Days Inn- Calgary Northwest

If you are ever in Calgary and looking for a nice and affordable place to stay, check out the newly renovated Days Inn Calgary Northwest, hotel. It is situated right off the Trans Canada Highway so it makes commuting very easy, plus you can check out the sights and sounds at the Olympic Park which is just minutes away.

The Days Inn features a continental breakfast (featuring freshly brewed coffee, tea, juice, fruit, cereal, assorted bagels, muffins and more) which is always wonderful while travelling, as it saves you a bit of time and a little bit of money.

There is also free WiFi in the hotel which is great if you want to stay connected with your business, friends and loved ones. Some additional freebies include free parking, which is great if you arrive in your own car, or simply want to rent one for the duration of your stay. You also have access to a fitness center. If can even  travel with your pet, as you will be happy to know that this hotel is also pet friendly.

With so many conveniences it is hard to justify staying anywhere else while in town.

Be sure to also check out their ratings and reviews!

Heading To Calgary Next Month

Well, I guess we'll be taking a trip before our Arizona trip in April.
I decided to go with Gerry to Calgary, where Erika is now, and get my veins done in my other leg, before summer gets here. We'll be going the second week in March, for about 3 days.

You may have remembered when I went to Winnipeg last Fall to have one leg done. At the time I thought I was going to be getting both done, but they can only inject you with so much solution to collapse the bad veins, so I could only have one leg done. The plane fare from here  to there is extremely high and driving the 9 hours in the Winter didn't seem like an option to me, but I wanted to get the other one done.

Well, a light bulb went off the other day and I thought about another alternative and it turned out to be not so bad an idea. I found out that Gerry and I could probably fly cheaper from Saskatoon- Calgary and I was right. We have points for this and that so we'll be all set. Reward cards of all kinds are great- whether it's just plain 'ole reward cards or credit card reward cards.
The procedure will be done at a vein clinic and since I had one leg done before, I know what to expect and it's not too bad. Yes, there is an expense involved. It's $275 plus a $50 out of province doctor fee. But despite being thrifty, it really is worth it. Not only for the looks, but also made my leg feel better. Bad circulation is not good. 

While there, we'll be able to take in some of Calgary and visit with Erika and Jon. 

Be sure to follow along for upcoming posts on that and Florida - heading back there for a few days, in June, to get some heat!

New Products From Your Friends At Kellogg Canada and a Giveaway ( Canada Only)

Lots of new products from Kellogg Canada and we really enjoyed our samples. Gerry and I would highly recommend giving them ALL a try.

The new products include:

- Kellogg’s To Go Breakfast Shakes — a great way to satisfy your morning hunger. They’re available in chocolate and vanilla flavors. According to the product info, the shakes  include 22 essential nutrients, 10g of protein, and 5g of fibre per serving.



- For the cereal lover, Kellogg’s Special K with an added hint of chocolaty indulgence. The new Special K Chocolaty Red Berries cereal features “tangy strawberries, crisp multi-grain flakes and dark chocolaty chunks combine,” according to a media release. 


- For the early riser, there are  Special K Protein Morning Shakes, now available in mocha and café latte flavors.  These  perfect portable breakfast solutions  join the existing line up of Special K protein shakes (vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors) launched in 2013. 



- To get your afternoon chocolate fix, without  derailing your weight management goals, there are Special K Pastry Crisps, available in decadent Chocolaty Caramel and Cookies & Cream flavors. They have 100 
calories per serving.
( These were my personal favorite! Being a calorie counter " at times" I loved the low calorie count in this package but still providing me with the satisfaction of a calorie laden sweet treat).



- For snackers, there are mouth-puckering Special K Cracker Chips  in salt & vinegar. “The lightly seasoned, crispy blend of potato and rice is trans-fat free, low in saturated fat, with no artificial flavors or colors,” according to a media release.



- For breakfast on the go, there are new Nutri-Grain Fruit Crunch cereal bars in strawberry and apple crisp flavors. “Made with 17g of whole grain and real fruit, these crunchy and nutritious snacks are perfect for busy mornings when you’re on the move,” according to the folks at Kellogg.
( This one was Gerry's favorite- the apple crisp. It's a small bar but packed with delicious flavor!)



Kellogg Canada would love to give away these same new products to one lucky Canadian reader of The One Income Dollar.( Value of over $30).
A random draw will be held by Random.org on February 28, 2014 from all Canadian entries received.


To Enter:

Leave your email address and tell me which ONE of these products you would be most likely to try if you were out shopping.

Extra Entries:

Follow us on Twitter 
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Sign up for our emails
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Good luck to all!

Review: Waterpik's RainFall + Series Shower Head

You'll truly enjoy the uniquely refreshing shower experience of Waterpik^® RainFall +^™ Series. This rain shower head line includes a variety of styles, spray settings, and finishes with the same great Water Pik performance. Whether you want an adjustable arm, large shower head face, or drenching rain spray, Waterpik^® rain shower heads were created to make every shower a soothing rain experience.

We love our new RainFall shower head with 7 settings! 

