Bully is The Girl Next Door

When the Bully is The Girl Next Door

FAM, grow, kids, LIVE By October 5, 2016 No Comments

She is beautiful. She doesn’t know it, not yet—but she is starting to become self-aware. When I looked into her face, she wouldn’t meet my eyes as she allocuted and apologized, in that soft voice. I absently noted that her eyebrows were growing in, heavy and awkward. The arch seemed wrong. I realized that it was something she had done herself, probably from a video on YouTube, or one of the many sites she visits on her phone and her tablet. She doesn’t have limits on her screen time, she never has.

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Weird But True! A Charlie Engleman Interview

EAVESDROP, Overheard By October 4, 2016 No Comments

Have you been keeping up with the new shows? Hopefully, you haven’t missed Weird But True! from National Geographic Kids on FOX broadcast stations on Saturday mornings and as an hour-long radio show on SiriusXM radio on Friday evenings. The Weird But True TV show debuted on Saturday, September 10, and hosts Charlie and Kirby Engelman continue to delight. These siblings and science-lovers explore the fun, strange and surprising ways our world works in Weird But True. From exploring shipwrecks to discovering how our senses work, no topic is off-limits for the curious duo.

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Dyson Pure Cool Link

FAM, health By October 3, 2016 1 Comment

One part of parenting that I constantly struggle with is Mom guilt. Household homework discipline isn’t the greatest, school lunches aren’t always balanced and sometimes I cop out by letting the kids watch Pokemon Youtube videos instead of having meaningful conversations. Any technology that can help me feel like I’m doing something right is a winner, but the Dyson Pure Cool Link Desk model is a winner for a whole ton of reasons besides alleviating my guilt.

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Local Farmers Market Linguine

Urban Green: Going to the Local Farmers Market

EAT, family meals By October 1, 2016 2 Comments

With all of the corporate options available, it isn’t really necessary for anyone to “shop local” anymore. You can get all sorts of exotic flavours and colours at the large chain supermarkets. Before I share a fun recipe for ‘Farm Fresh Linguine and Tomato Sauce’, I want to first get you excited about the many benefits of shopping locally at the farmers market!

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Parental Control Apps

apps, FAM, GEAR, kids By September 30, 2016 5 Comments

I have two boys and very real concerns (read: I’m petrified) about their entry into the digital space. While I haven’t been one of the parents who refrained from submitting the kids’ photos or names into cyberspace, I am one of the last hold-outs for allowing them an instagram account. There’s also been a significant amount of avoidance about when they can get cell phones. After a lavish essay about why instagram is a good thing, our older child was awarded his own profile, with very strict rules and unlimited access by me. As I now venture into parenting kids who will eventually own a mobile phone, a roundup of parental control apps is in order.

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Pinup-Girl-Art-Show

Superhero Art Meets Pinup Girl

FAM, self By September 27, 2016 No Comments

Comic books have always been inextricably connected in my mind with the simple joys of childhood. Leafing through the pages of a comic book, it’s easy to get lost in the fantastical storyline, imagining superheroes swooping in and saving the day when all seems close to lost.

Comic books of yesteryear are places where reality stands still and fantasy can take over. Anything is possible. In adulthood we tend to lose that magic. It’s sad we get hung up on limitations and practicalities. We cease to be incredulous, overwhelmed by the day to day that threatens our ability to imagine.

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Abundance During Pregnancy

FAM, pregnancy By September 22, 2016 3 Comments

I will never forget how connected to my body I felt with each pregnancy. The cravings for nutrients, sleep and extra calories balanced out against my desire to nurture, nest and send love and energy to the little human inside. It’s always yin and yang, somehow, and the abundance of what I was receiving helped the balance output I was expending.

It is vital during pregnancy to care for both the mind and body. Sleep should be increased and embraced, calories increased by 300-500 per day, and clothing sizes will invariably widen so as not constrict your beautiful growing body. Smile.

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Saving Money on the Staples

How to save money on the staples plus three ‘secret’ family recipes

EAT, family meals By September 21, 2016 No Comments

Fall is a time of new beginnings. Out of nowhere, the nip enters the air and the laziness of summer morphs into productivity. Well, I’m trying anyway! We organize closets, embrace an earlier bedtime and fill the freezer with family meals. My favourite meals are always ones that can be produced out of the pantry. The problem with this, though, is that essential ‘stock’ items like oats, flour and rice never seem to drop in price, so squeezing room out of the family budget from the food category doesn’t seem to work. Until now. Here’s how you can save money on the staples with help from our friends at Safeway.

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