August 14, 2018
Capturing Family Memories to Last a Lifetime on Canvas Print with BestCanvas.ca
I love capturing moments with my camera. My family can always count on Mom to be there with her big camera capturing moments on the soccer field, at school and just playing around. Time flies by so fast that it these special moments that we capture on film that will always last. We can still look back at photos and remember the history to each one, whether it was just before something silly happened or an accident happened.
Every once in a while you capture an image that you know needs to be printed out. It may be full of emotion or action or even that perfect family photo (and living with three boys, trust me, getting that perfect family photo feels impossible at times!). You want to be to look at that image every day but maybe you are not sure what format would be the best? Canvas prints have been a popular choice for a long time but finding the best company to work with in Canada can be difficult.
Bestcanvas.ca creates high quality photo products from canvas to acrylic to aluminum all in their own factory. Canvas prints are manually stretched on the framework using a specially certified canvas that is resistant to UV damage to keep your image looking as new as the day you purchased it.
Purchasing your canvas print from Bestcanvas.ca is simple, quick and effortless. This was one of the best parts about the website – it was easy to navigate and choose my options. I completed my purchase in less than five minutes! Simply head to their website, upload the image you want in canvas print, choose your size and add in any other addition options you may want and head to checkout. That was it – promise!
The turn around time to receive my canvas print was just as impressive. We received our canvas in just under a week. It was well wrapped and shipped carefully to prevent any damage of the canvas.
I personally love checking the quality of the printing – I love my photos so I like to see how it was printed, if it is clear and the image is crisp (although a lot of this has to do with the photo you upload so make sure you use a good photo). I was really impressed with the texture and quality as well as the frame. It was lightweight but printed on great quality paper making it easy to carry and hang. The image extended over the sides which is so important as I didn’t order mine with a frame.
The canvas itself was easy to put up on the walls and came with its own equipment (added to my order at the time of ordering). I couldn’t wait to get it up on our walls, I had the perfect spot picked out in our dining room that was just waiting for a new print. My kids loved looking at our family portrait once it was up and we have received multiple compliments from visitors on the quality.
The Giveaway!
My Canadian readers can now enter to win their own BestCanvas.ca print! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below to win a 36″x24″ print.
Don’t want to wait to win one? Head over now to BestCanvas.ca and use the WORKINGMOMMYJOURNAL to receive 10% off your order today.
I can’t wait to get started on our next canvas project which will be a collage of the boys soccer photos from this year for the entry way in our basement. The possibilities are endless with the variety of sizes and styles Bestcanvas.ca offers. Head over now to check out their website and make sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with the latest news and offers.
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 14, 2018
The CleanSweep Conspiracy Book Review
In this riveting technothriller, The CleanSweep Conspiracy, investigative blogger Matt Tremain is covering devastating riots in Toronto when he learns of a plot to rid the city of “undesirables.”
About The CleanSweep Conspiracy
In this riveting technothriller, investigative blogger Matt Tremain is covering devastating riots in Toronto when he learns of a plot to rid the city of “undesirables.” The operation is called CleanSweep, and appears to be led by billionaire Charles Claussen, who want to sweep Toronto clean of all street people and any citizens who don’t match his restrictive screening matrix.
Matt questions whether he has the courage, skill or influence to take on Claussen, but the murder of one of his sources convinces the blogger to put his life on the line. He gambles on the loyalty of a Toronto police detective and a local TV reporter for help. If his trust is misplaced, Matt will become yet another victim of CleanSweep, and the truth will be buried with him forever.
My Thoughts
A thrilling, fast paced novel about a blogger in Toronto who uncovers a horrifying plan to rid the city of the people who are deemed ‘undesirable’.
While the plot itself is horrifying, you can see that it is a possibility when you watch the news everyday. The thought that even today there are people who want to get rid or hide groups of people that they don’t feel are acceptable to society, whether it be based on their economic status or the colour of their skin. In this novel, Claussen uses a plan based on the teachings of his Grandfather (who was part of the Nazi) in a trial in Toronto. They arrange for complete chaos and when the police can’t control it, he sweeps in to regain order and begin to implement his plan.
Matt is the one person who stands in his way. Matt is a blogger who was contacted by a member of Claussen’s team. He isn’t sure at first how true this plot is but when people begin to go missing an others murdered, he knows his own life is at risk. He must race against time, decipher who is friend and who is foe and to stop the Clean Sweep from taking over his city.
This was an exciting novel and very fast paced, I had to go back a few times to re-read certain chapters to ensure I understand the characters and plot development properly. But definitely well worth the read!
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Chapters Indigo.
Rating: 4/5
About the Author
Chuck Waldron is the author of four riveting mystery, thriller and suspense novels and more than fifty short stories. Inspired by his grandfather’s tales of the Ozark Mountains and local caves rumored to be havens for notorious gangsters, Waldron was destined to write about crime and the human condition. Those childhood legends ignited his imagination and filled his head with unforgettable characters, surprising plots and a keen interest in supernatural and historical subplots.
