Here is a little video review by Scarborough Community Manager Alison with a couple of highlights from the trip. 

What a beautiful weekend at Fern Resort! We had a blast. If you are thinking of booking here please do! Don’t forget to let them know Life With A Baby sent you 😀. Enjoy! #LWABfern2018 #fernresort#ontarioallinclusive #familyresort #summeratfern

It is the last week of school. THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!

No more routines, structure, pick ups, drop offs, lunch making (ooooh I loathe lunch making) and while that reads as amazing, it can actually be quite terrifying too. Like most big families we thrive on structure and consistency. With a shift working husband, 2 home business' and activity schedules for three kids, we need structure to make our wheels turn.  Our kids do well with knowing whats coming, whats expected of them and the standard ebb and flow of the day. So in  typical Type A fashion I am already 10 steps ahead of it.

Organizing for summer may seem controlling and less spontaneous but anyone with a busy life knows that a little extra work now means a lot more rest later. Rest? Yup, restful enjoyment of the summer and of your family. Enjoying the ice cream, the backyard shenanigans, park dates, swim time, day trips etc. Being able to be in the moment versus planning for the next one. Organizing a little now can make or break how we as parents experience activities and extended time together.

So, here are our top tips for an organized, happy and less anxious summer.

A Constant State Of Packed Up 

My family and I take several day trips, weekend trips or cottage visits throughout the summer. We have family and friends out of town from about a one hour drive to a three hour drive. We also like to check out various sites and activities within Ontario or the US. So to combat the time consuming process of packing and unpacking I maintain a certain level of "packed" at all times.  I keep a pouch for a variety of categories packed and ready to throw into a bag. It might mean purchasing 2 of  things so that you have them at home and away but trust me you will use them both and time is money right?  One pouch contains toiletries for the whole family; body wash, shampoo, conditioner, nail clippers, hair brush, toothbrushes and toothpaste (child and adult), face wash and moisturizer for mom (Mama needs her skin care routine!) and a small tube of body cream. Each product is safe for all members of the family to use and thus avoids multiples of everything.            The second pouch is medical items. Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl, After Bite, Polysporin, Band Aids, adult and child allergy pills, sunscreen, Bactin, Gravol, Epi pen and my sons medicated skin cream. Everything the family needs in almost all situations. I actually carry this bag with me on all outings whether they are local or overnight.  We also keep a reusable shopping bag packed with rain coats and boots for the family and another with towels, swim suits and shirts, goggles and flotation needs for swimming. These two bags live in our front closet for easy access and because they often need washing and repacking after use.

When a day trip or weekend trip comes up whether planned or not I simply grab a few outfits, diapers, wipes, sleeping buddies, the pre packed bags and away we go. We usually travel with a booster high chair in our car for our daughter at all times anyway.

Dollar Store Dollar Store Dollar Store

Summer outdoor toys and activities need not be  complicated or expensive. Kids are happy with the simplest of things to jump start their imaginations. Before school ends, like many moms, I turn to Guru Google and ask "what are easy outdoor games/crafts/activities" or if I'm honest it actually reads "how to kill time and save my sanity" and within 2 seconds Guru Google has generated a huge list of random ideas that some genius person has curated on the perfect Pinterest board and who is most certainly not anyone I know, but bless them! I make a list of supplies that almost always includes markers, stickers, craft caddies, paint brushes, glue, sidewalk paint, bug boxes, kites, tennis balls, bird houses, paper airplanes, flash cards, play doh, bug nets, water squirters, water balloons, bubbles etc.  The environmentalist in me cringes at the plastic, excess packaging and waste but the realistic side of me accepts that I can save the planet in other ways for two months of the year. No straws kids!   I store these things in storage caddies or in bins on a shelf in a main level closet so that I can grab them quickly or my oldest son can help gather what he needs when he has an idea. Certain items I hoard for a tough day and then Voila! a surprise to get them through a tough time.  I don't often use pre-assembled kits because the time spent getting that kit ready or helping them do it isn't worth the few minutes they actually spend engaged with it.  Rather, I give them some supplies and say go find things outside from nature to paint, glue, build etc. Last year the kids spent 3 hours building, decorating and playing in a beaver damn they build. Thank you dollar store!

