mathematical animated series on both Blu-ray™ and DVD as Adventure Time: The Complete Third Season hits retail. Continuing the franchise’s home entertainment momentum which has included a series of top-selling releases to date, the Blu-ray and DVD both feature all 26 episodes from the series’ third season, as well as must-have bonus features including episode commentaries for ALL 26 episodes, an interview with series creator Pendleton Ward, an alternate show introduction. Plus, further satiating even the most passionate Adventure Time fans, it’s BMO! Fans and collectors are in for a special treat with a custom die-cut BMO slipcase, which transforms the Blu-ray and DVD packaging into their very own collectible BMO figurine. Now available for the suggested retail price of $32.07 and $26.95 for Blu-ray and two-disc DVD, respectively.


MY REVIEW
My kids were thrilled when they saw we got the chance to review Adventure Time. Filled with hilarious characters and story lines that keep my kids entertained, this is definitely a show your young ones will enjoy. I love that it keeps my kids busy and entertained and also love that my daughter and son both fist bump every time Finn and Jake do it on the show. This show is about friends hanging out and enjoying one another's company throughout the many adventures they get themselves into. After sitting down and watching a few episodes with my kids, the story lines are interesting enough to even keep me entertained and not moving from the couch.  

It also makes me laugh that my kids favorite character, BMO, (which was the cover of the DVD) reminds me of the old game boy devices I use to have when I was younger. Explaining that to my kids and seeing the look on their face was too funny. 

Filled with 26 episodes, Adventure Time Season Three is now out and available in stores for you to add to your collection. If you're unsure about the show or have never seen it, take a look at the clip below. It pretty much sums the show up. The gang gets into many adventures and try to get out of them. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Adventure Time Season Three on DVD at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Date Night Postpone Due To Sick Kiddos & Pregnant Mama! #NaturallyatHome


I think I've said it about a billion times, but this Winter has definitely been brutal. I'm sure not just in my household. From both the kiddos getting the flu back to back and horrible coughs, it's been pretty tough trying to squeeze in a date night for the hubby and I. Although I can't just blame it on the kiddos being sick, this pregnancy has been pretty hard on me and it's been difficult to keep anything down. So when the kids aren't sick, mommy is. Which can definitely be hard on the hubby, but he's been amazing and patient with all the all day morning sickness I seem to have.



Normally we try to get a date night in once a month because even though we love our kids to death, we do need our time to be husband and wife and hangout by ourselves. (Even though once a month doesn't seem like a lot, it is when you're busy running a household with two little ones and with the hubby out of town for work most of the time.)

Now, this doesn't necessarily means going out. Although I love when we do get out of the house, I can settle with putting the kids to bed early, eating a romantic dinner at home and watching a movie with the hubby. On days when we can't afford to go out or we can't find a sitter, these are the perfect date nights that I love. Since the hubby and I are both comedy movie lovers, it's great to watch a movie that will keep us laughing or play a board game or cards together. This definitely brings out the competitive side in both of us.

Our last date night happened to be the day after Valentine's Day. We headed out to dinner and although the food was amazing and delicious, the nausea came as soon as we asked for the check and we had to postpone going out to the movies. So when we got home and paid the sitter. The hubby let me pick out my favorite movie, Pretty Woman, and we watched it as I sipped on ginger-ale.

With the end of Winter, I'm definitely excited for all the sickness to end in our house and also do more with the hubby outside. Although this year I won't be able to ride on his motorcycle with him, I'm excited to start back on our daily walks to the park and around the neighborhood.

To keep your household healthy for the rest of this Winter and for the next, be sure to check out Orange Naturals. They have quite a bit of supplements to keep everyone in your household healthy and they just received the PTPA Seal of Approval, which is very exciting. Be sure to check them out on Facebook as well as Twitter too!


Disclosure: I am part of the Orange Naturals Mom Ambassador Program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Delicious New Goodies From Kelloggs Canada (Review & Giveaway)


Last week I received a package filled with new goodies from the lovely folks over at Kelloggs Canada. I was super excited to see what new goodies would be in the box and let me tell you, they did not disappoint. Like always, Kelloggs has done it again with great new products that are not only healthy for you, but also delicious.

