.@TeddyOutReady: September 2015

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

StickerKid: High Quality Personalized Name Labels for Kids #stickerkid

Water Bottle

Children are back to school and our boy was excited to join his preschool class in Senior Kindergarten. New school year also came to us with all kinds of sport activities, art and music classes making our life very interesting but stressful sometimes. Have you counted how many times your kids lost their belongings? Our SK teacher mentioned once that there a pile of clothes and items in the class without any label to identify the owner. And what about all hockey gear, skates, gloves, hats, mittens, accessories and shoes mixed up, lost and thrown away only because there is no way to find whom those items belong to.

StickerKid Labels

To make parents and children lives easier and less stressful, StickerKid developed attractive and durable labels and stickers to clearly identify children's clothes, shoes, bottles and other stuff needed for daycare, school, camp and other activities. StickerKid, founded by an amazing Swiss-German family, established almost 11 years ago and have over 100 000 satisfied parents with their label products. StickerKid staff spent lots of time working with materials and creating the labels which are: dishwasher safe, microwave safe, water resistant, stick to the surface even in a freezing temperature.
StickerKid clothes

We ordered Value pack for Teddy - it is the best in price and varieties. We always need to label Teddy’s clothes, activities gear, lunch bag containers, water bottles, accessories and even his tablet. StickerKid offers a wide selection of characters, fonts and colors to fit your kid’s lifestyle and preferences. There are lots of logos to choose from allergy alerts to superheroes and food characters. I also like the option to add extra information in addition to first and last name, like phone number, e-mail address or a short message.

We tried stickers with different items and liked how durable they are. It is good idea to have the labels of different shapes to personalize kids belonging, bigger ones for bottles and bags, and smaller ones for clothes, outerwear and stationary. The labels are perfect for organizing and definitely saves time when packing at school after a break, lunch time or heading home. It is nice to have pretty labels instead of permanent markers writing. After your stuff is not needed or your kid simply grew up  you can easily detach a label and give your items to younger cousins or nieces.

StickerKid

Stickerkid ships to Canada only for $1.95 CAD, you can order on-line via their web site: http://www.stickerkid.ca/ca_en/. For our readers we are glad to offer a discount code thanks to amazing folks at Stickerkid. You can get quality personalized labels and receive 10 % discount with on-line code: 10StickerKidAT_47. It is valid until 30/10/15, just insert it in a shopping card when check out. If you have any questions, please contact StickerKid directly via e-mail at support@stickerkid.com.

Sticker Kid School
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Monday, September 28, 2015

STEAM Labs Toronto Fall Programs for Children: Arduino Robotics, Minecraft Pro & Video Game Programming

Rising tech kids is pretty challenging. Even for us, as a tech savvy family, mostly engineers, IT professionals and educators, sometimes is not easy to keep up with modern tech trends. And we are always eager to learn new things, new skills and new developments in technology. We already wrote about STEAM Labs that opened recently in Toronto and became a very popular spot among kids and adults, the place to learn high tech and put knowledge into the practice. STEAM Labs is a community makerspace for everyone looking to get started in digital world, programming, hands-on making and electronics. It’s also a place where entrepreneurs, educators and artists looking to work with various modern tools to put info life their ideas. You can find there the equipment for 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC milling, woodworking, electronics, sewing, crafts and more.

SteamLabs

Kids are back to school for new subjects, assignments and challenges. For young tech minds this fall STEAM Labs is excited to introduce fantastic children programs 8 weeks long priced at a special introductory term rate of $250. Kids will learn how to build own robots, write video game programs, Minecraft, programming, 3D printing and much more.

Minecraft Class

Here are some information about the programs starting in October, check them out:
Kids will build their very own robots using a combination of programming and crafting skills. They can attend this class on Sundays or Tuesdays.

STEAMLabs uses Minecraft to teach kids a combination of "hard" and "soft" skills, emphasizing teamwork to accomplish big projects. Kids get to pick their own projects and complete parts of team projects based on what they're interested in learning. Minecraft Pro class will run on Saturday mornings and Thursdays after school.

