• family

    Kickstart This #Blogging

    October 8, 2014 - By 

      Shutterstock photo by Leah-Anne Thompson It’s been a while since I’ve used this space for a good rant. So it’s time. Now listen here. I am thinking about starting a Kickstarter campaign to fund my great new idea. I think it will be something epic. But right now it’s just a little vague. To be quite honest, it’s really just a concept. But it’s a great concept. See, it’s a concept I have for a brush that will automatically clean itself. Cool right? Because, who couldn’t use one of those? I mean have you seen my daughter’s hair? I…

  • family - infertility

    Raise Your Voice IVF Funding Alberta Twitter Chat #abhc4ivf #abpoli

    October 7, 2014 - By 

    It’s time, Alberta. Wednesday night at 8 p.m. EST. It’s time to raise your voice and make some noise on twitter. It’s time to challenge our notion of a health care system that is accessible to all. It’s time to tweet and talk and write and visit and share this message with the politicians in your area – the MLAs you vote into office. It’s time to tell them healthy families matter to everyone in Alberta and IVF funding matters to Alberta. By now you have to know the facts. I talk about them often enough here in this space.…

  • family

    Exclusive Launch of Gifts With Heart

    October 3, 2014 - By 

     This year I am tackling Christmas with a purpose. So, while this is an open invitation to brands to send me your pitches to be considered for inclusion in my gift guide, please understand that I am only accepting a select few gifts for this exclusive Gift Guide this year. The Thrifty Momma’s Tips 2014 Gift Guide will be focussing on Gifts With Heart. We celebrate Christmas here in my home and we enjoy the time together and the moments spent creating memories, even the moments just cuddling up and watching a special movie. I love this season. But with…

  • family

    Summer Days with Cousins

    October 1, 2014 - By 

    Summer days are my favourite. I mean what’s not to love? Summer days with cousins are even better than average seasonal sunny days we already love. Always have been and always will be, simply because of moments like this. I shot this random picture of Ainsley when her cousins were visiting this summer. Cousin fun is always special and it was a gorgeous sunny day, as you can see. Summer days are hanging out and leisurely swimming in the pool and sometimes doing day camps and being outside more often than any other time of year. Being out of doors…

  • family - Giveaways

    The World’s Gone Gummy with Gummy Drop App: Win an iPad

    September 14, 2014 - By 

    Gummy Drop is the latest release from Big Fish Games Imagine you are dropped right into Sydney, Australia to map out numerous Match-3 puzzles and earn the tools you need to put the world back together again. Gummy Drop App has a different feel than other Match-3 puzzle games. This one has a geographical flavour that is fun and, at times, also kind of feminine. I enjoyed the new angle on a favourite style of game. In fact Big Fish Games, maker of Gummy Drop App, released just this week, has a slogan that indicates they have a game for everyone. With…

  • active family travel - family - Travel

    Five Quick Facts About Colombia #Travel

    September 14, 2014 - By 

    Courtesy of Shutterstock Five Facts about Colombia 1. The official name for this country at the top of South America is the Republic of Colombia. It comes from the last name of the explorer Christopher Columbus, who arrived in 1499. It was originally called New Granada and only took its modern name in 1861. 2. Colombia is the only country in South America which has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Carribean Sea. It also borders five countries: Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. 3. Colombia is known for its emeralds and coffee. 4. The official language is…

  • active family travel - family - Travel

    Parkbridge Resorts Lakes of Wasaga Stay

    September 2, 2014 - By 

    I am a cottage girl. I have been doing that from the time I was born actually. I don’t think we have ever missed a year. So, cottage season is a big deal here. We are renters. Every single year. We have talked, but never seriously, about buying a cottage. Buying a cottage costs a lot of money and really, how long would we use it? Would we do well with all that upkeep? Would we travel each weekend in the summer to the cottage 3-4 hours away just to cut the lawn? I am not convinced. We love travel…

  • active family travel - family

    The Beach #WordlessWednesday linky

    August 20, 2014 - By 

    Every summer we travel to the beach with kids. Most summer vacations mean that we all get together and meet up with cousins in Georgian Bay, Ontario’s cottage country. It’s not possible every single year but it is something we enjoy doing as often as we are able. The beach is a happy relaxed place where we can always connect with family and just chill. Last week we went to the beach with my bother-in-law and sister-in-law. The highlight of that type of break is always all about seeing the cousins play together. This year there was swimming, but as…

  • family - homes

    Office Chairs That Work #InkscrblrATWork

    August 15, 2014 - By 

    This is the second post in a series about decorating my new home office. Thrifty Mom Media headquarters is now almost 100 % complete. I have maybe two more things to hang on the walls and I am still hunting madly for some drapes that are the right size and colour. Then it will be complete and all will be right with the world.   The final office space BEFORE Office Chairs – now resides in my daughter’s room I have been a freelancer for several years and so I have worked at home in one capacity or another for…

  • active family travel - family - parenting - special needs - Travel

    Five Tips for Train Travel with Special Needs Children

    August 12, 2014 - By 

    I love to travel by train – usually. I can work all the way and my wasted time is minimized. Plus, typically train travel is very economical. This summer my kids and I travelled to Montreal and Ottawa by train. That’s a substantial amount of time spent riding, and also a lot of transferring to different connecting trains. We travel every year by train together at least once. As some of my readers know special needs kids require a bit more planning when travelling anywhere, in any mode of transport. I have one anxious child, and another with a brain…