Enjoy The Latest Magazines From Home with Next Issue Canada

You might know this about me already, but I am a HUGE magazine junkie! I mean so HUGE that they really need a NEW word for HUGE. So huge that there really should be a "Magazine Junkies Anonymous" group and I could be president.  I have been a junkie for years and magazines can be found in every nook and cranny in our house!. This habit started when I was in University when I was looking for something light to read that was not a text book or academic...and magazines became my new best friends for light reading, inspiration and information.

I love the visual beauty of magazines and all of the short articles and tidbits contained within.

Rarely do I ever leave a grocery store without a copy of one of my favourite magazines...of which there are many. And this turns into a huge cost over time...along with the never-ending clutter of stacks of titles everywhere.

Well no more! I am now addicted to Next Issue Canada! 

I am enjoying ALL of my favourite magazine titles, plus many more, at a fraction of the cost!

I honestly think that this is the best thing since sliced bread and let me share how you could be enjoying Next Issue Canada too!

Next Issue is an app that can be downloaded quickly and easily to a tablet or phone.

This app gives you access to more than a hundred of titles and for a small fraction of the price you would pay at the newsstand. 

In as little as 5 minutes, Next Issue Canada can be downloaded, providing access to more than 100 titles for as little as $9.99 per month.

And there are several titles for every reader in many different categories to enjoy such as:

Food: Food Network, Diabetic Living, Everyday with Rachel Ray, Vegetarian Times

Gardening: Organic Gardening, County Gardens Magazine, Successful Farming

Sports: Men's Fitness, Runner's World, Sports Illustrated Kids, Golf Magazine, Surfer, Ski, 

Hobbies: Automobile, Backpacker, Bike, Car & Driver, Popular Science, Popular Photography

Parenting: Today's Parent, Family Fun, Parents,

Travel: Coastal Living, Conde Nast Traveler,  

Decorating: HGTV Magazine, Dwell, House Beautiful, Elle Decor

Fashion: Vogue, Glamour, LouLou, Marie Claire, 

Financial: Money, Bloomberg Markets, Fortune

AND MANY MORE!

Here are some of my favourite magazines that I have been enjoying with Next Issue Canada:

The latest issue of Chatelaine...I can't wait to read what Dr. Oz recommends for 5 healthy new habits!

This brand new issue of Better Homes and Gardens where I want to read the article about easy-growing perennials to learn and make plans for my garden this spring.

I have been a SJP fan for year,  and I cannot wait to read about what she has been up to in this article in InStyle.

All You  is a brand new magazine to me and this article about making ends meet without money looks so interesting!

And Rolling Stone has featured Philip Seymour Hoffman this month and I can't help but want to read this piece about one of my favourite actors.

Next Issue Canada is offering a FREE 30 day trial for anyone who would like to try this amazing app on their tablet or phone.

You can choose which package you would like...starting as low as $9.99 for unlimited access to 100 titles, plus many back issues for each title.

If you think about how much the cost of one magazine is at the newsstand, that is a steal of a deal in my opinion! I know that I am definitely saving about $30-$40 a month since I started using Next Issue Canada. I love the convenience of being able to read my favourite magazines almost anywhere, whether at home or out.

I also love the fact that I can finally get rid of the stacks of back issues lying around our house while knowing that I can access all of my favourites on our iPad or my iPhone.

Sign up to join Next Issue Canada and you can start enjoying all of your favourites too!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Next Issue Canada. However, as always, I only partner with brands/services that I use in my own home and love. All opinions are 100%  mine.

Jalapeno Popper Chili

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day goes well! We don't exchange big gifts for Valentine's Day...only small things like chocolates, cards or homemade treats. One thing we do like to do is enjoy a meal together. With our kids being older now, sitting down to the table to have supper as a family doesn't happen as often as it should because of busy schedules. But when we do sit down, this Jalapeno Popper Chili warms out hearts up like nothing else! And this spin on chili is totally inspired by one of favourite appetizers....Jalapeno Poppers.

This recipe combines all of the flavours of our favourite appetizer  and is very easy to put together. And adding some jalapeno poppers as a garnish is the perfect touch! 

