Join the #RBCFirstHome Twitter Chat Today!

Join us tonight on Twitter for the #RBCFirstHome chat at 8:30pm EST with RBC experts to answer all of your burning home-buying questions!  The RBC panel includes a lawyer, realtor, design expert, home builders, home experts and mortgage experts, as well as a chance to win 1 of 5 $100 gift certificates just for joining the #RBCFirstHome chat!

When:  Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 8:30pm EST (5:30pm PST)

Where:  Twitter using the hashtag #RBCFirstHome

What:  A chat with a panel of RBC experts to answer any home-buying questions - perfect for first-time and potential home buyers!

Disclosure:  I am part of the #RBCFirstHome Twitter Chat Program with Mom Central Canada and have received a form of compensation for this post. All opinions on this blog are my own.

WeCapella: Be Inspired

Like many others in the blogosphere, I started blogging without expectations or goals.  I just wanted to create a diary for my son after he was born almost five years ago, so that he could look back on his childhood and see what kind of crazy things he put his mother through {I kid, I kid!}.  Little did I know, I would connect with a network of amazing women – entrepreneurs, business owners and, of course, bloggers! – and eventually SwankMama would be named one of the top Vancouver mom blogs via VancouverMom.


I owe a lot of SwankMama’s success to a single person – Christine Pilkington.  If it wasn’t for her and her amazing business, Vancouver Mom {which has now expanded to Crisp Media and City Mom Now}, SwankMama would not be where it is today.  This is why I’m absolutely honoured to be named one of WeCapella’s ambassadors for 2014.

What is WeCapella?  It’s a night of inspiring voices and content producers sharing their knowledge and personal success in creating meaningful and innovative content. The speaker line-up includes:

Disney Social Media Moms On the Road - Bellevue, WA #DisneySMMoms

Every year I watch my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds burn up in envy as my favourite bloggers gallivant around the Walt Disney World Resort during the event of the year, otherwise known as the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.  This event/conference is by invite only and the lucky few that score that coveted invite are pretty much among Disney royalty.

This year Disney took note of how big their Disney Social Media Moms Celebration was becoming and they realized that more bloggers wanted to participate than they could actually accommodate, so what did they decide to do?  Take it on the road, of course!

I received a heads-up about Disney On The Road from a fellow blogger and mompreneur, and quickly jumped at the chance to apply for a spot.  They were coming to Bellevue, WA, which is approximately a 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive from Vancouver, BC.  My fingers were crossed tightly during the next couple weeks.  Every day I would check my inbox to see if that "Congratulations, you've been accepted to attend..." email had come.  And it finally did!  Oh my gosh, I'm actually going to Disney...in Bellevue!

Connecting Bloggers & Brands Conference #Vancouver

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend the first Connecting Bloggers & Brands Conference in Vancouver.  It was a chance for us local bloggers to connect with brands that love to work with us.  There was an amazing turnout - bigger than I expected!

Upon arriving, I bumped into a few of my fellow Top 30 VancouverMom.ca mom bloggers, as well as other bloggers and entrepreneurs that I've either worked with or crossed paths with in the past.  We quickly caught up while meeting with four of the brands in attendance - TELUS, Canadian Beef, Maple Leaf Foods and Microsoft Canada.  My husband saved the day with my fabulous last-minute business cards:

Glam: 2013 Top 30 Vancouver Mom Blogger Celebration - Ambassador

"When I started this blog, I didn't expect anything to become of it."

This seems to be the norm amongst us "mommy bloggers" and it definitely rings true to me.  I started SwankMama just over three years ago as a journal to Lil J, and now Baby Z, without any goals to have it seen or be heard.  Sure I knew it was out there because, well, once a blog post is posted, it's out in the websphere forever.  But I didn't really expect anyone to actually read it.

Or did I?

Before SwankMama was named one of last years Top 30 Vancouver Mom Blogs by VancouverMom.ca, I sort of used this blog as my silent voice - my picture wasn't visible and my real name definitely wasn't associated with it.  I was essentially embarrassed about my tiny, little blog.  I used it as a curtain to hide behind.  I sat there like a wallflower, not wanting to admit that I actually had a blog and definitely not wanting to promote it.

Modern Mama North Burnaby's Launch Party Announcement - Media Sponsor

As a young mother of two little ones, there are always playdates to be made, questions that arise, and a ton of "firsts" and "how do I's".  I'm not one to hole myself up at home or stop my life just because I have a baby and a preschooler - when Mommy has stuff to do, the kids are coming with!

