Month: October 2016

October 21, 2016

Halloween Movie Nights Done Right with Netflix #StreamTeam

Halloween is by far my most favourite holiday of the year. The other ones are fun and all but Halloween gets me super excited every year. I even love to decorate our clinical office every year because lets face it a couple of goofy pumpkins and cute vampires tends to bring out the big kid in all of us. Something we all need to do more often.

Our Halloween decorations went up at home about two weeks ago, sometimes I find it hard to wait until after Thanksgiving! The skeletons are hanging outside, the bloody hands are on the windows, the wreath is up and hanging ghosts are on the porch. The kids love helping out with the decorations and it seems like every year we end up buying more decorations to add to the old ones (you can never truly have enough Halloween decorations right?). My husband has been eagerly working on his annual holiday project, which involves putting together a special slide show to be projected on the front windows with accompanying scary music. He goes all out every year with his slide show and the kids get a kick out of, but truthfully I think his favourite part is hiding behind the open door and scaring the trick or treaters. He has only ever had one kid throw something at him from being too scared!

To help get us in the mood, every year our Family Friday Movie nights revolve around Halloween inspired movies. One of the boys favourite movies is Hotel Transylvania, both parts one and two. Our youngest can literally tell you word for word every part of the movie (for the last two months, this has been our nightly bedtime movie – no exaggeration, our eldest rolls his eyes every time it comes on again), not to mention singing Drac’s favourite lullaby at bed time “suffer, suffer, scream in pain…you will never breathe again…” which must be sung in a very Dracula like voice in order for it to pass. Since we watch this one particular movie almost every night, we need to get extra creative for the month of October and these are our top five hits to help get you through the month of October and in the Halloween spirit.

Ghostbusters 2 – this is a huge new family favourite ever since we watched the new Ghostbusters. Our youngest couldn’t wait to watch the older versions.
The Nightmare before Christmas (a favourite from my own youth)
Scooby Doo and the Legend of the Vampire
Casper’s Scare School
Alvin and The Chipmunks meet Wolfman

Netflix has a huge range of Halloween family friendly (and some not so family friendly) movies that can get you geared up for the best holiday of the year. Netflix is definitely my go to solution for the BEST family movie night finds. Where else can you get movies you loved in your youth and movies that your children will love?

So this month as you get ready for Halloween, why not shake up the weekly family movie night by including some of the best Halloween themed movies around. You can throw in some great Halloween themed snacks from Pinterest and voila it will be a family movie night that your kids will not forget!

What is your favourite Halloween themed movie of all time?

Disclosure: I am a Netflix #StreamTeam member and receive perks associated with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 21, 2016

Protecting My Sons For the Future Against the HPV Virus

Protecting Our Sons Future Against the HPV Virus

There have been several distinct moments in my life that have changed me as a person as well as helped to strengthen and define my personal beliefs. The one moment in my life that has defined me as a person the strongest was the moment that I became a Mother. On both of these occasions, I can still remember the intense feelings, the labour pain and that incredible moment when I first heard the cries of my boys. Hard to believe that such a strong and loud cry can be the most beautiful sound you can ever hear as a parent! The moment that my boys were placed into my arms for skin to skin contact, the pure love and protection that I felt for them was immense and almost impossible to describe. I knew in those special moments that I would do absolutely anything in my power to keep them safe and strong for the rest of my life.

These two moments have worked to strengthen my health care beliefs about vaccinations. I have always strongly supported vaccination, as it protects and prevents so many diseases that can be life threatening but the birth of my children reinforced this belief. Working every day in Family Medicine exposes me to a variety of beliefs, concerns and fears about vaccinations from other parents and expecting couples. Our clinic works hard to educate and assist parents in their health care decisions, using everything from information handouts to open discussions with members of their health care team. Every question is important and valid, especially as parents navigate their child through the immunization process (which doesn’t end as soon as children enter kindergarten as your child will be due for additional immunizations in Grade Seven). I find talking to my own physician and the residents at our clinic always helpful when I need to make a decision about my boys’ health care concerns and vaccinations. Seeking out the advice of educated individuals who want the best for my boys has always been my number one source to turn to when I am confused or need reassurance that I am making the best possible decision for my boys.

