Enjoy the Nutty Flavour of Almond Fresh #giveaway, CAN, 12/27

When I was at ShesConnected 2012, I learned a lot of things. One of them being, I love Almond Fresh beverages!

While there I was fortunate enough to sample a bunch of their flavours and left with a few packs of their "Almond on the Go" Original product.

Almond Fresh is one of the products offered by Earth's Own Food Company Inc, a Canadian company based in British Columbia.

A healthly althernative to cow's milk, it has a real nutty taste and all the benefits of nutrient dense real California almonds! Almond Fresh is a source of nine essential vitamins and minerals, including Calcium, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. It's Dairy, Wheat and Gluten Free.

Being a creature of habit, I chose the Original flavour. I like that there's only 60 calories per serving but it tastes like there's so much more! Or try; vanilla, unsweetened, coconut or, just in time for the holidays "Noel Nog"! At only 100 calories a cup, it won't break your weight watching goals.

The true test for this household, what happens when it's added to coffee? I'm happy to announce that Almond Fresh doesn't curdle and the added bonus, it tastes like I'm drinking one of those specialty javas at a fraction of the price!

I liked that it had a fridge life of six weeks, although it wasn't necessary because I can drink a 1.89L container in less than one week. Yum!

As for the samples, they never made it home. It wasn't my fault as they come in convenient serving size tetrapaks and taste as good at room temperature as cold.

Try some for yourself and connect with Almond Fresh via their Website and Facebook.

Win $20 in Almond Fresh Vouchers Below!

So Good Soy Beverages, A Healthy Alternative $50 #giveaway, CAN, 12/26

In my early twenties, I was a fake vegetarian. While I loved a glass of cold milk and knew of the important nutrients it contained, I wasn't convinced that I needed all the "extras", specifically, calories and fat.

My beverage of choice back then... So Good.

So Good is a Canadian company whose beverages are a delicious and healthy alternative to dairy milk. Fortified with 15 essential nutrients, a 250 mL serving of So Good contains as much calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 as a cup of dairy milk.

To this day, I'm still a fan for all the same reasons and some. The calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugars are all lower (compared to the 2% milk that we purchase). Thankfully I don't have to worry about any of these numbers (yet) but I really enjoy the taste and find that it quenches my thirst. With only 8g of sugar per serving, I don't feel like my sugars are spiking (I'm hypoglycemic) yet it tastes like a light-weight milkshake treat.

Original is my favourite flavour, but there are choices such as; Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Original and No Sugar added. In addition, many flavours have low-fat and Omega DHA options. There really is something for everyone's taste buds and/or requirements.

"Nothing else tastes So Good!"

So Good Fortified Soy Beverages display the Health CheckTM logo as they meet the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada's established nutrient criteria. Being a label reader, I searched some of the ingredients that I didn't recognize and learned that Tricalcium Phosphate occurs naturally in cow's milk.

So Good is not only useful as a beverage but also as a recipe substitute.

Uncle Eric had us over for a going away dinner/the kids birthday so I baked a cake. I decided to replace the milk with So Good and it came out as moist as ever.

Even Uncle Eric, the consummate sceptic couldn't tell the difference!

Want to try some for yourself?

Today's your lucky day because you have TWO chances to win So Good products.

Win $50 in So Good Vouchers Below!

or enter the So Good Life Shots Shuffle and be one of five people to win So Good Products. Enter monthly.

Connect with So Good via their Website and Facebook.

Happy 3rd Birthday to My Litter & Nipissing Checklist-36 Months.

Three years ago today, I gave birth to a litter. Also referred to as "the kids", "newest Zoo members" or "Alexander, Maximilian and Artemis".

I don't think that I've ever posted about their birth story. I'll save that for another time. I'll just say that if anyone ever tells you that "you'll know when you're in labour", don't believe them. Not for a minute.

Artemis is very happy that it's her birthday today. Then again, it's been her birthday for several weeks now.

Today she just happens to be right (1 in 365 chance).

By the time you're reading this, we've winterized our house, loaded up Bucephalus and are on our way to Toronto.

We will spend the next four days at Nanna's place. Thursday night is reserved for our annual Christmas/Birthday Party with Uncle Fred and the Abeulos. Early Saturday morning, we will leave on our 5,000km drive to Southern Mexico.

Fun times!

For the past two years, I've been documenting the kids progress in comparison to the Nipissing Development Milestone Checklist. Check out 12 Months, 15 Months, 18 Months, 24 Months, and 30 months.

I hope that all this information will be relevant to my upcoming memoirs and/or enable me to prove to the kids that I actually paid attention. If not, the Grandparents love to read it. It's boring. You've been warned.

Here's how they're doing in general and in comparison to the Nipissing District Developmental Checklist for 36 months.

Dear Secret Santa, Thanks for NOT giving me Toilet Paper.

Have you ever participated in a "Secret Santa Exchange"?

If not, a bunch of people put their name into a hat, you pull out someones name and you buy them a gift.

My Canadian Blogger Friends coordinated an exchange this year and I took part. I'm always up for a surprise.


The Deal. Less than $10, mailed by December 3 and any special notes (I didn't put any).

It's so much fun seeing what everyone else got and people going crazy trying to figure out who their Secret Santa is.

There were a few times that I thought, "Wow, they got that and I got this...".

It reminded me of Christmas 1992 and 1993 when I was "The It".

Patch Buddies Knapsack & Friend {#Giveaway}, US/CAN, 12/16

This giveaway is unlike any others because it is the first one where...

Journeys of The Zoo is co-hosting!

Your hosts, S.O.S. Mom and Real Momma are Moms to young kids and on the lookout for creative and unique products. Bubele's Patch Buddies met their requirements so they wanted to share them with you!

I hadn't heard of Bubele's Patch Buddies before, however, they are a well rooted family business that's been around since 2007. Their mission is to give people toys that bring joy and closeness to families. From their family to yours, Bubele's Patch Buddies has your back.

Their Patch Buddies product is an innovative, colourful and custom backpack with a built in home for a plush toy. The best part, you can pick and choose from 14 different buddies and 5 different backpacks.

If The Zoo wins, we'll get the red/brown backpack with the Panda buddy because that is Alexander's "zoo animal". The kids are really into animals right now so they would be happy with any of the choices.

Patch Buddies are ideal for; travel as there is just enough room for a few toys, snacks and of course their buddy, sleepovers and as gifts.

Can't pick just one? Don't! At only $14.99, you can afford to gift one for every occasion.

A big thanks also to the co-hosts: Mudpies & Tiaras, Journeys of The Zoo, Mom Does Reviews, Mama to 4 Blessings and a terrific group of bloggers that are all making this giveaway event a great success.

Connect with Bubele's Patch Buddies via their Website, Facebook and Twitter.

WIN Your Own Patch Buddies!