As much as I thought that there couldn't be anything easier than retirement I was wrong; it's been a difficult, stressful, confusing time that's often left me feeling groundless. It's also been a wonderful time of freedom and exploration.
A peer of mine (a.k.a. Blog Crush), Melissa from Dreams and Colour is currently highlighting Canadian provinces and bloggers and has graciously featured Journeys of The Zoo today!
Find out all that we had to share about...
I hope that if you're ever in the area, you'll drop us a line. We'd love to answer any questions that you have and are always up for a road trip of our own.
If you have something special to share about your province and want to be featured on Dreams and Colours or Journeys of The Zoo, please leave a comment and your dreams might just become a reality... in colour.
Tweet Share Ontario with your Friends.
Don't Miss a Post! It's as easy as selecting the Get Journeys of The Zoo delivered by email button.
I jumped into marriage at 19 years old like a crazy kid who thought she knew everything. Nine years and two kids later the life I had tried SO desperately to maintain fell apart right before my eyes. Suddenly I was in the midst of a nasty divorce. There were days when I could barely leave my bed because the stress, the tears, the anxiety was all just too much.
I was 28 and an absolute disastrous shell of a woman who had zero idea who she was.
Not only is Bonnie Guest Posting here today but this time, we're throwing in a twist because I'm Guest Posting over at Bonnie's Today also!
Two for the price of one.
Once you're done reading Bonnie's post about fond memories on the farm, pop over to her blog and read about my Top Ten Questions to Ask a Woman Pregnant with Triplets. Without further ado, here is Bonnie.
Journeys of The Zoo's "I Am Canadian" Feature for May is...
While I wasn't in my 40's when I had The Kids, I was 37 so I can definitely relate to the physical aches and pains that Tammy experienced. Please take the time to read Tammy's story and show your support by leaving a comment below about,
Journeys of The Zoo's "I Am Canadian" Feature for April is...
Interested in all things baby with a side of product reviews/giveaways? Than you'll love what YYZ Bambina has to offer. We've been peers for awhile now and Sarah always has something exciting going on.
Please take a moment to stop by Sarah's blog, YYZ Bambina and show your support by leaving a comment below about,
Journeys of The Zoo’s "I Am Canadian" Feature for March is Ottawa Valley Fiber Arts.
What a pleasure to find such unique and renewable products available locally.
Please take a moment to read about Heather’s original company and inspiring initiatives and show her your support by leaving a comment and stopping by her blog all about...
If someone says their hobby is spinning, most people think they are talking about training on bikes in a gym. But Heather of Ottawa Valley Fiber Arts doesn't spin on bikes, she spins wool into yarn on a spinning wheel. Her kids thinks she's a little too crazy about sheep, but she enjoys playing with wool so much that she started a company!
Ottawa Valley Fiber Arts (OVFA) is located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Created in 2010 during a particularly difficult time in her day job, Heather found that building her passion in her spare time gave her more energy for everything else in her life. She started the Canadian Fiber Box project, which brings together different fiber producers and artists four times a year to subscribers across Canada. Canada has many fiber producers - from sheep to llamas and alpacas to bison and muskox. We also have many talented fiber artists who prepare and dye fiber for spinning. The Canadian Fiber Box lets folks "get to know Canadian fiber."
Journeys of The Zoo's "I Am Canadian" Feature for February is Gone With The Family. Quite a fitting feature considering we are currently spending our winter in Chiapas, Mexico.
Please show your support by leaving a comment regarding your travel experiences or by visiting her blog and discovering the next place that you and your family will visit.
My name is Lisa and I'm a Canadian mom of two girls. I'm on a mission to show them the world - one trip at a time! Our daughters are now 16 and 9 years old and we have been traveling with them since the older one was just a few weeks old. Road trips, cruises, transatlantic flights - you name it and we've done it - sometimes with more success than others but it's always an adventure.
Just about 2 years ago, I decided to start blogging about our trips and Gone With The Family was born.
My goal is to inspire parents to explore with their children even if it's just their own little corner of the world for the time being.