Last week my son came home from school with paperwork from Public Health with the three vaccines that he will be receiving this year in Grade Seven at his school. This included the HPV vaccine! As a parent, I was ecstatic that my son was being given the chance to receive this vaccine. As many of you are probably already aware, the HPV vaccine was previously only offered to girls in Grade Eight. This fall will mark the first year that boys in Ontario will be offered the HPV vaccine, additionally the age that the vaccine is being offered to Ontario students is being lowered from female students in Grade Eight to both male and female students in Grade Seven (girls that just entered into Grade Eight this year will still be eligible to receive the vaccination – no worries there for parents of girls in Grade Eight!). Ontario students will now be in line with all other provinces in Canada following the best practical evidence for the administration of the HPV vaccine. What an amazing time for parents and students alike in Ontario!

So what is all the fuss about the HPV vaccine?

The HPV virus is extremely common and is spread through sexual skin to skin contact with an infected person. Some types of this HPV virus can lead to cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile and anal cancers, while other types can lead to genital warts – all of which is quite frightening not only as a patient but for the child’s parent. This virus is so common, that as many as three out of four sexually active Canadians carry this virus! While for many years the focus has been on females (as many of you have been exposed to the various advertisements both on television and in print) and the importance of the vaccine for protection against this virus for females, males have generally been left out of this equation. They are a very important part of this equation as they are capable of spreading this infection through sexual activity between partners, sometimes without even knowing as symptoms are not always present.

As a parent to two boys, I felt relief and excitement over this announcement (I was far too old for this vaccine when it was introduced to the public and a huge part of me had wished that I had been eligible to have received it) and I know my husband was as well, he even questioned whether he could receive the vaccine. While my boys are not of age to be sexually active, it is so important to educate and protect them long before they become sexually active – education goes a long way when it comes to sexual health! We had an important conversation with our son on the same night that he came home from school with the information pamphlets all about the HPV virus, the HPV vaccine and what it protects him from and what it can help to prevent in the long term. While some of the information may need to be shared again with him as the date of his vaccination comes closer, I know we took an important first step in educating him and protecting him by filling out our consent for his vaccination.

The HPV virus, while common, can have a huge impact on your child’s life. Educating both yourself and your child on this vaccine is so important as you make the decision together to vaccinate your child this year. For my husband and I, making the decision to vaccinate our son against the HPV virus was easy and we jumped at this opportunity to protect our son and his future health. If you are struggling with this decision, I strongly encourage you to visit Ontario’s Ministry of Health website which has information specific to parents as well as booking an appointment to discuss your concerns with your family physician. You can also follow the Ontario Ministry of Health on Twitter and Facebook to get up to date information and news.

Disclosure: This post was developed in association with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The opinions of the author are their own.

October 21, 2016

Christmas Joy Book Review

USA Today bestselling author, Nancy Naigle, comes bearing gifts this season with her heartwarming novel Christmas Joy – a story about family, friendship and finding love in unexpected places.

About Christmas Joy

Joy might be all work and no play but all of that changes when her Aunt Ruby takes an unexpected fall that lands her in a rehabilitation centre just before the holidays. Joy takes a leave of absence from her job as a market researcher to run the family farm, even though the leave may hinder her chances of a promotion.

Ben isn’t your average accountant. He also happens to be the handiest man in all of Crystal Falls! He has helped his elderly neighbour, Ruby, decorate for the annual Christmas Home tour and win for the last several years. He is not about to let some drop in niece ruin their winning streak!

Ruby seems overly concerned that Joy will not be able to handle Molly. Under the impressions, she is referring to Molly the bunny, one of many animals, Joy is not too worried until the next morning when Molly the child shows up. For the sake of her Aunt, Joy is forced to team up with Ben while Ruby is on the mend to help with the preparation of the Christmas tour and in turn finds her career focused heart dreaming of her own family.

My Thoughts

Christmas can be a very difficult time of the year for many people. For some, they feel alone while others may have lost a significant person in their life around the holidays. This has turned the holidays into a negative experience for them, one from which they want to hide from. This is very true for Joy who lost her Mother around the holidays. This has changed the person who she is and her relationship with the only family she has left and the holiday season.

Joy is your typical young individual who is trying hard to make it in their career. They give and give, almost until there is not enough of them to give. At most times she feels like it is worth it. She doesn’t have anymore family, except for her Aunt Ruby so she doesn’t feel the loss as harshly as others might. What she doesn’t realize she is missing out on family, love and the feelings that go along with it. When she is forced to come ‘home’ to care for her Aunt’s home and animals, she begins to realize her life hasn’t been all that she thought it was. She is forced to look at her past, her emotions that she has hidden so well and she is scared of what she finds.

