Life

The Journey of Motherhood (in GIFs)

Over on my YMC blog this week, I posted a piece called The Journey Of Motherhood. It’s a story told in GIFs (you know, those little looping video snippets?). And I have to tell you, I had a total blast putting it together. Giggled my way through the making of it, in fact. I’m hoping it can bring a similar smile to your face.… Read the rest

Speak up:

comment

| TAGS:

blogging, for fun, GIFs, happiness, humor, laughter, mommyness, motherhood, yummy mummy club

2013 Rewind

Reviewing the highlights of my year has become an annual tradition for me (like many of you), so here goes. When I think back on 2013, this is what stands out for me: My first novel was published! *happy dance* I finished writing my second novel. (And it’s all set for release in June 2014.) I had the privilege of spending another year blogging for Erica Ehm’s fabulous Yummy Mummy Club.… Read the rest

Speak up:

3 comments

| TAGS:

2012, accomplishments, blogging, book deal, chasing dreams, conferences, family, happiness, life, publishing, speaking, travel, writing, year in review, yummy mummy club

Recipe Box: Pimm’s No.1

It’s Easter this weekend and April begins in a matter of days…which means, as far as I’m concerned, we are fully into spring! Now, if you’re having family over for Easter–and especially if you’re going to be slaving in the kitchen cooking a full Easter dinner–you are going to need something to drink, my lovely. So why not take a break from your usual glass of wine and try one of my favorite spring/summer drinks: Pimm’s!… Read the rest

Speak up:

1 comment

| TAGS:

British, cocktails, drinks, for fun, happiness, indulgences, life, recipes, spring, summer

What I Learned When My Husband & Kids Went Out Of Town

My husband took our boys out of town for three days. The main reason, as it happens, was to give me a bunch of time to write–because I am knee-deep in revisions for my sequel. So while they were gone–leaving me alone in my own house for the first time in years–here’s what I did: I wrote, of course. Tons.… Read the rest

Speak up:

9 comments

| TAGS:

chasing dreams, fiction, finding time to write, happiness, life, productivity, publishing, time management, Writers, writing

10 Fabulous Things To Do In Vancouver

I went to Vancouver last weekend (because my little sister had a baby! A story, perhaps, for another time…). But while there, I remembered how much I love Vancouver.  My husband and I were born and raised in Ontario. We decided to move to the West Coast a decade ago, after having lived much of our lives in the “East” of Canada (sidebar: it’s not actually the east of Canada so much as the center–there are several provinces farther east than Ontario–but everyone on the West Coast refers to Toronto as the East.… Read the rest

Speak up:

4 comments

| TAGS:

beaches, cocktails, coffee, golf, mexican food, Shakespeare, shopping, sushi, travel, travel files, Vancouver, west coast

Recipe Box: Homemade Pizza

There is something exquisite about making your own pizza. It’s therapeutic (all the kneading and pulling), it’s tactile (the warm feel of stretchy dough), it’s artistic and creative (choosing toppings and discovering new combinations), and it’s fun (plus a great activity to do with kids). But I gotta say, I get pretty picky about pizza. Ever since my first trip to Italy, years ago, it’s like I don’t even consider the thick, squashy, greasy stuff that comes in a box to be pizza anymore.… Read the rest

Speak up:

2 comments

| TAGS:

food, for fun, happiness, healthy living, indulgences, life, recipes

A Mom’s Quest For “Me Time”

How do moms get “me time”? Is it even a possibility? Or just a faraway dream? This is something I struggle with all. The. Time. I work outside the home, so my days and weeks feel like a constant tug-of-war (internal and external). I literally run from one task to the next. I have an everpresent feeling of guilt, hovering somewhere over my left shoulder.… Read the rest

Speak up:

2 comments

| TAGS:

happiness, indulgences, life, stress, time management, yummy mummy club

2012 Rewind: A Year For The Books

I might be a little late to this, reviewing my year. But the holidays were such a mad frenzy of activity, I find that only now am I able to sit and reflect. And I admit I was going to skip doing a 2012 review post, until I started thinking about what a truly kick-ass year 2012 was. So, better late than never, these were the highlights of 2012 for me: I started running, and ran my first official 5K.… Read the rest

Speak up:

7 comments

| TAGS:

2012, accomplishments, book deal, chasing dreams, family, happiness, life, publishing, writing, year in review, yummy mummy club

My Holiday Playlist

I love music. It’s therapy, medicine, and one of the great pleasures of life. The cool thing about music is there’s so much variety. It’s totally acceptable to have eclectic tastes, and you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy it. The holidays, however, are an interesting time, music-wise. There’s some gorgeous music out there, there’s some overplayed stuff that starts out great and ends up tiresome after you’ve heard it 332 times, and then, of course, there’s the downright tragic.… Read the rest

Speak up:

comment

| TAGS:

Christmas, happiness, holiday, music, playlist, Songza

“I’d rather be one of the kids”

I’ve been having a very difficult time coping with the recent horrendous school shootings in Connecticut. I’ve been feeling stuck, unable to find the words, unable to move forward. Writer’s block has never affected me in the past. To be honest, I have never fully believed in it, as a concept. (Writer’s block? Quite frankly, I don’t have time for that.) And I’m not sure that’s what’s happening right now, but it might be something close.… Read the rest

Speak up:

3 comments

| TAGS:

blogging, life, parenting, Sandy Hook, trauma, writer's block, writing