In Mykonos with my daughters.
On our website you will find stories and photos from our trips, hotel reviews, travel tips, and book reviews. I also have a Facebook page with an active community that loves to talk about anything travel related and we would love to have you join us.
One of the most common errors I see is when people do not have their children secured properly to the seat. Carseat straps do not tighten upon impact as do seatbelts, so they need to be tight enough to restrain the child all the time. Children are squishy, especially new ones, so we need to take extra care to do this.
A few tips to ensure your child is secured tightly enough:
This is something that a lot of people struggle with. In the end, when properly installed, the seat should not move more than 1" side to side, when tested at the belt path (closest to the vehicle seat back). When the seat moves, ideally the whole car should move with it.
We all love our kids and we want them to be safe. With this in mind, I figure the only reason that people are not securing their kids correctly is that they think they are doing it properly, even when they are not.
When I see a parent with a child who is not travelling safely, I don't know what to say. We may think that we want what's best for our kids, but, you don't want some stranger telling you that you're doing something wrong. Especially when it could insinuate that you don't care about your child(ren).
What to do?
One answer is to guest post here, outlining some basics of car seat safety.
Since beginning the "I Am Canadian" feature in September, I have met a lot of Great Canadians. Before I'm through, I hope to meet each and every one of you.
One person that I met along the way was the talented Alejandro from "Treasures from the Ark". He has been kind enough to share a part of himself with us. I hope that you will take the time to read about his creative pursuits and show him your support in the comments.
I'm Miss December. I'm Miss December at Journeys of The Zoo!
Those were the first words written by Connie from SadieLooHoo when she agreed to be Journeys of The Zoo "I Am Canadian" Feature for December. She really needs to get out more.
Connie made my smile hurt with her funny and smart post and I'm sure she'll have you laughing too. I hope that you will show her your support by reading and commenting.
Here's what she had to share...
Ok, I may be being a little dramatic! I have to say, this is my very first "Guest Post" ever. I read through other guest posts wondering what I should be "sharing" with everyone. I read the November guest post from My Life After Kids and I thought......oh my gosh, Miss November is incredible!! She is like the fall foliage here in Ontario. She is that rare magenta leaf that clings to the tree for all to see and marvel at.
Then I think to myself......I'm Miss December......who is she? Is she the wisp of cold air making the house drafty? Or, is she like the fun and joy of a present under the tree? So, I wondered and pondered all this. Alas, I must stop pondering, wondering and in essence......delaying! Sarah told me I had to be quick in putting this post together......I had three days to get this written and now I only have two. Save to draft while I ponder some more.
Journeys of The Zoo's "I Am Canadian" Feature for November is a fairy tale of sorts written by a woman whose name matches her personality. Charity blogs at Life After My Kids and the story she is going to tell began 15 years ago, in a land not so far away. In fact, she still lives in the same town she was born...
Uncle Kevin is a full-time farmer and part-time teacher. He is a codependent enabler who resides in a hamlet on a mountain top. He is as serious as a heart attack and stealthy as the night. Woefully inadequate to be a parent, so he's not. His many hobbies include wood and metal working, scotch sampling and pipe smoking, and puttin' on the ritz. He may or may not be related to The Zoo.
These are his words
It's something we've all done, we've all certainly been part of and we've all witnessed it happening to others. It's one of those things that has been going on since time began, and given human nature and the "me" attitude of the world today will likely continue on indefinitely. What am I talking about?
DS's are those annoying things that happen to us all in one way or another. There are popular double standards and there are less popular, almost obscure ones. The classic, of course is the age old "glass ceiling" pertaining to men and women and salary in the work place. That particular one has been talked to death, so let's move on.
Did you know that October is Brain Tumour Awareness Month in Canada?
Journeys of The Zoo didn't.
That is until a friend of mine told me about it. Unfortunately, she knows because three years ago, she was diagnosed with one.
Shannon has bravely chosen to share about her experiences and help to highlight this condition.
Here are her words.
It's time for Journeys of The Zoo's October installment of the "I Am Canadian" Feature and Linky.
