Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

Mother's Day

Yes, There IS an Award for Mom of the Year

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If you’re a mom, chances are you’ve joked about becoming Mom of the Year during an utter, complete and total fail.

“Mom of the Year award goes to me – I forgot to pick up Ryder from soccer practice.”
“Oops! Threw out Reid’s favourite pajama pants – yes, the tattered ones – guess I’m Mom of the Year.”
“Just call me Mom of the Year: I gave the boys candy to stop their tantrums.”

(Of course the above examples are just fictional! I simply needed a few theoretical situations. Ri-ight.)

The point is, we often associate “Mom of the Year” with unattainable perfection. And moms will never be perfect, and that’s absolutely okay. So rather than use the phrase in a disparaging way to offset our feelings of inadequacy, let’s celebrate our accomplishments, our victories and most importantly, our privilege of having the most vital role on earth! Yes, friends, I AM Mom of the Year because I give my best every day – and that’s enough!

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In honour of all that moms do and the impact they have on those around them, Walmart Canada is launching its third annual Mom of the Year Award, giving people across the country the opportunity to recognize the enormous contribution mothers make to their families and to their communities. (See? Contributions, people, not perfection.)

*New in 2014* – Walmart will honour six (6) Mom of the Year recipients. One mom will be selected by a Committee for each of the following five categories: Environmental Superstar, Community Champion, Smart Saver, Loving Caregiver and Everyday Hero. The sixth mom will be the My Finalist recipient, selected by public vote from 20 candidates.

Canadians will have the chance to review the top 20 candidates and vote for one mom they want to see become one of the six finalists through My Finalist public voting. Each finalist will receive $10,000 to spend on themselves and $10,000 for the charity or cause of their choice.

I encourage you to nominate the important moms in your life at www.walmart.ca/mom by describing the qualities that make them special and by sharing why they deserve to be recognized. Remember, the Mom of the Year will not be a perfect mom; she’ll be someone who faces challenges head on, learns from her mistakes, gives freely of her time and talent, and when called upon, rises to the occasion. Sounds like someone you know? Nominate away!

Nominations for the Walmart Canada Mom of the Year Award close on May 23, 2014. My Finalist public voting will take place from June 11 through to July 4, 2014 and the My Finalist recipient will be announced on July 5, 2014. The five category recipients will be announced from August 4 through to September 1, 2014.

To participate in the program and support Canadian moms, please visit www.walmart.ca/mom.

The Thoughts that Count; The Rewards that Matter

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NOTE: The following giveaway is open to residents of South/Central ON only.

“You are such a killjoy,” my husband sighs, closings his web browser. “You are the WORST person to shop for.”

What can I say? It’s true. Because I’m not a hearts and flowers kind of gal; romantic gestures are often lost on me, and even the most thoughtful gifts go over my head. I am a utilitarian, dammit, and I want a gift of USE.

I’ve explained this to my husband too many times to count. It all started back in 2005, when we celebrated our first Christmas together. My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, gifted me with gourmet cooking lessons. I knew he had probably spent an arm and a leg on the thoughtful present, but all I could think of was the fact that the lessons would be over, and I’d have nothing tangible to show for it. So, I promptly exchanged the voucher for a cookware set from the brand’s private label, which we use to this day.

See? Functional. Timeless. Utilitarian. I am ALL about practical gifts.

So this Mother’s Day, I don’t expect a box of chocolates or a vase of flowers. Because frankly, my husband knows better – and he knows to teach the boys that mommy is not into the sentimental stuff. But what do I want? It’s simple.

I want a practical gift that gives me peace of mind when I’m out and about. I want to be offered exclusive discounts on my favourite dining and entertainment destinations all year round.  I want to save money and be rewarded at the stores I shop at most – because F is for flowers, but it is also for Ferragamo. And Ferregamo clutches do not wilt.

