Pyrex's 14-Piece Glass Storage Set is A Great Value!

   

If you are looking for a great set of glass storage containers, the Pyrex 14-Piece Glass Storage Set is a great option! Not only is it affordable, but the value is incredible. Whether you are storing a few leftover vegetables from dinner, or baking a couple of additional smaller casseroles for the freezer, the 7 different glass containers can meet almost any need.

The glass containers can be used to refrigerate, freeze, bake, or re-heat food in a preheated oven or the microwave. As with any glassware or ceramic, be sure not to expose them to sudden temperature changes or they could crack on you. 

Each container comes with its own tight fitting BPA-free red lid that is microwave, refrigerator & freezer safe. Personally, I don't use plastic lids to reheat food in the microwave, but I do use them for storage in the fridge or freezer. 

These containers stack easily in your fridge or the freezer when the lids are on them. They also nest together nicely when not in use.  Included in the set are the following sizes:

one 1-cup/250ml round dish

two 2-cup/473ml round dishes

one 4-cup/946ml round dish

one 7-cup/1.6L round dish

one 3-cup/750ml rectangular dish

one 6-cup/1.42L rectangular dish

In a time when consumers are becoming more concerned with the use of plastic to store and heat up food products, many people are switching over to glass. Glass doesn't stain. It also doesn't absorb orders from something currently or previously inside it. 

I really like this set and all it has to offer for the price. I think it has a nice selection of round and rectangular sizes. The only thing I would change is to have an even larger rectangular container, such as a 9x13 for larger sized casseroles. With that being said though, having that included would affect the price. 

The Pyrex 14-Piece Glass Storage Set retails in Canada for approximately $29.99. If you get it on sale for $20 like I've recently seen it advertised, you're laughing! 

***** 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.*****

What To Do When You Drop Your Child's Tooth Meant For The Tooth Fairy Down The Drain!

   

So your school age child has lost a tooth! Exciting, right? Not necessarily!

Picture this: It's bedtime. You child is thrilled because he or she finally lost that tooth they've been working on getting out just a few moments beforehand. They've got their jammies on and are actually eager to crawl into bed. They're beyond excited to put the tooth under their pillow for the Tooth Fairy!

Then they suddenly remember that it's a bit dirty from the partially dried blood on it. They're about to put it under running water to clean it when you say: "Let me do it, because it might fall down the drain." You child is so trusting in you that they agree that you have a point and hand it over. And then you turn on the water and start - "Oh $%^&!"   

The pressure from the faucet, although not gushing, tears the tooth out of your grasp sending it forever gone down the drain to where many goldfish have gone! The very tooth that you told them that they would drop down the drain!

So now you have a child at bedtime that is completely devastated and heartbroken. Ravaged by the disappointment in the one they trusted with their now forsaken tooth. Tears flowing by the gallon and sheer heartbreak in their eyes over the fact that the Tooth Fairy will never be able to visit them while they sleep now. All this while your spouse is standing back, looking at you, wondering what the heck to do to fix this... Can I say #MommyFail? 

But fear not! Here's what you can do: 

While you may not be able to get that tooth back ever again, you can reassure them that the Tooth Fairy will still in fact visit them! You write a letter to the Tooth Fairy, advising her that it was not your child's fault that the tooth is missing, but that it is your fault. Thankfully I thought of this all of a sudden while my child was bawling profusely. 

I told him to wait a moment, and that I had an idea. I ran downstairs and grabbed some paper and a pen. I wrote a note to the Tooth Fairy explaining what happened, and we left that under his pillow instead of the tooth. Thankfully, it consoled him and immediately reassured him that she would still come. After all, the Tooth Fairy always knows when a child has lost a tooth. This way, she wouldn't spend time trying to look for the tooth, because she would read the letter and know exactly what happened. 

So if you ever find yourself having made a foolish move like I did, consider yourself armed with an emergency back-up plan! 

