• family - parenting

    Empower Kids with These Two Great Books

    January 23, 2017 - By 

    It’s important to empower kids. As parents and adults in general, it’s our job to help today’s youth grow up to be confident, well-adjusted members of society. One of the ways we do that is to empower kids by nurturing creativity and self esteem. I’m a big believer in this, and recently a couple of books that do just that caught my eye. Empower Kids with Learning and Creativity Although these books are quite different, their outcome is the same. They empower kids to use their minds and teach them that any goal that they set for themselves is achievable.…

  • Quebec_city
    Travel

    Quebec City – A Mix of Old and New #travel

    January 20, 2017 - By 

    Quebec City is one of the most beautiful metropolitan areas of Canada. Steeped in history and beauty, Quebec City has something for everyone, and it has it all in a beautiful city located in a stunning spot. It’s truly one of the best vacation destinations in Canada. Quebec City – A Mix of Old and New Quebec City has a long history, and it can be seen everywhere. From the old world architecture and atmosphere of Old Quebec, to the modern architecture of the rest of the city, all of Quebec City is a feast for the eyes. There’s also no…

  • futura_x
    Technology

    Bezalel’s Futura X – A Wireless Charging Pad to Make Life Easier #TakeCharge

    January 18, 2017 - By 

    Bezalel’s Futura X is an ultra thin wireless charging pad that’s also sexy. That’s right. It’s got a drop dead gorgeous sleek design combined with great performance. This wireless charging pad is ideal for those of us who never seem to have charging cords or chargers, and isn’t that pretty much all of us? Don’t try to deny it. You know they are never handy when you want them. Bezalel’s Futura X resolves that problem while looking good. Futura X – Making Charging Sexy I’ve been eyeing up charging pads forever, so when I found Bezalel’s products on line a couple of…

  • cruise_checklist
    active family travel - family - Travel

    Cruise Checklist – 5 Things to do Before The Cruise

    January 17, 2017 - By 

    A cruise checklist like this one is essential to starting your cruise out on the right foot. You look forward to that holiday and you’ve saved for months. Don’t let a lack of preparation ruin it. Before you cruise, you should have all of your ducks in a nice, tidy row to ensure that your time is spent relaxing and having fun and not trying to work out unnecessary kinks in the trip. Successful cruises, like many amazing trips, often are the result of weeks of planning. I mean that’s often a huge part of the fun. Having a cruise checklist…

  • gluten_free_crockpot
    family - Food

    25 Gluten Free Crockpot Dinner Ideas

    January 14, 2017 - By 

    Post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. I don’t know about you but I love my slow cooker. It’s a year round powerhouse. With a busy schedule like ours I need to set it and forget it. And let’s be honest is there anything nicer than the aroma of a stew cooking all day? Anything cooked in the crockpot fills the house with the sweet smell of something delicious for dinner. I know my crew loves coming home to that. I know a lot of my readers are gluten free, some by choice and some out of…

  • mindfulness
    family - Health

    MINDFULNESS – What’s Your Word of the Year?

    January 12, 2017 - By 

    Mindfulness – it’s the quality or state of being aware or conscious. To me, it’s being here, present, grateful and aware. My word of the year for 2017 is mindfulness, because I think that personally everyone in my family can work towards being present, when together or even when on their own. Being open and mindful of all our blessings daily as they happen is a gift. Every year I try to come up with a word that will guide my personal and professional life. It’s not a resolution exactly, but a mantra or philosophy. It helps me to move…

  • Printables

    Canadian Provinces and Territories Worksheet

    January 12, 2017 - By 

    Today I thought it would be useful to share my Label the Canadian provinces worksheet because it’s educational and helpful for kids learning about Canada. I confess that one of my daughters struggles with geography and visual spatial perception. What does that mean? Well, it means that she needs extra help figuring out things sometimes. For instance if I asked her to draw a map of Canada she would genuinely struggle. If I asked her to put all the names of the provinces on this map she would need support with that. Sometimes seeing her struggle with geography It is…

  • adaptive ski
    active family travel - family - family travel - FASD - parenting - special needs - Travel

    Adaptive Ski Programs for People with Disabilities

    January 10, 2017 - By 

    Children with special needs face challenges that other kids don’t. Whether their disability is physical, mental or neurological, children and adults with special needs require extra support with certain activities. Many ski resorts are getting excellent at meeting this need. I have seen some adaptive ski programs at family friendly resorts like Smugglers’ Notch in action. Some are super impressive so I thought I would share a list for families like ours. Adaptive Skiing Shines at These Ski Resorts Children and adults with special needs face barriers too many places still. So when I find a resource with adaptive or inclusive programs sometimes…

  • winter_driving
    active family travel - family

    Winter Driving Travel Tips – Staying Safe in the Snow and Cold

    January 9, 2017 - By 

    Winter driving tips are super important for so many areas of the world. It’s that time of year. The weather is frigid, the snow is falling, and along with all of that, the ice is here. Traveling in winter is about staying safe and protected from all of these things – ice, snow, and cold. These winter driving tips will help you get where you’re going and get there safe. Winter Driving Tips to Keep You Safe In my opinion, one of the biggest contributors to winter accidents is that people forget that you need to approach driving differently in…

  • Emerging_cooking_solutions
    Health

    Hope and Progress in Zambia – Emerging Cooking Solutions

    January 6, 2017 - By 

    We are sitting inside a small business with potential to change the landscape dramatically for Zambia. Emerging Cooking Solutions started in 2012 with a goal to make cooking safer. With a loan from the UN Foundation, Marion Peterson and Mattias Ohlson are changing lives for the better in Zambia. This is our first site visit in a five day tour of Zambia. We are here to see the impact of vaccines on the lives of children. I am traveling with a group of journalists who have each received a Shot @ Life fellowship to write about what’s happening in Zambia. The journey…