Monday Mingle March 1, 2010

Wow...is it March already??  I am still excited over Team Canada's big win today over Team USA in Hockey.  What a relief!  I do not think anyone outside of Canada would understand how disappointing a loss in yesterdays game would have been.  Anyways, I had a blast doing the Monday Mingle vlog last week, so I decided to give it another shot.   This time, baby Kyron joined in with me!

This weeks questions are:

1. Do you like to garden? What are your favorite flowers?

2. Faves: Coke or Pepsi? Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate? Coffee or Tea?
3. What nationality(s) are you? Or what is the primary one?
4. Do you watch the Winter Olympics? What is your favorite sport?




After watching this video, I kind of feel a little like MJ dangling the baby over the balcony.  Weired.


Be sure to check out Eighty MPH Mom's site here:  http://www.eightymphmom.com/2010/02/monday-mingle-vlog-march-1-2010.html

Shane

Kyron Loves Storytime!

We have discovered that Kyron loves story time, which his mommy ( who is a grade 1 teacher) is really proud of.  Becky started reading board books to him before she dresses him in the morning and he has really taken to it!  He thinks it is the funniest thing ever.  ( I think its Mommy's silly voices that really make it fun!)

 Here is the video!  Watch the smiles...it is just precious!



Happy Friday!

Shane

For a real laugh...check out my friend Jill's blog:  http://dont-you-hate-pants.blogspot.com/2010/02/just-little-pissin-and-moanin.html?zx=c6541b19d3ef49a4  I bet we can all relate to nosy pharmacy people and cranky seniors!

Kyron and Daddy!

Explaining Canada to Americans

 I know that my American readers just have so many questions about Canada!  The video below has been making the email rounds and I thought I would share.  In it, trusted newsman Tom Brokaw tells the USA everything you wanted to know about Canada ( well, kinda) in a nice short feel good piece!  Its a bit long, but worth the look as it is really well done video.




It is a stereotype here in Canada that the Americans know nothing about us, but we know everything about them!  I am not sure that it is entirely true. We do not live in igloos. The weather in Calgary this has been better than in most of the USA, so we do not live in a frozen tundra!  A few yeara ago there was a CBC comedy documentary by comedian Rick Mercer called "Talking to Americans" that has helped fuel this fire!  Here are a few clips of that show....tooooo funny!

Iowa Governor Congratulating Canada on the 24 Hour Clock



Here is a classic with Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee... wow!




And I cant forget George Bush thanking Prime Minister "Poutine" Check at 3:41 ( The PM at the time was Jean Cretien. "Poutine" is a French Canadian food...think French Fries, Gravy and Cheese Curds...) and Canada for being the USA's most important "neighbor to the north" of them. What?  Oh well....  The rest of the video is classic, showing people congratulating Canada on legalizing staplers, finishing the tunnel to China and encouraging us to get our first newspaper! It goes on and on...you cannot make this stuff up!



I really do love all my American readers and think that these videos are made just in fun. ( Perhaps I am being cheeky due to the Team USA victory over Canada on Sunday?)   I am sure the  producers edited out the correct answers, lol.  In my travels to the USA, most people know lots about Canada and my city Calgary, which always shocked me.

Truth be told, the two counties are pretty much the same.  Same TV, same culture.  We just have higher taxes, no guns, and free health care!

Shane


PS!  My friend Jill started a blog!!! She is the funniest lady I know, so it is an awesome read!  Check it out and tell her what you think!

http://www.dont-you-hate-pants.blogspot.com/

Monday Mingle!

Gold Medal Mom Awards

As the Winter Olympics are being held in Canada as we speak, I thought I would share some of the Canadian bloggy love!  As I am a bit of a narcissist ( and suffer from blog delusions of grandeur) I have taken it upon myself to create a nice Canadian blog award.....The Gold Medal Mom Blogger Award!



  This award is given to those Mom Bloggers that deserve more than just a stinking silver or bronze.  These mom blogs are the real deal.  I have chosen five mom blogs that I think are worthy of this award!  In no particular order:

1)  Jen from Three Little Monkeys:  Jen has an awesome blog and she always takes the time to comment on everyones site!  Did I mention that by random fluke she lives in the same neighborhood as me, but we have never met!