Kids will use an MIT developed program called Scratch to build their own playable games every Wednesday after school. Scratch uses authentic programming languages so kids can build real programming skills.

Using a combination of high tech tools (3D printing, laser cutting, electronics) and low tech craft, STEAM Labs provides the mentorship and structure to help your child turn their sketched ideas into working prototypes – led by their own imagination and ingenuity.This class will run every Sunday starting the weekend of October 25th.

We are very proud to have such a supportive place in Toronto where kids can learn high tech using the latest technology innovations.
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Thursday, September 24, 2015

Ever Considered Mystery Shopping? Time to Check Market Force Information

If you’re a mom or dad, then you are undoubtedly always looking for ways to save money on some of the necessities that tend to add up – groceries, meals, fuel, clothes, and the list goes on. You may even have a little extra time on your hands with school back in session.

This all brings us to mystery shopping. Did you know that mystery shoppers can get paid to shop and dine out, and they get reimbursed for purchasing many of these everyday items that they’d likely buy anyhow? There are even assignments where you’re able to bring your kids along, such as dining at a fast-food restaurant.

Store

Unfortunately, mystery shopping sometimes gets a bad rap because it’s used as a cover for scams, but I’d like to share a legitimate mystery shopping company with you – Market Force Information. Market Force Information is the world’s largest mystery shopping company, and they’re currently looking to recruit more mystery shoppers across Canada and the United States. This company has been around for years, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is one of the Mystery Shopping Provider Association's most reputable members.

Market Force Information needs more mystery shoppers to help evaluate businesses such as restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, clothing retailers, banks, hotels and movie theaters. As part of the mystery shopping assignment, you’re asked to report back on elements such as service, food quality, timeliness and cleanliness. Establishments use that feedback to understand what’s happening in their stores and make improvements.

One of the best parts about mystery shopping – especially for those trying to stretch their incomes – is getting reimbursed for the meals, goods or services that are purchased as part of the shopping assignments. Most assignments also pay a modest fee. Plus, it can be a lot of fun and you get the gratification of making a difference in your community.

Flexibility is another key job advantage. Mystery shoppers are independent contractors, so they can handpick their own assignments, making it an ideal job for stay-at-home parents, retirees, college students or part-time workers. Those who schedule themselves for multiple assignments per day or week and savvier shoppers who do higher-paying assignments can increase their earning potential. 

The qualifications for mystery shopping through Market Force Information are fairly minimal – you just need to be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of a high school education. It also helps to have excellent observational skills and an attention to detail.

If you’re ready to get started as a mystery shopper, you can sign up today at https://www.applymarketforce.com/?Source=175. You can also follow Market Force Information on Facebook or on Twitter, and I just learned that the first 5,000 people to follow them on Twitter will be entered to win an Amazon gift card.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Indulge Your Skin with Stylish & Natural Beauty Products from Evolution of Smooth #EOS

Eos is one of those rare beauty companies where design and quality of products complement each other. I was sitting on Prince Edward Island beach the other day and thought that I was missing something when I realized that I need a burst of colors and a little bit smoothness to my perfect summer days. I was really excited to get eos products to bright my days. It does not matter that the fall is already here, and winter is not far away, eos organic lib balms, hand lotions and shave creams are perfect for everyday activities and any holiday season.

EOS products

Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream made of natural shea butter, vitamins B3, C & E, green tea and grape seed extract make your skin look smooth and healthy. You can use it to shave wet or dry because it is so moisturizing, plus it smells so good taking you on floral adventures (lavender & jasmine). I also like the bottle design.

EOS Lip Balm

From the selection of lip balms I decided to try Strawberry Sorbet, and soon it became my travel companion. I like how it tastes on my lips, since I love everything strawberry related. All eos lip balms made of organic and natural ingredients what is definitely good for health. The balm does not bring much shine but make lips look naturally. Now I am tempted to try Vanilla Mint, Blackberry Nectar and other flavours depending on my mood and time of the day. The colors of balms are so bright; I sometimes say that eos colors are food for my eyes, so lovely and shiny. We also noticed that eos lip balm is a good distraction for little babies especially when they are crying. You can just roll it over for fun, or play when travelling and spending time outside.

