Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

back to school

Back to School: A Playful Surprise!

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I’m going to take a very unpopular stance here… and declare… I LOVE making my son’s school lunches.

It’s true! Okay, so this is only my second year of taking on the chore, and who knows how I’ll feel about it when he’s in sixth, seventh or eighth grade. But for now, I actually become (often irrationally) excited when it comes time to assemble his afternoon meal. But why am I such a lunch-making fanatic?

It’s because I know that Ryder never peeks at his lunch before he opens it at school. It’s the element of surprise! And I giggle to myself, as I too can feel his utter joy and delight as he opens his lunchbag to find his favourite fruit, granola bar or chocolate pudding handily tucked away. I can picture his tiny brow furrowed in concentration as he roots around for the spoon for his pudding. I can see him sigh with relief as he confirms that I’ve packed his preferred brand of juice.

In short, I strive to give Ryder as many fun-filled moments as possible, because the truth is, while I can control what goes into his lunch, I can’t control the other unexpected moments he’ll encounter the first few days at school. Like finding out his best friend is now attending another school. Or that his favourite lunchroom supervisor has moved on. And that he’ll now be introduced to subjects that are new to him, which will no doubt cause some anxiety. But that’s what growing up is all about, isn’t it?

Hence, I know all surprises can’t be happy ones, so we do our best to balance them out. And sometimes, that balance comes in the form of Chocolate Fudge Pudding.

For parents in the Greater Toronto Area, I’m so pleased to give you the heads up about a very special surprise headed your way over the next several days…

Remember the joy and excitement you felt when you heard the charming jingle of the Ice Cream truck? Snack Pack – our favourite simple snack that you can slurp off the spoon with a satisfying lip smack – wants to recreate this feeling for today’s kids and adults. Meet the Amazing Snack Pack Pudding Truck! A fun, branded truck that pops up in your neighbourhood, filled with delicious pudding to make back-to-school and exciting time for children….

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#GoingBack: Share Your Story & Win with Staples!

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I’ll never forget my little guy’s first day of school… because it happened just last year. I somberly dressed him in his adorable school uniform, packed his favourite snack and secured him in our car. And as we drove, I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.

“You okay back there?” I asked.
“Where are we going, Mommy?” Ryder asked.
“We’re going to school.”

I suppose I could have said “We’re going to Tibet” or “We’re going to protest whale poachers” – because he had no frame of reference for what “school” was. I swallowed the lump in my throat and kept driving.

As we pulled up to the school’s Kiss ‘N Ride zone, his new teacher opened the car door and welcomed Ryder. And as she took his hand to help him out of the car, he darted a furtive glance at me.

“Mommy!” he called, just as the door slammed shut. I waved at him quickly and then stoically drove away, knowing that the separation anxiety would overwhelm him, but staying would only make it worse.

As soon as I turned the corner, the tears started flowing. I couldn’t believe that we had come to this day! My little baby with the sweet mermaid eyes. My little boy with the sensitive heart. He was growing up much, much too quickly.

I spent the entire afternoon pacing back and forth, watching the clock until it was time to pick him up. And as I pulled into the school shortly after 3:30pm, I saw him. A little boy with a tear-streaked face, using the back of his hand to wipe his nose. Red-rimmed eyes and a quivering bottom lip, clutching onto his new teacher’s hand with all his might. And as I drew closer and we made eye contact, I read his mind as clearly as if there was a thought bubble over his head. And it read:

“B*tch! Oh no you didn’t!”

Let’s just say that the ride home included a few hurled accusations about child abandonment. I was already looking forward to the second day of school. Right.

Do you remember your first day? Whether it was side-splitting or tear-jerking, Staples Canada wants to know!


Enter Staples Canada’s #GoingBack contest. THREE (3) entrants will each win a Canon EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm IS Lens Kit (value $600 CAD) awarded to Best Video Entry, Best Written Entry and Best Picture Entry. The contest will be judged by a panel of popular Canadian parenting bloggers: Katie Allen of Little Miss Kate, Tenille Lafontaine of Feisty, Frugal and Fabulous, Meri Temudo of lil sugar and… Moi!

