Browsing Articles Written by

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.

Valentines Gifts that Soothe the Soul

fitness, GEAR By February 8, 2024 3 Comments

Let’s admit it. The winter has been long, with hardship, war and strife all over the media. Politics seems messy. Grocery prices are off the charts. And social media seems to drag us all down even further. Oh – I forgot about AI completely changing the narrative (either deep fake or simply with processes at work). So this Valentine’s day I think it’s worth focusing on gifts that heal, soothe and put people in a positive frame of mind (whether or not you may had a date on the 14th).

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12 Last Minute Valentines Gifts to Find Online

GEAR, style By February 2, 2024 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

You might be a tad more organized than we are, but in case you’re more of a late shopper…. here are some last minute Valentines gifts that will actually enhance people’s lives. Online personal training, music lessons, cooking classes, personal styling, language instruction… The lucky recipients of your gifts will be brilliant while being able to be hermits! (But then again, staying home can be pretty romantic…)We’ve unearthed 12 last-minute ideas that the recipient can do virtually after you grab them online.

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Most Recent Top Baby Names in Canada

baby, FAM By January 17, 2024 No Comments

This information is directly from Statistics Canada, who now has an amazing searchable database called the Baby Names Observatory. It lets parents see name trends as well as popularity. The most recent year that baby names in Canada were chronicled is 2022, and we will be sure to update readers with more current data when it is available.

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National Cupcake Day (with a ‘Pupcake’ Recipe!)

EAT, FAM, family meals, pets By January 8, 2024 No Comments

Given that my dog just sort of got impounded (it wasn’t my fault)… I thought I should do a shout out to the SPCA! Especially if it’s called National Cupcake Day. National Cupcake Day is on February 26th, a fundraising effort supporting animal welfare societies across Canada. It’s easy and delicious to participate. Register your participation online at: www.nationalcupcakeday.ca. Plan a cupcake party at work, home or school; start fundraising by encouraging friends and family to donate online in advance; bake your favourite cupcakes; share them with family and friends; and collect donations to prevent cruelty to animals.

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smoothie freezer packets for kids

Smoothie Freezer Packets for Kids

EAT, snacks By January 1, 2024 2 Comments

I like to save time. Doesn’t every Mom? With a focus on healthy this year, I started making smoothie freezer packs. Perhaps it’s also because I bought a Vitamix and am determined to have my family eat whole, healthy foods. You can reuse the ziplock bags and keep a stash of smoothie mixes in the freezer. Keep coconut water or almond milk on hand and add 1/2 cup to your smoothie packet. Hint: Using dark berries allows you to camouflage kale or spinach without the kids thinking there is anything green in their smoothie.Smart like a fox.

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Schoolday Frozen Breakfast Burrito

EAT, family meals By December 10, 2023 No Comments

Once every month I make these school day frozen breakfast burritos with the kids as kitchen helpers. Wrapped in plastic and frozen in a big bag, they can be pulled out the night before and refrigerated. Pop them onto a panini maker, an air fryer or in the microwave to heat. On mornings when we are late for school (that would be most mornings), I wrap the ends in tinfoil and call them ‘hand snacks’ so the kids can eat them on the way. You can add as many vegetables as you like and eliminate the sausage to make them vegetarian-friendly.

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Mirror Lake Inn and Whiteface in Lake Placid

ROAM, USA By October 28, 2023 1 Comment

People have called me a romantic on steroids. Personally, I think they are actually underestimating my tendencies. There are two hoop skirts in the closet, and summer must include multiple picnics with a book of poetry tucked into the basket. You can imagine my glee when we rolled through the flag-draped town of Lake Placid and pulled up to the historic Mirror Lake Inn.

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Flights on the Runway

Flying Air Canada With Kids

International, ROAM By October 14, 2023 1 Comment

Guess what I did once? I checked all of my baby’s diapers and changes of clothes in our luggage. On a 4 hour flight. Thankfully, a kind gentleman on our Air Canada plane saved the day by buying diapers during the stopover and sending them to me on the plane! Little did I know that Air Canada keeps necessities like this in airports for bad parents like me. (I still recommend taking your own though!) With so many families exploring the world, Air Canada is doing even more to enhance the experience of traveling with kids. 

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