Recycle Your Electronics

To Re-Gift Or Not To Re-Gift, That Is The Question

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I think we’ve all debated this at one time or another. You just got a new iPad, gaming system or TV and now your old one is sitting in a closet, collecting dust, and you’re not sure if you should offer an old model to someone else. Re-gifting has gotten a bad rap over the years but when it comes to electronics, there are so many great reasons to pass them on.

Let me share a story with you. My children are now old enough to work a computer/tablet on their own. Frankly, I think children are equipped to do this straight from the womb but that’s a story for another time. Because my wife and I both use our computer for work, there isn’t a lot of time to share it between the four of us and we can’t afford to go out and get a brand new iPad.

Enter, Nana. My wife’s mom had an older model iPad she wasn’t using and asked if we wanted it. Because it was an original model, Apple stopped making updates for it which essentially made it useless for an adult’s needs. For a child, however, there are still a ton of educational apps that could be accessed without needing the new updates, making that old, useless iPad and brand new toy for the kids.

The point is, just because an old device or gaming system seems outdated or useless to you, it may be an amazing addition to someone else’s house. I say all this because a study presented to the Ontario Electronic Stewardship in 2011 claimed that 90% of Ontarians have unwanted electronic devices to dispose of. That just seems like a big waste to me when there are so many families in need. If you don’t have someone to give them to, you can look for a local Free-cycle group, find a charity, or go to RecycleYourElectronics.ca to find a drop off location close to your home.

Don’t wait until your gadgets are obsolete and unusable. Get them out of your house and into the hands of someone that can use them. Remember, electronics have no value when they are hiding under your bed! Add in the fact that re-gifting them helps ensure that fewer valuable materials such as gold, copper and other rare metals are taken out of the earth, and you have no reason not to pass them on.

Do you have any old electronics lying around your house that could maybe help a less fortunate family? Why are you holding on to them?

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in the #ok2regift program from the Ontario Electronic Stewardship, but this message is really important and I am 100% committed to helping the cause.

Mattel Holiday Barbie Hot Wheels

Don’t Panic, Here’s A One Stop Shop For Your Kids Christmas Needs

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If your family is anything like mine, your children are sort of an enigma come holiday season, specifically as it relates to their Christmas lists. This is mostly due to the fact that they literally want EVERYTHING IN EVERY STORE EVER and can’t seem to decide on a theme. We have recently resorted to just taking pictures of the things they ask for with our smartphones and just yesterday I ran out of storage…

The truth is that regardless of how many things they ask for, we know what they actually play with and I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mattel had created a new website for the holidays, appropriately called, Mattel Holiday, to help us narrow down the kids lists. With everything from Frozen and Hot Wheels to Monster High and Barbie, the Mattel Holiday site had us covered and even provided to links to the products at a variety of different stores so you don’t have to do any of the work.

We were able to select a couple items for the kids and a couple more for our local Toy Mountain initiative. I love watching the pride in their faces as they drop off the toys for those less fortunate because I know that they are starting to understand that concept and that in turn brings me great pride.

Alright, here’s what’s going to happen next. I am going to give you a sneak peek at what I got for my kids but if you tell them what I got them or if you let them read this blog, we are going to have to sit down and have a little chat. Capiche? Okay, here we go!

Barbie Glam Camper Mattel

The Barbie® Glam Camper™

When I think about the pure excitement that will be coursing through my daughter’s veins when she opens up this Barbie Camper, I get a few goosebumps. You never plan to have a Barbie girl but my daughter latched on to dolls pretty early and here we are. We bought an old used camper a few years back but it was pretty beat up, so I can’t wait to see her face when she tears the wrapping paper off of this one!

Hot Wheels Super Loop Chase Race Mattel

Hot Wheels® Super Loop Chase Race™

I have to say that Hot Wheels have come a long way from my days as a kid. Never did I imagine a time where I would be fastening entire race tracks to the wall to watch creativity and imagination in action. My son is fascinated with throwing all the pieces in a pile and coming up with his own track creations, which is why Hot Wheels is always near the top of my list.

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There you have it! You’ve seen what I have to show you, so if you are looking to make Christmas shopping a little easier this year, I highly encourage you to check out the Mattel Holiday site. Parenting Pro-Tip: Maybe wait until the kids are in bed before doing this or you WILL lose total control of your own computer…

Disclosure: I was allowed to choose a couple Mattel toys in exchange for my participation in this program but I promise not to keep them for myself. I am a grown man and do not play with my children’s toys after they have gone to bed…

Canadian Dad Podcast - Bobs LoLo

Canadian Dad Podcast: Ep. 8 – Canadian Children’s Recording Artists, Bobs and LoLo

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I was so excited to have the opportunity to speak to Canadian children’s recording artists, Bobs and LoLo. My kids have been huge B&L fans for a long time and I still get their songs stuck in my head all the time.

