Global Blog

Garage Sale Safety

2012-05-28T17:14:11Z

During the summer months, garage sales pop up like dandelions. Whether you consider them a bargain hunter's dream or eyesore, garage sales can be a great place to furnish your home with treasures at a fraction of the new retail price. However, parents should be smart consumers when it comes to buying children's products at garage sales. Getting a $10 retro bar stool is a steal; saving $50 on an infant seat is a major risk.

Children's products are hot sellers at garage sales - but are they safe? Some products commonly found at these roadside mini-markets don't meet current safety regulations or may not even be in working order. Baby gates, walkers, cribs, cradles, playpens, car seats and booster seats, strollers, walkers, toys and even children's sleepwear are all products regulated by Canada's Hazardous Products Act.

If you're thinking of selling any of the above items at a garage sale, you may want to think twice. On their website, http://www.safety-council.org, the Canada Safety Council warns that The Hazardous Products Act provides for steep fines and prison sentences for individuals or companies if someone is injured due to a product you sold to caught selling items that failed to meet safety standards you can be held responsible them.

So you're smart enough to avoid the potentially dangerous children's items. There are still going to be great ways to save by garage sale shopping.
•    Go out every weekend.
•    The early bird gets the worm. If a sign says the sale runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, go on Friday. The best stuff always goes first.
•    Look for signs that specifically mention baby gear, or multi-family sales.
•    Check out sales in neighbourhoods with many new families.
•    Bargain! The people running the garage sale expect to sell the item for less than the marked price. Buying $25 worth of stuff? Offer them $18 for the lot, and you'll get it for $20.
•    Carry small bills for better bargaining. It's embarrassing to offer $16 for $20 worth of stuff and then pay with a $20!
•    Bring your own screwdriver and batteries. Keep a container in your car with at least 6 batteries of AA, AAA, D, and C for testing any items that require batteries. A classic garage sale selling tactic is to tell a buyer the item works, but they took the batteries out to sell it, when they know very well the battery compartment is damaged by corrosion and there's no chance of the item ever working again.
•    Bring your own bags or a cardboard box or two - sellers often forget to have these handy.
•    If you're considering an item, pick it up while you continue to shop or think about the purchase. You may turn around for it and it's in someone else's paws.
•    Take a friend for company (and a second opinion)!

If you don't have the time or inclination to shop at garage sales, check with the community centres. Often they'll have an annual or spring and fall kids' stuff sale, which is essentially one huge garage sale.

Sarah Deveau is a mom of three, and the author of Money Smart Mom: Financially Fit Parenting. Visit her website at www.moneysmartmom.ca or pick up her book from Chapters Indigo.

Money Trap - Stay-at-Home Blahs

2012-05-28T16:38:50Z

When you're pregnant, you're probably looking forward to escaping the rat race, and are imagining dreamy days lounging in bed with your cherubic new baby. No more scraping ice off the car windows before dawn, no more dressing up in pantyhose and suits, and no more struggling over whether or not to bring a lunch you know you won't eat because you invariably give in and go out for lunch with coworkers. While I'll admit that there were a few days that I didn't get out of my pajamas until I heard my husband's key in the door, more often than not I was up and raring to go, to get out of the house, to do something.

My husband thought he had a few years to go before he heard the first whiny "I'm bored" - he definitely didn't expect it to come so soon and from me. It seemed I just needed more stimulation than a babbling baby could provide. I desperately needed to connect with other moms, but I couldn't afford to sign up for the many mom and tot classes available.

Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or dad, finding things to do that don't break your budget can be tough. It can also be hard to find new people to connect with, people that are also home during the day and have children your own children would like to play with.

Striking up a conversation with a stranger just because they have a baby with them isn't something everyone is comfortable initiating. Instead, turn to the Internet. People find the love of their life on the Internet - so why not find a friend for life? A local online community can provide a place for stay-at-home parents to get together both online and off.

On my first maternity leave, I assumed the only playgroups around were the ones that cost a lot of money in fees. However, I've since discovered that free or inexpensive community playgroups are abundant in most cities. Some of these groups are run by local health regions or family services offices, or simply are collectives of moms, requiring volunteering commitment rather than registration fees. Websites such as www.canadianparents.ca offer listings of mom and baby playgroups. You can join a group in your neighbourhood or start your own and find members through the website.

