Best of 2012

Glass of wine in hand. Reflection goggles on! So, here goes! In no particular order. With no particular thought to the categories.

Best Vacation:  Atlantis hotel, Bahamas  October 2012.  Because... I feel at home there. I breathe deeply, rest thoroughly and am happy. And it's super fun and awesome and amazing! (Photo at left. That's my favourite pool.)

Best Day at Work:  The day my Uncle Baldur walked in to say hello. (September ?) Because... I was exhausted, it was about 8PM, I was sitting in a corner and finally eating my dinner. I was in a zombie state, reading the newspaper... then I heard a familiar voice at the counter. I jumped up and squealed like a cheerleader at the championships. So happy!!! He's one of my favourite people on this earth and I hadn't seen him in years. What a great surprise!

Best Meal:  (August) Dinner at Bacio. It's an italian restaurant at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. Twice I've eaten there. Two of the best meals of my entire life. It's not very expensive. The food is beyond delicious. The setting is intimate. The staff is fantastic. The celebrity chef, Carla Pellegrino has been in the kitchen (her restaurant) both visits. She's amazing. Seriously, I would go to Vegas just to eat there again! (@chefcarlapelleg) She has recently opened another restaurant @meatballspot which is also in Vegas. I think I better try it out in 2013!

Best Kiss:  (November 18th, 2012) We were looking at puppies. We were there to see a pup named Rookie and this other little black and white scamp flew past me and slurped my hand. She got my attention. Then she sat and captivated with her "pick me" eyes. I lifted her up and she kissed my cheek. My girl.... Bella. I've been getting puppy kisses 6 weeks now. I'm pleased to report that Rookie also found her right people and also has a forever home.

Best News: (March) My mom was strong enough to leave the hospital and head home. Home is always the best place to be.

Best Wine:  This year I found that I really like Apothic Red. Full bodied and holds its own with any meal. I like it with lasagna. It's good with dark chocolate and sea salt Ghiradelli chocolates too. Mmmm.

Best Photo: (November) I like this one. My friend Karen and I were being tourists in her home town. I loved our days together. This photo reminds me of her. I like to think the future holds Blue Skies for both of us.

Best Kid Time: (May) I took my older son on a hockey road trip of nearly 700 miles. We laughed and got to really know each other. It was just the two of us and I'll never forget it. I believe the Under Armour outlet at the shopping centre will remember us too!! We nearly bought the place out! (February) My younger boy and I played hours of shinny together on our ice rink. We took iphone videos of our antics. He says I play like a first year novice (that's not exactly a compliment!) Boy did we laugh hard that day! It was one of his favourite days too.

Best Sleep: (October) Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.  We were on a layover, sponsored by Delta Airlines. They comp'd us 2 rooms adjoining. Each of us had our own queen-sized, sweet sleeper bed. We had had the greatest adventure that day, were well fed and were completely exhausted from the day. All four of us slept like kings!

Best Chance Meeting:  (November) I was shopping at a market in North Vancouver, in a little boutique. I was admiring the purses for sale when the "clerk" let me know that she was indeed the purse designer and just minding the store that day for a friend. We got to talking and she was one of the most lovely people I've ever met. She makes the purses by hand, using reclaimed leather. She is an immigrant to Canada and just loves life. Each creation has so much thought to the design and clever craftmanship it was impossible not to fall in love with her work. (Yes! That's my purse!)  Of course I bought two purses for myself as my un-birthday, birthday gift! Jola and I have kept in touch and I expect she will be a huge designer once the magazines discover her.

Best Prayer Answered: (April) The lump that I was so scared of, was nothing. It was months of ignoring it. Then weeks of waiting for tests and results. I kept it pretty much to myself. Finally, the test results came in and I sunk to the floor and bawled. I texted the ones who worried along side me, and hugged the girls at work. That was a relief, big time.

Best Advice Received:  You need to make your own happiness. Live life without regrets.

Best Advice to Give: Eat ice cream. Forgive yourself. Tomorrow is a new day. Be open to new adventures!

With that, I toast 2012! Thanks for the memories! Here's hoping 2013 has blue skies, good health and much happiness ahead for all of us!

Fishing for a great hotel deal

So, if you're planning a trip, it's best to do it at least 6 weeks in advance. Between 6-8 weeks out is when you will find your best flight prices.