Inside my box was the new Special K Chocolatey Red Berries cereal, new Salt and Vinegar Cracker Chips, Nutri Grain Fruit Crunch, both in Strawberry and Apple Crisp, Pastry Crisp in both Cookies and Cream and Chocolately Caramel along with some new flavored Protein Shakes which included flavors like Cafe Latte and Mocha and two Kelloggs To Go drinks that were in both Vanilla and Chocolate.



Let me tell you guys, the cracker chips never seem to last in my house and the Salt and Vinegar was no different. I think I had a handful of them before my son got his hands on the box and munched on them all Friday evening until the box was empty.

What I loved most was the Pastry Crisps and the Kelloggs To Go drinks. I love that I get a delicious quick snack that is only 100 calories for two of the Pastry Crisps and that the Kelloggs To Go drinks are a meal replacement that includes vitamins and minerals along with protein and fiber as well, not to mention they're pretty tasty. I don't think there was anything that came in my box that I disliked. Everything was delicious and didn't leave me feeling guilty for treating myself to a tasty snack.

WIN IT!

Now, Kelloggs Canada is offering one of Just Us Girls Canadian readers a chance to win the same products mentioned above. Be sure to enter the giveaway below and also be sure to check out these new products now available in your local supermarkets.
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I am a Kellogger and receive products to test out and share. No post was required.  No compensation was received.

Watching Netflix w/ The Kiddos To Prepare To Watch The SOCHI Olympics #NetflixKids #StreamTeam


Have you been watching the SOCHI 2014 Winter Olympics? My family and I love watching the Olympics together. We had a big gathering for the opening ceremony at my in laws and we've also been watching with the kids a few times a day ever since it started. Although I'm more of a Summer Olympics girl, this I've been really getting into the Winter Olympics and I have to say Team Canada has been kicking butt!

Although winning isn't everything, it is nice when the team you are going for wins. Since we are definitely a Netflix family in our household, while watching the Olympics I've found a couple movies that can help inspire your child and help them understand more about team work and how it takes more than one person to get that victory.

Here are a few movies and television shows that can help your child by showing them that it takes more than just one person. My kids absolutely loved Air Bud. A great movie for the entire family with kids of all ages, this movie definitely had my kids attention from beginning to end.
























  1. The Short Game
  2. The Kid
  3. The Pistol
  4. A Mile In His Shoes
  5. Winning Favor
  6. The Mighty Macs
  7. Like Mike 2: Streetball
  8. Air Bud

If you don't have a subscription to Netflix and are still hesitant to join, they still have their on going 30 day free trial that gives you access to all of their movies, documentaries, television shows, etc. With only being $7.99, it's affordable and has something for everyone in your family to watch.
Disclosure: I am part of the Stream Team Campaign with Netflix and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Baggage Claim DVD/Blu-ray Review



Paula Patton leads a hilarious cast in this first-class comedy that’ll keep you laughing and make your heart soar! Flight attendant Montana Moore (Patton) is smart, sexy and sick of being single. She’s determined to get engaged before her younger sister’s wedding, leaving just 30 days to make her connection. Fortunately, her co-worker crew has cooked up a high-flying scheme for Montana to “accidentally” bump into all her ex-boyfriends, leading to hilarious encounters as she attempts to land the perfect guy!

MY REVIEW
I absolutely loved Baggage Claim. It's such a great movie to watch either by yourself or with a group of friends. I had a few girlfriends over and we had snacks to munch on along with popcorn. A movie about a single woman trying to find Mr. Right, although we've seen this story line a few times before, Paula Patton does a great job in this movie as our main character. Filled with drama, hilarious situations and a beautiful cast that includes a few eye candy, this is definitely a great movie to add to your collection. Definitely a great movie to watch for a girls night in. Baggage Claim is now available on blu-ray and DVD for purchase!
 Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Baggage Claim at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Carrie Underwood Nicole by OPI #CarrieU4Nicole


It's been a very long Winter and I'm definitely ready for some sunshine ASAP. One thing that I've been loving over this Winter has been the new Carrie Underwood Collection Nicole by OPI. It's definitely been putting a smile on my face with all the lovely colors.

