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A few years ago, before I had Baby D, I created my baby registry at Babies“R”Us and I was confused as to what to include. I even got some help from my mommy friends. They gave me suggestions based off their experiences, and even offered to come in-store with me. However, I chose to go in-store  with my husband to create the registry, but ended up adding and deleting  items later through the Babies “R” Us website. When I look back at it now as an experienced mom, there were many things that I should’ve added, others that I could’ve lived without, and some that would have prepared me better for baby #2, Zoey.

huggies bebe

Baby Registry Tips From a Mom of 2 under 2 [MOTHERHOOD]

Nursing Pillow

At first I thought why do I need this U shaped pillow? Can’t I just use any pillow for support? I added it to my baby registry anyways but never opened it. When Baby Z was born, I decided to try it and saw the advantage of placing her on the pillow and having both arms free. Free to hold a book, use my laptop or to even eat. But the real eureka moment was when I took it to the salon. It was perfect for those long hair appointments. I nurse her and she falls asleep on the pillow. And when she’s awake, it works as a great back/head rest so she can face me. *Never use with baby unattended.

 

Huggies Diapers

The amount of diapers that I go through on an everyday basis is insane! With the average child having more than 10,000 diaper changes in their lifetime, they certainly shouldn’t be skipped. If I were to shop from a baby registry and see diapers, I would totally buy them as part of a bigger gift on the registry. You can even get creative and make a diaper cake or a diaper motorcycle, like I did for one of my friend’s baby shower gifts! Huggies diapers come in a variety of sizes – ranging from preemie to size 6. Huggies are also great because they have benefits like the wetness indicator that helps a new mom know when her baby is wet and the umbilical cord cut-out to ensure baby is comfortable. Make sure if you’re adding diapers and wipes to your registry you add the Huggies Natural Care Wipes and the Huggies Snugglers!

Here’s how you can save big: Babies “R” Us is hosting its Baby Fest promotion from September 15-21st and Jumbo packs of Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers and Natural Care Wipes will be 40% OFF! You can check in-store and online at www.BabiesRUs.ca for more details. Also, see below for how you can win a $200 Babies R Us Gift Card and get a head start on stocking up.
huggies diapers hug

Gender Neutral Tone Clothes

Make sure you only choose neutral tone clothes. If you’re planning to have more than one baby, then this is great for re-using clothes and not worrying about getting too many pink or too many blue clothes. I did this for my son’s baby registry and it definitely came in handy since my second child is a girl. Now I have lots of clothes in browns, beige, grey, yellow etc.

Huggies Baby Wipes

Make sure you add Huggies wipes to your registry! Just like diapers, you’ll need a lot of them. There’s an extra box by our bed of Huggies® Natural Care Wipes. They’re hypoallergenic, fragrance and alcohol free and include TripleClean* layers. These wipes are also perfect for refilling your Pop-Up® tubs at your diaper stations. When I’m out and about with my little one I use the travel friendly pack – the Huggies Clutch ‘N’ Clean.
We always keep a Huggies wipes box + a diaper at the end of the bed for late night quick changes.

More Than One Feeder

Both of my children have a preference for what bottle they want drinks in. It’s a good idea to add different types and brands to your registry. If your first child prefers one over the other, you save the other one for your second child. It will save you time in going out to find a bottle that your baby prefers. True story: as a gift I got the bottle where you insert disposables into. I never used it for my first child but for my second child, that’s all I use.

Daddy Friendly Baby Bag

We have two diaper bags and neither of them are pink. We have a navy blue one and a brown one. What’s great about them is that my husband feels comfortable holding both and will grab the diaper bag when he goes out solo with our babies.

diaper bags for men

No swaddles or receiving blankets

This is the most popular off-registry gift that I’ve gotten for both of my children. I have so many blankets now, that I keep the extra ones in a box. I wish I hadn’t added it to my registry and you’ll thank me later.

G I V E A W A Y – $200 BABIES “R” US GIFT CARD

*This giveaway is only open to Canadian residents.

