Portland by train is possibly the best idea I could ever have had. Kind-of. Participating in the Travelocity ‘Go Seize the Summer’ challenge, I was given a credit towards travel with the family and tasked with a summer excursion. As readers know, I like to do educational trips and was in a conundrum as to what to do. My husband was away for most of August whilst climbing Kilimanjaro so I had a number of opportunities for the boys and I. In the end we decided on three nights in a Portland, Oregon hotel and we would pay for an Amtrak train and expenses ourselves. Booking the hotel was simple. We chose the city and dates, and I selected different options on Travelocity.ca to fit into our price range. It was confirmed immediately and very easy to do. (When I was contemplating a cruise for the same period I actually called and the customer service was very good as well.) With a few hours of relaxation on the train, my boys helped put together this list of 12 tips for taking kids to Portland, Oregon.
As a writer for the Tech Timeout Challenge by life insurance provider Foresters, I made a huge commitment as summer began. I set off to up the ante and do a full week without technology with the whole family. Over the summer, how hard could it be? It was hard. And I am embarrassed to say that we did not succeed. We lasted 3 days. But in the process we did accomplish the original intent of the program. We sat as a family for a minimum of an hour a day for the whole summer, talking, playing board games and playing in the sand. The art of balancing technology use as a parent proved far more challenging than I expected.
I had a panic attack last week about the kids going back to school. Our summer has been hot and full of learning. Also a fair bit of goofing off. And now I must think about fall clothes, proper shoes and (ugh)… school lunches. Healthy school lunch ideas for picky eaters are hard to come by, so we’ve scoured our resources and assembled a comprehensive list for you.
What’s the end of summer without trying a few old-fashioned kid activities? Especially delicious ones. To make an easy homemade chocolate ice cream is the stuff of memories. Kids learn exactly how much sugar can fill their favourite treat and parents can control the quality of the ingredients. It also teaches patience.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Combine sugar, milk, salt, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer. Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid and return to the saucepan. This will assist in amalgamating the egg into the hot mixture. Heat until thickened, but be careful not to boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chopped chocolate until melted. Pour into a chilled bowl, and refrigerate for about two hours until cold, stirring occasionally.
When chocolate mixture has completely cooled, stir in the cream and vanilla. Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. An ice cream maker to finish the treat is easiest, but if you don’t have one you can fill a big bowl with ice and put the cold liquid into another metal or plastic bowl nestled into the ice bath. The family can take turns stirring. If nothing else the kids will learn patience!
I was a virgin to Jamaica. And with a crazy hectic schedule I hadn’t had the time for preliminary research. (I actually prefer it this way.) I go in blind, with no feedback or opinions and can allow my artistic personality to sense everything without bias. At first I was taken aback by the similarities with West Africa: corrugated steel, cement blocks and a native economy that was more advanced than I had seen in Liberia but not quite New York. My best advice? Go off the beaten track in Montego Bay, Jamaica. And watch your children flourish.
Summer is so great. Salad from the garden. Beach dinners prepackaged at the grocery store. The 2 for 1 Tuesday Whole Foods pizza deal. Thankfully there are berries in the garden because I’ve been pretty lax on feeding my family interesting, well-balanced dinners. A goal I always implement for September is to get life back on track after a summer of fun. This year at the top of my list for back to school is exciting family dinners.
I wouldn’t say that I’m in a meal rut – I love to cook and develop recipes and experiment. I’ve just been (gasp) lazy this summer. Lazy and tired. So the thought of a meal plan that forces me to experiment is quite exciting. The plan should eliminate stress, save money at the store and get the kids excited for what is to come. Mexican has always been a favourite of the family – making our own tacos to assert our personalities and experimenting with spices, meats and fresh ingredients to excite the tastebuds. (Food fights optional).
So when I created this plan, I’ve slotted in two Mexican-inspired nights.
If you’re used to picky eaters or chicken finger lovers, kid friendly crab cakes make a great healthy snack. And it’s not necessary to catch the crabs and shell them like we did (for authenticity). You can grab the cans. You also have the option of frying or baking. The baked version is of course healthier, but you could do a flash fry at the end using olive or grapeseed oil (which has a higher temperature threshold to prevent burning). Served with veggies or a robust salad they make a great dinner as well.
