Swimming with Dolphins

One chatty mammal met another chatty mammal during a delightful afternoon in the water. The excursion van picked us up late afternoon and took us for a short drive through downtown Cancun and dropped us off at the marina. We put on lifejackets and were escorted down the dock to where the dolphins were. TContinue reading “Swimming with Dolphins”

Above the Clouds

We’re spending March Break with T in Cancun and the wait has been so worth it. The past few months have been very challenging and knowing this family trip to Mexico was in the distance gave us the motivation to hang on. The hubby and I are part of a support group for caregivers ofContinue reading “Above the Clouds”

A Series of Suddenlies

Life flashes by in a series of suddenlies. Suddenly, the hubby and I are university students randomly meeting on a dance floor then start to date on March 8, 2003. Suddenly, we’re moving in together then getting married. Suddenly, we have a little boy then navigating the horrors of a pandemic. It’s impossible to captureContinue reading “A Series of Suddenlies”

Family Traditions

Time spent and memories made with our loved ones are what really count in the end. When my sister learned her chemotherapy was not working, it was sad watching her come to terms with her time left. She said the saddest thing was not getting to spend more time with family and friends. Shortly afterContinue reading “Family Traditions”

The Dance of Life

Music can be such a revelation. Every August 16, we celebrate Queen Madonna’s birthday; she turned 64 on Tuesday. I discovered her music in high school in ‘98 and continue to admire her tireless work ethic, tenacity, fearlessness, and advocacy. Just as she redefined music, it’s interesting to watch her age on her own terms,Continue reading “The Dance of Life”

Crab Semetary

A child’s ability to find fun and enjoyment is as limitless as their imagination. The calming breezy saltwater bay ushered in the next wave of our family summer vacation. After a short visit from T’s aunt and cousin, we headed off early Friday morning on a 16-hour drive for our annual visit with T’s grandparents,Continue reading “Crab Semetary”

Ignite the Night and Let It Shine

We started T’s summer with fireworks. On Canada Day last Friday – T’s first day of summer break – we headed off early morning to Tobermory for our first camping trip since 2018. Once we got past city traffic and into the country, the scenery was beautiful, including plentiful fields of golden yellow canola. IContinue reading “Ignite the Night and Let It Shine”

The Power of Anticipation

After starting his countdown right after Christmas, the big day is finally near. T had a blast spending Christmas in New Brunswick with his cousin. When we got home, he asked how many more days till her visit this July. During a recent bedtime, I told him that it was 45 days until she visitedContinue reading “The Power of Anticipation”

Shifting Sands: 4 Days in Dubai

Ten years ago, we visited the unique city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. After an unforgettable trip to India, the hubby and I made a stop in Dubai on our way back to Canada. We made wonderful memories in our short four-day visit. We stayed near Jumeirah Beach. The white sandy beach isContinue reading “Shifting Sands: 4 Days in Dubai”

Dreaming of Camping Adventures

A dear friend asked me for campsite suggestions and it took me down a road of happy memories. I started camping at 21 when a friend invited me. We camped together almost every summer for nearly 20 years with the hubby and his partner. I never camped as a child and it was an experienceContinue reading “Dreaming of Camping Adventures”

Disconnecting to Move Forward With a Clearer Head

During our recent week away, I had one focus: unplugging and recharging. Special needs parenting often leaves caregivers feeling perpetually foggy headed. Thanks to amazing colleagues, I checked out of work. I told family to e-mail me about urgent issues, but I tuned out everything else. I slept very well – passed out before 11Continue reading “Disconnecting to Move Forward With a Clearer Head”

Escape Room

“What am I escaping from?” asked the exasperated dad after the resort staff asked if he wanted to try their Escape Room game. The staff asked another dad, walking quickly with a kid in tow and he asked, “Do I get to escape from this?” He looked at me with T in one of hisContinue reading “Escape Room”

Waves

“I get back up and I do it again. I get back up and I do it again…” One of my wishes with our vacation is to overfill T’s bucket with happy memories – so he has them during grayer days. I loved watching T play at the beach, with its soft white powder andContinue reading “Waves”

The Boy at the Waterpark

The boy wore a swim shirt like T and zeroed in on him in the wave pool. I watched with amusement as he tried to get T’s attention. As T bobbed up and down, splashing water, lost in his own world, the boy followed in pursuit. I felt the parental duty to intervene and finallyContinue reading “The Boy at the Waterpark”

Spring Break

The alarm went off at 4 am and T shot out of bed like a cannonball. He was ready to leave for the airport before the hubby and I. I had been up by 3 am after two hours of sleep. I couldn’t sleep from both excitement and anxiety. We had booked this family tripContinue reading “Spring Break”

14 Days In Peru, Argentina and Brazil

A surreal encounter with Christ the Redeemer reminds me to always keep the faith. In Fall 2015, the hubby and I ventured to a part of the world we had never been to. We didn’t know it at the time, but our first visit to South America would be our last hurrah before parenthood. RevisitingContinue reading “14 Days In Peru, Argentina and Brazil”

Making Asian Night Market Food at Home

On the menu: Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken. Not on the menu: Silkworm larvae, sheep penis or sea horse. I have this week off work. But T’s daycare closed between Christmas and New Year’s, so the quiet break I was looking forward to didn’t pan out. I had a meltdown when the daycare notified us about thisContinue reading “Making Asian Night Market Food at Home”

14 Days in India

It was an unforgettable trip across four cities and two states in a beautiful and spiritual country. As we lament another pandemic winter and the prospect of a return to virtual schooling after the holidays, I’m taking a detour from the daily grind and venturing back to November 2012. It’d be another 3.5 years beforeContinue reading “14 Days in India”

Light Up the Dark

The colorful ghosts of Christmas past emerged this weekend, sparking wishes for future memories. After I did my Friday night groceries, I returned home to Christmas cheer thanks to T and the hubby. It’s only mid November, but it’s family tradition to put up the tree, decorations and lights after Remembrance Day. Christmas is withoutContinue reading “Light Up the Dark”

Pumpkin Pickin

Sunday blessed us with a fun Papa and T date with animals and witches at a pumpkin farm. On this beautiful autumn morning, T and I went on a morning drive, 45 minutes out of the city, to Knox Family Farm in Clarington. Along with Christmas and birthdays, Halloween is one of T’s favourite timesContinue reading “Pumpkin Pickin”