My mom friends and I are always looking for something fun to do on Mom's Night Out so when Janet from Plant Nite invited me to try this new event I was excited to try it!

Most people have heard of Paint Nite, but have you heard of Plant Nite? I’ve tried one before and made a fun box of suculents, fun and easy to maintain. But tonight I tried their latest event, Flower Power! It was a great evening of flower arranging in a relaxed environment!

The host for this event was Janet De Gazon, a local artist who is launching this exciting new event. The event lasted just over an hour and we got to go home with a beautiful arrangement I now have sitting on my kitchen table.

Janet led us step by step through the process of putting our arrangement together, and even though we all followed the same steps everyone’s creation was original.

The flowers come in fresh the same day to the artist’s house so that they will have full potential to last 7-10 days in your own home with minimal care. With an assortment of roses, hydrangea, monkey grass and other fun greenery Janet showed us how to make our arrangements something we would be proud to show off.

You can find other event dates listed at www.paintnite.com you just have to browse amongst the paintings and spot the "Flower Power" events.

Some upcoming Flower Power dates in Waterloo Region are:

• October 14^th Descendants Brewery 5:00pm
  
• October 30^th The Boardroom Guelph 7:00pm
  
• November 14th Argyle Arms 7:00pm

My weight loss journey started after I had kids, and most of us tend to say the same. I didn’t have an issue with my weight pre-kids, but kids aren’t the only thing that changed. Sometimes we forget that we are also getting older and that affects our ability to maintain a healthy weight as well. I remember when I was younger I could eat almost anything and not gain weight. Now I feel like I gain weight very quickly and it’s hard to get it off. Once it’s off, it’s hard to keep it off. I decided to look into what had changed for me and why it’s so difficult to maintain my goal size. Truthfully I don’t pay as much attention to the scale but do use my clothes and how they fit as a guide.

I was pregnant with my first at 26. What did I do before? I was active. I had time to run, I lived downtown Toronto, and I walked almost everywhere. I was out with my friends a lot and had an active social life. I was on the go.


After my first daughter, I was able to lose the weight very quickly, because I was very very active. I was out with her in the stroller often. I hosted walking groups in lots of different area across the GTA because I was feeling isolated and wanted to be out of the house as much as possible. Within a few weeks, I was back into my regular jeans.  In this pic, Katelyn is just over a month. 

After my son was born, is when my issues started. I was not out a lot. I had a baby who slept at home which meant that I was home more often. I wasn’t doing walking groups, and when I did go for walks, it was an easy walk in my neighbourhood. I was having difficulty with breastfeeding and decided to use a combination of herbs and medication to help because I wanted to breastfeed. When my son was one month old, I started gaining weight. I had a huge appetite and was hungry ALL THE TIME. It was a side effect of the medications I was using, but I figured I would be able to lose the weight as easy as I did with my first once I came off the medication. WRONG. It was challenging. My kids are four years apart so the combination of age, I was now 31, lower metabolism, and not being as active as any other time in my life. It was difficult, and I had to work hard at it. By the time my son was two months I had gained 20lbs more than when I had him and was 185lbs. You that mom you see at the beach who doesn't get in the water with the kids and is fully clothed? That was me.  I hardly recognized myself.

Eventually, with a lot of work, I went from 185 lbs to 160lbs, but the last 15lbs just wouldn’t come off. I went to a styling event and learned how to dress for my size so even though I wasn't at the 145lbs I wanted to be, I was happy with where I was.  Unfortunately, while I was smaller, I wasn’t strong. Physical exercise was difficult for me. I was having constant back and shoulder pain and was at the chiropractor and massage therapist weekly. 