 

$200 Babies “R” Us Gift Card

Disclaimer: This post has been sponsored by Huggies. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and experiences.

This summer I had lots of fun catering to my sweet tooth in Toronto. So many new ice-cream shops popped up in the last few years. With so many to choose from, I’ve narrowed them down to this summers favourites. Here are my 5 Toronto Ice-Cream shops you won’t regret trying. Call me crazy, but I’ll be going back to these places this Fall/Winter:

1. BANG BANG Ice-Cream

Location: 93A Ossington Ave
5 Toronto Ice-Cream Shops You Won’t Regret [FOOD]
 
I remember the first time I came here with our dear friends, it was a cold Saturday afternoon some time in the Winter/Fall. There was a line up out the store, down the street. That should say a lot on its own of how good this place is.
bang bang ice cream
It’s not big inside, very minimal space to sit or stand. It didn’t matter, we ate ours just outside the shop.
bang bang ice cream
cookies to choose from
toronto desserts
toronto ice-cream shops
We went with the ice-cream sandwiches. You choose the cookie and ice-cream combo and
you’ve got a drool-worthy masterpiece.
5 Toronto Ice-Cream Shops You Won’t Regret [FOOD]
I should’ve got the avocado ice-cream
Loved the Homer Simpson art inside the shop!
toronto homer simpsontoronto homer simpson

2. Fugo Desserts

Location: 205 Dundas St W.
I was on a mission to try their cookie monster ice-cream! One of the things I remembered about the cookie monster ice-cream was that it wasn’t overly sweet and the cone was my absolute favourite part!
Inside the shop you’ll find about 5 – 10 seats and a huge chalkboard menu/graffiti. Feel free to write your name on the wall or whatever.
 

😋 SO good.

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This Cookie Monster ice-cream from @fugodesserts 👌🏼👏🏼 don’t forget the Oreo cone! 😍

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3. Eva’s Original Chimneys

Location: 454 Bloor St W.
evas original chimneys
The very best soft serve ice-cream I ever had! This ice-cream is as filling as a main course would be. So eat light and then enjoy these cones.

READ MORE: Eva’s Original Chimneys

4. Dutch Dreams

Location: 36 Vaughan Road
The wackiest ice-cream shop I ever saw. With Aladdin on his magic carpet, vintage decor and overall known to be a children’s fantasy land.  You pick your ice-cream flavour, pick a cone and then pick your toppings.


5.
Sweet Jesus Downtown

Location: 106 John St
 

Passed on the birthday cake this year for this massive soft serve birthday cone! #madeawish

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There was a long line-up for this place and very little space inside the shop, but there’s a bench right outside if you have someone to wait for. I love that this place has so many creative flavours that actually taste good! Plus, when’s the last time you saw a lit candle on an ice-cream cone?

Pin it for later?

5 best Toronto ice cream shops
#toronto #icecream #torontofood Toronto ice cream hot spots
humjk toronto blogger

easy lemon bundt cake recipe with cake mix

animal theme birthday party

Summer is coming to an end and now it’s time to prepare for Fall/Winter and even more exciting, the holidays! Here’s a sneak peek that you may have also seen via my Instagram stories, of the ACI Brands: Fall and Holiday Collections for 2017.

KORRES

KORRES GREEK YOGHURT

ACI Brands: Fall and Holiday Collections

Greek Yoghurt Under Eye Priming Moisturiser is new in-stores this month. This is combining the best of make-up and best of skincare without any silicone. This lightweight priming moisturizer has 26% Greek Yoghurt proteins to plump and strengthen your skin for perfectly smooth makeup application and all-day wear. <Learn more>
BEAUTY HACK: After applying to the under eye you can take a little and add it to your dry lips. By the time you’re done your make-up, you’ll have smooth lips for an even lipstick application.

wild rose korres

The Wild Rose Brightening Smoothie Priming Moisturiser will be in store this September! This beautiful smoothie moisturiser has turmeric! Heavily an anti-inflammatory and major antioxidant for anti-aging. Also amazing to work as a brightening agent. Great for scarring, dark spots etc. The white willow bark is great for tightening pores, clear the pores, refine texture and to get that congestion out of the skin. The vegetable powder in this sits on top of the skin and keeps make-up on all day and as your skin produces oils and sweat, it will absorb it! Matifying your skin. Excellent all day wear with the benefit of moisturizing.

