• back_to_school
    family

    Back to School Shopping Doesn’t Need to Be Scary

    August 1, 2018 - By 

    I have partnered with YMC and Staples and have received compensation for this post. All opinions are my own. The closer my kids get to college or university the scarier life gets for me as a parent. My oldest starts Grade 12 this year and my youngest is heading to Grade 9. Both kids are in high school. Which gets me thinking about the costs involved in attending college or university. Lately I lay awake at night or I break out in a cold sweat randomly throughout the day thinking HOW will we ever afford college or university? Have we saved…

  • Printables

    August Colouring Page Printable

    August 1, 2018 - By 

    Happy August! One more month of summer holidays here. So I thought it was time to celebrate that with an August colouring page printable. How are you spending August? This month I will send one daughter off to Pioneer Camp Ontario and my older girl will keep working hard at her job. Meanwhile that’s basically what her Dad and I will also be doing. SO, this month will be a working one around here. With a few breaks built in and weekends spent enjoying the pool. Can’t even begin to think about Back to School yet. But I recognize it…

  • canopy_of_trees
    Travel

    Everyday Adventures is Changing the Way I Think About Travel

    July 31, 2018 - By 

    This post contains affiliate links as a service to readers. If you make a purchase via one of the links I receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Everyday Adventures is one of those books you come across that totally changes the way you look at something. I’ve always loved to travel. Getting out and exploring the world around me has been a passion of mine for life, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve chased the horizon. Recently, I realized there might be a different way to explore the world while I traveled and even…

  • learning_about_dinosaurs
    Giveaways

    Learning About Dinosaurs with DK Canada

    July 30, 2018 - By 

    I received product for consideration here. This post may also contain affiliate links. Learning about dinosaurs has become my daughter’s newest passion. Of course, Marvel and sharks are still high on her list, but ever since we saw Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, my daughter has fallen head first into the deep end of the dinosaur pool. She can’t get enough of them. She reaches for every source she can find for learning about dinosaurs like she’s writing a grad thesis on the subject. In fact, she’s incredibly excited about the fact that some researchers are actually discussing bringing dinosaurs back…

  • new_laptops
    Technology

    Start Your School Year Off With a New Laptop

    July 26, 2018 - By 

    This is a sponsored post which means I received compensation. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. Are you shopping for a new laptop computer this summer? Is your old friend on the fritz? Need a reliable back to school laptop that rocks? Lucky for you I have the answer to your computer issues. The brand new HP Envy x360 is sleek and powerful. It has everything you need to start the school year on the right foot. And the style is strong in this new laptop too. Take a look. HP Envy x360 laptops are…

  • 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…

  • self_care_day
    Health

    Take The Self-Care Day Challenge

    July 23, 2018 - By 

    This post is sponsored by Bayer. To make sure these products are right for you, always read and follow the label. Welcome to your Self-Care Day Challenge. Oh I know you are over there like self-care day? Yeah right. Who has time for that? Well, if not now then when? When health fails and you get sick? No thanks. Consistent attention to you is vital for good health, just as listening to your body matters for wellness and health. What does self-care look like to you? This year more than ever before I am seeing so much attention on wellness…

  • 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…

  • IVF_facts
    Health

    9 IVF Facts You May Not Know

    July 16, 2018 - By 

    This year marks the 40th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first IVF baby. Since then, many people have built families via IVF, but Louise Brown will always be the most celebrated IVF baby ever. To mark this special occasion, I’ve put together 9 IVF facts that you might not know just to have a little fun. Whether you are an IVF baby yourself, or have been through the process, you can learn something here. IVF is an incredible advancement of reproductive technology and the procedure has changed so many lives in the last 40 years. Read on…