The "I’m Giving Away Over $50* Free" Giveaway

I could have titled this post many things like the "Poo or get off the Post" giveaway (I have to keep things "Dad" friendly) because it's taken me so long to get things ready or the "This is my First Giveaway So Go Easy on Me".

Instead, I thought that I'd deceive you make it really clear that I’m giving something away for free (legal note: nothing in life is free...).

On to the free part.

I am giving away a bunch of coupons from the following companies; A Mother’s Touch, Crest, Breathe Right, Gerber, Celestial Seasonings, Johnson’s, Similac, Slim Fast, McDonald's, Boursin, All Bran, Irish Spring, Affresh, Purina, Palmolive, Arm and Hammer, Oxy Clean, Tide, Disney and more totaling over $50CDN! Note that all the coupons listed do not state "non-transferable" and the stash includes an FPC worth over $7 (yes, I'm that nice)! Note: That I'll continue to add to the stash until April 30.

I could trade them but I'm too lazy so generous. The catch, I'd like you to help me out. Answer a couple of questions and/or show some love.

This giveaway is open to Anyone, however, I will only mail the coupons to a Canadian address. Now's your time to get in good with Aunt Mildred up in the Great White North! There is no mandatory, do whatever you want. Please leave one comment per response/action. Please provide your email address so that I can get in touch with you if you win.

Please sign in to your blog (so that I can follow you) but if you don’t have a blogger blog, feel free to comment as "Anonymous". If you don't want to post your name and/or email on the post, please pick a nickname (how do I know your name isn't Donald Duck) and send me an email so that I can get in touch with you if you win.

1. Who said/what's the origin behind "put your money where your mouth is"? Note that I am fully aware that only the first poor fool responder needs to technically answer the question and the rest of you may/will copy it. I'm fine with that (smile).
2. Why don't giveaway hosts and/or suppliers like to mail to PO boxes?
3. Why am I getting an error message along the lines of "max number of blogs I can follow is 200 (follow + write)" from Networked Blogs? It won't let me follow more than 200 yet I know that other people follow way more. What's the deal?
4. I sent an email to that “Brent Riggs Guy” from Linky Followers because I don't have the original code to add the Linky Widget to my sidebar. I know that upon registration, they clearly state that you’re supposed to keep it and that you can’t get it back but my window was cutoff for some reason (I always have this problem with Linky) so I couldn't copy it. I think that Brian is on a realllllllllllly long coffee break. What can I do?
5. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS feed (You must verify your subscription, Link in the right hand column).
6. Like my FB page (http://www.facebook.com/JourneysofTheZoo2). Only do this if you want posts about giveaways (although technically, you can just hide all posts from me, which I’m totally fine with because "what you don’t know can’t hurt you").
7. Please email me the simple to follow code/directions to add a Facebook "Like" button on my blog (for my blog and/or a specific page, I'm not picky).
8. Send me a Friend Request (http://www.facebook.com/JourneysofTheZoo2). Only do this if you want posts about giveaways (although technically, you can just hide all posts from me, but you wouldn't want to do that...). P.S. Please let me know if you can't see the "Add Friends" button.
9. Share the giveaway on FB (Link at the bottom of the post, Provide direct link).
10. Follow me on Twitter (@journeyofthezoo, Link in the right hand column).
11. Tweet about the giveaway (Link at the bottom of the post, Provide direct link).
12. Follow my blog on BlogLovin (Link in the right hand column).
13. Follow my blog via GFC (Link in the right hand column).
14. Follow my blog with Google Circles (Link in the right hand column).
15. Share the giveaway on Google+ (Link at the bottom of the post, Provide direct link).
16. Follow my blog via Networked Blogs (Link in the right hand column).
17. Follow me on Pinterest (Link in the right hand column).

P.S. Feel free to comment and not enter yourself in the contest. I know some of you are like that...

