Playing competitive sports, ANY competitive sport, is a huge commitment of time and money. Sometimes I find it is hard to keep things in perspective and get some balance in life. This is especially difficult when your child plays two competitive sports. Like my son - hockey in the winter and soccer pretty much all year. At times I feel like a slave to the schedule. To be honest, most of the time my son's coaches have more say in what we do and when than we do. Depending on the level of competition and the coach and team philosophy... More »

Even though we flew to Florida I would definitely call the last week a road trip. We stayed in three different resorts in three different locations so a lot of our time was spent traveling from place to place. Therefore, at least some of our time was spent in and out of the car. We are all now up on the Top 40 hits and I have played 20 questions more times than I care to count. But, overall, the road tripping was a success.After our stay in Daytona Beach we moved on to the Jacksonville Beach area to One... More »

So, we're in Florida this week researching and exploring The Unexpected. We have been staying in Daytona Beach at The Shores Resort and Spa. We have been more than pleasantly surprised by this little piece of paradise. The Shores is the type of place you don't ever have to leave if you are looking for a few days of rest and relaxation on the beach. With the wonderful Azure restaurant, full service spa and all of the amenities of a full service resort.Making S'Mores. A tradition at The Shores.Daytona Beach for me has always been synonymous with Spring Break and... More »

When most of us think Florida we think Disney and palm trees and snowbirds and sun tans. Recently many of us have even thought Oil Spill. But, do you ever think nature preserves and animal sanctuaries? Or, of late, pristine beaches? Me neither. So when I got chatting with a friend at Visit Florida about the media's misrepresentation of the threat from the recent BP oil spill disaster to the state of Florida's coastline (in fact, the oil spill only threatened a very small percentage of Florida's beaches) I was shocked to learn that there is a whole side to... More »

This is a guest post contributed by Carrie: C2 is my handle, but being the "How Does She Do It Mom" is my fulltime gig!!  I serve to inspire and urge Moms to pursue all the dreams they've been keeping in their hearts... No matter the perceived barriers or obstacles.  I've been a Youth Fitness Specialist, model, blogger, special needs advisor and photographer.... But I ain't done yet!The proverbial 'inside' I refer to in the title is, in fact, my head.I'm the proud Mom of 2 and see my kids through the same rose-colored eyewear that most other Moms see... More »

My kids lovingly tell me I'm "weird". My daughter actually said in total seriousness the other day, "Mom, we're just a regular family...except you." I LOVE it! I totally embrace my inner (and obviously outer) weirdo and celebrate my freaky side. Luckily, for now, my kids are on board. And for the last week my sister (Kath of Losing It) and my nieces have been on board with it too. In fact, we are all a bit on the weird side which makes for a fun and unpredictable vacation.One of the big faves with the kids this visit (and every... More »

Yesterday morning I was at Starbucks for my daily fix. It is a busy spot bustling with activity and people. There is music and laughter and conversation. But this day was different. On this day, from the minute I walked in, there was screaming and crying. I went all of the way through the line, waiting at the bar for my drink, and stood chatting with a neighbour. All the while this child continued to scream and cry. And as patrons got more and more annoyed the child began to have a full out tantrum.Avoiding it was no longer possible... More »

My son had a soccer game the other day. They lost. Oh well, these things happen. No biggie. Most of the kids had smiles on their faces within minutes of the whistle blowing. My son ran over to tell me, yet again, that he was "STARVING". Dinner #2 here we come.As we got into the car I noticed that he was particularly pensive. "What's up?", I asked. Pause and silence. "Are you OK?" I could sense his hesitation so I tried to fill in the blanks. "Are you upset about the loss? You know it's no big deal. You guys... More »

A few weeks ago my family and I decided to take a break. Not a vacation really, but a little getaway. We definitely needed some time just the four of us. Here were our collective criteria for this family getaway:Out of the city.Close enough to drive.A pool. Preferably a waterpark.A beach.Good food.Starbucks. (OK, that one is only mine but it is VERY important!)So, anyone who knows anything about Toronto and surrounding area knows that the #1, and possibly the only, destination that meets all of this criteria is Blue Mountain Resort near Collingwood, Ontario. And considering we were working with... More »

WARNING! If you don't want to know, do not read on. I am real and I am human. And sometimes, rarely, but still on occasion, I want to get drunk.OK, OK. Calm down. But really. Don't you sometimes just want to lose yourself? Don't you just want to go back to a place or a time when you could act ridiculously? Totally irresponsibly? And people barely noticed? In fact, it was almost expected of you? I could use a visit to this time and place right now. Today. For a few days. I could use a good old night out... More »