• Parenting

    Birthdays, Babies, Wishlists and Wendy’s House

    March 10, 2011 - By 

    My youngest daughter has a birthday this week. In the crazy business of travelling to a conference last week and then coming back just to gear up for March break, the party planning process got put on hold. Yesterday I booked her party, at a local martial arts studio she loves, and quickly filled out the invitations. Then I asked her what she wanted for her big day. The answers were classic Ainsley. It made me laugh out loud to read it, so I thought I’d share it with you. Ainsley’s birthday list:1. Golden retriever.2. Baby Alive (the one that…

  • family

    Follow Me I’m Canadian Bloghop

    March 9, 2011 - By 

    Canadian? Have a blog? Then follow me on over to the Follow Me, I’m Canadian Bloghop. Enter your blog name and http address and your twitter ID or any other details regarding your social media sites. It’s a great way to meet others who share a common geography. There are no big rules, just the fact that you are Canadian is a ticket to enter this one. Also it’s not one of those stalker type bloghops where people leave you odd messages commanding you to follow them back or else!! In fact the rule here is don’t leave those psycho…

  • Back To School

    A Bullying Dilemma: What Would You Do Next?

    March 1, 2011 - By 

    I am torn writing this and I hope that some of you can help. One of my daughters is extremely vulnerable to bullying. She’s a super sensitive gal and very bright and creative and she sings amazingly well. But at school, it seems every year we have at least one child who picks on ours or leaves a pissy phone message or targets her for no apparent reason. I’ll be honest with you. We have tried to give our daughter life skills to stand up for herself. We advise her to say “No.” We tell her walk away. We tell her…

  • family

    Saving Women’s Hearts: Giveaway

    February 28, 2011 - By 

     Pop quiz. (Answers at end)1. What is the number one disease that kills North American women? 2. Do heart attacks look the same in women as they do in men? 3. Is Omega 3 a helpful preventative to heart disease, or not? 4. Are you at risk of developing heart disease?5. Is an African American woman more likely to develop heart disease than a Caucasian woman? Which race is more likely to die of heart disease? Last year a good friend of mine had a heart attack. She is in her early 40s. To say that her heart attack was a…

  • Back To School - parenting

    Five Reasons to Register Your Child For School Now

    February 21, 2011 - By 

    In the list of life’s big decisions that have to be made as a parent there can be little that is quite so weighty as the choice of school for your child. Private or public? Catholic or home school? French immersion or English language? French first language? Home school? The options, costs and geographical restrictions can have you ripping your hair out as you research and hope and then make the leap to deciding. There are benefits to each system. Whatever choice you make, it should be informed. Did you know for instance that JK is not mandatory? You are not legally obligated…

  • infertility - Parenting - parenting

    Disney Wonders and The Magic of Being a Parent

    February 6, 2011 - By 

      (Ainsley in the sweet hat a little boy gave her) (I wrote this one over one year ago and held onto it, but I wanted to share it with my readers this weekend as Disney On Ice blew through London and we again went to see it. This years I spied a couple of Moms crying – just like me)   Once a year you can find me crying at Disney On Ice. Some years I wonder if there’s a support group for Moms like me. “Hi, My name is Paula and I cry at Disney on Ice.” First step is…

  • Parenting

    How Do You Answer “Mom, Am I Adopted?”

    February 2, 2011 - By 

    I write about adoption often. I travel and speak occasionally in different areas of the world about adoption and advocating for your child and other things like that. So adoption is a word that is heard often in our home. Not so much in the past year maybe, but that’s okay. I know that there are peaks and valleys and times when questions naturally arise again. I’ve started thinking of it like knitting. You pick up the needles and start stitching your adopted child’s story. Six months later you stitch a bit more. This month my youngest daughter started asking more questions. My youngest…

  • family

    Monday Mingle: Jan. 31, Foodies and Recipes

    January 31, 2011 - By 

    I realize that during my vlog I didn’t specify that the peppers should be hollowed out. I am sure you all knew that, but just adding that on now in case it wasn’t clear. Here is my state secret family friendly recipe:Ingredients: Green Peppers, ground beef, onion, garlic, soya sauce, spaghetti sauce, rice1. Take four Green Peppers (red works too.)2. Hollow the peppers out and boil them on top of the stove for a few minutes. Drain the water and set them upside down to drain.3. Microwave or boil about one cup of rice in a different dish.4. Brown one…