Chris Mann

Sometimes it can be a rare occurrence for a potential artist to touch two major recording artists at once. Chris Mann was able to do so.

He was a finalist on NBC’s “The Voice,” and got the attention of both Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo, and scored two songs on the iTunes Top 10 Singles Chart when the series ended.

He released his Christmas EP on October 9th and his full length debut album this passed October 30th, and I got a chance to listen to it. Wow. He said early on that he was influenced by such artists as Pavarotti, Robbie Williams and Sinatra, and with his smooth voice, he takes a fresh turn remaking songs we all know into his own version. He does an amazing job.

With songs including: “I Need You Now”, “Always On My Mind” and “Ave Maria” he even does a duet with Aguilera called “The Blowers Daughter” and does an amazing job with amazing range.

I know once you have listened to the album “Roads”, you will not be disappointed.

You can pick up his album by download on iTunes and Amazon.com.

 This is a review post from One2One Network. I was provided with a copy of the album and I am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated are my own.

Ivivvva Clothing — Pop Up store now at Bayshore until January!

After getting an email from Bayshore Shopping Center in Ottawa’s west-end, I had to check out the new store that has just opened up.

Ivivva Clothing is not the “little sister” to Lululemon, but instead it is the go-to place for girls. Girls who are too small to fit into other brands of sporting outfits (whether for Skating, Dancing, Athletics, or “just because”).

They fit for their bodies (minus the curves that most girls have not completely developed yet. And should their “shape” change? Ivivva offers the same service that Lulu does — they hem, mend and size clothing! Did you grow an inch? Not a problem!

The fun thing about these clothes are the “perks” that are designed with some of them. The hoodie with the hole in the back for your ponytail to poke through. The coats/hoodies with the inserts in the sleeve for you to keep your hands warm. The colors available also add to the cuteness to these items!

Another great feature in the store is the calendar. They plan in the coming week or two to have in store events for your girls, whether it be a yoga class (on weekend mornings), dance class, design events (where you can help design future clothes!).

Hours are the normal “store hours”, but make sure to check it out soon! Store closes in January.

Happy shopping!

Warning to bullies from a former bullied kid #nomorebullies

After hearing all the stories in the news about young women committing suicide after being bullied for weeks/months/years, I had to sit back and ponder.. I was bullied. I was bullied for years. 

I had a childhood that was normal. I had a normal upbringing with my parents (now married for over 35 years). I moved around a lot, why? My dad was transferred with his job a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I loved moving around – to see the things I’ve seen. From Toronto to Regina to California then here. 

One problem. I have never had a long term friend that’s lasted since childhood. I have reconnected with old friends, and people I knew in school on Facebook (though most of them are pretty ignorant, or play ignorant, as though they had no idea it was that bad for me). But I moved around every couple of years until I settled in Ottawa for the last 25 years. Every time I moved to a new place I was ridiculed about my hair color (red), about my height (I was generally the tallest girl in my classes), where I lived prior (“you’re not as hot as California girls, because California girls are actually good looking..”), the fact I wouldn’t conform to the cliques, and my body shape, etc. I hated growing up. 

How bad did it get? Bad. Am I over reacting? No.

I was chased home by two girls wielding hockey sticks. I was crank called nightly. I was shoved into lockers. I had stuff written on my locker. I didn’t have a boyfriend until I was 17, did it last long? Well lets just say I feel like I was used.

Bullying is something that never seems to go away. Girls (and boys — such as Jaime Hubley) alike go to school every day and have to deal with other kids who feel this need, due to their insecurities, to be cruel, rude and vicious with others. It is WRONG. I fail to understand how it’s gotten to the point that kids feel the need to “fix” their life by committing suicide. With how much I was tormented, it NEVER came to that point where I felt as though I needed to end my life. But, it seems, that life has gotten crueler and kids have turned into bigger bullies. Yet another example that parents who were probably bullies have had their own kids who are probably growing up thinking that it’s okay to be mean. Wrong. So wrong.

Why do parents turn a blind eye to their kids behavior? Why do parents of problem children think it is okay for their kids to be this way? 

As a former kid was who bullied my answer may not be an isolated response. If the parent was cruel and insensitive to other kids, then chances are they will raise a kid who is just as rude, if not ruder.

I can still name every bully I ever had. Some I have confronted. Others? I wish harm to come to them and their children to be honest – especially if their kids are bullies themselves. On the other hand if their kids ended up bullied, they will probably end up playing the “my poor kid” card.

One thing for sure. I am not standing by if my son comes home in tears because of one of you “bullies” out there. (And in some cases, some of these former bullies are still bullies — to their employees in some cases.)

New possibilities ! VITAMINS!

A little while ago I came across these amazing vitamins. And let me tell you, I’d rather have tasty vitamins rather than the ones out there that have caused me heartburn!

Adult Essentials! In the coming weeks I will be blogging about them.. there is also Iron Kids (same company), which my son LOVES!

In the meantime, Deb Lowther, from ADULT GUMMIES, will be sending me her most recent articles for your enjoyment and knowledge. Her most recent one, below.