When you write your note to the Tooth Fairy, please tell her that I, (a.k.a. Dumba$$) says hello! 

***** 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.*****

Sick Never Sounded So Good! Sick Bricks 3-in-1 Power-Up Playset Review

   

When I first heard about Sick Bricks, I wondered what on earth my son was talking about. Turns out that Sick Bricks is a free unique mobile app game that uses Optical Beaming Technology so that you can take your real-world Sick Bricks character figurines into the digital world of the app on your smart phone or tablet. The digital game app itself features Jack Justice as the hero who, along with the player and other characters, attempts to rebuild Sick City after being attacked by the wicked Overlord Omega. You can scan your real-world characters, which brings them into the actual digital game app!

The Sick Bricks 3-in-1 Power-Up Playset allows you to build 3 different configurations with the 57 Sick Bricks pieces that are essentially Legos. In addition to the bricks, you will find the stars of the show: 5 character figurines, 3 of which are exclusive to the playset.  Also included are a plastic Sick Bricks storage case, a Sick City backdrop and an instruction booklet for the 3 builds.  

The real-world characters included in this 3-in-1 Power-Up Playset are Rusty Nuggets, Tightpants, Fraken Studz, Testy Monkey and Doc Devio. The last 3 of which are the exclusive ones. You can mix and match the heads and bodies of these characters, along with the other characters, to unlock a variety of unique combinations, powers and abilities in the app. These also help to upgrade and reach new levels in the game. 

The bricks can be used to build 3 different structures. The 1st is the Throne of Power. Place your Sick Bricks character on top of the Throne of Power and beam them into your game with their increased powers! The 2nd configuration is the Sick Portal, which generates random characters. The 3rd is the Warped Gate. Once built, you can scan it into the app as well to unlock an exclusive section of the game! As previously mentioned, the bricks are exactly like Lego pieces. You could easily build up or add on to the 3 configurations with Lego pieces that you already have. Or you could incorporate these pieces into your child's existing Lego collection once built & scanned in. This is a huge plus, knowing that the pieces have a dual purpose. Even if a child doesn't have the app, they would enjoy building the sets and playing with the characters. 

To scan in a character, or the Warped Gate, all you have to do is tap the camera icon on the right hand side of the screen while the game is in session. Line up the digital outline of the character with the real one and scan it in to the game. While it might sound complicated to those that electronically challenged, it really isn't. If you click this link, it will demonstrate the concept of scanning them in.

It should be noted that the set does include small pieces. This is especially important if you have toddlers or infants around as they could pose a choking hazard. The game app itself is free to play, but the app does offer in-app purchases. While this is great if you actually want to purchase extra bricks, it's not so great if you have little ones who may accidentally purchase something without intending to. This can easily be remedied in advance by disabling in-app purchases on your device.  The game app is rated 9yrs+, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is only for those 9 years of age and older. The next rating down from 9yrs+ is 4yrs+. Like anything, you have to use your judgement to see if the app is appropriate for your child. I'm relatively conservative with our apps and very rarely allow our children to download apps that are rated 9yrs+. We usually stick to games that are rated 4yrs+. This, however, is one that we do let them play.  For specifications and details on the app itself, visit this link. 

All in all, I think this is a great product. I love the fact that you can incorporate some tactile fun off of their devices without them even realizing it. And being able to reuse the bricks with other Lego pieces adds additional value to for me. The only thing I would change is to have an improved storage case made of more durable plastic.  

The Sick Bricks 3-in-1 Play-Up Playset is best suited for kids 6 years and up. In Canada, it retails for approximately $21.99, and in the U.S., it is approximately $17.99. Some independent toy shops may charge more. 

Sick never sounded so good!

Happy scanning! 

***** 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.*****

Make a Cheap Birthday Cake That Looks Like A Million Bucks!

