• Health

    Skindinavia Makeup Primer Spray Review

    June 20, 2014 - By 

    Skindinavia Makeup Primer spray is the perfect solution to summer beauty. Easy to pack and lightweight, this primer spray will solve your summer skin problems. One of my absolute favourite parts of summer is the simple fact that the lovely warm temperatures mean I can wear little to no makeup some days. Skin is almost always slightly flushed and glowing and my hair can be tamed with a hat or sunglasses. I love that. I’d take it any day over the constant attention needed in the winter. Winter brings dry skin needing moisture daily. Summer is quite the opposite. A…

  • inclusive classroom of kids roughly ages 6 or 7 and one is high fiving her teacher. The teacher wears a yellow short and has long black hair.
    parenting

    Does Your Child’s Teacher Make the Grade?

    June 19, 2014 - By 

    I am the daughter of a teacher. My memories of marking papers and playing games at the back of my mother’s grade two classroom are strong. Many August days at end of the summer, I worked with my Mom, steadying the ladder as she lovingly decorated her classroom. Teaching is a calling I respect. A teacher’s job can be hard, rewarding and trying all at once. This post was sponsored by the Ontario College of Teachers. I was compensated as a result. My opinion is my own. However, as the parent of two girls in the school system and I am very often…

  • Health

    Helping Your Daughter Prepare for her Period

    June 17, 2014 - By 

    If you are the parent of a daughter over the age of 9 then you need to be having some period conversations regularly so she knows what to expect. Now there’s a product that can help facilitate the talk, and prepare your daughter for menstruation.     If you are the parent of a tween girl, chances are good you know this familiar scene. One minute she’s the sweet little girl you know and love and the next minute she’s consumed by mood swings, dramatic shrieks and slamming doors. It’s enough to make your head spin. I’ve come to view these tempestuous mood…

  • Travel

    In Praise of Mother Daughter Trips – My Travel Partner for Puerto Vallarta #travel

    June 16, 2014 - By 

    This is the girl who made me a Mom. My oldest and my heart. My brave girl who zip lined and plunged right in to swim with dolphins, petted sea lions at Dolphin Discovery and showed no fear in Mexico. She makes me proud every day, sometimes it’s the daily school and life stuff. Sometimes, it’s the snapshots shared on a big magical travel adventure.   I am amazed just watching her make her way in the world with a heart wide open to helping others, and strong shoulders lifting them up. Two weeks ago we travelled together to Puerto…

  • Food

    Four Five Minute Dempster’s Tortillas Lunch Ideas

    June 15, 2014 - By 

    Lunch ideas can be so challenging. Let’s face it – Lunch is often any Mom’s arch nemesis. I get bored with making lunch and the kids get bored with what I make for lunch. It’s a dull and never-ending story. But you can break the cycle. Here are a couple of easy lunch ideas to try when you’re stuck. Avoid Boring Lunches So what’s a busy parent to do? Well, I have a few ideas you can use to avoid lunch letdown. Start with a package of Dempster’s Tortillas and you can build a fast, flavourful hit that is sure to please everyone.…

  • Male infertility
    Health - infertility

    Male Infertility Infographic #abhc4ivf #abpoli

    June 15, 2014 - By 

    One in six couples of reproductive age will experience infertility. Infertility can  be a devastating diagnosis, financially, emotionally and physically. Male infertility makes up about 40 % of all infertility cases. But somehow male infertility seems to have less awareness than female infertility. In fact the split between the genders and infertility rates is close to equal at 40 % each. There are many causes of infertility from cancer to Crohn’s Disease. A prior sexually transmitted disease can mean you might be at high risk for infertility. There are a few myths and facts here I wanted to share about…

  • Giveaways

    How Do You Keep them Reading All Summer? #Summerslide #giveaway

    June 14, 2014 - By 

    If school is almost out for summer then it’s time to start thinking about summer slide too. Oh don’t worry I am not suggesting that you spend every waking moment of the summer concerned about school. But, take a few moments now and plan ways you can help them avoid summer slide. Then the sailing is easy for the rest of the summer. What are you up to this summer? School is almost out here. Now what’s next? We have some camps scheduled and some great travel opportunities and I am pretty happy for the warm weather to finally get…

  • family - family travel - Food - Travel

    Five Reasons To Visit Puerto Vallarta #pvpresstrip #travel

    June 12, 2014 - By 

    Until recently I assumed Puerto Vallarta was simply a cruise ship stop. I was so wrong. Puerto Vallarta Mexico is a destination with a rich culture, amazing food and a host of activities for travellers of all sorts. This is another post in my Puerto Vallarta family travel series. This month I visited Puerto Vallarta for the first time ever. I have been to Mexico a few times now. We travelled to Cancun as a family and we toured Chichen Itza a few years ago. I find Mexico to be extremely affordable and enjoyable for family travel. We have also stayed…

  • active family travel - family travel - Travel

    The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta #travel #PVpresstrip

    June 12, 2014 - By 

    Let’s start at the beginning. I have so much to share about our mother daughter trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. There’s the time my 12-year-old zip lined high above a Mexican canyon of sorts and then rappelled down the side of a mountain and swam with dolphins. But, you will have to wait for that. This is the story of our resort. The place we ate and swam and hung out at the beach and collapsed fast asleep. The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa, was located less than a ten minute drive from Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport Puerto…