Eos hand lotion, another eos masterpiece, is a wonderful combination of softness and refreshing fragrance. Following eos values, the hand lotion is made of natural ingredients, paraben-free and gluten-free. It absorbs really fast and nourishes your hands to keep them smooth and soft. I like the lotion container design; it reminds me ocean stones or shell. I find the shape is some kind of addictive, it fits in my palm and I want to hold it sometimes for no reason, simply because it sleek and smooth.

I love so much all eos products we received including a lovely towel, it reminds me ocean and a lighthouse with its stripes. Check them out, they are pretty affordable and sold at all major retailers across Canada.
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Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada Upcoming Theatrical Releases for Fall & Winter 2015

Fall is already here with colorful trees and cooler days. Walt Disney Studio has something for everyone this season to watch from action and spies to animation movie for children. Take a look at the upcoming fall and winter theatrical releases in Canada.

BRIDGE OF SPIES
DREAMWORKS
Release Date: October 16, 2015

Bridge Of Spies

Cast:
Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Scott Shepherd, Amy Ryan, Sebastian Koch, Alan Alda
Director:
Steven Spielberg

A dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of a series of historic events, DreamWorks Pictures/Fox 2000 Pictures’ “Bridge of Spies” is the story of James Donovan, a Brooklyn lawyer who finds himself thrust into the center of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible task to negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot. Screenwriters Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen have woven this remarkable experience in Donovan’s life into a story inspired by true events that captures the essence of a man who risked everything and vividly brings his personal journey to life.

Directed by three-time Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg, “Bridge of Spies” stars: two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks as James Donovan; threetime Tony Award® winner Mark Rylance as Rudolf Abel, a KGB agent defended by Donovan; Scott Shepherd as CIA operative Hoffman; Academy Award nominee Amy Ryan as James’ wife, Mary; Sebastian Koch as East German lawyer Vogel; and Academy Award nominee Alan Alda as Thomas Watters, a partner at Donovan’s law firm. The film is produced by Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger with Adam Somner, Daniel Lupi, Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Matt Charman and three-time Academy Award winners Ethan Coen & Joel Coen. “Bridge of Spies” will be released in theatres on October 16, 2015.

THE GOOD DINOSAUR
DISNEY*PIXAR
Release Date: November 25, 2015


The Good Dinosaur

Voice Cast:
Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Steve Zahn, AJ Buckley, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott,
Frances McDormand, Marcus Scribner, Jack Bright

Director:
Peter Sohn


"The Good Dinosaur" asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo (voice of Raymond Ochoa) makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of. We are looking froward to this movie, as Teddy asking every day when we are going to see this new animation adventures of little dinosaur. The film had a good coverage at D23 EXPO 2015. The latest trailer on-line is amazing.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
LUCASFILM
Release Date: December 18, 2015

star wars

Cast: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow

Director:
J.J. Abrams

Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as “Star Wars” returns to the big screen with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The movie releases in theatres on December 18, 2015.  Follow @StarWars on Twitter to get news & updates for #TheForceAwakens!

We ordered Stormtrooper costume for Teddy, now he can successfully join the Star Wars cast. It is few months till the movie hits the theaters  and all Star Wars fans anticipate it.

Are you excited about upcoming releases?

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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Toronto Maple Leafs New Kids' Club Launch & Carlton the Bear’s Birthday Celebration

Carlton The Bear_zpshtlitr9n.jpg

Just in time for upcoming NHL season Toronto Maple Leafs invited us to celebrate Carlton The Bear’s 20th Birthday Party and join the launch of Club Maple Leafs for kids. Air Canada Centre was full of excitement, birthday wishes and lots of activities that day. From delicious birthday cake to interaction with Carlton & Duke The Dog, we were excited to learn about our favorite team and enjoy the event.

Rookie of the year Carlton and Duke The Dog

The brand new club is created for young Maple Leafs fans who want to learn and be with their team. Now children fans can be involved into Maple Leafs activities using new Club Maple Leafs mobile app available on iTunes and Google Play. The exclusive content intended for children filled with news, games schedule, trivia and avatar build, hockey players’ stats and more to connect with the team.