A few people had told me about Orangetheory Fitness and that it made a huge difference for them and I was skeptical mainly because of the cost, but I gave it a try. After almost a year at Orangetheory Fitness, I am happy with my results. I am strong. I can run a 5K in 25 mins. It used to take me 45 mins before. I am not in pain all the time. I have not been to the chiropractor all year and have been to get a massage only for fun now, not as a necessity. I feel great, and my clothes fit better, but that wasn’t my goal. My goal was to get healthy. What made the difference? I was able to stick with it. I tried different gyms before, and I would be there for over an hour and left feeling like I hadn't worked out. Now in an hour class at Orangetheory Fitness I know I’ve worked hard and with the 12 minutes in the orange system, I keep burning calories the next day. It’s manageable. I only go eight times a month about two times a week, and it’s easy for me to maintain it. The coaches are amazing! I feel like I'm getting personal training without the cost of a personal trainer. Also? It’s addictive. I feel soooo good after the workout that I keep going back for more.

I finally found something that I can maintain and that gives me the results I was looking for.  I am strong, healthy, and I feel fabulous! 

This summer our goal was to keep things as simple as possible. Our kids learned to fill their school free hours with creative play and sometimes complaining of boredom. "It's ok!" I told my husband, "in their boredom they will find something new to do" (dear god I'd silently pray, I hope the internet was right!)  And you know? they actually did. Minus some squabbles, flopping around on the floor, picking at their toes kind of moments - they eventually did find new things to create, play, explore and do!

As the summer wore on we wanted to take advantage of having time together as a whole family and explore. Short on time and funds we elected to see what was around us we hadn't yet tried. In my "research" (read insta-stalking) I found a great Instagram poster called @littleadventuresgta  A local mom posting about cool parks, play spaces and outdoor areas around the Greater Toronto Area that she enjoyed with her family. Perfect! I can just do what she is doing, I mean look at her cute pics I thought to myself. I shared the idea with hubby and off we went. Of course, as most moms know a simple trip to a park is not just as simple as grab the keys to the car and go. With three kids under 7 I usually still require a bag or two of essentials.  Here is my park date packing list

• blanket for lounging, snacking or toddler tantrums

• balls, frisbee, bubbles or chalk for additional fun

• sunscreen and lots of it

• hats

• water

• snacks (enough to feed 3 times your actual amount of children)

• a couple of books or coloring items

• first aid bag (band-aids, polysporin, bug bite cream, and epi pen)

• optional - bikes or scooters with helmet

**I bring additional activities because I fully intend to park it with my book and coffee on said blanket for at least 3 hours!

Here is the list of parks and our favorite parts.

The first park we explored was the area of Newmarket, Ontario known as Fairy Lake. It's basically a small lake system along the downtown Newmarket district. It has walking trails, bike paths, playgrounds, splash pad, lots of ducks to watch, a dam, beautiful flowers everywhere and the cutest take a book/leave a book library you have ever seen. The location of this park/path system is perfectly nestled in their main street area with ample parking, restaurants, and cute little shops to grab an ice cream or coffee. While this was more of a walking adventure the kids (7,5 and 1.5) all enjoyed it.  Their favorite spot was the branch of Muskoka chairs spelling out "KINDNESS" because as my oldest put it "that is so important"

Next, we moved on to what the kids call "Ninja park" but is actually called Rouge Crest Park in Richmond Hill. The affectionate title from my little ones is a perfect description of our morning. They were ninjas for hours. Climbing up, down, in, out, around, over and jumping off of all things climbable in a 40ft cage type structure. It also had hammocks, splash pad, toddler climber, work out equipment, basketball courts, bike paths and a large field for us to throw the frisbee. The grounds are gorgeously maintained and again ample parking. While my kids vote the climbing cage as their fav I know hubby and I never really left the hammock swings.

Because we had been exploring outside of our town we decided to check out a new park in Stouffville. Most of our parks are the basic red and blue stairs and slide structure. I am not complaining, as I am happy that Stouffville has so many park spaces for families. But my kids need to climb, crawl, stretch and explore in creative ways to burn energy. The basic climbers encourage up and down play. But the new park on Boadway Crescent is the exact opposite. Its tucked in a new development area just as you enter the town. Its quiet and has a large green space for running and playing soccer etc. The kids call this "Spider park" because of the large spider web-like rope climber. We brought along a few friends (another essential on my packing list whenever possible) and enjoyed a few timbits since the Tim Hortons is just next door.