I'm a huge fan of Carrie Underwood. I've watched her since she was on American Idol and I love that she is one in a handful of winners that is still out there letting the world listen to her music. So when I found out that she had a limit edition coming out I knew I wanted to try them.

There are a total of 14 new lacquer colors inspired by all the wonderful songs we love from Carrie Underwood. I got to review half of the collection and loved every one of them. I can't wait to get my hands on the other half to wear.




Each lacquer is unique and beautiful in their own way. I think my favorite definitely has to be the American As Apple Pie. I'm not really a red nail polish kind of girl, but this one just really screamed to me and the fact that you really only have to put one coat of this lacquer to get your nails shinning and they just keep looking better and better with another coat. I also loved Carried Away as well. You can definitely create nails that look beautiful with both these colors.



Lips are Dripping Honey: This multi-gold glitter is sweet on you.
Southern Charm: Frankly my dear, this nude shade looks charming on you.
Sweet Daisy: A bouquet of southern peach blossoms.
Carnival Cotton Candy: This spun sugar pink is all about fun.
Goodbye Shoes: Hit the road, but leave me this standalone gray-green.
Some Hearts: You can’t beat this romantic coral dream.
American as Apple Pie: Tradition runs deep in this classic red.
Fisher Queen:  I’m hooked on this deep, deep eggplant.
Carrie’d Away: Carrie’s own gold record signature shade. 
Backstage Pass: I want access to this brown with purple nuances.
Sing You Like a Bee: Put some of this frosty ice on that, honey!
Party Bus: Celebrate on-the-go with this party-perfect confetti glitter.
Love My Pups:  Let’s “paws” for this adorably sweet pink.
Color Me Country: This soul-ful hot pink makes me want to sing.
 

The Carrie Underwood limited edition collection is available for purchase for $7.99 at the following retailers:
CVS, Kroger, Kmart, Walmart and Meijer. In Canada, they're available for $10.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart, Target Canada, Walmart Canada, London Drug, and Loblaws. You can find out more about OPI and their collections at www.opi.com

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received samples from the Carrie Underood Collection from OPI at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


Shiseido Joico Shampoo & Restore Treatment Set Review


Shiseido Joico Shampoo and Restore Treatment Set is suppose to repair and strengthen dry, damaged hair while also making it softer and silkier. Perfect for a great look for Valentine's Day. This includes the shampoo and their K-Pak treatment. I did use this product. I can tell you that my hair is very soft and shinny. I cannot confirm or deny if it is stronger as I've only been using it for about a week. 


I read the package instructions before using.  Now, I know washing your hair isn't rocket science but there are some instructions you want from your hair care products. We all probably know how to use conditioner…however, this K-Pak product is not called conditioner it is called a "treatment." What was confusing for me is that the package does not tell you if you use it daily, weekly, monthly, ect.. This is vital information I need to let me know if it safe to use daily or not. I didn't like that instructions were not included for this. For example Hot Oil Treatments are noted to be used Monthly. The K-Pak treatment is much thicker and richer than normal conditioner also making me concerned about build up if used daily.

I didn't care for the scent of this product, although, I think many women would love the scent. Personally, I do not generally go to salons regularly, just twice a year for haircuts/trimming as I have been lucky so far in not needing to dye my hair but the scent reminds me of a salon product. It is a rich with a strong scent (not a bad thing in most cases). I am just one of those weird women who like lighter less fragrant scents.

The Shampoo instructions also state that this product helps maintain natural color of hair. Here is my wishful thinking…"Is this product going to help keep my hair from turning gray?" I am not a particularly vain person but I love my hair color and there are not a lot of things about myself I am very confident in, but I do have a lovely hair color that will never been attained with dye. The bottle is not particularly clear on this meaning. The word phasing could mean one of the vitamins helps your hair hold color or helps keep your hair from losing its color. I really want to know the delineation there because I will buy this a lot if it means I will get to keep my natural hair color longer.

My final thoughts on this product; the instructions need to be clearer. My hair is shinny and soft. I cannot prove it is stronger or more protected than it is with any other hair care product on the market. I would buy this product again but would want more explanation on use and some of the product claims.

