I KNOW it's only September, but in the blink of an eye, you know it'll be Christmas! So now's a great time to announce that the Samko & Miko Toy Warehouse sale in Toronto and Markham is happening!
You'll find some cool deals on toys and books by Hasbro, Disney, Fisher-Price, Crayola, etc, and I know a lot of moms (and grandmas) swear by this sale.
Here are the details:
Date: Sept 21-Dec 22, 2013
Hours:
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Wed: 10am-4pm
Thurs: 10am-8pm
Fri: 10am-8pm
Sat: 10am-5pm
Sun: 11am-5pm Locations:Click here to find the closest one to you
With Christmas just around the corner (yikes, time flies!), we might need to cut a few financial corners. And that's okay – don't let anyone make you feel like you must spend wads of cash! Do what's comfortable for your family and yourself.
If you are looking to save some money, remember to be safe in your toy shopping adventures. Just because it's on sale doesn't mean it's the "best" way to go. Maybe you'll come across an older, cheaper toy at a thrift store for less than $5. But if it's a choking hazard (or it's been recalled), ditch it. It's better to be safe than sorry, am I right? Saving a few dollars in this case isn't worth it.
I recently came across the Healthy Canadians website, which is run by the Government of Canada. If you're unsure about the safety of new and used toys, take a look at the site's resources on toy safety. And if you need more details about product recalls, here's a helpful link. Scroll to the bottom and you can organize recalls by year and category.
I've had people say how I have time to do extra things (organize parties, discover new hobbies, etc) because ... well, I'm "at home."
Being a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) can be such a stereotypical role. Not to say that I don't enjoy being a SAHM, but there are good days and not-so-good days. Or maybe it's just my kid, who's so darn energetic.
Honestly, I do not watch Coronation Street all day with a bowl of bonbons. There's absolutely no time for that, let alone me having a quick snack. Do you know how long it can take to dress a baby or toddler in full outdoor gear? By the time you've gotten a onesie, shirt and pants on the kid, sometimes you're ready to give up! (See one of my fave clips from A Christmas Story.)
I'm not writing this entry to rant (okay, maybe I am just a smidge), but there is a lesson here.
If you get comments about how being a stay-at-home-parent is an easy, good ol' vacation, here's what you can do: Look at the person's lifestyle or stage in life. If a Samantha Jones or Vinnie Chase is making the comment, he or she obviously doesn't know any better, right? I used to get worked up when people made these comments. This may sound cheesy, but being in the other person's shoes does make a difference. So when I'm told that I have all the time in the world to knit a scarf, I just smile, stay silent and take a few minutes to "role play" in that critic's mind.
I KNOW it's only September, but in the blink of an eye, you know it'll be Christmas! So now's a great time to announce that the Samko & Miko Toy Warehouse sale in Toronto and Markham is happening!
