They had me at “hummingbird wings.”
I was super excited to be asked to review DERMAFLASH in exchange for trying the product – partly because I love to get things in the mail, so much so that I unwrap them on the front porch as you can see, and partly because I thought Dermaplaning was something you did on vacation in the Swiss Alps.
The worst part about traveling with kids, especially when flying, is carrying all their stuff. Even if you take the bare minimum of entertainment and snacks, you’re stills stuck with all the necessities, “what ifs” and worst of all: car seats.
Because it’s not safe to rent a car seat, and it’s not advised to check a car seat (even gateside) for risk of it getting lost or damaged, and all kids require some form of safety device getting to and from the airport if riding in a car, that leaves most parents schlepping car seats on and off the airplane. And often multiple seats if there are multiple kids involved!
Despite loving formal silverware and gourmet foods, people who know me wouldn’t usually use ‘stuffy’ in my bio. Hailing from Nova Scotia, it was actually my grandfather’s Navy background that instilled the British formality, and being a year-long exchange student in Germany that sparked the passion for travel. My business and life are more about making luxury more accessible rather than being highbrow. So when I interview Steve Carlisle about the new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and he talks about the democratization of the technology in the vehicle – my ears perk up.
Nature-deficit disorder, as coined by American author Richard Louv, should be adopted as a scientific term. Research shows spending time outside delivers mental and physical health benefits, makes people feel more relaxed, less stressed, more invigorated and gives them a break from the pressures in their daily lives. Despite 55% of Canadians believing that nature relaxes them, a full 56% of Canadians feel they don’t get enough outdoor time. Ugh. Sure, we can blame technology, full calendars, or gross weather. But in the end, I would go even further. I believe that we not only have a tendency to place a higher value on structured activities as opposed to free play. But I also think that we avoid the unknown. A minute-by-minute schedule is comforting, somehow, and once it’s all done, we feel accomplished and successful. Going off to search for a four leaf clover that may never materialize is comparatively frightening. Without teaching or kids to venture into the unknown, however – without the safety net of the construct of a video game or piano lesson – we are failing them. Ourselves too.
I recently took a trip into the city to marvel at a new exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver called Unbelievable. I was fortunate enough to attend a behind the scenes tour led by Gregory Dreicer, MOV’s Director of Curatorial and Engagement who was both riveting and expansively knowledgeable. The exhibit was put together in a relatively short period of time by museum standards (3-4 months) and was in fact still being assembled before our very eyes. The central theme of the exhibit was around stories, the multitudes and power of stories, competing narratives and how our stories define the past, present and future.
On the surface, Father’s Day seems like the man version of Mother’s Day, but it’s absolutely not. Dads aren’t the opposite of moms at all, they’re a totally different animal, so when their big day arrives, we have to consider them in a totally different way.
Of all the Father’s Day gifts in this world this year we chose one that’s quite possibly out of this world. When I give a gift to my husband for being a father I really want it to be something that he can not only enjoy but I also used to expand his prowess and abilities as a dad and form a deeper connection with our children. The Celestron Astro Master 130 EQ telescope is as much a scientific instrument as it is a piece of art in a living room I had no idea that exquisite gifts like this were available at Best Buy.
This post is brought to you by the makers of MOTRIN®
Running is one of my passions but when aches and pains take over, that joy can quickly diminish. In general, this type of exercise is my escape from a place that can sometimes be chaotic. As a wife, the mom of two girls, a small business owner and blogger, life can be hectic! But when my feet hit the ground for a run, I release all the worries and my day makes sense. What happens, however, when every time one foot hits the ground the pain intensifies?
My legs are my life line to sanity right now. They get me from home, to my kids’ ballgames, back home, to the well worn path to the grocery store. And my legs get me out on the road running…the place I really find my center and zen. When I need to clear my head I grind out some miles and come back to my life with a clearer view and renewed purpose.
I remember as a little girl, dressing up to go to the bank. It wasn’t as fancy as Easter Sunday, but close. I had three tiny bank books in hand: ‘checking’, ‘savings’ and ‘long-term savings’. None of the accounts had much in them but the bank tellers assumed I was learning a ton and thought I was cute. Getting one’s bank book updated and waiting patiently in line was apparently a super-engaging kid activity. Sometimes I wouldn’t go for a few months and each interest payment would take so much time to print. Line by line. One cent, two cents…my family was very frugal and budgeted impeccably in order to save for vacations and big purchases.
