Kids Need Nonfiction! Books About Canada - Review and Giveaway

Giveaway open to Canadians.

Fact: kids love nonfiction.

When we go to buy or borrow reading material for our children, we adults seem to be the most drawn to to make-believe. Maybe this is because our lives expose us to an abundance of non-fiction - newspapers, reports for work - and we crave a break, and assume the same of our kids. Research, however, as well as personal experience, has taught me that kids love to read nonfiction books, and motivating them to love reading is one of the most important steps in reading instruction.

Recently there's been a big push towards providing nonfiction titles for boys in particular, which is well-founded, but at the beginning of this school year at least half of my girls would steer away from the fiction bins at self-selected reading time as well. Instead they would choose to read animal facts, jokes, arts and crafts instructions, or biographies. Chances are, there is a child in your life whose reading could be enhanced by more exposure to this genre.

The goal of this post is introduce you to a few non-fiction titles your child(ren) might enjoy, and even give you the opportunity to win them! In honour of Canada Day, I reviewed a few different Scholastic books about our beautiful country:

101 Canadian Jokes by Howard Hershkowitz

What kid wouldn't get a kick out of jokes like these:

What has antlers and sucks blood? A  moose-quito!
How do you keep a grizzly bear from charging? Take away its credit cards!

I mean, this is funny stuff, people. And the beauty of books like this is that kids start sharing jokes with each other, telling the riddles at home, and making reading an interactive activity.

You Can't Do That In Canada by Bev Spencer

This one covers some of the wacky laws we've had on the books in our country, like the old B.C. law that made it illegal to kill a sasquatch, or the current Fredericton, N.B. law that forbids the wearing of a snake!

Again, this gets kids reading, thinking, and talking about the material. Chapter books can sometimes be overwhelming. Books like this, that look like chapter books but instead have little snippets of information, keep kids motivated. Children gain the sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing a book, but with less time and struggle. If this is what it takes to foster a love of reading, I'm all for it!

Crazy Canadian Trivia by Pat Hancock

Everything you never wanted to know about Canada - the Great Outhouse Race, the world's biggest ice-cream sundae, the oldest living person and the day Niagara Falls stopped falling. Again, little bits and bites that kids will love to share with their friends and family.

Go Green, Canada! by Jeff Sinclair

This timely book is not just reading material, but also contains puzzles, games and quizzes that kids can complete. (It's very hard to keep these books in the classroom library, as the kids find it difficult to refrain from writing in the answers!) Though a child-friendly format, this book actually tackles some important issues, and offers valuable tips about saving our environment.

So, what do you think? You must know a child who would love to spend the rest of the summer poring over these gems. If you are a Canadian resident, they can be yours! To win ALL FOUR books (total retail value $27.00):

Leave a comment telling me one thing you love about Canada. That's it!

For additional entries, leave a separate comment letting me know that:

• you subscribe to This Mom Loves through email
• you follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect
• you follow @thismomloves on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway

The contest will end on Wednesday, July 14th at midnight Eastern time, after which a winner will be chosen through random number generation.

If you don't win, consider picking up one of these titles, or at least peruse the non-fiction shelves the next time you're in the bookstore or library. Every kid should be encouraged to read for pleasure; it just may take some trial-and-error to find out what type of book pleases them!

P.S. I didn't even need a sad book to start the waterworks yesterday when I said goodbye to my beautiful Grade 3 class -- before the last bell rang I had tears streaming down my face. Sure, I'm more than thrilled to begin my wonderful long holiday, but I have grown to love the children and will truly miss them!
Disclaimer: These titles were provided to me by Scholastic Canada for review purposes. Opinions, as always, are my own.

Organize Hair Accessories - Without Buying a Thing!

Here's a short and sweet post for you:

My current Bugalug Baby Review and Giveaway got me thinking about all of the hair stuff in my home. My girls have a ton of hair accessories, and I thought I had wisely organized them by type (barrettes, hairbands, ponytail holders, etc.) I realized that this system wasn't working well, so I switched things up. A look at my cluttered container before:

I decided it would be much more efficient to sort by colour into sandwich bags. That way, I can take a look at what Frannie or Maggie is wearing, grab the right baggie, and choose the accessory. (I could have used any number of different small storage containers, but baggies are cheap, plus they were already in my kitchen the day I decided to tackle this oh-so-important project. I'm not exactly a patient person.)

