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.

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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Last Minute Back to School Organizing

FAM, kids By Jill Amery September 5, 2018 1 Comment

When it comes to ‘Back to School’, I slump into sadness at another summer gone. In a way, though, September can be a time of rebirth and renewal, and a great opportunity to get the family organized. This year we have a few tricks up our sleeve to transition seamlessly into school and work life. Here are a few ideas we are implementing this year in order to streamline and succeed!

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Rewarding our Mentors #BecauseYouTeach

grow, LIVE By Jill Amery August 31, 2018 No Comments

I remember them all. Mrs. Connelly taught me cursive and made me want to use it to write great stories one day. Mr. Grant praised me in front of the whole gym class for finishing a race with my leg bleeding even though I came last. Miss Tanner found math riddles in her spare time, and that year I crossed the arithmetic threshold and became fascinated with Fibonacci, perfect squares and golden rectangles.

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Why You Need to Check Your Exhaust System

auto, GEAR By Jill Amery August 16, 2018 No Comments

Ostrich. That’s what I can be when it comes to anything mechanical. Planes, trains and automobiles are amazing, as long as they work. Lately, I’ve had a boat engine not start, my Vespa not engaging into gear and the brakes on my son’s bike falling off. I need to do better. I need to understand maintenance on a much higher level – or at the very least be diligent about getting my vehicles serviced regularly.

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My Casper Mattress in a Box

LIVE, rest By Jill Amery July 31, 2018 No Comments

I love to shop. Shoes, candles, small kitchen appliances all have an allure that is intoxicating. But mattresses? No. Traditionally they are hard to carry, deliver and choose. The pressure is intense – this will be where I you spend 1/3 of my life for years to come! Too much stress. It’s one of those things that should magically happen. A friend tells you which brand to buy, it appears and the old one is magically whisked away. Sure – I’ll change the bedding but that’s as far as it goes. Well, friends.. the game has changed. I just tried Casper mattress in a box and can’t wait to replace every bed in the house.

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How to Reduce Single-Use Plastic

LIVE, nourish By Jill Amery July 31, 2018 No Comments

Single-use plastic is a huge issue in our society, and we have all grown up with the convenience it provides. Unfortunately, our environment, oceans and animals are being adversely affected by its disposal. Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our oceans. This amount will increase 10x by 2020. Looking around my house, it feels next to impossible to eliminate all plastic, but every solution has a beginning. I am choosing to begin with trying to reduce single-use plastics like straws, bags and water bottles.

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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.