Popped!

Unlike most chips, popchips aren’t baked or fried. Instead, they’re made by taking potatoes and adding a little bit of heat and pressure. Like popcorn, they pop into something crunchy and tasty. Because they use popping, they’re flavourful (unlike baked chips), but they still contain less than half the fat of fried chips. Plus, they popchips come in six flavours, including original, BBQ, sour cream and onion, sea salt and vinegar, cheddar, and salt and pepper. You can find them at local Vancouver retailers like Urban Fare, Whole Foods, Shoppers Drug Mart, Safeway, and many others. They don’t contain trans fats, cholesterol, or fake colours and flavours.

If you need some convincing, popchips are endorsed by the supremely-sculpted wellness expert Jillian Michaels. She says that when they’re making resolutions, many people go into ‘feast or famine’ mode, and take on drastic diets that are not sustainable. When we’re focusing on our wellness, it’s better to make small changes to your diet that are easy to keep up. That’s why she recommends substituting fattier snack foods with lower-calorie options like popchips. Our giveaway can help you do just that!

PopChips Giveaway

Are you ready for some serious snacking? We hope so, because here’s what’s up for grabs in this giveaway worth $350:

• A one-year supply of popchips
• A printed copy of the Jillian Michaels’ Health Tips poster
• Some Jillian Michaels swag

Sound good? Read on to find out how you can enter this giveaway.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:

Subscribe to our mail list using the form below:

Additional Entry (optional):

• Like popchips on Facebook and post a comment on their wall saying you’re entering to win a popchips prize from VancouverMom.ca.

Contest Rules for the PopChips Giveaway

• Contest runs until January 29, 2012 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be selected and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be selected.

Good luck!

Giveaway: Experience Wellness

Soma is generously offering one VancouverMom.ca reader a one-hour massage! The prize is valued at $100, and it’s the perfect way to restore your balance and get 2012 off to the right start. So how do you enter? Read on for all the details on this fabulous (and relaxing) giveaway.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:

The contest is now closed.

Additional Entry (optional):

Subscribe to our mail list using the form below:

Contest Rules for the Soma Studio Giveaway

• Contest runs until January 22, 2012 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be selected by Soma Studio and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be selected.

Good luck!

Soma Studio

www.somastudio.net | Twitter | Facebook

Suite 303 – 1529 West 6th, Vancouver

What do do in Vancouver? See a Play!

Brilliant? Absurd? A lot of meaningless nonsense? Blackbird Theatre presents that play. It’s Samuel Beckett’s harrowing, funny, and deeply human masterpiece Waiting for Godot, directed by John Wright. Blackbird Theatre is Vancouver’s award-winning and celebrated interpreter of classical theatre. It’s bringing to life a seminal work of the 20th century where nothing happens…twice.

Catch Waiting for Godot in Vancouver

Waiting for Godot runs from December 27, 2011 to January 21, 2012 at The Cultch in East Vancouver. Here’s what others had to say about Blackbird Theatre, and the play:

“Blackbird Theatre has turned everything it’s done so far into gold and… there’s no end in sight.” – The Vancouver Courier

“It’s harrowing, it’s funny, it’s human: go and see it, and laugh till you cry.” – Charles Spencer, Time Out (London) 2010

Giveaway: Tickets to the Play

If you’re wondering what to do in Vancouver on kid-free evening out, this may just be the play for you. Waiting for Godot offers a grown-up night of theatre, perfect for a date night or an evening with a good friend. And Blackbird Theatre is teaming up with VancouverMom.ca with a giveaway for a pair of tickets. One lucky reader will enjoy an evening of grown-up entertainment valued at $80!

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:
Fill out the form below, being sure to answer our trivia question:
[contact-form-7]

Additional Entry (optional):

Subscribe to our mail list using the form below:

Contest Rules for the Blackbird Theatre Giveaway

• Contest runs until December 26, 2011 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be randomly selected from those with a correct answer and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be randomly selected from the list.

Good luck!

Goh Ballet’s celebrated production of The Nutcracker is filled with imagination and something for everyone. You’ll be enchanted whether you’re seeing dance for the first time, or you’re a seasoned aficionado. Award-winning dancers, gymnasts, ballroom couples and even an illusionist bring the ballet to life. All of this provides an unforgettable live performance experience that has truly become Vancouver’s own holiday tradition. If you’re wondering what to do in Vancouver this holiday season, this event is worth checking out – and we’re pleased to be offering a giveaway!

The Nutcracker runs from December 15 to 18, 2011 at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts. Get ready for tutus and sugar plums.

Giveaway: Tickets to The Nutcracker

Goh Ballet and VancouverMom.ca are joining forces to give your family the ultimate holiday experience. We’re giving away four tickets to The Nutcracker, valued at $190. Collect the kids, and prepare to experience the magic of this classic holiday ballet. Are you ready to enter? Good, because we’re about to tell you how to take part.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:
Please enter your name in the form below:

Additional Entries (optional):

1. Comment on this post on the VancouverMom.ca Facebook page, and share your tips for what to do in Vancouver to celebrate the holidays.
2. Comment on this article on the VancouverMom.ca web site.

