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Bianca

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If you’re anything like me, you often daydream of packing up and heading out of town for a weekend getaway with your best girls. And while it’s easy to envision lounging by a pool, settling in at a spa, or living it up through laughter-induced late nights with your ladies, the biggest challenge is always coming up with the right destination for your decampment. Somewhere far enough that it feels like a real vacation, but not too far that it’s going to cost a fortune. Somewhere a bit warmer but easily accessible for a weekend jaunt. And of course, somewhere…

It’s been exactly one year since my family was gifted a Springfree Trampoline in exchange for my honest review, so I thought it would be a good time to update you all on how it’s been going for our family. Over the past year, our trampoline has been draped in over 2 feet of wet, heavy snow. It’s been through week-long bouts of torrential downpours (because: Vancouver), and it’s seen scorching hot summer days. Our trampoline has tempted tiny toddlers, and it’s been put to the test by full-sized moms and dads. My trampoline has spent over 365 days with…

I’m not going to lie, I love my full-sized SUV. It’s spacious (seats 8 people comfortably), allowing me to participate in multiple play dates, soccer carpools, and family road trips with ease. But there’s one thing that I dread when I’m driving my gas guzzler around town – that once-a-week routine of having to fill up the tank. When I was approached by Ford Canada to trade in my SUV for a week and try out the new Ford Fusion Energi, I was skeptical – but also intrigued. I didn’t fully understand what “hybrid” actually meant, but I was willing to…

Known best as “lululemon for tweens”, ivivva tops the list of most active girls (aged 6-14) who strive to wear clothing that is not only functional, comfortable, and durable, but also totally stylish and on trend. Ivivva has been my daughter’s favourite clothing brand since the day she turned 8. She had never liked wearing jeans, and was past the stage of donning dresses on a daily basis. Leggings allowed her to move, and as a dancer and soccer player, that was an important feature when it came to choosing her clothing. When she received her first pair of ivivva leggings for her 8th…

We had been pedalling for almost an hour, our noses red and our breath making small clouds of condensation with every exhale. As we rode our bikes side-by-side in silence, we took in the beauty of the Okanagan River Channel that flowed peacefully beside us. In the Summer months, this is the hub for warm-weather fun in Penticton, where locals and visitors flock to float on tubes down the river that connects one lake to another. But on this day, the river was quiet, with only a gaggle of geese on its cool surface. Skaha Lake was our destination, and…

When I was a kid, playing outside and staying home alone without parental supervision was the norm. I learned from an early age how to fend for myself, recognize boundaries, and stay safe, and never found myself in harm’s way as a result. I know it’s not the 70s anymore, but that doesn’t mean that we should trust our children, or our own intuition any less than our parents did when we were growing up. My oldest daughter will be 10 years old in 3 months, and while the average family waits until at least the ages of 10-12 to leave their…

I’ll confess, each year when I see that the Monster Jam® event is coming to town, I suggest that my husband take my son for a boys night out. Foolishly, the thought of taking the girls hadn’t ever crossed my mind. Not only does Monster Jam® offer fun for the whole family, but it features highly-skilled athletes – some of which happen to be talented women, going head-to-head in adrenaline-pumping, engine-revving races. This year, Canadian contender Cynthia Gauthier will be behind the wheel of the Mutt Dalmatian monster truck. Raised by a mechanic father, Gauthier grew up with a passion for anything…

As my husband and I sat squished in the corner of a tiny tiki bar, sipping on our overly-garnished and generously-poured boozy drinks, a couple sitting next to us shot a knowing glance our way. We could tell that they were thinking the same thing as us: we were too old to be in this bar that was jam-packed with peppy 20-somethings. “Looks like we were put in the ‘old people’ section” the man said to us with a nervous laugh. It turned out they were also parents, trying to enjoy a quiet night out without kids. Like us, they had enjoyed a…

The past year was filled with travel! I discovered some new destinations, and revisited some old ones, and I’ve loved sharing my adventures, discoveries and tips with my readers. Here are the places we explored in 2016 – both with and without our kids: BOWEN ISLAND, BC (September 2016) BC LIVING – Where To Enjoy Nature and Namaste on Bowen Island My most recent trip was to a fairly local destination. Only a 20-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay (and a total of only 40 minutes from my home), I was surprised to discover all there was to see and do in…

Growing up, nothing grossed me out more than the feeling of a soggy sphere of Brussels sprout dissolving on my tongue. I can still taste the bitter mush as I struggled to swallow it down – wincing in agony as I forked another chunk. Back then, it seemed the only way to serve a dish of Brussels Sprouts was to boil and serve. Overcooked, unseasoned globules of grossness topped with a dollop of butter (if you were lucky). I vowed to never punish my tastebuds again with the sour sting of Brussels sprouts when I was old enough to cook for myself.…