Halloween Mini Sessions at Movies for Mommies

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty much obsessed with seeing my kiddos in halloween costumes. They're always so ridiculously cute. Every year I try to capture a sweet photo as a memento, but I have learned over the years that it's best to do it before Halloween. That way I don't have to compete with their sheer excitement for CANDY! Snapping a good pic can be tough, so I love letting the professionals do the hard work. 

This month I will be hosting 2 sessions of Complimentary Halloween Mini Sessions with Anchor Studio at Movies for Mommies at the Humber Cinema. Photos will take place pre-show from 12-1pm on Monday October 16th (Battle of the Sexes) and Monday October 23rd (Movie TBD).  Sessions are complimentary for Movies Attendees, and high resolution digital images can be purchased for $25/file. 

Space is extremely limited for these sessions and always fills up fast, so please don't wait to register. Send an email to care@with-care.ca indicating which date you prefer, and a session time will be emailed to you. If all sessions are booked I will give you the option of being added to the waiting list. 

These are a few of my favourites from our Halloween session with Anchor Studio last fall. As you can see Lucy refused to put on her costume (in true preschooler fashion), so Silvia and Tony rolled with it and made it a fall inspired session instead. 

Penny obviously rocked her costume.

Don't forget that Anchor Studio is one of my partners and offers 10% off to my clients. Just mention With Care when you book your session. 

Hope to see you at the Movies! 

Care 

**Please Note: Sessions are for Movie attendees only. Send an email to care@with-care.ca indicating which date you prefer, and a session time will be emailed to you. If all sessions are booked I will give you the option of being added to the waiting list. *

Making Memories & Capturing Moments - GIVEAWAY! Win 1 of 10 Family Lifestyle Photo Sessions!

"The days are long, but the years are short". When I look at my kids I feel this sentiment to my core, as I'm sure most parents do. In parenting, some days can feel so long and so trying, so isolating and so overwhelming. Then you look at your kids in a quiet moment and realize it's all flying by in the blink of an eye. You try to soak up every squeeze hug, every sloppy kiss, every sweet cuddle, because you know one day this phase will all be done. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

My mom was amazing at recording memories of our childhood. She was always taking photos, creating slideshows and photo books, and writing down memories and special moments. When I lost my mom I realized just how important this stuff is. It's our way of capturing our life for our kids. A way for them (and us) to look back and see how far we have come. I feel so fortunate to have the wealth of family photos, stories and memories that my mom compiled throughout our lives. I want to make sure I do the same for my kids. That's why I love having family photos taken, to capture our current moment in time. I find it especially important since I'm typically behind the camera. I want my kids to be able to look back and know I was here, and that I loved being their mom.

I love capturing memories so much that I thought it was only fair to share. I've partnered with Sara Elisabeth Photography to offer an Incredible Lifestyle Family Photo Shoot GIVEAWAY! Enter for a chance to Win 1 of 10!! Yes 10!! Lifestyle Family Portrait Sessions with Sara Elisabeth Photography. Each Prize includes: 1 Hour Session + Three 8x10 prints + telephone consultation + in-person proof session. Package Valued at $350!

Sara has taken our family photos twice and we have loved it both times (See Our Last Session Here). It’s evident that Sara loves kids and isn’t afraid to joke around and play with them to get a great shot. If you have busy kids like ours, this moving lifestyle session is perfect. No long periods sitting still and lots of chances to get their energy out. I can’t believe how little Ben & Lucy were in this last session, and I absoloutely love the addition of an extra little baby foot in this year's photo. 

For our session we went for a walk to the Junction to get ice cream and Sara captured fun moments along the way. It was possibly the windiest day ever, but we made it work. You can choose to go to the park, play in your backyard, bake some cookies or any other family activity that you would love to capture with your littles. That's the best part, it's customized to suit your family. 

Enter NOW by simply commenting below with your name and email address (or alternatively you may comment below and submit your email address to care@with-care.ca for entry). Plus make sure to check out our Facebook page & Instagram feed for 2 more ways to enter! **For an additional 5 entries sign up for Sara Elisabeth's Newsletter! 

*Contest is open to all Canadian residents 25+, but session must take place within the city of Toronto (no travel costs will be provided). Session is to be scheduled with Sara Elisabeth Photography at a time convenient for both the winner and photographer and must take place before August 31st, 2017. Each session is one hour and includes a telephone consultation, an in-person proof session, and 3 8x10 prints. Contest closes Thursday June 15th at 11pm EST. The winners will be chosen at random and messaged within 24 hours.

 Good Luck!

*As a special gift mention With Care at booking and receive $20 off your session with Sara.

