Marvel Universe Live

My Workout With The Cast Of Marvel Universe Live

Blogging is such a funny thing. There are so many times that I am left pinching myself at some of the cool opportunities that have come my way and there were plenty of new pinch marks on my arms after this past weekend.

I had the opportunity to meet Hayley and Josh Murillo, who are cast members of the Marvel Universe Live show that is touring North America right now. Not only did I get a chance to meet them but they also took me through one of the workouts the cast uses to keep fit for the show. I’m not going to lie, it was a physically humbling experience and something I definitely felt the next day. Luckily for all of you I recorded the whole humiliating exercise and you can now watch it below…

Later that same night I took my family to the actual Marvel Universe live show and have to say that it was absolutely outstanding! Seriously, the motorcycle stunts alone would have been worth the price of admission but to see all of my favourite superheroes standing right in front of me sent me into a full on geek attack. I don’t want to spoil the show for anyone so I will simply say that when the Hulk appears for the first time we were all in awe of his costume and performance.

If you have children who love comics or if you are a huge fan of the Marvel Universe you need to go see this show. The production value was second to none and you are left shaking your head at some of the stunts the performers pull off during the show. They is flying, explosions, people on fire and Xmen. What more could you ask for??

Alright, I’ve talked enough. Please take a couple minutes to check out my interview and workout with the cast of Marvel Universe Live! Also, thank you so much to Feld Entertainment and the Canadian Tire Centre for allowing me to continuing doing my thing!

KOA Family Cabin Camping

You Can Glamp If You Want To

I have a lot of great memories of camping with my family when I was young. We used to go camping at least twice year but often times more. Heck, my parents even drove us all the way to Walt Disney World and we camped instead of staying at one of the resorts. It occurred to me this summer that my young family had yet to embark on our first family camping trip, until now!

We decided to book at the 1000 Islands/Ivy Lea KOA for a number of reasons. First, it’s just over an hour from our house in case things went horribly wrong. Second, they rent cabins with bunk beds for the kids and we thought that sounded fun (and it was). I actually wrestled with the idea of tenting because staying in a cabin felt like we were breaking the rules of camping. That, and the fact that the price difference between tenting and cabin certainly isn’t negligible. In the end I have no regrets as this was one of our best family trips yet!

Due to my superior planning skills and attention to detail, I did little to no research on the Ivy Lea KOA prior to us arriving on site. You can imagine my surprise and excitement as the first thing we saw as we pulled into the park was a gigantic jumping pillow! While I understand that the jumping pillow was put there for the children, I also noticed there was no rules posted against the older campers taking part in the fun…

Dad Jumping Pillow KOA

Here are a few other things I didn’t know about the Ivy Lea KOA. They have heated pools with a water slide. There is an adults only jacuzzi, which I frequented often. There is an arcade. The bathrooms are in immaculate condition, which was important because our cabin didn’t have a bathroom in it. Most importantly, they have a full time activities director whose job it is to keep your children busy and having fun. Every morning we would walk up to the main office and check out all the cool activities planned for that day. As you can see for yourself, there was never a shortage of things for the kids to do.

Ivy Lea KOA Activities

I think my favourite activity was the wet ‘n wild wagon ride in which all the kids grab water gun and load onto a tractor pulled wagon. The tractor then weaves through the campground as an epic water battle takes place between the young riders and the campers who choose to take part. It was so much fun trying to sneak up on the kids and it was great to see how many people took part in the fun.

KOA Ivy Lea Wet Wagon Ride

This was such an amazing family getaway that we actually booked another KOA adventure before the end of summer! I should also note that the staff at the 1000 Islands/Ivy Lea were absolutely incredible and really go out of their way to make sure that everyone has an incredible experience. If you are looking to go camping with your family but don’t feel ready for tent life, I can’t recommend the cabin experience enough as it was a great intro to the outdoors.

Finally I’d love to give a shout out to GMC Canada for allowing us to test the GMC Acadia on our KOA adventure! It was great timing, too, as I’m not sure how we would have done it without all that extra space. We packed that thing to the max and it still drove like it was on the clouds. My kids were actually quite upset when I told them we had to take it back because they loved the 7 seats and the fact that I didn’t have to pack stuff on top of them like the rest of our road trips… I kind of miss it, too.