Many parents don't join a playgroup because they're unsure of what kinds of other people they'll encounter. You'll definitely find difference in groups. At one playgroup, the silence might be deafening - no one is really interested in getting to know the others. In another group, the chatter might be deafening, and regular playgroups can evolve into evening dinners, walks in the park, or nights out on the town, leaving the kids with a shared babysitter.

After Sera had her first son, Matthew, she found mom groups to be very supportive. "I was so overwhelmed with how my life changed after the birth of my son, and it was a huge comfort to meet with women who could relate to my situation." Now with three boys, Sera has different interests. "If anything, I crave the company of my childless friends where we hang out and not talk about kids the whole time!" she laughs. She recommends leaving the baby with Dad to reconnect with your girlfriends. "You come back with a renewed energy, ready to tackle the challenges of motherhood," she says.

Building a good circle of friends who have children the same age as yours is important for your children to learn socialization skills, and for you to keep yours brushed up!

Sarah Deveau is a mom of three, and the author of Money Smart Mom: Financially Fit Parenting. Visit her website at www.moneysmartmom.ca or pick up her book from Chapters Indigo.

I Can See Clearly Now.

2012-05-16T22:04:09Z

If there is one thing I would be devastated to lose it would be my sight. But, considering this, it is probably the one aspect of my health I pay the least attention to. My daughter wears glasses so she has regular vision check ups but my husband and I don't. Why? For some reason it is down on the priority list but after spending a week with CNIB's eye disease simulators it has made its way up to the top.

  As we age our eyes, just like the rest of our bodies, are at greater risk. The thought of being unable to see, for me, is up there with my greatest fears so being educated on the risks and having regular check ups is key. This past week I had the opportunity to wear glasses provided by CNIB that gave me a sense of what life might be like with one of the 4 leading eye diseases.

  Here is a sense of what the world might look like if we don't take the time to make vision a priority:

This is what I might look like if you had cataracts.

2.5 million Canadians have cataracts! Cataracts can be identified easily during a regular eye check-up and removed through a simple surgical procedure. No need to suffer with increasingly blurry vision.

This is what I might look like if you had age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD affects 1 million Canadians and is the leading cause of vision loss. It is a progressive disease that affects your central vision and vision lost through AMD can not be restored. However, there are treatments to prevent it from getting worse so the sooner AMD is diagnosed the better. Another great reason to have regular eye exams!

This is what I might look like if you had glaucoma.

Pretty scary stuff. There are 250,000 Canadians with glaucoma but only 125,000 are aware they have it. It is the second most common cause of vision loss in seniors in Canada. Glaucoma is painless and has no symptoms. There is no cure for glaucoma but it can be treated if detected early.

This is what I might look like if you had Diabetic Retinopathy.

Can you imagine?! Diabetic Retinopathy affects 500,000 Canadians. Everyone with diabetes is at risk of developing DR, but people with type 1 diabetes are more likely to experience vision loss sooner than those with type 2 diabetes. Lost vision from DR cannot be restored, but there are a number of treatment options.

I know, it is a harsh reality but it certainly got me motivated. Not only am I booking appointments for myself and my husband but I am going to check in with my dad to make sure he is having regular eye exams. These disease can be treated and in some cases vision can be restored but early diagnosis and intervention are key.

Do you, like me, put regular vision check ups at the bottom of your list?

Do you want to see what your world might look like with one of these eye conditions? There's an app for that! Download CNIB's iSimulator today for free on iTunes!

For more information or to locate an optometrist near you, visit www.eyesareforlife.ca

This post is sponsored by the CNIB. May is Vision Health Month, and CNIB is challenging Canadians to take action to maintain their vision health so that we can eliminate avoidable sight loss in Canada.

Don't give him your last bite of yogurt and other advice.....

2012-05-16T22:00:41Z

While hanging out with Anastasia and Roman I was surprised to see how quicky toddler gender roles emerge. Anastasia is just over two and Roman just under two so she is a little older which may account for some of her desire to be a care giver but I sense that it's partly because she is a little girl. I remember my mom telling me that she was taking Womyn's Courses in University when I was a little and very purposefully gave me the opportunity to choose either trucks or barbies. The only thing I used trucks for was to make beds for my babies.

For Anastasia nurturing instinct kicked in shortly after our arrival. She wanted to feed Roman, dress him, diaper him and brush his teeth. Roman was sometimes happy to add to his harem but other times wanted his space and no help from his lady friend.

