• Technology

    Cascade – A Brand New Spin on Some Favourite Apps

    July 20, 2014 - By 

    This summer I am excited to have my iPhone App Cascade to help fill my down time. It’s a fun new Match 3 game that will happily fill my summer with a bit of gaming. Right about this time of year when travel time, summer blogging conferences, and family vacation takes precedence over round the clock working, I start the hunt for a fun new diversion. After all, cottage time equals road trips, sometimes as a passenger. That means my iPhone is never far from hand. I have several killer apps I rely on when I feel like tuning out and turning off…

  • Travel

    Our Quick 2-Day Montreal Girl’s Trip

    July 16, 2014 - By 

      I am the lucky mom of girls. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Girls are an amazing responsibility and also a joy to parent. They move through life with hearts wide open, sometimes needing tiny reminders to guard their emotions. They absorb experiences and breathe them forward at school, at home, and as they grow outward into the universe of possibilities. This summer our universe took us to Montreal girl’s trip.     Post contains affiliate links as a service to my readers. I receive a small commission from purchases made via qualifying links. Our First Trip to…

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    active family travel - Travel

    Canopy River Tubing #wordlesswednesday #pvpresstrip

    July 15, 2014 - By 

    Canopy River Tubing is the subject of this photo essay today. At the end of a brilliant day spent zip lining and swimming with dolphins, Payton, my 12-year-old, at that time, had the chance to tube down a river in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The excursion was at Canopy River, and it was a solid two hours adventure. Highly recommend. More about that later. Together we travel often as a family but this was one of our first ever Mother – Daughter Trips. Wordless Wednesday is a photo meme. Link up your recent photos, or a photo that is meaningful to…

  • family - Giveaways

    Seasonal Entertaining With Birch Lane #giveaway

    July 13, 2014 - By 

    Seasonal entertaining sometimes is a challenge here. I am anything but a natural at entertaining. But summer, plus a house with a pool, and half a dozen birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations here at the Schuck house all add up to numerous chances to practice getting summer seasonal entertaining just right. This year, our new house, new neighbourhood and new pool are all beautiful opportunities to build new friendships, cement old ones and have a summer that is memorable for everyone. My kids have had multiple summer pool parties with friends already and we are getting the hang of that. Plus…

  • Travel

    Vallarta Food Tours: Evening Taco Adventure

    July 10, 2014 - By 

    The beef cheek taco seizes your tastebuds and stops you in your tracks. You think: “Wow, I am eating beef cheek on the street in Puerto Vallarta and it is unimaginably tender and moist.” Who knew? But the beef cheek taco is just one surprise on the Vallarta Food Tours evening taco tour.       Surrender to the Experience These are things you learn when you surrender to the sense of adventure that travel brings:   1. Street meat can be magnificent. 2. The architecture in downtown Puerto Vallarta is regal and dignified. 3. It’s possible for a man…

  • homes

    I Am A Decorating Dork #wordlesswednesday

    July 9, 2014 - By 

    I am a decorating dork. True story. I don’t have that gene. It is, in fact, a wonder I can match my own outfits. So, occasionally my gal pal Margarita Ibbott of @downshiftingpro gives me a ring on my iPhone, or a message on Facebook or a DM and hunts me down to say: I found your chair. I found your picture. I found exactly what you have to have for your wall in the front hall. This loosely translates to come and meet me at the store and bring your money. So today, I discovered Urban Barn, where she…

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    Health - parenting

    Do You Have a Swear Jar?

    July 8, 2014 - By 

    I am $1.20 in the hole. My youngest daughter made me a bet that I had to take for the weekend. She challenged me to quit swearing. Ten cents a swear word. So I set up a swear jar.  A dime? A couple of my friends huffed angrily that I was taking advantage of my daughter by not advising her that she should have made it a loonie a swear word, but the amount wasn’t the point. I am not proud that I swore twelve times over the weekend (within hearing range of my child. She might have missed a…

  • Food - Health

    Turn Your Love of Healthy Foods into a Business You Will Love

    July 8, 2014 - By 

    Eating healthy for many mothers is a way of life. You may go out of your way to find all of the healthiest foods for you and your family to enjoy even if that means you will end up spending a little more on the groceries. Of course, a little planning can help frugal moms to find healthy foods the whole family will love for about $135 a week, according to the Mayo Clinic. The really good news is all the hard work you put into creating menus and buying groceries for your family can also turn into a full…

  • Giveaways

    ONecklace Personalized Silver Necklace #giveaways

    July 7, 2014 - By 

    Looking for pretty and personalized jewelry? Onecklace is the perfect option – affordable and creative. I recently received a Silver Necklace with my kid’s names on it and have come to love this company.  Silver in the summer also makes me happy, especially with a tiny bit of sun kissed skin to set it off. ONecklace has many gorgeous gold, sterling silver and silver plated jewellery products to choose from. This gorgeous little number by ONecklace is so unique too. I am especially fond of the Mother necklaces and the name necklaces. The silver necklace I chose is from the…

  • active family travel - Travel

    Snorkelling in Yelapa Mexico with Mosquito Jellyfish

    July 4, 2014 - By 

    When the mosquito jellyfish bit me I stopped short a moment, treading water, breathing and wondering what just happened. Am I hurt? Did I imagine that? Should I bail? I am far from an adventuresome swimmer. In fact, truth be told, I almost drowned once in a wave pool. Michael Phelps, I am not. But my kids swim beautifully and are well on their way to summers filled with pool parties and maybe even jobs as lifeguards. Today I am snorkelling in Yelapa, Mexico with my daughter and some travel bloggers. Living the life, admiring the view until this happens….…