Kicking the boredom of winter with DK Ultimate Stickers Books

Let’s admit it…  With the cold weather we have experienced since December we do feel as though winter is dragging here.  You might have experience cabin fever from your kids for quite some time too.  DK Canada has a special offer for you right now.   The Sticker Book Boutique will give you one sticker book free when you purchase two of them.   I think it is a marvelous time to stock up on fun books for your kids for the new special event or the next cold temperatures.    The Buy2 Get 1 Free Sticker Book Boutique is there only for a few weeks so be quick to order some now.

For the purpose of this blog post, DK Canada has sent me a few of their books for my kids.   We have received the Superman Ultimate Sticker Book, the Batman Ultimate Sticker Book, the Spider-Man Ultimate Sticker Book, the Smithsonian Animals, The Children’s Bible, as well as the brand new Lego Movie Sticker Book.

This morning – for Valentine Day – we let the three youngest select the one they wanted to work on.    Jasmine was the first to select hers and she quickly picked up the new Lego Movie one.  Jérémy selected the Superman while Dominic chose the Batman one.   Yes I do have comics fans though both boy were a bit disappointed that they little sister selected the Lego Movie book.

Needless to say, it didn’t take long for them to jump in sticker mode and search for the ones to complete their books…

Each books contain some information on the theme presented – like Batman, Spider-Man, Animals… – and will entertain your kids for a bit.    Two of the titles I have received could be more used as part of your homeschool – with one allowing them to discover the Bible via a new angle and the other one allowing them to explore the world of Animals.   The Smithsonian Animals book is particularly interesting as they will discover animal families, build a shark or a chameleon, play some games, learn more about the life cycles of different animals, and much more.   Each of the books we have received contains more than 600+ stickers.  

Some stickers book are more geared for girls while other would grab the interest of boys.  However, other ones are neutral when it comes to the gender.  With numerous titles available at DK Canada, you can be sure that you will find something interesting for your kids…  Be quick to order some fun sticker books for your kids on the Sticker Book Boutique at DK Canada.

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned title for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Banff boots from Boutique Amimoc

Facebook is a great way of discover contest.  During the Christmas season, there were a lot of contests flying on this social media site.   I participated at many of them.  I won a few things too in the last two months.

• Lego Back to the Future set (Delorean) at Mrs. Tiggy Winkles in town.
• Gift certicate of 10$ at Spuds in town.
• Two Blu-Ray DVDs – Mary Poppins and Planes – with the Christian radio CHRI 99.1 FM
• and the most recent one is a pair of Banff boots at Boutique Amimoc located in Quebec City worth 200$.

Last year, I even won a gift certificate at Linen Chest which allowed me to get the T-Fal Actifry Family size.  Yes – it pays to participate to contests sometimes.

So today, here I am to present you the latest prize I have won – the Banff boots from Boutique Amimoc.   Boutique Amimoc has opened its doors in July 2012 in Quebec City.  More specifically, it is located in the Petit-Champlain quarter which is very accessible to tourists.   It is a relatively new boutique which Quebecers doesn’t know much yet.   The idea for the contest was to get the brand know.  They initially hoped for 400 likes on facebook when they launched the contest back in December.    At the time of this blog post, they have reached 10, 842 likes.   The power of social media has exceeded their dreams in way.  Due the high participation of sharing the image and the numerous likes that Boutique Amimoc has received, they have decided to give away four pair of boots – two in December and two in January.

The contest was held until the end of January.   I participated back in December never thinking twice about it when I checked my messages on facebook on February 1st.    I realized that there was one message in the “Other” folder.   I checked and it was a message informing me that I had won a pair of boots.  Seriously?   WoW!  I was one of the two last winners…

Currently, they do not have an online store but you can see their products on their facebook page and order via the manager’s email – Lucie at lucie@amimoc.ca.   They are working on having an online site available later in 2014.

The company who makes the boots and mocassins, Auclair & Martineau, exist since 1956.  Through the years, they have developed an expertise in order to provide the best product for the winters in the province of Quebec.    The mocassins are still made by hand according to the traditions from the First Nations.

So I could pick any color offered for my prize.   In a way, I was glad that there was only three colors to choose from because more than that I would have been overwhelmed…  *grin*  Seriously, though I debated for a full day before sending the color I wanted. 

Here are the options offered:

 

Black and White scream classic to me.   To think of it I don’t think I ever had winter boots of that color.   It would be nice for a more formal outing with my husband like a date.   Besides, like a friend of mine said classic would last a long time as the color will still be there in a few years.  Even my mother-in-love said that the black one would be more practical.

Brown and yellow – again brown is classic but the touch of yellow is a but funky.   I always had brown boots as an adult.  Though I find these beautiful, I am not picking this color because I recently purchased a pair of tan Chloe boots from Baffin http://www.baffin.com/Default.asp.  So seeing that I have some brownish colored boots, this particular color wasn’t speaking to me.

There is also the Wine and Kiwi color which speak to me in a way of saying you can be different.   My only hesitation for this color would be will I still like them in two years from now?   That’s a tricky question…   Though on another note, they would definitively be different than what I am used to wear and more colorful too.    I really like the reddish color on them but not too keen about the kiwi part of them.  If it would have been sand then I wouldn’t have hesitated one minute and selected that one.   But deep down there was hesitation in me.   I was unsure of this color…

In the end, I choose the black ones because I wanted them to last long.   However, I was curious to see what my daughter would have picked.   Turns out that she picked the black ones too without one hint of hesitation when she saw the image with the three boots on it.

Concerning the size of the boots.   I was told that the sizes are pretty good and correspond to the regular size your would wear on other footwear.   Since I was wearing size 10 in running shoes and boots, I ordered the same size for these.