There are 3 ways to enter:

1. Create a video response to the YouTube commercial by clicking on the ‘Comments’ section and selecting “Create a Video Response”.
2. Submit a photo through the Staples Canada Facebook contest app.
3. Submit a written story through the Staples Canada Facebook contest app.

The contest closes on September 9th, and then we’ll be going through the responses to select the lucky winners – it could be you! Good luck everyone!

Back to School 2013: Let’s Go Shopping! #Giveaway

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NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

As a year-round savvy shopper, the concept of “Back to School” shopping isn’t really a big deal chez Lena. After all, chances are I’ll find better prices on fall/winter clothes during the after-season clearance, and often, Friends & Family Events and other shopping promos offer just a good a deal.

However, I do believe that there’s something magical about starting off the school year with some new threads, so I always make it a point to supplement my boys’ wardrobe with some on-trend pieces at a great price. Of course, there’s no shortage of Back to School sales at the moment; everything from supplies to clothing to (gasp) spray tan. Yes, apparently one needs to have a golden glow while converting fractions to percentages.

Not surprisingly, a Visa Canada survey shows that Canadians are being more frugal in their back-to-school shopping, and are looking online for better prices and deals. In fact, 90% of Canadian shoppers will be setting a back-to-school budget, and 87% of shoppers surveyed admitted to “showrooming” – looking at items in store before buying them for less online. As a long-time advocate of online shopping, I’m thrilled to see that more and more folks are catching on to the money (and time) saving benefits of shopping from the comfort of your home.

This morning was no exception. Armed with a cup of my favourite French roast coffee in the wee hours of morning, I was delighted to take advantage of Old Navy’s Jeans Sale. Until August 29th, you can grab jeans starting at just $10 for the entire family! It’s a great way to stock up for back to school – for less.


Of course, being a money-saving ninja means that I do have a few additional tips for you:

1) Before you start shopping, sign up online for Old Navy’s mailing list (found at the bottom of the home page). You’ll instantly receive a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase! While the coupon did not work for the $10 jeans, it did work for those priced $11 and up. So, I was able to grab a few pairs of jeans regularly priced at $19.50 for just $8.80! That’s a savings of 55%!

2) Check out the SALE section for amazing discounts on swimwear, tees and shorts. Ladies bikini bottoms can be grabbed for as low as $1.99, and I even found some sweet swim trunks for both my little guys for next year. And remember, you’ll receive an extra 20% with your mailing list promo code…. start the car!

3) When you shop at Old Navy until September 4th, you’ll earn SUPER CASH towards a purchase made between September 12th and 18th. (Find full details here.) So, because I spent $50 online today, I received a coupon for $20 off a future purchase of $50 or more. If you whip out your calculator, you’ll see that translates to a whopping 40% off if I spend exactly $50 during the week of September 12th and 18th. WOWZERS.

4) If all that wasn’t enough… you’ll score FREE shipping on purchases $50+! It’s the epitome of awesomeness….

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The Children’s Place: Big Huge Labour Day Sale

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You know how much I love a good sale – and this one is pretty awesome! It’s the Big Huge Labour Day Sale over at The Children’s Place. I’ve been spending the last half hour cruising the site, and can attest that there are mad savings on some of the most popular items for back to school!

Here’s what you need to know:

Until 11:59pm today, September 3rd, you’ll receive FREE shipping on EVERY purchase (after that, it’s still a very reasonable flat fee of $8). To sweeten the deal, you can also take an EXTRA 15% off your purchase until September 10th with webcode 2X6F2012 (or print this coupon for in-store).

My picks? Well, I had the extreme fortune of attending The Children’s Place’s fall media event about a week ago. There, I had the chance to pick up a few awesome fall pieces for Ryder – and many of them happen to be on sale at AH-MAZING prices at the moment! Check out the deals – and my sweet little model! …

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Peek-A-Boo! I See You! Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook

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It’s been a couple of months since I last raved about my Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook. Missed my review? Then you’re definitely missing out – and we can’t have that!

Read why the Dell XPS 13 is one of my favourite ways to stay connected.

If you’re looking for the Coles Notes version, here you go:

1. Lightweight: The XPS 13 is razor-thin – a slim 6mm at its thinnest point (WOW!) and only 18mm at its thickest point – with a weight of just 2.99 lbs.

