Category: giveaway

The Ultimate Easter Basket Gift from kaboom! #Giveaway #Review

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Easter is right around the corner (doesn’t it just feel like it was the New Year?) and what better way to surprise your little ones with a Treehouse Cube full of their favourite shows on DVD format!

Ultimate Easter Treehouse DVD Cube

On March 3rd, kaboom! entertainment launched the Treehouse Ultimate Collection cube which includes ten hours of your favourite Treehouse shows. Inside this unique package you will find ten DVDs featuring: Toopy and Binoo, Franklin, Max and Ruby, Brother Bear, Captain Barnacles, Kwazii, Golias and Nessa. This collection features one hundred of your child’s favourite episodes!

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Our youngest was so excited to come home and find the Cube. He didn’t know which one to watch first! So he settled with catching up on more Toopy and Binoo followed by Octonauts and Bernstein Bears for me.

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Zack and Quack: Popping Hopping Easter came with this bundle which was the perfect movie to get just in time for Easter. This DVD features Zack and his best friend, an impulsive young duck named Quack. They live inside a pop up book. It is a place full of surprises where pulling pop ups makes exciting and unexpected things happen. This DVD comes with five episodes.

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Remember the Guess How Much I Love You DVD I featured in January? This would be the perfect addition to add into your Easter gift basket for your little one. A special reminder to your little one on just how much they mean to you.

Guess How Much I Love You

If you have a little one at home that would love to win this Ultimate Treehouse DVD cube and Zack and Quack Popping Hopping Easter, you can now win your own just in time for Easter! My Canadian residents can enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
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Make sure to follow kaboom! on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with new releases.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products free of charge. All opinions expressed are my own.

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A Life of the Twentieth Century by Irene Even #review

iRead Book Tours

A Life of the Twentieth Century is the story of Aya, a young girl alone in the world after the death of her parents who must face the horrors of the Second World War.

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About A Life of the Twentieth Century

Aya loses her parents at the tender age of three. At the age of twelve, she was sent to a boarding school in Budapest that was forced to close after one year due to the Nazi army marching into the city.

Aya was left alone to face the Nazi occupation and to experience the horrors of the war. She faced many life threatening situations, such as prison, bombardment or even the possibility of execution on the spot without really comprehending the gravity of it all.

The end of the war was supposed to mean liberation, the return of hope and freedom for most people however this did not happen for Aya, who was part of a youth group on their way to Palestine. The destination of this youth group was to reach Italy and the Jewish Brigade. They crossed the Alps on foot from Austria to reach Italy.

As they reached their destination Aya met a solider from the Jewish Brigade who was supposed to be her hero, her Saviour but who turned out to be the devil incarnate. From day one this solider of the Jewish Brigade took control of Aya’s life when she was only fifteen years old.

After divorce, destitute and once again alone, she had no direction and almost no hope. From deep inside her she heard a voice telling her to go back to school. It took all her courage to apply to university where she was accepted and after five years was granted a B.A. and a Diploma in Teaching. She spent the rest of her life teaching and as she contemplated her life she said to herself that is she had had all the choices in the world, she would have chosen teaching.

My Thoughts

It is hard to know where to start with such a powerful book. Even more so when the story is a true story of the struggles a young girl faced during the Second World War right through to adulthood. I felt humbled and honoured to read her story as Irene draws us into the story of Aya.

At such a young age, Aya could hardly understand the complexities and the dangers around her during the war but she faced them bravely and without fear. She describes events that gave me goosebumps and a strong sense of appreciation of how brave she was despite being so young (can you even begin to imagine crossing the Alps on foot to reach Italy??!). It is hard to believe that she accomplished so much before the age of sixteen but she did as many like her did as well out of necessity and the need to survive.

I was heartbroken for her as she struggled with depression and a marriage that was unhappy. Like many that suffer from depression it is hard to accept and reach out for help. I was glad to see her pull out from the fog of unhappiness and depression and reach for her goals of teaching. I was even happier when she left the dangerous marriage that she was in. Her marriage only put additional strain on her as a person both mentally and physically.

A Life of the Twentieth Century is a memoir that reads like an unpredictable novel with the beauty of being a true story. A truly lovely memoir of a powerful, brave and determined young lady who grows into an even stronger woman as she struggles on the journey of life. A definite must read especially for young women who will most likely identify with many parts of this memoir.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon or Book Locker.