I’ll leave you with a few more pictures of our KOA experience and strongly encourage you to check one out for yourself.

KOA Ivy Lea Water Slide

KOA Tie Dye

GMC Acadia

Schick #DriveFree Twitter Party

Join The #DriveFree Twitter Party on July 30th!

If you want to learn more about how you can Drive Free For A Year, you’ll want to join us for the #DriveFree Twitter Party on July 30th at 9pm ET! We’ll be talking about everything from family road trips to vehicle maintenance and you won’t want to miss out on the conversation or the amazing prizes we have in store for you.

Here are the party details and you can RSVP below!

Date: Thursday, July 30, 2015
Time: 9 to 10 pm EST
Hashtag: #DriveFree
Host: @CanadianDadBlog
Sponsor: @FreeYourSkinCA
Panelists: @PuzzlingPostDad, @ChancesMommy, @MMPerspectives, @CaseP
Prizes: Five(5) Schick Prize Packs ($100 Value)
Grand Prize: Schick Prize Pack incl. $150 Gift Card
Official Rules and Regulations

RSVP Here:

Schick #DriveFree Twitter Party Rules and Regulations

THIS CONTEST IS OPEN TO CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY (EXCLUDING RESIDENTS OF QUEBEC)
AND IS GOVERNED BY CANADIAN LAW

The Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter. You understand that you are providing your information to the Sponsor (defined below) and not to Twitter. Any personal information you provide will only be used for the administration of this Contest and in accordance with the Sponsor’s privacy policy (see below). Twitter is completely released from all liability by each participant in this Contest. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Contest must be directed to the Sponsor and not Twitter. You may only use one (1) Twitter account (the “Account”) to participate in this Contest.

1. CONTEST PERIOD:

The Contest (the “Contest”) runs from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) on July 30, 2015 (the “Contest Period”).
2. ELIGIBILITY:

Contest is open to all legal residents of Canada (excluding residents of Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province/territory of residence at the time of entry, except employees, representatives or agents (and those with whom such persons are domiciled, whether related or not) of CanadianDad.com (the “Sponsor”), its parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, prize suppliers and advertising/promotion agencies (collectively, the “Contest Parties”).

3. HOW TO ENTER:

a. To participate in this Contest, you must have a valid Account. If you do not have an Account, visit www.twitter.com and register in accordance with the enrolment instructions for a free Twitter account. In addition, eligible entrants (see above) must become (and remain for the duration of the Contest Period) a “follower” (the “Follower(s)”) of the official @CanadianDadBlog channel (the “Channel”) on Twitter (note: you can un-follow at any time after the Contest). To become a Follower, an eligible entrant must: (i) visit www.twitter.com/canadiandadblog; OR (ii) from his/her Twitter home page, perform a search for “canadiandadblog” and click on “Accounts”; AND (iii) click on the “Follow” button corresponding to the Channel.

b. No purchase necessary. During the Contest Period, you can enter the Contest by tweeting (the “Tweet(s)”) to the Channel using your Twitter account. To be eligible, your Tweet must:

i. be in accordance with the specific Submission Requirements listed below in Rule 4;

ii. include the following hashtag — #DriveFree (the “Hashtag”);

iii. comply with the Twitter Terms of Service and Twitter Rules available at www.twitter.com; and

iv. conform to Twitter’s (140) character limitation, including the Hashtag (as applicable).

