Bachelor Villain Courtney Robertson's Book is "Winning!"

  

The only thing in life that I am addicted to (other than Chapstick! LOL) is The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. I know it's sometimes a trashy show, or as my husband loves to call it - "Mind-numbing TV", but I love it! As a busy mom, I spend my days multi-tasking and running rampant. At the end of the day sometimes, I just want to kick back and relax and not think too much. This is the perfect antidote for me. I love reading Reality Steve's spoilers and little gems of otherwise unknown info about the show, seeing the different dynamics amongst the contestants, and the pursuit of love. And who doesn't enjoy a little TV drama now and then? I can't lie! LOL

When I heard that Courtney Robertson, (A.K.A. the girl most people loved to hate from Ben's season) was writing a book, I couldn't wait for it to come out. I got my hands on a review copy of I Didn't Come Here To Make Friends - Confessions of a Reality Show Villain from HarperCollins, and started flying through the pages!

It's such an easy and enjoyable read. So much so, that I was actually disappointed when it ended. Courtney writes about her childhood, all the way up to getting engaged to Ben Flajnik and to present day. The book sheds light on just how isolated the contestants are during the filming process (think hamster wheel!), and how it can affect their mindset. There's a lot of insider info a variety of cast members and how things are run on the show during taping. It also goes into detail about her relationship with Ben and her perception and experience of their downfall. In fairness, I'd be curious to know what Ben's side of it was.

There is a little feature throughout the book that she calls "Keeping It Real". It includes tips that are mostly written by various cast members throughout various seasons of the franchise. You will hear tips from Kalon McMahon, Arie Luyendyk (who is rumoured to be in the running to be the next Bachelor), Michelle Money, Graham Bunn, Chris Bukowski, Ashlee Frazier, Casey Shteamer and others. Tips range from how to get noticed in an application to be on The Bachelor, 5 questions to ask the suitor, Arie's tips on kissing, and even how to throw the best Bachelor viewing party!

Ina Garten (A.K.A. The Barefoot Contessa) should be thrilled that she got a free plug in Courtney's book for her awesome meatloaf recipe! This recipe is our go to recipe for meatloaf too and I highly recommend you try it out! You won't be disappointed, I'm sure!

In my opinion, there are two important things to take away from this book. First, as a viewer (and even as a fellow contestant), you never really know what a person is going through and you often times will see what they want you to see. Not necessarily what is really going on. So try not to judge people, you just never know what that person is actually struggling with behind the scenes. And for those young ladies (and men) on the dating scene, the importance of self-awareness and self-worth, and being aware of red flags and patterns in your own dating history that prevent you from being with the right choice for you.

Courtney readily takes responsibility for her part in her portrayal on TV. Obviously the show has their prerogative on how they want to portray the show, but in truth, if you didn't say certain things (in the right or wrong context) it can't be used against you. I like her honesty in the book, even if she is a bit catty at times. I do think though, and did when I watched her season, that most of that is probably chalked up to a misguided sense of humour and her own insecurity with the other women on the cast. That is not unlike many of us, myself included sometimes. Other times in the book, Courtney addresses struggles and frustration with other contestants, such as The Bachelorette "OG" Trista Sutter who was allegedly all over her on social media during the airing of her season.

People can hate on her all they want, but I love and totally respect that she is ambitious and is not afraid to go after what she wants, regardless of what people think about her, and despite her own insecurities and/or fears. It may not always be the right way of going about it, but we've all been guilty of doing something or saying something that hurt or offended people along the way. When you read her book, I am confident that you will find that she recognizes her mistakes and has learned from it. Something that takes courage and guts to face and admit.

My final take on the book? In the words of Courtney Robertson, one of The Bachelor franchise's most famous villains, my verdict is "Winning!" LOL (For those of you who don't remember, this was her repetitive catch phrase during her season.)

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

  

Paw Patrol Is On A Roll With Their New Sticker Storybook, Paint Book and Colouring Book!

  

Paw Patrol is on a roll with their brand new colouring book, sticker storybook and paint book that comes out Tuesday!