Until next time…  🙂

Are We Raising Unhealthy Kids? How Parents Can Turn this Trend Around — Deb Lowther

CONTRIBUTED BY: Deborah Lowther
Social Media Customer Connections
Visit us online at http://www.iron-kids.com
Facebook at IronKids.Health
Twitter @KidsGummyMum
Our newest products Adult Essentials Gummy Vitamins for Adults!! http://www.adultgummies.com Facebook at AdultEssentials
Twitter @AdultEssentials


We hear it on the news and read about it in the newspaper, the obesity rate in kids is growing, leaving them at risk for serious health problems now and as adults. As parents, it raises a lot of concerns. How can we turn this alarming trend around? How do we raise healthy kids? It’s proven that parents who are committed to their own healthy, active lifestyle raise healthy, active kids. Our own family participates in multiple sports – from my husband who swims and cycles to myself who runs and goes to the gym to our kids who dance, ski and do triathlons. It’s an integral part of our lifestyle as a family.
So what’s the difference between our family and all these other families whose kids are at risk? What are we doing differently than other families? The difference is commitment and effort. . . . from the parents.

Commitment to Staying Active

It takes a commitment to staying active, and effort to teach kids to ride bikes, play hockey, swim, do gymnastics. It takes effort to make the time for them to play or practice, to drive them, to organize games, to get outdoors with them and have active play dates. It also takes parents modeling an active lifestyle.

Parents need to plan active family time, not just family time. Go for a skate, a bike ride, a jog, a hike as a family. Be active yourself. Active parents have a better chance of raising active kids and active families are healthy families.

Commitment to Healthier Foods

It’s about more than just taking vitamins, it takes a commitment to eating healthy and an effort to make your kids healthy snacks. Starting with stocking the fridge with healthy fruits and passing up the convenient processed foods at the grocery store. I know we are all busy and it’s so tempting when it’s right there to just skip the effort this one time. It takes two second to purchase the pre-made cereal and marshmallow snacks at the store and 10 minutes to make them at home. Is the extra 8 minutes worth your kids eating the artificial chemicals and dyes found in most of these packaged snacks?

It’s one thing to see all these brightly coloured convenient snacks with familiar cartoon characters begging children’s attention on grocery store shelves, its another to see a child after child with a lunch box completely full of processed food. Today, kids are going to school with lunches made entirely of prepackaged convenience foods. Too often their lunches consist of a cello bag of chips, a plastic tube of yogurt, a packaged soft cookies, a wrapped tray of meat, cheese and crackers and a can of soda. Most of these children are too young to have packed that lunch on their own or to be responsible for making their own healthy choices. As parents it takes our commitment to not buy so many packaged foods and to take the time every couple of weeks to make healthy snack choices that can be stored in the freezer and popped in lunch boxes on school mornings. Parents have the opportunity to teach their children about healthy food choices and healthy activity choices. Show your kids that exercise, staying active, eating fruits, vegetables and homemade foods is a commitment to a healthy lifestyle that your family is willing to make. We have so much opportunity to teach them healthy habits that will last a lifetime. As parents, we certainly do influence what our children eat and how they stay active when they are young. Are you raising healthy kids?

BIO: Deb Lowther is a mother of 3 young daughters who, when not running after the kids, is running in the trails! She blogs about Raising Healthy Kids and ensures her own have fun while eating healthy & staying active. You can visit her websites to learn more http://www.iron-kids.com & http://www.adultgummies.com “>

#SCCTO — Home from the Shes Connected Conference in Toronto!

… Exhausted from a rich learning experience. Though if you ask me?, the first day wasn’t nearly as enriching as the second day. The same weekend was Blissdom in Toronto. And the womens conference.. mmm firefighters..

The photo above is thanks to Lyne Proulx from The Ottawa Mommy Club . In this picture is also my new friend (and roommate on the weekend, Sandy Allen from http://zwap.com/ .

What a fun weekend! And what a ton of information given to us! My mind is, though tired, already racing with what I need and want to do now with this site!

October’s been a wild ride!

With all the blogs that I have done in the last few months for WHAT’S HOT HOT MOMMY at The Ottawa Mommy Club’s website, I’ve got to say how much fun it is..

Between interviewing CTV’s Kimothy Walker to MAJIC 100’s Connie B I have also been able to try out the neatest products. Including:  George’s Cream, Nip+Fab’s amazing line out of Europe (available at Shoppers Drug Mart), and upcoming blogs on Palmers, Adult Essentials Gummy Vitamins, and many others!

On top of this, the parents house is sold (they move next month — STILL not happy about that!), my son’s been sick for the last 2 weeks, and been overworked and underpaid..

Off to #SCCTO ! (Shes Connected 2012 in Toronto)

Where have I been? Well…

A few months ago I came across this awesome local blog called The Ottawa Mommy Club.

http://www.ottawamommyclub.ca

They were more than willing to actually go the extra mile and take a chance on things I had to say (unlike other blogs I wrote for where they were completely unavailable to talk to, meet up with..besides the fact that I felt inferior).. and so the re-obsession to writing began again! I felt invigorated and like what I had to say MEANT something again.

On the site my blog is entitled: What’s HOT Hot Mommy

I cover; product reviews, I interview local “celebrity” mommy’s, musicians.. next I will be covering; vitamins, the Nip+Fab skincare line, and a few other surprises up my sleeves!

…Until then…