• quebec_city_food_tour
    Travel

    One of a Kind Walking Feast – Quebec Food Tour

    May 22, 2018 - By 

    This post contains affiliate links as a service to my readers. If you make a purchase via one of the links I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  A Quebec food tour is a wonderful way to learn history and get an insider’s view into where to eat when visiting the city. The food in Quebec City is a curious blend of multiple influences from Europe and aboriginal peoples in Canada. That makes the food scene exciting, unique, and worth investigating, which is exactly what we did recently when visiting Quebec City for a womens’ travel…

  • origin_of_butter_tarts
    Food

    The History of Canada’s Pastry – The Origin of Butter Tarts

    May 21, 2018 - By 

    Butter tarts are delicious. They’re a national treasure. I could eat them all day. Seriously. I mean who couldn’t? Think about these little delicious Heavenly tarts. Butter tarts are amazing little snack sized tarts filled with a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and sometimes walnuts or raisins. They are simply perfection. Butter tarts are a little bowl of Heaven that is, in my opinion, the best recipe to ever come out of a Canadian kitchen. Today, I honour the tastiest treat in the history of Canadian treats by telling you a bit about the origin of butter tarts. Of…

  • Printables

    What’s On Your List – Summer Bucket List Printable

    May 18, 2018 - By 

    Summer is one of my favourite seasons. I love winter because of ski season and outdoor sports. Ski season is everything in the winter months here. But the warmer months, when my pool is open and the beach is just a drive away…well that’s also all that and a bag of chips. To me spring and fall are just shoulder season. Definitely not much for me there. But summer well that’s golden. The problem with summer is it flies by so fast you can hardly get a grip on it. It is gone in a blink. So how do you…

  • stem_education
    family

    STEM Camp Brings STEM Education to a Wider Audience

    May 17, 2018 - By 

    STEM education has become a huge part of public, private, and homeschool curriculum. It is the focus of many toys and games. The world is changing. With more and more career opportunities surrounding STEM and the advancement of technology in general, it’s important for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to play a larger role in children’s education. In a recent post, I talked about how STEM Camp makes STEM fun for children. A friendly atmosphere combines with experiments that promote critical thinking and hands-on learning making STEM Camp a joy. I couldn’t be happier to share two big ways that…

  • empower_your_child
    Health

    Six Ways to Empower Your Child to Take Charge of Health Care

    May 17, 2018 - By 

      My regular readers know my kids have special needs. I write about the challenges involved in parenting them sometimes. We shuttle (mostly I to be honest) both girls back and forth to doctors and medical appointments and for assessments so much that I get tired and overwhelmed. So I imagine they must also. Which brings me to a tricky balance question. I was a child when I was sick with Crohn’s disease. I was in hospital a lot and shuttled back and forth to doctors a lot and I never felt empowered throughout the process until I became an…

  • spring_allergy_symptoms
    Health

    Do Spring Allergy Symptoms Suck the Fun From Your Life?

    May 16, 2018 - By 

    This post is sponsored by Bayer. To make sure these products are right for you, always read and follow the label.   Have allergies ever held you back from doing something you love? Spring allergy symptoms can be nasty. Honest seasonal allergy solutions are crucial to my family. Travel blogger here. Ready to go do all the fun things any time of year. But spring and summer mean getting outdoors and hitting the road. And I go nowhere without allergy medicine.   Every last one of my family members have allergies. For my older daughter cut grass can often make…

  • cheaper_cruises
    Travel

    All The Best Hacks to Save on Cruises Now

    May 15, 2018 - By 

    Taking a cruise is an exciting time. Not only are cruises an awesome vacation for so many reasons (hello, buffet and 24/7 ice cream machine!) but they are also a budget-friendly option as well.   Cruise lines are becoming more competitive when it comes to offering great deals to try to win those vacationers and families that are on the look-out for a great vacation option. And what’s not to love about taking a cruise? Endless activities, awesome shows, and entertainment, and did I mention the food?   Seriously, taking a cruise is a must. But what are the best…

  • road_trips
    Travel

    Getting Road Trip Ready for Spring and Summer

    May 14, 2018 - By 

    Road trip ready is a motto I live by. As a travel writer, I take many trips, and when spring and summer roll around, I’m on the road pretty often. In case you are not familiar with the life of a travel writer or travel blogger here’s a sample of what it’s like sometimes. Wednesday morning email or call comes in asking you to be in Quebec, or to drive to cottage country Friday around noon. Drop everything, pack and drive or fly. Not a lot of time for planning. Which is why I strive to be travel ready and…

  • whale_colouring_page
    Printables

    Whale Colouring Page Printable

    May 9, 2018 - By 

    Have you ever been whale watching? That’s one of my travel bucket list items and I just can’t seem to shake the feeling that I really must do this some day soon. Timing is critical of course. You have to choose a destination and a time when whales are active. I suppose BC is probably a consistent bet that way. But I am typically in BC for conferences and not for leisure. Then again there’s always Quebec and the Maritimes out East. I’d definitely love to spend more time there. For now this whale colouring page will do. whale_colouring_page_adult_printable One…

  • cruising_with_teens
    Travel

    How to Make Cruising with Teens Enjoyable For All

    May 7, 2018 - By 

    Cruising with teens is an entirely different animal than cruising with other adults or with young children. Teens are in a weird, in between stage of their lives where they aren’t really children anymore, but they aren’t yet adults either. What Makes Family Cruises with Older Kids Unique? This leads to a feeling of not belonging on some trips. They’re either too old to enjoy the rides, attractions, and programs that are geared towards the younger kids, or they’re too young to enjoy the adult activities. This can leave them feeling at a loss for what they can do, where…