Each book has something great to offer, besides just simply being awesome for being Paw Patrol! (Or so my son says! LOL)

Paw Patrol: Pups to The Rescue Sticker/Storybook is a 16-page storybook that also contains more than 30 stickers. It is a good book if your kids (or you!) are not familiar with all the characters, and even if you love them all! It explains each character and what each's special skills, interests and abilities are. This particular book is geared for kids ages 4yrs - 8yrs, but your younger ones would love the book not only for its content, but for its colourful pictures throughout the book! My son has been asking for this book to be his nightly bedtime read almost every night since we got it to review. This title retails for approximately $4.99CAN.

Paw Patrol: All Paws on Deck Paint Book features 64 pictures to paint. It comes with its own paintbrush, and a 16 watercolour paint palette! Now, I must also share that this paint is washable, which is a huge plus! I found this out the easy way when my son used the paint to paint a paper towel roll... When doing so, he accidentally sprayed some paint droplets onto our wall! I didn't notice this until the paint had dried and when I went to scrub it off with a wet cloth, it came right off simply by wiping it. Now I know I sound like an infomercial right now, but it's the God's honest truth! I thought I was going to have to bust out the Mr Clean Magic Eraser and risk stripping off some of our paint off the walls, but it was a total cinch. The book also says it's washable from clothing as well, but I never went to the trouble of trying that out! LOL But after the wall predicament, I believe the claim. It is geared for kids ages 3yrs - 7yrs, but I even loved to paint a picture or two myself! (Yes, I painted some and I'm proud of it! LOL) So the age group might be better adjusted to 3yrs and up... No since excluding us older folks from all the fun! LOL This title retails for approximately $8.99CAN.

Paw Patrol: Puppy Power Colouring Book is filled with 48 colouring pages! Not only that, but it comes with 4 chunky primary colour crayons, which can be used to layer and create all sorts of colours. I love this particular book not only in general, but also more specifically as something to bring or give to someone going on a road trip. It would provide hours of constructive activity both in the car, and at your destination for both you and your kids! (And yes, I am guilty of colouring a couple of these pages too, so feel free to find your inner child and colour along as well!) This title retails for approximately $4.99CAN.

Infomommy & Random House Canada are giving away a total of 5 Paw Patrol Prize Packs via Facebook & Twitter! The giveaway ends July 31st at 11:59EST.

To enter on Facebook, Like both the InfoMommy Facebook page, as well as the Random House Canada Facebook page, and comment on the post regarding the giveaway.

To enter on Twitter, Follow both the InfoMommy Twitter page, as well as the Random House Canada Twitter page and retweet one of InfoMommy's tweets regarding the giveaway.

While Chase is usually the one on the case, and it's the pups that are usually on a roll, I'm the one on the case and on a roll.... right into my bed. LOL Good night!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

  

Why My Little Family LOVES The Amazing Race!

  

In our household, we love, love, love The Amazing Race television show, no matter whether it's the American version, or our Canadian version! We actually only discovered it in the last 2 years or so, because it was something we could watch with our now 6yr old, something that we could all enjoy. We no longer had to always watch a purple dinosaur, a certain bald headed toddler and his little sister, etc. Parents - you get the idea! LOL Those shows were all fine and dandy when he was a toddler himself, (Not for us thought! LOL) but now that he was getting older, it was nice to be able to sit down as a family and have a show that is "ours". One that we can bond over!

Which brings us to the Amazing Race! We love it because it is something that most people from 2yrs-99yrs can typically watch and enjoy. There are the occasional "scary" parts for my son, usually those challenges for him are the ones involving heights. When I try and tell him that when he gets older, he will likely enjoy those things, he always says (so far anyways) "Not me Mom!".  But it's not like people are getting dumped into a pit of snakes or forced to do other activities that terrify someone on a phobic level. They are obstacles that challenge the participants not only on a physical level, but on a psychological level as well. There are times when they don't think they can do it, and eventually usually try it all the same only to surprise themselves and discover that they could in fact accomplish that task after all. And pushed themselves beyond what they thought they could ordinarily do!

