In light of the fact that not all households are as football crazy as my own, and that not all readers are as savvy about the pigskin, I offer you all a little primer for this Sunday's big event. Tucked in between the Grammys, the Oscars and various other celebrity tearfests and fashion shows is one of the biggest shows on the man-calendar, the Super Bowl!This year's event is taking place in south Florida and is the 44th edition of this American classic (or Super Bowl XLIV for you Latin fans!). The competing teams are the New Orleans Saints and... More »

First of all, thank you to all for your helpful comments on how to stay better organized in 2010. I've tracked down Happeez products which stick to my stainless steel fridge. Not only do they make my fridge look a little friendlier, but I've been transferring all of our week's activities to a weekly organizer each Sunday evening. Now every morning the kids can check the calendar to see what's on, and ensure that they've got the right equipment/homework assignments/forms in their knapsack. I am very pleased to report that mornings are a little calmer and I'm making it to... More »

My kids tend to get chapped red cheeks and lips around this time of year. I blame the same Irish genes that make me crave potatoes and love beer. Over the past ten years I've been to dermatologists, tried expensive creams, cheap fixes, homemade solutions, humidifiers and everything else. Unfortunately, my then two-year old son said it best when I implored him not to lick his lips. He replied, "but I dike to dick my dips" (he has overcome the speech impediment, but still licks his lips around this time of year).This season my kids are trying a new product... More »

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSEDI made a couple of fairly simple new year's resolutions this year; the first is to try harder to make it to my bus on time in the morning. The second is not to sweat it if I don't. I've been pretty successful at the second resolution, but much less successful at the first. Getting myself and my three kids out the door by 8:00 am (a full hour after my husband has left) can feel like the ultimate Survivor challenge. When I've finally taken care of figuring out whether they need and have their lunches, homework,... More »

So does your new year's resolution involve hitting the gym, the treadmill or the streets? Are you looking for a quick snack that will give you a hit of energy to tide you over until your next meal? It might be time to check out Larabars.My husband and I have been fans of these snack bars made out of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices for a while. They're a staple purchase on any trip to Costco, and we tend to battle to get to our favourite flavours first (more on that later). I like to eat one late morning if... More »

My son Liam loves to make movies with his friends. On a playdate they will ask to borrow my camera and start shooting some (usually ridiculous) storyline (that often ends in a massive wrestling scene).That's Liam on the left shooting his brother skating at the ACC last month. Putting him in charge of the video shoot served two purposes; it enabled me to take still photos, and enabled Liam to forget how much he would have liked to have been the one skating at the ACC!! The bonus was that Liam got some great video of his brother racing... More »

Well, we're well into December and into the official Holiday Party Season! Katie has given us all some great style suggestions, but have you considered what goes under your best party frocks to keep you feeling your best? I'm not talking lingerie, I'm talking deodorant. A girl only feels as good as she smells, and while the little black dress is a girl's best friend, visible deodorant marks are not. I bought myself a gorgeous black silk shell  at the beginning of the season, but the first time I wore it I got the tell-tale white powder marks under the... More »

It wasn't until I read about it in one of my favourite online periodicals People that I identified "semi-homemade" as a trend. However, if it's good enough for Saint Angelina, than it's good enough for the rest of us urbanmoms! If you're too lazy to click through, it turns out that for the twins' first birthday party, Angelina Jolie used a semi-homemade recipe by buying a baker sheet cake and decorating it herself. Semi-homemade allows us to feel like domestic divas without spending hours in the kitchen, and it's just the trend I'm looking for as we head into holiday entertaining.For... More »

I see trends as being very wave-like. By the time that wave has crested, often the trend is so far mainstream that it's pretty well "jumped the shark". As your resident trend watcher, I see my job to write about the trends that are further out on the horizon preparing to crash into our daily lives in the near future. Sometimes I take liberties and bring you products or trends that I'd like to see become popular; perhaps in some small way my blog can push that wave towards shore.I'm hoping this column will inspire you to think about giving... More »

Botox. Restylane. Collagen. It's hard to keep track of all the new beauty products being launched first in cosmetic surgeons offices, and often making their way to our drugstore aisles. If you tried to keep pace with the new innovations, your own bathroom could start looking more like a mad scientist's lab!But some beauty products demonstrate their worth by standing the test of time. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly is celebrating its 140th anniversary next Spring. It was created by Robert Augustus Cheesebrough, a 22-year-old chemist  from Brookly, New York. Quickly it became a household name, and within ten years of its... More »