Contest Rules for the Nutcracker Giveaway

• Contest runs until December 12, 2011 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be randomly selected and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be randomly selected from the list.

Good luck!

At the beginning of November we announced the Vancouver Mom Makeover Giveaway. It was a big one! Thanks to sponsors Fine Finds Boutique, Dee Kane of LURE Salon, Luxe Beauty Lounge, Mika Makeup, Tamarind Consulting and Yummy Mummy Makeovers, we had a prize package worth over $1300. We received over 130 entries, and we reviewed them all. Let me tell you, there are some very deserving moms out there. We truly wish we could give each and every one of you a makeover. But we had to choose just one winner, and today we’re thrilled to be able to congratulate Tina Bacon!

Makeover Winner Tina Bacon

Here’s what Tina had to say about herself in her contest entry:

I’m a wife, mom and small business owner. I’m a 40-year-old happy, easy-going kind of gal. I have a super supportive husband, identical twin daughters who are nine and a son who is four. I had breast cancer in 2006/2007 while I was pregnant with our third child. Thanks to amazing support from friends and family we made it through and I have just six months of medication left.

Next year is a year of milestones. It will be five years since I was diagnosed with cancer. It will also be our 20th wedding anniversary. For our 10th anniversary I was in BC Women’a awaiting the birth of our twins and for our 15th I was recovering from cancer treatment so for this one I’m hoping we can celebrate! I’d like to win this makeover [because] I really have no idea how to dress myself. My weight has not returned to pre-pregnancy and having had a mastectomy I only have half a cleavage. This makes things even trickier. I would love help!

You Never Expect to Win

When we asked Tina how it felt to win, she said, “I am so excited! When you send in an entry you don’t really expect to hear back so when I was contacted with the news it was so unexpected and so wonderful. I always envy the ladies who get to be on What Not To Wear and now I get to have my very own style experience. As a mom, a wife and a small business owner it gives me great relief to know that soon I will have the knowledge and tools to present myself confidently.”

The Pink Spatula

Tina’s business is called The Pink Spatula. It’s a dessert company born out of Tina’s life-long passion for baking. Her specialties are coffee house style sweets and handcrafted marshmallows. Her sweets make people smile and they taste the difference that passion makes. We’re glad to be making her smile, too. If you want to sample some of Tina’s treats (we certainly do), you can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

We’ll be catching up with Tina again, to hear about her makeover experience. We’d like to congratulate her again, and thank everyone who entered. Your entries made us laugh and cry, and really touched us. Each and every one of you deserves some pampering, and we hope you find a way to get some this holiday season.

Summer’s never over at 6Pack Indoor Beach. It’s Vancouver’s only indoor beach, in an 18,000 square foot facility with 700 tonnes of the softest sand in the city. There’s perfect beach weather year-round for beach volleyball, beach soccer, sports days or sandcastle building. They invite you to come celebrate a day at the beach for your next birthday or event, and they’re pleased to be offering a party giveaway to two lucky readers!

Giveaway: 6Pack Beach Birthday Package

6Pack Beach and VancouverMom.ca are joining forces to throw your child the ultimate beach party. Two birthday packages for children under 14 years old are up for grabs. Here are all the prize details:

• First prize – Two beach courts for two hours, plus four large pizzas and two 2-liter bottles of pop for up to 24 kids. Total value: $336
• Second prize – One beach court for two hours, plus two large pizzas and one 2-liter bottle of pop for up to 12 kids. Total value: $168

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:
Please enter your name in the form below:

Additional Entries (optional):

1. Like 6Pack Beach on Facebook.
2. Comment on the VancouverMom.ca Facebook page, and tell us about your favourite beach activitiy.

Contest Rules for the 6Pack Beach Giveaway

• Contest runs until November 28, 2011 at 11:59 pm.
• Winners will be randomly selected and contacted by email. If a winner doesn’t claim their prize, then another name will be randomly selected from the list.

Good luck!

6Pack Indoor Beach

6packbeach.com | Twitter | Facebook

Your kids are your top priority, each and every day. You make sure they’re cared for, inside and out, in big ways and little ways. Most of all, you make sure they feel loved. For all you do, you deserve to love the way you look and feel, too. So enter the Vancouver Mom Makeover Contest and you could win a makeover package valued at over $1300! The winner will receive serious pampering from some great local businesses.

