Congrats to Jess from daysgoby – winner of the Crayola Colour Wonder Sound Studio and extension pack! Hoping it’s going to get to you in time for the holidays. Will pass on your contact details to the my PR contact.  Thanks for playing, everyone.

Coincidentally, we got out the Colour Wonder Sound Studio today, for the first time. I suppose it’s the sign of a good toy when there’s an all-out brawl over not sharing it very well…

So I don’t remember when Black Friday has been such a big deal in Canada. I mean, that’s an American thing, right? The Friday after the Thursday that is US Thanksgiving is a major shopping day. But suddenly this year, there are sales popping up left, right and centre in Canada. We’re used to this for Boxing Day sales, not the end of November. I think this year, Canadian retailers want us to keep our dollars in the country.

I’m not complaining. But I am in sort of a daze, pulling out my credit card at the drop of a percentage-off sign…

A store I really like is having a sale tomorrow and Saturday:

Lola & Gigi is based in Etobicoke/Toronto, and sells clothes sized 12 +. The sale items include some pretty fancy stuff, some splurges that might be good for holiday parties. I’m thinking about one of the dresses. I found this shop on my own, I’ve bought from them before, and I’ve been happy with what I’ve purchased.

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I admit, I sort of forgot I was meant to be boycotting Amazon.com when I discovered that they had Mad Men Seasons 1, 2 and 3 on sale for $9.99 on Blu Ray today.  Also today, a Club Member’s sale at my favourite UK pottery maker Emma Bridgewater meant that I bought a Christmas present for myself from my husband that he’ll pick up from his mother’s in January. Yeah, so a butter dish might not sound sexy to you. But it IS. Love the lovely Emma Bridgewater items. Lucky to have so much of it in my kitchen.

I was lucky enough to receive a Kobo e-reader at the She’s Connected conference I attended in October. Since then, I’ve been a little too happy to purchase more and more books with every discount email that they send my way. It’s a little TOO easy to add more books.  And I have to admit, it’s pretty perfect for my train commute.

Lucky all around that I can afford to splurge on myself this time of year. So now all my Christmas presents are taken care of, I guess I better start thinking about everyone else…

Disclosure: I would have been happy to talk about Lola & Gigi anyway, as I’m a customer. But they did offer me a pair of jeans to promote their Black Friday sale – this information I share with you in the interest of honesty.

I was recently invited to a PR event for this year’s launch of the Magic Santa service that Sympatico offers every year. We’ve done this before, making a video from Santa that’s tailored to the kids, with their names and some of their interests. Except this year’s a bit different. They’ve ramped up the service with an iPhone/iPod/iPad app, they’ve made the videos instantly shareable (of course) on Facebook and twitter, and most importantly, they’re making a large donation to the Kids Help Phone this year.

I’ll be honest. I don’t normally write about PR events that I get invited to, unless specifically asked. But this one was different. What struck me the most was being able to hear directly from counsellors who work for Kids Help Phone, both in a broad forum, and at smaller table discussions.  Before the event, I would have said that Kids Help Phone is one of those charities that I would have hoped my family would never have to access. Now that I know more about what kind of support they offer to kids, I hope that one day when my kids have questions about things like bullying or relationships that they potentially can’t talk to me about, they will call these wonderful counsellors.

We heard from Sharon Wood, President and CEO of Kids Help Phone who discussed Bullying Awareness Week, and Michele Ferrari, VP of Content at Sympatico.ca, who launched the Magic Santa video platform and shared details on the $50,000 donation that will be made to Kids Help Phone on behalf of parents across Canada.

Besides that? The event itself was lovely. Friends, food, conversations, cocktails, charity and good will.  I really enjoyed myself and learned a lot. Sympatico also made a further donation to Kids Help Phone to thank me for turning up.

I’ve just made our videos, for Callum (how excited was I that his name was an option!) and for Oliver. They’re going to love their video messages from Santa. Here’s the link to get started with your video. How great!

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PS: last chance to enter for the Aquafresh Futures tour Philips Sonicare toothbrush and don’t forget to enter the Crayola giveaway.

This past year, along with many other Canadian parent bloggers, I was invited to be part of the Crayola Mom Advisory Panel. This was a neat public relations experience as I’ve always been happy to give and receive Crayola products. I knew the kids would be really excited to get a chance to try out some new items. It also didn’t come with any big social media obligations; we were merely asked to provide any feedback we had on the products, and the shipments provided fodder for more natural conversations.

