Do you suffer from Mommy Disease?

I'm finally at the stage where my young children are a little bit older. They're still "young" (one is in diapers, and the other starts Grade 1 this year), but we've gotten past the "I-depend-on-you-all-day-every-day" phase.

We've also chosen to stop at two kids. Maybe you're in the same boat - you've made  the permanent decision to protect yourself from more bambinos (the ol' snip-snip) or you use an alternative method of birth control and lots of prayer.

I imagined getting to this point in my life and feeling great - no more newborns sucking the nutrients out of my body, no more serious sleep deprivation, and the energy to exercise and eat well.

But now I've discovered I have Mommy Disease, a crippling illness that affects thousands of mothers each year (and maybe dads too, although I can't really speak for the man in my life).

Signs and Symptoms

- Low iron: you're running on fumes. Someone explained it to me like this - if you were to go shopping in your body for iron, the grocery store shelves would be empty. There's no supply!

- Low B12 or magnesium or Vitamin D: whatever vitamin or mineral it is, it's low. You're popping enough pills to rival a 75 year-old woman.

- Lack of energy: seriously, how did we survive the newborn years? Waking up every hour at night and I STILL managed to feed and clothe the children. Now I'm lucky if I can walk down the block without getting winded.

- Memory problems: remember pregnancy-brain or Mommy-brain? How long does this last? The other night it took me 10 minutes to remember the name of my cousin.

- Lack of concentration: raise your hand if you've stared at your computer screen a good 10 minutes before you suddenly realized you weren't doing any actual work.

- Chronic stress: doctor and dentist appts, visits to emerg for a spill at the park, the stomach flu, night terrors, potty training, your yearly performance review at work, money troubles, lack of sex, your car breaks down, the dog is sick....need I go on?

Other rare symptoms may include chest pains, hair falling out, heart palpitations and excessive sweating.

The cure? I haven't found one yet. Becoming an alcoholic is one option. So is running away to Hawaii. But my husband claims that those options are not "smart decisions." Whatever.

So right now I'm in brainstorming mode, and reaching out to other diseased moms. 

What's your cure?

Tea with Alice: Billings Bridge Estate

by Amy

I first heard about Alice's Tea Party, hosted at the Billings Estate, last year. I'm so happy that this year I managed to remember to make a reservation. 

On our arrival we were escorted to our table by the Queen of Hearts (much more mellow that her book self), and while we waited for our food we were entertained by the Mad Hatter. Who knew he can do magic tricks? 

The kid was delighted by the Mad Hatter, but even more thrilled when our tray of food arrived. Three tiers, from tea sandwiches on the bottom to sweet treats on the top. 

Cupcake goodness

As we ate and drank our lemonade we also got to go through the sheet of riddles on our table and try to solve them all. There was one I didn't know that she guessed right (smart kid), and she was thrilled that we won a prize for our answers. 

After lunch and dessert we searched for the hidden Cheshire cats around the grounds of the estate and we played a little croquet, which I haven't done since I was a kid. This game was complete with flamingo mallets and hedgehog balls (sort of). 

You can find out more about upcoming events at the Billings Estate here. They host weekly teas, without Alice, on Wednesdays throughout the summer. 

Let's Try Family Camping: Part 2

So you've decided to head out camping. You have the equipment, the meal plan and the excited kids. Where should you go? Perhaps you don't want to go too far the first few times. Here is a list of campsites and parks that are within 45 minutes of Ottawa that we've been to:

KOA Cardinal ­

This is the ultimate spot for "easy" camping and it's all about the kids here. It comes with built-­in entertainment in the form of organized activities as well as activity amenities like a pool, splash pad, jumping pillows, a jungle gym, large water slide, a pirate ship play structure, swings, baseball diamond, large chess, mini golf, bike rentals, wifi... you get the picture.

The lots for tents are small but conveniently near to the playground as well as clean and well-maintained facilities. Note that the mini golf and bike rentals cost extra. Our site, J06, was directly across from the playground which made it easy for us to sit and monitor the kids while they played. It's definitely not the quietest site though.

Logos Land ­

This is another campsite with activities for kids AND it has a beach. Activity passes are available for the zip lining, water slides, paddle boats, water trampoline, mini golf, hiking trails etc. There are playgrounds there for kids and a sandy shallow beach suitable for little ones. Campsites for tents are available in an open area or in wooded shady areas. The facilities are well maintained and a short walk from sites.

Rideau River Provincial Park ­

This provincial park is a great place to try camping and it's only 40 minutes from Ottawa. There are lots of shaded campsites a short bit away from a nice sized beach. You can hike, canoe, fish, bike, go birding etc. My only criticism of this campground is it's near a swamp which makes for bad mosquitoes at certain times of the day and year. The park is near to Baxter Conservation Area where there is another beach to visit one day.

Fitzroy Harbour ­

This provincial park has really good sized camping lots, some along the river and some along the lake, making for beautiful mornings and evening views. It has one large main beach and a smaller one among one section of campsites, both of which we found very clean. Again, you can hike, canoe/kayak (bring or rent), fish, bike and go birding. There is a great store on site to pick up necessities or ice cream.

Welsey Clover Park Campgrounds

You can't get much closer to Ottawa than Welsey Clover Park. There's a general store and WiFi, but sadly no body of water. BUT, kids can cool off in the splash pad or get revved up on the playground. A great place for people who are new to camping.

What nearby campsites do you return to year after year and why?