I loved the pretty flower like design that looks like a giant daisy, and the way it covers so much of a space to shower you with.

Gerry loved the amount of water that was showered over top of him in a wider area than our old shower head, and even said he is staying  longer in the shower than he normally does.

Installation was easy and quick and he was able to make the change over quickly.

7 Spray settings include:

• PowerSpray™
• Full Body
• Drenching RainFall
• Drenching Rain + Massage
• Pulsating Massage
• EcoRain
• Water Saving Trickle

This product truly does give you your own private spa relaxing experience!

Review: GoPicnic “Simply Delicious” Holiday Gift Box

Review by: Ria

Chris and I got a chance to review the GoPicnic “Simply Delicious” Holiday Gift Box http://www.gopicnic.com/Simply-Delicious-2013  and it was pretty tasty! It arrived in the afternoon while we were at the dive shop and was a very nice surprise! We are right at the end of our IDC in Roatan and have been so busy with classes and homework that we haven't had a lot of time to shop for groceries so the snack box came at the perfect time. We dug into the Professor Zim Zam's Pillow Cookies and Rice Crisp bars first! Most of the products in the box are made with organic ingredients, non-GMO, vegetarian-friendly, and/or all natural ingredients.
 
Goodie Box included:

• Vermont Smoke & Cure: Uncured Summer Sausage in Natural
• Sonoma Jacks: Gourmet Cheese Wedges in Pepper Jack
• Jonny Almond Nut Company: Jonny Pecans in Honey Craze
• Popcorn, Indiana: Kettlecorn in Original
• Walkers Shortbread: Pure Butter Shortbread
• Clif Bar: Luna Bar in Chocolate Peppermint Stick
• Sun Cups: Sunflower Butter Cups in Dark Chocolate
• Professor Zim Zam's Extraordinary Sweets: Rice Crisp Bar in Chocomallocrispie
• Professor Zim Zam's Extraordinary Sweets: Pillows Cookies in Chocolate
• GoPicnic: Ready-to-Eat Meal in Turkey Stick & Crunch 
   

These items were all great for throwing in our backpack to have for snacks at work. They would be super snacks for kids' backpacks or lunchboxes as well. My FAV by far was the sausage and cheese which we ate for supper one night with some Triscuit crackers we had laying around. And the shortbread cookies were the second fav runner up. The ready-to-eat meal is also a nice pre-packaged snack to take with you that included mini PopChips, turkey stick, fruit bar, rice crisp bar and dried fruit/nut mix. I'm not sure I would call it a MEAL, but it is a good item to hold you over until you can get some real food! And they have a great variety of different kinds of the ready-to-eat-meals on their website as well!  Do check them out!

February is National Snack Food Month

February is National Snack Food Month, but that doesn't have to mean throwing your New Year’s Resolutions out the window!  There are plenty of better-for-you alternatives that will allow you to celebrate this delicious month and still stick to your healthy lifestyle plan.  So now, for those 3:00 pm snack food cravings, grab a handful of these, instead of taking a trip to the vending machine for a candy bar:


PackIt-

It’s never been so easy to pack and bring healthy food on the go with PackIt freezable bags. PackIt is the coolest cooler on the market – literally. The entire bag freezes to keep food and drinks cold for up to 10 hours– no ice pack needed. There's freezable gel actually built into the lining of the bag. The bags fold up super small so you can store your PackIt overnight in the freezer. Pull it out and the walls are completely frozen. The bag won't just insulate, it will actually create cold and chill room-temperature items in about an hour.  PackIt makes it easy to take yogurt, fruits and vegetables with you all day long. Perfect for your snacks and lunch.




All But Gluten-

All But Gluten,  a new line of gluten-free bakery, is available fresh not frozen in a grocery store near you. All But Gluten goes beyond making just delicious bread, the line also offers a wide range of mouthwatering snack products, including: coconut macaroons, mini brownies, chocolate and vanilla snack cakes, cookies, granola bars, and more; which are all perfect for on the go. All products are certified gluten free by the Canadian Celiac Association’s Gluten-Free Certification Program and meet Health Canada’s gluten-free regulations. 





Love With Food- 

Love With Food helps you discover new organic, all-natural snacks delivered to your door every month. Their subscription membership starts as low as $10/month. Every month, Love With Food members will receive a curated box of unique, hard-to-find tasty snacks which varies based on seasonal themes.

For every box sold, they donate a meal to several food banks such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength - No Kid Hungry. Join them to help end child hunger one meal at a time!

Say goodbye to boring grocery selections and start discovering your Love With Food experience!

Valentine's Day Promo: 

This February, show some love with Love With Food, and they will show their love to you too! Get Extra 1,000 points awarded to your account if you purchase any 3,6 or 12 months subscription +$15 gift to Pro Flowers or Cherry Moon Farms! 

 

Craving something sweet?