Kid Friendly Crab Cakes Ingredients:
4 T. finely crushed whole grains (kamut, wheatgerm, wholewheat flour – whatever you have)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning/cocktail sauce
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
salt to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 pound fresh crabmeat, well drained
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs (try to use whole grains seasoned with just salt and pepper)
2 tablespoons butter
3T cut chives
6 T finely diced apple (optional)
Method:
- Mix grains, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, seafood seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
- Stir in crabmeat until mixture is combined but still chunky. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on a plate.
- Shape chilled crab mixture into 4 small thick patties; coat completely with bread crumbs.
- Grease a cookie sheet and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip crabcakes at 10 minutes.
- Optional: flash fry for 30 seconds/side in a skillet before serving.
This kid friendly crab cakes recipe is also great for making shapes – the letters in the kids’ names, hearts, stars and geometric shapes. Have fun!
When my second son was born, we paid to have his cord blood banked and frozen in case anyone in the family became ill and in need of stem cells. Most families don’t have the luxury of this high-priced service and without a donor, Canadians can lose their lives. Science has come so far, but Canada is the only G8 country that doesn’t have a national public cord blood program. Currently there are 1000 people awaiting a stem cell match. Canadian Blood Services has launched the Climb4Cord to help change that. At a pricetag of $48 million, it is no small undertaking. As I write, my husband Derek Amery is representing UrbanDaddies by climbing Kilimanjaro for a Canadian blood cord bank. The 25 climbers had a goal of raising $500,000 and they have thankfully surpassed their goal.
I’m one of those parents that can’t stand the end of summer. The thought of school lunches and early wake-ups makes me want to cry. Even the notion of some alone time while the kids are in school doesn’t make me want to celebrate. But back to school shopping? Now you’re talking. I love the new beginnings – a change to streamline routines and try to finally nail the healthy littler-less lunch. We can always dream. Here are our 15 back to school essentials for this year.
1. Reminiscent of old-school TV dinner trays or modern Bento boxes, the PlanetBox ensures food doesn’t get all mixed up and helps you include healthier options for the pickiest eater. The magnets add a personal flair. Also available at Pottery Barn Kids with personalized carry bags.
2. Microwave, dishwasher safe and waterproof. Music to a parents’ ears! Not having to raid the lost and found box at school every week? Even better. I just ordered Mabels Labels‘ Ultimate Back to School Pack. The kids got to choose their own personal designs and even prompted them to clean out their closet.
3. Sanrio. It’s all about Sanrio. I just got 2 new Sigg Hello Kitty water bottles. Always BPA-free, these designs also allow you to write a note to your kids in the thought bubble. My preference is to have the kids write a note to me, as I won’t give these bottles up. Sorry, boys.
4. We know that UrbanMommies is a big fan of manners for kids. Let’s not stop at school. Funkins are colourful, fun napkins made just for our little robot lovers and fishermen.
5. As you register the kids for extra-curricular activities, don’t forget to include down time. The Babba Box is a subscription service that provides hours of after-school and weekend creativity. Combine it with Disney’s new Story app and we’re willing to bet you double their fun.
6. I always went to school with personalized pencils from Lillian Vernon. You despise me now don’t you? And now they are in pink.
7. WoolFelt iPad sleeve on etsy. Stunning.
8. Fancy patterned binders help our kids feel like individuals. Leave it to Martha Stewart to come up with epic patterns. Available at Staples.
9. Boys: In the summer I can’t get my boys to wear pants. In the fall I can’t get them to wear pants without holes in the knees. Good news: Iron Knee pants from Land’s End. The revolutionary interior knee patch will allow them to fall on their knees all the time without you having to deal with seeing their kneecaps at the end of the day. Now we just need to stock up on Tide Pods how to deal with the grass stains.
10. Girls: The new Binksy & Bobo reversible tie dress. Spills can be instantly hidden with a flip. And it’s Canadian. I need one in my size please.
11. Picmonkey. It’s all about picmonkey. They’ve just released some back to school themes, overlays and nostalgic school effects.
12. Zoo Lunches from Skip Hop acts as a lunch bag and doubles as a little friend. Available at Snuggle Bugz.
Just in time for a long weekend, we have a special treat for you: a chef’s summer BBQ tips! Chef Tom Filippou, Executive Chef President’s Choice Cooking Schools has given us an exclusive interview about the current trends and tips in BBQ. Here he talks overcooking, smoking, menus and marinades. Enjoy, and feel free to extend a dinner invitation to our team… Have a great long weekend!