Shawn Matthias

It was great to meet a new member of Maple Leafs team Shawn Matthias who joined the celebration. The Carlton The Bear’s birthday party was highlighted with the video covering the best Carlton’s moments in his short full of love life. Then Carlton & Duke The Dog treated kids with sweets, a puck piñata was there to test their skills. Young fans already know so many things about Toronto Maple Leafs and at the event showed how knowledgeable they are answering correctly to almost all  trivia questions.

Air Canada Centre

There were lots of activities for children, imagine Air Canada Centre was for young fans only including face painting, balloons and photo opportunities. The most exciting activity was ice mural painting, the whole arena was for children to color, write and send birthday wishes to Carlton The Bear.

Maple Leafs Ice Painting

We never know, today’s young fans may become talented hockey players tomorrow, inspire and unite the next generation of children, when sport and an active lifestyle become the norm from young age. 

While the event is over and Carlton The Bear’s Birthday Celebration came to the end, it was only the beginning to building new connections between young generation of fans and Maple Leafs team. Club Maple Leaf prepares lots of activities, and experiences for fans in the digital world via new mobile app and social media and in-person through kid-friendly events in the future. Stay connected, explore Club Maple Leafs mobile app and keep up with the recent updates via social media following hashtag #ClubMapleLeafs.

Exciting news for little Leafs fans: until October 31 parents can enter the Ultimate Toronto Maple Leafs Birthday Party contest for chance to win a Leafs themed birthday party complete with Leafs decor, cake, food and drink, and a visit from Carlton the Bear for your child and 24 friends. The winner and winner's family will also win a trip to Air Canada Centre where they will be featured on the brand new scoreboard during a Leafs home game this season. Parents need to submit a short essay why their child is the #1 Toronto Maple Leafs fan, for full details please visit http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club
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Thursday, September 10, 2015

5 Places to Visit in Toronto This Fall with Grandparents

CN Tower

Fall is already here and we are back to Toronto from our travels and summer holidays. This time of the year we are happy to get back to school routine and spend more time in the city enjoying all the fantastic venues it offers. We love spending time together as a multi generation family and always look for activities that fit young children, teens, adults and seniors. It is a great bonding time together, learning and better knowing each other. We created a list of attractions to visit this autumn in Toronto so that everyone in a family gets an enjoyable, educational and pleasant experience. The main idea is that the activities do not have to be overwhelming, exhaustive and boring. 

CN Tower is one of the most famous Toronto attractions. It has height 553.33m (1,815 ft.) and proudly serves as a telecommunication hub and an entertainment destination. Glass–floored elevator easily gets you to the Lookout Level and SkyPod where you can enjoy beautiful views of the city and the lake Ontario. The Glass Floor may be not for everyone but it is safe to stand, walk on and sit on for everyone. The Outdoor Sky Terrace takes you on a fresh air and gives an opportunity to feel the wind outside and enjoy spectacular views.

Wendy Warhol

For art lovers Toronto hosts lots of exhibitions and this year we are happy to explore in our city the Andy Warhol: Revisited exhibit, colorful and extraordinary which makes everyone, young and old thrive. Featuring the most iconic Andy Warhol’s artworks, Revolver Gallery takes you on pop art adventures. A wall of Campbell’s tomato soups, celebrities and socialites. Marilyn, Jane Fonda, Lenin, Mao are the most famous Warhol's masterpieces. Teddy was very excited to walk around the gallery, being a Campbell’s soup fan; he created inspired by Warhol’s flowers at 4cats art studio.  The exhibit is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10am to 8pm until December 31, 2015, admission to Andy Warhol: Revisited is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (65+), $5 for students and youth, and kids (under 5) are free.

Socialities

Another great venue for all art lovers is the Art Gallery of Ontario. This extraordinary 190,000 square feet building is designed to impress, inspire and provides unparalleled access to art display, programming, conservation, storage, creation and research. With over 5,000 artworks including Canadian, African and Oceanic, European, Modern and Contemporary and more, the Art Gallery of Ontario is to visit for the whole family. Check for new exhibit coming this fall at their web site. Collections are huge and diverse, plan your visit in advance and do not try to see everything at once.