Enough Food To Feed An Army

It's been said for generations, millions of times, by parents of all walks of life simply because  its the truth - my children eat me out of house and home! We cannot keep our pantry or fridge full for very long. While it can be expensive to maintain our feeling is that the more healthy food they eat the more fuel they have to learn and grow. When school is in I can spend time baking, batch cooking and freezing quick meals and snacks once a week to keep us on track. With summer I batch and bake the last week of school to fill our freezer. Muffins, biscuits, loaves, quiche, egg muffins, meatballs, pre portioned smoothie ingredient bags etc. Do not mistake this idea as "my children do not eat packaged foods" because of course they do! I also stock up on jumbo size boxes of granola bars, crackers, gummies, apple sauce, trail mix, cheese strings, squeeze pouches, yogurt drinks - you name it. Its all about balance but more importantly its all about easy access. I store "anytime of day" snacks in bowls on the counter and containers  in the fridge or our snack drawer within reach of the children. Our "sometimes" snacks are still within arms reach but in a separate drawer. I make a menu each week and post it on the fridge so that we can take food from the freezer in the morning and prep it during nap time.  90% of our dinner is made during nap time when the toddler is sleeping and the other two are having a break from the sun. Having dinner made makes the 430-530 freak out easier to manage. Who doesn't have a witching hour with hangry, whiney children?

Forget About Cleaning

Ok, not completely but just let some things go longer then you normally would.  I clean because well I am not a slob and I am pretty sure I read somewhere that dirt and mold were bad for kids. But, I refuse to do it alone or all the time. When school ends we sit with the kids and we talk about what they can do everyday and things they can do sometimes to help around the house. We make a list ranging from pick up toys to pull weeds. The kids chime in and we decorate it. We hang it somewhere and every time we hear "I'm bored" or "Mama, can I help you?" (that one is rare) we refer to the chart. Some items are to do everyday (ie make beds, pick up dirty laundry) and others are  in red and are rewarded with money in their savings jar because it is bigger and more difficult. The kids love earning money and using it for something when we do go on an outing to a new place. We also pick one morning a week where we do major cleaning as parents. Bathrooms, laundry, etc. before anything else. The kids love this because it usually means a movie and popcorn. We would rather spend our time not cleaning then cleaning so some things get a longer time in between cleanings. But, life!

A Summer Of Nothing

While the above strategies make us sound super organized, on top of it, wonder parents - the reality is the opposite. These few things keep us organized for about 3 weeks and then the "survival" mode kicks in. Our plan for this year is to keep things simple. To manage our expectations and keep our plans minimal. Other then a few pre planned activities and jaunts to visit family we will stay home. We will do nothing. I repeat, nothing. The kids will need to be kids and ride bikes, play in the backyard, call on their friends, swim in the neighborhood pools, walk to the park, play in a splash pad, watch netflix (say whaaaaaat?) color, read on a blanket under a tree, fight, argue, make a mess - those last three on repeat I promise.. Not running around to outings and paid activities will make our mornings less stressful and minimize the witching hour hustle. It will help us to keep our rose colored glasses version of summer realistic. Eliminating frustration or disappointment when the perfect photo op, mind blowing learning moment, deep family bonding experience doesn't exactly happen so perfectly.

Summer is so short.  The super helpful internet memes tell us that we only have 18 of them with our kids. So don't over schedule the summer, over complicate your experiences or spend your time on household tasks that can be managed ahead of time. Focus your energy on enjoying the  little things versus the mundane tasks that actually take away from your family and make life stressful when you have tired, sun scorched, sticky kids.  Those moments you dreamt of will happen and you might actually feel it the way you wanted to. With a smile, a glass of wine and an amazing insta-story!

Or so we hope!

