Experiencing Wilderness Aboard Agawa Canyon Tour Train

We went on a fun one day wilderness rail excursion from 8 am to around 6:30 pm aboard the Agawa Canyon Tour Train. This unique scenic ride carries us 114 miles or 183 km north of Sault Ste. Marie and is open from June to mid October.

Importance of healthy breakfasts for daily life and sports: Recipe for Fruit and Honey Oatmeal breakfast

My four year old son loves to play hockey and other sports, but I haven't yet put him into anything other than preschool programs so he can get a feel for different sports.  I wanted to share the story and tips from Linda Staal, an expert mom of four professional hockey players.  Many hockey families will find this information to be very helpful as they try to make tournament weekends to work smoothly for everyone.

Linda emphasizes that we make time for family meals so we can stay connected i.e. preparing oats in the slow cooker overnight so it is ready for breakfast.  Encouraging our children to have fun and feel good about their accomplishments without judging success by the scoreboard is important, and this is something that we as parents need to take to heart so we can keep our children motivated in everything they do.  Linda suggests that families should pack a hockey survival kit that have snacks like Quaker granola bars and fruits for everyone to snack.  Her children pack their favourite pillows and blankets for long car rides, which is something my family does as well so we feel comfortable.  I agree with Pearle Nerenberg, a sports dietitian's idea of packing a cooler and kettle along with oatmeal packages, dried fruits and nuts when we travel.  These make it convenient for us to make nutritious meals and save money when we are on the road by avoiding fast food and hotel food expenses.

Linda's children started playing hockey since they were four and she found that being organized was very useful so she can manage everyone's schedules.  Like Linda, I too believe that having a healthy sleep and a nutritious breakfast makes a good start for our day.  I think Quaker Oats is one of the healthiest meals we can have to kick start a functional day.  
Linda and her family is committed to being balanced and healthy that they have recently established the Staal Family Foundation to support families in need that want to provide recreational activities for their children.      

A little more about the 130 year old trusted Quaker brand that helps people get the best start to their day.  Quaker brand is focused on the power of whole grain oats to provide a nutritious energy that will help all of us have a productive day.  Quaker products are made with 100% Canadian oats and their major production location is in Peterborough, Ontario.  Quaker brand produces honest and pure products.  Over the years they have pursued unique milling methods that provide wholesome nourishments that are convenient.  Quaker supports ONEXONE and Breakfast for Learning and Food Banks Canada has they believe that every Canadian has the right to access a nutritious breakfast.  The 2010 Health Canada study shows that oat fibres helps us reduce cholesterol, risk factors for heart diseases and have other benefits such as lowering cholesterol.  For example 1/3 cup Quick Quaker Oats or Quaker large flake oats provide 40% of the daily amount of fibre we need.

Here is a healthy Fruit and Honey Oatmeal breakfast idea that serves four, from Quaker.

2 cups oats uncooked
3 1/2 cups water 
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 peach or other fresh fruit

Bring water, dried cranberries, honey and cinnamon to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to medium and add quick oats.  Cook the oats for 1 minute or until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.  Let stand until desired consistency then top with sliced peach or other fresh fruit and serve hot.

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Our Experience at the Espace Pour La Vie Montreal

During our stay in Montreal, we visited the Space for Life. We took the train from the hotel to this space, which was convenient than looking for parking and finding the location. I like that all the four attractions are close by, which makes it convenient to visit the attraction at the same time; especially because we went for a short visit. 

Stepping back to the past, farming, and family adventure in Leamington

During our visit to Leamington we had a few interesting experiences. We stepped back into the past when we visited John R. Park Homestead and Point Pelee National Park. Then we had a family adventure at Colasanti's, and learned all about farming at Lee and Maria's farm walking tour. While we explored the area we enjoyed delicious meals at Freddy's restaurant and Bradt's Butcher Block, and went to Sweet Retreat for ice cream. 

The Little Mermaid and Other Adventures at Disney Junior This September

Disney Junior is full of adventures this September, as they will have many new episodes of programs such as Justin Time, Doc McStuffins, and The Little Mermaid series. They will also be having an awesome contest for a family of four who are fans of The Little Mermaid.

Exploring the Unexplored with the 2017 Ford Edge Titanium

The past Thanksgiving weekend, we went on a Fall excursion three hours west of Toronto to explore Huron County. We drove the comfortable 2017 Ford Edge Titanium to explore the town of Goderich. The vast open farm land on our way there made us feel like we were in the prairies.

Travelling Light with Netflix Download

We enjoy having the option of downloading Netflix shows, and taking it with us when we are on-the-go! It totally helps us pack light when travelling - no need to take along DVDs! The downloaded shows and movies from Netflix certainly came in very handy numerous times during our long road trips this summer.

Exploring the Joys of Winter at the Ottawa Gatineau Winterlude

We had an opportunity to celebrate the joys of winter in Canada's capital region, Ottawa-Gatineau. The annual Winterlude will be happening until February 18th. There are lots of free activities for the entire family! Check the official Winterlude site for details on hours and locations. There were a lot of fun activities to do despite the cold weather.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3, Viva La Fiesta! is releasing on blu-ray combo pack, DVD and Digital on September 18, 2012.  
Everyone's favourite talking Chihuahuas Papi (voice of George Lopez) and Chole (voice of Odette Annable) joined by their five playful pups in a fun filled family comedy.  It's canine chaos as the Cortez family members, humans and dogs move into the posh Langham hotel, which has all the services including a complete luxurious doggy spa.  
The movie brings out the importance of family, friends and teamwork making it lots of fun to watch.

We enjoyed watching the bonus features; "Hanging with Papi," which is a playful look at the typical day on set with Papi.  The English and Spanish versions of the song "Living your dreams" music video was lots of fun. 

We enjoy watching these types of creative Disney movies as it is well thought out and detailed.  Do check out this cute funny movie that will be available on blu-ray combo pack and DVD on the 18th.
Here is a link to the trailer.

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Boredom Busters

Summer days are longer giving us more time to do fun activities. It is also the perfect time to cool off and do hands on activities.

Benefits of Being An Avioner This Holiday

During the holidays, shopping malls can get very hectic, crowded and busy. However, having an Avion RBC card changes the feeling of chaos and makes us feel like "royalty" instead. With the RBC Visa Avion card, we can get our car parked by valet, relax in the VIP lounge away from the crowd and enjoy shortbread cookies and warm beverages, while our gifts get wrapped for free.