Urban Mommies
  • EAT
    • entertain
    • family meals
    • holidays
    • lunches
    • slow cooker
    • snacks
  • GEAR
    • apps
    • auto
    • beauty
    • books
    • style
    • tech
    • toys
  • FAM
    • baby
    • charity
    • health
    • pets
    • pregnancy
    • self
    • kids
  • LIVE
    • nourish
    • grow
    • play
    • rest
    • wash
  • ROAM
    • canada
    • cruises
    • disney
    • international
  • EAVESDROP
    • overheard
    • seen
    • videos
  • MORE
    • media
    • contact UrbanMommies
    • work with me
    • about jill amery
  • SHOP
Techy Gifts
GEAR, tech | Dec. 2020

Holiday Gifts for the Tech Lover

Read More
GEAR, style | Dec. 2020

How to find Gifts from Canadian Companies

Read More
Jill Amery Canadian Shopping
GEAR, style | Dec. 2020

Canadian Holiday Gift Ideas

Read More
gifts from small businesses in Canada
beauty, GEAR | Dec. 2020

Shop Local from a safe Distance Holiday Gifts

Read More
Mulan Activity Packet
grow, LIVE | Nov. 2020

The Mulan Activity Packet

Read More
Teeth straightening orthodontist
FAM, health | Oct. 2020

Joining the Ortho Club

Read More
teach your child manners
grow, LIVE | Sep. 2020

How to Teach Your Kids Good Manners Every Day

Read More
Crab tacos
EAT, family meals | Sep. 2020

Crab Tacos + How to Catch a Crab

Read More
Getting the Stink out of Laundry
LIVE, wash | Sep. 2020

Getting the Stink out of Laundry

Read More
Learning From Home
GEAR, home | Sep. 2020

Must-Haves for Learning From Home

Read More
Prince Edward County Roadtrip
Canada, ROAM | Sep. 2020

A Prince Edward County Roadtrip

Read More
2020 BMWX3e
auto, GEAR | Sep. 2020

Ontario Roadtripping in the BMW X3 30e

Read More
Mahone Bay Nova Scotia
GEAR, home | Sep. 2020

A Covid Home Renovation from Afar

Read More
Sourdough Brioche Bread
EAT, family meals | Aug. 2020

Sourdough Brioche Bread

Read More
Virtual Castle Tours
FAM, self | Apr. 2020

Self-Isolation Boredom Busters, Round Three

Read More
17 Things You can Do to Help Others Through the Covid-19 Pandemic
FAM, health | Mar. 2020

17 Things You can Do to Help Others Through the Covid-19 Pandemic

Read More
guide your family through self-quarantine.
FAM, health | Mar. 2020

How Not to Go Bananas During Self-Quarantine

Read More

Sorry, no posts were found

Glad you’re here!

Jill Amery

About Jill Amery

Welcome! When I started publishing UrbanMommies in 2008, the goal was to create a place where the modern parent could be cared for and nurtured. We all want to be able to show up as our best, passionate selves for our families. Since then, UrbanMommies has reached millions of moms with stories about food, travel, budget-conscious luxury, engaging activities, life hacks and creative school lunches. I have created a community of moms who understand that if they are at their best, then everyone around them is as well.

Download My Cookbook!

Snag our News!

Don't miss out on the latest! Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

urbanmommies

✈️ Traveler | Romantic
🖋 Media Personality / Influencer since 2008
🎾⛷⛵️tennis, dancing, skiing
📍Next up: the kitchen
✉️: jill@urbanmommies.com