Cheers,

Julie

**want to read more? check out my blog https://builtwithjoy.wordpress.com

I'm partnering with www.locallove.ca to share ways to give back in your local community when even when you are a busy mom and don't have a lot of time. I thought i'd round up a few organizations that support different demographics from infant to seniors.  Whether it's donating your time, donating funds or collecting items for the families in need.  You can give back to communities across York Region through these four organizations.

Rose of Sharon

Since 1985, Rose of Sharon have given young mothers the opportunity to work towards their goals in a supportive, learning-centered environment while parenting their young children.

At Rose of Sharon clients participate in parenting courses and counseling while they are surrounded by other young women in similar circumstances. Our clients learn about motherhood, work towards their goals, and have life-changing shifts in perspective about their futures and about the possibilities that lay ahead.

You can learn more and volunteer at Rose of Sharon https://www.roseofsharon.com/

Yellow Brick House

Right now, and every single day, there are families there rebuilding their lives. Every woman’s story with Yellow Brick House begins with the courage to leave a dangerous—even deadly—home. They share stories of terror, despair, and tears. But the real story of Yellow Brick House is about empowering women and children to rebuild their lives and we give a voice to the untold stories of violence in our community, raising awareness about the need for change, and moving our community forward to end of violence against women and kids.

Life With A Baby York Region North is proud to support Yellow Brick House by providing necessary items to families for our Holiday drive. You can learn more and volunteer at http://www.yellowbrickhouse.org/

Big Brothers and Big Sisters - York Region

Many children and youth in Canada struggle with societal barriers and face adversities in their lives like detrimental living conditions, family violence, risk factors for mental health, school issues and identity challenges.

These circumstances have nothing to do with the value of who they are or who they can become, but because of these situations, children and youth risk not having the opportunity to live up to their full potential.

Even worse is the possibility of continuing cycles of poverty and crime or developing mental health issues.

This comes at a cost to the young person, and to society.

With the guidance and support of a mentor, these risks can be reduced or even avoided, and youth are reminded they can be anything they dream of being.

You can learn more about how to get involved here https://york.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/

CHATS : Home Care & Community Support For Older Adults

CHATS offers a full range of home care and community programs that meet the changing needs of more than 8,100 York Region and South Simcoe seniors and caregivers each year.

Under the strong experience and knowledge of more than 450 volunteers, a Board of Directors, and 340 staff, CHATS embraces professional best practices with compassionate dedication.

Their Vision is that Older adults can live independently, safely, and well at home.

Learn more about how to get involved here https://www.chats.on.ca/who-we-are

Maternal Mental Health Awareness – What are Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders?

May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month and the first Wednesday of May has been designated as “World Maternal Mental Health Day”. This is noteworthy as in several countries, 1 in 5 new mothers experience a form of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (“PMADs”). As with mental illness in general (where no one is immune, despite their circumstances), PMADs can affect women of all ages, income levels, cultures etc. Maternal Mental Health Day is important because it is meant to reduce the stigma of maternal mental illness.

What are perinatal mood and anxiety disorders?

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders refer to mood and anxiety symptoms that occur during pregnancy or up to one-year post-partum (after pregnancy). According to UNC School of Medicine’s Center for Women’s Mood Disorders, there are many different types of PMADs including:


Depression During Pregnancy/Perinatal Depression: This refers to depression that occurs during pregnancy or within a year after delivery of the baby.

• It is thought that while “mild mood changes” during pregnancy are common, mood symptoms can sometimes become severe enough to require treatment and depression and anxiety during pregnancy can worsen and continue into the postpartum period.
• Factors that increase the probability of perinatal depression include if a woman has a previous history of depression or history of substance abuse, family history of mental illness, lack of support, marital or financial problems, anxiety, previous pregnancy issues.
• Symptoms include feeling sad, depressed, crying, diminished interest in becoming a mother, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, feeling restless or irritable, strong anxiety or tension concerning the baby, difficulties sleeping, suicidal ideation, low energy, weight changes.
  
