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.