Roman was not always a gentleman in return. He sometimes pulled her beautiful ringlets, pushed her down the slide, refused to hold her hand and took her toys away. Who knew, my sweet boy could be a bit of a brute. He wasn't a thug all the time and often it was all kisses and giggles, swapping toothbrushes, bubble bath fun and walking hand in hand.

When he did not treat her well and I would remove him from her or scold him for being rough and then she would act as though it was her being punished. She would rub his back or put her finger up and shake it at me clearly defending her little man. Now, I was getting concerned that this relationship was becoming abusive. He grabs her hair and she comes back, he pushes her, she waits for him to come back again, I scold him and she soothes him.

I found myself saying things to Anastasia that I and perhaps many women need to hear.

"If a boy is not being nice to you then you should stop playing with him until he chooses to place nicely"

So simple yet so difficult to do when you are in love with a bad boy. Walk away sister, walk away.

"He doesn't want to hold your hand right now Sweetie. He just wants a little time to himself then he will be ready to hold your hand again"

If only I had known as a toddler that men need their space and you cannot force them to keep holding your hand if they don't want to anymore even if you are as cute as princess Anastasia.

"Don't give him your last bite of yogurt. He has his own tub, and his own spoon, you don't need to feed him and you should save a little for yourself"

Well that's a mouthful for all of us!

I thought to truly love you must be willing to give every last ounce but as it turns out that just leaves you yogurt-less.

It seems Anastasia will be a fellow hopeless romantic, it takes one to know one. Fated to spend a lifetime seeking out that boy that never wants to let go of your hand, plays nicely and shares his yogurt.

From My Closet - May 16th, 2012

2012-05-16T21:30:00Z

It's been a busy week so far, so these oversized sunglasses are completely necessary. When they're THIS big, they can conceal a multitude of sins. I'm exhausted. But? I look fabulous. I am soooooo #winning.

And to add to the "cartoonish" nature of this outfit, I picked up this lightweight knit sweater - the wide black and cream stripes make it feel bold (man, I love me some stripes...) and I echoed the banding in the height of the cuff on my jeans. These cherry red ballet flats still lend a pop of colour... I carried a silver bag all day. I could have worn one of those silk flowers I'm so fond of (pink, I think!) but I was basically to lazy to go aaaaaall the way over to the drawer to get one.

Did I mention that I'm tired? I was part of a conference on social media "The State of Now" #140confMTL. I helped emcee a little bit. Thirty-eight speakers, I believe... gleaned lots of interesting information, heard some brilliant talks, and met a bunch of amazing people. My head is still taking everything in though. And, I haven't been to bed until the wee hours for two nights in a row.

And? I have another soiree tonight... thank goodness for the glasses.

black massive sunnies - Forever 21, $5 (I also bought them in tortoiseshell)
black and cream striped sweater - Forever 21, $17.80
brown leather belt - Gap (ancient)
jeans - Garage (ancient)
cherry red ballet flats, Jessica Simpson - Winners (ancient)

]]>

Grownup Time: Olive Kitteridge

2012-05-16T20:02:43Z

Back to Book Club! The past couple of months, life got in the way, but I very happily got to spend time with my favourite bunch of readers this month to talk about out selection, Olive Kitteridge, chosen by Lisa. It was a small crew this month, but even the usually-hates-everything member was into this one. Woah. There is plenty to chew on in this book, that's for sure, so it's a good one for a group, if you have a book club, too, or just want some heartier fare.

Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth Strout
Random House
978 0 8129 7183 5

This novel is composed of a series of short stories about people who share their lives with the main character, Olive, in one way or another. Nearly all of the stories take place in the small town of Crosby, Maine, and many of them centre around loneliness, loss, and betrayals large and small. It's not a chipper book, and the ending had me positively in tears, but it is extremely strong on writing and evoking emotion and the small details that make people.

To be honest, I found it a bit tough to get fully immersed at the start for the simple reason that I really don't love the main character, and not being invested in what happens to her is hard for me as a reader. She starts out very unsympathetic, but the interesting thing is that as each story passes, as she gets older and you see more facets of her, she becomes someone you can at least feel for, even though I never did get to a point of liking her. By the end, her confusion and loneliness is palpable and truly saddening, and it even leads her to start letting go of the anger and stubbornness that has been her hallmark until that point.