Medieval Times

For live show fans there is a fantastic family entertainment at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. It takes you to the Middle Ages times with Knights, the King and The Queen. Join almost two hours of jousting, swordsmanship, thrilling hand-to-hand combat, displays of extraordinary horsemanship and falconry as part of an exciting and touching story set in Medieval Spain. Be ready to cheer for your favorite Knight and ladies get roses from the bravest and successful one.

The Second City

For some laughs visit The Second City. It is an improvisational comedy theater which offers hilarious live performances. While most shows are taking place in the evenings, in November The Second City presents fresh and festive collection of satirical sketches and songs. In UNWRAPPED, Toronto comedy troupe cuts through all the tinsel to the hilarious un-frosted truths about the holiday season. The most important is not to miss matinee performances which are prefect for a family outing. Tickets are usually selling fast to live shows at The Second City.

Hope you enjoy the time in Toronto together with your family! Fall is beautiful season and has lots to offer for any age and ability.

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Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Peanuts: Emmy® Honored Collection Giveaway US

Take a bow, Charlie Brown! We have a park section at Canada's Wonderland dedicated to Snoopy, Charlie Brown and his friends. Every season we watch shows about Charlie Brown and it is always new, fresh, interesting and fun for all ages. This fall Warner Bros. Home Entertainment prepared a super special release to all Peanuts fans, where Snoopy and Charlie Brown are featured in Peanuts: Emmy® Honored Collection available September 15, 2015. This must-own collection brings together 11 beloved Peanuts specials that have been brilliantly remastered in all-new 4K Ultra HD transfers to DVD. Each of the featured specials has earned an Emmy® Award nomination or won an Emmy® Award.
 photo Peanuts Emmy Honored Collection_zpsjeechs0i.jpg
Now fans have a front-row seat to a showcase of the most prestigious Peanuts features ever assembled into one collection. Peanuts: Emmy® Honored Collection includes 11 animated television specials on two discs. All of the specials featured in this release were recognized with either an Emmy® Award win or nomination. All specials have been remastered for gorgeous picture and sound quality. It’s a collection full of big laughs, best friends and life lessons that will delight the whole family.