In this episode we talk a lot about Bobs & LoLo’s new Christmas album, Wave Your Antlers, and the process behind the recording and filming of the album. Just as a side note, the album is really great and my kids have really enjoyed listening to the first single “Chris Moose“, mostly because at one point he “shakes his caboose”, which the kids find hilarious.

We also talk about B&L’s numerous Juno Nominations, what it was like meeting and sharing a stage with the likes of Fred Penner and Sharon, Lois & Bram and we also spend a few minutes comparing notes on how little we all know about using Pinterest.

It was great talking to Robyn and Lorraine and you can easily see why they are a great fit for the children’s music scene in the joyful and passionate way they discuss their music.

Keurig 2.0 K400 Brewing System

Win A Keurig 2.0 K400 Brewing System!

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I thought there would no better way to spread some holiday cheer than to give away a brand new Keurig 2.0 K400 Brewing System! We have been using the Keurig 2.0 since it came out and have been loving the ability to brew a full pot of coffee with it. We also just picked up the new heated carafe and I’ve been highly caffeinated ever since.

Now it’s your turn to try out the new Keurig 2.0 K400 Brewing System! All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter form below and I’ll notify the winner via email. Giveaway is open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec. Good luck and have an amazing holidays!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss out on subscriber only contests and promotions!

Air Miles AMEX Post

Four Easy Ways To Earn More AIR MILES

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Anyone who has seen my wallet knows that I am a points card junkie. I have points cards for places that I have only visited once or twice, mostly because if they offer it, I’ll take it. Without a doubt, the most useful of all my cards is my AIR MILES Collector Card. I swipe my AIR MILES card so much that I have actually had to have it replaced a couple times due to overuse.

As an AIR MILES Gold Collector (yeah, I said it!), I felt it was my duty to throw some tips your way to help you maximize the amount of miles you can collect. Below you will find my top 5 tips for AIR MILES Collectors.

1. Find Bonuses at Participating Sponsor Stores

It would be easy for me to tell you just to find the places that offer AIR MILES and use them but there is so much more you can do. At any given time you can find great bonus offers at Sponsor stores. The photo above is from a Toys “R” Us flyer and offers great AIR MILES value on a product that a lot of people are stocking up on for Christmas. You can visit resources such as Smart Canucks and Red Flag Deals to find all the flyers from participating AIR MILES Sponsors.

This simple tactic can easily triple the amount of miles you earn in a year. It also helps to research which stores offer AIR MILES to see if they are a fit for you. I now frequent places such as Rexall, Shell, Toys “R” Us and Staples instead of their competitors because they all offer AIR MILES rewards. AIR MILES have become such a staple in my life that they have even influenced what hotels I stay at when we go on trips. I also just found out that you can even earn AIR MILES when buying a house!

2. Shop Online With airmilesshops.ca

Online shopping is growing at an unbelievable rate, with a lot of people preferring the comfort of their own home over heading out to the busy stores. With airmilesshops.ca, you have access to hundreds of online stores right at your fingertips and there are hundreds of bonus offers at any given time. They have everything from the Disney Store and Apple to clothing companies such as Sears, Under Armour, Old Navy and Victoria’s Secret. There is something for everybody.

3. Collect on Everyday Purchases With the American Express AIR MILES Credit Card

This has been the single most effective way that I have found to collect AIR MILES. When you use a card like the American Express AIR MILES Credit Card you not only earn AIR MILES when you shop at non-Sponsor stores but you can also double up the miles by using both the AIR MILES Collector Card and the Credit Card when shopping at Sponsors. Just think of all the places you could earn twice the miles at by combining the power of your American Express and AIR MILES Cards! If you are tired of only earning half of the rewards you could be earning, head over to American Express to find out more about their suite of AIR MILES Credit Cards.

4. Bonus AIR MILES Coupons

This is something I have only recently started taking advantage of and it has produced immediate dividends for me. If you head to the AIR MILES website and visit their Earn Miles: Offers and Promotions section, you will find a large selection of online coupons that you can redeem on in-store purchases. As I write this there are offers from Staples, LCBO, Rexall and Shell that I have redeemed for bonus miles. If you are going to be shopping at these stores anyway, why would you not want to pop in to see if there are any deals for you? Also, if you sign up for the AIR MILES Newsletter, you will receive all of these deals right to your inbox.

I’ve shared my tips, now it’s your turn. What are your tricks for earning more AIR MILES?

This post was sponsored by Amex Bank of Canada. The views and opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely my own.

Kinder Surprise Advent Pack

How Would You Like A Kinder Surprise For The Holidays?

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You may remember back in September that I talked about my role as a Kinder Dad. In that post I talked about how much I enjoyed “borrowing” my children’s Kinder Surprise Eggs. Well, now instead of borrowing their chocolate, I am passing it on to you guys!

That’s right, after my children fell asleep last night, I stole all of their Kinder Surprise Eggs, their Kinder Advent Calendar and some other goodies, packaged them up and got them ready to be shipped to one of you! Here is a detailed list of the things you will be receiving from my children if you are chosen as the winner.