Jill Amery
So many people have to make tough decisions right So many people have to make tough decisions right now. My chest aches for those who are grieving or struggling with finances or mental health. (And every time it does I worry it’s covid). Compared to most, our family’s decision was easy. With the sudden announcement of further school closures and lockdowns in Ontario, we stayed 7 days, grabbed the pets and decided to move temporarily back to Nova Scotia and isolate once again. Driving through a major winter storm with cars dipped into ditches and spin-outs happening all around us, I realized something. 🔆 I have hope. Where last spring I was in a pretty dark place, things seem different now. Maybe it’s the ability to reframe expectations, be nimble with plans, slow down and be happy with accomplishing one small thing. Not sure. But I do know I didn’t want to get erased by a skidding transport truck crashing into me. These past 10 months with little outside human contact meant undulating emotions. I feel like I’ve been chucking spaghetti at walls, seeing what will stick. A few things have. This is what I’ve been doing for a life well lived. 1️⃣ Service: intense volunteering with kids in crisis. 2️⃣ Education: doing little nuggets of learning on MasterClass. 3️⃣ Family: creating memories with my own, and researching our ancestry. 4️⃣ Creativity: designing the addition to the home where we’re headed. 5️⃣ Growth: a focus on not caring what others think (hence posting this as there will surely be people who will criticize for not staying put in the Ontario lockdown). 6️⃣ Self-care: makeup sometimes, jazz dancing regularly and vitamins. 7️⃣ Taking risks: getting groceries, swimming in the Atlantic. 8️⃣ Connection: picking a couple of people a week to reach out to. That’s really all I’ve got. Not many gems about work or passion. As a creative and an empath, it’s pretty hard to find motivation to write about lifestyle when so many suffer. It would feel like self-promotion. When things improve I will be back at that but for now, it’s about the essence of what makes a life. When I do die one day I want to do so with a smile, knowing I’ve been happy and impactful. Stay safe, friends. Xo
2021 seemed like a good time to start a new family 2021 seemed like a good time to start a new family tradition and cleanse in 7-degree water to say bye to 2020! Happy New Year everyone!!!! 🎉🦞❤️ #newyearsday #polarbearswim #seizetheday
Happy 13th birthday to our Hudson! He lights up a Happy 13th birthday to our Hudson! He lights up a room, slays with dry wit, and is among the best athletes I’ve ever known. Sailor, soccer player, snowboarder, saxophonist-turned-violinist, writer of stories, gamer, friend and incredible son. Here’s to the teen years!!! #covidbirthday #13yearsold #happybirthday
So thrilled to have cooked copious amounts of holi So thrilled to have cooked copious amounts of holiday food (for 4!) in this new kitchen!! It took a while to see the finished product but every second was worth it. #farmhousechristmas #farmhousestyle #mahonebay #novascotia #eastcoastdesign #farmhousekitchen #kitchendesign
We cooked a dinner for 16 even though it was just We cooked a dinner for 16 even though it was just the four of us! Couldn’t even touch either dessert. But tradition, right? Perfect idea apart from lack of storage containers at the farmhouse!! Today was full of love and memories. So grateful for this gang. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! 🌲🙏🏼🥰
We did a pink tree draped with all of Mom’s trea We did a pink tree draped with all of Mom’s treasures to toast her tomorrow at the two-year mark of her passing. To all those who celebrate, Merry Christmas. It’s been a different year, but hopefully we are all better off in some way. 🌲🙏🏼❤️
Our flight from Toronto to Halifax was on a brand Our flight from Toronto to Halifax was on a brand new plane that was nearly empty. I swabbed every surface and the wipe came clean. The @aircanada flight attendants handed us a sealed bag with mask, water, hand sanitizer, personal headphones, and snacks. No alcohol was served on the flight, and we felt very safe. The most remarkable transformation was the #MapleLeafLounge. The bar/food area at #YYZ has been separated and there are two servers to get you drinks, salads and sandwiches. At every seat in the lounge there’s a QR code that pulls up a hot food menu. You select, and a boxed meal comes right to your seat! It was awesome!!! No more magazines, sadly. Going in to Nova Scotia, though no longer part of an #AtlanticBubble, we felt as if we were entering another country, with plexiglass between the baggage claim and the exit. Each traveler has to fill out a web form stating how and where they will self-isolate for 14 days. You can’t leave until you’ve shown ID and your confirmation. Every day for two weeks you must fill out the questions sent via email. We have had so much to do with the new farmhouse renovation that we haven’t even noticed the quarantine! The boys have been in online school and I have so many boxes of my late mom’s things to sort. Being on the east coast in a snowstorm, with bright Atlantic light and salt air makes every second worth it. Just wanted to shed some light on future Canadian travel! ❤️🙏🏼 #AtlanticCanada #Canadatravel #novascotia #covidtravel #pandemictravel #AirCanada #safeflying #familytravel #YHZ #Halifax #HalifaxAirport
Here you go! 10 more great Canadian companies with Here you go! 10 more great Canadian companies with awesome online ordering. My mask in the pic is from @narcesofficial and the gown from the wonderful @maisonsimons 🛍 Link in bio! #holidaygiftideas #buycanadian #wearamask #holidaygiftguide #giftguide
Thrilled to launch this year’s Holiday Gift Guid Thrilled to launch this year’s Holiday Gift Guide!! The first three instalments all feature Canadian small businesses with an online presence. ❤️ I’m encouraging everyone to shop local and from a distance! The first ten companies are giving away all of the goods featured so hop over to IG stories and share a story or two to enter! In the next few days the rest of the guide will be revealed. Toys, tech, and some pretty cool ideas for grandparents. 🌲🎁🕎 Usually I do 12 guides with ten items in each. This year is just different in so many ways, but I’ve linked the Canadian gift idea guides along with the past two years in my bio in case you need inspiration with hundreds of ideas! Ok. There’s no toilet paper in there. Promise! 🧻🧸🛍 #Holidaygiftguide2020 #holidaygiftguide #pandemicshopping #smallbusiness #shoplocal #supportsmallbusiness #holidayshopping
