• pom_pom_wow
    family

    Pom Pom Wow! – For the Tween or Teen Girl on Your List #TMMGG16

    November 3, 2016 - By 

    Are you shopping to please a crafty teen or tween girl this holiday? Then I have the perfect gift for you. Pom Pom Wow is a quirky, fun, craft kit with potential for hours of enjoyment. I should know – my girls have been decorating everything with Pom Pom Wow! since the kits arrived here a couple of weeks ago. Who doesn’t like Pom Poms? Pom Pom Wow! has numerous different kits and accessory bundles. We received several to try out. My daughter Ainsley, 12, got her hands on the Pom Pom Wow! Decoration Station one night after school. Now,…

  • world_polio_day
    Health - parenting - Travel

    Ten Facts About World Polio Day #WorldPolioDay

    October 23, 2016 - By 

    This week as we mark World Polio Day I wanted to share a few facts about polio and the vaccine that saves lives. Just one week ago I was in Zambia doing a fellowship with the UN Foundation’s global vaccine program called Shot @ Life. On our last day in Livingstone, we visited the Mahatma Gandhi clinic where moms and dads brought their babies to receive the appropriate vaccines needed for their age group. Many babies were receiving the oral polio vaccine, as shown below. It’s the type of global vaccination initiative that Shot@Life supports in many countries around the world.…

  • haunted_houses
    active family travel - family - Travel

    5 Top Haunted Houses in the US

    October 12, 2016 - By 

    Halloween in the United States is the season for all things scary – particularly haunted houses. Most areas have a local haunted house, but for those looking for an extra terrifying thrill, there are many elaborate haunted houses throughout the country. Here are 5 of the best haunted houses in the United States. Terror Behind the Walls. Terror Behind the Walls is an annual haunted house that takes place at the Eastern State Penitentiary located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Can you picture that? The setting itself is enough to terrify me. The Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the most infamous…

  • halloween_gifts
    family - Giveaways

    It’s a Hallmark Holiday with these Halloween Gifts #LoveHallmarkCA #Giveaways

    September 26, 2016 - By 

    I said it before and I will say it again. Hallmark Halloween gifts, linens and pretty decorations make me feel like a kid at Halloween. Every year. This year is no different. Hallmark’s adorable decorations and pretty linens will make your Halloween and Thanksgiving special. There are so many adorable Halloween gifts to share this Fall. This little guy is one of my favourite Halloween gifts ever. Buy one for your house or give one to someone who loves Halloween as much as you do. This is Boo, The Spooktastic Ghost and he dances and plays music when you press…

  • flying_alone
    active family travel - family - parenting - Travel

    Flying Alone – How Will You Know When Your Child Is Ready? #travel

    September 20, 2016 - By 

    Flying alone is a big step for any child. It’s a big step for a child’s parents, too! It can be a terrifying proposition. After all, the operative word in flying alone is ALONE. Your child will be out in the world, flying and checking in/being picked up on their own far, far away from you. Terrifying. So how do you know when your child is ready to take that step? Flying Alone – A Litmus Test to See if Your Child is Ready Sending a child out into the world is more about their ability to interact safely in…

  • childrens_Halloween_movies
    family

    50 Fun Children’s Halloween Movies

    September 16, 2016 - By 

    Are you up for a little Halloween fun before the main event? Looking to spend a night in cuddling with your little ones. How about a Halloween movie? There’s sure to be one for every child in your family here in this list of 50 Children’s Halloween Movies. From chilling to pure sweet family fun there’s a movie that will meet your criteria in this group of movies here. So go pop the popcorn and curl up. Maybe flip the switch and put the fireplace on too. Movie nights are a lot of fun for everyone. When my girls were…

  • family

    Bus Safety for Parents and Kids #BTS

    September 7, 2016 - By 

    Bus safety is something both parents and children need to be cognizant of. As we get back in to the school year, there will be lots of bus trips. Many of our kids will take the bus to and from school every day. There will be field trips. There will be parental chaperones on those trips. That’s why it’s important for both kids and parents to recognize how important bus safety is. Bus Safety Tips for Both Parents and Their Children As a parent, bus safety concerns me. Buses are gigantic, massive vehicles and they transport children every day. It’s…

  • gluten free after school snacks
    family - Food

    20 Gluten Free After School Snacks

    September 1, 2016 - By 

    Can you believe it’s almost time for school to start again? What happened to summer?! It went by way too fast. But now that we are prepping for the kids to go back to school, one thing we need to think about is after school snacks. If you’re looking for snack ideas that are gluten free, for medical reasons or personal preference then you’ve come to the right place. I have a great round up of gluten free after school snacks right here. Gluten free after school snacks: There are many reasons to be gluten free. Maybe your children are…

  • apple_recipes
    Food

    31 Amazing and Appetizing Apple Recipes

    August 25, 2016 - By 

    Apples are a family favourite any time of the year. It’s rare that we ever have a fridge empty of apples. In fact, usually quite the opposite. I buy them by the bucket it seems. Five pounds of apples go quickly here. But on the odd occasion when they do not vanish as soon as they are placed into our fridge, then I like to have a few apple recipes and treats to be able to pick from. I love the way apples add flavour to any simple recipe or dessert, plus they are a great source of vitamin C…

  • Technology

    Cyber Threats – Protect Yourself and all Your Devices

    August 20, 2016 - By 

    I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with ESET, and I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions in this blog are my own.  Cyber threats are frightening and a reality for anyone who owns a computer, tablet or cell phone. Cyber threats are one of the most worrisome encroachments on our personal lives we face these days. Between ransomware and backdoor key logging malware, cyber threats can and do infiltrate our daily lives. While most of them are only nuisances, there is still possibility of disastrous life changing occurrences like identity theft and financial…