The shipments from Crayola that have arrived since April have included bathtub crayons, sidewalk chalk, Colour Wonder products, markers, a wall decal, and more.

Unfortunately for us, one major life event that coincided with this program was putting our house up for sale. So my kids have not yet actually played with the awesome Toy Story 3-D sidewalk chalk set they got. I couldn’t let them colour all over the driveway. The bathtub crayons got put away. I wasn’t totally mean. I did let them go wild all over a giant Cars colouring book, with sparkly pages, using their big set of Pip-squeaks markers.  We all love those. I also ALWAYS take Colour Wonder books and markers when we travel; they came with us to the UK in the summer, and to Ottawa at Thanksgiving.  Big fan of that technology!

The last shipment from the program arrived last month, and I also haven’t let the boys at it yet. Wow, you’re thinking (again), what a meanie.  But we just had Callum’s birthday and we seem to be bursting at the seams with new toys and “stuff”.  However, it’s a really good one that I’m holding back. I can’t wait until I let them try it out! (Give me a couple of weeks…)

Behold the new Colour Wonder Sound Studio…

“Bring Color Wonder creations to life – with sounds! This interactive colouring pad lets you choose from 60 sound effects and place them anywhere on any Color Wonder colouring page! Create endless sound combinations that play back when you colour your picture! The Interactive Drawing Base comes with 6 sound icon cards (total of 60 sounds), 5 Color Wonder Mini Markers, 12 pages of pre-printed Color Wonder art and 6 sheets of blank Color Wonder Paper. “

…and a we also got a Toy Story expansion pack for the Sound Studio.

These add extra images and sounds to your Studio.

Can’t wait for them to try this out – and what perfect timing, as we just watched all three Toy Story movies for the first time in the last few weeks.

Speaking of timing, you’ve probably noticed that the holidays are approaching.  Wouldn’t it be great for a little one in your life to try out the Sound Studio and an expansion pack sometime soon? Great, ’cause Crayola has been generous enough to provide a set for me to give away!

Giveaway rules:

1. Leave a comment on this post before 9:00pm EST on Thursday November 25th.  Tell me if you’d like the Toy Story or Disney Princess expansion pack to go along with the Colour Wonder Sound Studio for a little or big person in your life (hey, nobody said it was just for kids).

2. One comment per person, please. No extra entries available.

3. Make sure your comment includes a way of getting in touch with you.

4. Soon after the contest closes, I’ll pick a winner using random.org.

5. I’ll notify the winner, collect their postal address, and Crayola will send the prize directly.

Good luck!

Thanks to Crayola for their generosity through this program, and for this giveaway. Our family is very pleased.

I’ve got a bunch of giveaways coming up around these parts in the next few weeks – the run up to the holiday period this year seems especially busy for PR emails and events.  I’m not complaining. I am saying no to some things, however, but I hope you’ll stick around for a few giveaways and promos.  On the review blog right now, there’s a post regarding an RESP contest run by Aquafresh, and a giveaway for a children’s electric toothbrush.

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Any fellow bloggers may be interested in this promotion of the 50 free holiday cards – if this does not include you, you still might be interested in hearing about Shutterfly as they often have sales/promo codes, and you can shop from many different countries from their website. I used their services when we lived in the UK; now, I have a brand new account.  All brand new accounts receive 50 4×6 prints.

I’m looking forward to using my new Shutterfly account to print up some photos as I am very guilty of taking lots of pictures and then just leaving them on the computer, or only sharing them digitally.  I’m also looking forward to selecting our holiday greeting cards. I’m going to use a family photo that we just had taken by a professional photographer at daycare. There are so few pictures of the four of us together it’s not even funny; I’m always the photographer.

I’m looking at the Christmas Photo Cards, and thinking this design ‘Harmonious Noir‘ looks lovely:

For flat cards, this is cute – Merry Berry Stripes:

If I was having a holiday party, I’d love these invitations:

You might also be interested in Hanukkah cards.  I keep finding more and more options as I click around their site.

I still don’t know which design we’re going to pick. But I’m looking forward to making them, with Shutterfly’s help.

