Happy New Years to all our readers.  I hope 2012 is a great year for you and your loved ones.  Please remember tonight if your celebrating to arrive alive and do not not drink and drive.  If you cannot get public transit, stay at a friends etc.

Do you make New Years resolutions? I was just telling Boo the other day that I don’t make New Years resolutions.  I make end of January efforts.  I will be smoke free for 3 years straight the middle of January 2012.  Just when a lot of people are failing their resolutions I start mine.  For some twisted and demented reason it gives me more reason not to fail.  This year I need to diet correctly and get back on track with my eating.  With diabetes I need to concentrate on my health more.   If you make resolutions what are yours?

Air Miles Canada is changing their program as of December 31, 2011.  Here are is an outline of the new program:

1) As of December 31, 2011, Air Miles reward miles will have a stamp date of 5 years.  In other words, your current account balance must be redeemed by December 31, 2016. 

2) Reward miles earned after December 31, 2011 will have to be redeemed 5 years from when they were posted.  For example, if you earn Air Miles reward miles on January 15, 2012, you will have to redeem them by January 15, 2017.

Click here for more information regarding these two changes.

3) A new program called Air Miles Cash enables collectors to instantly redeem their reward miles in store at participating sponsors.  This program will begin in March 2012.  Click here for more information regarding this program.

Click here to browse the Air Miles Canada website. 

Thanks FallenPixels!

 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays loyal readers!  Pop in your fireplace dvd and enjoy the weekend.

 Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Michaels is packing in the crafts for kid’s Christmas break by holding 3 FREE make-it take-it events this week. Monday the 19th they’ll be making Camille’s fun dough shapes. Wednesday 21st they’ll be stamping with Orion’s foam blocks. Lastly on Friday the 23rd you can make Oliver’s sand and glitter art. All of the classes run from 11 am to 1 pm, ages 3 and up, and while supplies last.

Christmas items are now 70% off and the flyer has lots of coupons (if you don’t get the flyer you can print the coupons here).

Most Superstore location have officially started their Holiday Store Hours…open 24 hours a day ’til Christmas! In addition, today, Saturday, December 17th is TAX FREE on most items.

Unfortunately, this particular Tax Free Event isn’t well advertised. I saw it outside of the store, on a street sign. It’s neither on their current flyer NOR website, so I just called my local RCSS Store to confirm the details.

Click here to find a Superstore near you – hopefully it’ll be Tax Free at your location too! 🙂

***Update: There was a separate insert, aside from the RCSS flyer, with the info. However, the event is not on their website!***

Michaels is holding two Make-it Take-it events this Sunday afternoon. First off from 1-3 pm they’ll be making a snowman ornament craft. Then at 3-5 pm you can make a snowflake picture frame. Ages 3 and up, while supplies last.

Find a store near you to see if your local location is participating.

Michaels has 2 Make-it Take-it events happening this Sunday afternoon. From 1-3pm you can decorate a chef hat or apron when you purchase it. Next from 3-4pm  is the freebie where you can make Santa sweets and reindeer food. Ages 3 and up, while supplies last.

I can’t wait until my boys are old enough to bring to these classes. I have great memories of going with my dad to White Rose for their craft classes back in the day.

Michaels is holding 2 Make-it Take-it events Saturday December, 3 2011. From 10am-12pm they’re making free Christmas countdown calendars. From 12pm-2pm when you purchase the stocking you can decorate it.

Wilton 4 week cake decorating classes are also 50% this December. See more great deals in their flyer.

Foodland will be holding gingerbread house decorating parties this holiday season.   Dates and times will vary by location, find the store nearest you here.

I’ve been pondering if I want to bring my little guy to one of these classes but him not even being two I think it’d be less decorating and demolition and shoving gumdrops in his mouth.

Express, the US clothing retailer, opened its first Canadian store, last week, at Square One (Mississauga). And they are already ushering in some Black Friday deals!

Starting tomorrow, Thursday, November 24th – noon on Friday, November 25th, enjoy a whopping 40% off the entire store! After 12pm on Friday, enjoy 30% for the rest of the day. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

It seems like the entire mall is having a sale. Click here to check out the other promos being offered at Square One this Black Friday weekend!

“In Flanders Fields”

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

We will remember them.

So it’s 1/3 of the way through November … how are those crazy staches growin?!

Movember (formerly known as November) is a Moustache Growing Charity Event held yearly during the month of November to help raise money and awareness for Prostate Cancer.

Click here for the Canadian Movember Site

I already have a few friends who shaved clean this morning to start growing out their staches. If you see men everywhere suddenly popping up with staches, now you know why!

Through the link posted above you can donate, buy merchandise and sign up your own ‘stache. Donate your face and become a “Mo Bro” and walk proud for the month of November knowing you are doing your part to help this cause.

Hey fellow Canadians …

Have you heard that Senator Nicole Eaton in Ottawa is trying to retire the Beaver as our national animal and replace it with the Polar Bear? She says: “The beaver is a has-been. It’s a rat … a big rat, that doesn’t reflect our new values” while “The polar bear, with its strength, courage, resourcefulness and dignity is perfect for the part” according to The Toronto Sun article 

I must admit that a) I don’t care in the slightest which animal they use and b) I chuckled at ‘the big rat’ comment

What are your thoughts?

There is a petition running here with over 6,300 signatures at this time.

I got an email from the president of Durham Clean Air Company earlier today:

There is a blog on your site reading “SCAM ALERT (MAYBE) DURHAM REGION AIR QUALITY TESTING”. There are now legal documents and voice recordings on your site from my company and employees. I demand that you remove this or I will be proceeding with legal action. This is not legal or acceptable. If you have any questions please contact me at: <email removed>

I wasn’t sure what she was referring to so I ask her for links and she emails me:

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/124667-scam-alert-maybe-durham-region-air-quality-test-canada-3/

this specific page has my company’s paper work, pictures  and voice recordings.

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/124667-scam-alert-maybe-durham-region-air-quality-test-canada-6/

This forum needs to be removed. It is all very false and dangerous information. I am seriously considering taking very powerful legal action against your site for the damages you have caused us by having this illegal information on there.

So I go through the thread which starts here and I can see it’s basically people writing about their experience with the company. It seems like many people didn’t have such a good experience though so I can see why she’s concerned.

Now I’m wondering what my position here is? Should I just delete the thread? I don’t want to cause her company any harm if it runs a legitimate non-scammy business. I also don’t want to get sued obviously. Anyone with legal experience know what I can do here?

Did you take your kiddos to see The Lion King re-released in 3? I did not. However it seems it will cross the $80 million mark at the domestic box office very soon! The Disney Studios have now decided to re-release these great movies into theaters in RealD 3D

• Beauty & The Beast – January 13, 2012
• Finding Nemo – September 14, 2012
• Monsters Inc. – January 18, 2013
• The Little Mermaid (my fav!!) – September 13, 2013

“Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we’re fortunate to have a treasure trove of both,” said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. “We’re thrilled to give audiences of all ages the chance to experience these beloved tales in an exciting new way with 3D – and in the case of younger generations, for the first time on the big screen.”

What are your thoughts on these new trend? Personally I don’t think it’s necessary… but rather just another excuse to make more $ off of us!