Month: October 2015

October 7, 2015

Life Is Too Precious To Not Prepare #InsuranceThatFits

The birth of our second son brought a variety of changes to our family. Not only did we have to learn to share our time and attention between two children, we had to adjust to a whole new set of needs, demands and time schedules (after six years I had become so used to a straight six hours of sleep at night). It became apparent really quickly that we had outgrown our townhouse as we were walking over baby toys. Isn’t it incredible how one small child can overrun the house with all of their toys, accessories and equipment?

It took us six months to find our forever home, we had been looking occasionally prior to this but never with any real true interest. We wanted our home to be close to our boy’s school, near a park, and away from heavy car traffic (our townhouse at the time was on a busy street and we hated it with a passion). We couldn’t believe our luck when a home came up that matched all of our wants and in our price range! In what felt like warp speed, we had purchased our first home. In all of our excitement, I had this nagging concern eating away at me that we had not protected our children enough.

Life insurance was always something we had both wanted to purchase, but kept putting it off. It was always on our must-purchase list, but found it hard to discuss with each other (your own mortality is seriously one of the hardest topics ever to talk about with your spouse). But with the purchase of a new home (and mortgage), as well as two children to provide for, we needed to act quickly.

For my husband and I, our biggest concern was that if one of us passed away, we wanted to ensure that the boys would still be able to stay in their home with the surviving spouse. We didn’t want to get caught with too little money and force the boys to have to go through a move on top of all the other emotional currents they would be dealing with.

Sorting through life insurance types, companies that provide policies, and deciding how much we needed was overwhelming. We even needed to take a step back from it all at one point as it became far too much for us. Taking that step back helped us realize we needed to go to a company that we trusted and had a connection with already, for us that was TD. Both of us have always banked with TD and our investments are with TD, so it made sense for us to trust them with our life insurance. My husband and I sat down and applied online for term life insurance. We had already decided that we each needed an amount that was equal to our mortgage, so that the surviving spouse could pay off the mortgage and our children would not have to move. I loved the online option as we were able to change the amounts of coverage to get a couple of quotes for a variety of coverage options.

With the TD Insurance online application and quotes, we discovered that we could actually increase our term life insurance policy coverage to not only cover our mortgage, but to also give enough for either of us to pay off any additional debts that we might have. Completing our application was easy; TD Insurance set up a time to come visit with us and fill out the health questionnaire (medication list, height, weight and some minor blood work). Their life insurance needs analysis helps you to determine how much coverage you need and at what cost it will be to you. As a bonus, if you call TD Insurance at 1-888-756-5666 for a free life insurance needs analysis (insert link) by November 13, you can be entered to win one of 300 FitBitTMFlex activity trackers!

For my husband and I, this small action has caused a great amount of emotional and financial relief. We now know that as a family we are protected from any uncontrollable accidents or events that could change our lives both emotionally and financially. We now know our boys will be protected and that we can focus on their emotional needs if that time comes. This is what term life insurance provides you with: security in the event that the uncontrollable and inevitable happens.

Do you have term life insurance? If so, what prompted you to purchase term life insurance?

This post is brought to you by TD Insurance but the images and opinions are my own. For more information, please visit www.tdinsurance.com/termlife.

October 6, 2015

A Weekend at Blue Mountain #WW with linky

Fall is all about simple, outdoor family getaways and this weekend was all about family and getting outside for us. We spent the weekend in Blue Mountain, hiking and exploring at Scenic Caves and then exploring the Blue Mountain Village. Here is a sneak peek at our weekend but don’t forget to come back to hear more about and see even more pictures!

Make sure you link up below so that I can come visit you too! Looking forward to sharing more of Scenic Caves and Blue Mountain with you this week. Have a great week!

October 6, 2015

Yellow-Billed Magpie

Unlike their black-billed cousins, yellow-billed magpies are rarely found outside California’s central valley. So when they begin showing up in Samantha O’Malley’s dreams, she wonders: are they calling me home?

About Yellow-billed Magpie

Disappointed by failed fertility treatments and the break-up of her marriage, Samantha returns to her home town and slips into old habits, resuming her teaching career, even hooking up with an old lover. But she also renews her friendship with Craig, the school custodian she honors as her spiritual guide. The work they do together with Samantha’s special education students will lead her to discoveries she never thought possible.

Yellow-Billed Magpie is a love story, a spiritual journey, a quest to look beyond appearances to the mystical rhythms that guide the human heart.