In getting a hotel deal, I think it's great to go fishing. Fishing? Visit the web sites and test the waters. For example, if you are thinking about a Disney vacation, visit their web site and sign up to receive their emails. Make a few searches for the dates and resorts you are looking for and then "walk away". Don't visit the web site for a couple days. Typically... an offer.... a sweeter deal will arrive in your e-mail inbox in just a few days.

This happened recently for me, on hotwire.com.  Same has happened with Delta Vacations and Air Canada at other times. The cookies your ip address leaves behind with your search, and your e-mail that you voluntarily give them to contact you with offers is all you need to nab a better bargain.

And while I'm not actually going to Newport Beach, Ca those dates, it is certainly helpful to get a baseline of prices so I CAN budget for it and plan for the future should the stars align.

Then again, they might send an offer so sweet I can't say no.

Fast Five Travel Tips: Choosing a Hotel

Most vacations include a hotel stay. Choosing a hotel can be a big deal, especially if you are vacationing as a family. Each person has their own wants and needs. There's a budget involved, but most important is often the location. Just like in real estate... location, location, location.

1. First step is to determine what your vacation centres on. Are you spending 5 days at Disneyworld? Would staying on-site being a benefit? Or are you going to the beach, Seaworld, Universal Studios, or a museum? If that's the case, perhaps a central location is a better choice?  Is the hotel just a place to sleep, or do you like to lounge, kick back and rest at the resort?

2. Space. How much space do you need? Are two queen sized beds good enough, do you need bunk beds or a kitchen? What do you need to be comfortable? Most hotels have a pool.... but is it a deal-breaker if yours doesn't?

3. Safety. You need to be safe. It's no bargain if it's a scary, scary neighbourhood.

4. Price. Price takes a fair bit of research. Check all the popular sites... travelocity.ca, hotels.com, expedia.ca, hotwire.com. PLUS check the hotel's own website. They just might have the best price, or perhaps a package that suits your needs. Do you have a AAA card, or military discount? If yes, skip the discount sites and try the hotel itself first.

5. Research! Before you commit, check Tripadvisor.com  The good people of trip advisor offer a wealth of hands on experience, tips and honest reviews. Not everyone will have your tastes or priorities, however, I tend to agree and trust what the majority says.

Christmas Happened

Christmas went pretty much as anticipated. SO, that was good. At least I was prepared for the roller coaster, adventure that is our family Christmas.

Sure enough, I wasted time and precious energy making too many cookies.

We forgot a couple important things at home.

Visits I was enjoying were cut short and the schedule had us running.

Weather was crazy cold, but the boys played outdoor hockey Christmas morning anyways. That's the one tradition we really treasure. It wouldn't be "US" if there wasn't morning hockey.

The uncle bought the kids the best presents.  All hail the popular uncle.

Some relative always makes an off colour, snarky remark that makes you wonder what the heck they were getting at. I chalk it up to the alcohol talking, but still it does bug me. Seems so unnecessary.

I felt super guilty that the dogs were in the kennel and that I neglected to buy them some fancy $20 pet store bone to get them thru the holiday. And while I DID forget to buy a treat for my dogs, I spent a ridiculous amount of money on people food and treats.

I missed my old dog Mocha. Missed her soooo much. For years and years, she spent late nights watching me wrap presents, bake cookies, and fuss with last minute preparations. It really hit me as I thought about leaving cookies and milk out for Santa. I used to leave cookies out on a plate near the fireplace and just leave them. Each Christmas morning the cookies would be gone. Santa? Or my sweet Mocha? She used to sneak over and ever so slyly... steal them. It was our secret.  So, without Mocha, this year, I just couldn't put cookies out. I did however, hang her monogrammed ornaments on the tree to remember her.

There's just too much pressure at Christmas. However, we do it for the kids. And they LOVE it. So, that's what makes it all worthwhile. Turns out they don't even notice the bumps, blemishes and the chaos that I feel.

Christmas Turbulence

Like so many others, I struggle with holidays. Holidays exacerbate the feelings we carry around all the time. When lights are aglow and holiday music plays it just seems to make things so much worse. When I feel dark and gloomy on the inside, a dash of fake holiday syrup isn't going to make it any better.