Once everything was sorted, I put the baggies back in to the same little tub I had been using, and presto, I was done! I told you, short and sweet. Man, I feel so much better now. And you can do it too!

Yes, things like this seriously make me happy. I'm not expecting many comments on this post, earth-shattering as it may be. Except perhaps an occasional sympathy note.

Angelface Prints: Review and $50 Giveaway

Open to Canada and U.S.

I was thrilled when I recently had the opportunity to review products from the Canadian business Angelface Prints. They specialize in customized announcements (holiday, thank you, invitation, etc.), like the adorable twins' birth announcement below.

Why order through Angelface, and not just use the supermarket kiosk like everyone else? Well, for one, you don't have to line up at a kiosk, and secondly, because you don't want your greetings to look like everyone else's! The best thing about these cards (besides the reasonable rates) is that they can be custom-designed, like card they made me for Canada Day.

I was excited to order a sample product, but didn't want to wait for the next traditional card-sending holiday...and there are certainly no birth announcements in my family's (near) future! I asked business owner Christie if she could design a little something I could send out for Canada Day, in order to review the cards. Aren't Frannie and Maggie cute little Canadian girls? (We won't talk about the effort involved to take these shots. I'll save that for another post!)

To order your greetings, you simply contact Angelface to let them know what sort of design you're looking for (one you found on the site, or something you'd like custom designed for no extra charge). Then you attach your photo(s), and wait to receive your proof through email. The photo part couldn't be easier - they actually prefer if you don't crop, remove red-eye, or switch to black and white. Just send your raw images, and they do the rest! Once you have approved your order, you make your payment and wait for your cards and envelopes to come in the mail.

Angelface Prints is also branching out into art work - I received an adorable 'M is for Maggie'...well, not really, since that's her pseudonym, but you get the idea. It's actually quite nice to get a personalized piece for her, as her real name is quite uncommon and won't be found on the usual name merchandise available in stores.

Here's your chance to go shopping at Angelface Prints yourself!

Up for grabs is a $50 gift certificate, to be used towards any products you wish! Have a special occasion coming up? The invitations or announcements can be looked after! Interested in the initial art? This amount could buy the names of three different children...wouldn't that look cute lined up on a playroom wall?

Entering is simple! Just visit Angelface Prints, and come back and leave me a comment about a product you like. Make sure to leave your email address in your comment, if it's not linked to your profile. If I cannot contact you, you will be disqualified.

For additional entries, leave a separate comment letting me know that:

• you are a This Mom Loves email subscriber
• you follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect
• you follow @thismomloves on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway
• you 'like' Angelface Prints on Facebook
• you've added Angelface Prints' button (found in their left sidebar) to your blog (include your link) for 2 extra entries (leave two comments)

Good luck! This contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends on Sunday, July 11th at midnight, after which time a winner will be chosen through random number generation.

While you're here, don't forget to enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Bugalug Baby (ends July 6th) as well!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a sample of a personalized name and some announcement cards for the purpose of this review. Opinions are, as always, my own.

Sorry I'm Not "Just Spiritual"

As I began planning this post, I was just going to tell you about my latest Pandora bead purchase, and touch on how faith is so important to me and my family. As I got going, however, I decided that I wanted to share a little bit more about my thoughts on organized religion.

I always find it interesting when parents boast that they aren't forcing any religion on their children, and that they are going to allow them to "decide for themselves". I completely disagree with this philosophy, because for me, being raised Catholic was one of the strongest influences in my life. Once I got old enough, it was certainly my choice to stay, but I think a big part of a person's faith is developed through childhood rituals. It's not like these parents are going to a weekly service and paying for a babysitter until the kids are old enough to decide. It usually just means they don't have any religious affiliation themselves, or they aren't happy with the one they were born in to.

I also find it amusing when I hear someone say "oh, I'm not religious, I'm just spiritual". I'm sure that for some people this is perfectly authentic (and if that is you, then no offense intended), but for others, it's a copout ('spirituality' can be pursued while sitting on the deck; 'religion' requires some time on hard pews and kneelers) or just a safe, politically-correct assertion. Sort of a "don't-hate-me-because-I-go-to-Mass/temple/mosque, I'm not really one of 'them'" kind of thing. I am definitely a spiritual person, but I am proud to say that I am also religious, and my religion is Catholicism. Whoosh. And some readers bounce away.

