June 27, 2019

How to Make a Build Your Own Caesar Bar



Wedding season is officially upon us! But, before we can celebrate the nuptials, we must first celebrate the bride-to-be with a bachelorette party! And you know the perfect thing for any bachelorette party? A build-it-yourself Caesar bar. You know, to help cure a morning “headache”.

Earlier this month, we spent a relaxing three days at an Airbnb on Lake Simcoe, about an hour north of Toronto. It was the perfect weekend to relax on the dock, with a cocktail (or two) in hand, while celebrating my soon to be sister-in-law.

"have no fear, caesars are here" letter board and build it yourself caesar bar

First off, for those of you reading from outside Canada, Caesars are NOT the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary. Yes, there are similarities, but in my opinion (and the opinion of many other Canadians), they are So. Much. Better.

As the story goes, the Caesar was invented in 1969 by restaurant manager Walter Chell in Calgary, Alberta. He devised the cocktail after being tasked to create a signature drink for the Calgary Inn's new Italian restaurant. The Caesar typically contains vodka, tomato clam cocktail mix, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, spices, served over ice and traditionally garnished with a celery salt rimmed glass, a stalk of celery and wedge of lime. However, over the years it has taken on many different adaptations, including extravagant garnishes such as shrimp skewers, meat sticks, lobster tails, etc. 

"have no fear, caesars are here" letter board and build it yourself caesar bar

As one of the moms of the group, I was up bright and early to make coffee each morning, even after a much later than normal night. This gave me the perfect opportunity to set up the Caesar bar on the kitchen counter for all the girls to see as they made their way down the stairs in the morning.

While there are some decent Caesar mixes on the market, creating your own guarantees a fresh and flavourful mix. And, if you don’t want to create your own, I recommend Walter Craft Caesar Mix - the Classic Spice includes added grated horseradish, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a few select spices, sea salt and cracked black pepper. The clam juice used in Walter is also Ocean Wise recommended, which means it comes from sustainably-harvested clams. 

build it yourself caesar bar ingredients

Here is what we had at our build it yourself Caesar bar. 

Build It Yourself Caesar Bar

Ingredients You’ll Need:

  • Vodka
  • Clamato juice
  • Caesar rimmer
  • Limes
  • Ice
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Horseradish
  • Hot sauce
  • Pickles
  • Pickle juice
  • Olives
  • Meat sticks
  • Celery

Other Supplies You’ll Need:

  • Letterboard
  • Pitcher
  • Glassware 
  • Napkins
  • Spoons
  • Forks
  • Skewers
  • Plates 
  • Bowls
  • Paper straws

Let the guests get creative, and enjoy!

"have no fear, caesars are here" letterboard

Looking for another fun cocktail for an upcoming bridal shower or bachelorette party? Check out this love-themed vodka cocktail. 

Are you a fan of Caesars? Is there anything else you would add to this build-your-own bar? I’d love to hear!



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"have no fear, caesars are here" letter board and build it yourself caesar bar

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June 14, 2019

Six-Month Endy Mattress Review, From the Mom of Two Terrible Sleepers


It’s been 6 months with our new Canadian-made mattress friend, Endy. And like I promised on my IG stories when we got the mattress back in January, I am going to share my honest 6-month review.


making the bed with toddler and baby on Endy mattress

Since moving into our new house in May 2018, sleep was never really in the cards for me.


We had a toddler that had just recently moved into a big girl bed AND her own room, I was 7 months pregnant at the time and getting more uncomfortable by the day and my husband, well, he had gotten himself caught in the middle of two terrible sleepers (my toddler and I). Or, I guess technically in relation to our queen sized bed, on the outside of two terrible sleepers.


Like I said, sleep was not really great.


toddler on Endy mattress


Fast forward to August, when little sister came into the picture. Instead of three of us in the bed, we went from three in the bed and one in the bassinet - four of us sharing one small bedroom. In a two bedroom condo. It wasn’t working. We knew something had to give.


I had gone from being pushed out of bed by my horizontal sleeping toddler to waking every few hours to feed the baby AND having my spot in bed taken by my oldest when I got back. Safe to say, my sleep had only gotten worse.


baby on Endy mattress


We had been talking about buying a new mattress for some time, but with recently taking on a mortgage, financially it wasn’t really an option.


When Endy reached out asking if we’d like to join the Endy Partner Family and try their Canadian-made and manufactured mattress, customizable pillows and sheet set, I knew this was our chance to start taking our sleep more seriously.


Endy is revolutionizing the way Canadians sleep with its ridiculously comfortable, supportive and Canadian-made mattress. Since launching in 2015, they have become one of Canada’s direct-to-consumer mattress market leaders, and continue to thrive as one of the country’s fastest growing eCommerce companies.