Holiday Korres Gift Ideas

ACI Brands: Fall and Holiday Collections
in-stores October 2017

ACI Brands: Fall and Holiday Collections
in-stores September 2017

STILA

STAY ALL DAY FOUNDATION CONCEALER STILA

There’s a colour for everyone in this foundation and concealer combo. Where’s the concealer? Pop the top! This is going to be awesome for traveling with. Two in one combinations are my favourite!

Holiday Stila Gift Ideas

I love these beautiful kits! You can choose from lip or eye combos. And some of these are small enough to work as stocking stuffers! Yes I know it’s just the end of the summer. But it’s always good to prepare ahead of time. Last minute shopping sucks.

stila holiday 2017

Clean EDT

I love Clean fragrance for exactly what the name stands for. Beautiful clean scents that you can relate too. That everyone could relate to with a special memory. I always wanted someone to come up with a fragrance where they could bottle the after smell of rain fall. They did it! Below are all available in stores.

Clean FragranceClean FragranceClean FragranceClean Fragrance

READ MORE: FALL 2017 BEAUTY PRODUCTS

PAUL & JOE BEAUTE

paul and joe
in-stores November 2017

How cute is this holiday gift set by Paul & Joe? I love the cat lipstick, blush and that cat bag! Paul & Joe did a wonderful job once again, sneaking in their love for cats into their products.
Below is there first skincare product! How exciting! It’s a foundation primer + serum. Leaves skin feeling smooth, hydrated and has a little gold flecks in it. Honestly, reminds me of Guerlain’s d’or primer but this one smells a lot nicer!

Paul & Joe 2017
in-stores November 2017

paul & joe hand cream
NEW Hand Cream

Introducing the limited edition make-up collection:

paul & joe cat lipstick

paul & joe cat lipstick

paul & joe cat lipstick

NEW Sekkisei – Japanese 5 Step Program

I love Japanese skincare. Here’s a new line that I started using. I can’t wait to share the results with you all in a month or so. This will be in stores October 2017.

Sekkisei
in-store October 2017

Sekkisei

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Egypt things to do

 Note: The things to do and see in Egypt are not in order based on best to worse or vice versa. I went in order to what we
did on our trip.

1. Sharm el Sheikh

If you go to Egypt then definitely book a flight to Sharm el-Sheikh. It’s on the coastal strip along the Red Sea, with warm water and has miles of beautiful beaches. This is a great relaxing break during your trip to Egypt. Some excellent places to hang out and eat in Sharm is the Little Buddha restaurant and the Camel Bar.

sharm in egypt

red sea egypt

little budddha sharm el sheikh
Little Buddha Restaurant
Little Buddha Restaurant
Little Buddha Restaurant

 

Little Buddha Restaurant
Little Buddha Restaurant

 

Little Buddha Restaurant
Little Buddha Restaurant

 

2 – ATV riding, Tea & a Bedouin dinner (Sharm el Sheikh)

ATV in Sharm El Sheikh

sharm el sheikh tea break

tea in egypt

bedouin dinner sharm
Bedouin dinner performance in Sharm

3 – Shopping in Cairo

Check out the Festival City Mall and the InterContinental Citystars Mall. The Citystars Mall is full of a great mix of American, European and Egyptian stores. This mall has 7 floors, approx. 650 shops, a theatre, food courts (yes, more than one), restaurants/cafes and 3 hotels connected to it. The weekends are really busy, so if you still want to see the mall busy but not to a crazy extent then go on a Friday. We stayed at the InterContinental that is connected to Citystars, which made it really easy to go to the mall when ever we remembered something we wanted to buy. Also convenient to have it so close when you’ve had a long day touring Cairo and still want to feel like you’re outside getting the most of this beautiful country. If you haven’t chosen a hotel yet, I highly recommend this one.

