The Brockville Home Show

I want to take a moment and give a very big "Thank you" to David Annable, owner of Annable Designs and AD Signs for organizing the 2014 Brockville Home Show.

Three weeks ago, the Brockville Home Show was cancelled (after spanning 30 years in this community) due to lack of participation and organizers. This was very disappointing to many in the industry and the community as a whole. For those not familiar, The Brockville Home Show gives local business the opportunity to promote their products to home owners, home buyers and anyone else in the housing industry. This is a great chance to network, support our community and give clientele exceptional deals.

One local business owner and personal friend of mine, David Annable decided that instead of seeing the annual Home Show cease to exist ,he would step up to the plate and organize, advertise and host it. As a local event planner and organizer, I can tell you this is a huge feat! Within two weeks Dave had the show filled with vendors and was tirelessly promoting through social media and Eastern Ontario Network (a local media company). Some of the local companies who came on board were Rona, All Out Home Inspection, The Mortgage Advisors, Falcon Security, Heritage Kitchens as well as many other wonderful local business!

The Big weekend came and the show, held at the Brockville Memorial Center, was a success! Friday evening was quiet but by Saturday, the parking lot was filling up and vendors and supporters alike were pleased with the outcome! Dave has made sure to speak with vendors and those in attendance to ask their thoughts on the show and how he can make it an even bigger success next year. If you have feedback or inquiries please do not hesitate to contact Dave Annable directly at: info@annabledesigns.ca

Thanks again Dave for your quick step up to the plate and a successful show!

The Easter Bunny Came to the Daigle house...

Easter weekend has come and gone for 2014. This year, we had all three of our girls home to celebrate and it was an absolute blast! Here is a sneak peak at what we did:

Good Friday we packed a picnic and headed out to enjoy some new parks around the area. Our travels took us to Merrickville, Perth, Westport, Landsdown and finally home to Brockville, On. 

Saturday was a day filled with family. We had a late lunch with a lot of great food. A special visitor was my niece Sadie, who traveled a few hours with her parents to make it. What a nice treat!

Our Easter Sunday was very low key as we enjoyed the morning at home cleaning and the afternoon out and about. Nick and I decided to take the girls for a long walk on the Brock Trail and stop along at the parks to play. We spent just over 3.5 hours walking the entire trail and taking in our beautiful city of Brockville. 

I hope each and everyone of you had a wonderful Easter! 

ION with EON

I've been lucky to meet many fascinating people in our community through writing my blog over the past two and a half years. I have met many politicians, retail store owners, artists, other community supporters and most recently - a salon and spa owner.

I met Ashley Holmes, owner of Mint Wellness, on set at Eastern Ontario Network (EON). She was a guest on one of the many shows we film. Ashley was friendly and inviting and I was drawn into a conversation with her immediately. We exchanged cards and kept in touch via Facebook. Then one day, a few months later while I was working at the studio and keeping updated on the business pages I follow on Facebook- I came across a promo on her page for an Ion Foot Detox Treatment.

I told my colleague (and social media mastermind!) Kim Barr to check out the page. Kim owns a social media marketing company called Set The Barr and I figured she would be interested in this page. We discussed the promo and thought it would be a neat idea to contact Ashley and try out her service. It was then that Joe Baptista (my boss and owner of EON) chimed in and suggested we take the camera crew over to Mint Wellness and film Kim and I trying out the detox treatment. We immediately loved this idea and asked Ashley if she would be interested. Naturally, she said yes and we made the appointment.

Fast forward a week and it was time to head over to Mint Wellness and try the Ion Foot Detox Treatment. Going in, I was extremely sceptical. I had heard first hand accounts of how this treatment did nothing for some and had read various articles with conflicting results and ideas on the treatment. I also had no idea how this treatment actually worked and what it all entailed.

Ashley and her team greeted us and welcomed us into the salon, currently located behind Pastime Motors on King Street West - and led us to a quiet and relaxing area of the salon. We were seated in comfy chairs, with low lights and a tranquil setting. Ashley was setting up and explaining the process to us. Both Kim and I had to wear a wrist band that was attached to a machine. This machine measured our PH levels and would also act as part of a positive charge that would create a current that would run through our body, once our feet were immersed in the water. Also in the water was the other part of the machine - a coil that would act as the negative charge. There was also salt added to the water to help balance our PH levels.

Ashley explained everything to us, step by step and answered many of our questions. I was a bit anxious of how this treatment would make me feel. Would it hurt? Could I get a shock? I was using my Facebook to post pictures and let people know we were trying this. To my surprise - I was absolutely fine. There was just a small bubbly feeling at the bottom of my feet, but not at all painful or even distracting.