Callum, your birthday card from us (your parents) this year said ‘buckswashling phizz-whizzing three today?”.  It’s a Roald Dahl card. And it’s pretty accurate.  Phizz-whizzing (adj.) apparently means fantastic; truly amazing.

The post I wrote on your birthday last year holds very true this year: you remain my most loving child, and my most vicious.  In the same moment, you’ll be snuggling me, and one minute later literally kicking me in the shin because you can’t have a chocolate bar for dinner. Your passion is amazing, hilarious and admirable. I should really learn to discipline you better.

We had a small party on the weekend, for just family and an old friend. One day you’ll complain about no little friends running around, but honey, our house is up for sale and Mummy is tired. Anyway, I made you the blue birthday cake you wanted AND pizza on the BBQ AND your great-grandmother’s macaroni and cheese. You received a bicycle, every Toy Story movie ever made, a Cars book, two Playmobil sets, and a Hot Wheels contraption that flies a plane into the air. What more could you ask for?

I can’t believe my baby is three tomorrow! How did this happen?! Oh wait, you grew up. So much. Too fast.

We’re all in the car together, driving down to Toronto to see the Wiggles in concert, although the kids don’t know it yet. I do love to pull a good surprise on them.  Their mouth-slack, huge-eyed, I-just-got-my-socks-knocked-off faces? I love those moments.

Anyway, we’re in the car, having the usual sorts of conversations about random things, when Oliver suddenly pipes up about God.

Cringe. This atheist physically cringes, draws a sharp breath inward.

He tells us that God is everywhere,and sees everything.  He speaks of Heaven, and God’s presence up there.  There’s a mention of angels.

And, this, for me?  Is about as bad as the inevitable birds and the bees conversation that’ll have to happen one day. Actually, I can liken this conversation more to a discussion about a mall Santa Claus. Because, seriously, I’d be happy to tell my kids that Santa isn’t real. I’m just thinking of all the other children when I don’t.  I don’t want to destroy all their false hope. (My kids are going to figure it out soon, anyway. I’m a terrible liar.)

“Who has been feeding you this crap telling you these things, Oliver?”

He names a friend.

I’m silent.

When anyone speaks about their religious beliefs, I really don’t know what to say.  I can understand the comfort of a belief in a benevolent higher power, the sense of community that comes from attending church or mosque or shul. I can’t understand a God that would ‘create’ people and think some of them lesser than others, or anyone killing in the name of.  I respect your beliefs. I just don’t share them. At all.

I have my own beliefs. More like values. I believe in evolution, human kindness, in free will, in social justice, in equality. Real equality. Seriously, I mean everyone. I’m a bit of a commie/socialist.  I prefer to believe in the tangible; the human-powered; what I can see in front of me.

I still haven’t said anything to Oliver, and he’s blissfully unaware of the loaded silence that just occurred, when he suddenly starts talking about bones and skin.

“Ah ha!”  I say. “Science! I like science. Let’s talk about science.”  And just like that, I’m back in my comfort zone. Until next time.

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This morning, as I’m speeding to the train station in the dark, I try to change the radio station to my regular frequency, only to hit one of the pre-sets by accident.  Some random station comes on. But it starts playing a non-random song.

Every time I hear Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel, I think of Derek.  It was played loudly and clearly at his funeral – I will forever associate this song with him.  Derek was a co-worker and dear friend who died almost 10 years ago on a cold night in Ottawa.

Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing stretching every nerve
Had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
I just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom boom boom
“Son,” he said “Grab your things,
I’ve come to take you home.”

If I believed in fate or magic, I’d be thinking that it was no coincidence this song came on the radio while I was thinking about writing this post. Because when I think about higher powers and heaven, I think of Derek. The first death that hit me hard. The first funeral I went to as a grown-up person.

Where are you, Derek? Did someone come to take you home?

Most of the time, I don’t think so. I think Derek went to darkness, to nothingness. I think of dirt and decay when I think of death. There’s no imaginings of an afterlife in my mind.

But I’m in a place of luxury, where no one truly close to me has died.  How would I feel about heaven if I lost someone I truly, intimately loved? Where would I think they would be headed to?

I wish I didn’t have to find out the answer to this. But I will, one day. And then maybe my kids will have to teach me about imagination and magic. I might need some help.