Jalapeno Popper Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. hamburger

1/2 cup onion, small dice

1 cup of barbecue sauce

1/2 cup chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

2 -798 ml cans of tomatoes

1-798 ml can of tomato sauce

1 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 398 ml can of kidney beans

1 398 ml can of beans in tomato sauce

1 brick of cream cheese

1 small can of jalapeno peppers, added to taste

Garnish: Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onion, jalapeno poppers

To Make:

1. Fry hamburger in the bottom of a large pot until no longer pink. Add onion, chili powder, oregano and barbecue sauce and cook until onion is just translucent.

2. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, and bacon. Stir until mixed and let simmer on medium low heat for 30-45 minutes.

3. Add brick of cream cheese and stir in until completely melted into tomato/hamburger mixture.

4. Add jalapeno peppers and  more chili powder to taste so that it suits your family.

5. Serve in bowls and garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and a jalapeno popper.

Mmmm. It is so good!

Enjoy this chili with some crusty bread and butter and a crisp green salad!

Looking for more delicious chili recipes?

Presidential Chili

No Bean Hawaiian Chili

White Chicken Chili

Classic Chili Con Carne

Crockpot Chili

Spicy Chicken Chili

Crockpot Lime Chicken Chili

This post is linked to:
Tatertots and Jello, Link Party Palooza,Work It Wednesday, StoneGable, Tweak It Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Wow Us Wednesday, The DIY Dreamer, Wildly Creative Party, Inspire Me Please, I'm Lovin' It, Friday Kitchen Fun & Crafty Linky Party,  Inspiration Gallery, Party Bunch Linky Party, Super Saturday Link Party, Under  The Table & Dreaming, It's Overflowing, Block Party, Monday Funday, Time To Sparkle, 

5 Minute Makeup Look with Marcelle & Giveaway #MarcelleMoms

When I became a mom for the first time 17 years ago, one of the things I quickly learned was that my morning routine for hair and makeup needed to be simple & fast. It wasn't so easy to spend an hour+ on hair & makeup in the morning with an infant. Over time, I have learned that less can actually be more in terms of makeup, and I am a huge fan of starting with clean skin and then creating the 5 minute face. The "5 Minute Face" suits my lifestyle, while giving me the confidence to face the day ahead whether I am  at home or out around town. That is why I am so pleased to be a part of #MarcelleMoms and bring you this giveaway of amazing products from Marcelle so that you can create your own "5 Minute Face".

Are you ready for some fun looks? Here we go....

#MarcelleMoms Stacey from This Lil Piglet and Julie from Sober Julie have created 4 5 minute looks with just a few products each.

Marcelle Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel

Before applying makeup we should take care of our skin by cleansing and moisturizing. Marcelle has recently launched the Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel which which bears the official seal of recognition of the CDA’s Skin Health Program.

Marcelle is the #1 eye make-up remover brand in Canada and is now thrilled to bring forward an ultra-mild and non-foaming facial cleanser which is gentle enough to be used by the entire family. This cleanser is enriched with aloe vera and glycerin which protects the skin's natural barrier and can be used wet or dry.

SoberJulie’s 5 Minute Makeup Look from Marcelle

Julie is wearing Marcelle Lux Gloss Cream in Belissima, Xtension Plus Mascara + ProLash Growth Complex, Monochromatic Pressed Powder in Medium(SRP $19.95)

 

This Lil Piglet’s 5 Minute Looks from Marcelle

Stacey is wearing Marcelle CC cream in light to medium, Cream Blush in Coral, Xtension Plus + ProLash Growth Complex Mascara in Black, Marcelle Lux Gloss Cream in Belissima.

Marcelle Lux Cream Eye Shadow +Liner in Sunstone, Twist Push-Up Mascara & Lux Gloss Cream in Spicy Nude.

     Marcelle Twist Push-Up Mascara, Lux Cream Eye Shadow +Liner in Wisteria on lid & a light Sea Breeze liner; Lux Gloss Cream in Angel.

