Category: Uncategorized

March 12, 2015

Dining At Blue Mountain #WinterWarrior

Food has this magical way of bringing people together – to laugh, to talk and to catch up. The best part of vacation is getting to dine out with no worries about cooking but just being able to enjoy the meal and company.

With so many dining options to choose from at Blue Mountain, we chose to have dinner at Firehall Pizza Co and at Oliver and Bonacini. We chose to have breakfast at the all day breakfast restaurant, Sunset Grill.

The Sunset Grill serves up delicious all day breakfast with endless coffee (mmmm…coffee!). I loved the warm decor that brightened up the inside and made you feel right at home. Our meals were very well priced and came with huge portions which was perfect for filling us up for a day of skiing. Sunset Grill was the perfect breakfast dining option for us and it was located within a five-minute walk from our hotel.

My delicious meal:

The hubby got the protein meal! Check out all that goodness:

Hungry yet? I know I am!

We had dinner at Firehall Pizza Co on our first night and I fell in love with the food and decor (and from the large group of people gathering it was definitely a hot spot at Blue Mountain Village!). The music was pumping (but not overwhelming so), the staff were fantastic, service was quick and the food was delicious!

Oliver and Bonancini was the last place we dined at during our stay and it offered a good variety of cuisine to satisfy each one of us. The children’s meals came with an appetizer, main course and a dessert! Both of our boys devoured their food!

My husband ordered the lamb and in his words “That was the most incredible meal I have ever eaten!”. And it truly was.

The atmosphere and design of the restaurant was gorgeous. Later on in the night, in the picture below the top part of this middle area lights up with a fire casting a warm glow in the restaurant. The restaurant is perfectly located on the main floor of the Westin hotel just adjacent to the lobby.

I had to share a picture of my gorgeous Sangria!

Do you have a favourite place to dine out at when visiting Blue Mountain? Which one of these places would you want to visit first?

March 11, 2015

Ensuring Financial Security and Well Being for Your Family with FormalWill.ca

One of the most important documents you will ever develop for your family is putting together a will to ensure that your family and friends know your wishes and that the minor details are taken care of.

Have you thought about who your estate will go to? What if your children are minors – who will take care of them in the event that both your spouse and yourself pass away? While these are not the most pleasant questions to have to ask yourself they are necessary to ensure the security of your family in the event you pass away.

What is a will?

A will is a legal document that will grant your executor the power to divide your property, name who will control your estate and if you have any minor children who will be their legal guardian to care for them when you are not there to do so.

Why does this matter?

This matters for so many reasons. Without any legal document containing your wishes, your estate could go undistributed or be distributed to individuals you did not wish your estate to go to. Your family may not be able to access the necessary funds that they need. Your children may not go to the guardian you had spoken to and wished for them to go to in the event that something happened to you.

So what is holding you back from getting a will? For us it has always been finding the time and the cost of creating a will, not to mention the whole concept is scary. I am terrified of leaving my children alone but it is because of them that I know how important it is to ensure my will is complete and up to date.

Here comes the easy part! FormalWill.ca has made preparing a will simple and convenient. You can now complete your will online from at home in a few, quick steps.

First step: Speak with your spouse about your wishes and who you want to step in as guardian and executor if your spouse does not survive you. You want to make sure this person is aware of you appointing them as guardian and executor. Now this may be an awkward conversation (trust me on this one!) but you will feel so much better after you have done so!

Second Step: Visit FormalWill.ca and create an account. This will take you literally seconds and you will receive a confirmation email with your account details. On the second screen you will enter basic information (name, where you live, spousal information, children).

Third Step: Name your beneficiaries and executors of your will. You can name up to three executors. If you have specific gifts in mind (wedding bands, special jewellery) you get to name those gifts and who you would like them to go to. If your children are minors at the time you can list up to three guardians to be appointed to care for them as well as the age they must be in order to receive money held in trust for them. Any donations? Name them here.

After making a payment of $69 CDN, your will is complete! Whew! What a relief, right? The will is sent via email to the email account you entered on the initial set up. This email will contain instructions on how to have the will signed and witnessed as well as suggestions on how to safely store your will.

FormalWill.ca has simplified the process of creating and putting together a will for individuals and families. With three easy steps, those you love will have their future secure in case you aren’t there to be able to do so.

Have you started putting together a will? Have you looked at possible executors and/or guardians for your children? If not – what is holding you back?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 22, 2015

Aoleon The Martian Girl: Part Two by Brent LeVasseur

Part Two of Aoleon The Martian Girl is here!

Aoleon The Martian Girl Part Two by Brent LeVasseur is jam packed full of adventure and fun that does not disapoint.