I harbor no ill-will towards atheists; if anything I kind of feel badly for them, because I can't imagine a life without my relationship with God. Despite being told during one sermon that Catholicicm is not a buffet where you can take some things and leave others, I do sometimes question rules and decisions of my Church, and I'm no perfect Catholic (I've been married 9 years and have two children. Enough said.) I do, though, consider Catholicism to be a huge part of my identity. I have no interest in convincing anyone else that it's the 'best' religion; I just know that it's mine. Ours.

As a child, we attended Mass EVERY Sunday, as well as all other days of obligation. My father comes from a long line of Irish-Catholics, and my mother is a very active convert; both are retired Catholic school teachers. And when I say we went EVERY Sunday, that means we hit a church in every city on my brother's summer-lacrosse circuit, and Saturday weddings did not replace Sundays' obligations. While attending a Catholic school in a little Irish community (I have since moved 40 minutes away to my husband's hometown, which could easily pass for the same place I left) I was in the choir, and eventually read on the altar. I wanted to be an altar server, but in 1987 our priest just wasn't ready for girls in that role.

When looking for a partner, a belief in God was a deal-breaker, a strong faith was very important, and finding a fellow practicing Catholic was a huge bonus. My husband and I both teach for the same Catholic School Board we attended as children, as do two of my husband's sisters and my brother. I enjoy teaching the catechism and incorporating our faith in to our daily lessons and activities. (And I'm not just saying this in case my employer is reading!)

Our parish really feels like extended family for us. Admittedly we attend Mass a little less often than our devoted parents: compared to my in-laws, who often go more than once in a weekend, our attendance rate is an embarrassing 90 - 95%. Frannie and Maggie were baptised within weeks of their births, and their godparents were chosen carefully for the example they would set. All future sacraments will be very special occasions for us.

Lately, I have been reading a Frannie a story each night from her children's bible, though at age four, some of it is a little over her head. Her big thing right now at storytime is that she wants to "be" any female character we read about:

Me: "This story is about Abraham and Sarah, who --"
Frannie: "I want to be Sarah!"
Me: "Fine, you can be Sarah. Whatever. Just let me read."
The other night I had to try to explain to her why she really wouldn't want to "be" Delilah.

It's not always easy to try to explain something as abstract as religion to young children. The other day, while driving to daycare, Frannie said "I'm glad there aren't any bad guys in heaven. You said there aren't any bad guys in heaven, right?" I don't even remember that discussion, but sure, okay. "But I have another question. Do we all have to die on a cross?"

Despite all of your efforts to instill your beliefs in your children, if you raise them to think for themselves, they may very well grow up and choose to abandon your family's religion, to find another, or to question God's existence altogether. But you still will never know the impact of the gift of a childhood full of faith and religious tradition.

So back to my bead. I chose this beautiful crucifix as a symbol of my firm religious beliefs. I truly never question the existence of God, and if some details of Jesus' time on earth have been tweaked a little in translation (as I am sure you DaVinci Coders will be quick to argue), it certainly hasn't hurt me, my family, or my students by setting our standards as high as those of a man we know once lived and died for us.

How about you? Are you religious? "Just spiritual?" What role does faith play in your childrearing? Do you still have the same beliefs and practices that you did growing up? I am very interested to hear my readers' thoughts on this. I welcome opposing ideas, but please be gentle. Remember, what would Jesus do?

Bugalug Baby: Review and Giveaway

Giveaway open to US and Canada!

I'm always looking for cool new accessories for my girls, so I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to review some items from Bugalug Baby. I received a pony loop, a few barrettes, a headband, and a belt  for Frannie and Maggie to try out, and I was very pleased.

I mean, first of all, everything is adorable. Which, of course, matters. In terms of quality, I was also very impressed. Maggie FINALLY has long enough hair to work with (she was rockin' an awesome mullet for quite a while) and Frannie adores new hairwear, so the items have been put to good use. As promised, the barrettes (with a unique grippy strip) and pony loops hold very well (though, to be completely honest, my determined two-year old was able to work them out of her super-fine hair eventually, but it did take her a lot longer than usual!) And although I don't think I've ever actually purchased a belt for my kids, the one I was given looks very cute with Maggie's jeans, and the elastic and snap button are so practical.

The headbands are particularly brilliant because they have a little size adjuster on the bottom, which allows you to tighten or loosen the band as necessary. That was handy, because the girls could share a headband, and it will grow with them as well.