It's certainly a book that makes you think - think about your assumptions about life and the future and people around you. It is also a book that contains moments of emotion and situations that are sure to resonate with anyone here and there, even if the whole does not, for the author is so very skilled at making those things true to life and recognizable in the everyday. This really was a very worthwhile read.

Are You GREEN ENOUGH?

2012-05-16T17:19:03Z

Ok, I couldn't help but ride on that bandwagon...(a la Time Magazine Cover) I know, don't go there. But let's switch the topic NOW.

So, are you GREEN ENOUGH? I've admitted in my previous post that I am most certainly GREEN to all this green stuff. I'm not the image of a granola crunching, negative heel wearing, tree-hugging mamma who is in-tune with my chakras...and I'm not dissing any of you who are! Trust me, because you're already ahead of me in soooo many ways!

It all started with an interesting question, "what are the ingredients on your cleaning products?" And me, startled to find NONE...and none that I would understand anyway! We can all imagine the list of 20 ingredients with just as many letters in each word, right?

Well, SHUT. THE. DOOR!

Have you noticed?

They aren't there, sista!

Now, do we as consumers care? Do we live in a society that generally accepts and trusts what is put on the shelves in our stores? I don't know about you, but I've always believed that everything is rigourously tested and absolutely safe for us. Yes, there is testing but to what levels? Is good enough, really good enough?

And what do all those labels mean? 100% natural, green, earth friendly? I think we're all interested in being more health conscious and eco-friendly but some of us just simply trust what's out there. It's all good right? Buzz... Not necessarily. Call it GREEN WASHING, if you will. We are constantly bombarded with "green labels" but realistically not all green is equal. And how do they justify the labels anyway?

It's truly up to us to do the research and make our own choices. This time, I'm really listening. It's in my nature to trust..until something goes wrong. Well, apparently the "wrong" is right under my nose and knocking on the door...no, wait...it's gone past the door. Ugh!

I just returned from a luncheon with TV Broadcaster and best selling Author, Gill Deacon who not only has done extensive research on the chemicals we are exposed to in our everyday lives but she is also a breast cancer survivor. Talk about a wake up call!

Gill hosted an intimate lunch & learn on behalf of Seventh Generation - a national brand of household and personal care products for health and the environment. She stated very simply "our bodies are like buckets...we can only handle so many drops".

Did you know that the average North American woman uses at least a dozen chemical products before even leaving the door in the morning....let me count...yep.

What goes ON our bodies go IN as well. From lipstick to moisturizers to laundry detergent we are giving our bodies a real cocktail of chemicals. BUT what will it take to change? Ok, some people say they don't really give a hoot about the future of the environment (they think someone else is going to figure it all out)...but remember, what goes around comes around. The chemicals you may not care about go into the oceans and lakes then eventually comes back to us.

Gill says "It's really about long term, cumulative effect that we should be paying attention to."

So, to answer that question of "Are you green enough?" I KNOW I am not. But I also don't feel judged. I know it's a choice. I am going to take some steps to minimize exposure to everyday toxins. It's hard to break from tradition but little steps, right?

Seventh Generation voluntarily lists ALL their ingredients on their labels. Their representatives also tells me that their testing exceeds that national standards. And if you're wondering about those labels? (100% natural, green, etc). They don't use them. They've researched and found that consumers don't really understand the labels and get confused. The ingredients speak for themselves. The company is also good about answering any questions consumers have.

For more information and where to find Seventh Generation products please visit their website at seventhgeneration.com

BTW..I couldn't help but to notice the healthy glowing skin on Gill Deacon and on the Seventh Generation Representative at this event. Seriously! I've got Gill's book on my must read list! There's Lead in Your Lipstick: Toxins in Everyday Bodycare and How to Avoid Them (Penguin 2011)

Missing Out!

2012-05-16T17:02:34Z

There are a few issues about being a single parent that suck.

a. You alone clean up all the barf, regurgitated food and poop.

b. You can't run out to the store at 9pm when you realize you don't have any milk.

c. You can't trade off early morning wake-ups on the weekend.

d. You can't drive a babysitter home at the end of the night.

I always thought that was about it until I hit the mailbox tonight. In it was a postcard to Will from his new Junior Kindergarten class. It said "HI WILL! We can't wait to meet you and your mom on Wednesday at our Open House. You'll meet your new teachers and see your new class!"