Peanuts Snoopy

Featured special inculude the following:
  •  You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown – Hard work and team spirit is what Charlie Brown needs to win the decathlon at the school Junior Olympics event. His competitors are Marcie, defending Decathlon champ Freddie Fabulous and the Masked Marvel (aka, Snoopy). On the first day, Charlie Brown places third. On day two however, he begins to feel the pressure. He’s faced with having to tackle the high hurdles, pole vault, discus/javelin throw, and other events. Will he emerge victorious and win the Olympics for his school? This special was nominated for a Primetime Emmy® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  • She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown – Peppermint Patty trains for a figure-skating competition with Snoopy as her coach. Her determination is fierce, even after facing several obstacles, including exhaustion from pre-dawn training sessions to Marci’s failure to create a proper skating outfit, to her soundtrack malfunctioning at the start of her performance. Will it be disaster on ice or will Peppermint Patty emerge as a champ? This special was nominated for a Primetime Emmy ® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  • It’s Magic, Charlie Brown – This special finds Snoopy putting on a show after he checks out a book on magic tricks from the library. With Marcie and Sally as his assistants, he performs many tricks (some that work and some that don’t) before an audience. The grand finale features the biggest trick of all, making Charlie Brown disappear. To everyone’s amazement, Snoopy makes him invisible but doesn’t know how to bring Charlie Brown back. Will Snoopy find a way to reverse the trick? This special was nominated for a Primetime Emmy ® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  • Someday You’ll Find Her, Charlie BrownCharlie Brown is in love – again! He enlists Linus’ help to find a pretty girl he spotted in the crowd at a football game. He is crushed when the game ends because he thinks he’ll never see her again. This special was nominated for two Primetime Emmy ® Awards (Outstanding Animated Program/Outstanding Individual Achievement – Animated Programming). 
  • Is this Goodbye, Charlie Brown? – Linus’ father lands a new job which, means the family must relocate. As Linus and Lucy prepare to depart, the Peanuts gang all bid them farewell. Everyone has to cope with the Van Pelts’ departure – some to a greater degree than others. Their absence is felt by all. Charlie Brown is miserable without his pal Linus and Sally too misses her “sweet babboo.” Schroeder regrets not saying a proper “good-bye” to Lucy. Peppermint Patty attempts to cheer up Charlie Brown. How will the gang cope with their pals having left the neighborhood? This special was nominated for a Primetime Emmy ® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  •  Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown – This special finds Snoopy joining the circus when he falls for one of its performers, a white poodle named Fifi. Snoopy soon becomes a star performer, doing tricks on the unicycle, high wire and trapeze, and he’s renamed “Hugo the Great.” In the meantime, Charlie Brown is left distraught by Snoopy’s decision. What he doesn’t know however, is that for Snoopy, show business isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Will Snoopy ever return home or will the lure of stardom and his love for Fifi keep him from Charlie Brown? This special earned a Primetime Emmy ® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  • What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown? – This touching special finds the Peanuts gang in Europe as they visit various war memorials. They learn about the First and Second World Wars, and the sacrifices made by soldiers at various historical battles. In France they learn about the D-Day Invasion of World War II. Charlie Brown and his pals also visit Ypres and find out about the various battles fought during World War I. Linus recites the famous war poem “In Flanders Fields.” This special was nominated for a Primetime Emmy® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  • It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown – Originally broadcast in 1984, this special is comprised of several clever parodies inspired by popular early ‘80s dance trends ranging from disco to break dancing as well as a series of top 40 hit songs from the era. It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown earned an Emmy ® Award nomination for Outstanding Animated Program.  
  • Snoopy’s Getting Married, Charlie Brown – Is Snoopy really planning on tying the knot? In this special, everyone in the Peanuts gang pitches in, in an effort to make preparations for Snoopy’s big wedding day. When Snoopy meets the girl of his dreams, Genevieve, a beautiful Poodle, they begin courting and soon after, he proposes. The excitement builds as the big day draws near but Snoopy gets increasingly nervous about leaving his bachelorhood behind. Will wedding bells ring for Snoopy? This special was nominated for a Primetime Emmy ® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  • Why, Charlie Brown, Why? – This moving special finds Linus learning how to cope with a very ill classmate, Janice, whom he has grown close to and feels a great deal of affection for. He visits her at the hospital and at school, he defends her from a bully who makes fun of the way she looks. As Janice undergoes treatments to recover her health, Linus questions why she became ill to begin with. This special was nominated for a Primetime Emmy® Award (Outstanding Animated Program). 
  • You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown - Start your engines! Its Motocross season and competing against the likes of Peppermint Patty and the Masked Marvel – aka a certain daredevil Beagle named Snoopy – can intimidate anyone. But if Charlie Brown – tagged with unlucky number 13 – can keep the pace slow and steady (as well as hold onto his helmet), he might just win the race! It’s fast and furious fun right up through the finish line with this wonderful Emmy® Award winner (Outstanding Children’s Special).
This amazing collection is the best of the best and we are happy to give a chance to win a copy of Peanuts: Emmy® Honored Collection to one our lucky reader. The giveaway ends Septemer 25, 2015 and open to US residents only (no P.O. Boxes please). 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Back to School with Minute Rice Ready to Serve Cups #MinuteRice

Rice dishes are among our favorites; they are always tasty and easy to prepare without having special cooking skills. Back to School time is already here and we are always looking for ways to make our transition from summer adventures to fall classes easier and smoother. Our big family is always busy with travels, physical activities and educational programs, and we do not always have time for cooking hot meals. We have already appreciated the fast and easy instant Minute Rice when camping and living in a tent during summer time.