Ice-cream inside Citystars Mall
Ice-cream inside Citystars Mall

Ice-cream inside Citystars Mall

Gaby's Citystars Mall
Gaby’s Citystars Mall

 Gaby's Citystars Mall

 Zooba Citystars Mall

 Zooba Citystars Mall

 

4 – The Great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza

The best way to see the Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza is by horseback riding to them. Having a guide is fun so they can teach you some history while you gaze at these wonders of the world. We went inside the great pyramid and it was definitely worth it! You may get hustled outside the Pyramids by children and men asking you to buy souvenirs. We just couldn’t resist and bought some.

pyramids tour horseback riding

pyramids tour

pyramids tour

pyramids tour souvenirs egypt

pyramids tour going down
Going down inside the Pyramid

 

pyramids tour going down
At the bottom, a tomb.

 Cairo Egypt TO DO

 

5 – The Egyptian Museum

The museum is located by the famous Tahrir Square. Exhibits at the museum include a collection of King Tut’s items and an amazing display of the new kingdom royal mummies. There are no cameras allowed in the museum, so they confiscate cameras at the door and give you a ticket to get it back on your way out. If you try to take any pictures with your phone, be aware that they have some under cover workers there that look like regular people, that will catch you and ask you to delete the picture right away. Someone in our group tried taking pictures and that was the outcome.

egyptian museum

 

6 – National Military Museum

When you plan your day to go to the National Military Museum, add number 7 to your list because they’re close to each other. If you love learning about the history of a country then definitely go here. There’s a lot to learn and the exhibits are beautiful.

egypt national military museum

egypt national military museum

egypt national military museum

egypt national military museum egypt

egypt national military museum

egypt national military museum egypt

 

7 – Old Mosques

Right outside the Military museum you can walk to the Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque. You will be in awe at the amazing architecture.

Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque egypt

Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque egypt

Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque egypt

cairo viewpoint
Cairo Citadel


The Saladin Citadel of Cairo is a medieval Islamic fortification in Cairo, Egypt. Located on Mokattam hill, center of Cairo, has a beautiful view of the city.

cairo city view

 

8 – Authentic Egyptian Food

Make dinner plans at Abou Shakra restaurant for authentic Egyptian food. The best food we had in Egypt was at this restaurant.

abou shakra cairo

 

9 – Khan el Kahlili Market

Spend an afternoon shopping inside the Khan ElKhalili bazaar, where you can easily get lost in the, what looks like hundreds of alley ways to different parts of the bazaar, dedicated to different items. A section for jewellery, scarves, fabrics, food, souvenirs, hookahs and more. Most importantly there is so much history within these streets. The Bab al-Ghuri gate (seen below) dates back to 1503-1505.

Bab al-Ghuri

Bab al-Ghuri cairo

cairo bazaar

 

10 – Dinner by the Nile

While you’re by the Nile, if the weather is beautiful go for a 30-45 min cruise down the Nile. But first go for brunch at Left Bank in Zamalek, followed by dinner at Seqoia. I was in love with Seqoia’s ambiance and decor. Under a big white tent, splashes of pastel and the fresh smell of the Nile, it couldn’t be a more perfect spot for dinner. The service was spot on and the food was delicious.

sequoia zamalek
sequoia in zamalek

sequoia zamalek

sequoia zamalek

TRAVEL TO EGYPT TIPS

 


humjk toronto blogger

THE 7 BEST DESSERT PLACES IN SEOUL AND TOKYO

BREAKFAST IN TOKYO – HAWAIIAN THEMED ALL DAY BREAKFAST

During my years as a beauty adviser at Shoppers Drug Mart, Boots No7 skincare was that one skincare brand that amazed me at the amount we sold, so quickly. A new brand to the store and it could barely stay on the shelves. It was the one product for months selling super fast. I wanted to try it so badly but at that time my young skin didn’t need it. I would try the tester on my hands to get a feel for the texture. Absorbed quickly, felt light and according to customer reviews: promised results that could be seen right away. Now fast forward to this month when I got invited to try the new advanced serums. Even better, now I’m at the age where I could use the products and see for myself the magic that awaits in these serums.