Commercialism of the holiday is one aspect. Demands, or perceived demands add so much pressure. The pressure is the other thing that gets to me. Is it possible to live up to expectations? Can anything truly be perfect? Probably not. But we try and try, and stress ourselves out immensely in the process.

I have kids. They have constant peer pressure. Then there are the holiday parties for each and every club they belong to. Bring this, make that, donate this, fundraise that. Each year the expectations seem to grow. It all seems overwhelming.

The exception is their school play. It's modest and cheery and the right blend of character building, and fun. I enjoy it every year. The expectation there is to have fun, and to gather in the holiday spirit of community. It's pure and simple. I love it.

The Christmases I have enjoyed the most are the ones we bailed on convention and did our own thing. Took off on a plane and made a real holiday of it. The year we went to Maui was the best. Sun, sand, surf and fish tacos for Christmas dinner. No gifts, no expectations, just family togetherness.

Then there was fake Christmas. I loved fake Christmas too. Cj and I went to Disneyworld in late November. Their decorations and parades and holiday magic were in full effect. For us it was early Christmas. No pressure. No running around splitting time a few hours here, a few hours there. No demands from family. We just hid away from the world and enjoyed the magic of Disney. Some cocoa, a couple cookies, fake snow and a Christmas Mickey toy made it all seem so real, right there in November. Fake Christmas rocked. Ooooh, and their light display. Clark Griswold be ashamed. Disney and their million light display was absolutely second to none.

Did I mention the gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian? That was incredible to see! And smell! The whole experience was awe inspiring. Now of course, I don't think I could handle the crowds of real Christmas at Disney, but I bet it would be incredible still.

But this  year I've got the 400 gifts wrapped (ok, not really 400 but it feels like it) and the dinner crate assembled and ready for the family road trip. We'll bounce from house to house to house spreading ourselves thin (I mean, spreading cheer). We'll exhaust the children and forget things along the way. We'll be accused of being ill mannered for leaving early or showing up late. We'll bring the wrong cookies, forget the wine and in general say the wrong things. I'll bite my tongue, eat handfuls of Tylenol and feel extremely guilty for leaving the dogs at the kennel. But... we'll be with family and that's what matters. My kids couldn't bear to have Christmas without their uncle, and I wholeheartedly agree.

I'll do my best to relax and ride the waves. When the stress gets to me, I'll head back to Hawaii in my mind. Maybe next year we'll be there in person again. Or at the very least, I'll try to find my aloha attitude again and just hang loose.

Freeshippingday.ca success

The first parcel arrived within 48 hours of ordering it. And I don't exactly live in a major metropolitan area.

The first parcel through the door was a pair of boots from Globo Shoes.  I ordered it at 7pm in the evening on a Tuesday. The arrived at lunchtime on Thursday.

Shipping was free. The boots were exactly as advertised.

Success.

Free Shipping Day!

It's free shipping day! It's free shipping day! Hi ho the dario it's free shipping day!

This is the greatest idea. This is the 2nd year in Canada. And I'm pleased to say I tried it in its inaugural year and was thrilled with the results. Last year Christmas preparations were just not happening. My mom was in the hospital and I was at her side full time. Meanwhile... back at my house, the kids were panicking that Christmas wasn't coming.

Free shipping day saved my bacon. I did nearly all my shopping on-line in about 2 hours. The beauty is that everything is guaranteed to arrive before Christmas.  They are almost all Canadian stores and they all positively ship to you in Canada.

Last year I was blown away that Roots.ca had my parcel in my hands within 48 hours. It came Fed Ex if I recall right. Roots offers free express shipping on everything this day, even clearance items. I bought my youngest just one thing. It came with wrapping paper & a note card at no extra cost. (Not sure if that applies to all items or I got lucky, but wow... impressed.)

The greatest things about this day are:

1. Canadian (Was started in the USA and is HUGE there, but finally the concept is here too. www.freeshippingday.com)

2. It's not too late! (Guaranteed to arrive before Christmas eve)

3. Ship gifts!  Soooo... if you have to send gifts elsewhere, shop online and have the company mail it right to them. Saves you wrapping, going to the post office and paying those crazy Canada Post fees. Isn't that typically your biggest barrier to sending the gifts you want to send?