The prices are very reasonable for the products you're receiving. Items certainly aren't dollar-store cheap, but you're not getting dollar-store quality, either. No sweatshop junk here: these accessories, available in an array of colours and patterns, are hand-made by Canadian stay-at-home moms. (There are sales on the website to watch out for as well.)

Bugalug Baby is the place to go if you want to invest in some trendy-looking accessories that are going to work, and going to last. An excellent gift idea, too! Their tagline says it best: simple and sassy accessories that stay in place! And come on: if they're good enough for Brooke Shields' girls, aren't they good enough for ours? :-)

How would you like to go shopping at Bugalug Baby? I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate, which can be used for anything available on their site. (Shopping for baby boy? They also have boys' belts and multiuse Soother Savers!)

To enter: all you have to do to enter is visit Bugalug Baby's website and come back and leave me a comment about a product you like. This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada.

Be sure to leave your email address in your comment, if it is not available on your profile. If I cannot contact you, you will be disqualified.

For additional entries (after you have completed the steps above), leave a comment letting me know that:

• you subscribe to This Mom Loves through email
• you follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect
• you follow @thismomloves on Twitter, and tweet about the giveaway
• you "like" Bugalug Baby on Facebook
• you follow @bugalug on Twitter, and tweet about the giveaway

The contest will end at midnight Eastern time on Tuesday, July 6th 2010. A winner will be chosen by random number generation, and will have 48 hours to respond to my email.

Disclaimer: I was provided with the above-named products for review. Opinions are, as always, my own.

Tips For a Successful Vacation With Kids

When aspiring writer Arzel Ariosa contacted me about doing a travel-themed guest post here at This Mom Loves, I couldn't refuse! Welcome, Arzel. Take it away!
***

Tips For A Successful Vacation With Kids

A family vacation is the perfect way to spend quality time together, but it should be carefully planned to make sure everyone enjoys the experience.

Try to interact while on the road. A car packed with kids and baggage can easily get stuffy. While some parents distract their kids with videos and iPods, it just doesn’t give them the chance to interact. Try quizzing them on spelling, provincial/state capitals, geography, multiplication facts or whatever you can think of. You’ll find it amazing just how quickly the time goes by.

Plan some entertainment for long flights. It really helps to bring some flash cards, puzzles, and toys for the younger ones. For older kids, have them bring along books, music, or anything else that will entertain them.

Bring food and snacks. Whether it’s a drive or a flight, bringing along food can save you money since you won’t have to purchase snacks while getting gas or spend money on the plane.

Choose kid-friendly resorts. Not every destination is child-friendly. You may have spent a vacation there when you did not have kids only to find out it’s completely inappropriate for a family trip. On the other hand, you may also want to get some adult entertainment. It’s all about balance. Look for resorts in advance to make sure you pick the right one.

Pick age-appropriate resorts. Look for one with programs fit for the age of your kids. If you have both toddlers and teens, make sure they each get the right activities for their age.

Get to know the person watching over your kids. Talk to the camp supervisor or the diving instructor. This will help you make sure the kids are in good hands so that you can also spend some time with your partner or with friends without worries.

Bond with your children for a truly successful vacation. Share new experiences with the kids. There are many destinations offering activities where parents and kids can participate together.

There are a lot of travel choices out there, but planning ahead gives you the advantage of knowing what to do in case of changes in plans. Think of alternate ideas in case there are disruptions.

Finally, enjoy! Make the most out of every moment spent with the family. A successful vacation is something that you and your kids can remember and talk about long after you have gone home.

***

Thanks, Arzel! I can't resist adding a few of my own tips, from personal experience:

• Call ahead to see if your destination has high chairs, playpens, etc. Why pack your own if you don't have to? Vehicle space is very precious when hitting the road.
• Try to get a room with a fridge and a microwave. Makes bottle-feeding so much easier!
• If you will be swimming, remember the right earplugs, water wings, etc. Some kids are picky about their swim gear.
• Although Arzel is right that interacting with the kids provides much better quality time, I have to admit that we have the in-car DVD player with screens for both girls. We just use it for long trips (honestly!) and Frannie's the only real fan. Maggie prefers to talk, play with toys, or look at books. Do you think there's something wrong with her?
• If you need tips for camping...well, you're in the wrong place. We're lucky enough to have a provincial park five minutes from our house, so when we "camp", I come home to sleep! I still use the (two year old) "baby" as my excuse. I think this might be the last year it works.
• Finally: try bringing the grandparents. I mentioned this in my eating-out article as well, and it applies to any sort of travel plans. Multi-generational bonding is very important, and so is the extra help!

