• family

    10 Easy DIY and Upcycled Crafts to Make

    DIY and Upcycled crafts can be so much fun to make together. Or perhaps even on your own. There is no need to toss things in the garbage or the recycling if you can give them a second life. That spares money and materials and is simply better for the planet. One of my kids is a natural at this. She always has been. I think it might actually be a generational thing, as in Generation Z seems to be naturally inclined to care for the environment and reuse things a bit better than we ever did. That might just…

  • Food

    Eat Healthier Using Natural Sugar Substitutes Now

    Are you striving to eat healthier? Natural sugar substitutes could help you refine your diet. Healthy eating tips frequently suggest cutting back on processed and refined foods and reducing or eliminating sugar or sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners from diets. No big news there. With so many foods showing high fructose corn syrup on the labels–even foods one might not expect to contain sugar or a substitute like canned tomatoes or green beans—North Americans are more accustomed to the taste of sweet than probably any other flavour. Sugar, in moderation, isn’t unhealthy for most people. The problem comes with the…

  • Travel

    Fishing, Flying, Golfing and Food – Fun Things to Do at Lake of the Ozarks

    We were guests of Central Missouri while visiting the area. Post contains affiliate links as a service to readers. We are perched on a fishing boat in Lake of the Ozarks, sun beating down relentlessly, when I feel the tug on my line. The first time I reel it in, the worm has disappeared. Deflating slightly, we all chatter about this one, as if it is THE ONE that got away and maybe five minutes pass before I feel that familiar tug again. Stay Where We Did – > Old Kinderhook Fishing Impossible, I think, and yet something is pulling…

  • family

    Make Your Mark with MOO Premium Printing

    I received product for consideration here. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. It’s closing in on fall conference season and you know what that means, right? Time for new business cards and stationery. Time to take stock and level up on the cute custom printed business tools. True story. My fall and winter are packed with conferences and travel opportunities. I am looking forward to it. The networking part though….oh, I know I need to work on that. Sometimes, business cards are a good bridge to a conversation. Who knows, they might even prompt a…

  • Giveaways

    Happy Cleaning with Hoover OnePWR Range

    I am a 2019 Hoover Brand ambassador and, as such, I received compensation for this post. My opinion is my own and it is also truthful. Happy Cleaning! Are you a happy cleaner? We all have that one friend, you know the one I mean, the friend who loves cleaning and finds it therapeutic. For the most part, I always thought those people were kind of kooky. Until recently anyways, when I found the new Hoover OnePWR Range. Hoover OnePWR range is a system of home appliances that has your whole home covered. It is a soup to nuts easy…

  • Travel

    A Smugglers’ Notch Summer – Open Your Eyes to Something New

    We were hosted media guests at Smugglers’ Notch this summer. My opinion is all my own and also truthful. Have you ever seen a Luna moth? They have an impressive wingspan, a lime green colour that makes them look almost bioluminescent and streamers trailing behind as they fly. If I’d never seen this moth, I’d still believe all moths drab and grey. Looking Through a Different Lens If I’d never experienced a Smugglers’ Notch summer I might have missed seeing all the fun ways you can play at a ski resort when the snow has long since melted. Sometimes, a…

  • Parenting

    Courage and Parenting a Child with FASD

    I wrote this in May when we had a not so great month here at school and home due to FASD and explosive behaviour. Sometimes I day dream about where I could go if I just left. Maybe for the day, maybe longer. Sometimes I contemplate never returning. Yesterday was one of those days. I love my kids, my family, my husband. But some days the scale tips. This past May was a month of this. When the Scale Tips – How it Feels Parenting a Child with FASD. Do you ever have those days where the scale tips? Where…

  • Health

    Ways to Use Grapefruit Seed Extract in Your Home Now

    You might know grapefruit seed extract as a supplement, but did you also know it can be used for a homemade cleaner, or a fruit and vegetable wash? There are quite a few ways to use grapefruit seed extract that are simple and affordable too. Many commercial cleaners are available that kill bacteria and germs in your home, while sometimes using questionable toxic chemical ingredients. If you, like me, try to limit the chemicals you expose your family to, then you might want to know about these easy ways to use Grapefruit seed extract. Grapefruit seed extract is a supplement…

  • Travel

    Fifty New Things From the Year I Turned Fifty

    Last year was the year I turned fifty. Just saying that is both liberating and a bit scary. I come from a long line of women who didn’t EVER discuss their age. So, neither did I for most of my adult life. There was a time when I was so incredibly ill with Crohn’s Disease, an inflammatory bowel disease that is incurable, that I was very certain I wouldn’t live past 40. And then 40 came and went and 41, 42, 43 and so on and I was still here. Huh. Imagine that. A Bit of History The Internet didn’t…

  • Health

    Are Flip Flops Bad for Your Feet?

    Flips flops are a staple in everyone’s summer wardrobe. True story – my kids have been buying these on their own for years. Who can blame them? They are inexpensive and easy to toss on and also cute. Once I wrote about the time my older girl zip lined through Puerto Vallarta rain forest wearing flip flops. Oh so popular during the summer months and when you go on holidays, flip flops are inexpensive and easy to pack. It’s no wonder people love this popular form of footwear. They are easy and flexible and they scream beach vacation. But Are…