Many were commenting on my Facebook posts, asking what I was experiencing. In a nutshell - the water started to change colours almost immediately after the machine was turned on. Over the 30 minute time period, it became incredibly dark, bubbly and basically disgusting. The different colours represented the different toxins that were being brought out of  my body into the water. This is where the scepticism comes out - as scientifically there is still no evidence to back up the claims of the Ion Foot Detox, however - I can tell you that once the treatment was over I was incredibly exhausted and weak. I had a headache almost immediately and needed to go home to rest. Ashley had suggested we drink plenty of water and did warn of any possible side effects. After rest and plenty of water, I woke up feeling amazing. Also that evening, I had one of the best sleeps I had in ages.

Please do check out our video of our experience at http://easternontarionetwork.com. I can tell you that I am still sceptical of long-term effects and if this treatment did indeed clear my body of some toxins, but I enjoyed the overall experience enough that I will be back to try it again a few times to get more conclusive information.

You can check out Ashely's business at the links below and contact her for prices and further information.

http://www.mintwellness.ca
https://www.facebook.com/mintwellness

Our own piece of Sochi pride

 

Fresh off the heels of the 2014 Olympic Games, Canadian patriotism is at an all-time high. Coming in third place overall (and beating our competitive American friends) is a huge success for our nation. We have much to be proud of and I hope the momentum continues well beyond the games.

Here at home, I felt similar pride when attending the recent grand opening of phase two of the Rotary splash pad and ice rink. There have been many volunteers pouring countless hours into this project over the last few years and having a young family, I can’t thank them enough for their hard work so my children and I can enjoy this beautiful space. During the summer months, we spend a great deal of time at the splash pad, along with many other local families. It’s a great way to beat the heat and encourage outdoor activity. I was sad when the cooler weather set in and the splash pad shut down for the season, but that didn’t last long, as talks of synthetic ice and phase two of the project started.

Before long, the splash pad was cleared and the new skating surface was laid down for all to enjoy. With the winter we have been enduring (never-ending!), it has taken a lot of time and volunteer work to keep the surface cleared off.  When I heard of the grand opening, I was excited to attend and show my thanks to all involved. I wasn't the only one! A ton of local VIPs also attended, including Senator Bob Runicman, our MP Gord Brown, MPP Steve Clark, Brockville Mayor Dave Henderson, newly appointed Brockville Police Chief Scott Fraser and many councillors. The parking lot was packed and there were many families enjoying hot dogs, coffee and hot chocolate – all donated by our local Tim Horton’s. To top it all off, our politicians and other sport enthusiasts engaged in a friendly game of shinny for everyone’s entertainment.

I felt a lot of community pride that day and happy to have brought my family out to support such a great initiative. We really do have a great city and this initiative and its kick-off was a great reminder of all that we have to offer.  Great job Brockville! 

Can we all agree to be done with winter?

 

I’m not sure what life is like in your home the past week, but here – it has been nuts! With the frigid temperatures and layers of ice, I’ve been cautious about not taking the kids outside for very long. As a result, I have energetic children and not a lot of options to help burn off that cabin fever.

 

In the past we have travelled to Kingston or Ottawa to the big indoor gyms and playlands but when the roads are closed due to lack of visibility, we try not to venture out. I have taken them to that golden arch place, the museum and of course the library (yes, I’ve taken three very loud children to the quietest place on earth, in order to tire them out) but I am slowly running out of options and new ideas. The Aquatarium is going to blow my mind I’m sure, but it is currently still under construction, so I will have to make due until the grand opening.

 

I turn to my Pinterest boards and other social media platforms to see what the cool and fun moms are doing and I continually run into the same comments: “There is nothing to do here”. This is not just in my own community, but across the country and even beyond our borders. Wherever people are chiming in from, they are feeling the creative crunch with the harsh weather and new interesting ways to entertain their children. My solution? I’d really like for us all to agree to just be done with winter. Now if only Mother Nature would cooperate!

 

Long gone are the hours spent at local parks, walking and biking the trails and frequenting the splash pad. I miss the nights when the kids are asleep and I can sit out back and enjoy a glass of wine under the stars. Ok, it’s usually a beer but wine just sounded nicer.

 

I want to know, what do you do to keep the kids happy? I remain committed to supporting our community and will continue to do so wherever possible, but this mom needs some new ideas for the cold Canadian days we're facing. I can’t wait to hear from you all!

Welcome 2014 - A new journy awaits!

