Derek’s Red Hot Sauce – Kitchen Heat, Homemade

EAT, entertain By July 7, 2020 No Comments

This recipe for hot sauce is my husband Derek’s favourite. There are so many ways to add spice to life, that right now are kindof impossible to do, like travel, new experiences, theatre, music and art – why not start in the kitchen? This is a great pandemic kitchen trick to learn, and can save a fortune in buying sauces. Adding a little spice to life is always fun, and so is making delicious condiments yourself. Hot sauces have become quite popular, with a wide variety of options available on the market including curated subscription boxes.  I love making things home made wherever possible, and this recipe makes that a cinch.

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Local-and-Low-Budget-Summer-Activities

Local and Low-Budget Summer Activities

FAM, kids By July 2, 2020 2 Comments

Summer is just beginning (though it totally feels exactly like the last three months, minus the home-schooling). While parents likely had a pre-pandemic line-up of activities ready to go to keep kids busy, not only are camps cancelled, but pricey day-camps and caregivers can squeeze an already tight budget. International and Canada-US travel is likely a no-go. Some provinces are still locked down, some require quarantine for 14 days when you get there, and others simply don’t want your ‘foreign’ license plate traipsing around their roads. Here’s the Canadian Government site on COVID, so you know where your province stands. And here are a few ideas for sticking closer to home, getting out in nature and saving some precious cash.

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Family Road Trip Ideas

5 Tips For A Fabulous Family Road Trip

Canada, ROAM By June 29, 2020 39 Comments

 

When I was a child, our summer vacations were usually a three hour journey from our front door to the door of where we were staying. Most of the time we journeyed to our vacation destination via car and ferry. My sister and I loved that our parents were sharing with us all of the fabulous sites that our province had to offer whether we were camping by a lake, staying in a cottage by the ocean, or exploring the coast in an RV.

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Healthy Chicken Fingers

Healthy Chicken Fingers

EAT, family meals, snacks By May 1, 2020 1 Comment

Kids adore chicken fingers and nuggets, but the deep-fried versions are terribly unhealthy.  The pre-made options that you grab in the grocery store may be easy, but the expense and lack of nutrition in most brands makes this quick dinner a poor choice.  Why not make a huge, heart-healthy batch yourself and freeze half, ensuring that you always have a quick and healthy option available?

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Blue and Gunmetal Springfree Trampoline

How Play Changes Perspective

FAM, health By April 29, 2020 No Comments

Perspective as parents can be tough, and even harder for kids to gain. We continually tell our kids things can always get worse. This is some ethereal notion that makes the little ones roll their eyes and tell us we are overreacting and doing a guilt trip on them because they can’t possibly send their broccoli to the kids in another country. Once I wished that the next generation could experience something so immense, it would give us all appreciation and curb feelings of entitlement. I should be careful what I wish for.

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The Baby and Toddler Teething Chart You Need

baby By April 17, 2020 Tags: , , 5 Comments

If you’re like us, you are super-attentive to the little ones, but when it comes to writing stuff down in the baby book?  But wait!  There are chicken pot pies to make, and socks to launder! You might even be trying to catch up on your baby book with extra time on your hands during this pandemic. Your child’s smile is something that can be so great to document and it’s easy to do with a baby and toddler teething chart.

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Maternity Clothes in Canada

Maternity Clothes in Canada

FAM, pregnancy By April 7, 2020 Tags: , , , , , , , , 31 Comments

Remember when maternity fashion was an oxymoron?  When insipid little rosebuds on a mu-mu were au courant? Canadian designers are among the top in the world, and as our reputation grows as a world-class travel destination, our shopping options do as well – even for maternity clothes. I remember when I was trying to conceive and kept going to the States to buy out of season Pea in the Pod items on sale in hopes that they’d fit if I conceived right away!! NO MORE. Shop local. Shop Canadian. We are featuring stores that carry maternity clothes in Canada and the ones below are Canadian-based stores dedicated to the belly.  We’ve also got a section on nursing bras and nursing wear.  Let us know if you have any additions!

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Easter Egg Decorating Tips

Easter Egg Decorating Tips

EAT, holidays By April 7, 2020 No Comments

With endless colour combinations and many different ways to decorate, making colourful eggs can be as easy or as intricate as you choose, making it a perfect activity for all ages and skill levels. From a simple egg dyed one colour, to ornate and delicate patterns, Easter eggs are as unique as the people that create them. Here are a few Easter egg decorating tips for you to explore – but I’m sure your kids have TONS of ideas of their own!

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