Jill Amery, Author at Urban Mommies

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Jill Amery

Jill Amery is a mom of 2 small boys and the Publisher of UrbanMommies, a stylish digital lifestyle magazine filled with fitness, style, health, recipes and savvy mom advice to help you through pregnancy, birth, and raising your kids.

Keeping my Mom Safe

FAM, health By Jill Amery October 10, 2018 No Comments

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by First Alert. But you really should read it because the safety information could be life-changing and I really believe in helping keep families safe.

How many times have you burned toast only to have your smoke alarm scream for fresh air? And what about those dinner parties when every burner is going and you use an umbrella to bash at the button to silence the alarm whilst guests are en route and dinner becomes overdone? Maybe that’s just me. But you know what is also me? The person, in those situations, who just takes the smoke alarm off the ceiling and pops out the batteries. And then forgets to replace them and put it back up.

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Mom Fun Alone at Disneyland

Disney, ROAM By Jill Amery October 9, 2018 No Comments

Some people could consider it selfish. I deem it a necessity. When you are a parent and have a love of something, you should be allowed to experience it on your own terms. This is exactly what I just did in California – having mom fun alone at Disneyland.

While many may wonder what I could possibly have done over two days at California Adventure Park and Disneyland without my two boys, I have a list as long as Pinocchio’s nose. After trips to Disney Parks and the Disney Cruise Line with my family, the elevated experience I was able to create alone surprised even me. I was like a kid in a candy store, and can’t wait to go back!

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The Great Big Boo Ticket Giveaway

Contests By Jill Amery October 9, 2018 1 Comment

What’s better than Hallowe’en? Well, just maybe an un-scary musical-meets trick-or-treating show for kids ages 2-12! Running across Canada from Oct 12-29, the Great Big Boo treats audiences to a spectacular 50-minute show at Cineplex theatres. I still remember theatrical performances that brought my family together when I was a little girl. The lessons learned and expansion of the mind can affect kids for life.

The Great Big Boo

Characters Zoe and Justin sing and dance while meeting wacky, larger-than-life characters. Their mission? To save Halloween! Our bet is that the kids in the audience will want to help every second of the way! While having adventures, the characters learn life lessons, realize their dreams and discover the true spirit of Halloween – that you can be anything you want to be!

The Great Big Boo features an original score, spectacular dance numbers and stunning theatrical effects. After the show, the audience is invited to meet the stars of the show, and join them for a fun, trick-or-treat event! Tickets can be found here, but we also have an amazing giveaway for you!

The Great Big Boo Ticket Giveaway

Urbanmommies is giving away a family pack of tickets (max 5) to any show in British Columbia (provided there is availability). To enter, you may do one or all of the three below options. Each post receives one entry.

Comment below naming your child’s pick for this year’s Hallowe’en costume.
Comment on our Facebook post with your child’s pick for this year’s costume.
Tweet: I entered to win tickets to @GreatBigBoo through @urbanmommies! #UMHalloween
Post on Instagram a fun fall pic and include: I entered to win tickets to @GreatBigBoo through @urbanmommies! #UMHalloween somewhere in the caption or comments.

Rules: Canadian residents only, and winners must reside in BC. Open Oct. 9, 2018 – Oct 13, 2018. Winners will be notified Oct. 14. 4 entries max per person.

Good luck!

Disclosure: This post was made possible by our friends at the Great Big Boo. All opinions are our own.

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Get Thanksgiving-Ready at Costco

laugh, LIVE By Jill Amery September 19, 2018 No Comments

Growing up in Nova Scotia, I always spent Thanksgiving at our farmhouse built in 1763. The dining room has an exposed log wall and harvest table. Each of Norman Rockwell’s ‘Four Freedoms’ are framed in the room, making it a magical place to give thanks. Though I won’t be at the Farm for this year’s Thanksgiving holiday, I’m going to take a lesson from the Freedom from Want print. I will not only plan our festivities early but do my shopping for myself and my home in a stress-free way at Costco!

I am thrilled to be hosting a fabulous shopping event for Moms on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at the Downtown Vancouver Costco Warehouse from 9:30-10:30am.

