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August 31st, 2010

It seemed like a good idea at the time

Once upon a time, I was an adventurous girl. I travelled with a backpack, I slept in forests unknown, and brought big souvenirs home from countries that I loved (my hubby!). I look back at photos from those times and I don’t recognize that girl at all. Not one bit.

If I look around, I can see that most of my fellow adventure seekers from that era have also mellowed out considerably too. I guess it’s simply the passing of time, I suppose. But a car accident, two children, sports injuries, countless hours at a computer desk and 15 years have not just mellowed me — they’ve made me middle-aged.

I can accept that I am no longer going to wear clothes in single-digit sizes and definitely not a bikini again in this lifetime. (Granted, I accept it begrudgingly, with a smidgen of bitterness).

But to be perfectly honest, I think I could skip the wild and crazy and enjoy settling into a chubby, cushy middle-aged existence if not for the fact that my husband has not aged one bit. This is him:

Mountain climbing. July 2010.

He’s just as adventurous, just as fit (maybe more, even!) and just energetic as when I met him back in 1994. He has a real zest for life and it makes me think, “Huh, how come I don’t feel like that?” Or “Wow, he sure looks like he’s having fun, maybe I should try it, too.”  You might recall that these same emotions got me roped into my “Winter Resolution” this year, not to mention all this tent-trailer shenanigans.  

And now I’ve done it again. Way, way back … I received an email about a trip to the Saguenay region in Quebec. Around this time, my hubby was planning his big summer adventure (pictured above) and I thought, “This can be my adventure!”

Silly me, I forgot that I don’t do adventures anymore.

Now I am locked in — and I need to leave on Monday night.

Not only is it the worst possible timing with the kids staring school, but I’ve also started a new job recently too. But, like I said, I’m locked in.

At this point, I’m still a bit vague on the details (I like living denial) … something about kayaking, hiking, biking and black bear observation. All in four-day time span! Mentally, I’m already exhausted from the new-job thing. So now I’ll add physical exhaustion to the menu, and give it a taste too I guess!

Like they say, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
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August 27th, 2010

The Dreams We Have For Our Children

I overheard this conversation last night:

Father #1: My kids are going to be on the Yearbook Club. For sure.

Father #2: Oh, were you on the Yearbook Club when you were in high school?

Father #1: God no! That was for losers.

Me: *laughing hysterically*
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August 24th, 2010

Like a girl

I grew up in a household that did not tend abide by gender stereotypes. Both of my parents pursued careers. But both of my parents also spent time at home as full-time caregivers. In some ways, I was aware that not all households were like this. That not all Dads took their girls outside to learn to throw a ball properly. And that not all Moms gave their girls Adventure People instead of Barbies. But in many ways, I was oblivious. I think the same could be said for how my husband was raised. I wouldn’t imagine that it was the norm for a country boy to know how to cook, clean and sew, and yet his mother taught all three of her sons these skills.

I can see now that what our parents gave us was a gift. Because in raising us in this manner, it is now possible that I, as mother, can teach both my daughter and son how to throw a ball properly. I’ve been armed not with just the desire to do so, but with the actual skill. (Sometimes I do still find myself ill-equipped, but in those instances, I fake it for the sake of my kids.)

Most days I really feel that the world has changed and that our generation is at the forefront of turning over any remaining gender stereotypes once and for all. Like when I heard a documentary about stay-at-home-fathers this morning on CBC radio.

But then there are other days. Days when I end up “crying like a girl.” I really hate those days.

What are the most common gender stereotypes that you run into? Are there common phrases that irk you, like “Oh, boys will be boys?” Do you ever find yourself acting out gender stereotypes (consciously or unconsciously)?
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August 21st, 2010

A Conversation with my Grandmother

 

Avanti Old Lady Driving Car Birthday CardMe:  Hi Gram! I got a new car!

Gram: Oh, that is good, dear. What colour is it?

Me: Black.