  Pregnancy Loss: This refers to miscarriage, which can occur at any point in pregnancy and cause physical and emotional pain and grief. Loss of pregnancy can lead to sadness, anger, guilt and depression
  
  Postpartum Depression: A variety of mood symptoms can occur after the delivery takes place.
• Postpartum depression is more severe than what is commonly termed, “Baby Blues” which lasts for a short period of time (i.e. 1-3 weeks post-delivery).
•  Postpartum depression has a longer duration of symptoms and can occur at any point after delivery.
•  Symptoms include increased crying, feelings of sadness, depression, intense anxiety, obsessions, loss of interest, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, fatigue, irritability, disturbed sleep, appetite changes, poor concentration, excessive worry, suicidal thoughts.
  
  Postpartum Anxiety Disorders: These can include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Postpartum anxiety disorders might be as common as postpartum depression and can overlap with depression.
•  Anxiety symptoms can include panic attacks, excessive worry, restless sleep, hyperventilation, and repeated thoughts or images of frightening things happening to the baby.
  
  Postpartum Psychosis: This is seen most often in women with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder.  
• Symptoms of psychosis include delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking.
• Symptoms of depression and mania might also be experienced.
• This is seen most often in mothers who are having a severe episode of a mood disorder, for example a severe manic episode.

Can someone with a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder apply for Long-Term Disability Benefits?

Employees make applications for long-term disability benefits for a variety of reasons. When applying for any type of disability claim, it is always important to provide supportive medical evidence.

In terms of maternal health issues, one example would be if a woman who has experienced a miscarriage was unable to return to work due to the severity of her symptoms and how they affect her daily functioning, she might decide to apply for long-term disability benefits. 

In terms of long-term disability benefits and parental leaves, a long-term disability insurer will only cover the health-related portion of a maternity or parental leave. The insurance company determines which part of the leave is voluntary and which part is health-related.

What does an insurance company mean by the term, “health-related”?  For a maternity leave, this refers to the period in which a woman is unable to work for health reasons specifically related to childbirth or recovery from childbirth. For example, due to post-partum depression or another type of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. This must be substantiated with appropriate medical evidence.

What would appropriate medical evidence consist of? With any claim for a mental illness, aside from listing your symptoms, it is important to show evidence that you are seeking treatment, be it from a social worker, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, hospital day program etc. If you are prescribed medication, the insurance company would be interested in knowing how your medication dosages have changed over time.

What if my claim is denied?

Many claims are denied because the insurance company feels that a person is not seeking appropriate treatment or medical care and a denial letter may say that your claim is denied due to “lack of objective medical evidence” and that there is no medical evidence to support your reported limitations and/or restrictions. A denial letter may also say that you are past the typical “recovery period” for your illness.

With any type of claim it is important to have your illness properly documented and to show you are attending regular doctor’s appointments and seeking reasonable and appropriate treatment. The insurance company is looking to see that you are making an effort to recover from your illness. When you seek regular medical attention, you can report your symptoms regularly and your treating physicians can document all new or worsening symptoms, how treatments are working or aren’t working and side effects of treatments. This information can be used to support your claim.

If your claim is denied, you can fight the insurance company’s decision. You should speak with a lawyer as soon as possible so that you understand what limitation period applies (so you know how long you have to start a lawsuit) and to know what your rights and obligations are as an insured person.

The lawyers at Aaron Waxman and Associates can help you fight your insurance company’s decision to deny your claim. If your long-term disability claim has been denied for any reason, contact our office for a free initial consultation with a licensed lawyer. A consultation can be arranged at a date and time that is convenient for you.

Sources:

• 1.      https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/world-maternal-mental-health-awareness-day-2018/
• 2.      https://www.med.unc.edu/psych/wmd/mood-disorders/perinatal

Disclaimer:

Please note, this blog is for informational purposes only and does not represent legal advice or create a lawyer-client relationship. Information from sources listed does not reflect the opinions of Aaron Waxman and Associates.