The coupons are valid only in Canada and expire from June 30, 2012 to July 31, 2013 so I’ll make the contest run until 11:59EDST on April 30. I will use the "Official Zoo Recognized Method" of randomly selecting the winner (a.k.a. Get Ed to pick a number). The sole person that enters this contest winner will have 72 hours to respond to my email. If they don't respond Ed will pick another number.

Note that The Zoo will be away from April 24-27,2012 so I will not be answering emails during this time. Check out future posts to see where we’re going/where we’ve been.

Sorry for the length of this post. Enter away. All constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

Good Luck!

This has been posted at ContestCanada.net and Contest Linkies

  Besos, The Zoo

The Kids First Easter Egg Hunt and Crafting Addictions

The kids first Easter egg hunt was a huge success!

They caught on after we showed them the first egg. Nanna was the mastermind and hid all the eggs where WE couldn't find them filled the eggs with blueberries, raisins and peanuts.




No, I don't offer them chocolate (they have had it) because I'm not always the best with making sure that they (read: I) brush their teeth.

Everyone got into the spirit.


After the hunt, Nanna had to go home. We were sad to see her go (note that the pictures do not reflect our sorrow). Thanks for all your help Nanna!


Next up, Uncle Andrew comes for a visit in two weeks and Poppa shortly thereafter.

I've been bitten by the Crafting and Spring Re-Arranging bug. Anyone know a cure?

Ed and I have "papers everywhere" (kind of like a new phrase that Artemis says only different, not sure where she learned that one...). Anyways, we have more papers than most because we're also running a business. In turn, most of the important papers get filed away only to be found three months after they are needed.

I found this tutorial and was all over this idea.

I went to where I store all my junk treasures (in the portable) and found this old mirror with beveled glass of my Nanna Betty’s (Nanna gave it to me).



I looked in my “wall of fabric” and found a great piece that would complement my red accent theme. I then went to Ed’s workshop for the metal and some assistance. Wouldn’t you know it, they don’t make things like they used to. When we turned over the mirror to remove the glass, we realized that they had installed a layer of galvanized steel to the back (we thought it would be cardboard, more on that in a minute). So, all we did was get out the hot air gun, scrape off the paint (on the back), spray a couple of coats of red paint, hang and voila! I know that it’s not exactly the same but it’s functional and that’s the important part.



On Thursday, while Nanna was babysitting the kids, Ed and I went into Ottawa for my bi-annual trip. Amongst other things (think Russian Caviar), we spent 2.5 tortuous glorious hours in Ikea and finished the bathroom transformation. It went from this…



to this...


To this.

Not to give away our secret but we purchased two Billy Bookcases and put them front to back. I think I just gave away our secret. We were really lucky because they were the perfect width so it almost looks like custom shelves (especially if you squint your eyes a ton).

We didn't install the piece of crap thin black cardboard backing. Instead, I cut a panel off, applied glow in the dark stickers to it that I got at Lazarus House (I'm going to buy more at Dollarama if they have them) and got an instant solar system!

My reasoning for doing it this way was because I'm all about keeping things simple. If we move (no plans yet), I can bring it with us (don’t tell Ed that I wrote that because he thinks that I travel with everything and the kitchen sink anyways) and/or I change my mind (never happens). All we have to do is remove three nails and poof. Sometimes the stickers are difficult to get off or the appliques are only one-time-use. Not easy. The black cardboard looks abit harsh against the soft yellow wall colour but my craftiness is not a perfected art (yet).

The other night, Teddy had a mysterious accident and this is how we found him in the morning.



Being the handy gal that I am (read above for proof), I just pulled out my trusty needle and thread (in my newly organized craft room, I'll save that for another post as I don't want to alienate my non-crafty readers) and sewed him back together, tight, like never coming back off again, ever. I swear that I checked to make sure that his LEG WAS ON THE RIGHT WAY (or is that the wrong way)!? Thankfully, Artemis hasn't realized the problem yet. That is until she reads this blog post…



Hope that you had a Happy Easter. We were thinking of you.

Act Three and Some Changes

Nanna arrived yesterday so now I have some time to spend updating you on all things "Zoo".