Gram: *crickets*

Me: You don’t like black?

Gram: No. I don’t like black or green.

Me: Really? Those are my two absolute favourite colours.

Gram: I like red.

Me: Yes, Mom has a nice red colour car, doesn’t she?

Gram: *crickets*

Me: What, you don’t like the colour of her car, either?

Gram: No. I like FIRE ENGINE red.

I adore this woman.
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August 18th, 2010

Twas the night before birthday

‘Twas the night before birthday, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse (okay, maybe a fruit fly or two).

The tent was hung in the backyard with care,

In hopes that St. Birthday Fairy soon would be there;

The child and her father were nestled all snug in their sacks,

While visions of Pokémon and DS games danced in her head.

Now mama was draped in her flannel pjamas,

And had just settled down off her feet,

Where inside she stayed with her babe, lit’l Max.

She looked out the window in clear mystification:

How had eight years flown by like a flash?

And now her once-baby, a girl so lively and quick.

To the top of the porch ol’ mama she went,

Headlamps were dashing about in the nylon tent,

And the air started to chill with autumn  scent.

So back up to the house this misty mama went,

With visions of birthdays to come in her head…

The years were all flying and swirling away.

Really – it was too much for Mama to consider after a work-day!

But Stella and hubby could hear her exclaim, ere she headed to bed,

“Happy Birthday dear child, and to all a good-night.”
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August 17th, 2010

Geocaching: All Who Wander Are Not Lost

This is a guest post by Julie Henning, Feed Me Editor, Road Trips for Families.

You can check out yesterday’s post for an intro to Julie and the other travel bloggers I met at BlogHer. Please join in me giving her a warm welcome to our little coffee spot!

*********************

All Who Wander Are Not Lost!

Kids today are “high tech.” Gaming, cell phones, and texting (OMG, LOL).  Heck, sometimes we use email to communicate, even though we’re all inside the same house. With all this instant gratification and even the GPS lady to answer the age-old question, “Are we there yet?,” how do we unplug without completely alienating ourselves?
 
One solution: geocaching. Sometimes known as a high-treasure hunt, people all over the world are playing the game. By creating a team name on the official geocaching website, www.geocaching.com, you can join in with the ¾ of a million other people in on the secret. Regional clubs, outings, and even geocaching events are also growing in popularity.
 
In a nutshell: someone has some stuff, they put it in a waterproof container and hide the container in the woods, the city, or even an ocean. Noting the “coordinates” (latitude and longitude – bring a compass), the location of the container is uploaded into geocaching.com database. Now…say you have some stuff, some free time, and a sense of adventure; simply log in to geocaching.com and punch in you zip code. Returned to you will be a list of nearby geocaches. (Geo=earth, Cache=data)
 
The people who hide geocaches sometimes use tiny containers and rappel up rock outcroppings in an “extreme sports” challenge. Our family picks caches that are kid-friendly, not too far from the road, and typically don’t involve anything other than tennis shoes and an iPhone (we use the Groundspeak Geocaching iPhone Application).
 
We have a container in our car full of stickers, temporary tattoos, rubber lizards, bouncy balls, rings, and other penny carnival treasures. Upon finding the geocache, we sign a log book with our team name, take some stuff, and leave some of ours. Linking between the iPhone app and the compass on the phone, we “usually” find the cache without too much trouble (geocaches can’t be buried, but are sometimes placed under rocks and in hollowed out trees). It’s important to return the geocache exactly where you found it, and take the time to log your find on geocaching.com. Some geocache owners even leave a disposable camera in their container as a photo log (this is especially fun when kids are involved on both ends).
 
For families going on a road trip, one way to explore different regions of the country is to incorporate geocaching into your vacation. Many visitor bureaus, state parks, and even resorts maintain their own special geocaching programs as a way to teach social studies, geography, and even history about their region. Many of these programs are on geocaching.com, some are not.  Visit the Geocaching column on Road Trips for Families to get some ideas or just call ahead.
 