Now what if I told you I could have all three? It’s true – it’s part and parcel with a CAA Membership.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving – perfect for this practical mama! Here are some of the hot deals that CAA Members can take advantage of this spring:

Roots: Save 25% off everything, April 24-27th, 2014
Teavana: $10 off orders of $45 or more plus free shipping, May 11-13th, 2014
Toms: 15% off when you use code LOVEMOM at checkout, and 9% back in CAA dollars, May 1-7th, 2014
Naturalizer: 20% off all handbags and free shipping, April 24-30th, 2014
Bloomingdales: 25% off women’s clothing, April 24-27th, 2014
The Body Shop: Buy 3, Get 3 FREE, April 24-27th, 2014

BONUS: For every gift membership purchased, the person who buys the gift and the person who receives it both receive a gift with purchase: 2 FREE Trunk Organizers! …

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Give the Gift of Relaxation: Stillwater Spa

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Ah, Mother’s Day. When I was young, it was an opportunity to sum up a whole year’s worth of love and gratitude neatly packaged in the form of a homemade card or breakfast in bed. Often, the cards were messy and misspelled, and the breakfast was inedible… but it was the thought that counted. And now, as an adult (and a mom of two) I understand just how much mothers do – every minute, every day – to ensure that their children are blanketed with love, care and happiness. I realize that we celebrate our mothers once every 365 days… to acknowledge their lifetime of servitude.

Be nice to your mom.

Do one, really-really-really special thing for her this Mother’s Day: Make a promise to honour her more than once a year. To say thank you; to show gratitude, to give love.

Then, spoil her with chocolate. And flowers. And time to herself. And you simply must spoil her with a spa day. My recommendation? Stillwater Spa at the Park Hyatt Toronto.

You may remember that we recently visited the Park Hyatt for a staycation, where we enjoyed a large, family-friendly room, delicious in-room dining and a few special surprises that truly made us feel “celebrated”. At the end of the weekend, I felt rested, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world… with one *tiny* regret: that I didn’t make an appointment at the renowned Stillwater Spa.

Recognized among the best spas in Toronto, Stillwater Spa at Park Hyatt Toronto Yorkville is an indulgent escape from urban demands. The full-service downtown Toronto spa features 17 treatment rooms, a couple’s massage room, aqua therapy room, steam room, sauna and whirlpool, and tea lounge for relaxing before and after Stillwater Spa treatments. Stillwater Spa uses innovative, trendsetting products to achieve well being and bestow tranquility.

And, they happen to share my vision of celebrating mothers for more than one day….

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Persuasion by Arlene Dickinson

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With Mother’s Day just one week away, I’m less interested in talk of flowers, breakfast in bed and bon bons – instead, I want to hear about other moms who are an example of courage, determination, and savvy entrepreneurial skills. I want to be secure in the knowledge that I can both care for my children and follow my dreams. I want to feel that I’m always living up to my personal best. THAT is what I want for Mother’s Day – to be inspired.

If you’re a Dragon’s Den fan like me, you’ll recognize Arlene Dickinson as the calculating venture capitalist with a flair for aligning with up-and-coming companies and products (have you tried OMG’s candy? Like, OMG, so good!)

But did you know that at age 31, Arlene was divorced with only a high school diploma, no savings and no clue how she was going to feed four young children? Just one year later, she was a partner in Venture Communications and ten years later, she is the CEO. Now she is one of the country’s most sought-after female entrepreneurs. Arlene is a true role model and inspiration to Canadian women – especially mothers.

And so in addition to being a CEO, TV star, national spokesperson for Breakfast Clubs of Canada, author, a mother, grandmother – I am pleased to introduce Arlene’s new line of personal line of Persuasion products she developed to complement her book, including:

Wine – a beautiful and bold 2010 Sonoma County red wine blended exclusively for Arlene. ”


“Some vintages are aggressive and come on strong; they insist on being noticed. Others are smoother, more balanced, more confident of their worth. They persuade you to pay attention. And, with every glass, convince you of their superb quality.”…

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la Vie en Rose… Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

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As a mom, I can officially let y’all know that I don’t want a photo frame (got those, lots of ’em), chocolates (straight to my hips, no thanks) or flowers (they’ll just die anyways). I want a homemade treat – something that is unique and personal. Failing that, just go to la Vie en Rose, please.