WIN a Fabulous Gift Basket from Marcelle

Marcelle firmly believes that everyone should have the chance to enhance their beauty and asked Stacey, Julie and a group of bloggers, myself included,  if we would host a giveaway...to which we may have screamed YES!

This is our first giveaway as #MarcelleMoms and we hope that you're as excited as we are!

There are 2 prize packs...whohooo!

2 lucky Canadian readers will win a prize pack of Marcelle cosmetics and skin care products worth $160 each.

Each Marcelle Prize Pack is valued at $160 and includes:

• Marcelle Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel
• Marcelle Cleansing Cloths
• Marcelle Eye Make-Up Remover Pads
• Marcelle New.Age Precision 8-in-1 Power Serum
• Marcelle Lux Eye Shadow + Liner - Taupe du Jour
• Marcelle BB Cream
• Marcelle Lux Gloss
• Marcelle Rouge Xpression Lipstick
• Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara + ProLash Growth Complex
• Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner

Entry is simple, just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below, you must be a resident of Canada 18+ to enter. This giveaway runs until March 5th, 2014, the winner will be contacted via email and have 48 hours to respond.

Giveaway Tools Code:

Entry-Form

Hot Chocolate in A Basket For Winter Fun Season

It's February and that brings a lot of winter activities for those of us who have snow at this time of year! A lot of small communities and cities play host to various winter and skating carnivals during this month...in addition to whatever outdoor fun your family enjoys such as skiing,skating or tobogganing. Years ago, when my daughter first started skating as a little 4 year old, there was one parent who brought a hot chocolate basket to the rink for all of us to enjoy. I so appreciated that warm cup of hot chocolate. Since it's right in the middle of the time for the best winter fun, I created this basket of hot chocolate yummy-ness that can be taken anywhere!

This basket is so simple and easy to throw together.  Just use a large size basket and add these things:

- a thermal carafe for hot chocolate
-Styrofoam cups or reusable to-go cups
-marshmallows
-crushed peppermint or candy canes
-Shelf Safe Milk
-whipped cream in a can
-napkins

And here are a few tips too. Fill the carafe with your favourite hot chocolate just before you leave home. It can also be filled with just hot water and different packages of hot chocolate mixes can be offered as well. I also like use to a carton of Shelf Safe Milk for this basket. It tastes great and it doesn't require refrigeration until it's opened. That means I can leave this basket in my car, just adding hot chocolate in a carafe and a can of whipped cream each time we go out. Shelf Milk has all of the same nutrition as conventional refrigerated milk, it's just pasteurized at a higher temperature. And the carton is designed to keep the milk safe from life and air.

As a busy mom, I always finding having some Shelf Safe Milk on hand is a great help for times when we are out of fresh milk. It's good to know that there is some in the pantry that can not only go into our hot chocolate basket, but also on cereal in the morning or be used to mix up those muffins for school lunches. Having Shelf Safe Milk has saved me more than a few times, and having a carton in our on-the-go hot chocolate basket is just the perfect ticket.I have also purchased cartons of Shelf Safe Milk to donate to the food bank because I just cannot imagine having children and not being able to buy them milk.

To learn more about shelf safe milk and tips for healthy, active families, visit Milk Unleashed and download the latest Cow Calendar.

Disclosure: I have partnered with Milk Unleashed to bring you this post. However, as always, I only work with those brand that I know and love and use in my own home.



Linking up with:
Tatertots and Jello, Link Party Palooza,Work It Wednesday, StoneGable, Tweak It Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, The DIY Dreamer, Inspire Me Please, I'm Lovin' It,  Friday Kitchen Fun & Crafty Linky Party,  The Inspiration Gallery,  Party Bunch Linky Party Super Saturday Link Party, Under  The Table & Dreaming,  It's Overflowing,  Block Party, Monday Funday,Time To Sparkle, 

Organize Receipts, Loyalty Cards & Coupons Easily with Ziploop

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you  know how I love organizing!  I especially love finding ways to keep paper clutter at bay since paper clutter is my nemesis.  And as a busy mom, I often find myself lugging around a jumbled mess of receipts in the bottom of my purse from my daily shopping excursions. Both my wallet and purse are often bursting with reward cards from the various stores I like to shop at. That is why I was so excited to find out about this new FREE app called Ziploop which I downloaded on my iPhone 5. Ziploop is a fast & simple way to make organizing your shopping activities easy. Ziploop will organize receipts, manage reward cards and more. And since I first downloaded Ziploop a few weeks ago,  Ziploop has just released an UPDATED VERSION that makes the app even quicker to launch,  added a few new features and fixed a few little glitches for an even better experience!