Any Tweet that does not follow the above format (as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion) will be discarded and will not be eligible for entry in this Contest. Limit one entry per person/Account. Although you may continue to participate in the discussion after submitting your Tweet for Contest entry purposes, only the first Tweet received from a particular individual Account which meets all of the requirements specified in Rules 3 and 4 will be eligible. The submission of an entry is solely the responsibility of the entrant. Entries may only be made according to the method described above. Automated entries (including but not limited to entries submitted using any robot, script, macro, or other automated service), are not permitted and will be disqualified.

c. A Tweet will be considered to be void if the Tweet: (i) is not submitted and received during the Contest Period in accordance with these Rules; (ii) does not include the Hashtag (as applicable); (iii) does not conform to Twitter’s (140) character limitation including the Hashtag (as applicable); (iv) does not comply with the Twitter Terms of Service and Twitter Rules; and/or (v) is not in accordance with the specific Submission Requirements listed below in Rule 4 (all as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion).

d. Standard text messaging and/or data rates apply to Followers who submit a Tweet via a wireless mobile device. Wireless service providers may charge for airtime for each standard text message sent and received. Please call your service provider for pricing and service plan information and rates before mobile device participation.

e. Use (or attempted use) of multiple names, identities, Accounts and/or any automated, macro, script, robotic or other system(s) or program(s) to enter or otherwise participate in or disrupt this Contest is prohibited and is grounds for disqualification by the Sponsor. The Releasees (defined below) are not responsible for late, lost, misdirected, delayed, incomplete or incompatible Tweets (all of which are void).

f. All Tweets are subject to verification at any time. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to require proof of identity and/or eligibility (in a form acceptable to the Sponsor – including, without limitation, government issued photo identification) to participate in this Contest. Failure to provide such proof to the satisfaction of the Sponsor in a timely manner may result in disqualification. The sole determinant of the time for the purposes of a valid Tweet in this Contest will be the Contest server machine(s).

4. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

BY SUBMITTING A TWEET, YOU AGREE THAT THE TWEET COMPLIES WITH ALL CONDITIONS STATED IN THESE RULES AND THE TWITTER TERMS OF SERVICE. THE RELEASEES (DEFINED BELOW) WILL BEAR NO LEGAL LIABILITY REGARDING THE USE OF ANY TWEET YOU SUBMIT. THE RELEASEES (DEFINED BELOW) SHALL BE HELD HARMLESS BY YOU IN THE EVENT IT IS SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAVE DEPARTED FROM OR NOT FULLY COMPLIED WITH ANY OF THESE RULES.

Without limiting the generality of the requirements noted above in Rule 3, to be eligible for entry in this Contest, any Tweet you submit must be unique and original (i.e. you cannot submit the same Tweet more than one time in this Contest and/or copy someone else’s Tweet in whole or in part) and must be written in English only.

By participating in the Contest, each entrant agrees to be legally bound by these Rules and by the interpretation of these Rules by the Sponsor, and further warrants and represents that any Tweet he/she submits:

i. is original to him/her and that the entrant has all necessary rights in and to the Tweet to enter the Contest;

ii. does not violate any law;

iii. will not give rise to any claims of infringement, invasion of privacy or publicity, or infringe on any rights and/or interests of any third party, or give rise to any claims whatsoever; and

iv. is not defamatory, trade libelous, pornographic or obscene, and further that it will not contain, include, discuss or involve, without limitation, any of the following: nudity; alcohol/drug consumption or smoking; explicit or graphic sexual activity, or sexual innuendo; crude, vulgar or offensive language and/or symbols; derogatory characterizations of any ethnic, racial, sexual, religious or other groups; content that endorses, condones and/or discusses any illegal, inappropriate or risky behaviour or conduct; personal information of individuals, including, without limitation, names, telephone numbers and addresses (physical or electronic); commercial messages, comparisons or solicitations for products or services other than products of Sponsor; conduct or other activities in violation of these Rules; and/or any other content that is or could be considered inappropriate, unsuitable or offensive, all as determined by the Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion.

By entering the Contest and submitting a Tweet, each entrant: (i) without limiting the Twitter Terms of Service grants to the Sponsor, in perpetuity, a non-exclusive license to publish, display, reproduce, modify, edit or otherwise use his/her Tweet, in whole or in part, for advertising or promoting the Contest or for any other reason; (ii) waives all moral rights in and to his/her Tweet in favour of the Sponsor; and (iii) agrees to release and hold harmless the Contest Parties and each of their respective agents, employees, directors, successors, and assigns (collectively, the “Releasees”) from and against any and all claims based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, trade-mark infringement or any other intellectual property related cause of action that relate in any way to the Tweet. For greater certainty, the Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion and at any time during the Contest, to modify, edit or disqualify any Tweet if a complaint is received with respect to the Tweet, or for any other reason. If such an action is necessary at any point, then the Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify the Tweet and/or the associated entrant. If the Sponsor determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that any Tweet does not comply with these Rules for any reason at any time, then the Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify the Tweet and/or the associated entrant.