   

We all lead busy lives. Long gone are the days where everyone cooks and bakes their meals from scratch. But fear not! You can easily take pride in making a birthday cake for little money and great taste, all while having it look like you spent a couple of hundred bucks! Here's how:

At first glance, this post might seem like a lot of information. Don't be alarmed or get overwhelmed! I have simply tried to describe each step in detail for those that have never done this before. Skip over any sections that you might already have knowledge and/or experience with.  And for those who are first-timers, once you've read or skimmed through the whole post, you will find that it's not as hard as you might have thought when first looking at the length of the post.  

First off, buy boxed cake mix when it's on sale for $1! I usually stock up on a couple of boxes at this time so that I always have some in my pantry for impromptu treats, or occasions such as this. You can either make your cake with icing in between the layers, or make a pie filling/pudding mix such as lemon or coconut to fill the layers and fancy it up. The pie filling/pudding mix is usually around $2 when it's on sale. So stock up on that too when it's at a good price! While the ingredients are not that expensive in the first place, there's no sense paying full price if you can get it for half! You will need a cake board, either round or square that is about 2" wider than your cake pan. If you will be doing a smaller cake for the top, you will need a round cakeboard that is the exact diameter of the smaller cake pan, so that it doesn't stick out over top of your bottom cake. If you can't get one the same size as the small cake pan, then purchase the next size up. You can then trace the proper size onto it, cut it to fit the diameter of your smaller cake and then wrap it in tin foil so the cardboard is not exposed to the cake. You can also make your own cake boards, but they are inexpensive to purchase. 

Decide on your theme. Google and/or peruse Pinterest to come up with ideas on what you would like to create. Keep in mind what you already have in your cupboard that you could make use of. Some examples of these items would be the food colouring selection you already have on hand, and cookie cutters you might be able to utilize. You can buy many different regular or mini cookie cutters at most bulk food shops for about $1 a piece, if not less. You can also make great use out of little figurines your kids might already have for the theme you've chosen that you can be incorporated into the design, after giving them a good wash, of course. I had wanted to make a Bubble Guppies cake for my little guy's birthday using figurines. It turned out great considering I'm "just" a Mom!

Once you've decided what you are going to do, make a list of what supplies you will need to design and decorate your cake. The last thing you want is to be in the middle of the decorating process and realize you forgot something like food colouring or icing sugar! Also, the first time I did a cake using fondant decorations, I also wrote down all the things I would need to do with the fondant. This way, I wouldn't forget any steps along the way, until I was confident using it.  I was worried that making fondant decorations would be challenging, but they were surprisingly easy. So, once you have all of your items ready to go, you can start creating your masterpiece! 

I like to dye my fondant beforehand so that it's one less thing I have to do the day of. It's best to use neutral coloured fondant when dying the fondant with bright colours.  Be sure to wear latex or plastic gloves while doing this so that your hands don't turn the colour you are creating! You will likely only need 1 tub of fondant, as it goes a long way. If you are unsure of how much you will need, bring a picture of what you are trying to create into a cake or baking supply store and have the staff ensure you have the right amount. 

Cut the fondant into sections so that you can dye them the different colours that you will require. If you need only a small amount of one colour, then simply cut a smaller section of fondant to apply colour to. Do the opposite for colours that you will require more of.  Take one section that you've cut and microwave it for 5-10 seconds to soften it, depending on the strength of your microwave. You don't want to heat the fondant, you just want to soften it so that it is more malleable to work with. Add a few drops of the food dye and work the colour through the fondant so that the colour is fully worked in. Add more dye if needed to achieve the right colour. Seal each dyed piece in individual Ziploc bags immediately after dying it so that it doesn't dry out. Repeat the same for each individual colour. Store the Ziploc bags containing each colour inside an airtight container until ready for use. 