In just a few minutes, you can easily download Ziploop from the iTunes Store or from Google Play for your android phone or tablet.

Once Ziploop is downloaded and opened up, it will look like this.

Now you can start taking those receipts from the bottom of your purse or pile of paper at home, and convert them to this paperless organizer located right on your phone!

The steps are very easy to follow. Just quickly capture a photo or two of each receipt.

And before you know it, all of your receipts will be uploaded to Ziploop and the junk pile in the bottom of your purse will be disappear!

Here are my receipts from the past few days of shopping. Ziploop worked great for most of the stores I shop at, with the exception of grocery stores. For some reason, the grocery stores in my local area do not have bar codes at the bottom of the receipt, which is something  needed for electronic storage.

Here are  all the other receipts I was able to get out of my purse!

And there are so many ways to organize the receipts...by month, store, date, location or by a tag.

This also works wonders for tracking spending and expenses too!

Ziploop also manages reward cards, gift cards, loyalty cards and coupons.

Just take a picture of your reward card and upload it to Ziploop.

Coupons can be mailed directly to your Ziploop app so they are there when you need them.

And one of the NEW FEATURES includes push notifications so you can be notified a few days before your rewards & coup0ns expire so you don't miss out on important savings!

And all of the  reward and loyalty cards can be stored on your phone so you no longer have to carry around a tattered pile of cards.

For example, here is the bar code for a loyalty card that I use to shop.

Now it can be scanned at the checkout from my phone instead of me having to carry the card around.

After a few days of using Ziploop, I was able to keep my purse clear of bunches of paper, while having all of my receipts and reward cards completely organized and accessible on my phone. 

If I need to return something,...no problem! I can just do a quick search of the receipts from that store to find the receipt needed.

As a busy mom, I am always looking for things that can help me to be better organized. I find that when I am organized, I am less stressed and have more time for things I enjoy. I cannot tell you what  a huge relief it is to use Ziploop to help me maintain a nice clean purse and to keep my 'to file' pile at home much more manageable.

I like having all of my receipts and reward/loyalty cards  nicely organized on my phone.

For a mom who likes to be organized, it's a win-win all around.

If you would like to learn more about Ziploop, please watch this awesome Youtube  video HERE!

Disclosure-I partnered with Ziploop to create this post. However, as always, I only work with products/brands that I love and use in my own home. All opinions on this blog are my own.

Keep Low Flow Toilets, Septic Beds, Cottages & RVs Clear of Clogs with New E-Z FlushToilet Paper

I am writing about this topic today because about 12 years ago, my husband and I had a septic bed
that got clogged with toilet paper and it was an a very inconvenient, messy and expensive problem to get fixed. We had to have a company come in with a backhoe to dig up our backyard in order to get the septic system functioning again.And clogging toilet paper definitely contributed to the problem.I would like to share some helpful information about a new product that can help you avoid this problem so you don't have to go through the same mess and expense that we did!

As we all try to make environmentally friendly choices in our routines and homes, many of us have moved to using low flow toilets as a way of conserving water. However, using low flow toilets with traditional toilet papers brands does not always produce desired results and can end it unpleasant plunging activities. Or if you have little ones in your home who like to use just a little too much toilet paper at times, this too can result in unwanted clogs. Majesta has recently released their new E-Z Flush toilet paper and it is designed to break down easily and quickly in water, while still being soft and strong. Obviously, they have done their research into what type of wood pulp fiber would be best to achieve this result. I was invited by Majesta E-Z Flush Toilet Paper to take the 'Shaker Test' challenge so I could see for myself how the E-Z flush toilet paper compares to the leading brand when it comes to flushablity.

