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Fort Rapids review
Looking for something fun to do in nearby Ohio? In the spirit of Great Wolf Lodge, Columbus, Ohio’s new Fort Rapids Resort and Indoor Water park is a destination in itself. A converted Holiday Inn, at 4560 Hilton Corporate Drive, turned Disney style resort, this water park is a blast. My family and I decided to stay at the water park last week for four nights, while in the city for a conference. After a good deal of research which turned up a great variety of truly lacklustre motels, we happened on this one and took our chances booking on the Internet. Prices at Fort Rapids were only slightly…
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Fort Rapids Waterpark review
Looking for something fun to do in nearby Ohio? In the spirit of Great Wolf Lodge, Columbus, Ohio’s new Fort Rapids Resort and Indoor Water park is a destination in itself. A converted Holiday Inn, at 4560 Hilton Corporate Drive, turned Disney style resort, this water park is a blast. My family and I decided to stay at the water park last week for four nights, while in the city for a conference. After a good deal of research which turned up a great variety of truly lacklustre motels, we happened on this one and took our chances booking on the Internet. Prices at Fort Rapids were only slightly higher…
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A Canadian Blogger in the U.S.A. #travel
I have never really thought of myself as a big Canuck, though I’ve lived here all my life. In fact, perhaps I’ve been delusional, but I have always thought that if the right opportunity presented itself, I’d jump ship. I’d pack my things, leave my double double, take my chances with nonexistent health care and move to one of the less scary states in the great U.S of A. In fact there are some states I have even found myself daydreaming about. Alabama sounds lovely, Florida sunny, Southern Carolina, whoot! Texas and Arizona are obviously sizzlin’ and California, well what’s not to like? But this past week as I visited…
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GForce movie review.
When Jerry Bruckheimer meets Disney I am not sure it’s always good. At least not for children. I took my two girls to see GForce in 3D yesterday afternoon at the new Westmount VIP cinema in London and was somewhat taken aback by the aggressive testosterone-fuelled children’s movie, which wasn’t really for children, but more for tweens. Multiple explosions I could stand. The really cool graphics with three dimensional effects were super. But the plot was a bit over the top. When the robots and appliances came alive I thought my daughter, 5, would ask to leave, but she held my hand and endured. However, when a teenage boy came to the…
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Westmount Cinemas and VIP theatre review
Although it’s been open for a few months, the exclusive new Westmount Cineplex and VIP experience in London, is a unique addition to the local entertainment scene. Where else in town can a couple slip out for an evening, grab a quick glass of wine or beer, enjoy a tasty treat and take in a movie in style? And all under one roof? The new $5 million dollar complex opened in the spring but today was my first chance to visit and do a VIP tour of the clean, pristine, new theatre. For a $5 surcharge guests over the age of 19 can slip into the VIP lounge, which looks a bit…
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NACAC conference, part 5: Maintaining Connections
(This is the 5th part of my NACAC inspired series, which may continue on next week for a bit as I have more to add) This year’s theme at NACAC, the annual adoption conference held in Columbus, Ohio, was one of family connections and I’ve been giving this topic a good deal of thought since arriving back home. We all have connections. Families formed in traditional ways have connections that are always present, or if not physically, then they are easily accessible through pictures, family trees, photos and major life events. Children and youth in families formed through foster care and adoption do not always have the same access to the…
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NACAC part 4 Community Champions
(This is part 4 of my NACAC inspired series).Chances are many of you have never heard of this great initiative designed to pull the various threads of adoption together. The Community Champions Network exists to motivate and inspire adoption advocates, to spur parent-led support groups on and to coordinate advocacy efforts throughout the various corners of North America. It was created in 2006 with funding by Jockey Being Family, the clothing and underwear company, to help expand post-adoption services. Numerous sites were chosen in various provinces and states, each one because they were lacking in post-adoption services. In Canada, the Atlantic provinces and Ontario were chosen. Alberta was initially to be a site, but…
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Childhood Depression, Adoption and Mental Health
This Childhood Depression, Adoption and Mental Health post is the 3rd blog post in my series inspired by the NACAC conference last week and the stories shared, as well as the expert speakers. Recently, I spoke about advocating as a parent at the NACAC conference for adoptive parents and children. NACAC stands for North American Council for Adoptable Children. The opriganizatinos provides resources for children, youth and families going through the adoption process. Also, they typically have an annual conference. Advocacy is not optional in my world. It is where I spend a huge amount of my time and resources. As you know, our children are adopted and have some…
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Why Parts Language is Not Okay #Adoption
(This is the second installment of my NACAC inspired blog series running this week) It was easily two years ago when I first brought this issue up in a parent’s meeting at a school one of my daughters attended. Back then it was common parenting practice to say to a child: “I love you, but I don’t like your behaviour right now.” They call it ‘parts language’ now, but there was no term for it back then when it was standard practice. I had been guilty of using this phrase more than a few times and yet what I had observed after several months of this was that it simply…
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NACAC conference
This post is about adoption myths and realities. It is intended to kick off a weeklong series of posts about adoption inspired by the NACAC conference I just returned from in Columbus, Ohio. I speak about adoption regularly to parents, prospective adopters and to the media. On the weekend I spoke at the NACAC conference with fellow journalist Laura Eggertson. I am an adoptive parent of two beautiful girls, adopted domestically through the Canadian foster care system and cofounder of an adoption organization called the Canadian Coalition of Adoptive Families. All this I tell you by way of indicating that I know of what I speak.In Ontario there are right now 25,000…