Let's Try Family Camping: Part 1

By Andrea

Our family of 5 took on the challenge of camping last year. I say "challenge" because I, personally, don't find it an easy endeavour. It's definitely not for everyone. You see, I grew up camping but my husband grew up "hotelling", as we like to joke. If you ask me about my best childhood summer memories, they involve our family camping adventures. I've determined that if you didn't have these childhood memories banked, you may not see the value in putting all the work into it for your own children. 

Now, I don't claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination. Our camping trips have been ultra tame in terms of Bear Grylls' standards. In fact, our last camping trip didn't even have a lake on site; it had a pool. We have gone to both private and provincial campgrounds and have enjoyed both for different reasons. I forsee us eventually learning to really "rough-it" but while we have fairly wide age ranges of children (3, 7 and 10) we'll stick to having one foot in the tent and one foot in the van, with quick access to the HWY 416.

Today I am speaking to the pre-portaging crowd. The pre-outback campers. The first-time adventurers with one to two night camping trips in their calendars. Each time we go camping we gain tips and tricks from friends, family and other campers that we adopt into our own agenda. 

1. Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew Italian Roast - I feel like coffee is always a good place to start. Because when the group camping down the path keeps you and the kids up late at night or the coyotes howl all night at the moon or the crows squack you awake at 5am, what are you going to yearn for first? This is the best tasting instant coffee I've had. Boil water on your stove and pour. 
2. Woods Cots - We started sleeping on foam and air matresses and have graduated to cots. Everyone is happier when they don't have to sleep on the ground, especially if water should find its way into your tent. Watch for sales at Canadian Tire - we just picked one up for $40.
3. Sterilite Wide 3 Drawer Cart (aka your new portable kitchen) - Scour local garage sales for utensils, pots, pans and other needed kitchen items and store them in one of these. Store it in your garage, put it in the car, and return it to the garage when you return home.
4. Propane lantern - Not only does it give off great card-playing light but it also gives off heat for those chillier nights. It attracts bugs so it's best when used inside a screened-in dining tent.
5. Screened-in dining tent - It's a mosquito-free place to sit at night but also your shelter from the elements. We didn't fully appreciate our dining tent until we found ourselves in the midst of a relentless downpour, hail and all.
6. A good tent - There are a lot of factors that make a tent "good". I've seen friends buy the big tent that was on sale that came with a cooler and camping chairs which just didn't last. I've discovered you want one with good stitching, strong material and waterproof material up the sides and bottom to keep out heavy rain. You want one with good ventillation, a good fly, and one that's not too difficult to put up. I just discovered a tent with a "D" door that opens and closes like your front door at home. No more forgetting to zip up the door!
7. Cardboard drink holders - You know at Tim Hortons when they ask if you'd like a cup holder and you say no because you have enough holders in your car? Say yes and let them pile up in your back seat. These things burn slowly when you light a corner on fire and gives off great mosquito-detracting smoke. Stick it beside your camping chair and avoid bites!
8. Metal roasting sticks - We have kept food quite simple so far. Everyone can cook their own food by roasting hotdogs, brats, marshmallows etc. You can also toast bagels, english muffins and toast. An easy meal.
9. Cast iron toasters - My sister-in-law has these toasters and she let the kids toast their own pizzas. Spray with oil, add bread, add pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni, then another piece of bread, and close. Toast over the fire and it's like a pizza pocket. Another easy meal. She also has one that is circle-shaped in which is great to cook an egg. Pair the cooked egg with a toasted english muffin and you've got a sandwich everyone will eat.
10. Mike's Hard Frozen Lemonade - These double as ice packs in your cooler. So it's really a service you're doing to the family by keeping everything cold. Do it for the family.

There's obviously more that you need when camping like sleeping bags, blankets, sunscreen, bug spray, stove etc. This is simply a list of lessons recently learned by our family. 

Question is... what are YOUR tips for camping?

A Special Treat: Pretty Handsome Salon and Spa

My daughter has been asking for a spa day recently. In the past we've had home spa days where I've taken care of her feet and done her nails. We've had spa days where we go out to a spa near our house that does manicures and pedicures for kids (which will make it into another post here soon). But when I asked a few questions this time I found out what she wanted was to have her hair done. 

There used to be a salon for kids near our house, but that one shut down and I've been taking her to our local discount hair place for cuts. That wasn't what she wanted this time! She wanted a real hair style, a special treat, and since we're celebrating our summer of awesome I decided to look for a place to take her. 

I remembered that during our visit to Ottawa's Baby Show last year she had gotten a very fancy braid done at one of the booths, and a quick search led me to Pretty Handsome Salon and Spa. The website lists all sorts of services - from first haircuts to "mom and me" manicures and pedicures - but most importantly (to me, anyway) they do fancy braids. 

I made an appointment for a shampoo (to save me the fight at home), a blow dry and a fancy braid. 

We were greeted as soon as we walked in and off she went to get her hair washed - something that doesn't seem to bother her when I'm not the one doing it. 

Daisy car seat 

Pretty Handsome is located in Barrhaven, so it's a bit of a drive from our home in Stittsville, but the service and the result proved good enough to make the trip every once in a while. Even when she started crying because the braiding hurt a bit, or when she wasn't sure if she liked it and she was afraid to start again because she was bored (and she also might have been a bit over-tired), the staff was great and her stylist was very patient. 

The result was just perfect.