With literary roots planted in the American Midwest and South, and enriched by many years living in the fertile cultural soil of metropolitan Ontario, Waldron now resides on Florida’s fabled Treasure Coast with his wife, Suzanne. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and the occasional Burmese python, visitors will find Waldron busy writing his next crime thriller.
Connect with Chuck on his website, Twitter and Facebook.
The Giveaway!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 14, 2018
The Top Four Camping Kids Games That You Must Have This Year
While we may be in the start of August, summer is far from over! We still have several great weekends left of camping, labour day long weekend and not to mention fall camping (one of my favourite seasons to camp in from my Girl Guides days!). Camping (or glamping!) not only gets us out of the city but forces us to put away the electronics and our connections to work, and focus on the most important thing, family.
As parents, we know how quickly our children’s attention spans can be. While we may be content curled up reading a book in nature or enjoy watching the rain from inside the cover of a tent, children can be easily bored. The same goes for the car rides, day trips and the list can go on and on. It is so important that we are prepared in advance with games and activities that will keep them having fun and engaged.
Goliath Games has an incredible selection of fun indoor and outdoor activities that will keep them engaged both physically and mentally. These top four activities are easy to carry, easy to use, loads of fun and the best way to unwind together as a family. They are literally just pack and go!
To help save our sanity on the drive up to the camp, cottage or beach, the 6 in 1 travel magnetic games is a life saver! It is small and portable, just a tad bit longer than the length of your hand. Players can choose from checkers, chess, backgammon, Chinese checkers, snakes and ladders and Parcheesi. Each of these games will appeal to all age groups and your older ones will delight in being able to teach their younger counterparts.
This portable game is suited for two to four players, although we found two was the best just due to the size of the game itself. The board pieces were a bit smaller – so be careful when using them. They come with their own carry case that fits in the back of the game (bottom left image above). I loved this concept, as too many times we put the pieces in baggies and the baggie gets misplaced or parts thrown out, making the game unusable. This toy was easy to use and navigate for both our youngest and eldest.
While we all need those rainy day breaks, boredom and frustration can slowly creep in if you don’t have enough planned or ready to go but Flip’n Chips has you covered! This is a unique take on the traditional game of memory. The game can be played with up to four people, although I think two to three would be the best, especially with younger players. You put the chips in the case it comes in, shake and pour. Then you flip over a chip to find your colour – the first to seven chips wins! Easy right? We had a lot of fun playing this game, it is an interesting take on memory and you have to build up a strategy plan in order to secure the correct chip colours.
Need to burn some of that high energy off? Zoom Ball is the perfect, high action game for your children to play. The concept is pretty easy to follow – each child (or adult) pulls on their set of handles to send the ball in the middle over to their partner who performs the same action to send the ball back. You really have to keep yourself on your toes for this one! Especially if you are playing with younger children – it can be hard to keep up with them! This is an extremely fun and yet competitive game, especially in our home with all boys! Throw in a water balloon in the inside of the blue ‘ball’ and you really have some action fun!
The i-Top brings smart technology to kids activities, where you spin to win! In this activity, children spin the i-Top and it counts the number of spins – the higher your score, you win! This game reminded me of all the spinners and battle games my children loved to collect but this was far more advanced! Your kids will spin the top, complete challenges while it records who wins! No more battles over who is the winner here (win win for all parents!).
Summer camping, day trips to the beach and relaxing at the cottage should be a fun way to unwind with your family away from the stress of every day life. With planning, you can make every moment spectacular and full of adventure! Planning for downtimes, car rides and keeping them moving is key to a great adventure. These four games were by far a fantastic way to keep the kids moving, minds engaged and working together (and sometimes against to keep that competitive edge).
Make sure to follow Goliath Games on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with the latest toys, games and more!
What are you favourite summer time activities and games to do together as a family?
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 13, 2018
The Austin Paradox Book Review
The Austin Paradox continues the remarkable saga of Robert James Austin in a gripping emotionally-charged thriller that explores the most compelling issues of our time.
About The Austin Paradox
Having lost his extraordinary intellectual powers in a laboratory explosion that was intended to kill him, Dr. Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in history, whose medical cures saved countless millions, struggles to find meaning in a life that has become devoid of purpose.
As he embarks on a journey of self-discovery in an effort to regain his abilities, Austin battles private demons, otherworldly forces, and a government obsessed with controlling him. When ruthless political and business interests align to pose an existential threat to humanity, Austin is thrust into the maelstrom.
Doubted even by those who love him, Austin is confronted by a harrowing paradox as time runs out to save mankind from extinction.