My heart sunk. I can't go to JK Orientation. We have an event at work that is too important to miss. But all of a sudden, this seems more important. But my hands are tied. I can't go. My awesome friend Susannah is going to take him with her daughter who is also starting. But it sucks.

So lets add -

e. There's no trading off on functions that you can't attend.

And although right now, he's young enough to not give a rats ass, as he gets older, I'm quite sure he'll notice it. But listen...I'll make it to his freaking university graduation. I promise!

a few things before you go- notes to my daughter (part two)

2012-05-16T14:49:35Z

Just last week you went to your PROM. I could feel the tension leading up to it.You could slice it with a knife. And I know you were at odds with that tension.You knew instinctively that to over plan, over discuss and over analyze is a curse of women everywhere. You knew that some people behaved well in the planning and some did not.

I loved when you sat on my bed the next day and told me your stories. You came to these conclusions on your own but they are worth repeating-

Life is not made up of ceremonies and formal gowns and extra makeup and glam shots. It is made up of glances, and that touch that made a difference, and doing your best and every single beautiful, difficult day. Not one night.

Your date is not all important. He is a companion, maybe a friend. He might be nervous and shy. He might not be kind. He might leave with your best friend, or worse kiss her passionately in front of you and everyone you know. He is human and so are you. Just because the night is magical doesn't mean he is.

Your dress is lovely. You spotted it first. You tried it on and it was perfect but you did not trust your gut. You needed 8 more hours of shopping to come back to that first dress. Your gut was good but you needed proof. Sometimes love is this way.

To see a girl in a fabulous floor length dress with knockout hair speak and move as though she is in jeans and a tshirt and bare feet is always a beautiful thing. That was you that night. I was in awe.

When you said to me "thank you, mommy" the next day because it was a really expensive night- you amazed me. Please know I loved making it happen for you. Please know saying thank you made a difference to me.

When a friend drinks too much remember she/he is human. Sometimes that person striving to be perfect all week can't take it anymore. Somtimes they are drinking because they are in pain. Sometimes they are drinking because they dont like themselves and sometimes they are drinking because it feels good and they think more will make them feel great. More is often followed by you holding their hair while they barf.

The next day I had to laugh as you texted me at 6:20 am to say you were at the sleepover with 8 of your friends having fun. I had just gotten your sister up to go down to the water for rowing.

Life. One is just coming in and the other is just going out.

Make the Long Weekend...Our Finest!

2012-05-16T03:00:01Z

Have you got plans for the long weekend? Do they include hosting a BBQ? Be sure to include a stop at Walmart for your party preparation.

Walmart's new Our Finest BBQ collection aims to prove that Canadians can throw a great party, without the headache of a large price tag. There are nearly 50 products, all $10 or less exclusively at Walmart stores across the country.

I recently attended the collection's launch, and taste tested almost all 50 products (the things I do for Urbanmoms readers!) and I'm here to recommend some of my favourites.

Start off with the Mandarin Orange Flavoured Green Tea. It's a non-carbonated beverage with a delicious combination. Serve it virgin for the drivers, and add a splash of vodka for those who'd like to indulge. (4 cans for $2.97)

Feel free to offer your guests delicious Lean Angus Sliders or Homerun Original Frankfurters (no fillers added), but in my books nothing says backyard BBQ like Original Bold BBQ Pork Back Ribs. I love the simplicity of these pre-slowcooked, fall-off-the-bone tender ribs basted with Our Finest Original Bold BBQ sauce. Throw them on the grill for 15 minutes and your guests will think you've been slaving over the meal all day. (680g for $10)

On the side why not serve up some Thick cut Sweet Chili & Sour Cream Potato Chips. With a spicy bite of chilies and a tangy sweetness of sour cream, these pack a flavourful punch. (220g for $1.77)

Finish off with that summer staple, ice cream. Our Finest has a variety of flavours, but the Peanut Butter Burst (with premium peanut butter ice cream, embedded with peanut butter chocolate cups) is one of the most delicious concoctions I've tasted in a while. (1.5 L for $5.67)

So if you're gathering with family and friends this weekend, treat them (and yourself) to some Our Finest BBQ treats. You'll love the convenience and price, and your guests will love the taste!

Cheesy Quotes are Us

2012-05-16T01:34:47Z

It's happened. I've become a cheesy quote poster.