Welcome to motherhood! Oh and, welcome to all the influences from one side or another. Breast-feeding to formula feeding, cloth diapers to disposables – the possibilities are endless.

I promise not to bore you with endless statistics and facts, just a simple read at how Nursery Water is the “Game Changer” in my crazy-formula-feeding, two-under-two world!

I’m sure there are many of you moms out there, that are just as overwhelmed and tired (exhausted is what I really meant to say) trying to make it to that magical bedtime routine every day. Let’s face it, some days are better than others, and as time goes on, everything does get just a little easier.

My new found discovery of #NurseryWater is why I want to share my crazy life with you!

I’m a young mom, who recently moved to a rural community from the big city.  I have a just two year old daughter, and an 8 month old son.

I had my first little babe back in 2016, and I convinced myself that if I didn’t breastfeed I would be shamed!

I couldn’t let it slide, I took all the courses, I spoke to lactation consultants; I even hired a home nurse to come and help me, teach me and guide me to get this whole breastfeeding thing down pat.

But deep down, aside from all of the guidance and “helpful” advice I was receiving, it just wasn’t for me. However, the guilt held me down; I made it to 6 months – barely.

And that was that. The end of one thing and the beginning of another.

Formula provided both my babes with the nutrition they needed, when I just couldn’t handle one more cracked nipple. If you’re a mom like me – who switched to formula feeding after giving breastfeeding a shot, then you get my drift momma.

In my first few attempts at formula feeding, I figured it was just as easy as reading the label, and bingo – all set. I mean, how hard could it be right?

Nursery Water – Perfectly ready for me to use, right then and there.

Had I of known then the convenience and security it has brought to my formula feeding lifestyle, I would have jumped on the bandwagon a whole two years ago!

So let’s get to the point.

Since I’ve found Nursery Water – There’s no Turning Back

Nursery Water is so practical, more than just for formula feeders! Its 2018 – we can’t deny that we live in a world where convenience and “best” for baby are our top priorities.  Nursery water gives you that convenience of being right there, when you need it – wherever you need it. It also gives you total confidence that your baby is getting the best, safest “treated” water that we can serve them.

Whether you live out in the country living on a well water supply, or in-town on a town water supply, both have their pros and cons. Living in the country means you generally are sourcing your water directly from the property you reside at; which is great for saving money on that monthly water bill, but what about the groundwater contaminants that can quickly pollute your water source.

Ground water sources are fresh tasting, but can be aesthetically unpleasant from hard minerals in the ground. Such minerals can be iron, manganese, sulphur and magnesium. All of which can contribute to hard water, odors within the water as well as physical colour within the water.

In-town you may notice that the water smells like chemicals – generally a chlorine smell. Again, not unsafe for us to drink based on strategic guidelines, but can make the water distasteful and harder on our body. Town water follows guidelines set out by the American Dental association which recommends that all North Americans drink water that contains added fluoride.

Added at the treatment plant, the fluoride is available in the water to assist us with dental hygiene. The topic of added fluoride can be scary to some, and research to discuss both benefits and losses at the consumer’s level are few and far between. High doses of fluoride, like anything, can be harmful however leaving the treatment plant, water carries fluoride ions at 0.7 ppm.

In-Town vs. Rural

So, overall – in plain language there are pros and cons to both situations.

The benefit of Nursery Water means that you can avoid any question – and any further thought about what our fragile little babes are getting their mouths on.

Steam Distillation is a process where water from its source is distilled (water in its purest form) and then steamed and filtered. By converting the water to stream, dissolved contaminants are left behind. From there, the water is bottled.

Nursery Water uses this strategy, to ensure that its water is 100% transparent – meaning that what you see on the label, is what you’re going to get within the bottle. Nursery Water has been trusted for over 70 years – and rightly so!

Nursery Water is available in stores all throughout Canada; Wal-Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, Loblaws, Toys R Us and Babies R Us to name a few. On shelves you can find Nursery Water in 4L bottles, and in most of the above stores you can also find smaller, convenient travel size bottles.