Feel free to leave your own travel tips here!

Winner of Scholastic Hope and Heroes Giveaway

The winner of the Scholastic "Hope and Heroes" book set, chosen by random number generation, is....

Tina O. from Peterborough, ON!

Tina was entrant #7 out of 48 valid entries, and she said:

"Hi Kate. Even though my children are getting older (16, 18 and 20), I love your blog. You think your worries will lessen as your children grow older, but they really don't. They just change, and they even seem to multiply because it is difficult to begin to let go, and to let them become their own person after you have controlled their every waking moment for most of their lives. My hope for my family is that I have given them enough of myself and enough of a foundation that will enable them to have very happy and fulfilling lives, to make good decisions, and to aim high for themselves, and that I can feel peace in my letting go. Keep up the good work!"

Congratulations, Tina!

Coming next in book reviews: kids' books about Canada!

Marci Ien: My Exclusive Momterview

This Mom Loves has moved! 

For updated content (plus all the posts found here) on our fresh new site, visit www.thismomloves.ca

Welcome to a new feature here at This Mom Loves: The Momterview! I will be profiling different Canadian moms who are well known...and for the right reasons.

Joining me for this inaugural post is the beautiful Marci Ien from CTV's Canada AM. I'm a longtime fan of this talented news anchor, and Marci graciously agreed to chat with me for a question and answer session to launch this feature.

This Mom: Thanks for speaking with me, Marci. It's after 8 p.m. Am I keeping you up?

Marci Ien: No, actually we were running late tonight. I got home and thought 'what are we having for dinner?' so we just went on a grocery run. Blaize is occupied with her meal right now!

TM: So, your daughter is five. Help me prepare: what was it like for you when your baby started school?

MI: She's actually going to be six soon, and she graduates from kindergarten this week! She's been in preschool for a couple of years, and in kindergarten in the afternoons in the same facility. I cried the first day we dropped her off. My husband and I were stressed about it, but she ran in and started playing and I thought 'she's a big girl now!' I think it's more about parents letting go than the kids.

TM: Is she involved in many extracurricular activities?

MI: Well, she takes piano, jazz and tap with a bit of ballet...she does gymnastics, swims, she's on a break from skating right now. She says she wants to play hockey, and I used to as a kid, so once her skating skills improve we'll think about that too.

Blaize at Circus School

TM: What's she in to now, in terms of toys, books...?

MI: She loves Spiderman. Right now she is eating off a Spiderman plate and cup -{Blaize calls out in the background} oh yes, and she says a Spiderman placemat too. She loves all the Superheroes. For her birthday we're having a movie party at a local theatre, and I asked her what kind of cake she wants, and she'd like to fit 10 or 15 superheroes on one cake! She's a bit of a tomboy, just like I was. There's some girly in her too, she likes to dress up, but although I hate to categorize things as boy, girl, if you were to use the word tomboy, she would be it. She loves to wear jeans and a cap and climb trees.

She's still in to Thomas and Caillou. She used to love Dora, but now she's out of the picture. Oh, and she loves Robert Munsch! She's starting to read now, so at bedtime we let her read a page, then we read a page. We go through a lot of Robert Munsch. And also the Olivia books.

TM: So I have to ask: what time do you get up in the morning?

MI: Are you ready? 3:30!

TM: {Gasps} But lately you've been sending Tweets out at 10 or 11 at night!

MI: Here's the thing: I'm a sports fan. It'll be 13 years next month that I've been with CTV, and it's mostly all been early mornings. I've always said "I won't give up my life." My family and friends don't operate on these hours, so I'll take a nap if I have to, but hey, I've got the best of both worlds. I'm not going to give up watching the basketball game. I just won't! So I walk around half the time sleep deprived.

TM: {Now distracted by the thought of that little sleep} How do you manage the work/family balance?

MI: I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as women to get it all right and perfect, but it's a high standard that most of us can't attain. If the house doesn't get vacuumed, so be it. {I didn't want to interrupt her to tell her that my house must be vacuumed}. If you have to buy a meal one night then so be it {Now I'm back on board!}, in order to spend time with your family and be good to yourself. Women put everyone else first and don't give ourselves enough time to just breathe. That will make you a better mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend.