Personally, I like to make a 2-tiered cake using two 9" pans for the larger bottom cake and a 6" pan for the smaller top layer cake. I typically make 2 different flavoured cakes so that guests have something to choose from. Take out your cake pans and give them a very good spray with Pam or a food release spray. Be sure to spray the corners and crevices well so that the cake comes away from the pan easily once it's baked. Make your cake batter according to the directions on the box, and pour into your pans. If you are using 2 round or square pans, be sure to pour the batter evenly into each pan so that they each have about the same amount in them. This way, they will cook for the same amount of time, and be about the same size. Once they are done, let them cool about 10 minutes in the pans.  Then, put a wire cooling rack over top of the cake pan and turn it over gently while holding it tightly against the cake pan so the cake can release itself properly without breaking apart. Leave the cake on the same cooling rack to cool to room temperature.  

While the cake is cooling, create your fondant decorations. You don't typically need any special tools to do simple designs with the fondant. I normally use letter cutters, cookie cutters, as well as a paring knife to cut out my shapes. Often times, you can even borrow tools or other items such as cookie cutters from a friend. Have a tray or plate ready with a piece of parchment paper on it. Also have a clean dry tea towel on hand to cover up the cut out fondant so that the designs do not dry out while you are working on your other colours. 

Roll out one fondant colour on a second piece of parchment paper until about a 1/4" thick. Create all your fondant designs for that colour.  Then gently peel them off that parchment paper and place them on your tray or plate that you've set aside. Cover them up with the tea towel and move on to the next colour. Repeat until you have all of your fondant designs completed. Put any leftover fondant back in their respective bags once you have completed each colour in case you need them for some reason. If you want to do 2 layers of fondant for a place to put the name for example, just dab your finger into a little bit of water and spread it across the back of the top layer and then "stick" it to the bottom layer. Be sure to only use a tiny dab, or very thin film of water on the back of the one you will be sticking. If your cookie cutters are sticking to the fondant, try using a tiny little bit of icing sugar to "flour" the cutters and that should prevent that issue. 

Once the cakes are cooled, cut them horizontally through the middle with a long bread knife so that you have 2 even layers of cake. Grab your cake board and spread a little bit of icing a bit smaller than the size of the cake onto the board. This will stick your cake to the cakeboard, preventing it from sliding off. Place the bottom layer onto the cakeboard, making sure that it is evenly in the centre of the board. Next, either spread a layer of icing or pudding mix over top of the bottom layer and then put the top piece of cake on top. 

If you are putting a smaller double layer cake on top of that, you will need to make sure you put small dowel rods into that initial larger cake, so that you can support the weight of the 2nd cake without it collapsing through the bottom cake. While it sounds complicated, it's actually very easy to do. Take your second smaller cake board and outline it in the centre on top of the larger cake. Stand a dowel up near the cake and mark it where the top of the cake is so that it would stand right at the top of the larger cake when inserted into it. Cut the dowel where you marked it. Make 3 other dowels the exact same height. Next, push all 4 dowels into your bottom cake in a square pattern making sure that they are placed about 1 " away from the outer diameter of your smaller cake board outline. You want your second smaller cake board to be able to "sit" on top of the 4 dowels, so the larger cake doesn't have to support the weight of the smaller one. Take your smaller cakeboard and spread some icing in the centre. Put the bottom layer of your smaller cake on top of that. Spread icing or pudding over top that layer and then add the top half of the cake. Place the smaller cakeboard with the cake on it, centered, on top of the 4 dowels. 

Next, you will apply a crumb coat. Spread a thin layer of icing all over the cake. Use this as an opportunity to fill in gaps, and apply more icing where it is needed to even out the appearance of the sides and top of the cakes if they are slightly irregular. Once you have that coat on, place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes or so, until the icing is nice and firm. Doing this prevents your outer layer of icing from having cake crumbs in it, which can make the finished product look dirty or rough in appearance. This is especially important to do if you are using lighter coloured icing, where icing crumbs can be very visible. Once it's been in the freezer and the icing is firm, you can apply your 2nd and final coat of icing. 