Both of which are great – I keep a large bottle in the fridge, to give to the kids with their meals in an open cup, one in the kitchen where I prepare my youngest babes formula bottles (at room temperature), and small travel size bottles in the diaper bag for making bottles on the go – which we do a lot!

Label - dated 2000's

More than just for ‘Bottles’

Nursery Water is perfectly ideal for preparing formula – but its use doesn’t just end there!

You can use Nursery Water to mix baby cereals with, dilute juices and just for straight up drinking!

Nursery Water is recommended for use for babies from six months to twenty-four months, however your doctor may recommend using it from birth if you use a well for your water source in home, as fluoride levels could be lower than 0.3ppm.

At six months of age, babies can begin to drink water alone, but prior to, babies should maintain an exclusive breast milk or formula diet. That being said, Nursery Water can be boiled for use with formula as well as sipped from an open cup.

Nursery Water with Added Fluoride is recommended for babies 6 months+ and Nursery Water WITHOUT added Fluoride is perfect for babe right from birth! Speak to your healthcare provider, to see which is best for you.

My journey with Nursery Water has gone far beyond my expectations and made life just a little more simple. Who doesn’t want to simplify their life, when we have precious little babes running around, right? Speak to your healthcare provider, and see if Nursery Water can be as beneficial to you, as it has been for me!

With convenience, availability, safety and simplicity – it’s worth a shot; because it’s a Game Changer!

** While I was compensated, the opinions and views within this post are of the writer,

and users should determine their own views and opinions**

Blog post written by: Katie MacLea

• Fatigue and sleep disturbance (common depression symptoms, but normal for new mothers and difficult to assess)
• Changes in weight and appetite
• Physical feelings of being “slowed down” or restless, jumpy or on edge
• Inability to think clearly and diminished concentration worsened by sleep deprivation
• Depressed mood or depression with anxiety
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
• Excessive feelings of guilt or worthlessness (exacerbated if feel not bonding with the baby as feelings of extreme joy, love are expected)
• Anhedonia, which is a loss of interest in things that usually bring pleasure, including the baby

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day by either subject report or observations made by others (e.g. tearfulness)
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all/almost all activities, most of the day, nearly every day
• Significant weight loss or weight gain
• Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
• Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day
• Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day
• Diminished ability to think/concentrate or indecisiveness nearly every day
• Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

The Babytime show reached out to me to review some of their vendors who will be at the show this year and share my feedback.

Some of the vendors I got to review are:

Lil Miss Dressup : I don't know about you, but it is sometimes really hard to find coordinated outfits for my kids when we have a special occasion. Lil Miss Dressup and Lil Mr. Dressup are a great option if you are looking for something for a photo shoot, wedding, or other special occasion

Posh Gal Leggings & More : These come in a variety of colours and two sizes 2-12 and 12-18. What I love most about these leggings are how comfortable they are. At first, I thought the line would be on the inside would be uncomfortable but I hardly felt it. The best part for pregnant and postpartum bodies is that the wait is very high and goes well above the waist, so you don't have to feel anything along your stomach.

Made Good: These were gone in a few days. I packed them in the kid's lunch as snacks and were also great for a quick snack afterschool in between programs. There was one box that I kept for myself. The chocolate chip bananas. K's favourite was the vanilla rice bars, and Ethan was the granola bars. They loved them all - I didn't tell them they were healthy. Personally, I have a milk sensitivity, and it was fantastic to find bars that are vegan and gluten-free that also tastes great.

Mimos Pillow : I like the idea of this one, but my kids are out of this stage, so I wasn't able to test it out. This is great I think for expectant parents to get ahead of time, so they have it when baby arrives. I'll be raffling off the one I received and will share the winner's feedback. 

allKiDz Vitamins : We are going on vacation this month, and the Anti-cold is packed in my suitcase ready for any sign of a cold. The kids have already started taking the probiotics, and they love the taste.

