• stain_remover
    family - Giveaways

    The Proof is in the Laundry – Birthday Cake Fail

    July 25, 2018 - By 

    This post has been sponsored by OxiClean and I received compensation.  The proof is in the pudding. Or in this case the birthday cake plus laundry stain remover. Let me back it up a second. This story starts with a birthday party and ends with laundry. Doesn’t every real-life story eventually end with laundry and stains? Travel ends in memories and laundry. School ends in smarter children and laundry. Play equals laundry. Work also equals laundry. See what I mean? Everything ends in laundry. But I digress. June and July here are party months. Birthday party months that is. From…

  • talking-to-kids-about-adoption
    Parenting

    How Do I Answer Hard Adoption Questions?

    July 19, 2018 - By 

    This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of the links I receive a small commission.  Mom, did I grow in your tummy? Why didn’t my parents want me? What was wrong with me? How come nobody gave them money or helped them? These are all hard adoption questions I have been asked over the years as an adoptive parent. And I have answered them all, sometimes precisely and sometimes in very young vocabulary for a five year old or even younger. Talking to your child about adoption doesn’t have to be scary. The scariest part…

  • gallery_wall
    family

    How to Create a Stunning Photo Gallery Wall Now

    July 18, 2018 - By 

    This post has been sponsored by BestCanvas.ca.  A photo gallery wall is a great way to help commemorate the most important times and memories a family has. Whether it’s a collage of several different events or a themed wall, this kind of photo setup helps keep memories alive and showcased for visitors and family members, alike. Over the past two years we have been building and adding to our photo gallery wall in our family room. Piece by piece it is shaping up to be something I am happy with. Today, I’m ready to share it with you. I thought…

  • parenting_resource
    family

    80 Tools to Help You Succeed at the Hardest Job Ever

    July 11, 2018 - By 

    Raising kids is awesome and being a parent is a gift. Children can make you laugh with their hilariousness. They can make you melt with their cuteness. They can inspire you with their kindness. But raising kids is also really REALLY hard. Haven’t you often wished you had a parenting bible or toolkit? I know you have all joked about wishing that kids came with a manual. Friends and parenting resources are VITAL. Between temper tantrums, the constant noise and mess, teaching them all the life skills they’ll need as adults, and continually wondering whether we’re screwing it all up……

  • chamilia_earrings
    family

    Be a Queen Every Day with Chamilia Earrings

    July 9, 2018 - By 

    You know how you save those pretty pieces of jewelry for a special occasion? Same can be said of the fancy shoes, the expensive purse or smartest jacket. As women, we do that. Save it for the special event, the unique opportunity to show it off. Well, what if that special occasion never comes? Or what if it doesn’t come more than four times a year? What if you are the special occasion. And life is everything every single day. Bring it every day. I mean what are you waiting for exactly? How about today? Buy something just for you,…

  • husky_pay_before_you_pump
    family

    Husky Enacts Pay Before You Pump Policy

    June 27, 2018 - By 

    What if making one small change improved safety for many? Would you do it? Actually I like to think most people would adjust and make the small changes necessary to help others. That’s what Husky’s pay before you pump policy is about. The pay before you pump policy is common sense and ensures safety of both gas station attendants and customers. It’s a pre-emptive move against gas theft incidents that could cause injuries to attendants and customers. Pay Before You Pump Helps Increase Safety If you’ve filled up at a Husky station, you’ve probably noticed their new policy. They’ve been implementing this…

  • stem_education
    family

    STEM Camp – Summer Day Camps Building Curiosity

    June 7, 2018 - By 

    Imagine a camp where you build your own space suit, or monitor weather in space. A camp where your children explore the world around them, ask questions and create experiments. Building curiosity and engaging young people all summer long is the name of the game at STEM Camp. I couldn’t be happier to share Stem Camp with you. STEM Camp is one of my favourite children’s STEM summer day camps. You already know STEM is the future and maybe you wonder how to nurture that interest. Maybe you worry your kids don’t get enough STEM in school. Well, STEM Camp is…

  • don't_cost_a_penny
    family

    7 Father’s Day Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny

    June 4, 2018 - By 

    Dads are such special people in our lives, so when Father’s Day rolls around we no doubt want to give them the best day ever. If your budget is tight, you might be concerned that a fantastic Father’s Day isn’t possible, but the good news is that even on the smallest of budgets, you can make Dad’s dreams come true! Look below at 7 Father’s Day gifts that don’t cost a penny, and see how simple it can be to give Dad the ultimate Father’s Day he deserves. 7 Father’s Day Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny 1. Give him…

  • ontario_pioneer_camp
    family

    Find Your Strength at Pioneer Camp Ontario

    May 28, 2018 - By 

    Every January my youngest daughter begins the camp countdown to Pioneer Camp Ontario. That’s six or seven months of anticipation before the eventual August drop-off every summer. In many ways this camp is the gift that keeps giving all year long. Of course there’s the week at camp, or lately the two weeks there and the enjoyment, independence and creativity she gets every single year attending Pioneer Camp Ontario. But long after camp itself, every single year Ainsley comes home inspired, engaged, confident, calm and grounded. How Did We Discover Pioneer Camp Ontario? Just two summers ago my family was…

  • transition_to_high_school
    family

    How To Move Teens on to High School when Change is a Huge Issue

    May 23, 2018 - By 

    Do you have teens with special needs or simply inflexible teens? Do they have trouble adjusting to change? Me too. This September my youngest starts high school. Why is that a big deal? Well, my younger daughter has a host of diagnoses. She has an IEP (individual education plan), technology for accessing the curriculum, FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder), sensory and learning challenges, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) all related to that. Combine all of that with a difficulty adjusting to change. Ainsley has difficulty adjusting to life changes. That is extremely typical for kids and adults with FASD…