Reading a book like the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Geocaching may be particularly helpful if you are considering a bigger adventure or investing in technology like a handheld GPS unit specifically used for finding geocaches. Whether you research, jump in, or dabble in a geocache or two, you may just be surprised to find that you get as much out of the game as the kids do. The sense of mystery, adventure, and teamwork may just be enough to call “family bonding” by another name: go 4X4 it!

 
What do you think? Have you ever geocached before — on your own or with the kids? Let me know how it went and what tips you might have! If you’ve never done it before, do you think you might give it a go? I’m going to give it a try locally first before heading out on a big road trip (here is the link to Ottawa geocaches — it looks fun!).
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August 16th, 2010

Some fellow travel bloggers I’d like you to meet!

I’m really thrilled to be hosting a guest post tomorrow by Julie Henning of Road Trips for Families!

But let me back up a little in order to introduce her …

While I was at BlogHer, there were “Birds of a Feather” lunches that we could join. I dropped into a seat at the “travel” table and met some really cool women who run really clever blogs. These included (and please let me know if I’ve forgotten someone!):

  • Traci from Go BIG or go Home:  a blog which chronicles the visits a small-town family takes going to “world’s largest” attractions — from world’s largest fork to the world’s longest continuous sidewalk. (And yes — I am totally going to convince her to come to Ottawa to write about our world’s largest skating rink!)

 

  • Cheryl from Kimberley Seldon Design Group: Among Kimberley Seldon’s claims to fame is that she is the Decorating Editor of Canada’s Style at Home magazine. And Cheryl is the Group’s Events & Media manager. I really liked Cheryl’s quiet style and after the event I seemed to bump into her everywhere!

 

  • Anne and Sophie from Hip Travel Mama: This blog is geared to families who love to travel and like to do it in style. This is how they describe the site: “You know that mom at school, on the playground, or at work who always has the scoop on the hippest places to go, shop, dine and play? Here you have access to parents like you who share your passion for luxury travel, good food, wine and fashion.” And for the record, both Anne and Sophie were hip.

 

  • Emily from Country Inns & Suites by Carlson: Emily is the Social Media Manager and her business card says: “I’m Emily. Let’s Talk.” I checked out the site and it has a really helpful Destinations & Activities section where you can learn more about as well as find out about any destination-specific offers and specials.

 

  • Glennia from The Silent I: This blog shares family travels, both foreign and domestic locales – from Greenland to Galapagos, Tokyo to Tripoli. I was really intrigued to hear that many of the travels are inspired because of her husband’s love of solar eclipses. I love a good excuse to travel! (okay, any excuse!)

 

  • Lisa from Frisco Mama: I didn’t get much of a chance to connect with Lisa, but I did manage to have her business card in my pile of BlogHer treasures. I checked out her blog and it’s an ode to San Francisco, her home town. I have yet to visit this city and when I do, I will definitely skip the guidebook and go right to Lisa’s blog. I know I’ll be in good hands!

 

And last but not least, I met another Julie. We were sitting right beside each other at lunch, so we got to chat a great deal. Before leaving the table, we promised to keep in touch. Sure enough, a lovely email arrives to me this week with the subject heading “Lunch with Julie.” :)

Julie’s travel specialty is road trips for families. And this is a subject that I really want to learn more about — not just where to go, but how to do them in such a way that all of the family — adults and kids! — get the most enjoyment out of the experience.

Her blog answers this call with a section titled “Feed Me” on how to travel without eating fast food and chicken trips the entire time (a major pet peeve of mine!); another titled “Tech & Gadgets” with reviews and overviews; and last but not least, a section on ”Geocaching,” which is a kind of high-tech treasure hunt that I see great potential in making road trips more fun for my family.  

Just as Glennia uses solar eclipses as an impetus for a family trip, on Road Trips for Families they suggest using geocaching as a reason for heading out on a road trip. They call it Going on VaCachen™ (with a Facebook page here).