5. PRIZES

There are SIX (6) Total Prizes (“Prizes”). FIVE (5) Schick Prize Packs, valued at One Hundred Canadian dollars (CDN $100) and ONE (1) Grand Prize, Schick Prize Pack plus $150 Gift Card, valued at Two Hundred Canadian dollars (CDN $200) available to be won.

Each Prize must be accepted as awarded and is not transferable, assignable or convertible to cash (except as may be specifically permitted by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion). No substitutions except at Sponsor’s option. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to substitute a Prize or a component thereof with a prize or prizes of equal or greater value, including, without limitation, but at Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion, a cash award. Each Prize will only be awarded to the person who is verified as the “authorized account holder” (see below) of the Account associated with the winning entry. There is a limit of one (1) Prize per person/Account in this Contest. Any and all costs/expenses not specifically included in the Prize description are the sole and absolute responsibility of each confirmed winner.

6. WINNER SELECTION

Six (6) eligible Tweets will be selected randomly on July 30, 2015 at or before 10:00 pm ET in Ottawa, Ontario from among all eligible Tweets submitted and received during the Contest Period in accordance with these Contest Rules. The odds of your Tweet being selected will depend on the total number of eligible Tweets submitted and received during the Contest Period in accordance with these Contest Rules.

The Sponsor or its designated representative will make a maximum of 3 attempts within 2 business days following the draw to contact each selected entrant by Twitter (using a personalized direct message to the Account used to submit the Tweet). If a selected entrant cannot be contacted within 3 attempts, or if there is a return of any notification as undeliverable; then he/she will be disqualified (and will forfeit all rights to the applicable Prize) and the Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to select at random an alternate eligible Tweet that complies with these Rules (in which case the foregoing provisions of this section shall apply to such new selected entrant).

BEFORE BEING DECLARED A CONFIRMED PRIZE WINNER, each selected entrant will be required to correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question without mechanical or other aid. By participating in this Contest and accepting a Prize, each confirmed winner hereby: (i) confirms compliance with these Rules; (ii) acknowledges acceptance of the applicable Prize as awarded; (iii) agrees to indemnify the Releasees against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses arising from use of his/her Tweet including, without limitation, any claim that his/her Tweet infringes a proprietary interest of any third party; (iv) releases the Releasees from any and all liability in connection with this Contest, his/her participation therein and/or the awarding and use/misuse of the Prize or any portion thereof; and (v) agrees to the publication, reproduction and/or other use of his/her name, address, voice, statements about the Contest and/or photograph or other likeness without further notice or compensation, in any publicity or advertisement carried out by or on behalf of the Sponsor in any manner whatsoever, including print, broadcast or the internet. If a selected entrant: (a) fails to correctly answer the skill-testing question; and/or (b) cannot accept his/her applicable Prize as awarded for any reason; then he/she will be disqualified (and will forfeit all rights to the applicable Prize) and the Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to select at random an alternate eligible Tweet that complies with these Rules (in which case the foregoing provisions of this section shall apply to such new selected entrant).

7. GENERAL CONDITIONS

By participating in this Contest, each entrant: (i) agrees to be bound by these Rules; (ii) agrees to release and hold harmless the Releasees from and against any and all claims based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, trade-mark infringement or any other intellectual property related cause of action; and (iii) releases the Releasees from any and all liability in connection with this Contest and his/her participation therein.

The Releasees will not be liable for: (i) any failure of any website during the Contest; (ii) any technical malfunction or other problems relating to the telephone network or lines, computer on-line systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment or software; (iii) the failure of any Tweet to be received for any reason including, but not limited to, technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or mobile network; (iv) any injury or damage to an entrant’s or any other person’s computer or other device related to or resulting from participating or downloading any material in the Contest; and/or (v) any combination of the above.