Wow, where to start? The last month and a half has been a whirlwind for our family. The end of November wrapped up my "Trees for Charity" campaign, raising two thousand dollars for local children's mental health resources in and around our area. Then came December, which was filled with preparing for the holidays and attending local and personal celebrations.  When Christmas finally arrived, we travelled to see family and spent some much-needed quiet time at home. I take only one week of vacation a year and this is between Christmas and New Years. It was nice to catch up on household chores and sleep in (well, as much as one CAN sleep in with small children in the house!).

New Year's Eve was spent as a quiet night at home, with a brief step out to take in the 22nd Annual New Year's concerts that are hosted by Brockville's churches. There was some fabulous entertainment for the children and we had the chance to catch up with some friends. New Years Day, we attended the Levee (this has become a tradition for our family) and enjoyed hearing what the new year has in store for the city and again, catching up with friends in the community.

On some of the more quiet days, I have started work on my newest charity event - "Bikes for Beats". This event will bring hundreds of motorcycles to Brockville to raise awareness and money for the Brockville General Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. This cause is near and dear to my own heart, as I lost my dad five years ago to cardiac arrest and my grandfather has survived two heart attacks and wears a pacemaker/defibrillator. Most recently, my uncle had, and thankfully, survived a heart attack and has since benefited from the local cardiac rehab program offered by the hospital. As this is a program that receives little to no government funding, it relies heavily on community support. The event will take place on Father's Day weekend at the 1000 Islands Mall and I will be releasing more information as it becomes available in the months to come. Currently, you can visit our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates and information.

https://www.facebook.com/bikesforbeats
http://www.twitter.com/bikes4beats

Looking ahead, there are many new journeys that await our family in 2014. I have been given the role as City Hall Reporter for Eastern Ontario Network, where I will live tweet and provide an update on the comings and goings at City Hall each week in the lead up to the fall's municipal elections.  Nick has been working on a new political editorial that he will submit regularly to Eastern Ontario Network and (unofficially) he is considering running for council. But you didn't hear that from me. The girls continue to stay busy with their extra-curricular events and involvement with our community and we try to savour some quiet family time, every moment we get.

From my family to yours - Happy New Year! We wish you all the best in the upcoming year and thank you for the continued support you have shown me by visiting and reading about our adventures in this great community we call home.

Christmas Crafts and Holiday Cheer

 You can feel the holiday season upon us. The air is crisp, restaurants are filling up with patrons celebrating and stores are buzzing with happy shoppers.  I have recently given in to the spirit and started to join in the fun.

 Saturday morning was off to a whirlwind start. The girls were up early and we had a busy day planned. I had been anticipating the 1000 Islands Mall Annual Craft Sale for weeks and it was finally here. I love the idea of hand-made and unique gifts plus, as you all know , I’m a huge advocate for supporting local. The parking lot was full and upon entering the mall, you could see people were in the shopping mood. From door to door, vendors lined the corridor showing their products and services. There were beautiful hand-made soaps, knitting, Christmas ornaments, wood carvings and various other offerings. Everywhere I looked, people were carrying bags full of their new purchases and it instantly threw me into the holiday spirit! I can’t tell you what I bought, because that would ruin the surprise for some reading this – but I’m very happy that I was able to attend the Uniquely Creative Craft Sale and will be back next year!

Now that we were all shopped out, it was time to relax with the family and get ready for the Annual Athens' Christmas Parade. It has been a busy month and unfortunately we had missed all the local parades to this point, so I was very excited to take the kids to see Santa. The Athens' Parade of Lights is held later in the evening (starting at 7 pm) so with small children, it was a bit of a gamble for us. We packed up the hot chocolate in our thermos, brought blankets and dressed the kids in their flannels and warm snowsuits.

 

We made sure to arrive early enough to find parking and get the kids situated. As we have a mini-van (with stow-and-go seating) we parked the van so we could pop the back hatch and watch from the comfort of our vehicle. This proved to be a smart move, as the entire main street quickly filled up. My aunt and uncle, cousin and family friends met us and we all waited for the parade to start. This year was especially fun as both my kids are at the age where an event like this is sheer magic!

The floats were lit and started to make their way towards us. With the OPP starting things off, followed by local fire departments and then the parade of business and entertainers, this was a big hit with all of us. There were great school bands, a fun group of bikers showing their "light" side, and of course – Old Saint Nick, himself. The girls were very happy that Santa was able to see them behaving (for once!) and he may possibly bring them more then coal now. 

Hope you've found some time in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season to stop and enjoy some fun local events like these. All the best of the season to you and yours.