Sometimes I have thought that if I could have any superpower, I would want the power to eat everything I want to and have it all be a) good for me and b) not able to make me fat. This, out of all the available superpowers. Why would I want to fly? Or walk through walls? No, I want my superpower to be eating.
It is really kind of sad, if you think about it. And also possibly a tiny bit unhealthy. But, there you have it. I HAVE AN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD.
When I was 7 I’m pretty sure I was playing dolls and dress up and games of pretend Star Wars. I’m not sure how many times I whined “I don’t want to be Leia again. Girls can be Luke too.”
These days, toys can do WAY more than they could in my day. And, with a seven year old who is primed and ready for learning new skills through play, I was beyond thrilled to take a closer look at 3 STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) toys that will absolutely make your kid smarter than you…or a least mine smarter than me. I also enlisted my husband, who has a PhD in Astrophysics to help me get the down low on these three not-your-typical-toy gift ideas.
I came across the idea for making crayon drawings into iron-on crayon transfer designs several years ago. But it wasn’t until I was looking for some way (other than the promise of cupcakes) to get my young children excited about attending their older cousin’s baby shower that I realized how beautifully this quick craft might transform into a handmade gift.
Anyone else familiar with that corner of your life soundtrack that doesn’t instill immense pride or happiness? In case you aren’t quite recognizing it, I refer to the monotony of existence that sounds like: “I can’t mom! I have math homework. Not now, dear. Mommy has to finish making dinner. I’d love to, but the car needs a wash. I don’t even have time for a shower, let alone a baseball game.”
Well, on one side there is tedium that can define ‘living’, but somewhere, there is also an alternate pulse that we often forget to harness. I’m sure you know the one I mean – the butterflies in your stomach in seeing your first ‘crush’, the ethereal morning light hours after you’ve given birth to a child. The tiny hand that reaches for yours after being startled by a noise… The magic times. The happiness. The entertainment that explains what it is truly like to be alive.
Flu Season is almost upon us again, and although we’ve come a long way from the years when these types of illnesses could wipe out whole cities, the flu is still deadly serious. The CDC has estimated that between the 1976 and 2007 flu seasons, deaths attributed to flu ranged from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people in the US. For most people in the first world, the flu is just a difficult week or two; for many, it’s literally deadly. Worldwide, according to CDC estimates, flu affects approximately one billion people per year: three to five million will be severely affected and between 250,000 to 500,000 will die.
Recently I attended the Pokémon Sun and Moon launch event here in Toronto. This year is the 20th anniversary of Pokémon. Did that make you feel old? Thankfully I had my next generation Pokémon fan with me to talk me through the games.
In case you’ve been living under a rock this year, Pokémon saw a huge resurgence with the wildly popular PokémonGo. While that game has pulled in the masses, the true fans have been wait for the launch of Pokémon Sun and Moon games for the Nintendo 3DS.
It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with depression during difficult periods in the past. My new revelation is that since this past spring, I have been medication-free. It took a few weeks to wean off the prozac, but knowing I can be fine without the drug makes me feel more in control of my body, somehow. For many people, medication can be absolutely necessary and there may be a time when I resume, but for now I am trying other methods to keep the blues away. In order to maintain good mental health, I’ve made a few things in my life a priority. Living in the northern hemisphere, these steps can be hard to maintain once November hits. These seven tricks are paramount to how I fight the winter blues, and I hope they help you as well!
Yeah, no. We’re not even going to try and throw a football ourselves, let alone teach someone else how to do it. But the entertaining part and talking about how to throw a football party is a snap. Superbowl and Canada’s Grey Cup conjure images of hot dogs, nachos and chips, but that kind of tailgating is a little boring. Let’s deconstruct the normal and start with a hearty, versatile ingredient that warms even the coldest of bellies during football season. I give you: pasta. We created two fun recipes inspired by football traditions, but with a bit of a Canadian twist!
Usually when I try super eco-friendly products I have a gut feeling that they won’t work quite as well as toxin-laden, heavy-duty, disease-causing products will. I know you agree with me. Well, folks – I think we’ve hit a turning point. Last week I took my boys to Nova Scotia and showed them the sights of my hometown. After a gorgeous Remembrance Day ceremony, we ended up on Citadel Hill (where else) and explored the museum.
Even after visiting many schools in Liberia for Right to Play, I wasn’t prepared for what I would see when I did a similar outing in Jamaica. Maybe because Africa is farther. Maybe I equate the Caribbean with vacations. You see photos of soft beaches, tropical drinks and killer sunsets and think everyone must live a resort lifestyle. Whatever the excuse, it’s embarrassing that I’ve been so blasé and undereducated.