Remember to add your name to the Linky at the bottom of this post.
We searched high and low and know that you will be excited to read about this month's Feature Recipient...
Without further ado, let me introduce you to Lorena Pacheco Scott of MommiesFirst and allow her to tell you about her latest "baby".
I am a mom of two young boys Sebastian and Alistair (ages 3 and 9 months). As a proud mama, I have been known to "go on and on" about my boys, but today I wanted to share with you the story of my "third baby" – MommiesFirst.
MommiesFirst is a new online, Canadian business helping moms sort through all the products on the market that are vying for her attention and her wallet. How do we do this? We've created a MommiesFirst Council, comprised of moms, dads, and baby experts, to find, test, and review products. Based on their feedback, we send our members (both pregnant and new moms) monthly care packages with 4-5 different products designed to help them navigate through the journey of motherhood. Every box we send out is customized to the mom’s month of pregnancy or the age of her baby, so she only receives the most relevant products at just the right time. It is our hope that by sending beautiful packages to moms that are also super helpful, we are genuinely helping make moms' lives a little bit easier and a lot less stressful.
I am often asked what inspired MommiesFirst and the answer is quite simply – my children. Three years ago when I became a mom for the very first time I was SCARED, OVERWHELMED, and CONFUSED. And, to be perfectly honest, I was angry that no one had told me about some of those challenges. I never forgot those feelings of despair and loneliness throughout my pregnancy and during the first year of son’s life. All of those struggles and emotions came flooding back this past December when my second son was born. But this time, I had a bit more confidence, so I resolved to do something about it – to create something that would help make a difference for all the other new moms out there. And that’s how MommiesFirst was born.
It also seems appropriate that with my two sons on my lap (literally), we launched the MommiesFirst website on Mother's Day 2012. There were a lot of sleepless nights between May and September when we shipped our first boxes to moms. It has been an adventure managing a household with two young boys and a new business, but I’m a mom on a mission. Through MommiesFirst, I'm committed to helping moms (and their babies). There are days when I know my boys miss hanging out with their mom or I wish I could just run to the park to be with them, but I'm hopeful that in following this entrepreneurial path and in building an enduring company servicing moms (and their babies), I am inspiring my boys too. I want to teach them that having a dream and wanting to make a difference – and then pursuing these two goals relentlessly– is both important and possible.
If you or someone you love is interested in signing up to receive a MommiesFirst care package, please visit www.mommiesfirst.com. A subscription costs $25 per month, with free shipping. All of our boxes are delivered with love and care!
A big thanks to Lorena for sharing her new and exciting business venture with us. If you're like me, you can think of at least 10 people that could use this service so stop by her website for a visit, connect on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or YouTube.
Please contact me if you would like to be featured on Journeys of The Zoo!
Note that Journeys of The Zoo did not receive any compensation in exchange for publishing this information.
And Now for The "I Am Canadian" Linky...
If you are Canadian or have a Canadian Product, Cause, Blog, or other Canadian related item, then you are officially invited to add yourself to this Linky.
Note that this Linky is not intended as a Giveaway Linky. Please go here to post or enter giveaways.
Besos, The Zoo
See what Jennifer had to say about "Being a Hipster", or not... Please let her know that you're reading by leaving a comment.
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My 16-year-old son recently went back-to-school shopping for clothes (without me, *sniff*) and came back with a lot of really great finds. His typical "uniform" of jeans and tees seems to be a thing of the past. When I commented on how great he looked, he defined his new style as a hipster.
Urban Dictionary defines "hipsters" as: "a subculture of men and women typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter."
Hmmm... that sounds a lot like ME! Woman in her 30's: check. Value independent thinking and progressive politics: check. (I'm not sure about counter-culture, I think I need a more hip hipster to define that further for me). An appreciation of art: check (I've been to the MOMA). Indie-rock: check (I love a good local band). Creativity: check (who doesn't?). Intelligence: check (duh, that's a no-brainer… uh… wait...). And, I love me some witty banter! Conclusion, I must be a hipster.