I love these lessons for my son, and sometimes even as a "refresher" for myself! I love how sometimes some people make the decision to switch tasks once they realize that it might not be working for them! What a great thing to teach our kids, that just because we try and try and something doesn't seem to be working, we can try even harder! And if that doesn't work, it's OK to try another route! It's about perseverance, a quality that I hope I'm instilling in my children. (And not only through the Amazing Race for the record! LOL)

I love the camaraderie, the competitiveness, and sometimes even a little bit of conflict. Not drama, conflict. These are all factors that happen in life and many times allow us to open up a little dialogue about how some people could have better handled a situation. To help teach my son to think about what he will do in the future and hopefully teach him to better weigh options and evaluate what he might have done differently to achieve a better result. To know that it's OK to do your best and have it not be the best overall compared to others. But to take personal pride in one's own accomplishments, and having overcome obstacles that they typically would never thought that they were capable of doing had it not been for pushing themselves a little bit further or going out of their comfort zone for something that is worth fighting for.

I love that it shows us various parts of the world, even if it may not be all realistic, or things that we would typically do or desire! (Like next weeks' episode of eating snake bile? No way in hell - I think I just puked in my own mouth!) Ways people live around the world, different ethnicities, different practices! I love how each destination includes enriching cultural practices, modes of transportation, vocations, etc. It allows my son to see that not everyone in the world lives the same way we do, that not all people practice the same religion or cultural values. But that we are all at the end of the day, one and the same - human!  And that another person or culture might have a better way of doing things than what we, ourselves, are doing right now.

And the most organic reason for us is just plain old simple competitiveness! During each season premiere since we started watching, each person in our household picks their 1st choice and their back up teams. We cheer them on and enjoy playful banter amongst ourselves while watching things unfold - together! While it's so easy in this day and age to just let our kids play video games, or be too busy to sit down for family time, The Amazing Race allows us to do something pretty amazing in this day and age too! - Making and finding the time to all sit together as a family and bond over something constructive that can teach and/or remind each one of us to give it our all. That we just might surprise ourselves!

My first choice for this round of Amazing Race Canada is Nathalie Spooner & Meaghan Mikkelson and my back up team is Sukhi & Jinder Atwal. This seemed like such an easy pick at first glance and on initial impressions, but as we've now watched the 2nd episode, I'm once again reminded that each competitor brings their own strength, resilience and determination to the game - just like each one of our (and your) family members do too!

Happy Racing!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

  

35 Free Activities + 10 Bonus "Almost" Free Ideas of Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer!

   

After the initial elation regarding not having to make any more school lunches for a few months passed, I was quickly met with the realization that I hadn't thought too much about what exactly we were going to do all summer long to keep the kidlets happy & occupied!

So I started to compile a list for myself and thought I'd do the same for my you, my loyal InfoMommy followers, as I know that you're likely in the same boat too! (Ahhhh, wish I was on a boat right now! LOL)

So here's InfoMommy's list of FREE things to do to amuse yourselves this summer, along with a couple of bonus almost-free activities too!

FREE:
1)  Take a trip to the local library to rent books, movies, video game for free! (Some communities are even offering free transit to those en route to their local library, which makes it a double bonus if transit is something different for you and your kids!)
2)  Park hop to check out all the different playgrounds in your area!
3)  Hop around to all the Splash Parks in your community and don't be afraid to get in yourself! ;)
4)  Organize playdates with friends and other moms!
5)  Join online mommy groups on Facebook etc to be in the know if things arise for free in your neighbourhood and to meet up with other like-minded families!

