• family

    Backyard Science Experiment Photos

    July 20, 2009 - By 

    Summer 411 Summer 411 is in full swing here, and I have to say this is one of the best ideas I’ve had yet. At the beginning of the summer I looked up a number of fun backyard science experiments my kids and I could do and it’s been a real highlight for us. Most of the experiments are quite cheap and several are worth repeating. The last week of school I settled on about 12 experiments and took my five-year-old grocery shopping for all the ingredients. She proudly told random strangers, “We’re doing science experiments” which was a good…

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    cameras and cottages

    July 19, 2009 - By 

    Just back from a week at the cottage up north on Lake Huron. Not a bad trip with the kids and Mommy survives yet another road trip. But sadly my Sanyo camera did not. Half way through our week at the beach shooting pictures of my gals frolicking in the waves my one-year-old pink purse-sized Sanyo digital camera died. The lens stopped closing and opening and the message Lens error began appearing. So what’s a good Mommy to do and how did I get this picture, you ask? Well, Fisher Price to the rescue. Over the remainder of my week…

  • child grinning with several front teeth missing
    family

    Tooth Fairy Conversation with a Five-Year-Old

    July 10, 2009 - By 

    The tooth fairy made a visit at our house this week, as those of you who follow thriftymommastips, will know. Anyways naturally as my children are five and eight now there were a few questions that came out of the process, some more comical than others. Now any moms and dads with any experience fielding life’s great philosophical questions can picture the setting…mommy driving down the busy road (or highway), sunlight in her eyes making dangerous turn when duh duh duh duh…darling child  unleashes a good one from the back seat. Backseat Questions This is the tooth fairy conversation I…

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    Dear Mannerless Mommy:

    July 6, 2009 - By 

    Dear Mannerless Mommy:Dear mannerless Mommy who butted in front of me in line this morning as I was dropping my child off for her first morning of day camp. Yes, that’s right I am talking to you! You know who you are, you are the one who shows up always hurried – and that’s okay I get it I do really – I am often also very hurried too. However, I generally do not cut in line in front of everyone else as if I am in fact the centre of the universe and must be first everywhere. I would…

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    Day Camp Rules

    July 5, 2009 - By 

    I recently read in an article by the excellent old colleague of mine Randy Richmond of the London Free Press of the city of London’s new day camp policy. So I was not surprised when a London YMCA day camp counsellor called to advise me I would need photo ID to pick my daughter up from camp next week. The policy has recently been changed as a direct result of the tragic abduction and murder of Tori Stafford from Woodstock. Stafford, 8, was taken from her school before Easter weekend. A massive search and media outpouring went on for months as parents held their children…

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    Our Canada Day

    July 4, 2009 - By 

    I wholeheartedly, unabashedly love Canada Day. The first of July every year heralds summer here and we typically go out of our way to make this celebration of our country a fun family experience. Maybe it’s the fireworks. Or maybe it’s because it is the day before my eldest daughter’s birthday. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a time when we moaned at length through high school and university about the lack of a true Canadian culture. The lack of a Canadian identity. Entire careers and courses were made or taught on the topic. But somewhere in the last 10 years I…

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    Garage sale kid’s project

    June 29, 2009 - By 

    There’s something about a Garage sale that gets kids excited. Unless of course they are being dragged to one for shopping purposes. My kids ask for a garage sale most years actually. I think they figure it is a get rich quick idea. In reality it’s often a lot of hard work. But here is what happened when my guys held a garage sale. I have never been a fan of garage sales. From the time we had our first sale back in the 80s I developed an extreme distaste for these seasonal events which we, as a family who…

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    Mommy’s school board adventures

    June 15, 2009 - By 

    This is the story of Mommy’s school board adventures. If you know me, you know I am an advocate and I use my voice for good whenever possible. So I have been gathering ideas on how best to use that locally to help adoptive families and those struggling with demands of special needs adoption. I mean it’s not always enough just to have a loving family. You have to also have a family of champions willing to stand up for you. Anyways enough serious stuff – this is the story of Mommy’s school board adventures. Ever have one of those…

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    Happy Birthday Hubbie!

    June 8, 2009 - By 

    Happy Birthday to my husband, the wonderful father of our two kids. Because he just phoned and left his wallet at home and his gas tank is so low he’ll be pushing the car home on his rainy birthday. Because I will now drive the wallet out to you at work. Because you are the world’s biggest procrastinator, but I love you anyways. Because I recall our fourth or fifth date when the Trans-Am – yes, that’s right – Trans Am actually did run out of gas and foolish me I didn’t run for the hills at that point. Because…