4. Typically no minimum order. (Old Navy still has their $50 minimum, but they do offer you 30% off on this day too)

5. Discover new stores. I found Orb Clothing this way! Very cool. Very Canadian. And Got Something to Say They do the wall lettering you see in so many homes. (I bought little I love you messages, for my kids' rooms.)  And Globo Shoes... I know they exist around the country and are a division of ALDO shoes, but I was still pumped to find them. Great selection. Oh, and if you have an athlete in the house, don't miss Under Armour - another shop no minimum for free shipping today.

6. I don't feel like I'm stressed and fighting with other shoppers. No rushed panicked decisions made to get out of the crowd.

One last note, if you are worried about using your credit card online, just use your PayPal account. It's that easy.

Today only.... 12 12 12! Best of luck!

I'm a MART

We were talking about travel styles today and I am a self-described MART. That's Mother Against Road Trips.

It's true I don't enjoy road trips with my whole family. There's a couple good reasons.

First of all, we fight on who's going to drive. I have a big, spacious, gas guzzling quad cab truck. It's awsome. Like super awesome and I love it. But... I don't let anyone else drive it. So, gas mileage and the fact that I would have to do all the driving makes me reluctant to take it. But it sure would be comfortable and safe.

Then, if we took my husband's wagon, he would do all the driving. Ugh. He never stops. "Get in and shut up. We'll stop when we get there" best describes his driving style.  And since we live in the middle of nowhere road trips take at least 15 hours to get anywhere good.

My kids don't do well in confined spaces. They argue and fight and in general cause a ruckus.

I've tried road trip games, including custom bingo games. I've tried music, dvds and ipods. They work for a bit, but not long enough. They're active boys and need to run. I prefer to run them through airports on vacation, not gas stations and highway rest stops. I think it's great exercise to run from Terminal A to Terminal E in order to catch a connector flight. Keeps the heart racing and strong.

And with fly away vacations you can't just yell at everybody, toss them back in the car and drive home in a huff, cutting the trip short. Plane reservations and fees for changing flights help you resist the temptation to just throw your hands up and end the vacation.

I love my family and I love exploring new destinations. I just don't have the time, energy or interest in doing it Griswold-style like in the classic movie, "Vacation."

So I'm a MART. So what!

Fast Five: Seriously...bad gifts from husbands

Spoken not just in my voice, but the collective voice of women everywhere. (Yes, for this occasion, I nominated myself as the spokesperson for all women. Just this one time!)

Christmas is two weeks away. This advice likely comes 12 days to early for most men, but hey... I've got a lot to do in the next 2 weeks. Saving your ass at the last minute isn't on my to-do list this year.

So, men... listen up. (You can thank me later.)

1. Don't buy lingerie for us. We know what you want. Lingerie will not help your cause. Vacuuming the living room and taking the kids out while we try to wrap gifts... that MIGHT help.  But seriously, you don't know what size we are, and no teenager working at the lingerie store is going to save the day. Non refundable. Just don't. Seriously.

2. Don't buy a cookbook or frying pan, or humidifier or tool set. Basically...anything that comes from Canadian Tire or Home Dept (except for a new fancy kitchen) is going to fail your attempt as a Christmas gift. Seriously.

3. Don't buy anything that you can fetch from Wal-Mart at 5AM to avoid the Christmas shopping rush. Seriously.

4. Don't buy your wife the same box of Pot of Gold chocolates that you gave your secretary, the bus driver, your kid's teacher, or your ex-wife.  Buying in bulk might save you time, but won't save your ass. Seriously.

5. Don't buy the generic $10 bath set or moisturizer set. OMG, don't you know we spend hundreds of dollars on eye creams, and wrinkle fillers and miracle creams to avoid aging, wrinkling and sagging? If it's not guaranteed, proven to work or on Dr. Oz or Oprah, we don't want it. And even if we want it.... we DO NOT want you to buy it for us. That would just acknowledge you know about the aging, wrinkling and sagging, and you DO NOT want to acknowledge that. Seriously.

6. (Yes, I know it says 5, but I'm on a roll.)  Do not buy my Christmas gift at the liquor store. Yes, I know this is the one shopping trip you look forward to and it's the once-a-year event when you willingly push a cart.... but no. You and your buddies cannot go shopping together and just grab  tequila. Even if it IS  Patron. We see that as an attempt to get us back to the lingerie store.   Seriously.


