• Travel

    The Thrill of Last Minute Travel

    June 25, 2011 - By 

    My kids, my husband and I have had a lot of adventures and they have been successful and fun, save for one very difficult flight back from Jamaica a couple of years ago when my youngest who has sensory processing disorder, had a major meltdown at 30,000 feet in the air. But we dealt with it and moved on. (And so did some of the passengers sitting nearby.) My daughter was very tired and frankly a flight attendant might have avoided the whole panicky episode if he hadn’t been so insistent that my darling girl cram her blanket and favourite teddy bear into…

  • Travel

    Wings of Paradise: Family Travel and a Butterfly Rescuer

    August 31, 2010 - By 

    This summer you will want to check out this little gem near Cambridge. Wings of Paradise Butterfly Conservatory is a perfect day trip for kids who are school aged. First catch of the day. Payton lands one easily at Wings of Paradise near Cambridge. Ainsley waited and waited. At first the butterflies swirling around her head were really making her nervous. Then she started to get a bit more comfortable and, when her sister proudly landed one carefully on her finger, well, my competitive six-year-old was not be to outdone. Here little sister finally had her moment. The Blue Morpho…

  • family travel

    Bruce County Museum Prehistoric Sea Monsters

    August 26, 2010 - By 

    Last year I spent some time blogging about the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre in Southampton.  At that time there was an amazing dinosaur exhibit. This year, when we once again found ourselves back at the cottage, we wondered how they might top last year’s animatronic dinos and BBC film. Well, somehow they did it with prehistoric sea monsters larger than life. (See Payton below.) If you are still heading for the beach between now and September 6th, when the exhibit ends, you should find a way to visit this one. It was well worth it and more than…

  • family travel

    FDR and Jamaica

    December 10, 2009 - By 

    FDR Resorts are excellent family vacation destinations and while I have never yet made it there in person I can’t wait until the time we are able to swing this trip. Jamaica is a fantastic family vacation destination and FDR Resorts has been recommended to me by many travel agents over the years. While some shy away from Jamaica for fear of high crime rates, it is entirely safe as long as you take some precautions. We travelled to Jamaica last year with our children and stayed near Falmouth in Starfish Trelawny. We loved the food and our family resort had…

  • Travel

    London’s Double Decker Bus Sightseeing Tour

    September 2, 2009 - By 

        For months, we have seen London’s Double Decker Bus Sightseeing Tour around town and thought wouldn’t that be fun to do one day.   This morning, keenly aware of the passing days of summer I woke both of my kids up and told them we were once again going on a surprise adventure. (These are truly one of the best parts of parenthood.) What is London’s Double Decker Bus? I had secretly planned to take them on the Tourism London’s Double Decker Bus Sightseeing Tour. The 1969 Bristol VR leaves every day of the summer through until September 7th…

  • Travel

    A Canadian Blogger in the U.S.A. #travel

    August 24, 2009 - By 

    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…

  • Travel

    14 Things You Must Have on a Family Road Trip

    August 10, 2009 - By 

    Heading out on another family road trip which means I have some packing to do. Since we started this great foray into family travel my husband and I – well mostly I – have learned a few things about the tricky business of travelling with tots in tow. My first tip for travelling with children is planning, planning and then planning some more. When we flew to Disney last year it was my daughter, Ainsley’s first flight. She was four and, for those of you who don’t know, she has sensory processing disorder, which means life is often too loud,…

  • Travel

    Rainy Day Family Fun on the Bruce Peninsula

    July 21, 2009 - By 

    What to do when you are at the cottage and the rain starts? Well why not visit the Bruce County Museum? There’s plenty to do and see for kids of all ages. Plus the exhibits are always a hit. Here’s one more reason to visit the Bruce Peninsula. I have spent all my summers from the time I was a tot heading to the beach with my family, often winding up at a rental cottage hanging out and enjoying the summer months near Southampton. But only last year at the ripe old age of 40 with my children in tow…

  • Parenting

    London International Children’s Festival

    June 7, 2009 - By 

    Another June and another series of great London festivals set to unfold. One of the greatest draws of living here in this other London – the many festivals that dominate the summer parks and outdoor spaces. My five year old and I hit the 19th Annual London International Children’s Festival yesterday on its final day. My kiddo, as always, enjoyed it, but I have to say this year although it’s still worth the trip I was more disappointed than usual. And it wasn’t just me. Thriftymommastips talked to half a dozen other parents at the festival who all said the…

  • active family travel

    London Ontario: The Other London

    June 1, 2009 - By 

    This is my TOP Ten greatest hits for the other London aka London, Ontario, my home. I have lived in several southwestern communities, small liberal artsy towns like Guelph and Kitchener, the lovely technical hub and home of Oktoberfest and I’ve grown to love them all. But London is another story. If London were a child it would be one of those kids with a face only a mother could love. It takes time to get to like this oddly backwards Conservative Reform uptight dot on the map. After almost 10 years of life in the other London (London, Ontario)…