6)  Set up a sprinkler in your yard!
7)  Head to a local beach!
8)  Have a picnic!
9)  Get in touch with parents of your child's school buddies to set up a playdate!
10) For older kids, keep a journal every day of their summer experiences and activities that they've done throughout the summer, including pictures, leaves, etc!
11) Switch up your water table by putting sand in it, or vice versa! (Or try getting a cheap one off Kijiji!)
12) Inquire to see if the arts community in your area are putting on any free child-friendly concerts throughout the summer!
13) Attend or call your local Early Year's Centre both for activities to do there and also to find out what they know going on in your community!
14) Make sock puppets with leftover material or an old sock, buttons, etc!
15) Make a puppet theatre out of an old box for your sock puppets!
16) Ask to see if any organization in putting on outdoor movies throughout the summer months!
17) Have a Lego building competition to see what everyone comes up with! You can either let them come with whatever they want or give them a theme!
18) Go to a Lego store if you have one in your area, as they often have free builds, or a free play area within the store for your kids to use!

19) Get your kids to wash your car for/with you! (Double bonus! LOL)
20) Have a drawing competition outside with sidewalk chalk! (Or inside with paper if it's a rainy day!)
21) "Paint" the sidewalk with water using old paintbrushes and a bucket of water!
22) Make your own giant bubbles and bubble wands!
23) Call your local Fire Dept, Police Station or Safety Village to see if they have any kid related events throughout the summer and/or if you can organize a tour of the facility! (ie: Cops & Fishing, etc)
24) Use sidewalk chalk to draw different hopscotch designs!
25) Play board games and/or swap some with other friends to change up what games you have available to play! (Or hit up garage sales for them!)
26) Bake something! (Some websites/apps let you enter key ingredients that you have on hand and gives you recipe suggestions.)
27) Check out the internet for kid-friendly science experiments using household ingredients that you already have.
28) Plan some random acts of kindness for those in need! Or just because!
29) Check out your local Home Depot or other building supply store to see when their free children's build clinics are!
30) Check out your local craft store like Michael's to see when their free kids' craft workshops are!

31) Create an alphabet or number treasure hunt where the kids have to find something for each letter/number! (Double learning bonus!)
32) Crank up the music and have a dance party! Switch up the genre of music and change your dance moves! (Double bonus for burning calories at the same time!)
33) Check out your local greenhouses to see if they have any kid play areas or activities!
34) Build a fort inside with couch cushions and blankets or sheets!
35) Make your own play-doh!

ALMOST FREE BONUS IDEAS:
1) Buy some reading/writing/counting activity workbooks at the dollar store to keep up with what they have learned throughout the school year or help prepare them for Kindergarten!
2) Play-doh! (If you have to go out and buy some! Dollar Stores often have it now!)
3) Tour some of your local conservation areas
4) Visit local farms with child friendly attractions and activities
5) Take an outing to the dollar store to get some cheap craft supplies
6) Buy a white board & dry erase markers and re-use them to draw silly faces or play pictionary (Small ones are great for road trips!)
7) Play a round of mini-putt golf!
8) Buy some wooden birdhouses or other items from the dollar store to put out in your yard.
9) Hopefully a bird will move in, giving you another bonus activity - birdwatching! (With or without binoculars!)
10) Get some take-out and make yourself an impromptu picnic!

ENJOY!!! :)

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

   

Help Dealing with Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (Coxsackie A Virus)

    

***I am not a doctor. The information I am sharing is from personal experience only. You should always seek medical advice and confirmation from your doctor before assuming your child has this virus or any other medical condition.***

'Tis the season once again for Hand Food & Mouth Disease (A.K.A. Coxsackie A Virus)! I am active on and with all sorts of mom groups and it seems that this virus is coming back with a vengeance this summer in lots of communities. So, in making lemonade out of what was lemons for me a while back, I thought I'd share my experience and knowledge with you, for you to consider and to discuss with your doctor should you think your child has this virus.

Unlike its name, this is not a disease, but is actually a virus. And not unlike any other virus, it needs to run its course. My son had this twice within a few months of each other a few years ago and the first round was so brutal that the doctors at our family health clinic told us it was the worse case they have ever personally seen. Most children, so I'm told, have the worst part of the virus for 1-3 days. Ours lasted for 10 days. And that's not including getting rid of the rash entirely either. The second time he had it, it was over and done with in about 2-3 days, with minimal discomfort, "easy peasy" as my son would now say. (Ya right!)