This Mother’s Day, check out these super sweet looks (click to enlarge):

And, since I’m a HUGE fan of la Vie en Rose Aqua, you can bet I was drooling over their swimwear (shown here in the MIAMI collection):

Yes please! I’d love any of these designs.. complete with a pair of tickets to a sunny destination, of course!

Now if you’re shopping today, la Vie en Rose members can grab 35% off your entire purchase with this coupon. (Regular priced items only.) I normally would direct you to sign up for their mailing list, but sadly, it looks like the site has been up and down the entire weekend. So I’m crossing my fingers that you’ll be able to print it off and/or shop online, but if not, here’s a screen shot – simply click, print and present.

Happy Shopping!

Happy Mother’s Day!

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A very Happy Mother’s Day to all the fabulous Mommies out there!

This morning, I’ve been treated to breakfast by the computer, so I can sit back and blog! Ah, sometimes life is a bowl of cherries :)

Today I’ll share a secret. Before Ryder was born, becoming a mom was more of a romantic notion than a well informed decision. I liked the idea of having a family; the idea of being pregnant and having people gush over my baby bump; the idea of a year away from work. I callously ditched the pill on my honeymoon, thinking whatevs, when it happens it happens.

As it turns out, I must have skipped Health Education a lot in high school, because I was actually shocked to find out I was pregnant a month later. But once again, I was enveloped by the whole fairy tale, and looked forward to decorating a nursery, buying baby onesies, and of course, counting down the days to being a mother.

And then, the day before Mother’s Day 2008, I gave birth to my little Ryder Roonie – the sweetest little angel I had ever laid eyes on (even when he was covered in that birth gunk – okay, for a split second I thought “eww” – but you know how it is). I found out I would be discharged from the hospital the next day – Mother’s Day – and the fairy tale was complete.

Or perhaps I should say the fairy tale ended.

Faced with a demanding, screaming baby, tons of help but little direction, and zero confidence in my ability to care for this precious little boy, I tailspinned into a bout of depression that had me longing for my once carefree life. I stared at my beautiful baby and wished I could go back in time… and take the pill for 2 more years. Or 4 more years. Or indefinitely.

But the wonderful thing about babies is their ability to find that secret passage to your heart, crawl through when you least expect it and take over with gusto. All the things I had previously loved – freedom, sleep, extra spending money – had been pushed away to make room for the overwhelming force that is Ryder. All at once, my life was complete.

And his hold was so undeniable that this former career gal, shopaholic and budding wine enthusiast traded her job, Prada handbags and Folonari Valpolicella for life as a Stay at Home Mom.

Now I’m no saint. I’m not the greatest SAHM, in fact, I should probably (read: definitely) clean up my act a bit before baby #2 arrives. I’ve never quite learned how to balance housework and parenting responsibilities, I shun mommy groups in favour of taking Ryder to the mall, and have been actively encouraging him to sit down and watch TV (he only very recently became interested in it – hooray!) Truth be told, I should probably leave Ryder to be raised by an expert. But I’m exactly where I want to be, which surprises me every single day.

And so tomorrow, when Ryder turns 2 years old and we’re on baby watch for his little brother to arrive, I am constantly thankful for being part of this elite club of extraordinary women; with my mentor being my own loving mother. To all the mothers, mothers-to-be and grandmothers – I wish you a day full of peace and happiness.

xoxo

Fun fact: This is my third Mother’s Day – yet Ryder will turn 2 tomorrow. He was 1 day old on MD 2008, he turned 1 on MD 2009, and he’ll be 2 the day after MD 2010. Weird, eh?

The picture above was taken by the lovely and talented Sharon Navarro, who is celebrating her first Mother’s Day.