• living_with_gratitude
    Travel

    Living with Intention and Gratitude Even in Hard Times – Getting Spiritual in Durham Region

    April 6, 2020 - By 

    “Wake Up Every Morning with the Thought That Something Wonderful is About To Happen,” – Winston Porter Living with intention and gratitude is something I choose every day, even when the days are hard, when the silver lining is hidden so far back behind the clouds you doubt that you could ever find it. Here’s how a trip helped drive this new mindset. My visit to Durham Region was hosted by Central Counties Tourism, Durham Region and the Hive Bee and Bee through Toronto Bloggers’ Collective. Travel changes you in many ways. Sometimes it’s a relaxing, restorative, experience after a…

  • family

    Best Live Aquarium WebCams and Underwater Livestreams

    April 2, 2020 - By 

    Last week, I posted a list of live zoo webcams and that was a big hit. So, in that spirit here is a list of live aquarium webcams and Youtube videos that delve into underwater worlds providing entertainment and education for all of you. Aquariums are Soothing For So Many Reasons Let’s be honest, the research for me was awesome last week when I hunted down a huge list of zoo webcams. I am totally addicted to the live webcam of the Edinburgh Zoo pandas and have been watching it every day. Who knew that pandas could be so entertaining…

  • Health

    Mental Health Resources To Access Right Now

    March 31, 2020 - By 

    It’s no secret here to most of you that I have children with mental health diagnoses. One of my biggest concerns at the start of this pandemic was my older girl’s anxiety disorder and my younger girl’s aggression, which is a result of her FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.) Both teens do therapy on a regular basis and the youngest was in crisis for most of 2019. She might have turned a corner on that just recently due to therapy she’s finally been able to access. But jeopardizing any progress also was a concern for me. Keep These Mental Health…

  • family

    Luxurious and Eco-Friendly Eucalyptus Sheet Sets

    March 30, 2020 - By 

    Holy Sheet! These eucalyptus sheet sets are spectacular. Listen, sheets are a thing that I rarely have bought for myself. My Mom and mother in law used to always gift them to us for Christmas and anniversaries, sometimes birthdays even. But, ever since they passed away, my sheet opinion and knowledge has been growing. I received product in the form of sheet sets for consideration here. Post contains affiliate links as a service to readers and I receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. Good quality sheets are constantly evolving too. The new sheets from Sheets and Giggles are top…

  • reusable_beeswax_wraps
    Food

    How to Make Reusable Beeswax Wraps

    March 26, 2020 - By 

    Reusable beeswax wraps are insanely easy to make and so popular too. Recently, we had a Friday night where one of the kids was grounded. Hashtag TEENs. Need I say more? And we were all looking for something to do. So, we made a plan to make Reusable Beeswax Wraps for food. This is a craft that my oldest daughter, 18, and I both have been wanting to do this year. She’s very into recycling and reusing and striving to be environmentally friendly. I love that about her. It inspires me to be better. So, I hunted down beeswax pearls…

  • adult panda in a zoo
    family

    Best Zoo Webcams to Watch Right Now

    March 24, 2020 - By 

    Clearly, we can’t get to the zoo right now, during the pandemic. But what if you could bring the zoo to you? These Zoo Webcams do just that! Do the kids want to watch and learn about their favourite animals and species right now anyways? Are they concerned about their favourite zoos or the animals there? Well, let them watch some of these Zoo Webcams and they will be entertained for hours over the next few weeks. Oh I know there are so many potential puns and jokes to be had regarding zoos and kids and families. Bringing the literal…

  • france_coloring_and_writing_book
    Printables

    France Coloring and Writing Book

    March 23, 2020 - By 

    Alright, so obviously nobody is traveling during the current pandemic. But, kids still need things to do, so I am sharing some easy tools for you to use at home. You might not be able to visit France this March, but you sure can learn a little bit about it with this France Coloring and Writing Book. Eiffel Tower, fields of lavender, great cheese and wine! France is a stunning country. In my twenties, I visited Paris for about a week. But, I haven’t been back since. One day, I will return to France and do more exploring. I believe…

  • family - Parenting

    Pandemic Parenting – Disappointment of Week One

    March 21, 2020 - By 

    Pandemic Parenting is not anything that I ever thought I’d be writing about or doing. Let’s be real here. The biggest hardships in our lives, until now, related to struggling with illness, losing our parents to cancer and Alzheimer’s and advocating for a child with special needs. Pandemic Parenting and All of the Initial Emotions But, parenting teens through a pandemic and finding the way ourselves has been depressing, anxiety-provoking, desperate, disappointing, and at times flat out sad. Sure, there have been happy moments too. But, this is not that post. Another day I will find myself there. That first…

  • family

    19 Easy Things To Do To Keep Teens Busy Right Now

    March 21, 2020 - By 

    There’s no denying this has been a tremendously hard week for all. One of the hardest in our history. We had to postpone our family ski trip and March break due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. It was recommended here in Ontario, Canada last week that all travel be stopped, so we followed the health unit and Government of Canada protocols. But, that has not been easy. We are all genuinely disappointed because we had an amazing ski trip to Vermont happening. My younger girl has FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder) and she doesn’t cope with change well at all.…

  • Food

    Eat the Rainbow – 6 Ways to Help Kids Eat Healthy

    March 17, 2020 - By 

    You’ve heard the term Eat the Rainbow? It’s used to capture the idea of encouraging kids to make healthy food choices. Food literacy and likes and dislikes can begin early. When kids are small getting them to eat sometimes needs to be a bit playful. Convincing them to eat fruits and vegetables doesn’t need to be a battle. Post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. I receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. Tricks to Help Kids Eat Well Kids can often be adventuresome eaters. Mine always loved fruits and vegetables. In fact, as little people they…