My cynicism used to astound all around me. Now, I do this:

and this,

The thing is - I believe it. Or, I want to believe it, so I let go of cynicism and doubt and just go with it. Look out Stuart Smalley, here I come.

And here is a cat...

Just kidding, there is no cat and all of the above is true. :)

Theatre As A Teaching Tool

2012-05-16T01:10:50Z

"It was awesome!"

That was the response from my friend's 11-year-old daughter coming out of Dancap's production of West Side Story, now playing in Toronto.

I'd debated bringing my 9-year-old daughter with me to opening night. Yes, the songs in this modern adaptation of Romeo & Juliet are phenomenal; it's a bright, energetic production with enthusiastic choreography and some powerful performances. But it's also dark and violent, with some very serious issues and themes.

And it got me thinking about what a great teaching opportunity theatre can be.

The week before, my daughter and I had watched South Pacific. When we talked about it after, I asked her if she knew why Lt. Cable couldn't marry Liat and why Nellie had so much trouble with the Frenchman.

"I don't know, " she replied. "I didn't really get it."

"Well, it's because both Lt. Cable and Nellie had problems with racism."

"Racism? What does that mean?"

"You don't know that word?"

She shook her head.

"It's when someone doesn't like another person because of the colour of their skin or the way they talk or where they come from or how they pray."

"That's ridiculous! Why would they do that?"

In that moment, I knew I was doing something really right as a parent.

"Because people fear anything different. They're scared of what they don't understand."

So we went back and re-watched one of the most powerful and poignant songs in the musical theatre, "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught".

That movie proved to be a springboard for an intense and engaged discussion. As it turns out, the

graduating class at her school were putting on their own version of West Side Story. It was interesting to see what they cut and what they kept. Production numbers like "Gee, Officer Krupke" were gone, but the racial tensions between the Sharks and The Jets remained in tact.

Sometimes, when there's a difficult topic to address, a show can be the easiest way to do it. Theatre really does cover just about everything. Now, if only they'd made a musical of Are You There God, It's Me Margaret...

West Side Story is on stage in Toronto till June 3^rd.

Hot for the Toronto Zoo

2012-05-15T23:09:30Z

Being one of the few people that are actually from Toronto, I find certain local attractions comforting because of a familiarity acquired during my own journey from childhood to adult (debatable). St. Lawrence Market, the Ex, the Beach, all are places I visit quite regularly and have since moving here from Newmarket when I was 4 months old - ok, not born in Toronto , but let's just say the Newmarket influence quickly fell away during my infancy, (although I still get cravings for Kelsey's wings and Glass Tiger songs).

Another locale of great familiarity is the Toronto Zoo, which I was lucky enough to attend with my family on Saturday on a blogger junket. Growing up, from the time it opened in 1974, we went to the Zoo at least once a year. We used to take the long trip by TTC bus, getting a real thrill going all the way to Kennedy station, the former last stop on the eastern line. We would eat crunchy apples and look out the window, giddy with excitement as suburbs morphed into the Rouge River Park where the Zoo is located about 30 kms east of the actual city of Toronto (I guess Pickering Zoo just didn't cut it).

During my teenage years and into my twenties, the visits to the zoo became more fleeting. I had chicks to fall secretly in love with and booze to steal from my parents. But occasionally, a trip to the zoo was thrown out by my diabolic group of friends and we took the trip as a gag and ended up having a blast. We would laugh at the poo throwing orangutans and crack wise about the size of certain elephantic appendages. We were young, dumb and had a lot of fun.

With Hud and Tasman in the mix, the trip to the Zoo became more frequent. We even became members three summers ago as the boys were 6 and 3, perfectly manageable ages for multiple zoo visits. Last Saturday, during our brief information session, zoo membership was pitched by our lovely host Cheryl and beyond the considerable savings a membership includes, one benefit she mentioned resonated because we remember it as a true bonus when we were members.

Let's face it, the Toronto Zoo is a big place with lots to see. Membership allows you to do the ol' in and out. Spend 90 minutes there instead of the entire day. Add going to the Zoo to the daily list of things to do on a weekend instead of the only thing to do on a weekend.  

There were many meltdowns happening on Saturday. There is no mistaking the cacophonic shriek of a child freaking out because their ice cream dropped to the concrete or a camel gave them the stink eye. I think this happens because the day can be exhaustive and the obligation to see everything can be overwhelming. This is unavoidable if you are the selection of the 1.3 million total visitors per year that are from out of town where membership doesn't make sense. But to us, being local, that option of the Toronto Zoo pop-in was always something that we appreciated.