Rating: 5/5

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About Irene Even

Irene Even was born in Hungary. As a child she lived through the Second World War using false papers to survive. After the war, she immigrated to Palestine and lived in a Kibbutz. She then later married and immigrated to Canada with her family. She returned to Israel to teach English and remained there for twenty-two years. After writing her memoir, she now lives in retirement in Montreal.

The Giveaway!

You can now enter to win one of ten e-book copies of A Life of the Twentieth Century. This giveaway is open internationally and ends March 21st. Good luck!

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

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Pants! No Chance! by Susan Lanyi #girlswholovedresses

iRead Book Tours

Pants! No Chance! by Susan Lanyi follows the tale of Lulupop, a dress loving young girl who refuses to wear pants.

pants-no-chance

About Pants! No Chance!

Lulupop rarely puts up a fuss for her Mother. Except for when it comes to pants.

Dresses, dresses, dresses is all she will ever wear! With time, a little drama and no lack of imagination, Lulupop realizes that wearing dresses is not always the best idea.

My Thoughts

Lulupop is an incredibly imaginative young lady that sure does love her dresses! She loves her dresses so much that she does not listen to her Mother’s sound advice and compares wearing pants to the most extreme situations.

Lulupop and her imagination had us giggling throughout the book with her comparisons and even reminded us of someone in our own little family with her ‘I would rather”. In Pants! No Chance! we are able to follow along with Lulupop as her Mother tries to make her understand that sometimes even when we don’t like something it may be the best solution for a problem.

Through humour and gorgeous drawings, Susan brings home this message in a way that children and adults can relate to. How many times have you had the conversation with your child – do you remember what happened the last time you made this choice? I know we have many times! This story had us giggling and saying, ‘oh Lulupop!’.

A fantastic story line that is easy to read out loud and gorgeous, bright illustrations make Pants!No Chance! a family favourite that you will enjoy reading with your child over and over again.
Rating: 5/5

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About Susan Lanyi

Susan lives in Montreal with her husband, three children and their family puppy. Susan is a writer who has been previously published in Globe and Mail. When Susan is not busy writing or doing Mom stuff she is busy shopping for pants for her daughter who refuses to wear dresses! You can connect with Susan on Twitter and Facebook.

Giveaway Time!

Susan is giving away five copies of her book, Pants! No Chance! This giveaway is open internationally and ends March 6th. Good luck!

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Disclosure: I received a copy of Pants! No Chance! in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Baby Comes Home: A Parent’s Guide

iRead Book Tours

Baby Comes Home by Dr. Paul Roumeliotis is the ultimate parenting resource guide to ensure your baby is happy, healthy and feels loved.

baby-comes-home

About Baby Comes Home

In Baby Comes Home, Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, an expert pediatrician takes a unique approach to baby care by emphasizing what scientific approach already has proven – that what happens early on in a child’s life will affect their overall health later down the road.

Baby Comes Home communicates the latest science that explores how positive or negative early childhood experiences can have lifelong consequences. The book begins by describing the vital changes that occur in a child’s brain in the first eighteen months of life. The book then goes on to explain the Science of TLC – that shows that tender, loving and caring relationships will help to positively shape a child’s brain. The book then presents more practical information on safety, baby patterns, immunizations, injury prevention and more. Dr. Paul also describes common illnesses in the first few  years of life.

My Thoughts:

Bringing a new child home is hard whether or not you are a new parent or a seasoned parent. Each child is unique and different and you face new challenges with changing opinions and differences in parenting styles.

What I like the most of Baby Comes Home is that Dr. Paul presents child care in an open way with no links to certain parenting styles or condemns certain styles. His basis is on loving and caring for your child. That is what counts the most – our children need to know they are loved and cared for. This will help them to become stronger and independent adults.

Dr. Paul breaks down each section and highlights the important parts. The information is useful for not only baby but also for older children as well making this a book you will cherish for years to come and not just for the first twelve months of life (ex. pool safety, petting zoo safety,etc.). Dr. Paul also adds practical points that are easily appreciated by many parents to give you real life examples (how to mix cereals and introduce solid foods).