In our experience, it came on practically out of nowhere. He was fine in the morning and then early afternoon he got a high fever and got super cranky. It was a Friday afternoon and I thought that maybe he was getting an ear infection as he had no other indicators besides the fever and crankiness. So we took him in later that afternoon, and when they routinely checked his mouth, they could see tiny little pin prick type marks on the inside of his mouth and on his tongue. We would  never have noticed it initially as the dots were so small, seen only when a flashlight was shone inside.

The night wore on and the rash on his hands, feet, lower legs and inside the diaper started. It was so itchy for him and the Benadryl seemed to do little for it. And then the mouth sores turned into blisters. That was when the "real" discomfort and pain started. Just when you thought the blisters were going away, you'd see new pin prick spots forming in a different area of the mouth, letting you know that you were far from done with the virus!

During the time that the blisters were forming and bursting, he would not eat, and would drink barely anything. And I mean ANYTHING! Not water, not treats like pop, chocolate milk, pudding or ice cream. All he could do was cry and lie around lethargically, while drooling excessively. When he would close his mouth, it would put pressure on the blisters, causing even more discomfort, so his mouth would be wide open just drooling all over. It was horrible to see him in such pain. We were piggy backing Tylenol every few  hours with the Advil for the pain, which we had to force feed him via a medication syringe. It was the only way to get it down! How upsetting it was to see him in so much pain and then have to hold him down and force feed him the meds. We had to do that very carefully, only giving a few mls at a time to the inside corner of his mouth with the plastic syringe so that he would not choke on it, or spit any of it up. Otherwise we'd have no idea how much of the pain reliever he would have actually gotten down.  And then we'd apply Calamine Lotion to the outer rash on outer body, which also didn't do too much to alleviate the itchiness.

That was, until I cam across another mom on a parent forum who had amazing advice. She told me about Magic Mouthwash. (This link gives various combinations, but is for adults FYI.)  It was a prescription preparation that was originally made for children with mouth sores from cancer treatments. (Or so she told me.) It is now used occasionally for other sores in the mouth. My doctor had never heard of this, nor my local pharmacy, so I contacted the pharmacist at the pharmacy inside The Hospital for Sick Children and inquired with them. They faxed me their "recipe" for it, which at that time was a combination of Benadryl, Mylanta and Lidocaine. (It might be something different now.) I brought that in to the doctor. She provided me with the prescription and I had to take it to a compounding pharmacy to get them to mix it up for me. (This is sometimes not covered by drug plans, so be sure to inquire.) To use the Magic Mouthwash, you'd either have to take a Q-Tip and dab it into the solution and apply to the sores in their mouth, or allow them to swish it around in the mouth and spit it out if they were old enough and willing to do that given their pain level. While it's not 100% the answer, it is something that is helpful in numbing the pain inside the mouth for a while.

With regards to the itching, that mother also told us to bathe our son frequently throughout the day in the Aveeno Medicated Oatmeal bath mix that can be bought at any pharmacy type store. (Hope Aveeno appreciates this free plug! LOL) You just have to make sure it's this Medicated one designed for poison oak, rashes etc. It comes with individual pouches inside the box and we would put about 1/2 a pack into a few inches of water. (Depending on your child's ages and size, you'd have to adjust the amount of oatmeal and water after consulting with your doctor and/or pharmacist to ensure that this is compatible with your child - and NEVER leave your child unattended in this bath or any other bath!) We would do this several times per day and it was the only thing that seemed to mostly alleviate his itchiness, in addition to the Benadryl and Calamine Lotion when he got out of the bath. Then it was back again for another oatmeal soak a few hours later. (Note: Make sure to rinse your tub out after each bath, otherwise you will end up with small clumps of oatmeal that is brutal to clean afterwards - trust me! Even if it is all absorbed into the water, the oatmeal will settle while the tub is draining - and as if you need anything else to do while this is all going on!)