NO7 SKINCARE

No7 RESTORE & RENEW – FACE AND NECK SERUM

The 30 ml face and neck serum is for $36.00 and available this September at Shoppers Drug Mart.

No7_Restore&Renew_Face&Neck_MultiAction_30ml

One of my concerns at the moment are the faint lines I’m starting to see on my neck. It’s only been a few weeks of using this product and I must say I am already seeing results. The first time I put it on there was instant radiance boost action going on in my neck area. I’m satisfied with the results so far. Looks like there will be a before and after for this one, since the results will be mind blowing.

#DidyouKnow that the 3rd greatest concern for women is the face and neck firmness and texture?

This serum has ‘building block technology. You’re wondering what kind of technology must this be. Let’s dive in!

There’s a protein strengthening ingredient known as Matrixyl 3000 plus complex. The new restore and renew serum has an extra complex. Calcium Amino Acids and ceramides. These ingredients target skin fragility and neck wrinkles.

Key Ingredients:

Matrixyl 3000+
Vitamin A
Hibiscus Seed Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
Calcium Amino Acids and Ceramides
Lightening technology: Sophora, Indian Gooseberry, Vitamin C and Gluconolactone

NO7 SKINCARE

 

No7 PROTECT & PERFECT INTENSE – ADVANCED SERUM

It’s back and it’s even better! Didn’t think that was possible since it was already so awesome, but here it is! 

no7 advanced serum

No7’s super popular Protect & Perfect Intense technology has been re-engineered to deliver even better anti-aging results. This serum has Matrixyl 3000 Plus™, which is Matrixyl plus and a next generation peptide that works together to help restore more youthful skin.

*After 2 weeks, skin looks younger; by 4 weeks, deep lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced. Results keep getting better with continued use. 80% of women said this serum provided the best ever anti-aging results they had ever seen.

[Tweet “Remember back in 2007, when Boots launched its miracle No7 Protect & Perfect? It’s been advanced!”]

30 ml serum – $35.00
50 ml – $45.00

There’s also a day, night and eye cream in the Protect & Perfect line.

 

READ MORE: BEAUTY AND SKINCARE

Key Ingredients:

Matrixyl 3000+
New di-peptide
Antioxidant complex: Vitamin C, Mulberry Extracts and Ginseng helps keep skin balanced and protected.
Hyaluronic Acid
Rice Peptide and Alfalfa Complex

NO7 SKINCARE

No7 LIFT & LUMINATE – TRIPLE ACTION SERUM

I gave this serum to my mother to try and so far I am so impressed with the results.

no7 lift luminate

her sun damaged skin is brighter, skin looks visibly smoother and overall skin is just glowing ever since she started using it day and night.

The 30 ml is $36.00 and the 50 ml is $46.00.

Key Ingredients:

Matrixyl 3000+
Hibiscus Seed Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
Lightening technology: Sophora, Indian Gooseberry, Vitamin C and Gluconolactone

NO7 SKINCARE

hum jk signature

 

 

 

burnbrae farms

Looking for a super quick and easy way to make a scrambled eggs wrap? You can make one in 5 minutes with Burnbrae Farms EGG creations! Garden Vegetable. They have so many other versions to choose from: Whole eggs, omega plus, fat free, simply egg white and more!

scrambled eggs

I’m always looking for quick ideas on how to make a good healthy breakfast as opposed to driving out and buying breakfast. With two children it can be really hard to make everything from scratch. Cutting a few corners can save you tons of time that you could instead be spending with your family on a Saturday morning like today. I love making scrambled eggs because it’s so easy and I don’t have to worry about flipping it perfectly so the yolk doesn’t break. Just stir and stir and it’s done.