One of the biggest concerns I have as a parent is questioning whether or not my child is meeting important developmental milestones. The sooner this is recognized (if they are not achieving these milestones) the sooner you can help your child. Dr. Paul breaks these milestones down and gives you clear developmental milestones by age. Remember if you have a concern to openly speak to your family doctor – they are so important for caring for your child!.

Baby Comes Home will be one of the best investments you make in a parenting resource. A perfect guide for parents and grandparents alike this book will last long into their childhood. You can find the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Rating: 5/5

About the Author:

Dr. Paul is an expert of early child health and wellness and a health communications pioneer. His education content has reached millions online as well as being featured on television and radio. Dr. Paul believes that the future of health care is in communication of health information in a variety of media formats. This vision inspired him to become a writer/publisher/publisher of multi format health and wellness resources.

You can connect with Dr. Paul online, on Twitter and on Facebook.

The Giveaway!

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

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Zax’s All Natural Health Care Products #giveaway

zaxs

Dark spots, under eye circles, facial redness and bruises. All of these conditions draw attention to the areas we want to hide. There are so many products out on the market that say they will treat these conditions but some may work and others are full of ingredients that we may not want to even put on our body. I know I prefer to use as many natural products as possible.

For the last two months I have been using Zax’s all natural Darkspot cream, Dark Circle Cream and Facial Redness Cream. As many of my friends and family know, I suffer with dark eye circles (it has been a constant almost my whole life) and it has always bothered me. No amount of makeup ever seems like it can cover the darkness properly. To match those lovely shiners, my cheeks tend to go red depending on the foods I have eaten. Gluten is the worst culprit for causing this reaction. If I have too much gluten my skin reacts with red bumps on my cheeks (not to mention my arms!).

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Zax’s Dark Circle Cream

Zax’s Dark Circle eye cream is designed to reduce puffiness and minimize dark circles to leave your under eyes looking fresh. The cream includes witch hazel (natural astringent), cucumber extract (to soothe and moisturize) and caffeine (anti inflammatory). You should use the cream for four weeks to ensure an adequate amount of time has passed to achieve results.

The cream was easy to apply and only a small amount is needed. I liked the soothing effect it had on my under eyes without a burning sensation. I noticed no strong smell to the cream either which is perfect considering you are applying it on your face close to your nose. I applied this cream twice a day because I loved the way it made my eyes appear less puffy.

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Zax’s Darkspot Cream

As we age we tend to develop dark spots, some individuals are luckier than others but I have noticed some areas on my face have developed dark spots (especially along the jaw line!). Zax’s dark spot cream is a chemical free skin brightening cream that removes dead skin cells, reduces the appearance of dark skin and moisturizes. The five natural ingredients include: citrus ushiu peel extract (skin lightening effect), licorice extract (UVA and UVB absorption), Aloe (skin lightening effect), vitamin E (anti-oxidant) and niacinamide (unique form of Vitamin B3).

I love using this cream! I have done waxing and electrolysis on my face in the past and I began to notice that the skin on my chin and jaw line is always slightly darker than the rest of my face. Applying this cream to this area over the last two months I have noticed a slight improvement in this area with a brighter look to my face. The cream also has a pleasant citrus smell to it and leaves a nice fresh feeling.

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Zax’s Facial Redness

Facial redness can occur for a variety of reasons: rosacea, windburn or even dehydrated skin. This cream works to reduce the redness, improve moisture and improve the tone and texture of your skin. The formula includes: pine bark extract (anti inflammatory), aloe (skin soothing properties) and Vitamin E (to treat skin conditions).

There is nothing fun about facial redness. It feels like your face is a beacon to the world and at times makes me very self-conscious. Using the facial redness cream during these times (I did not use it consistently during the two months just when the redness started until it finished) had an almost immediate effect lessening the severity of the redness.

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All of these creams are recommended for individuals twelve years of age and older. The best part is that a small amount is required for application allowing the creams to last that much longer!

Zax’s is giving you the chance to win your own collection of creams!

This prize pack includes:

  • Zax’s Original heelspur cream
  • Zax’s Facial Redness cream
  • Zax’s Original Bruise cream
  • Zax’s Original Darkspot cream
  • Zax’s Original Dark Eye circle cream

The Giveaway!

Make sure to follow Zax’s on Twitter and Facebook for new updates and information.

zaxs

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products free of charge in order to complete this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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