Back To School Minute Rice

This fall Minute Rice introduces Ready To Serve Cups just on-time for busy Back-to-School season. They come in six delicious varieties Basmati, Whole Grain, Oriental Style, Vegetable Medley, Long Grain & Wild Rice – Fine Herbs, Long Grain & Wild Rice – Chicken Flavour and Mexican to fit a wide range of tastes. Available as a sleeve of two 125 gram microwaveable cups, they need only one minute to be ready. Busy at school, no time to cook between activities, tired after hockey practice or no energy to cook after long work hours, convenient Minute Rice cups are here to help. The rice can be eaten straight out of the serving cup, as a side dish, or combined with chicken, beef, lamb, fish or vegetable for a quick one-dish meal. I like that Oriental Style, Long Grain & Wild Rice and Vegetable Medley because they contain additional ingredients like chicken flavour and vegetables, so they are final dishes ready to eat. If you want to use rice as a base for a meal and add your own ingredients, check Basmati and Whole Grain varieties which come as plain rice.

If you have children at the college or university, Minute Rice Ready To Serve Cups are very convenient way to serve hungry students with healthy and delicious meal without breaking a bank, one sleeve is about $2.75, plus with discount coupon, it is going to be even less. Another amazing benefit of Minute Rice cups is that you can cook fast and easy meals with your kids. Minute Rice offers a bunch of great recipes and I tried some with my kid, for example Minute Rice Chicken & Wild Rice Salad. It takes only 20 minutes in total to prepare but it was fun being a little chef and serve the family with delicious salad.

 photo Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

Minute Rice® Chicken and Wild Rice Salad
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 Minute Rice® Ready to Serve Cup – Long Grain & Wild Rice – Chicken Flavour

Quantities of your choice of:
Diced fully cooked chicken breast
Sliced fresh snow peas
Sliced red onion
Mandarin orange segments
Sesame orange salad dressing (store bought)

Instructions:
  1. Heat Minute Rice® Ready to Serve CupLong Grain & Wild Rice – Chicken Flavour in microwave, per package instructions. 
  2. Add diced chicken breast, snow peas and sliced red onion. 
  3. Stir in mandarin orange segments and sesame orange salad dressing. 
 Optional: Serve on a bed of salad greens

More information and time-saving recipes can be found at http://www.minuterice.ca/prod_rts.htm
Minute Rice Ready To Serve Cups
We are excited that Minute Rice® is offering one lucky Teddy Out Ready reader a chance to win three cases (48 cups – a $66 value) of Minute Rice® Ready to Serve Cups for themselves. Happy Back To School, everyone!

*The giveaway is open to Canadian (excluding Quebec) residents only; prizes are limited to one prize per winner – i.e. while a person may enter multiple Minute Rice® Ready to Serve Cups online contests, he or she is eligible to collect a prize from only one of the contests entered. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Thursday, September 3, 2015

Kindness Is Magic and It Is Always Possible #Cinderella #BeKind

Be kind

Children are never too young to learn to be kind. Even little babies learn by example and treat everyone and everything around same way as their parents do. Why do we read all amazing bedtime stories and fairy tales to our kids? Because they fall in love with them and definitely are inspired by them. Everyone loves the stories where the kindness reigns and kind people are the most happiest in the world. We, as parents often ask our children to be nice and kind. They should see that kind people are the ones everyone wants to be with, because kindness it is like a magic and secret weapon making everyone around happy.

A Million Words of Kindness

Being nice and kind to the people around you: neighbors, friends, teachers, pets, animal, things and even toys and clothes we are wearing is what we want to teach and see in our kids from the early age. We encourage our boy to be kind with others and show that he can be a builder of magic world and always refer to Cinderella, who is kind and has courage to be one even though it is not so easy. The kindness starts within a family; even Cinderella is nice and kind because she was surrounded by kind parents and friends from the early age.

In celebration of the Digital HD and Blu-ray release of Disney’s “Cinderella” on September 15, 2015, Walt Disney Studios is proud to announce the launch of “A Million Words of Kindness” Campaign. Inspired by the spirit of Cinderella, this online initiative invites fans everywhere to pledge their commitment to be courageous and kind in the hopes of achieving “A Million Words of Kindness” in time for World Kindness Day on November 13th, 2015.


