Adoption and Family
Parenting by adoption is bigger, louder, and often harder to start with. From the assessment and waiting process to the adoption probation period, it can seem endless and like it will never happen. Then you get the call and your life changes forever in a miraculous way. But what next? Sure there is often a honeymoon and parenting is a blessing no matter how you get there. It is a new adventure every single day. AND also adoption comes with numerous other ups and downs.
Find Your Supports Early and Stick With Them
Very often there's minimal support for adoptive parents and families after they leave the courthouse finalizing their adoptions. Consider this your supportive honest space where we share what's worked, what doesn't work, and all the challenges in between. Share your stories, learn and grow together.-
Our Canada Day
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 think we discovered our Canadianness and tapped a source of pride. I…
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Garage sale kid’s project
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 lived very close to the poverty line, held far too often.…
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Avoid Lunchbox Letdown – product review
When my daughter Payton, started senior kindergarten at a local London school the secretary seemed to have me on speed dial for a time. “Payton ate all of her lunch and is in the office” was a familiar refrain I tired of too quick. On occasion there was also the “Payton forgot her lunch” call, prompting me to drop everything and deliver food to her school, despite the fact that I knew she’d taken her Disney princess lunch bag with her that morning. But thanks to a cute new lunchbag, in grade one her problems were history. London area Mompreneurs Kathi Blackwell and Lynn Petcoff have taken a bite out…
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An Ode to Toes – Siblings of Special Needs Children
Parents of children with special needs live on a planet most other people wouldn’t even want to visit, not even for a stopover flight. So constant are the stresses on these families that many break down. It’s hard to stay healthy when a child consumes everything, financially and emotionally. Stresses on siblings of special needs children run high too. Stresses on Special Needs Families I ran across a statistic recently that indicated 85 % of families who have children with special needs break down. It’s a stunning statistic that ought to make everyone – including government, social services and education – stand up and take note. When they are done…
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Mommy’s school board adventures
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 days? All dolled up last week. Cute new H&M spring…
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Happy Birthday Hubbie!
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 you snore like a lawnmower. Because you made me laugh…
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London International Children’s Festival
Another June and another series of great London festivals set to unfold. One of the greatest draws of living here in this other London – the many festivals that dominate the summer parks and outdoor spaces. My DD – 5 – and I hit the 19th Annual London International Children’s Festival yesterday on its final day. My daughter, as always, enjoyed it, but I have to say this year although it’s still worth the trip I was even more disappointed than usual. And it wasn’t just me. Thriftymommastips talked to half a dozen other parents at the festival who all said the same thing: “I used to like it a…
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Brownie Camp and Where Have Seven Years Gone?
Well one week worth of packing and running around hunting for labels for my daughter’s belongings and Brownie camp appears to have gone smashingly. We dropped my seven-year-old off at Brownie Camp Friday night together. The whole family gave her a send off and wished her well, even if it was only for a very short weekend away. There’s a small camp site just outside London, close to St. Thomas that the local Brownie camp uses every year just outside London. She has been looking forward to this for weeks, so we worked hard to make sure it would happen and then gave her the big family send off yesterday.…
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Recession busters
Is it just me or are more companies suddenly trying to win your business with freebies? Call them Mama’s little helpers. I adore sites like Bargain Moose and the deal of the day. So here are a couple of my big recession busters this week. This week’s Recession Busters Now until June 7. Gymboree sale – 30 per cent off all of it, even the sale stuff, until end of this week. June 19th: free light smoothie at Orange Julius. Print the coupon off this blog or go to: orangejulius.com. Don’t Miss the Library Also take advantage of your local library. In the summer you can sign your child up…