I had heard great things about the new Aanin Community Centre and park in Markham and so, of course, added it to the list. To say this was our favorite park ever would be an understatement. My kids still ask to go almost a month later. Whoever designed this park, I applaud you! The park has everything you would want in a play structure. Astroturf ground cover, picnic tables (that also double as checkerboards) basketball courts, soccer field, beautiful climbing structures for toddlers and of course an active circuit to cause even the most agile of big kids some mental and physical exertion. Because it is beside a community center you also have the benefit of washrooms, library with a cute kids zone, indoor playground and nursing area.  We were so happy to stay and play that my friend and I joked we should order pizza to the park and really stretch out our time. I later called and found out that several major pizza chains offer this delivery service! MOM WIN!

While summer has come to an end and we are all back to school and fall routines there is still plenty of time to get out and explore new communities and areas. It doesn't have to cost a lot financially but the experience of trying something new, getting outdoors and appreciating all that our communities have to offer is rich in memories.

Cheers,

Julie

I was recently introduced to Zapped Outfitters which focuses on lighting kids up so they can be seen.

I love the story of how this brand came to be. As a Canadian Mom Scarlet was inspired to create clothing that would help her then 10-year-old son be more visible. Most of us at some point have had the thought "I wish there was clothing I can put them in that would make them more visible." The difference is that Scarlet acted on her inspiration and Zapped was born.

There is reflective wear of adults and youth so why not school aged children? Zapped recognized the gap in the market for kids aged 6-12 and set out to fill that gap. For most of the year, it gets dark early and this means kids are not as visible when they are leaving after-school programs or just out enjoying the outdoors. Let's face it. Kids are completely oblivious to their own safety which makes us parents even more anxious about their safety. Reflective clothing makes sense and that why I was thrilled to partner with this brand to bring awareness to their products.

Often times functional items are not very stylish and I am thrilled that the clothing is both functional and looks great. Kids will want to wear these items.

When I was given the choice of what to get, I went with the jacket because I liked that it can be worn in three seasons. Zapped offers a range of clothing and accessories for school-aged children including hats, backpacks, shoes, and jackets. And new this year toques.

I'm a philanthropist and I created Life With A Baby to give back and support the cause that I champion so that part of me LOVES that Zapped is giving back and helping light up other children around the globe. Zapped encourages others to “share their light” by helping other kids PLAY HARD. To celebrate their launch, they have partnered with backpackbuddies.ca, which helps fill children’s backpacks with food items for the weekend, when other food programs are unavailable. The second is rubensshoes.com, which donates shoes to kids in developing countries who might otherwise miss school due to a lack of footwear. ZAPPED has an ongoing relationship with both organizations to donate proceeds from shoe and backpack sales. How amazing is that?

The best part? We have a link with a 20% discount just use DROPOFGOLDENSUN20 at checkout. Not only will you be lighting up your kids so they can be seen, you'll be a light for others across the globe through Zapped's commitment to giving back. http://vlt.me/.2sxi7

Kudos to Scarlet for helping all our kids be more visible.

While I was provided and item and compensated for partnering with this brand, all views are my own. 

A few years ago I met with The Home Depot at a blogging conference and they had a campaign for a faucet. I jumped on it because I wanted to a change to the kitchen and sometimes even the smallest change gives our space a new feel. Shortly after I was looking at all workshops they offer for kids and the variety of workshops for adults.  I love the DO IT HERSELF workshops because I personally have felt intimidated in DIY classes where it was primarily men and I also like that they recognize that there are women doing DIY projects. It's a great way to be encourage women to try DIY projects.

Naturally when we scammed and decided to do the interlocking in our driveway ourselves  and it was back to home depot for rental equipment and majority of what we needed for the project.

