• Get Back To Nature

    Get Back To Nature: Dunluce Forest

    Tucked away in Northern Edmonton, is small but secluded Dunluce Forest with dirt paths that intertwine and lead to a greenbelt with a paved walkway. The entrance of the forest is right around 158 Avenue and 121 Street.  Go off the main path and get a closer look at the trees, moss, and creatures that call it home.  While we were there, the crows were making quite a fuss about us walking through their area. Bring a picnic and check out all the paths in the area or take a quick walk around and then stop by one of the local playgrounds (Dunluce Community League, Castledowns, and Oxford Parks are some of our…

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    Monday Menu: September 28

    Autumn is officially here and the weather is getting cooler so it’s time for some belly warming goodness.  Here are five suppers ideas to warm you up for this week’s Monday Menu. Corn chowder – End of season corn with onion, potato, and ham or bacon will warm you up on a breezy fall day. You can find a simple recipe here. Ground turkey, broccoli and rice – Brown ground turkey, add onions, mushrooms, broccoli and seasoning.  Cook rice and incorporate with the turkey and veggies.  Serve as is or add a sauce.  I added a cheese sauce made from a can of cheddar soup. Warm cheesy goodness! French Toast, scrambled eggs and…

  • kids

    Not So Super Moods: How to Turn a Bad Day Around

    The Autumnal equinox was last week and with the 5th supermoon of the year happening tonight and coinciding with a lunar eclipse, emotions are flowing in our house this week (see previous posts here and here).  There were multiple tantrums at the playground Friday from my youngest, attitude and grumpiness from the oldest and migraines and interrupted sleep from me. For us, negative energy just feeds and grows so we try to nip it in the bud early on.  Here are some of our favorite ways of breaking the bad mojo. Get outside and Get Back to Nature – This weekend we took in some fall colors close to home.  They got…

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    Five on Friday – September 25

    This is my first week taking part in the Five on Friday link up with some fabulous bloggers! Be sure to check out their links below to see what they’re up to this week. Fall officially began this week, the days are getting shorter and the air is getting cooler. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year (ok, maybe I’m partial to it because my birthday was yesterday). Here’s my Five on Friday for my favorites of fall. Fall foods and flavors – preserves, roasted root vegetables, hearty soups, apple crisp, and pumpkin everything!  Warm the belly foods and nose tingling scents. Earlier darkness – I love the long summer…

  • kids,  Travel

    We Have a New Favorite Playground and It’s Well Worth the Drive!

    We headed out of Edmonton this afternoon to neighboring Spruce Grove.  It was a beautiful fall day so we went for a leisurely walk through their trail system at Heritage Grove Park and then played in the Japanese School (now home to Spruce Grove Playschool) playground, corner of Mohr Avenue and Main Street.  We still had a bit of time left before heading home so I looked up playgrounds in the area, seen some brightly colored pictures and headed towards their location. Rotary Playscape at Fuhr Sports Field on Jennifer Heil Way, Spruce Grove is an explosion of fun!  There is so much to climb, slide and play with, including…

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    Monday Menu September 21

    Welcome back for Monday Menu – five quick and healthy supper ideas for the busy week ahead. Whether you meal plan weekly or wing it in the grocery store, check out my weekly lists for inspiration and new suppertime ideas. Pork chops with a pear sauce, green beans and salad – Sounds complicated but can actually be quick and easy with this recipe.  Stir fry with rice – Make a hearty vegetable stir fry with onions, peppers, broccoli, bean sprouts, zucchini, or mushrooms, or add a protein like beef, chicken, shrimp, pork or tofu.  Turkey burger and Greek salad – I love a nice juicy turkey burger!  I like to add herbs…

  • Family Fun

    Free Family Fun: Across Alberta

    Alberta Cultural Days September 25-27 is Alberta Culture Days and you can gain free access to historic sites and museums across the province. For a full list visit the links below but some of the highlights include Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Frank Slide Interpretive Centre in Crowsnest Pass, Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton and Reynolds – Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin. There are also over 50 sites located across the province that will be taking part in the celebrations. Provincial Museums and Historic Sites 2015 Celebration Sites Free Admission Day – City of Edmonton Sunday September 27 is Free Admission Day at city facilities and recreation centres. Popular attractions like…

  • Get Back To Nature

    Get Back to Nature: Griesbach, Edmonton

    Growing up in rural Nova Scotia, I was surrounded with nature.  A walk through the woods or fishing adventure in a nearby brook was common place.  Now that I have my own children, I want them to be exposed to the same outdoor beauty that I was, but living in an urban setting makes it hard sometimes.   Join us as we Get Back To Nature and explore nature trails, scenic lakes and rivers and hidden gems in our city and beyond.  My first location takes us to a close by favorite.  The Griesbach neighbourhood in North Edmonton is a growing community.  Once a military base, it is now a…

  • homeschooling

    Subject Spotlight on Social Studies: 15 Ways to Add it to Your Homeschool

    Social Studies was always my favorite subject in school.  I loved hearing stories of people in our community, people and places around the world, how the land was formed and maps! There are so many fun ways to incorporate Social Studies into your homeschool day. Errands and appointments in your community – Discuss the roles of doctors, police officers, firefighters, nurses, librarians – the list is endless! Grocery store –  Not only is it great for math lessons, but take note of where your foods come from and map it out.  Discuss the process of food from a farm or factory to the grocery store or discuss the role or shipping…

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    Monday Menu + First Anniversary!

    So today is the first anniversary of my first blog! It started off slow, but a month ago I decided to pick it up a notch.  In honor of this milestone, I’m starting a new feature called Monday Menu – five quick and healthy supper ideas for the busy week ahead. Whether you meal plan weekly or wing it in the grocery store, check out my weekly lists for inspiration and new suppertime ideas. Eggs, toast and fruit – We like to have breakfast for supper quite often and the kids always love it.  We usually go for scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast or English muffins, melons and berries.  Sometimes we…