• Parenting - parenting - special needs

    Hats Off to Good Samaritans at Covent Garden Market

    January 12, 2013 - By 

    This is my daughter Ainsley. No great coincidence that she is always in this hat. She loves this hat and would sleep with it on if she could.  This past week she went back to school with her hat firmly in place on her head. It’s warm, and for Ainsley, with sensory processing disorder, it helps cut out noise and even filter out some peripheral vision. She loves her hat. This hat has been a fixture on her head since I bought it in Toronto approximately 2 years ago when on business there. So this week when we went skating…

  • family

    Back to School and 2013 Special #Kindermom Treats

    January 10, 2013 - By 

    The first week back to school after Christmas break can be traumatic, or joyful depending on your perspective. Getting the kids up and out the door after two weeks of sleeping in and not setting an alarm clock is trying to say the least. So, when treats arrived at my doorstep in the form of Kindersurprises that first afternoon my kids were back to school, well I knew how to use them. After I pick my children up from school, the first thing I hear typically is this: “I am starving.” “Can we have McDonald’s, Reese’s pieces, a peanut butter…

  • Travel

    It’s Vegas, Baby #WordlessWednesday

    January 9, 2013 - By 

    My first ever trip without the kids since becoming parents. We went to Las Vegas and had some adult time. The pool which was warm despite chilly temperatures in Vegas that week. We stayed five days. Inside the lobby at The Wynn, which was epic and is the only five star resort on Las Vegas Boulevard. The Wynn where we stayed. Incredible and luxurious and remarkable service, even if I never won more than $5 at the slots here. Highly recommend The Wynn.

  • family - Health - parenting

    Images of Hope Fundraiser/Photo Exhibit #ABHC4IVF #ABPOLI

    January 7, 2013 - By 

    What is more hopeful than a picture like this? One of the remarkable images from the photographers who took part in Images of Hope last year, a fundraiser for Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund, held every March. There are few things in life so hopeful as the faces of children, or images of babies. But for many people struggling with infertility due to various medical reasons, building a family is a complicated reality involving in vitro fertilization and costly medical bills that can be as high as $13,000 per round. So how then, are people, able to create a…

  • adults_only_travel
    Travel

    Making the Time for Adults Only Travel

    January 4, 2013 - By 

    Weird but true. We travel a lot actually and did so before we had kids. But ever since having children we have not been able to find the time to just cut loose and go somewhere as adults. You know adults only travel. Well, maybe that’s not such a weird story after all. I am sure a few of you have a similar story. Finding child care is hard. In fact when special needs kids are involved it is actually almost impossible.   But soon we will go away together just the two of us for a grownup trip. Reason…

  • family - Health

    My Word of the Year 2013 #Health

    January 3, 2013 - By 

      This time of year everyone and their uncle post about resolutions and goals to lose weight, quit smoking and so on. I am not the biggest fan of those resolutions, as they often set you up for failure in my opinion. I am, however, a huge fan of goal setting. Last year in 2012 I chose a word to work towards as a symbol of my year. It was abundance. And 2012 was that. Business grew, consulting projects flourished and new bylines in traditional media happened too for me here at thriftymommastips.com. It was an abundant year in many…

  • family

    Happy New Year – Here’s to White Coats

    January 1, 2013 - By 

    Last week I bought a white coat. What does that have to do with Happy New Year and 2013 and all those brand new resolution posts and articles? Well, I’ll tell you. My white coat is for me. Just me. I haven’t had a white coat in 12-15 years. Why, because I have kids. Every parent I know, every mom I know understands the complete impracticality of a white coat. Kids are messy. They sneeze and spit up and throw up and wipe various bits of junk on you even when simply hugging and spreading their love.  So, I have…

  • Giveaways

    Yo Gabba Gabba Music is Awesome Vol. 4 #Giveaway

    December 30, 2012 - By 

    There’s only one Yo Gabba Gabba. Nothing else is quite like it. The fun and quirky techno musical show was a crazy hit from the moment it hit the TV. So how about the musical soundtracks and CDs based on the show? Well, luckily we landed one here for review and another for a giveaway. Yo Gabba Gabba Live starts with the Live Show Remix and hits cute fun lively songs like Pancakes & Syrup then onto That’s What Friends Are For. Some of the adorable songs here are catchy and clever, with light-hearted children’s favourites like My Dinosaur stealing…

  • family

    Cooking With Kids: Cookie Ornaments #LMDConnector

    December 29, 2012 - By 

    Nothing beats a good old fashioned sugar cookie. My kids and I love to bake and so when we were asked to pick a recipe from the Life Made Delicious web site it wasn’t too hard to settle on something sweet for a treat at this time of year. We found ornament sugar cookies and I made them easily with my kids as a holiday treat. Start with a package of these sugar cookies and add what they tell you to on the package. If you don’t have the package itself, then you can easily duplicate from the Life Made…