• report_card_for_parents
    family - parenting - special needs

    Report Card for Superheroes #specialneeds

    July 1, 2016 - By 

    Congratulations. Give yourself a massive high five. A hug, a pat on the back. You made it. You are superheroes. You deserve an A plus on the only report card that matters. You did it. Another school year down. Another grade gone by. You didn’t break. You deserve A pluses in every subject. Superheroes look like this: You are all heroic. Building exceptional kids with extra human strengths. Your kids are Iron Man and Wonder Woman, Spiderman and Black Widow. They are superheroes. I know them well. Two of the biggest superheroes I know are living here in this house. They have extraordinary…

  • patriotic_decor
    family

    15 DIY Patriotic Crafts

    July 1, 2016 - By 

    It’s the perfect time of year for a DIY crafty person, especially one with a flare for patriotic crafts. July 4th is on the way soon and that means more opportunities to dress the house and yard up, if you are a crafty individual. Although I am Canadian I know a lot of my readers live in the U.S and many of you are super crafty. I admire that. For me, summer always signals time to decorate the house, with cute personal touches, or flowers. I am a gardener at heart and I treasure being able to grow things. So…

  • stomach_cramping
    family - Health

    Keep Stomach Cramping at Bay

    June 30, 2016 - By 

    Stomach cramping has always been an issue for me. If I don’t watch what I eat, I’m guaranteed to have severe issues. It’s the opposite of fun and sometimes comes at me sideways when I am not even remotely in the mood to be sidelined with cramps. While everyone else is scarfing down hot dogs or funnel cakes hanging out at amusement parks, or what have you, I’m calculating how much grease is in all that delicious food, and how much I might pay for eating it later. Occasionally I forget, for instance when I am away doing a travel…

  • swim_training_gear
    family - Health

    Great Swim Training Gear by Finis

    June 29, 2016 - By 

    Pool weather is here finally and Finis has the best swim training gear for performance. This summer we are using Finis swim training gear to help take our swimming to the next level. We’re working on building endurance and having fun too. This weekend I got I back from my trip to Indian River and Martin County, Florida and my pool was finally back to normal. We were getting kind of impatient waiting for the liner to be done and the lights to be updated and the stairs had some work too. [tweetthis]Finis has all the swim training gear you…

  • best_tires
    active family travel - family - family travel - Travel

    Sailun Tires Road Trip Stories

    June 27, 2016 - By 

    Summer equals road trips. It’s as simple as that. With school over, extracurriculars for the most part on pause, and the luxury of gorgeous summer weather stretched out in front of us, the family van is our ticket to freedom. The Beach? Quebec? Out East? Our West? Where will the road take us this summer? Now that I have the best tires for our vehicle, we are ready to embrace summer road trips. This summer we have numerous road trips planned. There are a couple of big ones, including one to Quebec’s Gatineau area. In fact We’ve already started our road…

  • mickey_cookies
    family - Food

    4th of July Mickey Cookies Recipe

    June 23, 2016 - By 

    It’s getting close to my favourite month – July. So much beauty in the summer months, living outdoors and picnicking with family. In Canada, we have Canada Day and I have anniversaries and birthdays here too. Much to celebrate and much to bake for too. If you are one of my United States readers then you also have a great deal to celebrate – like July 4th! There are a few iconic things, destinations, people, characters and events I think of when I think of the United States. Mickey Mouse and Disneyland are a couple of those things that are…

  • treasure_coast_florida
    active family travel - family - Travel

    Treasure Coast, Florida – Just What the Name Says

    June 22, 2016 - By 

    If you have yet to hear of Treasure Coast, Florida, we will forgive you. With a quirky mysterious history and stunning beaches it might not be one of the most common Florida areas, but it is definitely worth a visit. Covering three counties and some of the most natural environment in the state, Treasure Coast absolutely lives up to its name. There is no better place to enjoy the beauty of nature and the magic of coastal living than this part of Florida. Treasure Coast is a State Treasure This area of Florida is as beautiful as its name implies, offering…

  • Turtle_nesting_walk
    active family travel - family - family travel - Travel

    The Turtle Nesting Walk in Hobe Sound, Florida

    June 21, 2016 - By 

    It’s a sunny, humid, June morning. I kickstart my day by exploring Martin County, Florida on my own, at least until an afternoon rainy spell erupts. The highlight of my itinerary today is a turtle nesting walk in Hobe Sound. My ride, Nerissa, from the Martin County Tourism office, picks me up for dinner. I’ve been looking forward to this Turtle Nesting Walk from the moment I landed at Palm Beach International Airport. Hobe Sound, Martin County Florida Turtle Nesting Walk We take a leisurely drive through Jupiter Island, an extremely wealthy area of Martin County where celebrities, an ex-president’s family members,…

  • family - family travel

    Seven Road Trip Necessities This Canada Day #ChurchandDwight

    June 20, 2016 - By 

    Road trip season has begun in earnest around here, so I am stocking up on a few road trip necessities. Car and van trips can be equal parts fun and chaos. Stack the deck in favour of fun and be prepared for anything with these popular brands. This past weekend we headed to Muskoka and the Huntsville area for a weekend away at Ontario Pioneer Camp Blogger’s Weekend. We have several more road trips and plane trips in the works this season and I am looking forward to each one. BUT, I am also preparing for each because road trips…

  • nest_learning_thermostat
    family - homes

    Nest Learning Thermostat 3.0 – Saving Money Every Day

    June 20, 2016 - By 

    Nest Learning Thermostat 3.0 is a different kind of thermostat. It analyzes your usage information to make a heating and cooling profile based on your habits. The Nest Learning Thermostat 3.0 is smart technology and it makes your heating and cooling work for you while saving energy and money too. My husband and I have wanted a Nest for a few years now, so when the chance came to feature one here and install it inside our home, we were both thrilled with the opportunity to test a Nest and share with my readers.   Nest Learning Thermostat 3.0 – Next…