Gardening 101

Despite taking up the most considerable portion of most properties, yards go criminally underused. Although a sprawling green yard can be nice, mixing it up with plants can be both beautiful and functional. Here are a few gardening tips that every home gardener should know.

Sicilian Food, Raw Food, Soups and Recipe for Classic Tomato Soup

During the past few weeks, I have taken time to look through cookbooks and get inspired to make a variety of food. We checked out three DK books - Raw Food, The Sicily Cookbook, and The Soup Book.

Winter Adventure at Scenic Caves

We had a fantastic time at Scenic Caves doing a variety of fun family friendly winter activities like snowshoeing to the Suspension Bridge, and learning and practicing to Cross-Country ski. Over the years we have learned to embrace winter by learning new sports and activities, so we can look forward to enjoy the long winters. Scenic Caves located in Collingwood, a couple of hours from Toronto, is a wonderful place to try these winter activities. We like that they have different trails giving us the option to choose depending on trail distance and skill. There is still a few more weeks to enjoy these sports before the season comes to an end - see their website for details. 

Importance of CO safety during winter with FirstAlert

Thank you FirstAlert for sponsoring this post. Help ensure your home and family is protected with CO alarms!

Many of us have heard about the tragic carbon monoxide (CO) gas related deaths that happen, especially in winter. This poisonous gas is called the silent killer because it is an invisible, odourless, and tasteless deadly gas, which can be produced by any fuel-burning device. The only way to detect CO in a home is by installing a CO alarm.

A Cozy Winter Camping Experience at Silent Lake Provincial Park

We love camping at Ontario Parks in the summer, which allows us to enjoy the serene outdoors and all the wonderful things we can do in the warm weather - thinking of it makes me miss summer! We have also learned to embrace the beauty of winter; the fresh cool air, soft snow, the beauty of trees covered with white snow, and all the fun activities we can do in the winter from skiing, tobogganing to snowshoeing and more. 

When we travel in winter to enjoy the festive season or to explore winter themed events and activities, we usually stay in hotels. We tried winter camping in one of the roofed accommodations at Ontario Parks, which is truly a lovely way to get close to nature, away from the everyday hustle and bustle. 

Aurora Winter Festival in Toronto

Toronto's Aurora Winter Festival will be happening until January 5th at Ontario Place, West Island. This is a beautiful way to spend the holidays with loved ones!

Shopping for Winter Gear and Holiday Gifts at Sport Chek

Sport Chek is our go-to place to purchase best quality sports gear, clothing for all our indoor and outdoor adventures, and everything related to fitness and training. Here are our picks from Sport Chek for this winter - these items would also make functional gifts for loved ones! 

Festive Season in Stratford, Ontario

We love the festive season because it is not only a time for families and friends to gather in celebration of the end of a year, but also a time to admire the coziness, beauty, and magical time of winter. Just in time for the holiday season, we spent a weekend at The River Merchant Inn located in Stratford, Ontario to enjoy the Holiday Light displays, Outdoor Christmas Market, Santa’s Parade of Lights, and to go on the Christmas and Chocolate Trails.

A day well spent in Windsor-Essex - Adventure and Relaxation

During our recent travels to Windsor-Essex, we took a trip to Peche Island and then enjoyed lunch at Healthy Mama before heading to the Adventure Bay Waterpark and checking in at Holiday Inn Express Windsor Waterfront. We ended our evening with a delicious meal at Paramount Windsor and strolled by the waterfront to watch the sunset over the Detroit river. 

Win 1 of 2 family passes to the Museum of Illusions

We visited the Museum of Illusions for the first time last winter, and enjoyed our recent visit as well. It is fun for everyone in the family to enter the world of illusions and think critically and logically about what our eyes are seeing which our minds will have trouble believing.

Game Nights with Hasbro and Giveaway

We love Game Nights. It is the best way to pass time and connect with family and friends especially during cold evenings of winter or long days in the summer. We were very excited to unbox some new Hasbro games like the Peeping Pup, Monopoly, Jenga, Scrabble, and Tiny Pong (Tiny Pong will be available in the market in June).

Winter Driving in the 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature

The 2018 Mazda CX-5 had an exceptional design which made it one of the most successful models in its lineup. With the introduction of the 2019 CX-5 series, Mazda has taken this model to the next level by adding a Signature top-tier trim level and giving it a power-up by introducing a turbocharged SKYACTIV-G 2.5T engine similar to its big brother the CX-9.

Beauty of Canadian Wildlife in Winter at Parc Omega

Once you discover the fun at Parc Omega, you will want to visit every season and multiple times too, as it is very exciting for the entire family. Since the first time we stayed over and explored Parc Omega, we visited it again in the summer, and promised ourselves to check its beauty in winter.

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.

Win a Blu-ray copy of Dr. Seuss' The Grinch

Dr. Seuss' The Grinch from Illumination and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will be available on Digital January 22, 2019, and on 4K Ultra HD, 3D Blu-ray™, Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on February 5, 2019. This film based on Dr. Seuss' beloved tale about a cynical grouch who goes on a mission to steal Christmas from others only to feel his own heart grow three sizes larger through unexpected friendships is a movie everyone in the family will enjoy.

Learning about Wendat and Jesuits at Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons

This summer when we visited Wendake in Quebec, we learned about the Huron Wendat people and how their lifestyle and lives changed after making contact with the French Jesuits in the 1600s. Our curiosity led us to Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons in Ontario.

Driving the stylish 2018 Mazda CX-9

We recently got to drive and discover the features of the 2018 Mazda CX-9. The CX-9 is positioned as a Mid-range SUV that has style and does the heavy lifting. We recently packed the CX-9 for a road trip and got to experience most of everything it had to offer.

Always thinking of the next fun thing to do at Fern Resort #OntariosAllinclusive

While at Fern Resort, the only thing we thought of was vacationing! The mood is all set from the time you walk into the resort till the time you check-out. This resort is all inclusive, so all the meals and activities are taken care of. This made my husband and I feel at ease since we didn't need to worry about the meals, and were able to participate in the activities we wanted to, and children were able to do activities they wanted to. 

Learning and Valuing First Nations Culture in Wendake, Québec

By visiting the Huron Traditional Site in Wendake, Québec we were able to gain valuable knowledge about the First Nations culture and lifestyle of the past and present.

Learning about Mi'kmaq First Nations and Acadians in Miramichi, New Brunswick

In our road trip from Ontario through Outaouais and Drummondville to Edmundston, we went to Red Bank, New Brunswick and learned about the Mi'kmaq people of Metepenagiag before heading to Miramichi.