• family - parenting

    Alone at Home Overnight – When is it Okay for Teens to Man the Fort

    September 6, 2017 - By 

    Alone at home. The ultimate test for a teenager. Mom and dad are gone overnight. The house is theirs. How will they handle it? Will mom and dad come back to a home just as they left it. Will they discover a beer bottle under the couch from the wild party that 16 year old Jessie had. Or will they simply return to discover too many dishes in the sink from too many hours on the PS4? These questions and more go through all of our minds when the day finally comes to leave the kids alone at home. But when…

  • yurt_life
    Travel

    Yurt Life at Wasaga Pines – Comfortable Camping

    September 5, 2017 - By 

    Yurt life is a hit! Let me explain. To start you should know that I have always said I would never camp. Not a camper, I told my girls. We travel, cruise, stay in cottages, and love that life. But sleeping on the ground in a tent is not for me. But, that said, there are so many different ways to access camping or glamping now that you really need never sleep on the ground in a tent to get all the benefits of camping. This past week we had the chance to go stay in a yurt for several…

  • id_bracelets
    family

    Chamilia ID Bangles – A New Twist on a Classic Look

    September 4, 2017 - By 

    Chamilia ID Bangles are storming the jewelry scene with their modern twist on an old favorite – ID bangles. Their new Spoken by Chamilia collection is an effort by Chamilia, a Swarovski Company, to bring it’s charm-based jewelry to a wider audience. The new Chamilia ID Bangles are hand-crafted in 100% sterling silver, and some styles are also available in 14 karat yellow gold or 14 karat rose gold electroplating.   New Chamilia ID Bangles – Modern Sensibilities in a Classic Look Chamilia has released one new traditional silhouette ID bangle, and six new ID bangles to help match the…

  • Gatineau_City
    active family travel - Travel

    Gatineau and Outaouais Region Celebrate Canada 150

    September 1, 2017 - By 

    This year Gatineau in the Outaouais Region of Quebec has some remarkable reasons to visit. MosaiCanada 150 and the brand new Canadian History Hall exhibit in the Museum of Canadian History were the most powerfully charged of all the experiences I had this summer travel season. If you are Canadian, you need to see this. It’s hard not to be moved seeing Canada’s history on display. MosaiCanada 150 and the new exhibit together are powerful narratives about Canada’s story. Gatineau Becomes a Riot of Colour Summer is short in Canada and this year it vanished quickly, with the strange cool…

  • victory_lap
    family - parenting - Parenting

    The Victory Lap in Ontario – Why Take the Extra Year?

    August 31, 2017 - By 

    The victory lap is what we call an extra year of high school in Ontario. It’s also known as grade 13. Today, high school is only four years long, but when I was a kid, it was a five year process. That means that kids today will be entering university at 18 rather than 19. I know how challenging university was for me as a 19 year old, so I can only imagine how hard it must be for an individual just on the cusp of adulthood. In many cases, it’s better for the child to attend that fifth year of…

  • hawaiian_recipes
    Food

    13 Scrumptious Hawaiian Recipes

    August 30, 2017 - By 

    Hawaii is one of those destinations that remains elusive for us. It’s near the top of my list of must visit locations for the future. In the meantime we have to satisfy our cravings for Luau’s and Pineapple treats with Hawaiian food recipes like these. 13 Hawaiian Recipes to Crow About: Have you ever been to Hawaii? Have you got any favourite Hawaiian recipes? I’d love to hear more so I can drool over great Hawaiian recipes and dream about getting there. 1. Hawaiian Chicken Panini 2. Hawaiian Coconut Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Salsa 3. Hawaiian Turkey Avocado Mini Sandwich…

  • active family travel - Travel

    Ziptrek EcoTours – My Favourite Birthday Trip Yet

    August 29, 2017 - By 

    This is the birthday trip I will look back on when I am 90 and GRIN from ear to ear. Ziplining down Mont Tremblant with Ziptrek Ecotours was a brilliant adventure I will not soon forget. Ziptrek is a zipline tour with a difference and it is one of the most thrilling courses I have done so far. If you have ever been to Tremblant you know it is spectacular. Quebec is simply one of my favourite destinations and the Laurentians are a Canadian treasure. In fact, if you have not yet been, then what are you waiting for? In…

  • WillLand_outdoors
    family

    WillLand Outdoors Backpacks for Back to School #BackToBackpacks

    August 28, 2017 - By 

    WillLand Outdoor Backpacks make back to school easier and stylish. My high school student is starting the new school year with the Delisioza. Her last one was just a bit too small for the bigger books that come with going into grade 11. We also can’t wait to use Luminosa Forte Freedom for all the traveling, hiking, and skiing that we do. We love WillLand Outdoors backpacks because they’re high-quality and make it easy to carry everything you need. WillLand Outdoors Backpacks From School to the Outdoors WillLand Outdoors backpacks are designed to work hard, and that’s important to me. Whether…

  • parenting

    Top Ten Ways to Save Money During Back To School Season

    August 24, 2017 - By 

    Back to School Season can be brutally expensive, but there’s no need to go wildly in debt over smart, fresh, backpacks and new jeans. So, here are my thoughts on ways to save money during back to school season. Think you can’t save money during the Back to School Season? Think again. Saving all your hard earned dollars in September can seem like an impossible feat. But, I am here to tell you it can be done. Do not take out a second mortgage to pay for the latest merchandise. Take these tips to heart and reuse some of what…

  • family - Printables

    Common Sight Words Printable – Kindergarten to Grade One

    August 24, 2017 - By 

    If your children are about to start school, or are working towards entering grade one soon then this post is for you. Sight words are the most frequently printed and written words in the English language. They are generally simple words, ranging from Little to TO, to Down, THE, and of course AND. There are several of these sight words and the sooner children grasp and recognize them the easier it is to read. I think I mentioned this before here once or twice. My younger child had some trouble figuring out reading. The decoding didn’t come easy for them…