Makeover Details

Have we got your attention? Good, because we’re about to spill all the details on this fabulous prize. Here’s what the lucky winner will receive:

A gift card from Fine Finds Boutique, a destination boutique voted “Best Gift Shop in Vancouver” five years in a row. They carry women’s clothing, handbags, footwear, jewelry, baby gifts and toys … do you need any more reasons to go for a visit? You’ll be able to pick out some new clothing or a fabulous handbag. Valued at $100. A hair assessment, as well as a haircut and colour work from Dee Kane of LURE Salon. Dee has many years of experience, and her creativity and originality reflect that. Her natural ease and confidence make her a great stylist. Valued at $275. A Decadent Chocolate Treat-Mint Pedicure from Luxe Beauty Lounge. Luxe is a boutique spa that provides services in an intimate, luxurious yet fun setting, with little extras you may not be used to. If you need a little luxury – and what mom doesn’t? – you need to experience Luxe. Valued at $60. Makeup application and one hour makeup workshop from Mika Makeup, a one-of-a-kind makeup studio. You’ll also receive some fabulous products, including nail polish, lip glaze, luxury lotion and cosmetic sanitizer mist. Valued at over $175. A one-to-one personality assessment and consultation to help you identify and understand your personal style in a variety of situations, from Sigrid Tarampi of Tamarind Consulting. Learn about your natural preferences in how you get energized, take in information, make decisions and organize your life. A career practitioner with over 12 years experience, Sigrid brings an inspiring, down-to-earth approach to working with clients and group, helping clients gain clarity of their unique skills, values and personality style. Valued at $175. A personal style consultation, including two hours of personal shopping, from Yummy Mummy Makeovers. Yummy Mummy Makeovers offers fabulous Style Parties and personal style sessions just for moms. They are the answer to overcoming closet meltdowns and learning to love your post baby bod. Valued at $599.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, you’ll also receive a photo session with Georgia Esporlas Photography, to document your fabulous transformation. And we promise, after all the pampering you’ll be receiving, you’ll definitely be photo-ready!

The winner must be available to attend sessions throughout Metro Vancouver during November and December. VancouverMom.ca may also publish images and articles about the winner’s experience.

How to Enter

This contest is now closed. But check back again next year, when we are making plans to run it again.

Giveaway Rules and Information

1. Contest closes at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2011.
2. Open only to residents of Canada who can attend sessions in Metro Vancouver in November and December, 2011.
3. When you enter, you will be asked to tell us why you need a makeover. Our panel of judges will choose one winner, and their decision is final.
4. By entering, your information will also be shared with our sponsors. We respect your privacy and will not share or sell your email address with anyone other than the companies listed above.
5. The winner’s before and after photos will be published on VancouverMom.ca.

This year’s market runs from November 9-13, 2011 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Tickets are available online, and you’ll save $2 off the price at the door, so buy yours in advance if you can. Or, if you’re one lucky person, you’ll win a pair of tickets to this amazing craft show.

Win Tickets to the Craft Show

VancouverMom.ca and Circle Craft Christmas Market are giving away one pair of tickets to one lucky reader. This is a great chance to kick off your holiday shopping, and find some truly unique items for everyone on your list. This contest is running for one week only, so you’ll want to enter while you can!

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:
Please enter your name in the form below:

Additional Entries (optional):

1. Comment on this post on the VancouverMom.ca Facebook page.
2. Comment on this article on the VancouverMom.ca web site.

Contest Rules

• Contest runs until November 6, 2011 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be randomly selected and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be randomly selected from the list.

Good luck!

Circle Craft Christmas Market

www.circlecraft.net | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway: Fluf Prize Package

One Fluf prize package is up for grabs, which includes a backpack, a lunchbag and a set of two snack packs. Fluf backpacks are currently undergoing a re-design, and they will be back with extra features in early 2012 – so this prize pack includes something not available anywhere else! The total value of the prize pack is $65. They’ve chosen the designs for you – and they may or may not be the same as the ones pictured in this post – but we can promise you that they’re super-cute.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:
Please enter your name in the form below:

Additional Entries (optional):

1. Comment on the VancouverMom.ca Facebook page, and tell us your favourite Fluf style.
2. Comment on the Raspberry Kids Facebook page, and mention this contest.

Contest Rules for the Fluf Giveaway

• Contest runs until October 31, 2011 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be randomly selected and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be randomly selected from the list.

Good luck!

Giveaway: Ultimate Baby Planning Package!

Busy Bump Maternity Services is giving one lucky VancouverMom.ca reader the Ultimate Baby Planning Package as well as a gift basket full goodies for any mom-to-be! The Ultimate Baby Planning Package includes a combination of the company’s most popular services, and is valued at over $500. For more information on Busy Bump, visit their website at www.busybump.com.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:
Please enter your name in the form below:

Additional ways to enter (optional):

1. Comment on this post on the VancouverMom.ca Facebook page.
2. Comment on this article on the VancouverMom.ca web site.

Contest Rules for Busy Bump’s Giveaway

• Contest runs until October 17, 2011 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be randomly selected and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be randomly selected from the list.

Good luck!