Summer Fun!

We are so excited that it is finally summertime! This summer is special because it is the 1st summer that Lyla has a chance to explore, learn, and enjoy it! 

The past few summers have been busy and my husband and I didn't have much of a chance to enjoy them. This year we are trying to make up for it and it's great because we get to enjoy it with Lyla and teach her about all the fun summer has to offer!

Since we moved at the end of Spring, this is our first summer in our new house. We are spending time outside enjoying the beautiful but extremely hot weather. We have been using the baby swing on our play structure, playing on the grass, teaching Lyla about plants and gardening, and working on setting up our new pool for an escape from the heat. Lyla although hesitant about some outdoor exploring in the beginning (grass was particularly scary for her), she has warmed up to the idea and now loves playing outside!

Lyla enjoying a walk in the stroller.

Luckily, my husband has some time off this summer, which has been a great opportunity to spend more time as a family, away from all the busy pressures of regular life (work, etc.). We have been taking day trips to explore our new rural municipality and local provincial parks, as well as a few longer trips. We have also made a couple of trips to various beaches, and done a bit of geocaching and camping! We had the chance to camp with our daughter for the first time in an Otentik (located in Manitoba's National Park, Riding Mountain), which was a great way to ease into camping with a baby.  Since my husband and I met, we loved camping each and every year and we were excited to finally share this with Lyla. It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience for all of us!

Lyla's first time at the beach.

I am enjoying each and every day spending time as a family and enjoying the great outdoors; I will definitely be sad when summer is over. 

How are you spending time with your family this summer?

Disclosure:  I am part of the Fisher-Price Play Panel and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Lay’s Chip Trips Summer Campaign

Life has been hectic lately and I find that I've had to say more than once that it's better late than never.  I was planning to write this post about a week ago but time flew by and I wasn't able to get a chance to sit down and write it until tonight.  I was recently offered a full-time position doing the same thing I currently do (and love) in a different community.  Only a week after being offered the position, I'm finding myself finishing my current position and starting my new one all at the same time!  Needless to say, I'm in need of a bit of fun and relaxation.  That's wear Lay's new summer promotion called Lay's Chip Trips comes into play!

Lay's Chip Trips is a special program running this summer that allows families to have fun at home or close to home without spending a fortune!  Considering that many families are still recovering from last year's economic crisis, Lay's Chip Trips is just what the doctor ordered!  Lay's has decided to offer this unique program because of their love for Canada; Lay's strongly believes that all families should be able to enjoy the wonderful opportunities available in their communities.  Lay's is proud to be providing families with the opportunity to share and create memories with family and friends at a number of local attractions in cities and towns Canada-wide (including restaurants, hotels, local attractions, and amusement parks)!  Points are redeemable for a variety of offers including gift certificates, discount coupons, and more!

So...how does it work you ask?  It's simple!
Step 1 - Visit Lay's Chip Trips page and create a new account.
Step 2 - Buy a bag of Lay's chips.  Each bag is worth between 3-15 points depending on size and the two newest flavours (BBQ Rib and Cheddar & Sour Cream) are worth double points!
Step 3 - Login to Lay's Chip Trips page and enter the unique code found on the back of your chip bag.
Step 4 - Bank points to redeem for prizes.  You are allowed to enter as many unique codes as you wish!  The more bags you buy, the more trips you'll earn!
Step 5 - When you've earned enough points for the 'trip' you'd like, login to the Lay's Chip Trips page and request your prize.
Step 6 - Spend a day relaxing and having fun with family and friends!

So far I've redeemed points for a $5 Subway gift card (30 points) and I'm thinking of redeeming for a free visit or camping to Oroseau in St. Malo, Manitoba (a place I'd never heard prior to this promotion - it looks awesome - 10 points)!

Want to learn more about Lay's Chip Trips?  Make sure to join the Lay's Chip Trips Facebook page!  Or...to find out what other Canadian bloggers are doing with their Chip Trip points, go to Twitter and type in the hashtag #ChipTrips.  Also, make sure to subscribe to my blog to get updates throughout the summer on what my fiancé, me, and our family and friends are doing thanks to Lay's Chip Trips!

Time Flys!

I can't believe it has already been two weeks since my last post. That's a way to lose reader's on my blog... Sorry everyone :(. These past couple of weeks have been kind of crazy at school. There have been exams and assignments and it feels like all i've been doing is research. This weekend I am going away camping for my birthday for a couple of days so it will be a nice break. When I get back, school will be a bit calmer (yes I know, summer school how fun... I really don't mind it too much. It's a good way to speed up my graduation!) so hopefully I can post more often. Anyways....now what everyone has probably been waiting for....more giveaways!

dkMommy is having a great giveaway! She's giving away a variety gift bag worth $49.99, courtesy of Save the World. It is full of all-natural hair and skincare products. - June 27