In the event of a dispute regarding who submitted a Tweet, Tweets will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the Twitter account submitted at the time of entry (as determined in accordance with the official records of Twitter). An entrant may be required to provide proof (in a form acceptable to the Sponsor – including, without limitation, government issued photo identification) that he/she is the authorized account holder of the Twitter account associated with the selected Tweet and, if applicable, that he/she has all necessary consents, permissions and/or licenses as required by these Rules.

The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to withdraw, amend or suspend this Contest (or to amend these Rules) in any way, in the event of an error, technical problem, computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failure or any other cause beyond the reasonable control of the Sponsor that interferes with the proper conduct of this Contest as contemplated by these Rules. Any attempt to deliberately damage any website or to undermine the legitimate operation of this Contest in any way (as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion) is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to cancel, amend or suspend this Contest, or to amend these Rules, without prior notice or obligation, in the event of any accident, printing, administrative, or other error of any kind, or for any other reason.

This Contest is subject to all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws. The decisions of the Sponsor with respect to all aspects of this Contest are final and binding on all entrants without right of appeal, including, without limitation, any decisions regarding the eligibility/disqualification of entrants and/or Tweets.

The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, and without prior notice, to adjust any of the dates and/or timeframes stipulated in these Rules, to the extent necessary, for purposes of verifying compliance by any entrant or Tweet with these Rules, or as a result of any technical or other problems, or in light of any other circumstances which, in the opinion of the Sponsor, in its sole and absolute discretion, affect the proper administration of the Contest as contemplated in these Rules, or for any other reason.

By entering this Contest, each entrant expressly consents to the Sponsor, its agents and/or representatives, storing, sharing and using the personal information submitted with his/her entry only for the purpose of administering the Contest and in accordance with Sponsor’s privacy policy, unless the entrant otherwise agrees.

In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of these Rules and disclosures or other statements contained in any Contest-related materials, including, but not limited to: website and/or point of sale, television, print or online advertising; the terms and conditions of these Rules shall prevail, govern and control.

Barilla Cooking With Kids

Let Me Tell You A Secret About Picky Eaters

My kids hate food. Alright, that seems a little drastic. It seems as though my children dislike more food than they like. Any parent with a picky eater understands the frustration of slaving over a healthy family meal, only to have 50% of the people at the dinner table refuse to eat any of it. Stories such as, “It has green things in it” or “I like it but don’t want to eat it right now”, are mainstays in our house and it seemed as though all was lost, until recently, that is.

I think I may have discovered a loophole in the system and it happened while I was working on my last blog post for Barilla pasta’s Share The Table campaign. I had the kids help me cook the meal that night, which included things that they normally would decline to eat. You know, things like whole grain pasta, tomatoes, all other vegetables… When I mentioned to the kids that food always tastes better when you make it yourself, they couldn’t wait to finish their plates!

Ever since then I have tried to make an effort to get the kids involved in the meal preparation and I have to say that I am running at about a 75% success rate, which is outstanding! No more whining about spaghetti or lasagna having too many vegetables in them because the kids are controlling which and how many veggies are going in. They are also beaming with pride as they help serve the food to the table for family and friends. Win-Win!

Speaking of winning… You still have time to enter Barilla’s Share The Table contest where you can win 1 of 3 trips for four to Italy!! My bags are already packed in case you win and can’t think of anyone else to bring with you. My Italian is quite weak, in fact non-existent, but I smile a lot and don’t sleep walk, so there’s that! Please also check out the Barilla Share The Table website for some great tips and tricks on how to make mealtime a meaningful experience in your house.

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in the Barilla Share The Table campaign.

Schick Drive Free

How Would You Like To Drive Free For A Year?

I bet you thought I was joking with a title like that, didn’t you? In case you hadn’t realized it before, owning a vehicle can get pretty expensive. Between rising gas prices, insurance and depreciation, I often think I’m going to need a second job just to afford staying on the road. The folks over at Schick® understand this reality as well and decided to launch the Schick® Drive Free For A Year giveaway so that one lucky driver could stop worrying about car bills for a whole year! Seeing as how that person cannot be me, I wanted to share this news with all of you in hopes that one of you are named the winner. Imagine how great it would be to drive me all over the place as a thank you for sharing this amazing contest with you? I know I can’t wait!!