The 'Shaker Test' involved taking 5 sheets of each brand and placing them in a bottle filled with water and shaking 5 times, and then pouring them into a bowl to examine the results. I love a good little science experiment, don't you?

So here we go. Majaest E-Z Flush Toilet Paper vs. The Leading Brand.

I tore off 5 sheets of each.

I placed 5 sheets from each brand into bottles filled with water.

And I shook each bottle 5 times, thereby completing the "Shaker Test'.

After I shook each bottle, I poured out the contents into a bowl to examine them.

Here's what I found:

Bottle #1:The Majesta E Z Flush Toilet Paper performed exactly as promised!

The toilet paper broke down into small fibres producing an almost feathery-like substance in water.

It was easy to see how this paper would be easier on toilets, septic systems and the waste systems of Cottages and RVs.

Here are the broken down fibres in Majesta EZ Flush Toilet Paper.

Bottle #2: The contents of the bottle of the Leading Brand of toilet paper did not break down at all.{Below}

The paper was still in full sheets and was extremely hard to remove from the bottle because it clogged the neck....just like a toilet.

Conclusion: Clearly there is not doubt in mind which toilet paper breaks down more easily in water...which is easier on low flow toilets, septic beds, septic systems, cottage and RVs.

So if you would like to reduce the chances of ugly plunging experiences and the risk of expensive septic bed repairs, Majesta's EZ Flush Toilet Paper is a great choice!

If you would like to learn more about Majesta EZ Flush Toilet Paper, and see another 'Shaker Test' result, be sure to view this helpful video HERE.

Majesta will also be hosting the $25,000 e.z. Days Sweepstakes from January 1st until December 31st, 2014. Consumers can enter daily on the CONTEST SITE or FACEBOOK for their chance to win:

-1 of 5 grand -prizes of $3000 shopping sprees

- 1 of 24 monthly prizes (2 per month) of $50

1 of 360 daily prizes of Majesta product prize packs ($25 in coupons.)

“Disclosure: I am part of the MAJESTA e.z Day blogger program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

White Hot Chocolate

There is something so decadent about white chocolate and it is my husband's absolute favourite, so I try to make this lovely homemade white hot chocolate at least once during the cold season. I first made this about 10 years ago and it is always such a treat every time we make it. So velvety and good! And when you add some pink heart-shaped marshmallows, it becomes the perfect Valentine's treat! 

 Although homemade hot chocolate takes some extra time, the results are so worth it! And it is such a delicious change from traditional hot chocolate. Make it for your children, apres skiing, or for guests on a chilly winter evening!

White Hot Chocolate

To Gather:

4 cups milk

1/2 cup good quality white hot chocolate, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

whipped cream

marshmallows

Valentine's Day pareils

To Make:

1. To a medium sauce pan, add milk, white chocolate and vanilla.

2. Melt slowly and gently on medium low heat, whisking often, until hot chocolate mix is completely smooth. {Do not let boil}

3. Divide evenly between 4 mugs and garnish with whipped cream, pareils and marshmallows

I also think that this would be so cute to serve during a winter birthday party too.

Or to make for any little girls who love pink or Fancy Nancy!

If you haven't tried white hot chocolate before, it is such a nice change from the usual!

Looking for more amazing drinks?

Homemade Ginger Tea

Berry Jam Smoothie

Healthy Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Easy Chocolate Chai Tea Recipe

Creamy Banana Milkshake Recipe

Red Velvet Milkshake

Fuzzy Navel Mocktail Recipe

Shirley Temple Recipe

Looking for more Valentine's ideas? Check out my Pinterest board here:

Valentine's Day Inspiration

Sharing with: The Party Bunch, Tatertots and Jello, Link Party Palooza, It's Overflowing, Monday Funday Linky Party,  Craft-O-Maniac, Our Sunday Best, The Scoop, One Project At A Time, Take A Look Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Tip Me Tuesday, Time To Sparkle, Wow Me Wednesday, The DIY Dreamer,  Savvy Southern Style, Super Saturday Link Party, Under  The Table & Dreaming,