I was told that it could take 10 days for the delivery.  I was okay with the delay.  After all, why should I complain when I won the boots right?   Yesterday, I got the confirmation of the shipment and today… the door bell rang.    A package had arrived.  It was the boots… and they are a perfect fit too!

I find it interesting that there is a zipper on the side of the boot.   This is definitively something new for me as all the boots I had in the past never had a zipper.  The zipper is located on the side facing the interior of the legs.

And here is a close up of the side and interior of the boots. The leather has been specially treated to be waterproof.   Apparently it is highly resistant to salt stain (which I didn’t had the opportunity to test yet!).  The leather is fully breathable which allows the transpiration to evaporate if necessary.  The lining is made of genuine wool and will keep your feet warm during the cool weather.   

As I am writing this, I have inserted my feet in the boots and wear them in the house.   It might be silly for some but it allows me to experience the comfort of the boots in my feet.   The insole can be removed from the bottom of the boot and is shape in such a way that your feet will sit in it perfectly well.  I find that the boot snug closely to my ankle and bottom part of my legs as well.   It’s good in a way because you have less chances to have snow sneaking on you and trying to come in your boots.

I am quite pleased with the prize I have received from Boutique Amimoc.   I think the boots will be perfect from when I go out with my husband on a date.   Many thanks to Boutique Amimoc to have decided to give extra pair of boots!

The Banff boots are made made in Québec City.  They are waterproof and wool lined.  They can handle -30 Celcius temperature.  Their price is 200$ each plus taxes.    If you want to order a pair of Banff boots from Boutique Amimoc, don’t hesitate to contact Lucie at lucie@amimoc.ca.  She is very helpful and nice to deal with.   

Disclaimer: Thanks to Boutique Amimoc for sending me the above mentioned product. I won the pair of boots from a contest held on facebook and was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

No Cape Required: A Devotional

No Cape Required: A Devotional – 52 Ways to Unleash Your Inner Hero
Written by Kristen Parrish
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book

What do Katniss Everdeen, Spider-Man, and Huckleberry Finn have in common? They’re heroes—and you can be just like them.

As children, we dream of throwing on a cape and changing the world. Then we grow up, we learn to see the flaws in our movie stars and athletes, and we accept that true heroism is not possible in the real world. You continue to dream, though. Isn’t that why you still love watching heroes on the big screen? It’s more than just wish fulfillment. You resonate with Superman’s justice and Dorothy’s courage because you have those same qualities within yourself.

In these pages, Kristen Parrish looks at the qualities of fifty-two heroes, and then shows how you can acquire every one of those qualities. No gamma rays or radioactive spider bites are needed. You can unleash your inner hero through prayer and practical action.

Men and women, boys and girls alike, will find role models within these pages. While others watch and dream on the sidelines, you can step out in faith, learning from heroic examples and praying for God’s help to make you who you were meant to be.

The Holy Spirit enables us to do great things. Find out how. No cape required.

My Thoughts

I will be honest with your dear reader.  The first time I saw this title offered I somewhat rolled my eyes.   I thought that it would be cheesy.  But then I read the description and my curiosity was picked.  You see we are comic books fans in this household and I knew that my kids would enjoy going through these devotionals with me during our homeschool.   So the book was requested and I waited patiently for it to arrive.

When the book finally came home, I quickly read a few devotional to get a feel for the book and from what I have read I seriously think that the book has potential.   The first one I read was about Friendship – Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk from Star Trek.   I thought it was very interesting that coincidently we were watching the Star Trek movies with the oldest boys in order to introduce them to the Star Trek Universe.   Anyhow, the devotion starts with a scripture and goes on how friendship is portrayed between the Vulcan and the Human.  Part of the explanation also brings back the final moments of Spock has he is separated from his friend.  Then the author reminds us that friendship is a gift from God and encourages us to nurture our friends in life.   A prayer is also included at the end of the devotion as well as some suggestions in the Take Action section.  I also read a few more and all devotions have the same pattern even though they are based on different heroes in the culture.

Through the book you will touch subjects like justice, friendship, hope in others, mentoring, charity, hope, repentance, quiet service, kindness, tender care, protectiveness, growth, loyalty, truthfulness, faith in others, compassion, independence, integrity, fearlessness, coolness under pressure, wisdom, intrepidness, honor, determination, encouragement, courage, bearing burdens, rising to the occasion, mastery, patience, bravery, eagerness, gallantry, putting others before yourself, teachability, forgiveness, honesty, optimism, responsibility, relentlessness, resourcefulness, duty, community, faith in God, love, overcoming, self-sacrifice, strong will, leadership, and thankfulness.  Each and every single one of these devotions are linked to a hero/heroine from comics, movies, books and much more.   You will encounter Storm from the X-Men, Judah Ben-Hur from the more Ben-Hur. Don Quizote, Spider-Man, Morpheus and Trinity from The Matrix, Indiana Jones, Huckleberry Finn, and many more that I won’t list here.   Each time a new hero is presented, you also get the reference where he/she can be found.   This could spark the interest of the reader in a way.

The more I read some of these devotionals, the more an idea has sprouted in my mind.   I am thinking I shall start doing a devotional each week with the kids and challenge them and myself with one of the Take Action steps offered in the book.    That way we could all grow together in becoming more like Christ during the next 52 weeks.  The book doesn’t have to be started at the beginning of the year to be enjoyed.   Being one devotions a week, I think it is a perfect way to incorporate fun devotions in our homeschool.

No Cape Required will challenge you to always step out of your comfort zone and teach you how to become a servant at heart – a true hero in the faith.

No Cape Required is available for purchase at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Kindle

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.