Care

Outfit Details

• Lucy's Dress: Tiny Trendsetter 
• Ben's Hoodie: MarQ
• Penny's Bow & Booties: Bonjour Baby Baskets

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Cake Smash Fun + Photo Session GIVEAWAY with Anchor Studio

As a 3rd baby there are lots of things that I haven't gotten around to doing for Penny (eg. a baby book or a real first birthday party), so when Silvia from Anchor Studio suggested a Cake Smash session, I decided to go for it. I knew it would be a special way to mark Penny's 1st year, and get some sweet shots of our growing babe. I didn't realize just how adorable it would all turn out. Take a look.

For a great cake smash you obviously need a cute baby and a pretty cake. While I usually love to bake, I've been so busy and knew I wouldn't be able to get it done. I decided to push the mom guilt aside and opt for the next best thing, a locally made cake with all real fresh ingredients. I picked up this sweet Strawberry cake at Bake Sale in Bloor West. They have 3 locations across the West End and even offer delivery. 

Turns out that babies rarely actually smash the cake and so there are usually leftovers. As a cake addict this was good news to me. As you can see Penny did manage to put her foot in the cake at the very end, but she had a bath right before, so I figure it was a pretty clean foot and therefore the cake was still good to eat ;)

I have to be honest and admit that I very very rarely enjoy store bought cakes. My biggest issue is bad icing. I'm a huge buttercream snob, so the fact that I was blow away by Bake Sale's delicious strawberry buttercream says something. 

In celebration of Penny's 1st Birthday I have partnered with Anchor Studio to offer an Amazing GIVEAWAY! Enter for a chance to WIN a Mini In-Studio Photo Session (30 mins) that includes 10 high resolution digital images. This can be used for a Cake Smash session (can take up to 1 hour) or any other family or individual session except newborn sessions. Cute props will be provided for any holiday sessions.

Enter NOW by simply commenting below with your name and email address, or alternatively you may comment below and submit your email address to care@with-care.ca for entry. Plus make sure to check out our Facebook page & Instagram feed for 2 more ways to enter! 

Contest is open to all Canadian residents 18+, but session must take place at Anchor Studio at Dupont & Dovercourt in Toronto (no travel costs will be provided). Session is to be scheduled with Anchor Studio at a time convenient for both the winner and photographer. Contest closes Friday May 26th at 11pm EST. A winner will be chosen at random and messaged within 24 hours. Good Luck!

As a special gift mention With Care at booking and receive 10% off Anchor Studio.

Care

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Have A Bump Or A Baby? Don't Miss The Bump To Baby Show 2017!

Spring is here and that means it's baby show season! With so many shows and so little time, it can be tough to decide which ones make the cut. If you want to skip the huge crowds, long line ups and over zealous vendors, you need to check out The Bump to Baby Show. This highly curated event held at the beautiful Wychwood Barns brings together the best vendors from around our city, all with a focus on helping parents make healthy choices for their families. Plus it's FREE!! You can't get much better than that.

In addition to an amazing marketplace (*Full List of 60 Marketplace Vendors) the show has expert speakers and fun family friendly events. I am so honoured to be one of the speakers at the show, alongside my amazing colleague Taya Griffin (Lactation Consultant) & Joy McCarthy of Joyous Health.

Attendees can check out a Prenatal Yoga Class with & She Moves (pre-registered event), a Family Yoga Class with Spynga, a fun Puppet Show with The Waldorf Academy, as well as a music class for kids ages 0-4 years with Music Together. Check out the Play & Learn page for full schedule, details and registration. 

The Bump to Baby Show is like no other in the city. So if you're expecting a little one, or have a young family, don't forget to add this amazing event to your calendar.

Hope to see you on May 7th between 10am and 4pm for the family friendly baby show you can't miss. 

Care 

Who Wants to WIN an Amazing Maternity Photoshoot GIVEAWAY? Enter Now! *$350 Value

If you have a baby on the way and want some beautiful pregnancy photos you can't miss out on this amazing GIVEAWAY from Sara Elisabeth Photography. Enter Now (by simply joining her mailing list) for a chance to Win a Maternity Photoshoot & an incredible assortment of products valued at $350!

The Prize Includes:

• A 1 Hour Maternity Photoshoot
• 8 High Resolution Digital Images
• 2 8x10 Prints 
• 1 Bragbook

We were fortunate to have Sara take our family photos a few years ago in Parkdale, and absolutely love them. Here are a few of my favourites from that session. Looking at these I can't believe how much the kids have grown and changed. I'm so grateful I have these memories to look back on. To see more from our session Click Here

Don't forget to Enter Sara's Giveaway! Contest Closes Friday March 31st 2017. Good Luck!

 Care

*The post is not sponsored.