The prize pack (ARV $34) includes:

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

Shazam! That’s a lot of awesome all rolled into one! All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below and promise that you will not tell my children that I gave you all their chocolate! Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in the #KinderDad program. Also, I did not steal my children’s KINDER eggs because I am not a monster. Okay, I have maybe ate some of their chocolate in the past but only because I felt they had too much and that it could upset their tummies. Otherwise, I do not make a habit of stealing from my kids. Often.

McDonalds Cinnamon Melts

Project #DadFit – The McDonald’s Conundrum

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DISASTER!

Just as I was getting back on track after a horrendous Halloween nightmare, a brand new McDonald’s pops up quite literally around the corner from my house. I have two major detractors to my DadFit plan and they are pizza and McDonald’s.

If I am being completely honest, while I have still been working out, I have also been to the new McDonald’s for one reason or another on four of the seven days it has been opened so far. As you can imagine, this type of behaviour is NOT conducive to a healthier me… To be fair, three of those trips were only supposed to be coffee runs that somehow ended up with breakfast attached to them.

Also, cinnamon melts. C’mon, man!

Anyway, I need to figure out what I am going to do with this new wrinkle. It’s easy to say, “have some self control, man”, but people who suffer from junk food addiction will understand what I am talking about. My first course of action is going to be driving a different way to work and I’ll go from there.

In the good news department, the excellent people at New Balance read about my journey and hooked me up with some sweet new kicks (is it cool to call them kicks?) to help with my running. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this yet but I signed up for next year’s Ottawa Race Weekend 10K and I’m a little frightened by it. We’ll dive in to more about the race and the shoes in a later post but for now, I’ll leave you with this question.

How about you? Do you have a health kryptonite? What is it and how do you deal with it?

New Balance Running Shoes

Canadian Dad Podcast - Kelly Flannigan Bos

Canadian Dad Podcast – Ep. 7 – Psychotherapist & Relationship Expert, Kelly Flannigan Bos

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This week on the podcast I had the chance to speak to psychotherapist and relationship expert, Kelly Flannigan Bos. Kelly is also The Relationship Rescuer blogger with the Yummy Mummy Club and we had a chance to talk about her role on the site.

We talk about a range of topics, including conscious uncoupling, marital stress, putting your marriage first and how to take small steps towards rekindling your relationship.

Finally we discuss the stigma behind seeking counseling and Kelly explains why it’s important with any type of counseling that you get the help you need before it’s too late.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did and many thanks to Kelly for taking the time to chat.

Disaster Wall Art Gallery

How To Create A Beautiful Wall Art Gallery

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Ah, the disaster wall. That’s what I call the dedicated space in the picture shown above. For years my wife and I have been adding to it with no rhyme or reason behind the placement of the photos. I keep saying that I am going to fix it but then Game of Thrones comes on or my son wants to play Pokemon and I completely forget about “the wall”…

This past week I received an email from Canon, asking if I would like to take part in their campaign for the Canon PIXMA PRO printer. While watching their promo video I was excited to see that my blogging friend, Alex, from I Don’t Blog was featured, as her husband had surprised her by using the Canon PIXMA PRO to fix up their disaster wall! Fun Fact: Alex calls me Emmet because she thinks I look like “the Special” from the LEGO Movie…

After watching the video, I got excited about surprising my wife by fixing up our disaster wall. Don’t tell her, okay? Canon was kind enough to create a webpage that gives step by step instructions on how to create a beautiful wall art gallery with help from the Canon PIXMA PRO printer. I leave you with the video that got my mind turning, featuring my friends, Alex and Ryan!

*Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in this program, however Alex really does call me Emmet and I promise that I am going to fix my disaster wall.

Halloween Candy Not Healthy

Project #DadFit – The Long and Winding Road

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To say that I have been struggling lately would be a gross understatement. What started as an ambitious attempt to sculpt myself into a model of fitness, has now become a weekly struggle to even pack my gym bag. I’d love to blame Halloween for this but it started well before that.

The funny thing is that I was doing so well. I was 6 weeks in to my workouts, completed my first 5k run and had started eating better on a daily basis. Then we got some bad news, which had me working longer hours, followed by some even worse news and then I let the whole thing slip away. As it stands, I have not worked out in over two weeks and my nutrition level is at a zero, unless coffee and pizza have some sort of nutritional value.

Now, this is NOT a ‘woe is me’ post and in fact, it is quite the opposite. As I sat on my couch last night, drinking a beer, eating leftover Halloween candy and generally feeling disgusting, I remembered what it felt like when I crossed the finish line at the Army Run and how great it felt after completing my first week of the P90X3 program, and I immediately got up, packed my gym bag and left it at the front door.

Life dishes out all kinds of different scenarios and it is up to us to choose how we are going to handle them. In this instance, I have decided to choose my health over feeling sorry for myself. There is no failing, there is only road blocks to navigate until you get to the next check point and I intend to get there running.