Modern Mama, a social and educational community resource for moms {by moms!}, is dedicated to getting moms out of the house for fun and informational get-togethers at local venues.  In addition to connecting with other mothers, most Modern Mama events also have the option of childcare at an additional cost, which is extremely convenient for the times when us mamas don't have childcare available.

I'm so excited to announce that Modern Mama is now in North Burnaby!  Shaunna Prentis is a mother of two young boys.  She works part-time for a telecommunications company in addition to her role as a Modern Mama.  As a woman who has always enjoyed the arts, good food, good wine and great company, she found after having her boys that no matter how much she loved being with them, she still missed and needed more adult company.  She then came upon Modern Mama and decided to bring it to her community.  She knows how challenging it is being a mom while retaining your sense of self and wants to help others get out of the house and have a little fun.

the mother and stepmother i strive to be

Last year after our blog was recognized as one of the Top 30 Vancouver Mom Bloggers of 2012 by Vancouvermom.ca, I never would have imagined that this humbling recognition would have connected me to such a diverse group of inspirational, outspoken, smart and intelligent women - who all continue to help support me through my blogging journey.  The relationships that have blossomed out of this very small, but powerful, group has given me new-found faith that we, as women, can pass along these positive values to our own kids.

When I think about the kind of mother I want to be for my children, I find myself looking at the real people in my life - the ones with the positive attitudes, values and influences.  The ones that don't judge and the ones who enjoy life.  The ones that display compassion and the ones that aren't afraid to right a wrong.  I look at these combined attributes and try to incorporate them into my parenting style, so that I can leave a lasting impression on my children.

My babies - Lil J & Baby Z

Our modern family

My family dynamic is a little different and unconventional than your traditional family - in fact, it could probably be classified as a modern family.  I have a 3 1/2 year old son and an 8 month old daughter, as well as an almost 13 year old step-daughter who lives with us full-time.  The age differences and the fact that I'm a step-mom definitely makes for an interesting home, which is why I've decided to split up my post into "The Mother I Strive To Be" and "The Stepmother I Strive To Be":

The Mother I Strive To Be

1. I hope to be patient with my kids, but not too patient so that they'll walk all over me.
2. I want my kids to be able to make their own decisions, but also feel like they can come to me when they need answers.
3. I want to teach my kids to enjoy life, to not take everything so seriously and to be spontaneous.  I also want them to know when to be grounded, when to take things seriously and when to think before they act.
4. I hope to teach them how to be respectful and use their proper manners.  Thanks to my son, I see now that kids are prone to repeat words, phrases and sentences that they hear in their everyday lives - pretty much anything that comes out of Mommy or Daddy's mouths.  I now realize that I really have to watch what I say and try to practice what I preach.
5. I want to be a mother first and a friend second.  I am not your best friend, but a friend that you can talk to when you need to.  Don't get that twisted.  I'm still your mom.

The Stepmother I Strive To Be

1. Although I am not her birth mother, I hope that my step-daughter will look up to me as a parenting figure in her life.  
2. I hope to set a good example of a strong woman, so that she will one day be one herself.
3. I hope that she will continue to respect me throughout her teenage years {give me strength!} and feel comfortable enough to come to me when she needs me.
4. I don't ever want to overshadow her own mother.  I am there to help guide her through life and to give her stability.
5. I hope that she feels that I don't ever treat her any different than I treat my own children.  There's a fine line between motherhood and step-motherhood, and although at times it can be difficult for myself to distinguish that line, I don't want her to ever feel left out.  We are a family unit and we're totally in it together.

What kind of mother do you strive to be?



Don't forget to check out the posts from ten of Vancouver's top mom bloggers and see what kind of mother they strive to be:

Tuesday, Jan 22 – Tairalyn from Little Miss Mama
Wednesday, Jan 23 – Melissa from The Thirites Grind
Thursday, Jan 24 – Amy from The Connection We Share
Friday, Jan 25 – Julie from JulieNowell.com

Monday, Jan 28 – Eschelle from Mumfection

Tuesday, Jan 29 – Taslim from Let ME out!!

Wednesday, Jan 30 – Katie from World by Smith

Thursday, Jan 31 – Lori from The Write Mama

Friday, Feb 1 – Kristina from SwankMama

Monday, Feb 4 – Brandee from One Crazy Kid

Tuesday, Feb 5 – Jessica from North Shore Mama

#ERASEbullying Twitter Town Hall - Nov. 13th {How-to's}

On the eve of the ERASE Bullying Summit in Vancouver, and in the wake of the Amanda Todd tragedy, I'm taking the time to reflect on what this means to my family and how it affects us.  We have a pre-teen in grade 7, a 3 year-old in preschool and 5 month old in our household, so we definitely have a wide range of maturity to deal with.  I'm also wondering why it took so long for a summit like this to happen - does someone have to die and garner international attention before the government takes action?  Are they just riding the storm or will this initiative be long-term?  Hopefully, tomorrow's ERASE Bullying Summit and Twitter Town Hall will provide some answers.

