• Spinach Recipes
    family - Food - Health

    5 Healthy and Awesome Spinach Recipes

    June 19, 2015 - By 

    As a child we had spinach at least twice a month. It was affordable and so good for you too. We grew up on simple spinach boiled and served with butter. But there’s no end to what you can use this amazing health vegetable in at meal time. From dips to salads and pastries too, spinach is more versatile than you might think. These 5 spinach recipes prove that. If you ask me spinach gets a bit of a bad wrap. It’s not nearly as sexy as kale has become. Instead, it’s that thing caught between your teeth after lunch…

  • high school freshman
    Back To School - family - Health - parenting - Parenting - special needs

    7 Steps – Preparing Your Child to be a High School Freshman

    June 18, 2015 - By 

    So it;s time to prepare your child to become a high school freshman!! Wait, what. How did that happen? Oh believe me I know all too well how slippery time is. Wasn’t she just literally hopping on the bus for that first day of kindergarten. Is it possible that kids can grow this fast? How on earth can my older daughter be ready for high school? Well, she isn’t quite yet. But she’s going to be with these 7 Steps to Preparing Your Child to be a High School Freshman.  Okay so just yesterday you walked your son or daughter…

  • Caregiver kick start
    adoption and tweens - family - Health - Parenting - parenting - special needs

    YOU NEED this – Caregiver Kick Start #specialneeds

    June 15, 2015 - By 

    There is nothing quite like attending a conference or a workshop and leaving feeling energized, validated and understood. You know that feeling, right? It’s like a giant sigh of relief and a reminder that this unique parenting is doable. But, then you leave that space and you return to your home. Maybe you maintain that zen approach for 3 days, or a week at most and something happens and you slide right back into that overwhelmed, exhausted state you were in before. How can you get back to that space where you are in control of your feelings and reactions?…

  • family - Health - parenting

    Advocacy Goals After the 2015 IVF Funding Program is in Ontario #ohip4ivf #onpoli

    June 13, 2015 - By 

    This week we had a Linked Moms conversation with patient group Conceivable Dreams about advocacy and the shape that can take after a major goal has been reached. With a 2015 IVF funding program on the way by end of year it’s important that patient advocates continue to brainstorm what their advocacy looks like after the program is in place. This is what that conversation looked like:   [View the story “Thoughts From Conceivable Dreams Infertility Patient Advocates in Ontario AFTER The #ohip4ivf Program Arrives #onpoli” on Storify]

  • beach and pool checklist
    family - family travel - Health - parenting - Travel

    Beach and Pool Checklist Printable

    June 11, 2015 - By 

    Heading to the beach this summer? Then you need this Beach and Pool Checklist printable. Stay organized and make the best of your beach time. That’s important when your sunny days are limited. Victoria Day weekend has passed in Canada and Memorial Day in the US just passed and I am giddy! Giddy I tell you. Winter was a fickle season and it basically aged me about ten years so I am looking forward to summer stripping away about 15 years. That’s how it works, right? Right? Of course it does. Give me something to hang onto here would you?…

  • baby products
    family - Health - infertility - parenting

    Introducing My New Contributor – Baby Product Vlogger Christina

    June 10, 2015 - By 

    I am super excited to share this news with you. As some readers know my girls are in the double digits now. One is a tween and one is a teenager and they keep me every bit as busy as they did when they were small. It’s just a different kind of busy. For a time I had a baby blogger here, but even her babies have grown up a lot. I know this audience still wants to read about baby news and baby products too. I can tell that when I run analytics here sometimes. So how does that…

  • pregnancy
    family - Health - infertility - parenting

    What’s Next for Infertility Patients in Ontario? #ohip4ivf #onpoli Twitter Chat Live June 10 at 8 p.m. EST

    June 9, 2015 - By 

    How does a patient group like Conceivable Dreams evolve once they’ve met one of their biggest advocacy goals? This is the topic we’ll talk about on Wednesday night at a special Linked Moms twitter chat at 8 p.m. EST. Infertility patients in Ontario are invited to brainstorm what shape their advocacy should take next. In fact, this is an important topic for any advocacy group, charity or non profit. It’s not uncommon for a group to come together with one goal as a mission. But a successful group needs to consider the future too. Succession planning and remaining focused are…

  • best peach recipes
    Food - Health

    The Best Peach Recipes For Summer

    June 9, 2015 - By 

    Is there anything sweeter than a peach? Yes there is – a great peach recipe. I think you might find some sweet and really creative peach recipes for summer here. I am so making the Olive Garden Peach Tea Copycat recipe the first chance I get. By the way did you know? [tweetthis]DYK the peach tree originated in China? [/tweetthis] Five Facts About Peaches: 1. The peach tree originated in China. 2. The peach tree is deciduous. [tweetthis]Is a peach tree deciduous or coniferous? Read more about peaches here..[/tweetthis] 3. Peaches and nectarines are the same species. Peaches have fuzz on…

  • high blood pressure facts
    Health

    High Blood Pressure Facts You Need to Know

    June 7, 2015 - By 

    Last year right around the time I left for a big trip with World Vision Canada I got a high blood pressure reading. It was the first time ever and I figured it was a one off. Away I went on the amazing trip, and when I returned, I had another reading done a few months later. Still, it was high. Fast forward two months after that high blood pressure reading. As I often do, I tackled the issue with diet and exercise and it came down a bit. I thought I was managing beautifully. But tackling this health issue…

  • infertility
    family - Health - infertility

    Nine Things We Want You To Know About Infertility – #IVF4ON #ONPOLI

    June 5, 2015 - By 

    It must be spring because everyone is suddenly pregnant, or posting a photo of their new arrival on Facebook. At this time of year with Spring, plus Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Infertility Awareness Month all wrapped up in one big bundle, family is everywhere. The triggers for infertility patients are seemingly endless. Even I am feeling it this year and we adopted our children 13 years ago. I guess that’s proof the emotions of infertility never go away. With spring comes the constant reminders of people who have suddenly succeeded at getting pregnant. That’s hard for so very many people…