 

Go for a pouch of one of America’s most beloved treats - Welch’s® Fruit Snacks.  The convenient 0.9 oz, 80-calorie pouches provide 100% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C and are gluten-free, preservative free and even come in a reduced sugar variety.  Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth, but sticking to your diet, Welch’s® Fruit Snacks come in an abundance of colorful and flavorful varieties including Mixed Fruit, Berries ‘N Cherries, Tangy Fruits, Island Fruits, Fruit Punch, Strawberry, White Grape Raspberry and White Grape Peach.  

Odysea Mirror Maze- Scottsdale, Arizona

While in Arizona, we will be visiting the Odsyea Mirror Maze, which is a fantastic maze build to simulate the sights, sounds and thrills of a deep and dark Central American rain forest.

In the maze you walk through various tunnels, or rickety bridges, as you hear the laughter of monkeys or the hiss of the anacondas. It is all in good fun. Who knows, maybe you will even be able to catch the elusive butterfly? The mirrors are designed to add an element of confusion to the exercise, and trying to outwit the maze can be a lot of fun.

For those looking to test their ninja skills there is the Laser Maze. 

It is an opportunity to twist, duck and crawl your way through a variety of lasers. Some of the lasers move, so you will have to be quick and nimble to make it through the vault and beat all your friends. Both these mazes seem like an excellent opportunity to get out of the Arizona heat and have a little bit of fun, as long as you do not get lost, that is. 

We cannot wait to try our luck in both of these mazes and rediscover our inner child.

Butterfly Atrium- Scottsdale, Arizona

While in Scottsdale, Gerry and I will be visiting the Butterfly Wonderland, which is the largest butterfly pavilion in America. The Atrium simulates a rain forest where thousands of butterflies fly freely from plant to plant, and sometimes even land on a visitor’s shoulder or finger. 

The atrium also features a butterfly emergency gallery, where you can witness the beautiful butterfly emerge from its cocoon, truly one of the rare experiences in life. And I see, a 3D theatre- featuring a stunning story and fascinating life of butterflies as told by this specially-edited 3D version of “Flight of the Butterflies.” This is a great one to cross off your bucket list!

After you are done admiring the butterflies you can check out the honey bee exhibit, it is also a unique opportunity to watch a working hive (from behind the glass). There is also an opportunity to see a harvester ant colony working together.

Finally there is the rivers of amazon exhibit, which allows the visitor to not only see but also to touch Motoro Stingrays. You can also see the many types of tropical fish, including the Amazon Pacu fish along with it very human-like teeth. This seems like a wonderful place to visit and see the beauty and magnificence of some of the worlds smallest animals that we just don't stop and appreciate enough in our day to day lives, so we cannot wait to go and see it.

***Butterfly Wonderland is  the first phase of "Odysea in the Desert", a 35-acre, multi-million-dollar entertainment complex that will include an IMAX theatre, the largest aquarium in the southwest region (scheduled to open in 2015); an "Arizona Experience;" a Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum; distinctive retail shops; and a "Taste of the World" culinary showcase (similar to those at Epcot in Orlando, Florida) with 14-16 distinctive international restaurants.

It's Gonna Be a Wild Time at the Phoenix Zoo

While in Phoenix we will be visiting the Phoenix Zoo-one of the largest non-profit zoos in the country. Being animal lovers this seems like a natural place to visit. This zoo does a lot in terms on conservation and rehabilitation of animals, so that not only do we get to enjoy them but future generations as well. The zoo is now also a sanctuary for those animals that are either endangered or unwanted.

There is a huge variety of animals, over 1400 in the zoo, spread over 4.5 km of walking trails. They are housed in enrichment habitats which allows them to get the mental and physical stimulation that they require. The four main trails are the Arizona trail, showcasing the local fauna, the Tropics trail with animals from the tropics, the Africa trail featuring some of the worlds most popular animals such as elephants and cheetahs, and the Children's trail which includes a petting zoo. The stingray bay exhibit is also a big attraction for tourists

We are very excited for our visit, it is always nice seeing animals in real life, but to also know that they are living fulfilling lives, even though they are in captivity.

Desert Botanical Garden- Phoenix

On our upcoming trip to Phoenix, Gerry and I will be visiting the Desert Botanical Garden. It will be nice to see a little bit of desert flora that is not easily spotted in Canada. The Garden houses several trails that you can wonder and explore. It also provides you with a fun and interactive experience that both educated and exhilarates.

The Desert Botanical Gardens house numerous exhibits throughout the year. This means that this place is constantly evolving and changing. When we will be there the Chihuly exhibit will take place which will showcase multiple installations and artworks by artist Dale Chihuly. There are always a number of other events such as ‘ask the gardener’, garden flashlight tours, and garden discovery sessions.

If you are more into the fauna than the flora, the Gardens also offer a morning bird walk among the Garden trails with a bird expert. It is wonderful to see the birds zoom in and out of the dessert flora. To get the most out of the experience for desert newbies such as ourselves, it may be fun to try a guided tour which will point things out to us  that we may otherwise miss. Luckily there are a vast number of guided tours available including (but not limited to Music in the Garden, native Cultures and Plants of the Southwest and Photographic Safari).

This will be a nice and relaxing part of our trip, some can even say it will be as easy as a walk in the park.