About a week before the Amanda Todd incident, my husband had PVR'd an interesting documentary about sexting called Sext-Ed.  We watched it together in amazement and horror, and we showed it to Miss S and talked to her about the dangers of sexting and how it can result into bullying.  I couldn't believe the ages that this was starting at and we both couldn't believe the magnitude and negative connotations that can result in one, small act.

I then look at Lil J and Baby Z, and am afraid for them.  The world they are growing up in seems to be a much faster pace than the world we grew up in.  Rewind back to grade 9 when mobile technology was just becoming popular, and the must-have accessory was a pager, or "beeper", stuffed in your front jean pocket. We would send numerical messages such as "hello" or "I love you" or simply a number to call back.  If you remember those simple times, I can see you laughing and nodding your head.  Fast-forward to present day and we're in a world of Facebook, Twitter, picture messaging, emails - you name it.  And once something is on the internet, there's no taking it back.  Thankfully, it seems that ERASE Bullying is taking the initiative to help educate our educators on the effects of bullying and the internet.

Hopefully ERASE Bullying will continue to help educate parents, children, teachers and educators, friends and family about the effects of bullying and how we can get together to help prevent bullying incidents from happening.  We can no longer ignore the fact that our kids are being bullied or perhaps are the bullies, neither can we ignore the fact that it still happens long after high school, college and university.

Help the children of our future and participate in the Twitter Town Hall before and during the ERASE Bullying Summit tomorrow, November 13, 2012 between 9:00am - 4:00pm.  Premier Christy Clark {@ChristyClarkBC} and ERASE Bullying {@ERASEbullyingBC} will be on hand to answer any questions during that time period.  When tweeting your questions, please use the #ERASEbullying hashtag and feel free to include @ChristyClarkBC or @ERASEbullyingBC in your tweet.  For more how-to's on this Twitter Town Hall, click here.

We'll be tweeting throughout the day in support of #ERASEbullying and can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts!

What questions will you be tweeting to @ChristyClarkBC and @ERASEbullyingBC #ERASEbullying tomorrow?

i'm thankful

As I see posts on my Facebook and Twitter pages about what people are thankful for this year, I thought it would be a great time to reflect on the things I am thankful for.  This post was initially inspired by one of my favourite fellow Canadian bloggers, Listen to Lena, and her Thanksgiving post.

Sure it's easy to give thanks to the familiar things in life - kids, family, loved ones, food, etc.  Not to say that I'm not thankful for those things but when I was reading Lena's post, I thought I would follow her lead and list the things that I am thankful for helping to shape me into the person I have become today.

The Mean Kid

I'm thankful for the kid in elementary school who used to call me names.  He wasn't the school bully - in fact, he was called names by other kids - but for some reason he found it to be his mission to make my life miserable.  I don't remember much about it because he didn't succeed, and because, frankly, I didn't really know what half the names he was calling me meant.  I do remember coming home one day telling my mom that he called me a certain word that was derogatory to my ethnic background {Chinese}, which was extremely confusing given that this kid was actually half Chinese.  To this day I don't even know if the kid really knew what the word meant but I know it made my mom furious and that she took care of business.  In the end, I'm thankful that this kid did call me names because it didn't phase me and I made sure that any other future name calling, if any, wouldn't phase me either.

Keeping Busy

I'm thankful that my parents gave me the opportunity to immerse myself into the world of sports.  At a very early age, I trained in competitive gymnastics and learned the discipline, respect, dignity and hard work that came with the intense training.  I remember my coaches yelling at me - some talking me down - just to get me to do certain routines, some of them becoming extremely difficult, and to rattle me a little bit.  It worked.  I cried and cried, but I didn't give up.  In some strange way, it made me feel more confident and it made me want to better myself.  My experience as a gymnast made me look at the world differently and will stay with me forever.

First Love

I'm thankful for my first love.  Even though I didn't know it at the time and even though I don't think I ever expressed it to him, I realize now that I truly did love him.  He taught me the feeling of true love and, finally, the feeling of a true heartbreak.  I'm thankful that he allowed me to make decisions for myself - for if he didn't, I would have never known what it feels like to love so much that I would die...for my children.  I would have never created a life with my now husband and our beautiful kids.  I never would have known what it would be like to be a step-mom to an incredible daughter.  Thank you to my first love for allowing me to experience life with Lil J and Baby Z.