My Thoughts

I loved Yellow-Billed Magpie from start to finish. Each chapter was a special journey with Samantha as she begins a journey to find herself. Samantha is a spiritual and kind soul, her work in special education gives her a unique outlook on life.

I love how Samantha was strong enough to make the decision for herself to start over. She knew in her heart that the life she was living was not right. She wasn’t happy or satisfied. While this was a tough choice for her, she knew in her heart she had to make it. Although she questioned herself at times, it was signs that helped her realize that this was the best choice for her. Meeting her old spiritual guide, her old flame and a chance to help a special child with a communication tool she gave up on long ago.

Yellow-Billed Magpie is a wonderful journey that you take along with Samantha, as you witness her struggles, her hope and her journey of faith. You will not want to put this novel down!

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Nancy Schoellkopf has been telling stories and writing poems for many lifetimes. It goes without saying she’s needed a second income, so this time around she happily taught amazing children in special education classes in two urban school districts in Sacramento, California. A full-time writer now, she enjoys lavishing attention on her cat, her garden and her intriguing circle of family and friends.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 2, 2015

Protecting Your Dental Health With Prevention: Intellident Toothbrush Shield

I think it is pretty safe for me to say that dental health is one of the most important health concerns for most adults and their children. We want our teeth and gums to be healthy so we visit the dentist every six to twelve months, we brush our teeth twice daily and floss. All of this is done so our teeth remain strong, gums are healthy all of which gives us a healthy and confident smile.

But what about the unseen germs and bacteria that can be lying in wait in your bathroom? I always thought I had a clean bathroom and our toothbrushes were safe until I read on the IntelliDent site that, “a flushing toilet releases off fine mist of airborne droplets that can settle in a six-foot radius”. Yeah gross.

The traditional plastic covers are a breeding ground for bacteria to grow, which I am sure you have seen when water and tooth paste build up on them. Sharing toothbrush holders can pass germs from one toothbrush to the next.

This is where the IntelliDent toothbrush shield comes in. The Intellident Toothbrush Shield is made up of a breathable, quick drying material that acts like a barrier for your toothbrush protecting it from airborne bacteria and germs. The toothbrush shields have been laboratory tested to be 99.9% effective as a barrier to airborne germs and bacteria.

The shields come in packages of ten and each shield is individually wrapped to ensure freshness and no cross contamination. Intellident recommends replacing the shields every seven days to ensure maximum protection.

The shields were honestly the easiest thing to open, very similar to band aids and our toothbrushes slid right into the pockets no problem. It fit all of our toothbrushes (from the youngest to eldest). With their sleek and white design they look more than okay on our toothbrush sitting in a toothbrush holder. It has even sparked a few conversations with family about dental health and toothbrush bacteria (and maybe even a few debates) which is a great thing. The best part is the peace of mind that no bacteria or germs will unintentionally find it’s way onto our toothbrushes which could make us sick.

Check out this helpful video from Shape on Intellident Toothbrush Shields:

Make sure you follow Intellident Toothbrush Shields on Twitter for updates and information!

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 1, 2015

LEGO Star Wars in 100 Scenes

Two of our favourite things in our house collide in this new book from DK Canada: LEGO and Star Wars!

This new LEGO Star Wars book retells all of your favourite Star Wars scenes from all six films in 100 scenes. This is done all while using LEGO characters and brick to retell the epic battles. LEGO Star Wars covers everything you loved from Anakin’s Rage to the Councillor being kidnapped to the Imperial Pursuit. There is a little bit for every Star Wars fan in your house.

This book geared towards children really blends both aspects of the films and LEGO qualities together very well. The book reads similar to a comic but these elements hold true to the Star Wars films (quick, abrupt sentences, the typography) and even the way the characters speak in their thought bubbles. We also have boxes on the page that give us more information about the LEGO pieces shown and how they are used to build the vehicles and accessories. It was pretty neat to learn all the different LEGO Star Wars sets and characters that have been developed over the years.

You can purchase a copy of LEGO Star Wars on Amazon.

The Star Wars The Force Awakens comes just in time for Star Wars Reads Day on October 10th, 2015. This is a day where all things Star Wars and reading are celebrated. You can gear up for Star Wars Reads Day by visiting DK Canada and downloading their Star Wars Reads Day activity kit.

Disclosure: I received the above product. All opinions expressed are my own.