The Austin Paradox is the sequel to the critically acclaimed, award winning novel, Miracle Man, which was named by Amazon as One of the Top 100 Novels of 2015, a Top 10 Best Selling Thriller and a Top 10 New York Times/Amazon Best Seller.
My Thoughts
In the Miracle Man, Robert always knew his time was limited to do great. I think that is why he always pushed himself harder and further than any person has ever done before. By doing so, he was hailed as a saviour and a miracle worker with his cures and all of the lives he saved all around the world by making access to his cures affordable for all.
Not all viewed him in the same good light and he made strong enemies with the pharmacy industry. He destroyed their business of making money off of illness and they wanted him stopped. They even went as far to have him killed – instead of killing him, they destroyed a worse part at the end of the Miracle Man. His intelligence.
In a blast designed to kill him, Robert survives but loses all of his genius abilities – he can not even follow his own formulas and notes. When many thought he would lose meaning in life, it is his wife and the birth of their first child that gets him through the worst. While a part of him is always itching to understand, he begins to discover a new way of life. They settle into the witness protection program and life looks like it can finally be “normal”.
A man like Robert can not just let his abilities lay dormant – especially when he was on the verge of discovering the cure for AIDS. He begins his own journey of self discovery, unfortunately behind the back of his wife and his assistant – the two women in the whole world who love him unconditionally.
This is all played out in the backdrop of one of the world’s worst plot to destroy humanity – a bioengineered disease that will kill millions without a pharmacy owned cure. This plot was developed by the same team that tried to destroy Robert’s life.
Not only is he out of time for giving himself the time he needs to recover, he needs to act fast or the world that he lives in will be destroyed forever. You are on the edge of your seat the entire time, watching, waiting and praying. Not to mention being horrified at how quickly this disease spreads and can be spread (and the real life consequences of this type of warfare).
This was a thrilling novel from start to finish with multiple levels of plots that will have you not wanting to put this book down. It is a definite must read!!
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
William R. Leibowitz practices law internationally and prefers not spending too much time in any one place. He is a graduate of New York University and Columbia University Law School.
Book Trailer
The Giveaway
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 7, 2018
The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island DVD Giveaway
Just in time to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the book series, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island are headed to Blu-ray and DVD on August 7th with the release of the new animated feature film.
About The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island
The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island, is the highly anticipated movie adaption of the popular children’s book of the same name. The DVD stars Golden Globe®-winning actor Martin Sheen (The West Wing) as James Alden, Oscar®-winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) as Dr. Moore, Dane DeHaan (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets) as the mysterious Joe, Joey King (Independence Day: Resurgence) as Jesse Alden, Carter Sand (Frozen) as Benny Alden, Gil Birmingham (Twilight) as Lonan Browning, Griffin Gluck (Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life) as Henry Alden, Stephen Stanton (Star Wars Rebels) as Capt. Daniel and Talitha Bateman (Love, Simon) as Violet. Now that is a list!
The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island follows the adventures of the orphaned Boxcar Children as they spend an entire summer living on their Grandfather’s small, nearly uninhabited island. There they meet Joe, who is friendly and helpful, and inexplicably living on their island. Does their new friend have a secret?
The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island is fun for the whole family. It is directed by Dan Chuba and Mark Dippé, and is produced by Legacy Classics and co-produced by Shout! Factory, Albert Whitman & Company and Blueberry Pictures. The DVD is the first of three new animated features to be adapted from the “The Boxcar Children” book series, as part of a partnership between Shout! Kids and Legacy Classics.
“The Boxcar Children” by Gertrude Chandler Warner is one of the best-selling children’s book series of all time. Having just marked its 75th anniversary, over seventy million books have sold world-wide. There are one hundred and fifty books in the series, and over one million kids read the books in schools across North America every year.
Our Thoughts
Having never read the books (I know – crazy right!), I was not sure what to expect from this movie but we fell in love with the Alden family and their focus on family and adventure.
The movie starts off with school ending and the children excited for a special adventure with their Grandpa. Their Grandpa has decided to take them to Alden Island for the summer! What an amazing surprise for any child – we all looked at each other and said we wished we had our own island too! Can you imagine all of the fun you could get up to? And these kids sure did that! The children spend their time in the farm-house (one of my favourite places to visit as a kid), fishing, eating food fresh from their garden and exploring every little spot on the island.
The bond of family is clearly seen throughout the movie, the children help each other and are there to care for each other. We also sense there is a secret hiding in the background but can’t quite put our finger on it. We do find out near the end of the movie but it is how the family pulls together which is beautiful and heart warming.
This is an excellent family movie that all members of the family will love, regardless if you have read the books or not.
Make Violet’s Ice cream!
The Giveaway!
Enter to win one of two DVD copies of this exciting film set to be released on August 7th via the Rafflecopter form below – GOOD LUCK!
Disclosure: I received a DVD copy of this film in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.