Spoonfed Baby : I love that the recipes in this baby cookbook are easy to follow and vary between purees as well as options for baby led weaning as well as recipes for the toddler years. The sample baby meal plan chart is simple and easy to follow and gives new moms an idea of what to expect at different stages.

Tidy Tot: All-in-one bib & Tray Kit : Kids are messy! And this is the perfect way to let your kids explore and have fun with their food. Instead of having to wash their clothes after each meal just remove the bib, and you are ready to go. The tray kit is great because it is easy to clean just wash and you are done. I'm not sure how it fits over the various types of high chairs, but you can try it out at the Babytime show this weekend and get all your questions answered. 

BabyGourmet : I love the variety of products for babies 6 months and up from Baby Gourmet. The best part it's organic! The puffs are delicious and made from quinoa - it's a great alternative for parents who are considered about wheat sensitivity.

As you can see from just a few of the vendors I reviewed the Babytime show offers items for the whole family not just for babies. Check them out this weekend, and you can use the code TINYHUMAN for a discount on tickets.

The world can seem like a scary place especially when you watch the news. Even with social media, I noticed that my newsfeed is sometimes showing more negative than positive stories. As bad as things may seem right now, there is also a lot of good in our world, and we have to look for the good. But even more than that we have to actively do good and let our kids see us doing good. I was invited to the launch of www.LocalLove.ca a few weeks ago, and I'm pretty excited to share this website with you. Not only do they have a newsletter that will send you a dose of good that is happening in your local community, but they also feature various organizations and groups that allow you to give a little love and do good in your community.

We are all busy, right? Well, their guide of 25 things might be just the thing you need to do good without it taking up too much of your time. I know I was recently looking for things I can do with my daughter and was really happy to see the number of organizations that involve youth in their offerings.

A few of the organizations I learned about that I think you'll want to know more about are:

Soup Sisters is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to providing comfort to women, children and youth through the making, sharing, and donating of soup. A fun and easy way to give back is getting a group together to make soup that will be donated to local women's shelters. Check them out at www.soupsisters.org

The Cedar Basket Gift Shop is a group that sells a selection of First Nations, Metis & Inuit products and the proceeds go back to supporting young people facing barriers to employment. I'll share a bit of some of the others throughout the week. https://shop.ncct.on.ca/

Furniture Bank is a charitable organization that collect your gently used furniture and make them available to families transitioning out of homelessness or displacement. www.furniturebank.org

To learn more about these and many others visit www.locallove.ca

I have been a long time Health and Fitness enthusiast and have owned gym memberships all my life.  Somewhere along the line of becoming a wife and a mom of two beautiful (but active) boys, I lost myself!

40 lbs heavier then where I wanted to be, a couple years ago when I turned 30 and had two kids in school full time, I decided to take my health and self-confidence back into control and make myself a priority again :)  I had forgotten that underneath all those baby goobers and leggings there was WOMAN under there with needs.

After a successful journey through the Weight Watchers Program (read my blog about that here) and obtaining a personal trainer, I not only met but exceeded my goals.  And I felt great!!   The best in my entire life.  Even better than high school!!!

So now here I am.  Back in the best shape of my life, I worked so hard to get here.  However I don’t have $10,000/year to spend on a personal trainer anymore and I’m looking for a better long term solution to maintain what I’ve worked so hard for.  I thought I could continue at the gym “on my own” without the trainer; but the reality was that I just didn’t push myself the way he did and I found every excuse not to go when I didn’t have that set appointment in my calendar that I had already paid for.  Then I started feeling ashamed to go back to me gym and seeing my old trainer. 

I went on a 2 month hiatus from the gym; post a couple of surgeries (per doctors' orders) and some indulging vacations.  I hated myself for putting 10 lbs back on sooooo quickly.   I needed to figure out my next steps before I lost everything I worked hard for. I could FEEL that my body was hating me for letting myself go again and I wasn’t happy with myself either. 