2) Tamara at The (Un)experienced Mom:  She was one of the first mom bloggers to add me to her site and really helped me along the way!  

3) Shandal at My Life in 3D... What can I say...this cool Kansas mom is just way too kind to me and  my blog.  She has an awesome blog also!

4) Courtney at Momma Donna Hey:   Another Kansas mom....awesome sense of humour and a great writer!

5) Lindsey @ Mommy Wonderland:  Lindsey is a great blogger. She writes with amazing honesty and is not afraid to call it like it is!  Plus...she has cool tunes on her blog!

Ok... two more... ( I made up the award...so I can bend the rules!)

6) Sarah at The Stroller Ballet    Sarah is a funny, funny lady!  I just found out that she is a Canadian, living in the USA.  I knew there was a reason why she was so nice! 

7) Mary at The Mommyologist   Funny Blogger, Great Comments and Super Cool Blog Design!

Ok folks...many more deserve this award, so be sure to do the following:

 Please feel free to spread the love and pass this award onto some of YOUR FAVORITE BLOGS!

Naturally, the original award was given to my wife Becky, as she is the GOLD MEDAL MOM in my life!

Have a great weekend! 

Shane

Valentines and Poo Books!

• Monster Poo
• The Deja Poo ( Its corn related)
• Soft Serve
• Poo-phoria
• Ring of Fire
• Pebble Poo
• The Snake ( I love it!)
• Sneak Attack!
• The Honeymoon's Over Poo

 

Happy Family Day!

Happy Family Day!  ( And happy Presidents Day to our friends to the south of us!)

 Its Family Day in Alberta, which is a statutory holiday here!  This holiday was created with the intent that everyone would get the day off and be able to spend some extra time with their family!  I guess this does not apply to those lucky enough to have to work in the service industry ( Retail/Restaurant) etc, as it looks like everything is open today. 


I will be spending this holiday with my Wife and Baby Kyron, so I am thankful that I do not have to work! 

Here is a quick video of Kyron chillin' on his daddy's lap! 




What are your plans for the day?  Do you think that these holiday's are a good idea?
 I hope that everyone has a great day! 

Shane

P.S.- Have you entered yet? I am giving away 5 free MyParentReward Gift Cards! They are worth $20 each! Be sure to enter my giveaway here: Giveaway Time  Ends Thursday 2/18/2010

Happy Valentines Day! ( Circa 1983?)

Happy Valentines Day everyone!  Yes this post is early, but do you think I am the type of man to run out at the last minute?  ( Wait...don't answer that!)  I thought I would share a great picture of Becky and I, from way back in 1983!  If you have a chance, pop over here and read about our story! 


 Seriously though, I love this lady so much and she makes me so happy.  She is an excellent wife, loving mother and truly my best friend. 

I cannot thank her enough for making my life so wonderful. 


Shane


P.S.- Have you entered yet? I am giving away 5 free MyParentReward Gift Cards! They are worth $20 each! Be sure to enter my giveaway here: Giveaway Time

Memories of The Calgary 1988 Olympics

With the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics set to kick off today, I am feeling a little cheeky ( and nostalgic) as I write this post!  Some of you may recall that my home city, Calgary, hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics.  I was only 11 years old but remember it quite well.  I only got to take in a few events but I vividly recall the hustle and bustle during the games and I have some really fond memories of the event.  There were also some crazy things that stick out in my mind and I thought I would share them with you!

 Here are the funniest things I remember:

1) The Jamaican Bobsled Team.  Good enough to finish dead last, but at least they got a Disney Movie ( Cool Runnings) out of it! The whole city got behind this team.  They even cut a record while here to help pay their expenses.  Today, a model of the Jamaican bobsled can be seen hanging out of the drive through window of a McDonald's on Macleod Tr.





2) Eddie The Eagle.  British Ski Jumping Hero. Legend. Last Place.  ( Not bad for a chap that had just picked up the sport just before the Olympics.  What would posses someone to jump from those heights is beyond me.  But look at this handsome fellow....I think something is missing upstairs!  Unfortunately, he did not score many modelling gigs after the 88 Games.  Those crazy Brits!