About Aoleon The Martian Girl Part Two:

Aoleon and Gilbert receive a special mission from PAX, a wanted criminal and leader of the Martian resistance movement to investigate the Luminon of Mars who he believes is planning an invasion of Earth to steal it’s cows. Gilbert has an encounter with the Luminess and discovers something strange about her and the pair are chased by the Royal Guard.

At Aoleon’s home, Gilbert meets her family: her sister Una, her mother Phobos and her father Deimos as well as her pet Zoot. Gilbert also meets Bizwat, an undercover Procyon Commando who uses his job as a pizza delivery boy as a cover.

Gilbert is able to visit the Martian Space Academy where he encounters Aoleon’s nemesis Charm Lepton. He also receives a history lesson of the Martian people.

My Thoughts:

As a family, we loved book one in the Aoleon The Martian Girl series and could not wait to dive into part two. Brent did not disapoint with this book!

Both Aoleon and Gilbert find themselves in even more adventures than the first book but this time on Mars! Science fiction fans will love the technology and aliens while readers of all kind will fall for the adventure and friendship that forms between this unlikely pair.

In Aoleon The Martian Girl Part Two we are exposed to more of the maritans including Aoleon’s family and friends. We find that martians are just like us and some can be unfriendly and unkind to others. They feel, think and act just like humans do!

The illustrations in part two are incredible in this series. The illustrations are bright and large drawing you right into the story. They help to break up the novel making it easy to read for all reader levels. This book is perfect for the recommended age group of 8-18. Both my son and I loved reading it!

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author:

Brent LeVasseur enjoys crafting stories based on lovable characters designed to translate into multiple media platforms. His hobbies include writing, 3D animation, musical composition and space travel. You can connect with him online through Facebook and Twitter.

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

February 13, 2015

Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma

A gripping World War II story, Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma will have you reading long into the night.

About Remember the Lilies

Interred by the Japanese, missionary Irene Reynolds comes across a mysterious note while working at the censor’s office. She memorizes the parts she must block out and delivers it to the wealthy nightclub owner, Rand Sterling. Before she knows what has happened, she is drawn into a web of secrets and danger.

Rand Sterling wants nothing more than to open his nightclubs once the war is over. But Frank Covey, a man not to be trusted, wants his hand in the till and will stop at nothing. More importantly, Rand will stop at nothing to ensure that Irene does not find out the information that Frank knows about Rand.

When Irene is attacked by a Japanese solider both of their secrets are exposed. Irene and Rand must learn the meaning of forgiveness if only they can fight off starvation until the American troops arrive.

My Thoughts

This is the second book I have read from Liz Tolsma and I fell in love with this book just as much as the first one! She has a way of writing that touches your heart and draws you right into the story.

Historical fiction has always been a personal favourite of mine. Liz draws you into the World War II setting in the Philippines and gives you a glimpse of life during those years for Americans living there. The starvation and death that surrounds them is almost unbearable but even in those moments they find God and their faith. It is God that brings them through the worst moments and helps them see the light.

The characters change as a person so much in this novel and in a completely positive light. They grow in faith and forgiveness. Rand becomes a whole different man from start to finish and it was a privilege to be part of this adventure with him.

This will definitely be a book you will not want to put down until it’s done and then re-read again!

You can find more reviews of Remember the Lilies on the Litfuse blog tour page here. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is a New York Time’s bestseller and is the author of Daisies are Forever and and Snow on the Tulips. Liz lives in Wisconsin with her husband and adopted children. You can find her on Twitter and Facebook.

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

February 9, 2015

DIY Moisturizing Facial Scrub

I love winter – the snow, the variety of outdoor activities and just the natural beauty of the season. The only thing I don’t love is the how dry my skin becomes in the winter. It is a constant battle to keep my skin moisturized and looking healthy.

My eczema forces me to be extra careful with the products that I put on my face. There is nothing worse than using a new scrub and instantly my cheeks turn red and look raw. This moisturizing facial scrub uses products that you can easily find in your pantry including my favourite item – coconut oil!

You will need:

3 tbsp of coconut oil.
3 1/2 tsp of baking soda

Directions

Measure out the 3 tbsp of coconut oil.
Melt the coconut oil into its liquid form if not already in this state.

Add 3 1/2 tsp of baking soda into the coconut oil and mix thoroughly.

Pour mixture into a small mason jar and secure tightly.

You only need a small amount each time to cover your face. Rub the facial scrub into your skin in gentle, circular motions.

I like to leave the facial scrub on for at least three to five minutes to allow it to absorb and achieve maximum results.

Remove the facial scrub with a warm cloth. You will need to use a cloth to remove the facial scrub because of the coconut oil.

Do you have a favourite homemade facial scrub? Maybe a special ingredient that you like to use? I loved using the baking soda as it wasn’t as harsh on my skin as sugar and other ingredients can be.