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Step & Learn

It’s amazing to see a child growing up. At this age, Rania is a bit like a sponge: she absorbs everything she sees and hears in her environment. She often reproduces the same gestures as me, repeats what she hears and wants to do as we do. Madame even wants to eat with utensils and when we go out to eat sushi, she tries with chopsticks. It’s so cute!

During our last trip, she had the opportunity to see several animals: dogs, horses, cats, sheep, etc. She repeated every sound she heard, and every time she saw a horse pass by, she would point it by making the sound she had recorded.

Since our return, I started integrating educational games to teach her a few words and even more sounds. Since she loves dogs, I thought she would like the Step & Learn by Leapfrog, which makes dog sounds but also allows to familiarize her with numbers and letters.

Seeing her unpacking a new toy is a pure pleasure and a moment of wonder for her and for me too. She explores the toy and its features. Rania was impatient when she saw that it was a dog (honestly, she did not even let me unpack the toy). She immediately took him in his arms and moved away to sit next to him. The fact that the dog moved his head while making sounds pleased her enormously. She began to dance around him while reproducing sounds. I let her discover the toy alone before showing her that she had the opportunity to walk her dog. There followed dozens of round trips in the living room while dancing around the dog and stopping to sit and press other buttons. Letting her explore the toy alone helps her develop fine motor skills.

The Step & Learn is available on Amazon, Wal-Mart or Toys R us for $ 24.99.

This article is sponsored by Leapfrog but all opinions me.

14 December 2017 0 comment

Cocooning evening with Yves Rocher + comfort drink recipe

It’s not a secret, I do not like winter (I hate it)! Since I live in Canada, I have to make this season, which seems to be the longest of the year, a bit pleasant. I think that having a little routine helps me overcome the dark winter days.

For the holidays, Yves Rocher offered me the most beautiful gifts: they have put together a collection of white vanilla. Since childhood, vanilla has always been my favorite fragrance. I remember I still had the bourbon vanilla scent and shower gel from Yves Rocher’s classic collection. Vanilla is known to calm and comfort. In my case, this smell is also sweet memories of childhood. Maybe that’s why I love to light vanilla candles during my cocooning nights. The collection is not limited to candles only, Yves Rocher offers a whole range of products with white vanilla: a super moisturizing body balm, a hand cream that smells so good that I want to apply at every moment, a hand soap, a lip balm or a shower gel.

For vanilla lovers like me, you can complete your evening by adding a touch of comfort to your hot drink. Here is what I propose to you, a vanilla and spice drink:
• Heat milk on medium heat (milk of your choice).
• Add a few drops of vanilla (if you use liquid vanilla) and honey or maple syrup to add a touch of sweetness to your drink.
• Optional Step: If you want a thicker consistency, you can add a teaspoon of arrowroot to your mix and mix until the consistency becomes thicker.
• Once the preparation is hot, remove it from the heat.
• Add cinnamon and nutmeg to the mixture.
• Mix well before tasting.
• PS: If you want to indulge, put small marshmallows over your drink.

Note that there is another limited edition fragrance for the holiday season called “Berries of Wonders”. I decided to talk about “White Vanilla” because it’s a fragrance that I really like.

11 December 2017 0 comment

Chicken bread with Olives from Spain

I wonder if it’s because of my origins that I love olives from Spain or if it’s because of my father who loves having some with each meal or if it’s a bit of both. The Mediterranean olives are among the most popular and I am lucky to have been able to grow in this climate in order to enjoy it but also to have less harsh winters (ah, the good time!).
When Olives of Spain challenged me to reinvent a recipe using the olives they offer, I imagined so many dishes (healthy, of course) that it was difficult to select one. I ended up opting for a chicken bread with Spanish olives, dried fruits and nuts. Yes! So good, so rich and so festive.
You can adjust the recipe according to the ingredients you have. This is also the beauty of cooking. This recipe is perfect for your weekdays but also if you are hosting I also think it’s the perfect timing to publish this recipe for this holiday season.