Disclaimer: This list applies to husbands. Newlyweds and boyfriends might have some luck with #1, 5 or 6. However, #3 & 4 are bad news regardless.  Actually, with the right card, a boyfriend might be able to make a tool belt and cheap slippers into a romantic gift... but husbands should know better. Don't you remember the year you bought the frying pan? Nobody wants to relive THAT again.

Fast Five: Gift ideas

Gift giving can have its challenges whether it's a birthday, anniversary or Christmas. The gift recipient is obviously a special person to you, so a special, thoughtful gift is obviously what you're after.  I have a couple generic suggestions.

1. Support their hobby or sporting interests. New tools, certificates or even a class. If he's into photography, what about a Blacks.ca  certificate for prints or frames? If the recipient is a baker, what about some new silicone tools or commercial cookie sheets. Restaurant supply stores have some really cool stuff for the home chef too.

2. Does she have a coffee habit? Ground coffee to use at home, a stack of t-discs for the tassimo or gift cards for tim hortons/starbucks/local shop.  If you're making up a gift basket (amazing idea for office gift exchanges) make sure to add some syrup or liqueurs as appropriate. Cookies & chocolates too.

3. Restaurant gift cards. Everyone has to eat. Eating out is a treat some folks don't normally have money in the budget for. This is one time I recommend chain/franchises. Your recipient can use it on the road too.

4. I rarely suggest clothes or perfume or makeup as gifts. Those thing are very hard to get right. The wrong scent can be a throw away gift.  Again.... gift card for that kind of thing.

5. Make it personal. Did you share a concert or a game that was amazing? Save the ticket stub? Scrapbook it or frame it or even just return the ticket stub with a personal note sharing your memories.

I've written letters as gifts when $$ was tight. Home-made coupons are great too. Wouldn't your mom love help with the laundry or help with organizing the christmas ornaments after the holiday?  Nothing more precious than the gifts of time & love.

Cross Border Healthy

Canadians have, for decades, travelled to the United States in search of bargains and a little escape from the every day. To make a border-run for a quick weekend of shopping is pretty normal. If you go with your family, it's an inexpensive change from the ordinary. Kids love to swim in the hotel pool. The self -serve waffles at the continental breakfast station are a fun treat. It's a good chance for families to re-connect. 

There is, of course, a considerable argument for shopping at home. "Buy local." "Buy Canadian." Buying your goods at home contributes to the local economy. Whether it's a mom and pop shop, or a US Big Box retailer, if its in your community, it supports the local community by providing jobs, taxes and charitable support. 

However, there are benefits to travelling as well. And I feel this applies to wherever you travel, near or far, and regardless of purpose. When you leave your own community (for a vacations/business trip) you  AND your community benefits for these reasons: 

1. Perspective. When you see how other people live you appreciate what you have yourself. For example, in the flood of 2011 cities and towns in 2 provinces and 2 states were significantly affected, though none greater than Minot, North Dakota. The city was flooded. Many homes and businesses completely destroyed by 15 feet of water that submerged everything. This community is like ours. It could have been us. Minot is rebuilding. They want visitors. An injection of "outside money" is how they are going to bounce back. Visiting is how we can show friendly support. 

2. New ideas. It's a reality, franchises are born in the United States, and later enjoyed by Canadians. For entrepreneurs, it's a treasure chest of ideas. When new businesses/franchises set up at home, your community benefits through employment, commercial real estate use and more. 

3. You can't live in a bubble. To stay in your own 10 mile zone is not healthy. Live. Explore.

4. Respect. Travelling across borders requires stops at Customs. This is a formal process, not to be taken lightly. This process can show children another aspect of law enforcement, show them how honesty, integrity and respect for laws helps us live in a civil society. 

5. Work your brain. To travel means to learn. To learn means to create new paths in your brain. To only travel in the familiar literally stimulates your mind less. You use less brain function. For example, if you drive by the same billboard every day and it says "Stay at Super8 for Less" you begin to ignore it. It's part of the landscape. Your brain assumes it will be there and pays no attention. However, if one day it says, "Buy milk at Barneys" your brain receives new stimulus. Now, imagine going someplace new where every sign is new. Brain stimulus slows aging and preserves brain function.  Never stop learning!