You’ve probably seen their ads all over social media, public transportation and maybe even on TV, BUT what are their mattresses really like? Are the pillows and sheets really worth it?


toddler and baby on be with Endy pillows


Well, this mama is here to tell you with our HONEST 6-Month Endy Mattress, Pillow and Sheet Set Review.



I often get the question, “Do you really like it?”. And to be honest, I get that about quite a few of the products I chose to share on my blog. As I say over and over, I only work with those brands that I know, trust and love. If I don’t like it, you’ll know about it. My honesty is all over this blog of mine and this review is no exception. The opinions shared in this post are 100% those of my husband and myself after trying the Endy Mattress from January to June.


Before you dive into our 6-month review, be sure to check out our first impressions here.


Our Honest 6-Month Endy Mattress Review



The Pros

  • It is made right here in Canada. That, I can support.
  • It is delivered right to your door, absolutely FREE. If you don’t own a car, this is key!
  • It comes tightly packaged in a box, saving space in your home while you wait to set it up (or remove your old mattress).
  • As an added bonus, the Endy box makes the perfect toddler “play house”.
  • The set up itself is impressively easy. You take it out the box, lay it on your box spring, remove the plastic covering and voila - within minutes your mattress is ready to be tested!
  • The Endy Pillows are incredible, and depending on what type of sleeper you are, you can even customize them by removing or adding some of the foam. They are also hypoallergenic and come with a 60-night risk-free trial and a 3 year manufacturer warranty in case something goes wrong.
  • The Endy Sheets are 480 thread count, 100% sateen weave cotton and feel like hotel sheets. They also come with a 60-night risk-free trial and are also protected by a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
  • The mattress has very little motion transfer. (I’m sure my husband appreciates this as I toss and turn trying to fall back to sleep after what feels like the fifteen hundredth night feed.)
  • Their return policy. If you don’t like it, you can return it within 100 nights. No questions asked. (I honestly don’t know who would though.) Also to note, Endy works with 124 local charity partners across the country to pick up and donate your mattress if it doesn’t make it past the 100 Night Trial.


The (Not So “Conny”) Cons

  • While the Endy Mattress is packaged in a box for easy transport, the box is pretty heavy. You may need assistance to move it to its final resting spot.
  • When we first opened the mattress, it did have a bit of a chemically smell, but that dissipated fairly quickly.
  • It does take a few nights getting used to. Definitely not a bad thing considering what we were feeling was the support our old mattress lacked.
  • Starting at $675 for a Twin, it is a bit on the pricier side if you’re on a budget. BUT then again, what is a better night’s sleep and your overall health worth to you?
  • Our biggest dislike we have about the mattress is that we didn’t get a bigger size. And that’s the truth. Our family (girls included) love it so much that we should have gotten a bigger size to fit all 4 of us! 


Conclusion

I know what you’re probably thinking - “They got it for free. If they had to spend the money on an Endy, would they?”. Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes, we did get this sleep set in exchange for an honest review, BUT if we had to do it all over again, we absolutely would still choose Endy. In our honest opinion, it is worth every single penny. Your sleep and well being is worth every single penny.


The Endy Mattress is incredibly comfortable, providing support in all the right places. I wake up feeling refreshed - no kinks in my neck, no sore back, nothing but refreshed. Well, refreshed as a mom of a 3 year old and a 10 month old can feel…


toddler and baby with Endy mattress


Do you own an Endy Mattress? Let me know your experience in the comments below. If you’re thinking of buying one, feel free to ask me any questions you have. Also be sure to take advantage of my coupon code below.


Are you looking for a better night’s sleep? Use code TOANDFRO50 for $50 OFF your Endy Mattress.





*Disclosure: I received an Endy sleep set in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% that of To & Fro.

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June 12, 2019

Our Sleep Story: How We Got Our Kids to Go to Sleep - and Stay Asleep - in the Same Room



A few weeks ago, I posted a story on Instagram of the girls playing in their bedroom. From that story, I got quite a few questions - specifically if they share a room, and how we make it work. 

So, whether you are just curious OR are in similar situation, living in a small space with kids sharing a room, read on to learn about our sleep story.

How We Get Got Our Kids to Go to Sleep - and Stay Asleep - in the Same Room

First, let me go back to the very beginning when our oldest daughter Morley was born. We were living in a one bedroom apartment, and from day one we all shared a room. From day one, she was also a very good sleeper. By the time she could walk, she was literally putting herself to bed - she would walk to the bedroom and wait until someone lifted her into her crib. Yes, DREAM sleeper. 

Morley was just over two years old when we moved into our current 750 square foot, 2 bedroom condo. She went from having us in the same room to having her own room and sleeping in a big girl bed, in a brand new place. We honestly thought it would be a nightmare. BUT, again, dream sleeper. 


How We Get Got Our Kids to Go to Sleep - and Stay Asleep - in the Same Room

Then all of two point five seconds passed and little sister Berkley was born. 

For the first few months, Berkley was in the bassinet in our bedroom. But big sister wasn’t ok with that, and ended up in our bed too. 