I had heard a lot of amazing things about OrangeTheory Fitness (OTF) in my area of Newmarket.  I also had some friends who went there and encouraged me to go give it a try.  First class was free and if you’re lucky to know someone who goes there already they may be able to give you a free 1 week referral pass (email me if you want one connie@lifewithababy.com and i'll hook you up for Newmarket location!).   I called and booked my first free class and the staff were very nice and welcoming.  The owner, Joe, was very "no-pressure" and informative.  He and the trainer that day, Anthony, showed me the ropes and explained how it all worked.

Basically its a 1 hour exercise that involves components of treadmill (always at least 25 mins), rowing and weight room.  Although each class uses these pieces of equipment / areas of the gym, each class is also different in what they are going to ask you to do at these stations.  You are never bored and it is never the same workout.  There are also modifications for each exercise i.e. injuries, pregnancies, bad knees, etc.  There are Strength, Power, Endurance and Combination days (they tell you before class... you don't get to know in advance which is great because then you won't be choosy :). 

Let me tell you it is BY FAR THE BEST 1 hour workout you will EVER have.  The best part -- there is no guessing if you are working hard enough / too hard as you are wearing an arm (or chest) heart rate monitor and the screen will tell you whether you are in your grey / blue (warm up), green (base), orange (push) or red (all out) zones.  Most people aim to be in the green and orange zone for the majority of their workouts.  If you work out 12 mins or more in your Orange zone (between 12-25 is ideal), you get what is called "splat points" and thus get the benefits of the after burn of calories even after you're done in the gym.

This is an example of typical results emails that you will get after your workout on your performance.  *note that I got my splat points this particular time and how many calories I burned in 1 class!!!  

1 month into my new OTF membership (I went with the premiere / unlimited membership which is around $150-$200/mo).  It seems expensive in comparison to regular gyms, however in comparison to personal training and if you are going often like me, that works out to be only about $12/class which is actually not bad at all for small group training.  The fact of the matter is, if you are paying $50/mo for a regular gym membership and you're not going, it's no good to you anyhow!  I am LOVING the change up in my workout routine.  I'm going 3-4x per week and I cannot wait to go to classes!

Here are my results after just 3 weeks of classes:

I've noticed since starting in the last 3 weeks:

• my upper abs are back (yay!)
• lifted belly button
• less bloating 
• side lines are back 
• less pudge pudge
• increase stamina
• my period / PMS was MUCH better this month (less heavy, no pains and I didn't feel like I wanted to kill anyone which is a nice bonus :) 
• overall mood and energy is amazing
• glowing skin on my face 
• better digestion 
• im down only about 1lb in weight BUT this is typical for me as i'm at a plateau and I have not made dramatic diet changes YET (thats next!)

What I love most about OTF:

• soooo clean!  Everyone takes pride at this gym
• people are soooo nice and encouraging.  You see the OTF Family feel right away
• no guessing if you're working / wearing a heart rate monitor keeps me on track
• being able to pre-book my classes (and if im lucky i can even get into some last min when there is space)
• the trainers!  all are very encouraging and professionals (and might I add... very attractive :)    Awesome motivation to succeed!

My tips if you are new to OTF:

• try a free trial class
• if you need to.... try a full week free (ask a friend who has guest passes from their new member kit)
• sign up!  even if its just 2x per week (8 sessions per month) in addition to your current fitness regime OR if you are getting started (its cheaper around $80-$100/mo) and gets your feet in the door
• plan your month (or your week) of sessions and book in advance so you get your class space!    
• ONLY BOOK if you are sure you can go!  Otherwise you pay a last min. cancellation fee if you cancel your class less than 8 hours before
• keep your gym bag ready to go in your car so there are no excuses!
• buy one of those portable battery chargers so that you can keep your heart rate monitor charged in your purse or gym bag at all times (nothing is more annoying that a dead Heart Rate monitor when you wanna kill a class!)
• bring a towel & a water bottle!  YOU WILL NEED IT

Enjoy your new OTF journey and please share your results or questions!