Pandemic Parenting is not anything that I ever thought I’d be writing about or doing. Let’s be real here. The biggest hardships in our lives, until now, related to struggling with illness, losing our parents to cancer and Alzheimer’s and advocating for a child with special needs. Pandemic Parenting and All of the Initial Emotions But, parenting teens through a pandemic and finding the way ourselves has been depressing, anxiety-provoking, desperate, disappointing, and at times flat out sad. Sure, there have been happy moments too. But, this is not that post. Another day I will find myself there. That first…
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There’s no denying this has been a tremendously hard week for all. One of the hardest in our history. We had to postpone our family ski trip and March break due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. It was recommended here in Ontario, Canada last week that all travel be stopped, so we followed the health unit and Government of Canada protocols. But, that has not been easy. We are all genuinely disappointed because we had an amazing ski trip to Vermont happening. My younger girl has FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder) and she doesn’t cope with change well at all.…
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When was the last time you saw a movie that truly moved you? I Still Believe, opening this week, is a powerful tale that will touch your heart. I am taking part in the I Still Believe Influencer activation with Graf-Martin Communications. I have been compensated and my opinion is all my own. I Still Believe in Faith and Romance From the makers of I Can Only Imagine comes the true life story of Jeremy Camp and his remarkable journey of love and loss that proves there is always hope in the midst of tragedy and that faith tested is…
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In May of this year my oldest daughter and I will travel to Greece for the first time ever. We are beyond stoked. It is her last year of high school and she literally just a few days ago got accepted into university. Her first choice for the subject she wants! Can’t wait to celebrate that in Greece. Learn All About Greece Now While my children are way too old for this cute Greece coloring and writing book, yours might just be exactly the right age for it. I love getting kids psyched about travel and geography and learning all…
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Here’s to Being Different and having the strength to stand strong in a world that makes you feel often as if you need to conform. What a dull place the world would be without unique and rare thinkers. Last month, my inspirational mental health quotes post did really well. So, with that in mind and because I love creative thinkers, here’s the Best Inspirational Quotes About Being Different. Post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. I receive a small commission via qualifying purchases. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs…
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I had a super reluctant reader. It was kind of devastating to watch her struggle with learning to read because reading and writing are my favourite things and it’s also how I make a living. But, my one girl did not do well. Her processing speed is slower due to a few things such as FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder) and ADHD symptoms of hyperactivity and so she struggled decoding language and making it work. She has several diagnoses and school can be harder for her than it is for some other kids. So instead of literally and figuratively beating…
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What are your plans and goals this year? Lately, my daughters and some of my friends have been talking about plans for 2020, the year of clarity. 2020 vision equals clarity. Get it? I really like that metaphor for the new year and the new decade. Perhaps, this decade will be one of clarity. One daughter has a goal to drink more water and frankly that’s clearly a goal I am all about. I think that’s a great ongoing goal for me, but I am already doing well there, so it’s not really my resolution. That same daughter, who has…
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Karate Lunch Box Jokes are the cutest thing to add to your kid’s lunch when they go back to school in the New Year. I mean New Year new approach to lunch, right? Listen, if your kids are at all like mine they might need a bit of encouragement going back after Christmas. Oh, I know a lunch box joke set might not change the world but it is a nice little reminder that even when you are apart you are still thinking of them. Karate Love Most of you know that my kids are karate black belts. They’ve been…
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We received product in exchange for honest consideration in this post about affordable Canadian mattresses. My youngest daughter has been asking for a room makeover for months. There never seemed to be time. But last summer when she went away to camp in Muskoka, we stripped everything off of the walls and painted the room three different colours. Of course, she helped picked the shades out. That gave her space a big boost of colour. And she was thrilled with the results when she came home. But, there was still the matter of the furniture and a mattress. Her bed,…
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I received product for consideration in the gift guide this year. Post may contain affiliate links. Have you heard of CuteTitos? Or Babitos yet? You will. These CuteTitos and Babitos are currently wrapped and under my tree for my niece. She’s too little to read this content, so there’s no chance that she will find out. Anyways, CuteTitos are sweet little stuffed animals and unique creatures that come with their own small blanket burrito. Unroll Something Special So adorable! These are surprise toys because you don’t know what you get until you unroll the burrito pet inside. Unroll to reveal…