scrambled

READ MORE: CHECK OUT MY OTHER RECIPE POSTS HERE

What you’ll need to make this Scrambled Eggs Wrap:

  • Burnbrae Farms EGG Creations! Garden Vegetable
  • Wraps
  • Shredded Cheese

I put the wrap with shredded cheese on top in a toaster oven for 1 minute and in 3-4 minutes scrambled the eggs.
Once you’ve cooked the eggs to your desire, place them inside the wrap and voila! You have yourself a super quick
scrambled eggs wrap!

Scrambled eggs

scrambled eggs recipe

humjk logo small

bold with beauty

On August 9th I had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people in the beauty and photography industry. Shoppers Drug Marts Beauty Boutiques are doing a special campaign called Be Bold with Beauty from Aug 12th – Sept 8th. This campaign welcomes customers into Beauty Boutiques to choose their new bold make-up look, consult with the beauticians and learn about the products being used to create the new look.

A beauty boutique make-up artist did the metallic look on me. Definitely something new for me. I usually go really dark on eyeliner and mascara. This look was light on the eyes, but popped with metallic eye shadow and more bold on the lips and cheeks. Especially for to my skin tone.

Be Bold with Beauty

Legendary Metallic Make-up
Metallic-Eye-and-Lip-Gold bold with beauty

Expert makeup artist and beautyBOUTIQUE™ by Shoppers Drug Mart spokesperson, Simone Otis; (whom I had the pleasure of meeting) says, “People aren’t always used to matching lips with eyes, however to achieve this look both lips and lids have a metallic finish”.

The main product used for this look was Smashbox Be Legendary Liquid Lipstick in Haterade.

 

After having my make-up done, celebrity photographer George Pimentel captured my new bold look:

bold with beauty

READ MORE: ALL ABOUT BEAUTY ON HUMJK.COM

I then got to sit down with one other blogger/influencer with celebrity make-up artist Joyce Bonelli. We talked about bold beauty and her favourite products. She always does 3 bold things to create a bold beauty look. Her favourite liquid eye liner is by Stila and bronzer or can be used for contour is hoola by Benefit. She was really down town earth and super friendly. Of course after our chat we took some selfies.

joyce bonelli

Don’t forget: Follow @ShoppersDrugMartOfficial on Instagram and share your bold look using #MyBold for a chance to win a $1,000 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her below shout out on Instagram thanking everyone just melted my heart!

Check out the other Bold Beauty looks you can try at a Beauty Boutique near you:

be bold shoppers drug mart

 

 

hum jk blogger

I’ve been blogging for 3 years and my first social media platform (among the popular ones these days) was go figure, YouTube! The first video I ever uploaded was actually of my first kitten, falling off my desk. It was an accident and I happened to get it on camera. I want to also add that I was young and did not think she would fall off the table.

*no judge zone*

I started blogging a lot more regularly on my first maternity leave. Now that I’m on my second maternity leave, blogging has been what has kept me sane. Getting back into work mode, to come back out of it in less than 2 years can really do a toll on you. Especially mentally. So this time around I’ve been partnering, collaborating and really getting to know the business side of the blogging world. However, this doesn’t mean I say yes to everything that comes my way. There are have been many collaboration requests that I’ve turned down, due to them not matching my lifestyle, ethics or simply I can’t relate to the product or service and know for sure I would not like it. Also, if by chance I’m wrong with a collaboration and the product or service is not what I expected, I explain to the brand why and I don’t write about it. After all, not worth my time. But there was that time when I had that experience at a cafe where I wasn’t allowed to bring my stroller in and wrote about it. Hmm. So i guess it depends. It’s all in the writing. You choose whether you want to be civil and positive or get nasty. But remember, your writing, is your voice online.