A lot of people use fondant for the outer layer. I don't because most people, including myself, do not eat it and it goes to waste. I'd much rather have a yummy buttercream frosting (recipe below) on the cake and you can make it look almost as good using this instead of putting fondant over the whole cake. The way I do it is to apply that final layer of icing smoothly all over the cake as previously mentioned. Then, pour some boiling hot water into a large cup or measuring cup. Take your icing spatula and dip it into the hot water for a few seconds. Wipe it quickly dry with a paper towel. You don't want any water to get on the cake. Start gently smoothing out the icing with the hot spatula blade. Using the spatula with a hot blade allows the blade to melt the icing a bit on contact. It allows you to blend it all in nicely together so it appears more like fondant. Keep repeating that process every few seconds or so until your cake has a smooth finish on it that would resemble a fondant coating. 

Now you are ready to apply your fondant designs! 

Immediately after putting on your final icing layer, gently stick the decorations to the icing by pushing them very delicately into place. You do not need to wet them first, as the icing will still be soft. Keep doing that until you've got all the fondant decorations on. Apply your character figurines by gently pushing them into the icing so that they will be stuck into place.  Using a piping bag and tip, make little rosettes or whichever design you'd like around the bottom of the upper cake, and around the bottom of the lower cake.  Slap on a candle and voila! 

If you will not be eating the cake right away, store it in the fridge. I always make sure ahead of time that I have made enough room in the fridge to store it. You can leave it in the fridge just like that if you will not have any strong odours like onions or spicy foods whose scents may permeate the cake. If this will be the case, then plan ahead and purchase a cake box from your local bakery supply or bulk food store.  In my experience, they are generally inexpensive, at about $3 or less per box. Plus, this way, you won't accidentally bump the cake by getting something in or out of the fridge. 

Below, you will find the Buttercream Frosting recipe that I use. If you are using only 1 boxed cake mix, a single batch of frosting will do. If you are doing 2 boxed cakes, then you will need to double or even triple the recipe depending on how big your cake is. You could theoretically also use tubs of pre-made icing, but they aren't typically as thick as I would like my frosting to be. You'd have to beat in extra icing sugar to stiffen it up a bit to have it be strong enough to hold your fondant appliques. 

Buttercream Frosting Recipe: 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup margarine (can substitute with shortening)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

5 cups of icing sugar

3 tbsp of milk

Directions

1) Beat margarine, butter and vanilla together until smooth.  

2) Beat in 1 cup of icing sugar at a time into the butter mix on medium speed, until it's all dumped in. 

3) Add milk & beat on high until light and fluffy. 

4) Separate your icing into batches if you will be making different coloured icing and add the food colouring. Stir or beat it until the colour is fully blended into the icing.  If you want to make tie-dyed icing, check out my cupcake post to see Cake Boss's tie-dye icing method. 

*If you find the icing too dry once mixed, add in another teaspoon more of milk at a time until desired consistency. If it's too moist, add in a bit more icing sugar at a time until you get it the way you'd like. 

Here are a few other tips!

*Purchase a basic frosting piping kit, which would include a frosting spatula, piping bags and a selection of the most popular icing tips. This one retails for about $35, but if you get it at Michael's, you can use their weekly coupon and you would save anywhere from 40-50% on it. It's a great investment not only for this cake, but for future projects as well. 

* Consider purchasing a gift for the birthday child that includes figurines in the theme you will be using for your cake. This way you get the most bang for your buck, by using the figurines as part of your cake design! I did this with my Bubble Guppies cake by purchasing an interactive book that included the little characters. It cost me about $10 and was completely worth the small investment. 

* Peruse your local cake supply store, bulk food store, or craft store like Michael's to get inspired and get your creative juices flowing. 

*Join Facebook groups for those that like to bake so that you can get advice, suggestions and support at the drop of a hat from the other members. Their guidance and feedback is invaluable and often times includes those who have plenty of professional experience in cake decorating. 

Did I miss something? Do you have another great tip to offer? If so, please comment below. 

Good luck and happy baking!