Family Fun for March Break - Enter My TIFF digiPlaySpace GIVEAWAY!

A few weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to bring the kids to check out TIFF's digiPlaySpace. Since taking all 3 littles downtown on my own seemed a tad daunting for a Wednesday morning, I decided to make it a special date for my big guy Ben (with the baby in tow of course). When the day was done Ben declared "This was one of my best days ever!" So the short story is, if you haven't checked out this incredible interactive event for kids age 3+, you really should. But now, for some of the fun details. 

When we first arrived at the digiPlaySpace it was tough to choose what to check out first. There were so many amazing displays vying for our attention. We slowly worked our way around the room to see what sparked Ben's interest and was appropriate for his age (5 1/2) and ability. The clearly marked signs at each display had a description and recommended age, which made it simple to find suitable activities. 

We started off playing with polar bears and climbing mountains on the "Canada on (Green) Screen" by Parks Canada. Ben learned about LED Coding as he tossed balls through holes to create a complete circuit. We played, hugged and laughed with Little Robot Friends, and had fun making art with Drawbots. We also boogied down at the Animation Space Station. Ok maybe this one was just Mommy & Penny, Ben ditched us! Luckily I always look super cool dancing like a robot ;) 

As a parent, my favourite was seeing Ben in action with Osmo. This award winning game works with an iPad to create tactile and interactive learning opportunities for kids. Ben loved the coding activity and asked for Osmo to be added to his birthday list right after we left. 

When I asked Ben what his favourite activity was, he had a hard time choosing, but finally declared "Flight Painting!"  At this installation we controlled the height, colour, speed and brightness of a light to create a unique pattern that was captured in a long-exposure picture. This was one of my favourites too, because not only did we get to do it together, but we made some beautiful 3D light paintings like this one.

With March break around the corner I thought it would be fun to do a GIVEAWAY for a Family Pack of 4 tickets to TIFF's digiPlaySpace. The event is on until April 23, 2017 and is geared towards kids age 3-13, however every adult I saw there was having a blast too! Weekday admission is $11 per person and weekend admission is $13 per person. (Babies 2 and under are Free)

Don't wait! Enter Now for a Chance to WIN a Family Pack of 4 Tickets to The TIFF digiPlaySpace. Simply comment below with your name and email address, or alternatively you may comment below and submit your email address to info@fifty-seven.ca for entry. Plus make sure to check out our Facebook page & Instagram feed for 2 more ways to enter! 

Contest is open to all residents of Canada and closes Thursday March 9th at 11pm EST. A winner will be chosen at random and announced within 24 hours. Good Luck!

- Care

* I did not receive any financial compensation for this post. TIFF provided admission for my family and for the Giveaway. All opinions are my own...and Ben's ;) 

The Bump to Baby Show

Join me on Sunday May 15th for a FREE Family Friendly Community Event, The Bump to Baby Show at the Wychwood Barns. As long as my baby stays on the inside (39 weeks on the 15th!) I’ll be speaking about “Pregnancy & Labour Prep: The Natural Way” with Rachel Schwartzman N.D & Silvia Kwon D.C at 12pm.

What to Expect:

• Shop, eat & learn in the market place from the best health-conscious businesses the city has to offer
• Participate in fun activities with your kids
• Enjoy live music
• Join us for free yoga sessions
• Enjoy free swag and a chance to win some amazing prizes
• Join us for informative question and answer sessions with leading experts in children’s education and alternative services
• Mingle with other expectant and new parents

Check out The Bump To Baby Show for a full list of vendors and to see some of the amazing swag & prizes that will be featured at the event. Plus, did we forget to mention it’s FREE! 

Hope to see you there!

Family Photo Session GIVEAWAY!!

Want a chance to WIN a Professional Family Photo Session? Check it out!

Last fall our family had a lovely photo session in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood with Sara Elisabeth Photography. Our session was quick and fun (so ESSENTIAL with 2 young kids!) and produced some absolutely incredible memories. I've been meaning to share the photos for months, but what better time than with a GIVEAWAY!

Sara has generously offered my readers a chance to WIN a Complimentary Family Photo Session & 8x10 Print *$345 value!!

To Enter: Simply follow Fifty-Seven & Sara Elisabeth Photography on Facebook and comment on the contest Facebook Post with your name, and tag up to 2 other local Toronto families that you think deserve a photo session. If you're chosen, all 3 families will receive a Complimentary Session & Print! Winners will be announced Saturday July 25th.

Check out our family photos and Sara's beautiful work. I know you won't be able to resist entering. 

Don't forget to enter for a chance to WIN! 

Good luck!

- Care

*There will be another draw held via Instagram so feel free to enter both.