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.

Flamingo Mothers Day Card

DIY Mother’s Day Cards Mom will Adore

LIVE, nourish By May 11, 2018 No Comments

Kids making cards themselves is not only thrilling for Mom, but the hands-on approach helps their self-esteem, forces them to consider their connection with their mother, and prompts gratitude. (This one is always nice – especially once they hit the tween years!!)

Moms prefer cards truly from the heart and you truly don’t need fancy, expensive tools. Simple scissors, paper, odds and ends from the house certainly work wonders. You can even make glue out of flour and water if that is hard to come by! Remember that imperfection and authenticity are better than perfection. Relax and have fun with your designs – Moms can look at these throughout the year whenever they are feeling unloved and having bad mornings. And of course, if all else fails, make her a DIY Mother’s Day Card promising a simple car wash and make a note to do something kind at least once a week!

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Bedroom Lighting

Perfectly Lit

LIVE By May 11, 2018 No Comments

I have a confession. As much as I am trying to be a good citizen and help save the planet, at times I do it with a grumble. Sometimes the products I try just aren’t as effective as the old ones. *Gasp*. I know. In some cases, I haven’t found the right ones, and in others, the technology just wasn’t advanced enough yet. But I still try to be environmentally responsible, even if it means my life is a bit less ideal.

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Magic Eraser cupbords

Many Layers of Dirty

LIVE, wash By May 2, 2018 No Comments

The story I’m about to tell may sound vaguely familiar…. and you’re not alone. I looked around my house this morning as the sunlight poured in and felt a bit of self-loathing and disgust. I pride myself on Martha-Stewart-like cleaning prowess, and my house looks like I’ve been hosting two football teams and a petting zoo since last fall. Time for a run to the store. Not only do I grab inspirational magazines, clothes and food, but I stock up on my favourite cleaning products so I can get to work on the spring cleaning. The best part of doing a deep clean is getting the kids involved, so the products I choose need to be easy for them. Nobody should have to do a huge clean by themselves.

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hugs and high fives

Hugs and High Fives

grow, LIVE By April 25, 2018 No Comments

This morning I watched my kids sleep as I stroked their hair and hugged them. At 10 and 12, though, they are a bit more excited about playing Fortnite and soccer than cuddling with their Mama. At least I still get tons of high fives and an occasional bear hug. Back when they were newborns, I was so sleep deprived that all I wanted was help holding and soothing them. And now I just want to hug them and have time stop. How life changes!

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NordicFit Mama

Strong and Fit Postpartum

baby, FAM By April 5, 2018 1 Comment

I remember the weeks and months after giving birth as being exhausting, doubtful and enchanted. Quite the mish-mash of emotion! Muscle development and attention to myself were the last things on my mind, and yet they should have been front and centre, because other people’s needs fall so much more easily into place when a Mom has inner and outer strength. Having a daily mentor to boost me up without judgment would have been magical! More than that, though, would have been being able to tap into this confidante at any time of day or night, while holding and playing with my baby. I was clearly missing Safe and Strong by Nordic Fit Mama.

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Lunchbox Notes

Lunchbox Notes to Combat School Anxiety

EAT, lunches By March 1, 2018 2 Comments

It’s every parent’s biggest worry. Will they have so much fun at school they don’t want to come home? OK maybe not the BIGGEST, but it still ranks up there. Especially if your kids have some anxiety about leaving you or being in school, a developmentally-appropriate lunchbox note can go a long way. Before they are reading, familiar images or photographs can be great. I can’t wait to start sending Shakespeare verses once my boys get older… I’m sure they will be SO thrilled with that!!

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Household Cleaning Checklists

The Best 7 Household Cleaning Checklists + {free download}

LIVE, wash By February 28, 2018 6 Comments

Everyone cleans differently, and it can be super annoying when people develop complicated checklists specifying how you have to dust lampshades on Tuesday when you hardly have time to take a shower. (BTW cleaning the shower when you’re in it is a great time-saver. Then use the wet towel to wipe the bathroom floor before tossing it in the laundry you don’t have time to do.) You didn’t know I was THAT smart, did you?

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Coding for Kids

Free Kids Programs with Apple

LIVE, play By February 11, 2018 1 Comment

Parents looking for fun and inspiring activities to do for the family or kids can turn to their local Apple store to register for free kids programs with Apple through “Today at Apple” spanning coding, photography, music and arts lead by Apple Creatives. These are also relevant to UrbanMommies readers in Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba too. Here are some examples of the programming offered at Apple stores across the Lower Mainland!

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Better Than Best

LIVE, wash By February 2, 2018 No Comments

The onset of a new calendar year is always a perfect time to rejuvenate and recalibrate my goals. This year, we’re also blessed with a world event that makes me want to raise the bar even higher. From February 9-25, I will hunker down with excitement to view the inspiring and dedicated athletes who will compete in the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

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Adventures in Cloth Diapering

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

grow, LIVE By February 1, 2018 Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

When I was pregnant with my first child I was intrigued by the idea of cloth diapering.  It seemed like the right thing to do: better for the environment, better for my child’s skin and reproductive health.  But there was so much information, so many choices… I was overwhelmed and intimidated.

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