***** 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.*****

   

Marvel Universe Live Is Coming to Canada This Summer!

   

Marvel Universe Live! is coming to Canada this summer! This live entertainment show features your favourite Marvel characters. Whether it's Spiderman, Iron Man, Hulk, or any of the other 25+ Marvel characters, you'll be amazed by the special effects, pyrotechnics, and amazing stunts in this live show!

Check out Marvel Universe Live! at one of 7 stops this summer across Canada:

British Columbia

Vancouver: Pacific Coliseum, June 18 - June 21st, 2015

Saskatchewan

Saskatoon: Sasktel Centre, July 16th - 19th, 2015

Manitoba

Winnipeg: MTS Centre July 23rd - 26th, 2015

Ontario

Ottawa: Canadian Tire Centre July 31st - Aug 2nd, 2015 

Hamilton: First Ontario Centre, August 6th - 9th, 2015

Toronto: Air Canada Centre, August 13th - 16th, 2015

Quebec

Montreal: Centre Bell, August 20th - 23rd, 2015

***** 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.*****

You Don't Need The Right Reasons To Read This Book!

   

Whether you've only watched a couple episodes of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, or you proudly consider yourself a member of Bachelor Nation, you will all enjoy Sean Lowe's brand new book "For the Right Reasons: America's Favorite Bachelor on Faith, Love, Marriage, and Why Nice Guys Finish First".

Sean Lowe is the fair haired Texan who got sent home after the overnight dates on Emily Maynard's season of The Bachelorette. He later went on to be The Bachelor himself on the following season of the franchise. As of now, he is the only "Bachelor" to marry his betrothed, and is only one of a handful of couples who actually tied the knot after appearing on the show.

Released this past January, the title of the book first got me thinking that it would be a book about his faith specifically. But it's much more than that! Whether you are a Christian or not, it is a pleasant and interesting read. This 232 page read chronicles Sean's life growing up, to his experience with The Bachelor franchise, to his marriage to the recipient of his final rose, Catherine Giudici.

While the book does address his faith and how he applies it in his life, it is not a book about religion. The book contains all sorts of insider information, deleted scenes, and gets you in behind the cameras with plenty of interesting details on how they produce the show. It helps the reader get to know Sean on a whole different level, and chronicles his take on his seasons of both The Bachelorette, as well as The Bachelor. It also delves into his general successes and failures, as well as with his personal and relationship struggles that came with his fame and the opportunities that the notoriety presented. His time on Dancing With The Stars is a great example, and he does address his time on that show as well.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. I think it humanizes someone who we might think of as a character on a TV show. We can easily get caught up in the show, forgetting that these are real people, whether their portrayal on the show is or isn't an accurate depiction of them.

Take for example, Courtney Robertson who was on Ben Flajnik's season of The Bachelor. People were all over her. But after reading Courtney's book "I Didn't Come Here To Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain", I had a different perspective. It's not to say that she didn't do or say some of the things the show portrayed her to have done. But it does remind us that we are all human and capable of frailty, failure and success.

As with Courtney's book, I loved learning about what goes on behind the scenes, in addition to learning more about the author. Whether you grab this book at the local library or head on out to purchase it, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

Happy reading!

***** 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.*****

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada is Sea-riously Awesome!

   

We visited Ripley's Aquarium of Canada this past weekend. Nestled right next to the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre, this unique & interesting attraction is definitely a must see for those residing in or visiting the Greater Toronto Area! 

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada features 12,500 square metres of aquatic enjoyment. With 5.7 million litres of water used to house some 16,000 animals, those young and old are sure to be amazed! It takes the average person about 2 to 2 and a half hours to experience the aquarium and all it has to offer. If you are visiting with young children, I highly recommend that you go first thing in the morning once they open. Most of the habitat areas are darkened to highlight the exhibits and I would not have wanted to visit with little ones during their typical peak time between 11am and 4pm for this reason.  Unless you have help with you to make sure one of your young ones don't suddenly get distracted and run off to another exhibit, then the early bird gets the worm on this one. Plus, there are a number of fun and interactive educational components throughout the aquarium which you can take full advantage of if it's not really busy. I would also suggest dressing your kids in bright colours, or patterned clothing so that they are more visible in the darkened areas.  Anything dark or grey in colour would be harder to see when it's busy with other attendees. 