I can feel how excited you are getting right now so I’m just going to cut right to the chase. Here are the steps you need to complete in order to win:

Step 1 – Look for participating products in your favourite stores. Then, check for a yellow “Drive Free for a Year” sticker. Also, you can win without making a purchase by writing a 50 word essay on “Why Schick® is my Preferred Brand” and mail it to: The Schick Drive Free for a Year Grand Prize Draw and Instant Win Promotion (Request for No Purchase unique PIN number), Dept 3112, Box 9500 Lakeshore West PO, Oakville ON, L6K 0G4. Let’s be honest though, it’s much easier to stock up on razors, am I right??

Step 2 – Visit the Schick® We Set You Free website, click on the Drive Free tab and register for the contest. It’s quick and easy – takes only 5 minutes. Or, if you’re already registered, just sign in.

Step 3 – Now it’s time to enter your PIN. Be sure to check that it’s a yellow “Drive Free for a Year” sticker. You could win great prizes instantly (over 2400 of them) – plus every PIN is an entry into the Grand Prize draw to Drive Free for a Year!

To sum that all up, buy the product, enter the code, win stuff! You can visit the Schick® We Set You Free website for more details and don’t forget to follow the @FreeYourSkinCA Twitter handle for more info and giveaways during the Drive Free campaign!

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in this program, however I seriously considered turning it down after realizing that this blocked me from entering. I also seriously expect one of you to drive me around if you win…

TropicanaBottledSummer Prize Pack

Win A Tropicana Summer Prize Pack! #TropicanaBottledSummer

The summer of winning continues here at Canadian Dad HQ and next on the list is the sweet prize pack above from Tropicana! On top of the fun summer toys in the prize pack, Tropicana have even thrown in a $50 PC gift card to get your next BBQ off on the right foot! Also, while I have you here I would like to admit that I singlehandedly drank all the Tangerine Lemonade that Tropicana sent me to share with my family. No, I am not proud of myself. Yes, it was so good that I would probably do it again. Go buy some for yourself and you’ll see what I’m talking about. While your out, you should definitely also try Tropicana’s new Watermelon Fruit Drink because it is the perfect compliment to any summer outing.

Back to the business at hand, all you have to do to enter is fill out as many of the entry methods as you feel like in the Rafflecopter form below and I’ll draw a winner on July 17th. Giveaway is open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec (I’m so sorry, Quebec, I am a huge Montreal Canadiens fan and this stings every time). Go get it, folks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received compensation for my participation in Tropicana’s campaign. That said, I actually hid in the garage at one point and drank the Tangerine Lemonade straight out of the bottle so my wife and kids wouldn’t see me…

Merrell Socks Sandals

The Hypocrisy Of The Foot Pic

It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I am not a huge fan of the pictures of other people’s feet that seem to invade my internet feed on a daily basis. I could never figure out what it was about a picture of a foot that made anyone think, “I need to share this amazing foot picture for all the world to see!”. For the longest time I was beating on the #NoFeetPics drum…until now.

You see, I recently agreed to work with one of my favourite stores in Mark’s on their #ForAllWalks campaign, which required me to try out some shoes from their new line. Being someone who has never owned a really nice pair of sandals I was excited that Mark’s had their Merrell Kahuna III Sandal on the availability list. Once the sandals arrived my wife correctly pointed out that in order to properly discuss them, I was going to have to take a picture of me wearing them… A FOOT PIC, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

I quickly started running through alternative options in my head. I got away with it in my first post by pretending to use them to swat at wasps, which I did actually do. Then I thought, socks and sandals, but I think we can all agree from the cover photo that this is a way worse option. I came to the conclusion that the only way I can come out of this with my head held high is to do the thing that I have been railing against for years.

