Shop like a boss!

When you're on mat leave with a tighter budget, you have to spend your money wisely! I try as much as possible to find great deals & sales to stay within budget ; I make my grocery list & plan my meals according to the flyer received every week, I keep an eye open for discount on children's clothing (you know how they always seem to outgrow their clothes at the speed of light?)...and I use my Air Miles card whenever possible. It's the perfect tool to help me save a few bucks because it's a free card (no subscription, monthly or annual fees) that allows me to get rewards. With the points earned, I can either shop on their online catalogue or use my points as cash rewards when shopping at participating sponsors locations (that's personally the way I use my Air Miles most!)

Last week, I was invited in a suite at Hotel Nelligan to learn about airmilesshops.ca & let me tell you, I was pretty psyched. Even though me & my boyfriend have Air Miles cards for as long as I can remember (at least 8 years I think!) I didn't know about this website. The idea is pretty simple (and pretty great too!)You simply have to visit airmilesshops.ca, enter your Air Miles collector number, then shop throughout a wide variety of online shops. Basically, this website acts as a portal where you can see all the participant online stores. There are more than a hundred shops to choose from, including Amazon, Anthropologie, Gap, Indigo, The Body Shop, Babies "R" Us & so on...By shopping through this "Air Miles portal", you'll earn rewards miles AND will also have access to some additional promotions from time to time, depending on the shops you choose! Pretty neat, right?  Who doesn't love shopping in the comfort of their own home? I know I love it! Especially when I get rewards! :)

Here are a few pics of the little event! I got to meet great women & also had a fun time with a few blogger friends!

Snacks!

Let's get shopping!

Blogger friends: on the left, Marianne from Ce que j'ai dans le ventre, in the middle, Alexïs from NaNa Toulouse

Alexïs & me with Air Miles ambassador Saskia Thuot

We were lucky enough to get spoiled with prepaid credit cards to shop online via airmilesshops.ca...And some of us scored big! It's now your turn to discover airmilesshops.ca, find great deals, earn points & shop like a boss! ;)
Enjoy!

*Please note this is not an actual "sponsored" post, though I've received a gift card to try out the website. All opinions expressed in this post are my very own*

The GUILT

Last week was a though one. I was sooooo freakin' tired, I felt like I had crashed into a wall at 80 miles/ hour...not exactly, but you get the point, right? When I had Livia, the same thing happened to me when she was about 3-4 months old, just like Logan is right now. It seems that for the first few months, the adrenaline kicks in and you don't really feel that tired....then BAM!!! It hits you right in the face.

So, tired mommy would have liked to sleep a lot, but her little lady simply wouldn't nap! (I've talked about it a few weeks back, in this post! And a kid who needs a nap but doesn't take one turns into a cranky kid around 3pm...at least at our house!) The equation is really simple here... REALLY tired mommy + cranky toddler = lack of patience...and a bit of guilt too!

This picture should be called "Now is not the time"...the day she refused to nap to end up falling asleep on the couch while dinner was about to get served...

I'm here to talk about guilt today because I feel that us moms tend to feel guilty all the time...When we're working full time, we feel guilty about not spending enough time with our kids...then, on mat leave with a 2nd (or 3rd, or 4th....) baby, we feel guilty if we send our eldest to day care a few times a week...we feel guilty when we don't have/ take the time to prepare a healthy meal from scratch for our kiddos...guilty if we let them watch more TV than usual because we are busy breastfeeding/ cooking dinner/ doing laundry/ washing dishes...guilty when we raise our voice because our patience has run out, but we know we shouldn't have....

Last week was a though one. Livia usually goes to day care 3 days a week (from about 9:30am to 3:30 pm) to give me time to work on my custom orders & run some errands. Last week, I sent her to day care 4 days & I FELT GUILTY! But why? Please tell me why? This extra day I sent her to day care allowed me to get the rest I needed with my baby boy. It allowed me to calm down, take a deep breath & be (or at least try to be) a better mom for her! All of that while she was having fun with friends & napping! (because yes, she refuses to nap at home but has absolutely no problem napping at day care!)

In the end, I realized that instead of feeling guilty, I should be proud. I should be proud I had took the decision to get some rest because a sleep-deprived impatient mom isn't fun, for nobody...a well rested, calm & happy mom is way much better!

