If your mom is like mine, she's pretty great and deserves to be remembered and honoured on Mother's Day! Looking back, my mom was always gracious with every gift I ever gave her: from the stringy bean plant I grew her when I was in kindergarten, to the book of...

I previously wrote about my family's search for a resale home in a blog, "Is this the year the Toronto housing market deflates?" In brief, the article discussed how we "lost" a home we loved in November 2010, due to an irrevocable deposit clause that we wouldn't accept....

On January 1 I decided to make some major changes to my family's nutrition and physical activity. Although there was no single event that triggered this life change, I definitely took notice the very first time I experienced pain in the knees when climbing the stairs.

This pain got...

I have fond memories of going to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida when I was a child. Every year from the ages of six to nine years old, my parents would take my older brother and me to Disney. And what a trip we had, all four of us...

My five-year-old son waited until I was in the bathroom, when he began wreaking havoc on my household. In only five minutes he had pulled down the birthday presents, placed "out of reach" on the top shelf of my closet. Not only were all sealed boxes taken down, they had...

On January 1 of this year, I made a resolution to get my family more active, and eat healthier foods together. The quintessential resolution, right? But would you believe that I lost 15 pounds in six weeks by sledding? Yes! As in with a toboggan! I'm proud to be Canadian,...

I recently heard how the new Vine app was taking the Social Media world by storm. It's an iPhone app that allows you to shoot a 6 second looping video and upload it to Twitter, Facebook and the Vine network. (Facebook has blocked the app, I've heard, but Vine did...

This year I resolved to get my family more healthy and active, by employing 10 simply strategies. I had taken inventory of my family's daily nutrition, and realized that there was room for improvement in both the quality and quantity of food that my family consumed. And assessing my family's...

It was November 2010 when the perfect family home presented itself to my husband and me. It was spacious enough for our growing family of seven, in a good neighbourhood, steps to the local public school, and reasonably affordable. And oh, the 3rd floor loft! It would've been like having...

I recently cleared out 2,000 books from my home and donated them to various organizations. There were just so many books that my family had read and would never read again. It was a difficult mindset to get into, but I finally concluded that my house is a home and...

When I was a child in the 1970s and 80s, there was a plenitude of catchy commercials and singable jingles! My little friends and I would belt out these advertisements with the same fervor and conviction that we used to sing "The Ship Titanic" song! Many of these commercials had...

Shock, disbelief and tears have flooded us, after the Newtown, Connecticut slaying of 20 primary school children aged 5-10 years old--and six of their teachers and principal. Although it's easy to be blindsided by the heinous crime that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School, let's ask ourselves...

If you're looking to save some money this holiday season, did you know that there are some great deals to be found at the Dollar Store? Although some items on this list may not be found at your particular Dollar Store, many of them will be! Save dollars at a...

Often when I meet a couple with one child, the discussion of whether they should grow their family comes up. As the mom of five kids, people feel comfortable discussing family size with me, and I'm asked to weigh in on the topic. But it wasn't so long ago that...

I admit that I'm a hard-to-buy-for Mama, usually offering few suggestions of what I'd like for the holidays. But ask me what I want for the kids, I can instantly rhyme off clothing, books and learning toys for my entire brood. This is often the case with us Mamas who...

This past weekend after taking a great trip to the Ontario Science Centre, watching a movie, having the kids play outdoors for hours with their friends, and going to swimming lessons, the kids were still Bored! (Yes, that's Bored with a capital B there.) How could this be...

I sometimes wonder if I was properly prepared for having five kids, four of whom are little boys.  After all, no one handed me the instructions manual that explained what makes boys tick!  So I've decided to write the Cole's Notes version, just for you!  Share it if you know...

We never expected that my father-in-law would be diagnosed with cancer, just months after retiring.  A fun, robust, athletic man, he was the light of our childrens' lives.  When he told my husband and I of his diagnosis, it was his wish that we would not...

"I can't do homework with our son again," I told my husband, "even if it means that he fails the year!" These are the words I spoke with frustration, after having another difficult day getting our son to complete his homework. His...