You can find this set nationwide in your local salons and spas. 
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the Shieseido Joico Shampoo & Restore Treatment Set at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

#Disney's The Jungle Book Diamond Edition Blu-ray Review + Activity Sheets



Now for the first time ever on Blu-ray with glorious digital high definition, Disney’s Jumpin’ Jungle Classic has never looked so lush or sounded so good! Beloved characters, swinging music and new behind-the-scenes bonus features make this Diamond Edition Blu-ray a must-have for every family’s classic collection!

Meet the most unforgettable characters and embark on a thrilling adventure with Mowgli as he journeys deep into the jungle and learns “The Bare Necessities” of life from happy-go-lucky Baloo the bear. Meet Bagheera, the wise old panther, and crazy King Louie, the orangutan. But watch out for the cunning tiger Shere Khan and Kaa, the ssssneakiest snake in the jungle!

Explore your family’s wild side as you venture into The Jungle Book for extraordinary adventures and a heartwarming tale that celebrates the true meaning of friendship.

MY REVIEW
"Look for the bare necessities The simple bare necessities Forget about your worries and your strife!" This is the song that comes to mind when someone talks about or mentions The Jungle Book. I love all of the fun and loving catchy songs from this movie, but Bare Necessities has got to be one of my favorites.

So when we had the opportunity to sit down with the kiddos for a movie night earlier this week in celebration of the release of The Jungle Book on blu-ray on February 11th, I was super excited. We haven't watched it in years and when we did it was on an old DVD that we bought at a yard sale for a great price, but the DVD itself wasn't that great of a copy. So I was super excited to watch The Jungle Book on blu-ray with the kids. It's one of my favorite Disney movies with tons of lovable and hilarious characters. During the movie, my kids were singing and dancing away and it just made me smile and remember when I was younger and use to sing and dance with my siblings to the same songs. 

Definitely worth purchasing if you are a fan of The Jungle Book, get it before it goes back into the vault!

Download The Bare Necessities
 Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received The Jungle Book at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Celebrate Team Canada w/ @LesleyStowe (Giveaway) #SOCHI2014


The SOCHI Olympics 2014 has started and I don't know about you, but I thought the opening ceremony was beautiful despite the few minor errors that occurred. It was still beautiful and nice to watch.

We celebrated the opening ceremony over at my in laws and while they provided dinner, pizza and fries, we provided some snacks to munch on thanks to Lesley Stowe. Did you know that this year they are debuting Women's Ski Jump for the first time this year and that Lesley Stowe is the lead sponsor in the Canadian Women's Ski Jumping Team? How awesome is that going to be to watch?! I'm super excited and can't wait.

In celebration of Lesley Stowe and the Women's Ski Jump Team, we not only have a great giveaway for you, but we also have a delicious recipe listed below inspired by the Women's Ski Jump Team that you can try and serve to your friends and family when hosting a party or get together for the Olympics.

 Along with being a sponsor for the Canadian Women's Ski Jump Team, Lesley Stowe is also willing to contribute $1 (max $5,000) to the team for every message shared on their Facebook and Twitter pages wishing the team good luck. So be sure to head on over there to show your support and wish the ladies luck! 


As for the giveaway, one lucky Canadian reader of Just Us Girls will get to win a prize pack from Lesly Stowe retailing at $75 that includes a few boxes of their delicious Raincoast Crisps, party tray, mini pot that holds dip, Canadian inspired napkins and a gift card to Sobey's to get all the other ingredients and items you need to host your Olympic viewing party!  

Power Rangers Zeo, Volume 2 DVD Review



Today, February 11, 2014, join the Power Rangers as they face off against the dreaded villains King Mondo and Queen Machina, a malevolent pair who rule over their Machine Empire, when Shout! Factory releases Power Rangers Zeo, Volume 2, a 3-DVD box set that contains the final 25 episodes of the series.

MY REVIEW
My daughter is a huge fan of The Power Rangers. She's been loving them for the past couple of years. She even was a Pink Power Ranger last year for Halloween. I can't believe that one of my childhood shows I use to watch is still on with brand new rangers. When we received the 3 disc DVDs, my daughter was super excited that she could watch one of her favorite shows any time she wanted and even watch a few episodes from volume two that she hadn't seen before. One of the things the hubby and I love is that there are still shows out there from when we were younger so we can share and compare how they've changed and how some have stayed the same with our kids. 