READ MORE: WHY THERE WERE NO STROLLERS ALLOWED

Everyday I’m learning something new, meeting new people and of course doing the mom thing at the same time.

blogging
Wearing a Mockberg watch with a mesh band

 

It’s not as glamorous as it seems. It’s a lot of work. Blogging is more than a nice Instagram picture and a 200+
word blog post. You’ve gotta be passionate about what you do. Without passion, one day you’ll wake up and not want to do it anymore. I’ve seen many blogs just die off after a few years. I use to wonder, what happened? Why did you stop? But really, it could be anything. No more drive, never really loved writing or simply was in it for the money and realized that doesn’t just show up without putting in the work.

Think of it this way, when a book is written. How do you think the author starts? They brainstorm. They imagine the characters. A rough story line. They write their thoughts out. Then comes the first draft. Second, third and maybe fourth draft. Someone reads it. Critiques it. Spell check. A million more spell checks. A rough copy is printed. Do you want it to be an e-book, hard copy, soft copy etc. Okay, my point is… there is SO much work that goes into blogging before you can really feel like it’s “working”.  The day I started not caring about that stuff and went back to why I really started blogging, it was all smooth sailing from there. Do it for the love of writing, helping people, teaching, photography and kick ass content creation. This is your project it. OWN IT.

So what does a day in maternity life and blogging look like?

Bloggers: Writers, Photographers and Ultimate Content Creators

blogging

 

6 – 7 AM : I’ve never in my life woken up so early until now. I guess two children will do that to you? I nurse my baby and most of the time she falls back asleep. I take some time to catch up to emails, message, social media and then wake up my toddler for breakfast.

8 – 10 AM: I drop off the little guy to daycare and then from there is when our day really starts for me and baby z. Sometimes we go grocery shopping, downtown for blogging events or to see my mom, or straight back home to get started on house chores or writing up my next blog post.

12 PM: LUNCH – Usually homemade if I don’t have plans or haven’t been busy running errands. #momlife

canadian blogger

 

1 – 5 PM: Between these hours is when I really get busy with blogging. Unless I’m nursing, at an event or seeing friends. I also get some exercise during these hours. If I miss the window to exercise then I wait till later in the evening. Either go for a family walk in the neighborhood or laps inside the house.

First steps in blogging:

Always start with notes for your blog post. Then a draft. Proof read as many times as you can. Take a day or two away from it and then look at it again. (Fact: This post was written in a totally different angle and was changed a few hours before being posted.) Then post! I find one of the biggest advantages to nursing my baby is sometimes I have a hand free to write my notes or first drafts. 

I try to keep a schedule but because babies and life is so unpredictable, it doesn’t always turn out that way. Sometimes I’m writing like a maniac at 1 AM. I’ve always enjoyed writing and so there is never a good time or a bad time to write. I just do it. So for those who are just starting off, my advice to you is to just do it. That is if you enjoy writing. If you don’t that could be a whole other struggle and I’ll save those tips for another blog post.


For the bloggers: Next time you tell someone you’re a blogger, remember everything you do to be a kick ass blogger. Whether you organize photo shoots with photographers, take your own pictures, partnerships, collaborations, editing, writing… you’re the whole works!

For the readers: Blog posts take time and in our writing there is a story, a voice or a message. When you take the time to read my blog posts I am extremely grateful towards you. You took the time to read it, allow me to thank you and to recognize who you are. Leave me a comment on social media, on the blog or even a private message.

hum jk signature

There’s not enough time in the day for me to do everything I want to do. However, for some reason when I have a check list, it can all get done. Ever since I was a teenager I had a habit of making lists in my planners. A list of goals, a list of daily things to do and a favourites list (music, books) to download and to borrow from the library.

daily planner

Time Management with Bloom Daily Planners

Now those lists have evolved and the amount of lists I have to make is overwhelming. So overwhelming that I haven’t done it in almost a year. I actually think I was a lot more successful in getting things done because I had a daily planner or book to write everything down in. Now with my baby brain syndrome (it’s real), I forget everything! I’ve been looking for the right planner to get me organized again for a long time. And now finally I have the Bloom Daily Planner to help me get back into a more organized life.

marble monthly plannermonthly planners

The Bloom Daily Planners come in many forms. You can get it in hard cover or soft, monthly planning or daily, You can even get specific ones: Teacher planner, student planner and a wedding planner. They have a lot to choose from, check it out here.