Michael Landsberg {host of TSN's 'Off The Record'}  was on our show talking about how he has been battling depression for 10 years, and I thought he was so brave to tell his story. He said "you have to fight for your joy, you have to fight for your happiness". My family, my friends and my job make me happy, and I want all of it. I'm not going to be as hard on myself as I have been in the past; I don't believe in balance. Everyone always asks me about this, and I really don't. I'm not perfect, maybe I'll get two out of five things right one day, because we can't do it all. It's not fair. I'm allergic to balance!

TM: Do you think you'd be doing anything differently in your career right now if you hadn't become a mom?

MI: Not at this point, but now looking forward, I think I want to travel, so is it Canada still? Is it the States? Obviously I have to think about Blaize, as that would mean pulling her out of school and moving. My husband is really supportive, he says that she's still young, and we can make it work no matter what. When I first started in Nova Scotia with CTV it wasn't a problem. Now the first question is always 'how does it affect Blaize?'

Blaize and Daddy in Vancouver during the Olympics

TM: What do you like to do when you get some me-time?

MI: I love movies. I love theatre. My husband and I recently took a quick trip to New York and saw Denzel Washington in Fences, for which he just won a Tony by the way, and it was fabulous! I just adore theatre. For Father's Day my sister and I are taking my Dad to see Jersey Boys. He has always been in to the Arts. We grew up going to Stratford and Shaw at a young age, and the theatre has always been really special to me. I love trying new restaurants. Also, I've recently brought a couple of girls together, my sister and some friends, to form a book club. We're going to start with "The Help" {by Kathryn Stockett} and go from there. Things are so busy for us that reading has been thrown completely off the rails. We read for work, but you have to read for the joy of it, and discuss books and make it social. I'm really looking forward to it.

TM: What about couple time?

MI: My husband Lloyd and I have date-night on Fridays, and we try to stick with it. Sometimes Blaize crashes it, but we try to keep it up. Sometimes it's a weekend away; my sisters and parents are great to keep Blaize. Our anniversary is in September and we usually take a trip then.

TM: How long have you been married?

MI: Nine years. We were married right after 9/11, and we got married as part of a cruise in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, and it was crazy. Some ships weren't sailing, they were patrolling the seas and the air, and we had guests flying in. It was a ton of fun but we weren't sure who was coming and if people would be able to get there!

TM: You're a strong supporter of several charities. Can you share a bit about them?

MI: Well, as part of the balance thing, I realized years ago that we can lend our name to a lot of different things, and I felt badly about saying no, but you can't do everything. It has to come down to what's important to me, and I'm passionate about kids and youth issues so I narrowed it down. I've been working with the Children's Miracle Network for probably a decade now, and do things with their 'Celebration' which brings together kids from Canada and the US who are suffering from cancer and diseases I can't even pronounce. The kids come together and the families get to connect and meet others going through the same thing.

The next one is a combination of journalism and mentoring: 'Journalists for Human Rights'. I got involved a couple of years ago and basically their whole mandate is to promote human rights journalism in countries where democracy isn't a given. They asked me to go to Sierra Leone to meet with journalists there and hear their stories and give them tools to report. This is a country making its way back from civil war and it's not easy to be a woman there. Women are meant to be in the home, raising kids, not having a career.

World Vision is another charity I love. I went to Sri Lanka for them when Blaize was six months old, right after the tsunami and it was a rude awakening. They had protected areas there where, after the disaster, kids could go to be kids, and forget they lost their parents. They had psychologists on hand, it was amazing.

TM: My blog is called "This Mom Loves". What are some of your favourite things that you love?

MI: Well, I love my lip gloss. I really love trying different moisturizers, night creams, day creams. Anything to keep me looking good! {This is where I compliment her - have you seen this woman? - she acts modest, and continues.} I can't live without my family, they keep me sane. I love long walks. If I could, I would do it first thing in the morning, get up at 6 a.m. and do it first thing, but I tend to do it in the afternoon or evening. And I love to travel. There are a lot of places still to see.

TM: Thank you so much for your time, and for sending me photos to share with my readers as well! Go get a good night's sleep!

Blaize and Mommy: Olympic Torchbearer

Now, a question for my readers: Who would you like to see as a future This Mom Loves Momterview? Which well-known Canadian moms are worthy of some extra attention? Who would you like to know more about? Please, leave me a comment...and for now, I'll keep you in suspense about who's next!

You can catch Marci very early each morning on Canada AM, and follow her on Twitter @MarciIen.