Today (January 14) will mark the five-year anniversary of my Momdom – it’s my son’s fifth birthday. I can still feel the weight of his 7lb13oz when the doctor placed him in my arms. I can still see the tears in his father’s eyes – and in my mom’s eyes – as we all marvelled at how one, 22-inch-long person could bring so much joy and so much life so quickly. I always balked at the whole miracle of life thing, but I don't anymore. That night, my now-ex-husband and I stayed up late …
How to Make Maple Taffy on Snow
I have fond memories from my childhood of spending time at my aunt and uncle’s sugar shack. Sure, all kids like sweet, sticky maple syrup, but the memories are about the carefree nature of those outdoor days. It’s as though the cold didn’t affect us. We would run and play in the forest while the adults were gathered at the shack. Ski-doo rides. Sleigh rides. *Pretending* to help. There was always music playing. Fiddle. Accordion. Guitar. The entire forest came alive. From the …
How to Make a Snow Day Happen – Be Careful What You Wish For
To hear the weatherman tell it, we're looking down the barrel of the mother of all storms. Or not. It may just be a dusting. One never can tell really, and if you're the weatherman it's best to always err on the side of mass hysteria. SNOWMAGEDDON. POLAR VORTEX. THE TWISTED BLIZZARD. Actually, I just came up with that last one and I think it's pretty good. Please note you saw it here first. Anyhoo, with all of this being said, my children are willing the weather to be as bad as possible …
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair opens its doors November 7, 2014 for the 92nd instalment of what has become a favourite Toronto tradition. The fair brings together the best of Canadian agricultural producers and animals, great food and chefs, as well as international level riders who compete for the top prizes in their respective fields. It runs November 7 – 16, 2014 with activities and competitions going on all day and well into the witching hours. People come to work hard and play hard at …
How To Survive A Big, Fat Move With Kids
For the second time in as many years, I’ve completely uprooted my life. It’s a big adjustment, this taking your life down a completely different path. And when I’m standing in the middle of the chaos trying to remember which box my Crockpot is in and WHERE THE HECK ARE MY WINE GLASSES, I try to step back and remember that I have a little person trying to make sense of it all too. For anyone who's had to move with kids, they know exactly what I am talking about. If there’s one thing …