3) Heidi and Howdy          These were the 1988 Olympic Mascots.  I remember there was a contest that every school kid entered to help name them.  The names are quite funny and are a play on Calgary's Cowboy Heritage.  Not the coolest mascots but cute! 









4) The Ugly Sun-Ice 1988 Official Winter Games Jackets! 

I guess these were the height of fashion in 1988?  Yuck.  That said, I do remember wanting one so bad.  I know that the Olympic volunteers all got one but I do not remember if they sold them in stores.  Unfortunately, there are still some folks in Calgary that think its a good idea to break out these coats in the winter time and show them off.  I am not sure who told them this was a good idea. Put them in storage....and keep them there.  Thanks! 

( FYI: People are actually selling these rags online for $500-$750! What?)

5) Pin Trading    This is a sight to see.  Pin Trading events rival the Olympic competitions themselves, with many people chasing after the "hard to find" collector pins.  People walk up to you on the street and ask to trade for pins that you have on your lapel.  Fun! Fun!  I bet I have a whole drawer full of these "collector" pins somewhere.  Probably in the junk drawer where they belong!







6) The Closing Ceremonies            I recall thinking that this was just the greatest thing ever.  As I looked for a clip to share on youtube, this proud Calgarian was a little hesitant to share it with everyone.  Take a look at this wonderful video and try not to laugh.  Especially at the 0.21 Second mark at the wonderful singing and dancing solo.  Oh My.




I may be a little cheeky, but the 1988 Games really were a wonderful time.  The whole City pulled together and it was considered one of the most successful Winter Olympics at the time. It is exciting to have the games back in Canada and I will be watching as much as possible.

Go Canada Go!

Happy Weekend! 

Shane

P.S.- Have you entered yet? I am giving away 5 MyParentReward Cards! They are worth $20 each! Be sure to enter my giveaway here: http://bit.ly/aNVCrE 

Monthly Baby Photo Project! Kyron and the Monkey!

I had a great tip by one of my readers ( I lost the email, so I cannot remember who sent it. If if was you, THANK YOU! and please let me know!) that gave me a wonderful idea!  She said that she took a picture of her baby the same time every month with a prop beside the baby, which will allow you to track the baby's changes!  I think this is a wonderful idea and we are going to do this each and every month! 

We have posted the first picture here:


P.S.- Have you entered yet? I am giving away 5 MyParentReward Cards! They are worth $20 each!  Be sure to enter my giveaway here: http://bit.ly/aNVCrE

Shane

My Big Boy Kyron Is One Month Old Today!

  I cannot believe that my son Kyron is one month old already!  I was saying to Becky that this has been the fastest and slowest months of my life, which does not make a lot of literal sense, but it kind of describes how I feel.  We have truly been blessed with a wonderful baby and Mr. Kyron is such a joy ( or as my father in law says "he is a dream baby!") 

The first week and half were a total blur due to the adrenaline of the new adventure and sleep deprivation, so I am glad we took notes everyday and that I had a chance to record some of it on here.  We are now into a pretty good routine around here and Becky has turned into supermom to say the least!  Kyron is now sleeping about 4 hours at night between feeds and is not much of a crier during the day, so our sleep patterns are moving back to normal. 

 My Mon-Ky is now 10lbs, 13oz ( Almost 11lbs!) and growing everyday!  Here are some new pics from today to share with all of you...

Daddy's Sleepwalking Adventures!

Baby's First Smile?

Yesterday was a big day for me!  After a whole bunch of "gas smiles" and "sleep smiles",  Kyron finally gave me a big smile in reaction to my voice!  Twice. Seeing that smile just about made me cry...it really was that amazing.  Mr. Mon-Ky had smiled at Becky this week previously and I was so excited to see it myself.

Some people will say that this was not a real smile and that it is just a "reflex", but I really do not care what it was... I love it! 

I got a shot of a half smile later in the day, which I have posted below.

Giveaway Time! My Parent Rewards Card

I am so excited to share my latest giveaway!  Me and my wife always buy the local paper coupon books every year which have some OK deals in them.  I came across this product and was impressed by the convenience of it.  The folks over at My Parent Rewards.are generously offering FIVE FREE My Parent Rewards Cards from www.MyParentRewards.com.



