My eight year-old daughter spoke at a school assembly yesterday, which made me really proud. The theme of the assembly was RESPECT. (Actually, my daughter shared what she'd learned about Mozart and the Magic Flute - the respect theme came later). At one point in the assembly, the grade ones read little compositions they had written, all prefaced with the phrase:"If you want to lose all your friends..."Their conclusions ranged from the funny ("put a frog in their lunchboxes") to the troubling ("whack them with a big stick") to the expected ("pull their hair", "stick out your tongue at them",... More »
When the folks at Florida Citrus sent me this recipe, I knew I had to try it out! I love latin flavours, and the black bean salsa with tropical fruits sounded amazing, too. I had a feeling it would be a hit with my family, and I sure wasn't disappointed. The recipe itself was a breeze to make - you just make up the marinade in advance and leave the chicken in it for 20-40 minutes. I always use a plastic zip-top bag for marinating because the meat is in contact with the marinade the whole time on both sides... More »
Many Canadians are lucky enough to be able to celebrate Family Day this February 16. It's the perfect time for a holiday - mid-winter blahs are at their peak, and the period between Christmas and Easter is the longest stretch we have to endure without a holiday. So Family Day comes as a very welcome break!In keeping with the spirit of the day, many families will plan to do something together. We're contemplating our options in my family, but we're definitely planning some kind of an outing. We're considering skating on a pond near our house, taking a trip to... More »
Continue reading Family Day - Snacks on The Go.
Valentine's Day is here again, and if you've known me for a while, you'll know I'm always on the lookout for a novel, non-cheesy way to share the love, hopefully without putting on ten pounds in the process. I have a thing about chocolates (too predictable) and roses (ditto). Dinner at a fab resto is always good, but what if you're planning a quiet, romantic weekend at home (sans kids, of course)? I've always enjoyed preparing a meal for my loved-ones, and I think a well thought-out meal prepared with love can be a wonderful way to say "I love... More »
I've been thinking a lot lately about childhood (for one reason or another), and one of the things I cannot help but notice is the amazing influence technology has had on my children. I remember thinking of all the amazing advances my grandmothers had witnessed in their lives: the invention of cars, telephones, television, commercial air travel and the invention of the computer. Wow, I used to think, how mind-blowing that all these things I take for granted didn't exist when my grandmothers were girls.Now I pause a moment and think of the contrasts in technology between a single generation's... More »
My five year-old daughter and her friend playing make-believe in the living room:DAUGHTER: "Pretend I'm the mom, and you're the kid."FRIEND: "And you're a teenager."DAUGHTER: "Teenagers aren't moms!"FRIEND: "Some of them are."DAUGHTER: "Yeah, but I don't want to be a teenager mom."Whew! Now that's a relief!... More »
The other day in my Yoga class, we were talking about lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance. After hearing the sad stories of my friends who suffer from either (or in one case, both) of these dietary ailments, I must admit I am SO GRATEFUL that I can eat both dairy and bread.But really, more the bread, to tell the truth. Bread. BRRREEEAAAAAD... I so love bread. White, brown, pumpernickel, multigrain, flax, cinnamon-raisin, crusty, pita - you name a kind of bread, and I'm guaranteed to not only like but looooove it. I buy at least three different kinds of bread... More »
Sorry to be gone so long. Evidently I've been spending too much time playing Demon Solitaire. And I still haven't won yet!I've written before about how much I love Yoga. I find it to be an exceptional activity for fostering strength, flexibility, confidence and - oh okay, laugh if you want - inner peace.I've been practicing Yoga for over eight years now, and I love it more today than ever. Each day I practice provides me with new opportunities to learn new and challenging poses, refine poses I'm comfortable with and hone that "inner light" that Yoga helped me discover... More »
Okay, so a few weeks ago I bought an iPhone. Now that's not as crazy as it may seem, as it happens. I used to have a Blackberry, but the darn thing would cack out on me all the time. People would often tell me they had tried to call but it went straight to voicemail. Or I'd try to dial out and get an ear-piercingly loud tone and "call failed" error message. The only fix seemed to be to take out the battery, wait 30 seconds, then put it back in (gee thanks, tech support line). The last... More »
Okay, how much of a geek am I?I am obsessed with...wait for it...HISTORY.I know! History???But I just can't help it. I actually think it's genetic. I remember -- as a kid, teenager, young adult -- noticing with dismay the bedtime reading on my Dad's bedside table (yes, Ali, it's called a bedside table, not a nightstand ;) ). Things like The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, and The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and The Boer War (oh, there were many punny jokes about that title).I once said to my sisters, "if I ever willingly read... More »