For those requiring wheel chairs or strollers, they are both available for rent. Wheelchair rentals are free and umbrella strollers are available for rent for $3. But they are subject to availability, so remember what I said about the early bird? They also have a free stroller check in, if you don't want to bring your own personal stroller into the aquarium. Personally, I liked having mine as, although we didn't use it for our youngest, it was nice to put our coats and diaper bag in so we didn't have to carry it around. The aquarium does have a coat check and cubbies to rent for a nominal fee. Our youngest just turned 2 years old and he walked the whole way with no issues. He mostly tried to keep up with where his older brother went, so if you have an only child, then they might tire faster. 

Each of the galleries are neat to see, and will have something to fascinate you. Each gallery features a number of interactive learning activities to get the most out of your visit. I think they've done an excellent job at incorporating education into the exhibits. 

The Canadian Waters habitat displays a number of fish and plants from our Great Lakes, rivers and oceans. Our personal favorites in this habitat depiction? The Giant Pacific Octopus, and the Pacific kelp. The seaweed is unbelievably tall and the octopus is huge! And you really should get on the scale to see how much you'd be sold for if you were the catch of the day. Kids get a real kick out of this! In all honesty, so did I! LOL

The Rainbow Reef is beautiful! I could park a chair in front and sit there all day. Watching over 100 species of tropical fish from the Indo-Pacific region provides an array of colour and a buzz of activity.

The Dangerous Lagoon is where it's at! It's the largest exhibit and the most fascinating. You can either jump on board the largest North American slow moving movator or walk along side this 2.5 million litre tank. There you will pass through an underwater tunnel, seeing everything from sawfish & tropical fish, to sharks, sea turtles and stingrays. Seeing the sawfish glide by is quite the sight, as are all the sharks roaming about.We were lucky enough to see a sea turtle swimming above us. You will also see a massive grouper, the largest you've probably ever seen, or will see in your life. It's incredibly huge and I can't imagine how much that thing weighs! 

The Discovery Centre is where you can take a break, use the facilities, and get something to eat. In this section, there is also a playground area right beside the research submarine, which features a number of interactive bells and whistles, along with an underwater viewing bubble into the Dangerous Lagoon. There is also the horseshoe crab touch pool and the Great Lakes Locks water play area. Though this area is mostly geared towards kids, many adults were also taking advantage of what the Discovery Centre had to offer. You can also pop your head up into a puffer fish and clown fish tank which makes for some comical pictures. Kids will feel like they are right in there with Nemo from the Finding Nemo Disney movie. 

With regards to getting something to eat, you can purchase snacks and entrees from the Ripley's Cafe. Outside food and drinks are not technically allowed, but I'm sure if you had little ones, that their snacks would be OK to bring in. Obviously milk or formula wouldn't be an issue. If you are a nursing mom, there are a lot of chairs and tables in the Discovery Centre area where the cafe is for you to sit. There are also plenty of benches around the aquarium itself should you need to feed your little one. I snapped a picture of their menu so that you can see what's available and how much it would cost. Eating at venues like these is never cheap, so this way you can plan ahead! But to be honest, I didn't find the prices to be all that expensive, all things considered. We were there early, so I did not see the portions of these items, but compared to other attractions the prices aren't that bad. 

Moving on to the The Gallery, you'll see amazing creatures such as seahorses, leafy sea dragons, the electric eel, and the invasive lion fish. The seahorses and leafy sea dragons were particularly neat to see. 