Monthly planner in marble and some fun stickers.^

When I saw these stickers it instantly reminded me of my old agenda from high school. I’d decorate every week with fun stickers and looking back at it now, it’s almost like looking into a diary/scrapbook. Looking at a list, or a page full of words of appointments, to do or birthdays is boring. So why not make it more fun by adding cute stickers. Especially for things you want to bring attention to when going through the pages.

budget planner

blogger planner

The monthly planner I have is a soft cover planner. When you open the soft cover, the inside of it has an area where you can slide your receipts or loose paper in.

For each day of the month I set goals. Mom goals, work goals, blogger goals, fitness goals or whatever. Set one for each day and whenever you accomplish that goal for that day, check it off. It may sound silly to you, but in hindsight when you go back to your planner in a week and see that you didn’t meet any of your goals, it might spark some new found motivation. For myself, I treat it like a challenge. Meeting my daily goals and checking it off at the end of the day is enough motivation for me. Looking back at a month of checks, is like a big “YES, girl! YES!’

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dyson review

Ever since I saw the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link in stores, I’ve been in love! My son and husband both have allergies and sometimes when we use a regular fan it spreads dust and other allergens. On Instagram I announced that I would be taking the #PurifierChallenge and also shared an un-boxing on my Instagram stories. A lot of you started to get curious about it and called me with questions. Here are all the details about the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link™ and if you have any questions please leave me a comment below.

dyson purifier

Why Should I Get A Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link™ Purifier?

We got this Dyson purifier now almost 2 weeks ago and we started off using it in our living room. Due to my son and husbands allergies, they would sneeze a lot in our living room. I tried everything from cleaning the sofa cushions, curtains, steaming the floors and sweeping on the regular. Ever since we got this purifier I must say not only has the quality of the air in our living room changed to the purest it could be, but also climate control is super easy to change. Especially with our unpredictable weather in Toronto. We went from a humid and hot week to a rainy cool one in July/August.

We have really large windows in our living room and when it’s hot outside, this space gets really hot. When it’s cold, it gets really cold. So you can imagine, in a space where we’re always hanging out it can get really difficult to control the temperature. This Dyson not only works as a purifier but a hot and cool fan. With a simple press of a button we can get comfortable.

I love the way it looks. So sleek and no blades. Put it on automatic rotation or angle it up or downwards.

dyson purifier challenge

How do you know if it’s working?

dyson link app
Dyson App Screenshot

Dyson App Screenshot
Dyson App Screenshot

 

I connected our Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link™ to my phone by following instructions to download the app. It’s really simple. Just follow the steps. In the app you can select where the dyson is in your house and then it tells you the level of air quality in that room. If you select the location then it’ll also tell you the air quality outside. You can also see a graph timeline from the app of when the air quality was poor and good again. 

 

The Dyson 360 Glass HEPA filter removes 99.97% of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.3 microns, including pollen and allergens, bacteria, dust and mold spores, pet dander and potentially harmful ultra fine particles, trapping them in the filter and eliminating them from the air you breathe.

Taking the Dyson #PurifierChallenge

One night I took our Dyson link upstairs to our room. (It’s really light and easy to move around. Just make sure you don’t hold it from the link.) That night we slept so well. Also, I love how handy the remote control can be when changing the settings from bed.

dyson purifier

[Tweet “#DidYouKnow indoor air pollution can be up to five times worse than outside?”]

Poor indoor air quality could be due to many things. Some of them being, gas stoves, scented candles, carpets, cleaning supplies and air fresheners.

Looks like we may need to buy one for the upstairs portion of our home. Your health always comes first, take the #PurifierChallenge with Dyson and I.
dyson hot and cool purifier

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