Me at a recent 80's rock band concert trying to recapture how cool I was in Grade 8.
"Uh, no, Mom, you're not," is the response I got from my son. Sad face :(.
When did I become an old Mom and no longer "cool"? When did I go from being the cute, young one in my office to the Mom figure on my team? When did I stop knowing what was on the Top 40 list and preferring to listen to 80’s and 90’s hits that are now 20 and 30 years old!? I suppose it was a gradual transition that I didn’t really notice was happening.
Although I am staring 40 down the nose (514 days to go...), I still feel the same way I did in high school. I really do. I didn't understand that feeling before I got here and in hindsight I realize that when I was a nasty teen, this is probably how my Mom felt. Huh. Interesting. Sorry, Mom, for all those times I said things like, "you don't understand me," or, "how would you know, you’re old!?". Oops.
Watching my teen son grow and change is really quite fascinating. The teen years are hard. They suck, really. I wouldn't want to go back there, although I did have a blast in high school. I like to think that he and I have a lot in common and that he thinks of me as a pretty young, cool mom. After all, I was just 21 when he was born, so I had barely left the teen years myself. In reality though, I'm 21 years older than he is and I'm his mom. I'm not young and cool. Boo hoo. But I also know that this is the way it should be. I’m not meant to be his friend who goes to parties and hangs out with him (remember the kids who had those parents and what you really thought of them and what you think of them now? I don’t want to be that mom).
I worry though, that if I'm nowhere near being what my eldest son defines as a hipster and sees as cool, how will my younger son (who just turned one) see me when he’s a teenager? I’ll be really old then! I hope that in another 15 years I will still remember what it was like to be in high school and how it feels to be young, invincible and on top of the world one minute and down in the dumps the next.
Sometimes it's painful to watch my son struggle through life and figure out where he's going and who he's becoming, but I have to remember that we've all been there and he will make it through. All I can do is guide him to make the right decisions, support the decisions he does make and be there to catch him when he falls.
In the meantime, I know my teen loves and respects me, but he definitely doesn't think I'm a hipster, and that's OK.
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No matter the topic, I'd love to have you. In fact, I'm specifically looking for people to post about things that I know nothing about such as crafts, recipes, tips and tricks, humour, kids. Just send an email to journeysofthezoo at hotmail dot com
Besos, The Zoo
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Aside from that, I am getting ready to start my first class on my way to obtaining a degree in Marriage and Family Counseling. I think those are the big things! Oh yeah, my Zoo is kept up while I deal with Narcolepsy. I'm always looking for people who deal with it to visit with, so hit me up! :D
Now, on to that project! I made an adorable little decoration for a Luau party, but it could go with any beach theme you'd like.
Here's the how-to:
Thanks for taking the time to visit today and Sarah, thank you so much for allowing me to host my little exhibit at your Zoo!!!
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Tough finding things for you and your kids to do this summer? Get these few items together and A-Luau to your next party. Or, better yet, send them off in search of the items and it could take all day. Be sure to send me pictures of your completed projects so that I can post them.
And compliments you should get Kaycee! Thank you so much for infusing some creativity into this blog. Just what the doctor ordered. Be sure to send Kaycee some love by leaving her your comments at the bottom of this post. Better yet, let us know what other crafty ideas you'd like to see and hopefully Kaycee will come back!
Besos, The Zoo
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Thank you so much for Guest Posting Brandy. I love your writing style!
As for the topic, I can absolutely, completely and totally NOT relate because like Nanna, I LOVE CHEESE. Every.Single.Kind.You.Mentioned.Above. I remember when I was 14 that when I got home from school, Nanna and I would watch Oprah in the Den while eating Cheez Wiz with a side of Celery (that "levelled" things out calorie and health-wise). Wow, Oprah's been around for a looooong time.
No matter the topic, I'd love to have you. In fact, I'm specifically looking for people to post about things that I know nothing about such as crafts, recipes, tips and tricks, humour, kids...
Besos, The Zoo
Besos, The Zoo