Christmas is Coming

It's December 1st, and while the snow hasn't settled in, yet, Christmas is less than four weeks away. As always, it's time to manage expectations for the wee ones - Christmas is in sight, but still far enough away. Thankfully our parenting predecessors figured this one out already, hence the Advent Calendar. Sure, sure, there was probably some religious and ceremonial significance when they first emerged a few hundred years ago, but we'll take the parenting help where we can get it.

As a child, I loved those little chocolates hidden behind the flaps. Looking back, I'm not sure my parents were the biggest fans of chocolate before breakfast. These days, however, we have lots of options. Our boys are excited to start assembling there scenes - Star Wars LEGO for the big one, Playmobil NHL Hockey for the littler one. It'll be nice to be hoisting Lord Stanley's cup in our living room, even if it is in miniature.

Now I just need to get myself some slippers to avoid stepping on all those little pieces of plastic.

Full Disclosure: Playmobil provided a sample product free of charge, opinions are my own.

'Tis the Season, for some Christmas readin'

As the days tick off the advent calendar and the Elf on the Shelf finds himself less and less original, as we move from shopping to actually wrapping (!), the season is upon us. It's a special time of year and for bedtime we've pulled out some of our favourite Christmas stories.

Another story before bed? Yes! 

Just let me top-off my eggnog.

Christmas Surprises

As we count down the days to Christmas, the excitement keeps growing. So too, it appears, do the kinder surprises! The big guy is pumped to open presents and to celebrate the treats of the season. Convenient then that special holiday Kinder Surprise eggs are both.

So far he has been content not devouring the chocolate all in one go, despite appearances. The same cannot be said for #MaxLoco. Why do did we have a white couch again?

I also hear that Santa is a big fan and that some kinder goodies may find their way into everyone's stockings this holiday season.

DISCLAIMER DISCLOSURE: I’m a #KinderDad who is part of the KINDER® Canada influencer team; as part of my affiliation with KINDER® Canada, I am provided with special perks and products. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Countdown to Christmas

It's December 1st. Not sure how that got here so soon. My wife is extra happy as it coincides with the end of Movember and so my Mo' is no more. Of course, you still have a couple of days to donate, perhaps to celebrate the departure of the lip-caterpillar: http://mobro.co/nickcheeseman

The boys are excited too as Christmas is around the corner. We still have a lot of work to do to get ready, but at least we were successful in the first challenge of the holiday season - the advent calendar. This shouldn't be a huge task, but the big guy was very specific. This year it was to be the Star Wars Lego Advent calendar.

Wow. That puppy is hard to find. On-line - Sold Out. Local toy store - Sold Out. Calling frantically across Toronto - Sold Out.

I had given up hope, and sadly I had no Force to use. Somehow though, supermommy of the year found one.

Now we are good to go. Where can I find that Skylanders Trap Team?

Kinder Calendar Giveaway!

The holiday season is fast approaching and Kinder Surprise is helping you get ready by giving away an awesome holiday prize pack! Help count down the holiday season with these chocolate treats!

The prize pack includes:

• One KINDER® Advent Calendar
• One KINDER® Hollow Santa with SURPRISE®
• One KINDER® SURPRISE® 100g Christmas egg
• One KINDER® SURPRISE® MAXI 150g egg

To enter simply follow the steps below. Giveaway closes on Nov 23, so get entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fine Print: The contest winner will be required to provide a full name and complete mailing address to be shared with KINDER® for shipping purposes. While you may enter as many of the KINDER® contests as you like, you can only win once. DISCLAIMER DISCLOSURE: I’m a #KinderDad who is part of the KINDER® Canada influencer team; as part of my affiliation with KINDER® Canada, I am provided with special perks and products. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok

Having tested the +HondaCanada Odyssey's capacity to haul lumber, it was time for another wintertime tradition, again involving wood. Time for our annual trip to Horton's Tree Farm. 





We bundled up the boys, hit the Starbucks and headed north. Only in the Odyssey the back seat was a lot quieter thanks to the Lion King playing on the widescreen.

The view from the back

With the boys content in their wireless headphones, mommy and I could listen to whatever we liked on the stereo. A rare privilege, not that we don't appreciate the same tunes as the boys (among their favourites are Black Dog, Skyfall and Get Lucky). Rather it's the random and somewhat unreasonable requests to turn off or change the radio.

Man cut tree

Selecting a tree with Mommy

With a tree selected, chopped and hauled back, it was time for hot chocolate. As friends and family struggled with rope, bungies and twine, I popped the trunk with the push of a button and tossed in the tree.

Look at all that room!

Christmas with the Premier

Courtesy of Premier of Ontario Photography

Last year the big guy got to decorate a Christmas tree with then-Premier Dalton McGuinty.

This year, the Premier may have changed, but the big guy still got to do some fun Christmas activities at Queen's Park. Premier Kathleen Wynne invited the daycare class to come over and decorate a gingerbread replica of Queen's Park. The result was auctioned off to raise money for the United Way.



Kids and candy. When they left there were fewer candies on the gingerbread house than when they arrived.

Everyone had a great time.
Except maybe the teachers who had to manage the sugar aftermath.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Clearly it's the holiday season. The stores unveiled their displays before back before we'd even carved our pumpkin. Canned music everywhere pipes out the Little Drummer Boy and Jingle Bells. Retailers are bombarding us with promises of savings for a deep dark black Friday.

Just in time too. Following some strict rationing, we've just finished up the last of the Hallowe'en candy. Now maybe we can actually get through dinner without negotiating each mouthful for a specified number of rockets.

At least we're on the correct side of the blackmail this time around.

He knows when you've been bad or good
so be good for goodness sake

And I've already got the Christmas lights up.