First off, when is this play going to end, seriously. Here is a picture from a few nights ago. They eventually just ran out of steam mid "let's see how big a mess we can make". Yes, we just left them there. I follow the "don't move a sleeping child" motto.



This is also perfect as a "before" picture. I mean, since everything else has changed (country, home, beds, language), why not change their room around (do I ever have spring fever).

Here's the after picture. I still have to put things on the wall. Moving deck chairs on the Titanic as far as Ed is concerned but I think it looks way better.


Since we're on a before/after theme, I thought that I'd post a picture of our living room before we went to Mexico. Picture Pending. Note that Ed just bought me a new computer and I haven't been able to find my old pictures. Imagine faux wood panelling, baseboards on the ceiling and crown moulding on the floors, plastic brown switches/covers, drafts coming in everywhere (the house didn't have a vapour barrier) and a big boat anchor 1990's tv.

And after.


We still have to buy a standing lamp for behind my black vinyl chair (hopefully at Ikea tomorrow) and put things on the wall (a general theme in this house, perhaps this weekend). Yes, my house looks this neat all the time (smile). Just so that I don't alienate any of my "not-so-neat" followers I thought I'd show you what I moved out of the way.


To the inexperienced eye those of you that have never seen our house, you'd probably think "What changed? It just looks normal". But to us it's a major difference. We’re really pleased.

In addition, we got a portable Whirlpool dishwasher at Finnerty's on Friday night (which we have yet to use) and are scoping out big flat screen tvs tomorrow (I don't want to talk about it).

So there you have it. Tons of changes but still the same ole, same ole.

The Zoo's First Round of Contest Winnings

Since the beginning of December (less a bunch of time in Mexico), I've been spending some spare time entering contests. My goal is to win a Kindle Fire or iPad so that Ed won't think that I'm totally wasting my time and so that I can actually read all the ebooks that I've won. What I'll do after I win one (I like to think positively) is anyone's guess. I'm fickle like that. My poor kids.

Speaking of winning, I've been doing just that.

Most of the items I haven't yet received (they’re at Poppa’s house), however, a couple have. So, I thought that I'd give some free advertising to the suppliers in exchange for their generosity.

1. Five Photographic Greeting Cards from Mister G and Me Etsy Shop. I won't tell you which ones I got (I don't want to spoil it for those of you that will receive them) but they are really beautiful and original pieces of work. Ashley is quite the photographer. She also included shipping to Canada as part of my prize.

In case you're unaware, Etsy is the latest way for people to share their handmade goods (kind of like eBay).

2. T-shirt from Orangeheat. It is Made in the USA (second best only to being Made in Canada, smile), good quality and absolutely adorable. I can’t wait for Max to wear it. Check out the blog this summer for pictures. Like Ashley, Sean also included (free) shipping to Canada.

The added bonus of entering and winning contests is that you get a chance to meet other people, if only briefly. It turns out that Sean was born and raised in Montreal.

3. Super Story Starters from Spark Imagination Cards. This is a Canadian company, and the cards came with a nice handwritten note. It turns out that Tamara lived for a decade just around the corner from us (she's now living out in BC). The cards are for ages 3+ but they've got me thinking about ways that I can get the kids talking (even) more.

So there you have it. Three generous people, three great prizes, three thank yous.

What Have You Won Recently?

  Besos, The Zoo

Back From Mexico: Another Tortuous Transition?

Remember Act One, Scene One of that comedy? Well, here's Act Two, Scene One...

After making it home safely, the kids decide to climb out of their cribs. So, the kids "helped" Ed convert their cribs into "Big Kid Beds". They couldn't wait to get to bed (there's a second, first time for everything).

I'm feeling a bit verklempt.

Or, I was.

It's now been three hours since we tried to put them to bed. I'm sure I'll be feeling even less sad in the morning when I see all the "renovations" they've made.

Warning: Picture overload unless you're a Grandparent

I'm a Big Kid Now!

  Besos, The Zoo