What is MyParentRewards?
  Normally $20 each, these cards are "everything a coupon book is... but in a CARD!" While I love the coupon books, I also love the idea of having a card small enough to fit in my wallet that does the same thing. It also wastes a lot less paper than the traditional coupon books, because you only print out the coupons that you're actually going to use! Visit MyParentRewards.com and type in your Zip or Postal Code on the front page to see all of the discounts and special offers available in your area! They range from 2-for-1's at Restaurants and Golf Courses, to up to 50% off at Retail Stores, Attractions and more!

A quick scan of my city showed that there are 178 Deals in Calgary alone!  Even better, the card is good all over The USA and Canada, so it can be used when you are travelling also.  Try that with the traditional local coupon books! 
For your chance to win a FREE My Parent Rewards Card, you can do one, two or all three of the following:

Visit www.MyParentRewards.com and then write comment below letting me know how many deals the card offers in your Zip/Postal Code or about your favorite feature of the card. Be sure to include your email address in your comment. ( So I can contact you if you win!)
 
Want some extra entries?

1. Follow Calgarydaddy.com with (Google Friend Connect)

    2. Follow Me on Twitter and Re-Tweet this contest. You can Tweet once/day! ( @calgarydaddy) 
Feel free to use this tweet... 

I have 5 Giftcards to #giveaway from @myparentrewards! Enter on my blog here http://bit.ly/aNVCrE          @calgarydaddy

   3.  Follow Me on Facebook! ( Link on my sidebar)

   4. Subscribe to Calgarydaddy.com via email! ( see sidebar also)

   5.  Add My Button to your site!


Be Sure to leave a message letting me know if you completed any of these for extra entries. Winners will be chosen at random. Open to US and Canadian residents only. Contest closes at 11pm on 02/18/2010.

Good Luck!

 

Kyron's First Love?

  This is just way too cute! 

Kyron's Off To Grandma's House...What Are Mom And Dad Going To Do? ( Wink Wink)

  Yesterday, Kyron got to spend a special afternoon over at his grandma and grandpa's house!  Becky's parents live 5 minutes away from us ( unfortunately my Mom lives in Edmonton, which is 3 hours away or she would probably want to take him every day, lol) which is great for family dinners and visits etc.  Grandma wanted to spend some time with Baby Kyron, so she arranged to take him for the afternoon yesterday, which would allow us some time to do whatever we wanted.  While we welcomed the opportunity, Becky and I were initially at a loss as to what we would do as we have totally planned every trip, car ride and daily event around the baby! 

  Then it dawned on us.... what is something that we have not been able to do together since the late stages of Becky's pregnancy?  ( I am sorry, but I should say during MOST of her pregnancy!) As it is now 3 weeks since Kyron's arrival, we figured it would be ok to do this together as it is natural for married couples that are in love.  Personally, some people say there are more important things to do but I do not particularly agree with any of them.  We are both adults and have NEEDS people. In fact, before Kyron came into our lives we found the time to do this almost daily.  At the very least, it became our Saturday or Sunday afternoon tradition. 

Like a pair of randy schoolkids, we got excited about our plans for the afternoon.  The answer that came out of her mouth was exactly what I wanted to hear!  I got a little *ahem* excited just hearing her say it! 


Sleep. 

( Get you minds out of the gutter people!)  

Yes sleep!  We had these grand plans about dropping Kyron off and having three hours of uninterrupted sleep together.  Wow, things sure change once baby comes!  But once you have a baby in the house your plans usually get altered.....so no sleep for us!  We ended up going to a children's furniture store and buying more stuff for Kyron, followed by a trip to the pub for lunch and then shopping for picture frames. 

Hot Date?  You bet! I got to spend the afternoon with my beautiful wife! 

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Shane

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Calgarydaddy.com uses social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube! We have a growing readership that is targeted to parents in the USA and Canada.


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( Contact Me at albertadad (at) gmail.com for more details.)

Disclosure:

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation, including giveaways to our readers.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. I believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received will not influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content. If we do not like the product being reviewed, we will not do a review on it. We will not do negative reviews however, as we want this site to be a positive source of information.

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Thanks!

Shane