The Love of My Life

I'm thankful for my husband {a cliche but had to be mentioned!}.  I'm thankful that he didn't give up even though it meant begging for my number for hours at a club {yes, we met at a club!}.  And when I finally gave him my digits, I'm thankful that he chose to find time for me in his chaotic life {at the time he was fighting to bring his daughter back into the country - long story}.  I'm thankful that he made me try my first bite of sushi, curry goat, and every type of seafood imaginable.  I'm thankful that he made me stronger.  He encourages me to never take no for an answer and to stand up to people that say no.  I'm thankful that he's taught me the importance of not planning things.  Because of that, we are able to enjoy life as it comes and make the most of "spur the moment" occurrences.  I'm thankful that we were able to travel the world together, just the two of us.  I'm thankful that he shows me ways around conventional ways.  I'm thankful that he never follows the rules.  Sometimes I say he's corrupted me.  Ha!  I'm thankful that he gave me my two beautiful babies.  I could not imagine my life without them - or him.

My {swank} Community

I'm thankful for all of you.  I'm thankful that you read my stories and listen to me rant.  I'm thankful when you communicate with me, as I hold our conversations dear to my heart.  I'm thankful for the community of moms {and dads}, for the support they give me, and for the encouragement they show me.  I'm thankful that you take the time out of your own busy days to say hi and to share your stories with me.  Thank you for rallying around me and encouraging me to drive forward with my {swank} existence.

What are you thankful for this year?  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Modern Mama Event: Mama Blogs featuring {swank}mama!

Have you ever thought about creating your own blog but don't know where to start?  Do you have a million thoughts in your head that you would like to keep in one place?  Have you been meaning to start a journal to document your kids' early years?  Need a place to share or get another moms opinion or just simply vent?

Why not start a mom blog?!

Modern Mama Vancouver is hosting a Mama Blogs event on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 {presented by Vancouvermom.ca}, which showcases local mom bloggers Melissa Carr of The Thirties Grind, Amber Strocel of Strocel.com, Andrea Firmani of Mama in the City, Christine Pilkington of Vancouvermom.ca and myself.  We will cover our stories on how we got started, provide inspiration and give you some helpful tips on how to get your own blog started.

The event will be held at Cactus Club on Broadway & Granville.  Hurry up and purchase your tickets now - they're sure to be hot seats!

See What Happens When You Save With Barbie! #SaveWithBarbie

Barbie.  The magical six-letter word that brings joy to any little girl's face.  That same six-letter word brings back so many amazing memories from my childhood.  Playing with Barbies and collecting many of Barbie's accessories, clothing, dollhouses, etc. is every girl's dream - one that I was fortunate enough to live.  I even went as far as forcing my little brother to play Barbies with me - that until my mother felt so bad she actually brought my brother a Ken doll so that he didn't have to subject himself to the female version.

Barbie has opened many doors for many aspiring divas.  From fashion designers to models to women with corporate careers - these are all one of many personas that Barbie has projected for over 50+ years and has allowed girls to use imaginative play beyond their wildest imaginations.  My 12 year old step-daughter has been playing with Barbies for years and I can't wait to pass down my stories of playing with Barbies to my newborn baby girl one day.  Believe it or not, I once wanted to be a famous fashion designer - all thanks to Barbie!

Starting August 7, 2012, Canadian moms {and dads!} can log onto Websaver.ca every Tuesday and Thursday for access to 169,000 semi-weekly print-at-home coupons towards your next purchase on Barbie dolls, accessories, family members, estates and fairytale essentials.  This is such an exciting opportunity to carry on the Barbie tradition with your daughters, nieces and grand-daughters, together with saving a few extra dollars {perhaps towards your next Barbie accessory purchase!}.

Disclosure: I am participating in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for Barbie and receive compensation for my post. All opinions on this blog are my own

top 30 Vancouver mom bloggers - vote for me!

In an earlier post I had shared with you that I had been chosen as one of 2012 Top 30 Vancouver Mom Bloggers by Vancouvermom.ca!  It is an absolute honour to be chosen as one of the top 30 among so many inspirational moms.  {swank}mama has grown from a diary about my kids to a blog that people seem to enjoy reading.  I'm so happy that I've been able to somehow capture your attention and hope that you'll enjoy {swank}mama for years to come.

You can now vote for your overall favourite Vancouver mom blogger and I would sincerely appreciate it if you could vote for me {Kristina Cross aka {swank}mama!}.

Thank you in advance and I'm looking forward to meeting the other top 29 bloggers that made this prestigious list soon!