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When a Turnkey Vacation Strengthens Your Family

International, ROAM By Jill Amery September 18, 2018 Tags: all inclusive, mexico, sunwing No Comments

The past few months have been challenging. We have a tween testing the parameters of independence, friends with terminal health issues and an unpredictable work schedule. Drifting away from each other only exacerbates the stress. The kids needed separation from unreasonable peer influences and we needed to pull our two boys back into our arms. Holding kids close can be tough when bullies, sports demands and homework pressure take over. We needed to reign everyone in and reconnect – get the little birds back in the nest for a while so that they could regain security and stay true to themselves.

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Play Hard. Be Seen.

GEAR, style By Jill Amery September 17, 2018 No Comments

The darkness is coming. And I don’t mean anything Death Star related (for once). Canadian winters mean extreme temperatures and less than 9 hours of light on the solstice. While snuggling up by a fire is perfectly acceptable adult entertainment, our kids tend to want to do more extreme activity – even when it’s dark. A lack of light can cause more problems than dips in mood. When we can’t see kids crossing the street in the rain or chasing a wayward basketball at dusk, parents worry sick about their safety. Thankfully, mother and awesome designer Scarlet Kux-Kardos founded Zapped. The Zapped Outfitters collection of edgy and rugged waterproof clothing, reflective shoes and hats features custom-designed fully reflective fabric that is embedded with glass beads that reflect light at night!

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Deepak Chopra in Vancouver and Toronto

Contests By Jill Amery September 12, 2018 No Comments

September is a time for goal-setting, and yesterday I met a huge one for myself. I met two girlfriends for an hour and a half to chat in person. This is shockingly indicative of the state of my inner self. Technology and social media have certainly affected the way I connect with others and I am finding that the depth of relationships solidified with twitter responses or Instagram comments is just not enough to get by. There is nothing that can replace community and connection. Gratitude. Trust. Vulnerability. And solitude.

I’ve been thinking a ton lately about mindfulness. Mainly because my head feels like it will explode. Chasing likes on social media, smartphone pings, managing a busy family and needing to be ‘immediately creative’ all make achieving a heightened sense of wellbeing near impossible.

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Tweaking the 2019 Honda Pilot to Fit a Family

auto, GEAR By Jill Amery September 11, 2018 No Comments

There’s nothing quite as thorough as when you test a vehicle you are actually considering purchasing. And having an off-road track too. That’s always helpful. In need of a new Mom car that doesn’t make me feel unsexy, old or timid, I flew off to California to see how the 2019 Honda Pilot could fit into the life of an active family.

Though tech, styling and storage are usually at the top of my list, in the drive portion of the evaluation I was really looking for pep in the transmission. My current vehicle is having trouble shifting, and these lags make me immediately nervous. In my post-40 years, challenges like this don’t induce anger but heightened insecurity, and a jumpy driver is an unsafe driver. (It’s easier to get a good car than a good therapist).

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17 Tips for Rocking your Sunwing Vacation with Viva Resorts in the Mexican Riviera

International, ROAM By Jill Amery September 7, 2018 No Comments

Our family just returned from falling in love with the Viva Wyndham Azteca through Sunwing Vacations. While our getaways are usually complicated, this time we went to one place for the entire thing – sunwing.ca. Not only is Sunwing a full-service airline, but they provide transfers, evaluate hotels, ensure value in their excursions, and allow you to book everything in one place. Typically, it can take a few days to get acclimatized and relaxed as your vacation begins. We don’t want you to miss an ounce of pleasure or relaxation, so the kids and I put together a few tips and tricks that could help you milk every second of your getaway.

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Hang on to Summer with an Outdoor Movie Night

FAM, kids By Jill Amery September 7, 2018 No Comments

The outdoor movie night concept has entertained families for generations. I remember watching old black and white family movies on reels with a huge screen as a little girl. Thankfully, technology has advanced and these fun evenings aren’t so much of a production – so to speak. The invites, snacks and technology are now the easy part. The only challenge is choosing the film! Here’s what we used for a recent impromptu event.

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When Jill Amery started publishing UrbanMommies in 2008, she wanted to create a place where the urban parent could be cared for and nurtured, so that they would be able to deliver their best selves to their family and passions. Since then, UrbanMommies has reached millions of moms with stories about travel, fashion, parenting, pets and family cuisine. Jill has created a community of moms who understand that if they are at their best, then everyone around them is as well.

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