Most people who’ve met me in real life knows I’m a minimalist, nothing comes into our come that we don’t need. Denys thinks this should include my shoes but I maintain that I need all those pairs.

In the spring I was travelling a lot for work and one day I walked into our home and saw a giant mess at the front of the house. The kids stuff was all over the ground and everything was beginning to pile up in the hallway. I was frustrated. I asked the kids why they didn’t put their things away and they said because they would need it again soon and they didn’t want to bring their things to the laundry room and back everyday. I realized the the system we had was unrealistic for busy times and was setting them up for failure.

That same week, I saw another opportunity with The Home Depot and I reached out about building something that would make it easier for the kids to manage and would be useful for the whole year.

We built a bench with four storage units.  Each of us have our own box which is big enough to fit the school bag and other things they might need on a regular basis.

I love that it adds perfectly to our space and we were able to stain it to match the floors.  It’s easy for the kids to put their things away and I love that when I walk into the house it’s neat and tidy.  

Below is a summary of the steps and the materials you'll need. 

Material list

• 4 large wooden crates: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.13-inch-x-18-inch-x-10-inch-wooden-crate.1000820665.html
  
  

• Our local store was out of stock so we got them from IKEA instead
  
  

• 1 sheet of ¾ plywood: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.34-inch-x-4-feet-x-8-feet--maple-plywood.1000861144.html 
  
  

• 5 2x2x8 pine boards, I used simple framing lamber: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.2x2x8-framing-lumber.1000173732.html
  
  

• Pocket hole wood screws for softwood 2 ½ and 2 inch: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.8-1-14-inch-square-maxi-loc-head-coarse-zinc-plated-steel-pocket-hole-screw-100-pack.1000711142.html
  
  

• Wood glue: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.probond-max-wood-glue-236ml.1000685603.html
  
  

• Kreg Jig kit - for making holes:

• simple one https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.kreg-jig-mini-kit.1000711136.html

• More advanced: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.jig-k4-master-system.1000709334.html

• Power tools. This Ryobi 4 tool combo is a very good value for any homeowner: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.18v-one-li-ion-cordless-4-tool-combo-kit-with-2-15ah-lithium-batteries-charger-bag.1001041682.html

• Measuring tape and a pencil

• For finishing I used wood conditioner, stain and lacquer: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/categories/decor/paint/interior-stains-and-finishes.html

Steps to do it yourself

• Cut the board and wood to your measurment
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Use Jig kit to drill holes
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Connect the boards to form a frame
  
  
  
  
  

• Attached Top and Bottom shelves
  
  
  
  
  
  Finish edges
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Sand

• Apply wood conditioner to make staining even
  
  
  
  
  

• Apply wood stain 2-3 coats

• Apply wood lacquer to finish 2-3 coats,
  
  
  
  
  
  Here is a  looks again at our before :( 
  
  
  And After! 
  
  
  

And we've already started o the next project! I’ve decided to create a simple storage unit for kids hats and mittens and their stuff.  But first, hubby refused to paint until our youngest was 6. He is now 7 and that means the next order of business is painting our walls. I cannot wait to get a fresh look on our space. 

Our family got back from our annual trip to the fern resort this year was a little bit different in the past because now we are a blended family so we had some extra children in tow but the experience was the usual awesomeness!

One of my favourite things for the kids that I love about Fern Resort is the activities!!  We have three active boys and the programming for children allows them to have an awesome time while as parents can also enjoy some downtime.  I always take a picture of the daily activities and keep it handy with me and the kids come and go as they please.  Our sons enjoyed zip lining for the first time and were able to take their time learning without having to be rushed.  As a family we enjoyed morning shuffle board.  It seems that around every corner there is something fun to be done!! 