I chose this photo from the summer in #princeedwar I chose this photo from the summer in #princeedwardcounty because @derekamery is always watching over his boys, a passionate, gentle father. On his birthday today I tear up as I think of the person I married. (In a good way! lol). He’s the kind of guy you miss even when he’s gone for an hour. His wit levels a room. His love of friends, travel, English football, New Orleans, watches, powder days, beer and cooking lace through his lust for living every day. We are so lucky to have this guy in our lives. Happy birthday from all of us!!! @ford.amery and @_hudson_amery_ too. 🎂🥰🎉❤️🙏🏼
It occurred to me last week that travel always thr It occurred to me last week that travel always thrust me into creative mode. I wrote tomes on planes, soaked in inspiration from everything around me and felt, well, awesome. I used to take off every few weeks, and I now have to figure out how to replace all of those cool feelings and forces at home. We all feel loss right now - some to a huge degree. I just wanted to reach out and say that it will get better. This pandemic is testing us all, and for me at least, in the void of frenetic travel and activity, there is learning. Knowing more about how I tick has been astounding. Sure - I’m not in Athens at the first Olympic venue, and don’t feel very triumphant, but I do feel peaceful. Happy. Grateful. Hopefully if your life doesn’t look much like it did before, there are some silver linings for you too. Xo
November 11 has always been sacred - full of thank November 11 has always been sacred - full of thanks, reverence and gratitude. This photo was from a few years ago at a ceremony in Halifax’s Grand Parade. It was the last time the boys and I got to pay our respects with my Mom. Her Dad survived certain death when the Navy ship he was called off was bombed and sank, all hands lost. None of my family would be here if he hadn’t left that ship minutes before departure. Thank you to all of our veterans, service members and their families for our freedom. @royalcannavy #Halifax #lestweforget🌹 #weremember #jemesouviens #militaryfamily #remembranceday #canadaremembers
From a TV segment and costume shoot few years back From a TV segment and costume shoot few years back. It was for kids but I decided it would work for a boudoir shoot too. Ha!!! 🎃 Thought I’d post it so the boys yell ‘MOM!!!!!!! You are so embarrassing!!!!!!’ 🤣 #HappyHalloween #tutu #momisinthedoghouse #pumpkincostume
Hallowe’en is my favourite. Without the pressure Hallowe’en is my favourite. Without the pressure (and now grief) of Christmas, the whimsy and fun captivates every sensibility in me. I remember in grade 2 getting my tonsils and adenoids out and having to miss it. DEVASTATED. But each kid in my class made a huge envelope filled with cards because they and the teacher felt so sorry for me. 😃🧸 This year feels pretty weird and grief-laden in a weird way. Without trick or treating allowed, I feel as if I need to make it more special for the kids, just like those grade 2’s did for me. 🍬🍫We were going to have a candy chute for those who chose to distance and go door to door but I’m not in the mood for the wrath of pretty much everyone who is so judgy and on edge right now. We will see. I also love that we have a black cat (swipe left) for photo shoots in October. Once we put him in a big pumpkin!! 🐱😡🐱 What are your plans to make it special this year? #halloween #torontohalloween #torontoporch #pumpkincarving #halloweendecor #pandemichalloween #trickortreat #downtowntoronto #ontario #falldecor
The chill in the air bites into my fingers and new The chill in the air bites into my fingers and newly healed 5th metatarsal on this brisk fall day. Hot chocolate, a fire and this shot from the Amalfi coast 4 summers ago make me feel a bit warmer. Sometimes on a Monday (after always sleeping horribly the night before) I just have to make the todo list and cross things off slowly and painfully. Small wins make the brain want more wins and then life keeps running with lots of success! Do you have a hard time during cold Pandemic Mondays too? 🥰
Ad: Am I the only one who didn’t have braces gro Ad: Am I the only one who didn’t have braces growing up? Turns out I should have, but for now I’m doing the responsible mom thing and getting the boys checked. I didn’t realize braces are more than just tools to straighten teeth. There can be dangers of an overbite. And wear and tear on other teeth if some are uneven can affect people years later. Jaw health and correction of speech defects is critical. I took @_Hudson_Amery to see a real, live professional orthodontist. It’s tempting to just do a quick and easy online consult and get trays delivered, but we are SO thrilled we saw a real live person! Between x-rays that ensure baby teeth aren’t mistaken for adult ones, a human exam, and walking both the child and parent through the process it was absolutely the best choice. Our own dentist has now been looped into the conversation and we don’t have to repeat x-rays there next time! Now that I know @canadianorthodontists do much more than just straightening teeth, I’m going to book consults for both @ford.amery and myself to make sure we are all set for tooth and jaw health down the road! His teeth are straight enough – just like mine were at his age. But I realized that as a parent, I had a responsibility to check out his teeth and jaw. I’ll keep you posted on the straightening! #CAO-ACO #canadianassociationoforthodontists #braces #ortho #othodontics #healthyteeth #toothcare #bracescanada #kidsteeth #toothfairy #oralhealth #settingitstraight #overbite
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Subscribe to Our Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroid
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Don't miss out on the latest! Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Created by MsPixel | Powered by Urban Mommies Media | Copyright Urban Mommies Media 2020