just percolating...
Our family didn't downhill when I was growing up, nor did Hubby's. We'd like to introduce the kids to downhill while they're still young. You know ... before that fear factor sets in. Fear stops a lot of people from doing a lot of things. But when you start young, or at least have a little introduction to something when you're young, it always seems to make a difference. Like learning to swim as a kid versus an adult, or a new language, or sport … [Read more...]
As of late, it has come to my attention that I am an impractical girl. I have been stubbornly resisting this label. I like to consider myself a practical person -- getting what needs to get done done, leaving the rest; buying sensible, well-priced things; leaving the rest. Sadly, I think this might have been a case of living in suspended disbelief. My first hint should have been the fact that Hubby does not let me do the grocery shopping. His … [Read more...]
I can remember my father telling me that when he was young he dreamed of having a house full of books and art. I can also remember the look of contentedness he had on his face as he sat in his own home telling this to me. You see, I can never remember us living in a home that wasn't full of books and art. Granted, there were always far more books than art. Much of the artwork that we had on the walls when I was a kid was of his own creation. … [Read more...]
"Month of Me" is a little ol' wild and crazy concept: In October, the month I celebrate my 40th birthday, I will do a whole slew of things that I love. Just because. You can read the kick-off post here. Okay, so I'm back in Toronto. Again. For a blogging conference. Again. I know ... to most of you, this just sounds coo-coo! And I certainly don't blame you for thinking that. But hey, it's my month and I do love me some bloggers and some … [Read more...]
Wandering around Brooklyn and Manhattan, it is impossible not to notice the street art everywhere. Some of it could rightly be called the more derogatory term of "graffiti" but a lot of it is truly "art." If you could spray paint on the surface, then in all likelihood, someone had. I am more interested in street art these days than I used to be, and I attribute this to the documentary-styled film "Exit Through the Gift Shop." I've embedded a … [Read more...]
#1: Stayed in Brooklyn, New York. I've never visited Brooklyn before. But I would encourage anyone to do so, it's very vibrant and there are a ton of interesting neighbourhoods. Williamsburg, in particular, is quite "hip." #2: Baseball played on concrete. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that there is no sliding into home plate. On this large concrete are, two teams were playing back to back. #3: A store … [Read more...]
Howdy everyone! So yesterday started off very bright and early (actually, why is it "bright" and early because, really, it's "dark" when you need to get up early, isn't it?)! Me and my bloggy buddy Andrea (otherwise known as @missfish and she is AWESOME and she totally didn't lock the keys in her car) drove to Toronto to attend the first day of the She's So Connected Conference. We had planned to arrive just in time to hear the opening … [Read more...]
The "Month of Me" project that I first told you about here is coming together mighty nicely! On October 5th, I will be toasting a happy birthday to my mother in New York City ... here's a little more on the that ... On this day 40 years ago, a young woman was seven days overdue to give birth to her first child. Due on September 15th, there was no doubt in her mind that this baby was conceived during her husband’s short break during army boot … [Read more...]
A while back, I decided that I'd really like to attend Blissdom Canada, which is a blogging conference taking place in Toronto next month. I thought, hey, I love blogging and it's my 40th birthday in October, so why not? All the tickets were sold out ages ago, but I was able to buy a ticket from someone who wasn't going to be able to go. (Although I am still hoping to win a ticket so that I can recoup my cash. Keep your fingers crossed for … [Read more...]
I suspect that many camping families get themselves in a bit of a rut now and then. I think we find a magical campsite and then just keep going back and back. Sure, there's nothing wrong with returning to the tried and true. Let's a lot of advantages actually: kids often feel happy when they're in familiar surroundings and mothers often feel happy when they now how to navigate themselves through the forest to the toilets in the middle of the … [Read more...]
While I was on vacation a couple of weeks ago, an e-vite into my BlackBerry titled "Girls and Kids Day at the Beach." Without reading the details, I just replied that I would be happy to partake. And that day was yesterday. All up, there were six girlfriends and seven children invited up to a friend's cottage for the day. Located in an area referred to as the Land O' Lakes, the cottage was an easy drive from Ottawa. Just over an hour. Lucky … [Read more...]
For our family, a museum visit is often a highlight when we're travelling. In fact, I think Hubby and I have taken in at least one museum in every large city we've ever visited. And last weekend we were in Toronto to farewell our out-of-town guests before they hopped on a cross-Canada train trip. So before driving home on Sunday, we decided to squeeze in a tour of The Royal Ontario Museum, or "the ROM." We debated whether we should bother or … [Read more...]
For my friends not on twitter. Here is my day, via tweets starting when I woke up .... It is exceptionally difficult to make decisions without caffeine. No coffee maker in this hotel room. Must throw on baseball cap and go find a Starbucks asap. I guess I should change out of pjs too. This is rough. Yes, Latte in hand now. Life is good! Man, it's not even 10:30 am yet and @thegrumpymama and @thevoog have me craving Chinese … [Read more...]
Blog4NZ is a grass-roots effort on the part of the international travel blogging community to promote all that is good about travel in New Zealand from the 21st to 23nd of March — the one-month anniversary of the quake. Tourism makes up approximately 10% of New Zealand’s GDP and it is essential for the world to know that New Zealand is open for business. So ... New Zealand! Where to start? Well, it was 1993, I had a one-way ticket and a one-year … [Read more...]
I've been more of a scattered mom than usual lately. The kind that forgets doctor's appointments and perpetually arrives late or unprepared for the kids' extra-curricular activities? Yeah, er, that's me. This life with young children, and work, and household maintenance ... it really does feel like a hamster wheel sometimes, doesn't it? Everyone TALKS about how to achieve balance, but I'm pretty sceptical about it being even possible. So, for … [Read more...]
I caught up with a girlfriend the other day and as we were having coffee and agreeing that it had been too long since we'd chatted, she exclaimed: "I haven't even heard about your Saguenay trip yet!" I responded, "Oh, well, you have to keep up with my blog if you want to know my life. I don't actually speak to people in real-life anymore." To this, she did not even react to my silly tone, and said, "But I have been reading your blog!" So, I … [Read more...]
In Part 2 of my Saguenay series, I lamented spending my hard earned money on hiking boots instead of super-cute shoes. I also wondered aloud: "...what age the other women would be on the trip? And what level of fitness would they be? Or if maybe I am over-estimating how “rough” the trip will be and they will all be wearing cute yoga pants and flip flops while I stand there like a dork all outfitted up. And mostly, if I looked this ridiculous in … [Read more...]
In the tradition of Bradgelina (the nickname given to the celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie), jeggings (a pant that combines the fit of leggings with the look of a jeans) and tweeps (your “peeps” on twitter), we now have “glamping.” Glamping, or glamorous camping, is where one pays the equivalent of a 5-star hotel rate to sleep in a tent. Are these people mad? Maybe ... but I'm one of the converted! Find out why I'm willing to pay … [Read more...]
Photo credit: Jean Tanguay I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but winter is just around the corner. My husband thinks this is fantastic news indeed and has already equipped the kids with snowsuits and good hats and mitts. You might recall that I, on the other hand, am not quite as fond of winter. In fact, I spent most of last winter trying not to hate it. And although I still don't love it, to say the least, I did find that joining in … [Read more...]
Okay, so! My trip to Northern Quebec! There is a lot to tell; I almost don't know where to start. But I guess the beginning is always a good place ... I was invited by Quebec's Ministry of Tourism to attend a press trip which would share with me six different family travel ideas from the Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean area. But in reality, the trip was so well-organized and the area has so much to offer that I've come home with countless things that … [Read more...]
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