Food at Fern resort has greatly improved; although it has always been awesome in my opinion. The service staff was on point and even those in training made every best effort to attend to our needs.  We really enjoyed going to the children’s buffet and focussing on getting the kids fed and then we send them off to kids club so we can enjoy our adult dinner. Any special requests that were made were able to be accommodated.  I enjoyed being able to purchase a bottle of wine and have it safe for me to enjoy slowly at every dinner.  The poolside buffet is a great option for those wanting to remain casual mid day and enjoy poolside food.  

As a blended family now with four children, we also thoroughly enjoyed the connecting rooms in the main inn. We were able to put the children and one side leave the door open and be connected to them on the opposite side giving us space and privacy and two bathrooms!! 

My kids are already asking about our next trip to Fern - this is a family tradition that we hope to keep forever!! 

--Connie Butera

Check out Ramara Community Manager Mary's slideshow video blog!

Thank you Fern Resort for an amazing weekend! It really is the ultimate all-inclusive family getaway close to home ❤️ Hopefully this video blog does it justice ☀️🌊🌮🏄🏼‍♂️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 🏊‍♀️ #SummerAtFern 

We got to Fern late Friday afternoon and checked in, which was fast and easy. Once we settled into our room we met up with friends and wondered around the resort for a little while until it was time for the kid’s dinner. The kid’s buffet was amazing and had everything that our very picky bunch would eat. They loved choosing whatever they wanted and I loved not having to cook. Win Win!

One of the perks of Fern is that it’s got a kids club. This is something that we were a little apprehensive about at first, as this was our first time using anything like it. I’m usually really nervous about leaving the kids with anyone new. You know how it is...between the mom guilt and the worry that if you’re not with your kids something terrible might happen. It’s taken me almost 6 years to get up the nerve to hire a babysitter so that we can go out on a date night (which maybe only happens once a month at best).

I sometimes feel annoyed at myself with how much fear or guilt I allow into my thoughts. I have to remind myself that it’s ok to want some time without them, but I felt guilty wanting them to go to kids club so that I could eat a meal in peace, read a book or go for a walk with my husband. I wasn’t going to let all that stop me so I brushed off those feelings, prepped the kids and off they would go. No Fear! No Guilt!

As expected our 6 year old went without issue. She was excited and ready to run right in with her friends! Our 4 year old was hesitant but with a little coaxing and his sisters hand, off he went. Then came the baby (14 months) - she cried, but I expected that and it was only a little bit of tears. So off she went. I’ll admit that I kept checking my phone and made sure my ringer was all the way up just in case. When we picked them up they were excited to see us but not because they wanted to leave, but because they had so much to talk about in the 2 hours they spent in the kids club.

In the morning they were pumped to go back. I've never seen my kids eat a meal so fast! It usually takes a lot of pleading and maybe some bribing but not at Fern. They gobbled down breakfast and were off to play.

It seemed like there was a new activity every 15 minutes and the kids couldn't have been happier. Between pony rides, driving jeeps, jungle gym, sandbox, wagon rides and really I'm not sure what else, but needless to say the kids were in a rush after every meal to get back. Our baby didn't cry after the first day, but she insisted on bringing her lovey along (once a white unicorn but now its a funny shade of grey even after being washed). She also loved playing a game where she would toss her now grey unicorn into the sandy water and make the lovely girls caring for her pick it up. She thought this was hilarious! Even though she can walk, she prefered to be held most of the time and the wonderful staff was happy to oblige. The amount of staff they had on hand to take care of all the kids was amazing. There was no shortage of help and you always got the sense that the staff was happy to be there with all the kids. This really allowed my husband and I to enjoy some of the adult activities, things like boating, axe throwing, swimming, batting cages, zip lining etc!

The kids loved every minute of our weekend at Fern Resort and we as parents loved how easy everything was. When friends and family ask us “how was your weekend”, the first thing that we tell them about is the kids club. We think it's one of the best reasons to go to Fern and was our favourite part. They have such a great setup for families and for someone like me that tends to worry about stuff like that, it quickly put my mind at ease allowing me to enjoy some time without them. The resort has lots of wonderful features, but the kids club is what made it great for us!