You will need:

1 kg of chicken (you can use another meat instead like turkey, it’s lighter than red meat),
½ cup of breadcrumbs (you can use gluten-free bread),
2 beaten eggs,
1 onion, finely chopped,
3 tsp coriander ground (not fresh, use the spice),
1 tsp cinnamon,
1 tsp of nutmeg,
3 tbsp of honey,
2 tsp of piri piri spice (from @aspiceaffair).
Dried apricots, pistachios, Spanish olives (Manzanilla variety, stuffed with pimientos), dried cranberries.

Since I had chicken breasts, I chopped them in the blender.
Add the spices, the breadcrumbs, the eggs and the onion and mix everything.
Take some of the nuts, dried fruits and stuffed Manzanilla olives from Spain and incorporate them into the mix.
Put everything in a mold (cake mold) and decorate with other apricots, cranberries, pistachios and olives from Spain.
Put in the oven for about 45min at 350F. The cooking time depends on the meat you have chosen to use. Whatever your choice, I advise you to check the cooking from time to time, otherwise the result will be too dry.
Serve it all in slices with a caramelized tomato sauce (salt, oil, piri piri, cardamom, honey and fresh ginger, cook until caramelization).

Trust me, the result is not only beautiful but delicious. The Spanish olives stuffed with red pepper are the perfect choice for this bread because the chicken goes well with grilled peppers.

The good news is that you can prepare it in advance and freeze it (without cooking it) and put it in the oven when you host or when you need it.

For more information on Spanish olives and the different options available to you, visit their website: www.olivesfromspain.ca

You’re welcome

7 December 2017 1 comment

My hair favorites from Yves Rocher

Lat summer my hairdresser told me that I had very dry hair. I was aware that my hair was not the same but I did not conclude that it was because of the lack of hydration. After my postpartum hair loss, I had a little neglected my hair because it made me sad to see them lose their volume.
After this, I decided to take things in hand.
Anyways, here are some Yves Rocher products that I had the chance to test this summer and that are now part of my favorites.

1- Night care – Very dry or damaged hair – Jojoba oil: one of my favorite products! What I like about this cream is that it does not leave a greasy finish. I apply it in the evening before sleeping, I make a bun at the top of my head and I go to sleep. In the morning, I only have to let go of my hair, no need to brush them. This product is made from Jojoba oil and plant peptides. It contains more than 96% of ingredients of natural origin, contains neither silicone nor paraben.

2- The exceptional serum: a product that promises to protect my hair from breakage and make the hair fiber more resistant. We must treat the problem at the source. This serum contains repairing Hibiscus peptides and 100% vegetable micro-oils. I apply it after the shower, when my hair is almost dry (generally, you can apply it on dry or wet hair). Some pushes of the serum (4 because I have long hair) that I rub in my hands and that I apply on the lengths until the ends.

3- Rinsing vinegar: before even talking about this product that contains more than 98% natural ingredients, I can tell you that what really marks me is the smell! It smells so good that I do not even want to rinse my hair after applying it. Once the hair is dry, I do not necessarily feel the need to hydrate more and more, they are brilliant. Not surprising because raspberry vinegar has been chosen for its smoothing properties and is suitable for all types of hair.

4- The non-foaming Shampoo or the Low ShamPoo: it is an ultra soft formula for all those who wash their hair often. On the other hand, even if it is not the case for me, I sometimes alternate between this one and the “regular” shampoo. This cleansing cream is silicone free, sulfate free, color free and paraben free. It does not foam but it does not remove the fact that the hair is still washed. Also, I do not even need to put on conditioner.

5- Repairing hair oil: I never have the same routine for my hair. Depending on the season or other factors, my hair is sometimes drier. When it’s the case, I like having oil baths. Jojoba oil have been an oil I use for many treatments so this product quickly seduced me. It is advisable to apply it twice a week but I really go according to the need of my hair. The oil should be applied to dry hair before showering and it is best to leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing.

30 November 2017 0 comment