If you have a kid that's a fan of Power Ranger Zeo be sure to head to the store as volume two is now out today on DVD to add to your collection! 
  Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Power Rangers Zeo Volume 2 on DVD at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie-rella DVD Review



Our pals need to get Minnie a surprise present, so they keep her busy with plenty of chores to do at the Clubhouse. Tired from so much work, Minnie falls asleep and dreams that she is MINNIE-RELLA! Inspired by the fairy tale of Cinderella, the story of Minnie-rella sparkles with music and fun as we recognize our favorite Clubhouse characters in familiar roles.

The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie-rella DVD comes packaged with the full-length adventure, a FREE Castle Play Set, 3 additional Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes and 10 Minnie’s Bow-Toons Shorts!

MY REVIEW
My daughter Joey and I reviewed Mickey Mouse Club House Minne-Rella. This also came with a buildable castle that we built together. We enjoyed the episode as well as the extra episodes on the DVD but building the castle was a big bonus we were not expecting. 



I was surprised by how much fun we both had building a little cardboard castle but it really was a fun and special time. We had a lovely Sunday Mommy Daughter Movie Day and then played with the castle before she went to bed.  I would definitely recommend especially on these long, cold winter evenings.

 If you have fans of The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in your house, I would definitely recommend buying this latest DVD, that's now out and available in stores today! 
 Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Minnie-rella on DVD at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Thirsty Thursday: Tripleberry Soymilk Smoothie with @Truvia Sweetener


We're now into the second month of the new year. Are you still keeping up with your goals or resolutions you made? I know it's hard. For me, being in my second trimester, I'm finding that I'm having a somewhat difficult time controlling my cravings. There are just days that I want to eat a big juicy burger and fries and there are days where all I can think about eating is ice cold fruit. Luckily, my hubby has been helping me stay focused on eating healthier throughout this pregnancy, so when I crave a burger, I get one, but it's a turkey burger and although it's not the same as beef, it sure did the trick in satisfying my cravings.

If you remember some time last Summer we had the pleasure of reviewing and creating a nice cool Strawberry Lemonade drink with Truvia Sweetener. It's a calorie free sweetener from the stevia leaf that replaces the need for your every day use in sugar. You can use it on a number of food and drinks. We've used it in coffee, baking, cooking, fruit, drinks and so much more. I love that for every 1/3 teaspoon you get the same amount of sweetness you would if you used sugar.

Replacing your sugar with Truvia Sweetener can bring you one step closer to eating a bit healthier and keeping you focused on a new you this year.

That's why the first Thirsty Thursday of 2014 for Just Us Girls is this Tripleberry Soymilk Smoothie for instance. Drinking this in the morning for breakfast is a great way to not only start your day, but make you feel like you're getting the best of both worlds since it's super delicious. This drink makes for with a total of only 100 calories. How awesome is that?!  


Tripleberry Soymilk Smoothie
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 cups Low-fat vanilla soymilk
1 cup Blackberries
1 cup Strawberries
1 cup Blueberries
1⁄8 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Truvía Sweetener (8 Packets of Truvia)
Directions: Add all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth, pour in cup and enjoy!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received products from Truvia at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Celebrate Team Canada with Molson Canadian (Giveaway)


I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited about the SOCHI Olympics this year. I have been watching the Olympics since I was a little girl. I remember coming home from school and sitting in front of the TV watching with my siblings, parents and grandparents. Was such a wonderful tradition and I love that we get to continue watching them, now with my own family.
Now that I've been living in Canada over the last eight years, this is my home and I try and represent it as best as I can. I'm very excited to see how well Canada will do this year.  Last year we got together a couple of times with our family over dinner and drinks watching some of the Olympics, I can't wait to do that again this year.

Lucky for all of us out here in Canada, we'll be able to celebrate the same way our athletes did in Vancouver since for the first time ever Molson Canadian is making their Victory Bottles available for Canadians to purchase all over Canada. How awesome is that?!