{swank} affiliations: snap my life creations {formally inkubook}

I'm sure you have all heard of Inukbook - a company specializing in personalized photobooks.  Recently, Inukbook changed it's name to Snap MyLife Creations and they have asked me to be a part of their affiliate program.

I have always been meaning to make my own photobook as a gift to my hubby on Father's Day.  Year after year went by and there never seemed to be enough time to create one or I usually missed the deadline.  Now that I'm actually trying to prioritize my life, this year I'm going to make the time with Snap MyLife Creations and create a one-of-a-kind photobook for my hubby.

Stay tuned for an exciting Father's Day giveaway with {swank}mama and Snap MyLife Creations - coming soon! 

{You're in the Money This Race Weekend with BOGO Photobooks!}

Currently, Snap MyLife Creations is running a BOGO promotion from May 4-6, 2012.  Once you have completed both of your photobooks, enter your quantity as 2 at checkout and then enter the promo code DERBYWIN.  This BOGO offer is limited to 2 per account and the lesser priced book will be provided at no charge.

To order, please click on this link or the Snap MyLife Creations banner on my right sidebar under {swank}affiliates.

collective media magic: summer social giveaway event

 
UPDATE:  I have just been advised that all the blogger spots have been filled.  Stay tuned for updates on this fantastic event!!

Join the Collective Media Magic team {Just Like June, Have Sippy Will Travel, Closer to Lucy, 3 Princes and A Princess 2, That's What She Said and their special guest, Blessed Elements, in celebrating Summer!  They are hosting a Summer Social Event which is free to all bloggers.

By sharing a pre-post about the giveaway and posting the Rafflecopter, you will receive 1 entry of your choice on the Rafflecopter form.  This event is limited to 30 bloggers on a first come, first serve basis.

{The Grand Prize Package}

Gkhair C880 Curling Iron and Deep Conditioner (RV $200)
A Barbar Hair Product (RV $150)
An Exuviance 3 Piece Age Repair Set (RV $150)
Plus 3 more prizes to come!

{3 Runner Up Prizes}

3 lucky runner-ups will receive a Gkhair Curling Iron and Deep Conditioner (RV $200)

{To Join}


In order to join this fantastic blogger event, please follow the steps below:

1. Post about the event on your blog.  Feel free to use this post.
2. Complete this form.
3. Join Collective Media Magic's Facebook group.  The Facebook group is closed and they are working on getting this link fixed.
4. Once you have followed these steps and Collective Media Magic has verified your link, you will receive a confirmation email from them.

Bobs & LoLo Present: ShamROCK!!

Any parent who has a kid between the ages of 1-12 knows that Bobs & LoLo is a household name.  Since debuting in 2003, Bobs & LoLo have captured the hearts and minds of parents and children alike - appearing on Treehouse and performing in elementary schools across Canada and the United States.  They produce original songs and interactive segments to engage their audiences in an upbeat and educational manner.

I am very excited for this duo - Robyn {Bobs} and Lorraine {LoLo} - as their latest album has just been nominated for Children's Album of the Year at the 2012 Juno Awards in Ottawa, Canada.  In case you didn't know, the Juno's are the Canadian equivalent to the Grammy Awards.

In order to offset travel costs to the Juno's at the end of March, Bobs & LoLo will be performing at a St. Patrick's Day concert, ShamROCK, on March 17, 2012.  The concert will take place at Handsworth Secondary School in North Vancouver at 1:30pm {doors open at 1pm}.  Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.  They can be purchased in-store at Jack & Lola, BC Playthings, Beansprouts and online at Raspberry Kids.

Partial proceeds {$1 per ticket sold} will go to the Gaby Davis Foundation - an organization that offers financial support to children {and their families} battling cancer.  Kids are encouraged to show their St. Paddy's Day spirit and wear GREEN to have a chance to win some fun prizes!

I am also excited to announce that Bobs & LoLo will be participating in {swank}mama's Rainy Days Giveaways coming soon - local companies are teaming up with {swank}mama to celebrate Vancouver's infamous rainy weather!!

monday giveaway linky

Link it up!

Time to link your giveaways up and gain exposure to your blog!  The linky will stay open until this Friday, September 16th.

In the "Link Title" box, please submit your giveaways in the following format:

"Name of Giveaway - Country {End Date}"

Please leave a comment after you have linked your giveaway and don't forget to check out my current giveaway with Lalabee Bathworks!

Blog Her '12 - NYC

Just found out Blog Her '12 will be in N-Y-C!!  My favourite city of all time since my husband and I visited there in 2005 - our first trip together.  Blog Her '12 take place from August 2 - 4, 2012.  Early bird pricing is currently available.

PS:  I will gladly accept any sponsors :)