The Perfect Predators area features an underwater viewing bubble where you can pop up inside a shark tank, and a clear tunnel tube to "crawl" through and view the sharks all around you. Most kids love these features, although a couple were a little hesitant to go in. There are also a number of interactive shark educational activities to do in this particular section.

Ray Bay is another of my favorites. Like the Rainbow Reef, I could park a chair here and watch for hours. Luckily there are benches there, so you can literally do that. Watching the stingrays, both large and small gliding about was mesmerizing. They appear to be so graceful and adorable. You'd never think that they could be dangerous in the wild. 

Planet Jellies is definitely a must see! It's amazing to see these little creatures moving about, and changing colour. Like the stingrays, they are also elegant in appearance. They are deceiving though, in that you'd never think they could hurt you. The saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" definitely applies to these beautiful but misleading little guys.

Upstairs, you can also check out the Shoreline Gallery.  There you will be able to touch small sharks (which I am pretty sure are bamboo sharks) in the touch pool, as well as the stingrays in the main area as they pass by. As I've said before, they are pretty amazing to watch! You can also look over the Dangerous Lagoon from up there as well and get a different perspective of the sharks, sea turtles and other fish previously mentioned in Dangerous Lagoon. 

The aquarium opens daily at 9am and is open most days until 11pm. Occasionally it closes at 6pm, so be sure to check the day that you plan to visit if you intend to be there or stay later into the evening. Regular admission for adults is $29.98, and $19.98 for seniors and youth ages 6-13years of age. Children 3-5 years of age are $9.98, and kids under 2 are free. HST is not included in those prices. There are discounted tickets available if you purchase Timed Tickets or Shark After Dark tickets. You can also check out their promo page to see if there are any further discounts or promotions going on. Military personnel are also eligible for further discounts.  

I think this attraction is not only fun but educational. And I'd be surprised if anyone did not enjoy their experience. The only downside for me is the crowd, because we have young ones. But that is simply fixed by going early when it's more quiet. For everyone else, it is likely not that big of a deal, as the aquarium does a good job of making the exhibits large and visible for a number of people to appreciate at one time. Whether you are an infant who enjoys watching things moving about to and fro, a school aged child who enjoys interactive learning displays, or an adult who appreciates the magnitude of our oceans and waterways, everyone will get something out of this unique attraction.  

All in all, I give Ripley's Aquarium of Canada 2 sharks, I mean, 2 thumbs up! 

***** 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.*****

    

The Lego Ideas Book Will Keep You & Your Kids Building!

    

Who doesn't love Lego? Whether you are young or old, there's nothing like expressing your creativity by building something with these well-known little bricks and pieces. 

The Lego Ideas Book features a myriad of things to make. Whether you want to build a monster truck, a castle bridge, animals or spaceships, you are guaranteed to find something that will get your creative juices flowing in this 200 page hardcover book. They even have useful build ideas to make organizers for things like pens and pencils, and to make your own picture frame out of your Lego pieces. 

You will find special sections in the book like Meet The Builder, which includes interview questions and answers from the Master Builders themselves. There are also sections that go into essential & alternative pieces to use and brick tips to get your own builds started. 

Many of the builds are relatively detailed. To copy the build ideas piece for piece, you would require an extensive array of Lego pieces, and experience that is not likely in a young child. But with an adult alongside, or for older kids, these ideas are easily adaptable to the pieces that one would already have in their collection.  As with The Lego Play Book, it would be nice to see some female oriented builds to balance out the creations already in the book, to coincide with the Lego Friends Lego sets and such. All in all this is a great educational book that my son has enjoyed looking at. He has spent a lot of time going through all the pages one by one and taking it all in. It would be of great interest to many. It's amazing what these builders come up with!  

The Lego Ideas Book is one of the many titles that DK Books Canada has featured this month in their March Break Boutique.  This title retails for $27.99CAN, but you might be able to find it for a better price at your local book store as it is a couple of years old.  

Happy building! 

***** 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.*****