Once the rash started to dry up, it got very dark and noticeable and eventually got a bit scaly until they finally faded away. At this stage, a salt water bath with just a bit of epsom salts or something might also be helpful in healing up the rash on the outer skin, but NOT in the mouth, as that would lead to stinging. His fingernails also started to peel a while after the rash went away, but that did not bother him (or us!) in the least. Once the last of the mouth sores were starting to clear up, it was much smoother sailing. Can I get an Amen?!

He started willingly drinking chocolate milk. We don't usually buy this, but this was definitely at "special" occasion if you will, and we let him go to town on that for a while as he really needed to get re-hydrated. Dehydration is usually the biggest concern with this virus due to reduced amount or refusal to eat/drink.  One thing to very mindful about is not to offer them juice or any other beverage or food item that might be acidic, as this will sting their mouths causing even more pain. Just think of something like mustard or vinegar when you have a canker, only a million times worse, I'm sure. Ouch!

This virus is spread via feces, pus from the blisters, saliva or other droplets expressed through coughing, sneezing an/or drooling. It is most prominent in kids under 5, although anyone older than that can get it (and yes, that also means you, so wash those hands man!). It is quite contagious and it is said that the infected person is usually the most contagious during the 1st week of the virus, but it is theoretically contagious for weeks afterwards. It usually starts off with a fever, which it did in our case, and then moves on to the mouth blisters which then ulcerate, and the rash that can be on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, legs and groin area. (In our case it was also up the wrists and parts of the arm as well, and around the outside of the mouth.)

For those who are in the midst of it, I wish you quick healing. For those of you who are scared or concerned about getting it, the only real thing that I know of is to practice good hand washing techniques family-wide, especially after diaper changes, as well as during and after going to places where other kids typically frequent. And for those of us that have already experienced this dreadful virus, may that be the last the time we ever experience this ever again!

And to the virus, I say loudly "GO COXSACKIE YOURSELF!"

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

   

Road Trip Doodling To The Rescue!

With summer here and road trips on the go, there are 2 books that I am confident will rescue you (and your children) once the dreaded "Are we there yet?" questions start setting in. They are also perfect for a rainy day, or those moments when your kids start saying "I'm bored!".

 DK Books has released 2 doodle books this year that are perfect to allow your kids to use their imagination and creativity. Both feature dry erase markers that allow kids to wipe their books clean and start the fun all over again!  My First Doodle Fun and My First Doodle On The Go are not only well priced, making them accessible to everyone, but they really are fun for the whole family! These board books ensure that they can be held and used comfortably in their laps while in the car or elsewhere, and are chock full of ideas to get their creativity flowing.

I am always trying to reduce the time my kids spend on electronics, and these books are a great way to do it! They won't even realize that they aren't playing their favourite video game or watching a DVD!

Both books contain 26 pages and start off with the page "This Book Belongs To:", allowing your kids to practice writing their names and has a picture frame where kids can doodle in their own rendition of what they look like. This will lead to all kinds of hilarity! They can decorate or add on to a fish, a rocket ship, flowers, fairies, animals and pets along with a whole slew of other engaging ideas. There are plenty of seasonal pages like designing their own ice cream cones or a snowman, and they can draw a number of crazy faces. My son loves this page in particular and the silliness is contagious! There is a page dedicated to numbers and even a section on where they live, allowing them to work on learning their address. There are also 2 pages of art frames where they can create their own art show and 2 pages for free doodling.

You do have to keep your eyes on them when they are using these, as the dry erase marker is not washable. It would be nice to see DK Books come up with a washable and scent free marker for future editions.

These books are geared to kids 0-5yrs, but everyone in the family can join in. We have done it ourselves! They are wonderfully geared to kids of all genders and incorporate not only fun, but self expression, reading, writing and numbers.

This is already a hit and will be travelling with us everywhere this summer, and likely until the books wear out, which based on their sturdiness, will be a long, long, time.

Both these books retail for $8.99CAN at full price, but you can currently get them from DK Books' Summer Fun Boutique for only $6.29CAN each!

Happy road tripping!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****