This picture is so cute and also makes me laugh, because anyone that knows me knows how much I loathe sand. The kids came back everyday with shoes and pockets full. And that’s totally okay since they were having fun and I didn't need to see it happening.

Lots of shade to play in.

The pony rides were a huge hit.

The basketball courts were a lot of fun for the kids and hubby. 

The dinner crew. The waiting highchair with clean bib and cup were such a nice touch. I really appreciated not having to think about bringing that stuff with me.

The grounds at Fern Resort are so beautiful it makes for the perfect spot for family pictures.

The gorgeous sunsets from the beach. Is there anything better than sitting by the water and watching the sun set?!

Thank you Fern Resort and Life With A Baby for having us we made some wonderful memories and can’t wait to return! #summeratfern

When I heard that our LWAB training retreat was headed back to Fern Resort I was THRILLED. Last year was our first experience at Fern and my kids had been talking about it ever since. We actually live in Oro-Medonte so it only takes about 15 minutes to get to Fern and that's just the best thing ever when you have 3 kids who all hate being in the car! 

The ease of our trip began with booking, we just let them know of all our family's needs and they had it taken care of when we arrived. Our room had bed rails as requested, we had a booster seat waiting at our table for dinner, right down to already having a sippy cup ready for Lucas - it was perfect! From check-in to check-out we were met with courteous, helpful staff, and every need was met. Can't say enough good things about the service! 

On the Friday of our stay we spent most of our time in the pools. I love that there are multiple swimming areas so you never feel crowded. The water slide was a huge hit, I loved going down multiple times myself! We also checked out the mini-golf, basketball courts, trampolines, and of course Play Village for the kids! Dinner was a special treat because the kids had their meal from the kid's buffet and then we dropped them off at Play Village so that we could go back and have an easy meal with no one hanging off of us, whining, or rushing us! Doesn't happen often! Friday evening I was able to meet up with the other LWAB ladies while my hubby took the kids to a magic show and they LOVED it! 

Saturday was training day for the LWAB Community Managers and I was so impressed with the conference space allotted to us by Fern Resort again this year. The room was comfortable and spacious, the mini fridge was fully stocked with juice and pop and there was a Keurig for all those who wanted fresh coffee. I liked that the conference area was in a quiet area of the building so there were no interruptions but still beside the main building so checking in on the rest of my family was quick and easy and, most importantly, getting to lunch was no problem! 

While I was in training my husband had no problem keeping the kids busy without me. They spent a lot of time in the pool and then he took them to Play Village where they had their faces painted and they even got to ride ponies and go for a motorized jeep ride! The activities are endless at Fern! 

After dinner Saturday night we headed back to the pool for some swimming before getting ready for the evening show. The juggling show was so fun - the kids were completely amazed and paid attention through the whole show. It was so nice to have some family entertainment before bedtime and it made getting everyone to sleep a breeze - they were exhausted after a full day of activities! Sleeping in a hotel room with 3 kids is usually a huge pain and I typically get about 5 minutes of sleep the whole night but there's just so many activities at Fern that by the time everyone's head hit their pillows, they were out for the whole night and momma actually got to sleep too! I'd give a 5 star review just for that to be honest!! 

Sunday morning we decided to fit in a whole bunch of activities - swimming of course and then back to mini-golf, trampolines, and then my 2 older boys got to try fishing for the first time. They had such a great time and the staff have endless patience for the amount of times they have to put new worms on the hooks for the kids (yay for me not having to do that too!). 

I thought we fit so much into our weekend away and then I saw photos of all the fun things that the rest of the LWAB crew had gotten to do and I realized that we hadn't even done half of the activities that were available! And yet we were SO BUSY and loving every minute of it! I really can't wait to go back next year to cross off some more of the activities from their list! Water skiing perhaps? Axe throwing? Our 2019 #summeratFern can't come soon enough!