I wanted to learn more about this and I thought you might find it interesting too! So Julie has been kind enough to share a glimpse into how geocaching works and some tips for how we can get started.

Tune in tomorrow for her guest post on geocaching!
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August 14th, 2010

The mandatory BlogHer recap post that never happened. And won’t.

So. BlogHer. I know, I know. I’m supposed to do a recap of my experience — what was great, what was not so great, which blogger idols I met and what swag I lugged back. But I’m not going to. I just didn’t have time this week and now I don’t feel like it.

Plus, it’s totally unnecessary, since some fabulous writers have already done great recaps. So I’ll share a few of those with you instead.

First, I’ll point you towards the recaps written by my BlogHer roomie and travel buddy Andrea from A Peek Inside The Fishbowl. She wrote about her overall impressions as well as the swag.

Here is Andrea in one of a number of fun art installations that took place on the Voices of the Year Gala evening. She doesn't like being in photos, which is silly since she has supermodel cheekbones but I don't think she'll mind this one because it's blurry -- and cute too!

And then there are the recaps done by The Bloggess, whose twisted humour I always enjoy. Here in her Part 1 of three posts she’s written on BlogHer, you’ll get lots of laughs but won’t learn a thing about BlogHer (which is basically my post except no laughs). She is a total celebrity in the wacky world of blogging and people were lined up to say hello to her. I totally lined up too. And here is my photo with her:

Look at me -- I'm practically drooling on the poor woman I am so happy! Seeing Brad Pitt and having him put his arms around me couldn't make me as happy as this moment.

And last but not least, I would like you to read Shannon from Three Seven‘s  post on BlogHer. I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to describe all of the intensity of the experience in words. The BlogHer she describes is the BlogHer experience I had.

Shannon was one of the artists who created a piece for BlogHer’s “Tell the World, Make it Count” art auction. The proceeds of this auction will be donated to The Nature Conservancy clean-up effort in the Gulf of Mexico. And here she is with her piece:

Shannon's twitter handle is @zchamu, like the whale. But as you can clearly see, she's damn gorgeous in addition to being talented.

And there you have the lazy girl’s guide to doing a BlogHer recap!  :)

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August 11th, 2010

Wordless Wednesday: A Boy’s Life

So many cars, so little time
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August 9th, 2010

BlogHer Swag: baby & toddler giveaway packages

Edited to Add: The New Mother & Baby package had a total of 5 entries and the winner via Random.org was Tracy! The winner of the Toddler package had a total of 14 entries and the winner via Random.org was Judy! Congrats to you both and thanks to you all for participating in the fun!

I got back from the BlogHer conference in New York City late last night and I’m still processing everything — it was non-stop activity from morning until night!

In the meantime, I would like to share some of the swag (promo items) that were given to me as a participant by hosting two giveaway packages.

#1: New Mother & Baby

This may be perfect for you or for a baby shower gift. This giveaway is worth approx $125 and includes:

#2: Toddler Fun

A little bit of fun for a small person in your life! This package is worth approx $25 and includes:

To enter:

  • Simply leave a comment with a valid email address where I can reach you.
  • You can enter both contests or just one – simply specify your interest in the comment.
  • Note that you need to be able to pick up the package from a location in Ottawa or be willing to pay cash-on-delivery for the postage costs.
  • Entries will be accepted until 6pm on Sunday, August 15th, 2010.
  • I will use a random draw to select a winner for both packages on Sunday, August 15th, 2010 at 7pm.

If you’d like to share this giveaway with your friends, simply click on the “share” button in the bottom left-hand corner of this post and you can share on Facebook, Twitter, email, etc!

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August 5th, 2010

I don’t see sleep anywhere on this BlogHer agenda

I started up this blog just over a year ago as an outlet for personal writing — the kind of writing that doesn’t take place during my work day in corporate communications. I envisioned it as my own little creative and social sandbox for my free time.