Now you can create this magic by submitting words of courage and kindness at www.cinderellakindness.com, using the hashtags #Cinderella and #bekind or the handle @Cinderellamovie. Your kind words will then appear on the site’s interactive “Kindness Wall”. It is so inspiring to read those messages. Join the “A Million Words of Kindness” Campaign and use your words to help make the world a kinder, more magical place to live!
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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo DVD Giveaway US

Kids love playing a lot, when Teddy's friends gather together it is the most nosiest and funniest time at home and on a playground. Children are ready to play all days long without losing energy and excitement. Great to see that one of our favorite character Elmo is eager to share all his favorite games with our little ones in new DVD release from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment  - Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo. The DVD presented by Sesame Workshop, the non-profit, educational organization whose mission is to help kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder, coming out September 8, 2015. Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo includes the full length episode “Simon Says,” bonus content and exciting video segment “Elmo’s World: Games.” The title’s release also aligns with the launch of the new Play All Day Elmo toy from Hasbro.

Elmo Play All Day

Spend the afternoon dancing, jumping, and clapping while playing all of Elmo’s favorite games. Preschoolers will join Elmo to play Freeze Dance, Red Light Green Light, Elmo Says, and more. Elmo helps make learning fun with his interactive approach to teaching children his favorite games. Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo will have your toddler bouncing up and down with excitement while practicing important executive function skills such as self-control, following directions and paying attention.

Teddy with Elmo

“Warner Bros Home Entertainment is thrilled to announce the newest addition to the Sesame Street collection, Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo,” said Jeff Brown, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Executive Vice President. “Elmo continues to be one of the most loveable preschool characters of all time and we are happy to share yet another exciting title starring America’s favorite furry red monster.”

Now in its 45th season, Sesame Street is the longest-running program in children’s television and the number one top-of-mind preschool show with moms. Sesame Street also has the highest "co-viewing" experience - meaning adults watching with kids - of any preschool show. The series has received more Emmy awards than any other show in television history, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award honoring the 40th year.

To celebrate this release, we are excited to giveaway a copy of Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo DVD to our lucky US reader. The giveaway ends September 19, 2015. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Bareburger Toronto Family-Friendly Restaurant with Healthy Menu #BareburgerTO

BareBurger

Doesn't matter if you live in Toronto or just come to visit this vibrant and full of adventures city, you can always stop by recently opened and already became very popular Bareburger restaurant. It is located at the heart of Toronto city very close to Young & Dundas square where lots of events and activities take place all year long. Bareburger is a popular restaurant chain initially from New York and now taking over the world and has about twenty eight operating restaurants located all across US, Japan and the number continues to grow. Bareburger is special by serving 100% organic meat burgers along with other items in the menu being natural, GMO and pesticide-free.

Bareburger onion rings
Onion Rings
In August we were lucky to join Brunch at Bareburger in Toronto. My first positive impression was that Bareburger is pretty spacious for downtown location. You can easily find your lovely spot and even take the whole family like ours with cousins, uncles and grandparents to have a healthy and delicious brunch, lunch or dinner. I also like that Bareburger is located close to Yoga Tree (next door) where after practice we can meet and chat with friends.

Duck Duck French Toast
Duck Duck French Toast
Talking about menu, it impresses with a variety of healthy options including kale, spinach, avocado and fresh tomatoes. My choice was Duck Duck French Toast which came with absolutely delicious duck bacon, fresh eggs and plum marmalade. At the beginning of our brunch we were treated with onion rings and fries, they probably looked as regular ones, but they taste much better, the key is what they are made from. The most of the ingredients you see in Bareburger menu are locally sourced in Ontario and other provinces farms to make sure we all get healthy and organic food on the table to enjoy. All the drinks, desert and sauces are also meticulously chosen by Bareburger to be delicious and good for our health too. Good to know that the menu at Bareburger is updated every one and half year introducing new flavours but keeping the favorites.

Mug Rossini

Am I heading back to Bareburger in the nearest future? Yes, of course. I already put my eye on some shakes and ice-cream sandwiches from Gregs Ice Cream plus I would like to treat my little picky hungry cub Teddy, I think we will be happy to spend some time there. Conveniently located at 111 Dundas Street West, check them out next time you are in downtown Toronto.

 photo Gregs Ice Cream_zpsr5bpp5k0.jpg
Gregs Ice Cream
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