2. Exceptionally Fast: The XPS 13 boots up in UNDER 8 seconds (on average for me, 4-5 seconds each time). With a solid-state drive and Intel Rapid Start Technology, you can actually come out of sleep mode in just ONE (1) second!

3. Full keyboard: With a full backlit keyboard, enjoy a comfort-designed, soft-touch palmrest and integrated button touchpad with gesture support.

4. Large display: The innovative design of XPS 13 enables an expansive 13.3” edge-to-edge display in a compact body similar to an 11″ laptop.

5. Long battery life: The Ultrabook actually has an extraordinary battery life – on a full charge, up to 8 hours and 52 minutes, to be exact!

6. Powerful: With 2nd Generation Intel Core processors, this Ultrabook delivers enviable speed and performance. The optional 2nd gen Intel Core i7 processors and Intel HD 3000 graphics can help you stay on top of your world.

However, let’s call a spade a spade. Sure, I love the XPS 13 for all the specs noted above. And, the ultrabook has logged many miles with me in the last two months: East Aurora, NY; New York City, NY; Niagara Falls, NY – are you seeing a pattern here? Apparently I love New York!…

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Make Way for the Packed Snack Newbie!

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Ladies & Gents… this week, I’m about to do something I’ve NEVER done before.

Skydiving? Ziplining? White Water Rafting?

Bah, I’ve never done those things either. But they’re along the same lines in skill and difficulty as what I’m about to take on. Are you ready for this? Deep breath.

This week, for the very first time… I will pack a school snack.

(Okay, stop laughing at me. I know it’s not the most daunting task in the world, but frankly, I’m terribly excited about it! I even took Ryder on a grocery run specifically so we could identify some of his favourite snacking foods. And before you totally roll your eyes, it’s not even a school lunch – just a snack. I know, I’m getting way too into this.)

We recently attended an open house for Ryder’s new school, and one of the first questions I asked his new teacher:

“Can you please talk to me about snack time etiquette?”

Well, it was pretty simple – no nuts, litterless packaging is preferred, and sharing of snacks is completely forbidden. Cool! I can deal with that. But I had a nagging question that I just needed to have addressed:

“So, um, if the child would like more than one snack, is that allowed?”

I know what you’re thinking – it’s only a couple of hours of school! Surely a handful of grapes would suffice? Er… no. You see, Ryder has officially been diagnosed with hollow legs. (Note: there was no official diagnosis.) He can eat and eat and eat and he’ll say after about 10 minutes, “I’m hungry please.” He has snackitis, with his peak snack attacks happening between 2 and 3pm. And so I was concerned that he’d crave more than just a little noshing during school hours. The good news?

“He can have as many snacks as he’d like!” responded his new teacher with a tight smile.

(Translation: He can have two snacks. We’re not running a restaurant.)

And so I came home, thinking that I had to run out and buy some cute, toddler-sized snacking containers for my little man. But then I remembered the Rubbermaid had recently sent their new LunchBlox Sandwich Kit for review, and I was quite certain it’d be the perfect solution!

“Rubbermaid LunchBlox makes packing lunch easier than ever. These modular containers snap together in multiple configurations to efficiently use the space in your lunch box or bag. Containers are perfectly portioned for your favorite lunch foods with handy measurements on the sides of each container. Your lunch stays chilled with snap in Blue Ice. Individual containers are sold separately from kits so you can configure a different way everyday.”

YAY for Rubbermaid! The LunchBlox was the perfect size to store an assortment of snacks that I know Ryder would plow through in a matter of minutes….

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Wayback Playback: Mabel’s Sticky Labels

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EDIT: I first posted this review over two years ago. At the time, while I coveted the Sticky Labels from a “girl-with-her-sticker-collection” point of view, I really didn’t have any particular use for them, as Ryder was at home with me. So, I saved them in a little shoe box and… you guessed it… pulled them out this morning for MY FIRST labeling session EVER! Snack containers, shoes, his uniform and lunch bag – they all got Mabeled!

So, I decided to resurrect the post if only to gush once again about how much I love the product. Yes, you’ve probably already got junior’s belongings labelled from head to toe, but just in case they’re on ancient while labels with Sharpie writing, read on….

Who doesn’t love Mabel’s Labels? The famous labels, used on everything from children’s shoes to toys to feeding utensils, are an absolute savior when it comes to the stuff kids lose (and they ALL lose stuff).

