• breaking_barriers
    family

    Breaking Barriers for Girls – Playtex Sport Play On Canada Grant Program #PlayOnCA #ad

    February 23, 2017 - By 

    I am a spokesperson for Playtex Sport and as such I have been compensated. This is my opinion and my story and it is truthful.  Raising fierce girls is a privilege and a duty. One I am grateful for, most days. Girls are change agents. They are keepers of the future, dreamers, teachers, doctors, explorers, scientists and athletes. When we raise girls we change the world together. Unfortunately for girl athletes, barriers often stand in the way of success. That’s why I love that Playtex Sport is working hard at breaking barriers for girls with their Playtex Play On Canada Grant Program. Did you know 72% of…

  • star_wars_valentines
    family

    20 Printable Star Wars Valentines

    February 6, 2017 - By 

    Is there anything cuter than Star Wars Valentines? I can’t think of much, unless it’s a newborn baby with all of their precious newborn smells. This is the year my kids are all grown up and no longer showing interest in giving out Valentine’s cards. That makes me a little bit sad. But, I know many of you have younger children than I do so I thought you could use this printable Star Wars Valentine’s guide. Yoda best Valentine! Some of these adorable printable Star Wars Valentines have me laughing out loud. There’s really no end to the puns you can…

  • family - parenting

    Empower Kids with These Two Great Books

    January 23, 2017 - By 

    It’s important to empower kids. As parents and adults in general, it’s our job to help today’s youth grow up to be confident, well-adjusted members of society. One of the ways we do that is to empower kids by nurturing creativity and self esteem. I’m a big believer in this, and recently a couple of books that do just that caught my eye. Empower Kids with Learning and Creativity Although these books are quite different, their outcome is the same. They empower kids to use their minds and teach them that any goal that they set for themselves is achievable.…

  • adaptive ski
    active family travel - family - family travel - FASD - parenting - special needs - Travel

    Adaptive Ski Programs for People with Disabilities

    January 10, 2017 - By 

    Children with special needs face challenges that other kids don’t. Whether their disability is physical, mental or neurological, children and adults with special needs require extra support with certain activities. Many ski resorts are getting excellent at meeting this need. I have seen some adaptive ski programs at family friendly resorts like Smugglers’ Notch in action. Some are super impressive so I thought I would share a list for families like ours. Adaptive Skiing Shines at These Ski Resorts Children and adults with special needs face barriers too many places still. So when I find a resource with adaptive or inclusive programs sometimes…

  • Emerging_cooking_solutions
    Health

    Hope and Progress in Zambia – Emerging Cooking Solutions

    January 6, 2017 - By 

    We are sitting inside a small business with potential to change the landscape dramatically for Zambia. Emerging Cooking Solutions started in 2012 with a goal to make cooking safer. With a loan from the UN Foundation, Marion Peterson and Mattias Ohlson are changing lives for the better in Zambia. This is our first site visit in a five day tour of Zambia. We are here to see the impact of vaccines on the lives of children. I am traveling with a group of journalists who have each received a Shot @ Life fellowship to write about what’s happening in Zambia. The journey…

  • fasd
    family - Health - Parenting - parenting - special needs

    What Does FASD Look Like?

    December 22, 2016 - By 

    What does FASD look like? This is one of the most searched phrases that lands people here on my site. So, I figured it was time to share a few facts. Some of you know that we adopted both of our daughters when they were small. Both of my kids have unique needs. My youngest girl has sensory processing disorder and Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. My oldest has anxiety disorder. I have a lot of experience as a parent of a child on the spectrum. Over the years I have also attended numerous conferences to gather information about how to parent…

  • inner_power
    Health

    When it Comes to Fertility – Be a Badger #MyInnerPower

    December 15, 2016 - By 

    Recently someone asked me what my inner power might be…it took a few minutes for me to answer that one. I am hopeful, and I try to be positive, but is that my inner power? What exactly IS an inner power or super power? Is it strength? Is it courage? Yes, but not quite right. Is it faith? Resilience? I think it is a bit of all of that. But, my inner power is also something more than strength, courage, hope, positivity, resilience and faith. Back when I was working in a daily newsroom I had an editor who called me…

  • christmas_tree_girl_standing_on_chair_to_reach_tree
    Printables

    Printable Christmas Tree Activity for Kids

    December 11, 2016 - By 

    Merry Christmas! Have you got your tree up yet? Is it a real Christmas tree or an artificial one? We honestly got ours up just last weekend. I have a tiny Hallmark tree up in my living room but it’s not even 18 inches tall. And we also have a full tree in the living room now. That’s why I wanted to share this Christmas tree activity and bookmark. Are your kids starting to get excited? This Christmas Tree Activity might help as we get closer to Christmas. Christmas Tree Activity Printable and Other Fun Christmas Printables: Tis the season…

  • meaningful_gifts
    family - Giveaways - parenting

    Join World Vision Canada’s Meaningful Gifts Twitter Party #MeaningfulGifts

    December 5, 2016 - By 

    How hard is it for you to come up with new gifts every year? Do you find gift giving a chore? Do you run out of time every single year like I do? Sometimes I think it’s a good thing that there is a cutoff date actually or I’d keep searching forever to find something just right for every single name on my list. This year skip the socks and ties and reach for the World Vision Canada gift catalogue. There are dozens of meaningful gifts there every holiday. In fact the World Vision Gift catalogue is my Go To resource for…

  • diy_ornaments
    family

    25 Christmas DIY Ornaments Kids Can Make

    December 2, 2016 - By 

    It’s beginning to look a little like Christmas. Time to start making crafts and decking the halls with traditional and new DIY ornaments. I have one tiny tree up already. Are you starting to dress up your home for the holidays? This time of year, I am inspired by snow to get active. I actually can’t wait to get busy skiing and traveling this season. Christmas is a busy time around here, like it is in many of your . In fact, the busiest season for me professionally and personally. So I need plans to keep kids occupied sometimes. My…