These bottles are the exact replica of the 3 liter bottle that was presented to our athletes in Vancouver, only these are a bit smaller being only 625ml. They are available throughout retailers in Canada and the prices vary depending on the province you're in. Be sure to get one while you can as these are only being sold throughout through January and February!

DID YOU KNOW?!

Did you know that more than a third (34%) of Canadian hockey fans surveyed and plan to give up sleep and 7% plan to call in sick or to skip work to catch key Olympic Hockey Games in Sochi, that's dedication!

When we see our athletes atop an Olympic Podium it brings our country together like few things can (1/3 of Canadians will cry or get choked up if we win a Gold Medal this year).

62% of Canadians say hockey will be their highlight of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games.

I'm super excited to watch this year's Olympics and although I would love to offer one of you lovely Canadian readers a chance at winning one of these Victory Bottles, I can't. I can however offer you some Canadian Swag to show off your Canadian pride! Molson Canadian is offering one lucky Canadian winner a chance at winning some Molson Canadian Swag.


The Molson Canadian Swag giveaway includes:
A scarf
Beer koozie
Skate boot 
Hat


Check out this amazing video from Molson Canadian. I nearly teared up seeing how happy these friends were to be reunited.

Crack ‘n’ Win w/ Kinder Surprise! #KinderMom


Our house is big on Kinder Surprise. It's a treat my kids get when they've done their chores, got a great report from their teachers and some times just to let them know we love them. One of things they look forward to is to see what cool new toy they received after eating the delicious chocolate treat.

Being that this household is run by a blogger, my kids get plenty of surprises on a daily basis from new movies, to toys, delicious treats, etc. I definitely encourage my friends and family to enter contests and giveaways  because their chances are just as good as any one else and I've had a few friends win from some of my bloggy friends. I've even won a few different prizes by entering giveaways and contests. They're easy and so much fun, especially if you win!


When we were sent a new package from Kinder Canada, I knew this would be the highlight of the month for my kiddos since Kinder released new Crack 'n' Win Eggs in honor of their new toy launch. There are more than $2.4 million in instant prizes to win. You can look for the specially-marked Crack n’ Win Kinder Surprise on both the Classic and Pink eggs in stores.



All your little one has to do is crack open their Crack 'n' Win Kinder Egg and look for the PIN that's on either the toy itself or on the toy leaflet within the capsule. Once they've found the code, direct them over to Kinder Canada's Facebook Page where they can easily enter their pin and check to see if they've won. Simple and easy and with a little help from mom and dad, they might be the next Crack 'n' Win winner! 

What are the prizes up for grabs, you may be asking? Well, one lucky Kinder fan could drive away in a Fiat 500 POP! Two lucky Kinder fans could win a family trip to Orlando! How awesome would some sunshine feel on your skin, especially with the Polar Voretex coming at us again! And that's not all, over 27,000 Kinder fans could win a family night out to the movies, and 201,000 fans could win a free Kinder treat! How awesome is all that just from what one pin could do? But don't delay, I would head out to the stores now and find some Crack 'n' Win Kinder Eggs before it's too late!
Disclosure: I’m part of the Kinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Valentine's Day Gifts From @StaplesCanada! (Giveaway)


Now that Football Season is over, it's time to start thinking about Valentine's Day. I know, it's come so quickly. With it being only a few days away there isn't much time to waste before it will be too late to buy that special someone in your life a gift. So we thought you lovely readers would love what we have to offer next. Just Us Girls was given the opportunity to host a wonderful giveaway that is perfect for you or the lady in your life.

Below is an amazing gift guide from Staples Canada that has a list of great gifts you can buy that special lady in your life or get for yourself if you are the type to buy your own gifts for Valentine's. I wouldn't blame you, these gifts are that awesome, I'd buy my own too! ;)

One lucky Canadian winner will be able to choose one of the nine prizes they would like to have if they win. All you have to do is let us know, which gift you would love to win and if it's for you or someone special in your life!


































1. Kindle Fire HD
2. Keurig Coffee Maker
3. Bluetooth Mini Cube Speaker
4. Fresh Cut Roses
5. Yoga Mat
6. Samsung Galaxy Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tablet
7. HP Slate Tablet
8. SmartWatch
9. Laptop Tote