• heart
    family - Health

    Happy Heart Health Month – Facts About This Vital Organ #ad

    February 1, 2017 - By 

    This post has been generously sponsored by Bayer.  Heart Health is incredibly important to me. Why is that? Well, a few years ago I had a high blood pressure reading, followed by another one and so on until I was worried I’d need regular high blood pressure medication. I narrowly turned that around with lifestyle changes and my wireless home blood pressure monitor, but I still monitor it. But heart health remains top of mind for me daily. This month everyone has hearts and love on their mind. Every single store is full of heart shaped chocolates and pillows and candies.…

  • healthy_habits
    family - Health

    Healthy Habits to Get You Through the Winter #ChurchandDwight

    January 30, 2017 - By 

    Healthy habits are important all year long, but I have to say, they’re even more important during the winter. Winter is when all the worst germs come out to play. By now everyone I know has had the colds, the flu bugs and even pink eye (TWICE in my case). However, if you practice healthy habits, you can help stave off the onslaught of all those nasty bugs and feel as good as possible all season long. Simple Healthy Habits You can Start Today These healthy habits can be started immediately and can help you feel better now and later. When…

  • homemade_granola_recipes
    family - Food

    25 Healthy Homemade Granola Recipes

    January 26, 2017 - By 

    I am not a crunchy granola Mom, but I do like to have options. And I really love having different healthy homemade breakfast and lunch recipes available to my family. Each of the members of my family love granola. So, I occasionally try to add it to their meals, or create something new for them with this great ingredient. These are 25 of my favourite healthy homemade granola recipes. The top of this list os Peanut Butter Granola from Bunny’s Warm Oven. My youngest daughter is the world’s biggest peanut butter fan. Combining peanut butter and granola will make her…

  • cruise_wreckers
    active family travel - family - Travel

    6 Cruise Wreckers – Things That Can Ruin Travel Plans

    January 24, 2017 - By 

    This post may contain affiliate links as a service to my readers. If you make a purchase as a result I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.   Cruise wreckers can jeopardize your entire trip. Don’t let that happen. There are numerous things you should know before you cruise, and I have written about many tips and tricks. But cruise wreckers can make or break a cruise for you. For instance, if you do this one thing wrong then you might miss your sailing entirely and that would be the worst possible way to begin a vacation.…

  • 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
    active family travel - family - Quebec - 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…