I know what you’re thinking - why didn’t I just put Morley back in her own bed? Well, unlike Morley, Berkley wasn’t a good sleeper. The little energy I had from waking every few hours I wasn’t willing to spend on fighting with a toddler in the middle of the night. I needed my sleep, and that came at the cost of sharing our bed with someone who loves to sleep horizontally. 

Those first few months flew by and Berkley moved into her crib in the room they now share. We immediately did a happy dance, thinking it meant we’d have our room back. Wrong! Morley stayed in our bed. Berkley was still a terrible sleeper, waking too many times a night to count. And so her fussing, and me going in and out throughout the night, didn’t wake Morley (again, not willing to fight with a toddler int he middle of the night), we let her stay in our bed. 

Most nights I would be playing musical beds - I’d start in my bed, go to feed Berkley and come back to find my side of the bed completely taken over. As a result, I’d either end up on the couch or in Morley’s bed. I know that sounds awful, but it really wasn’t - it meant I got to sleep. Without fear of being hoofed in the head.

But eventually, that got old. It was time we got our bed back. We knew we needed to find a routine that worked, and commit to it. 


How We Get Got Our Kids to Go to Sleep - and Stay Asleep - in the Same Room

Before we could establish this routine, we had to deal with a few challenges that come with living in a small space, and with the girls sharing a room.  

First off, being 2 1/2 years apart, the girls have different sleep needs and habits. It’s not as simple as putting them down at the same time, and walking away. If one is sleeping, the other will fuss. It’s a vicious cycle of waking each other up. (Just one of the reasons we decided sleep training was not an option.) Reading them stories at the same time also doesn’t work. Morley can easily relax through two books, while Berkley is not able to sit still. 

The noise is also an issue. Our small space is anything but quiet. While the girls take care of the noise during the day, we also try to keep a certain noise level during bedtime so that they learn to fall asleep with it. Besides the soothing, this is one of the reasons we play “sleepy time music” at bedtime. We also have a white noise machine, and try to keep the TV at a certain level before dad and I go to bed for the night.

And then there was the issue of the second bedroom itself. Condos are a funny thing - in order to call a room a bedroom, it must receive natural light. The workaround? To create a glass wall, with a glass sliding door. No privacy, and all light all the time. Our solution was to frost the glass. It may not keep the light out, but it does prevent them from seeing us out in the kitchen and living room, and keep their severe FOMO at bay.


How We Get Got Our Kids to Go to Sleep - and Stay Asleep - in the Same Room

And so, ten months later, we’re currently working with this…

Our bedtime routine typically starts around 7:30pm. After bath and snack, dad will read Morley her two books (of her choosing) while I nurse Berkley out in the living room. Once I hear the sleepy time music start, and Berkley is drowsy enough (but not completely out), I put her in her crib. We both leave the room and let the sleep time music do the rest. If all goes well, both girls are down by 9:00pm. On a good night, they both stay asleep the entire night. There are, of course, variations of this schedule - teething, sick kiddos, visiting family, etc. Yes, it may not be perfect, and is a constant work in progress, but it’s what works for us and our current situation.

For us, maintaining this routine also means having items of comfort nearby. When it comes to bedtime favourites, they’ve both been very different. White noise, sleep sac, soother, books, headlamp, stuffy, glass of water and bottle - are just a few of the items they both enjoy to help them sleep. 

Some of mom and dad’s favourites? 

Philips Avent Natural Bottles - These BPA-free bottles have an ergonomic shape for maximum comfort, making them easy to hold and grip in any direction. The ultra soft nipple more closely resembles the breast, making an easier transition from breast to bottle.

Philips Avent Anti-Colic Bottles with Airfree Vent - These bottles are designed to reduce colic, gas and reflux. The shape of the nipple allows a secure latch and stays full even when the bottle is horizontal, allowing baby to drink in an upright position so that they swallow less air as they drink.

Philips Avent Soothie Snuggle - The same great Soothie that many families and medical professionals know and trust, but with a soft, lightweight snuggly toy to help make babies feel secure.


How We Get Got Our Kids to Go to Sleep - and Stay Asleep - in the Same Room

And so, that’s where we’re at in a nutshell. Like I said, not ideal, but we’re working with what we’ve got. And I’m happy to report that I can finally start using multiple hands to count the number of nights I’ve actually slept through the night and have not been woken up by a bed-hopping toddler or fussy baby. Snoring husband is a whole other story though…

What’s your sleep story? What does your kids’ routine look like? What works for them? I’d love to hear!

You can find more about our parenting adventures, and our favourite Philips Avent products, here:




*Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with Philips Avent. I received products and/or compensation in exchange for this post. All opinions and advice shares are 100% that of To & Fro.

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Our Sleep Story: How We Got Our Kids to Go to Sleep - and Stay Asleep - in the Same Room

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