So what the hell did we see while we are the zoo? There was no poo throwing (disappointing to the boys. All of the boys) but there was some stingray and shark petting:

Very cool.

Some smarmy posing with a wonderfully named baby polar bear (his name is Hudson too!)

Very cute.

There was an incredible behind the scenes tour where we saw Vishnu, a male rhinoceros up close and found out some interesting facts about this remarkable beast.

He weighs about 2 tons, he eats primarily hay (with carrots and apples as a treat) and he is only allowed to spend time in the same pen with his female counterpart for three days a month, only when she is heat, so hopefully they get it on. All other times they remain separate because Vishnu annoys the female rhino too much.

Hmmm a three day sex window and the male is too annoying to stand at other times - this low hanging joke fruit sure is tasty.

Speaking of sex, there was a certain amount of spring fever going on.

Turtles!

Giraffes!

So awesome and thankfully my youngest thought they were just wrestling. Hudson, through muffled giggles, found it fascinating. Stephanie stood nowhere near me because watching two giraffes try and hump is a pretty awesome spectacle. And when it comes to embarrassing her in public, this was gold Jerry, gold!

To summarize this lengthy post, we had an fantastic visit at the Toronto Zoo. For a non-profit organization, they do a great job balancing the fun part, which draws in the crowds (and pays the bills), and the animal conservation and education efforts very well. There are also 372 volunteers who, through their love of animals and people, dedicate their time to this Toronto institution.

It's a place I sincerely hope I take my grandkids one day.

And not just to see the giraffes get it on.

Bachelorette Round Up - Week #1 - Bringing the Cray Cray..

2012-05-15T22:15:49Z

And so it begins. After the last few disastrously dull seasons of the Bachelor and Bachelorette, I half assed tuned into the premiere of Season 8 of the Bachelorette side...AND I'm hooked. UGH. But watch this ... and you might be as well!

She SWEARS. Thank God! I thought she would just be this boring southern belle. But she seems to make out with a handful of them and she's got some 'tude.

So last night, we met the bachelors. And as always, there were some doozies! One dude brought an ostrich egg (you know to nurture like their relationship); one brought a glass slipper because she's such a princess; and one guy outplayed them all. He brought a letter that his kid had written her. (as I said on Twitter last night - well played young man. Golf claps for you). Of course he got the first impression rose. Please!

Please join me for the next couple months of torture together. We can guess away as to who she will pick and ultimately dump before the Final Rose!

Here are my early faves...

1. Doug - the single dad

Why? He's hot and seemingly sensitive. And she wants to meet his kid now so he'll make it to the hometown dates.

2. Arie - the Race Car Driver

Why? He's slightly adorable AND he's a race car driver. Even though she lost her baby daddy in the racing world - she still loves it. I said he's adorable right?

3. Kalon - the Luxury Brand something or other

Why? Because he's a dickhead. And really - don't we always end up going for the dicks? Oh and he's in luxury brands. Emily likes her shoes. This is win-win!

4. Sean - Insurance/Football

Why? I have NO idea. He just seems cute, a southern guy and I thought there was a bit in the preview of them making out. He's my outside shot at this.

Okay guys. Will you join me in my demolition of more brain cells? Please? Give me your top four and we can review as we go along. But - if any of you include that guy with the green shirt....we're fighting!

The Trifecta

2012-05-15T20:24:19Z

I would have had more kids if I were better at it, the whole "being patient and selfless" thing. The fact of the matter is, our girls push me to the brink more often than I'd like, and I wish I could take it more in stride. I let the tantrums really get me down, the incessant messes bog my soul, the relentless responsibility and their resistance to boundaries grates at my core.

Just before he had his vasectomy, I asked my husband if he would be willing to have more kids if I didn't find them so tough to raise and he said yes. If I loved every minute of it, like some moms seem to, and if I thrived in the day-to-day motions of making these wily little individuals fit for society at large, I think I too would have loved the idea of a larger family.

Alas. Our girls are tough little nuggets of iron wills and balled-up fists and nothing has simultaneously humbled me and made me so proud as they have.

Three is enough. It's just right for us. (Besides, I don't think you could cram a fourth in the tractor.)

Did the number of kids you ended up with match your original hopes? Did you end up having more or less than you dreamt of?