Ben is a good friend and help to Aunt Ruby. He has also felt his own fair share of pain when his wife left him to pursue the bright lights of the city. He is also just the person that Joy needs to open her eyes. They get off on quite a rocky foot and you are not sure throughout the book whether or not they can get over their differences but you know in your heart Ben is just the person that Joy needs.

Christmas Joy is a heart warming story of forgiveness, letting go of our past and moving forward, family and love. It was a beautiful story that I just couldn’t put down as it touched my heart. I know so many people like Joy who have been hurt around the holidays and who find it hard to let go. I felt so connected to her and wanted to reach out and hug her throughout the story. This is definitely a truly special holiday book that you will treasure year round.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Nancy Naigle whips up small town love with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing and the occasional spa day! A native of Virginia Beach, she now calls North Carolina home.

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

October 18, 2016

Boots and Bedlam

Wedding bells will soon be ringing in the Lowcountry.

About Boots and Bedlam

Wedding bells will soon be ringing in the Lowcountry. All Sam Sweeney wants is to marry her man on Christmas Eve surrounded by family and friends. But emerging complications, some humorous and some not so humorous, threaten to converge and derail the best-laid plans during the busy stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Amidst the chaos—dealing with real estate, planning a wedding, running a seafood market, honoring traditions, and contending with teenagers—even the weather rears its head when the weatherman forecasts a white Christmas. Never has family support been more needed, but will it be enough to restore order and save the day?

My Thoughts

Another AMAZING book in the Sweeney Sister series! Ashley is an amazing story-teller who draws you into the novel and connects you deeply to the characters. You end up feeling like they are your best friend and sister!

This book was all about Sam, who has suffered so much personal heartache in the past. All you want for her is to be happy but you understand how hard this is for her to. She has a tendency to not trust and get scared, and for good reasons too! If you read the other novels in this series (which you don’t have to understand this book), you will know her reluctance to wed and you find yourself so happy with her decision to finally marry the man she loves and who adores her! My heart was so happy for her. But when little things start to go awry, you feel her frustration and worry. I am so superstitious and I would feel the same – that things are doomed to go wrong! Sam needs to learn to rely on her fiance, her son and her family to help her get through this chaotic time – something she is not used too!

By the end of the novel, you are smiling, laughing and a little teary for all they have gone through. Both Sam and her son are both different people by the end of the novel, growing in spirit and maturity. The actual ending of the novel left me whirling! It was not what I expected but was the perfect way to end this story and lead in to the next book in this series. Which I know CAN NOT wait to read!!!! You will fall in love with Ashley’s writing and her ability to draw you right into the story. This book and whole series are a must read for sure.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Ashley Farley is a wife and mother of two college-aged children. She grew up in the salty marshes of South Carolina, but now lives in Richmond, Virginia, a city she loves for its history and traditions.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save. SAVING BEN is not a memoir, but a story about the special bond between siblings.

HER SISTER’S SHOES—June 24, 2015—is a women’s novel that proves the healing power of family.

Look for MERRY MARY this holiday season, a heartwarming story of the powerful connection between a caring soul and an innocent child in need.

You can connect with her online, Facebook and Facebook.

October 12, 2016

Skylanders Heroes Come to Life in Skylanders Academy

How many of you have children that are obsessed with Skylanders? Our kids LOVE the video game! They even play with the character figure pieces even when they aren’t playing the video game. And now your little ones can watch their favourite heroes come to life in Skylanders Academy premiering on Netflix on October 28th.

About Skylanders Academy

Skylanders Academy follows the heroic adventures of the Skylanders team, a ragtag group of heroes with unique elemental skills who travel the vast Skylands universe, protecting it from evil-doers. They achieve victory by setting aside their egos, learning to trust one another and fighting as one to maintain harmony and balance in the land. Led by showrunner Eric Rogers (Futurama), the animated action-adventure series features the voices of Justin Long (Dodge Ball) as Spyro, Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical, Phineas and Ferb) as Stealth Elf, Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) as Eruptor and Norm MacDonald (Saturday Night Live) as Glumshanks. Additional voice talent includes Susan Sarandon, Daniel Wu, Parker Posey, James Hetfield, Catherine O’Hara, Chris Diamantopoulos and Harland Williams, among others.

Netflix members worldwide will learn the “Skylander way” –and enjoy all of the humor and heart in between– starting with 12 episodes this Fall and continuing with a second season in late 2017. Skylanders Academy is the first project from Activision Blizzard Studios.

Trailer

Get ready to have fun and watch our heroes protect the universe from evil!

Disclosure: I am a StreamTeam Member and receive perks associated with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.