Now I know I’ve sung the praises of Mabel’s All-time Classic Labels before (and had a nifty giveaway to boot – did you miss it? Poops on you!), but move over ordinary… it’s time to LABEL OUT LOUD!

The new Sticky Labels carry all the same benefits as the Classic labels; designed to deliver maximum durability, they’re dishwasher, microwave and UV-safe. But they also include a burst of bright colours, fonts and icons which will have your loot branded with style!

Mabel’s offers 20 motifs with complementary colour combinations to choose from, so you’re sure to have a perfectly personalized label for your wee one. The eye-catching colours and recognizable picture make it easy for pre-readers to easily identify their stash – I can certainly vouch that Ryder only reaches for the straw cup with his name emblazoned across it – even if I place an identical cup (sans label) next to it!

And here’s a word of warning disguised as a Woot!: these labels, as the name implies, are STICKY. Not so great if you have shaky hands and dream of re-positioning the label 14 times, but wonderful for the abuse they’ll surely be subjected to… Hot, soapy dishwasher water, microwave radiation, tosses and tumbles and even little chompers cannot pry apart these labels from their source. FANTASTIC!

I had the wonderful opportunity to receive a set of Sticky Labels for Ryder, and we’re loving the cool factor they give to all his belongings. Of course, we chose the race car motif for our speedy little guy :)

(On a related note: when Ryder first starting holding his own bottle, I took him shopping with me and he was happily sipping away at some water. I then came across another mommy whose child also had an identical bottle full of water. Well, both our babies took one look at each other and threw their bottles on the floor in glee, effectively confusing us as to which one belonged to whom. Needless to say, I had to toss that one, because no amount of sterilizing would convince this germophobe to potentially give her baby someone else’s bottle. Mabel’s Sticky Labels would have prevented this!)

Sticky Labels are just $21.00 for a pack of 45 labels, and if you live in Canada, standard shipping is always FREE.

Click here to begin shopping at Mabel’s Labels.

Back to School with Visa Canada! #Giveaway

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Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

If you’ve been following my blog posts and tweets, you’ll know that this is – GULP – the first “back” to school shopping I’ve ever experienced… yup, my little guy is starting JK next week!

(Sit tight… I feel an emotional moment coming on. False alarm, it was just a sneeze.)

Hence, it’s been pretty surreal for me – because let’s face it, I really don’t know what I’m doing with this whole school shopping thing. Clothes? Shoes? Lunch box? Do they still make lunch boxes? Or is it all about the lunch bags now?

( ← This was the lunch box I wanted when I was small. Pretty sure I never would’ve used that flask, though.)

As you know, 99% of the time I’m on online shopping ninja, preferring to surf in the comfort of my own yoga pants home. I’m not alone; according to a July 2012 survey of Canadian online shoppers commissioned by Visa Canada for back-to-school, a whopping 72% of Canadian shoppers plan to take their shopping online. 

This number does not surprise me at all. I mean, who wants to brave the mall crowds? And, it’s not like Christmas shopping when adults go alone; this time, they’re dragging their whiny kids with them! It’s actually quite daunting….

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I Hope You Dance.

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As my first born – my baby – starts school in exactly two weeks, I’ve been a bit “off”.

I’ve been a bit excited, and a bit scared. I’ve been a bit concerned, and a bit nervous. I’ve been a bit sentimental, and more than a bit emotional. And, I’ve been a bit sad.

I’ve spent the last four years knowing that this time would come, and yet somehow, I don’t know where the time went.

And so I’ve caught myself humming this song on and off for the last few days – “I Hope You Dance” by LeAnn Womack. Last night, thinking of Ryder and the beginning of his journey, I drifted off to sleep in short prayer, thanking God for my infinite and often unearned blessings… and for our many, wonderful opportunities to dance.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder; You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breath for granted… God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean; Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance; And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance; Never settle for the path of least resistance.
Living might mean taking chances, but they’re worth taking… Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth making.
Don’t let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter; When you come close to selling out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance; And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
I hope you dance

I hope you dance

(Time is a real and constant motion always rolling us along, tell me who wants to look back on their youth and wonder
where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean; Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance; And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…

Dance!
I hope you dance