The bright side to this conclusion is that I really love the Merrell Kahuna III Sandal so if I have to post a picture of my feet, I’m happy to do it while wearing them. Side note before we get to the finished product, these are truly the most comfortable and versatile sandals I have ever owned and have become my go to footwear whenever we are running out of the house to go play outside. Alright, without further ado, I present to you a picture of my feet!

Merrell Sandals Feet Pics

I’d like to thank Mark’s for including me in their #ForAllWalks campaign. All of the shoes I had the chance to try out have been amazing and have really opened my eyes to the importance of investing in good shoes. I highly encourage you all to head on over to the Mark’s website and check out what they have to offer. You can also interact with the Mark’s social channels by visiting them at their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages!

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in this program but I truly dislike all of the feet pics that have infiltrated the internet. I mean, they’re feet, people! Feet!!!!

Sprinkler Summer

What To Do Now That Summer Is Finally Here!

We don’t live in one of those fancy cities where it is sunny and hot all year long. No, first we must make it through a mostly fun but always way too long winter season. Well, none of that matters now because summer is officially here and we are already off to a blazing start! I want to know what your favourite summer activities, events and destinations are so that I can steal them and make them my own, so please feel free to share them in the comments section below. That said, I figured I’d get the ball rolling by sharing some of my family’s favourite summertime activities!

Fairs/Community BBQs

After attending our community’s summer kick-off BBQ this past weekend I remembered how much I love the warm weather and the ability to ditch the sweater and grab some shorts and a t-shirt. The warm weather definitely affects my mood in the best possible way, as witness by the fact that I climbed into a bubble suit and let a bunch of 7 years take running shots at me.

Summer Fairs Carnival

Pool Parties

Now that the DadBod is the coolest thing going, I have even more reason to take the family to as many pool parties as I can this year. On top of that, I love watching the pride in my children’s eyes as they learn to swim without their floaties. As with every other aspect of parenting, these are moments that I hope I can hold on to forever.

Summer Canonball

Road Hockey

Let me tell you something about the girl in this picture. Anything you can do, she will try to do it better. Road hockey is a daily event at our place (yes, we’re Canadian) and even though she’s the smallest of the bunch, she is also the most tenacious. You can get by her once but don’t you dare try the same move twice!

Road Hockey Summer

Bike Rides

I am proud to say that we have seen our last set of training wheels as both kids are now rocking the two wheelers. Sure, they still have the Avengers and Elsa plastered all over them but that isn’t going to hold us back from taking long rides to the ice cream shop this summer.

Biking Summer

The Greatest Lemonade Stand Ever!

A Lemonade Stand is a staple in any childhood, and do you know what can take your stand from good to great this summer?? Stocking your stand with the NEW! Tropicana Watermelon and Tropicana Lemonade with Tangerine, that’s what! Throw in the traditional Tropicana Lemonade to the mix and you will have the most diverse Lemonade Stand than anyone on the block. Furthermore, all three delicious varieties are made with real fruit and without any artificial ingredients. I’m not sure what you are still waiting for, the new Tropicana line is available at major grocery retailers across Canada, so get moving!

New Tropicana Flavours Lemonade

That brings me back to my original question. What are your favourite summertime activities?

Disclosure: I received compensation for my participation in Tropicana’s campaign, however my Lemonade stand brings all the boys to the yard and they’re like, it’s better than yours.

GoodLife Fitness Membership

Project #DadFit – Win a 1 Month Membership To GoodLife Fitness!

So, this exercise thing is pretty fun once you get into a rhythm, isn’t it? I have been making my weekly trips to GoodLife Fitness and have even convinced my wife to start coming with me. Having the on-site daycare service has been a life saver, literally I guess. Next week I am going to start weight training, which is scary and exciting at the same time, so we’ll see how that goes!

Also, in order to celebrate the opening of a new GoodLife Fitness at 900 Exhibition Way, Lansdowne Park in Ottawa, I am giving away a 1 month Membership to a GoodLife Fitness near you! All you have to do to enter is fill out as many of the options as you’d like on the Rafflecopter form below and I’ll select a winner on July 6th. Good Luck and don’t forget to get your sweat on!

a Rafflecopter giveaway