Are you the type of mom who often fells guilty? Let's get rid of our "motherhood-guilt" by sharing in the comment section! ;)

Take care!

3 months

Dear Logan,

I feel like I haven't caught my breath for the last 3 months, but I'm saying that in the best way possible! You amaze me, you are such a happy baby! Smiling seems to come to you so naturally, makes me realize that I should follow your example & smile more often! You're only 3 months old, yet you're already so expressive & compassionate (you absolutely hate when your big sis cries, makes you feel so sad!) You started grabbing things a few weeks ago and you're getting the hang of it...your new trick: putting everything in your mouth!Already?!?! Sometimes I would like to bottle you up... please just be my happy smiley baby forever!

The little man is filling up ( and he finally started wearing his cloth diaper which make him look even chubbier!)

Dear Livia,

You are such an amazing big sister for Logan, I'm so proud of you. Lately however, we've been having our ups & downs...A few weeks ago you've entered one of your "stubborn" phase & I've been having a hard time communicating with you! I feel like you're testing my limits & I know that sometimes , I should just take a deep breath & be more patient with you! Some nights I go to bed thinking I might have been a little hard on you, I might doubt my parenting skills...but then, when you hug me & kiss me, I know that even if we don't always get along, I might be doing something right! Parenthood is the thoughest job, yet the most rewarding & your hugs & kisses are the best reward of all!

My little miss looking sooooo grown up!

Honestly in love with the Honest Company

Are you familiar with The Honest Company?
A line of safe, eco-friendly products for the whole family (including young kids & babies) created by the actress Jessica Alba & co-founder Christopher Gavigan.

Being very active (addicted should I say!) on Instagram, I noticed this brand a few months ago...Then it started to pop, here & there & I got very intrigued. Let's just say that the branding & packaging is so utterly pretty & cute, I just couldn't help myself. So I looked at their website and BAM! I had discovered the exact type of products I was looking for! But I was totally bummed when I realized that the shipping was only available to US residents!

I wrote a quick email to the company (and I think many fellow Canadians did the same!) asking if they were planning to offer shipping to Canada in a near future and guess what! About 2 months later, I was pleased to know that they now do!

The concept is pretty neat! You create an account, select our bundle (that's the most economic way to buy) then select your delivery date. It's so convenient to have your package delivered right to your door! I chose the Essentials bundle so for each delivery, I can choose the products I want & need out of a wide range of body care & house cleaning products.

I'm totally in love in love with their products & thought I could share with you guys! Here are the products that we've tried out so far!

 Conditioning Mist
Most probably my favorite product so far. Livia ALWAYS has tangled hair after her bath and she doesn't like it when I brush her hair. This little bottle works like pure magic + it's smells SOOOOO good...sweet orange vanilla...reminds me of orange creamsicles! It leaves her hair feeling soft and shiny too! I use it for myself also (you would do the same!) We're SOLD! :)

 Toilet Cleaner
I told a friend: "My toilet has simply never smelled sooo good! Seriously" That my friends says it all! When's the last time you had a conversation about your toilet cleaner with a friend? Just tell me when!...

Healing Balm
Livia's eczema is way less intense than when she was little, but with the cold season knocking at our door, you can totally tell that her fragile skin is starting to feel all of the cold weather's side effects. This balm is perfect for dry itchy skin, but we've also used it on little scratches & other whatnot... Livia calls it her "booboo cream"!

Oxy Boost
Logan has (finally!) started to use the cloth diapers this week and I think this will become a must in my laundry room. I always let the dirty diapers soak in warm water before putting them in the washer...Just add one of these babies & you'll make sure to get rid of any leftover stains or odors! Who doesn't like a non-toxic whitener & deodorizer?

Shampoo & Body Wash
I love "all-in-one" products for my little one! This shampoo/ body wash is soft, the smell is very subtle (I love when my babies smell great, but hate it when they end up smelling like you dropped a bottle of perfume on their heads, right?) and I love knowing that it is safe for them!


Are you using any Honest products? What's your favorite? I'd love to know! :)

*Please note this is absolutely not a sponsored post!*