But what I didn’t realize then was just how much I would enjoy playing in this sandbox. And I think the reason I love being in this space so much is because it’s a constant learning joy ride. I was that kid who loved school and I feel like I’ve signed up for a graduate degree in social media.

That’s why I registered for the BlogHer conference. Well, that and the fact that it was taking place in New York City. It was an irresitible combination.

When I’m in New York, I can’t help but think of the saying “the city that never sleeps.” Where I live with my family, I can stand on my deck outside at 9 pm and look up at a deep black sky filled with bright stars and a night air filled with silence. It’s easy to fall asleep because you don’t feel like you’re going to miss out on anything. But here in NYC, I lay in bed at the hotel last night and I could hear the non-stop action taking place in the streets. I pulled the blinds back at 2 am and city lights were twinkling everywhere from the 18th floor of my room.

New York City always brings a buzz. And with 2,500 bloggers descending upon this hotel and its conference spaces, the buzz is palable.

The conference itself has been sold-out for five consecutive years. It’s my first year and I’m told that its promises of hands-on learning, rich discussions, and opportunities to meet bloggers and the brands that support us all hold true.

It’s going to be a great few days. But I don’t see sleep anywhere on the agenda.
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August 3rd, 2010

Postcard from Bar Harbor, Maine: Humans and the creatures they love

While in Bar Harbor, I took in a tourist attraction to see a much-loved creature.

“I stood shuffling nervously. Nervous because I really wanted a lucky glimpse of the creature and also, because I hoped that the motion-sickness pills I had gulped down would work.”

The experience left me wondering about the finicky nature of human love … Please click here to read the full piece as featured in the e-zine Life As A Human.
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July 29th, 2010

Mama got her groove back

I’ve been having a great vacation. Lots of relaxing. Hanging out. Laughing. All that sort of thing.

But for some reason, I’ve been feeling a little, well, blah. Not a lot. Just a bit.

I wondered why … then I realized that I was spending a lot of time on the beach watching people walk around in bikinis while I was wearing a bathing suit that was handed down to me by a friend who’d lost weight and gave me all her “fat” clothes.

Now, let’s be clear: I’m a realistic person. A practical sort. So, logically, I understand that once a stomach has been stretched out like, say, for example this:

It just makes sense that it will never again look like, oh, say this:

 

But it didn’t change the fact that I was feeling a tad blah, nonetheless. I decided that a change was in order.

So what did I do?

Well, I lost 10 pounds! Yes, I lost 10 pounds on vacation … pretty amazing, eh? And how did I manage this … by chugging liquid meals? Signing up for a Cape Cod boot camp?

No, no. I simply went shopping! Have you heard of the “MiracleSuit”? The slogan for this bathing suit is “Look 10 lbs lighter in 10 seconds.” And you know what? It’s true. I really did lose 10 lbs just by putting on one of their suits. (Yes, of course, I bought two!)

After my shopping trip, I returned to the pool where my family was hanging out waiting for me. I had a bounce in my step and a smile on my face. And did they notice the new swimsuit? Comment on how flattering it was … how great I looked?

Yeah, as if.

But they did notice that Mama had gotten her groove back. (Thanks Miraclesuit, I owe ya one!)
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July 27th, 2010

Snapshots from Jonesport, Maine

Early morning fog on Jonesport Beach

Every day is a chance to make a monster castle!

Stella rockclimbing in Roques National Park area

Hubby with Max in hiking backpack on Beals Island

Me and my boy Max
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July 25th, 2010

Postcard from Jonesport, Maine: Are Fishermen Lonely?

We had had only one criterion for our holiday: an ocean view.

So I simply searched the internet for all cottages that met this criterion and then booked the one at the best rate, which happened to be in a small fishing town called Jonesport …

[to read more, please click here to read the full post on Life As A Human]

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