Category: Mom & Dad
The $6 Time Machine
We made bets on how long before Billy Idol blasted through the speakers and made us spit Leprechauns out our noses. It seemed inevitable. I mean, hell, we paid the cover for what we thought was a hot band, instead found ourselves lost in 80′s technoville watching 55-year-old women paired with 20-something drunk law students [...]
Sweet Moments of Mom – A Collage
For the last couple of weeks, life at our house has been what I deem full-on nut balls. Getting the big kid settled into her new school, the wee one at preschool and me cramming a national project launch into the time that someone else is logging with them has proven life changing. One of [...]
Kids at School. House Is Empty. Now, It’s About Mom.
I‘m sitting here in my makeshift office, big kid shamelessly sitting on the couch watching Looney Tunes on this gorgeous late-August day in The Maritimes and we are both daydreaming a bit about what the world is going to look like next Wednesday. It’s been an insane amount of change that she and I (and [...]
Lonely Newcomer Syndrome
Driving along the South Shore of Nova Scotia yesterday near Lunenberg, I stared out at the cars filling the highway at rush hour and my oldest blurted out that she loved our life. “We have a great adventure every day mom. Nova Scotia is the best place ever.” It seemed like the appropriate moment for [...]
Mud, Strawberries and How My Family Stopped Screaming At Each Other
Standing in the blazing Nova Scotia sun making our way toward a place a bit less natural and much cooler, we heard a woman’s voice from a few rows over. Holding Quinn’s hand with my right and balancing 15 pounds of strawberries we just picked with my left hand, I wasn’t sure that chatting would [...]
Happy Father’s Day From OBE
We here at Our Big Earth want to wish you the happiest of Father’s Days from our families to yours. May all of you amazing dads, step dads, grandpas and great guys have a fantastic day sleeping in, eating a great meal with your kids, cracking open a cool one, hanging out at the lake, [...]
No Crying Allowed, Not Even Over Spilled Milk
It is not unusual for me to cry. In fact, it may be one of those things that people always mention about me. “Yep, she’s a crier.” There was water pouring from my eyes from the second my dad started walking me down the aisle, I sobbed uncontrollably the first time I saw both of [...]
Happy Mother’s Day!
From all of us here at OBE to all of you amazing mommas out there. Happy Mother’s Day! Lots of love, Robin, Sue and the OBE Crew
Best Mother’s Day Gifts List – Sleep, Food, Quiet
Over one hundred years have passed since Anna Jarvis decided to host a private gathering in West Virginia in memory of her dear departed mama. A year later, in 1908, she took it one step further by organizing a church service that saw over four hundred mothers and their children in attendance. By 1912 the Mother’s Day International Association was up and [...]
Prom Night 101: Getting Mom Geared Up For Grad
At just under two months to go until my son’s high school prom I was itchin’ to get him fitted for his tuxedo. A few of my chick pals with two or three graduated kids recently had given me the go ahead to get on it. With the grad parade and prom to follow scheduled for the first [...]
Teens Do Stupid, Dangerous & Sometimes Illegal Things – Is Mom To Blame?
With a heavy heart I placed my husband’s Canucks jersey on a hanger and tucked it away in the back closet for another year. As a die-hard Canucks fan I felt sadness and relief when that game winning overtime goal hit the back of Cory Schneider’s net last Sunday. Sadness that my favorite team had finished the regular season with the President’s Cup but [...]
The Aliens Have Invaded & Stolen My Willpower
On any given day if you launched into a random conversation with me about video games I would be unusually smug. Not a fan of hours lost in the land of light saber duels, evil sorcerers and mindless killing, video games are as far down on my to-do list as cleaning other people’s toilets. Yes, [...]
Facebook & The Case of The Stepford Mother
It’s 6 a.m. and you have tiptoed out of bed to make sure you get to log that hour of quiet time before the kids pop their heads up and all hell breaks loose. For that roughly 60 minutes you have no urge to shout at someone, to wonder why no one else packs lunches, [...]
On Motherhood – An Ode to Weaning
It’s 3:30 a.m. and while the rest of the house is warm and quiet, we linger in a state of night-time half sleep. For just about the last year and a half, those nearly-dawn wakings meant I pulled our sweet baby in close and she nursed her way back to dreamland with me contently dozing [...]
OBE 2012 – The Year of Inspired Action
I don’t know if I’m actually capable of doing less. It’s not really in my nature to step back and take it easy. But, when I sat down at the end of 2011 to re-evaluate my professional life and what Our Big Earth is to me, I began to realize one thing – that I [...]
Holiday Funnies
It’s just a few days before Christmas and the speed of life seems to be in overdrive and then again very slow at the same time. Instead of weighing us down with something heavy, I thought I’d go for the holiday funny pages today. Here’s my most favorite of the season for a bit of [...]
Everyday Inspiration
After yesterday’s post on the daily trials and tribulations of managing motherhood, it seems most appropriate to take a moment today to share some serious inspiration. One of my personal mantras is to start every day with something provocative and lovely that gives me a bit of sweetness to carry with me throughout the day. [...]
If I Were Brutally Honest…
I have a girlfriend – just one honestly – with whom I always feel comfortable getting real with about our kids. When I tell her that my kid is going to get punched in the nose today she doesn’t look at me like a leper wondering when my fist will meet my kid’s face. She [...]
Get What You Want Out of OBE – Take The OBE Readership Survey
One of the most important things we do here at OBE is try hard to listen to our readers, the families that attend events that OBE hosts or is a part of and the business people whom we support and support us. We want to make your experience here on the website and in the [...]
Monday Morning Moms – Simple Elegance of Scarves
I go through phases with clothes. I once had an orange phase that lasted years and I’m not entirely sure I’ve actually left yet. I’m still going through a fairly intense hat phase. I’ve regretted a few hair phases, forgave myself for the over-loving floral prints phase. Scarves have always been a big part of [...]
One
Per our usual routine, the wee one and I woke up at about 3 a.m. this morning. But, before we could get to the diaper changing, living room playing, eating and sleeping, we gave each other a sweet smile and knew – we’d made it. It seemed quite appropriate that we had this quiet moment [...]
Time to Curate The Internet with Pinterest
Believe it or not, I am generally slow to come to new technology trends. Used to be that I was the first one to try just about anything. But, as life got busier and busier I felt like adding one more way to spend uncounted hours on the Internet was not the best choice for [...]
My Kid Got Her Potty Mouth From Me
Ummm, yeah. There I was, dropping the big kid off at school, having a relatively normal, sane, happy-go-lucky sort of day when it happened. The teacher pulled me aside and asked me to consider making some adjustments at home. Gasp, I thought. What could we be doing at home that was making such an impact [...]
Mom's Favorite Things – ESPE Wallets
It’s not often that I treat myself to something totally just for me – a new handbag, a great pair of shoes. I try to stay pretty classic when it comes to style so that my finds can last and last. But, some things are just too fun and too much me to pass up. [...]
At 4 a.m., Peaceful Parenting Goes Out The Window
I have daydreams of sleep. Seriously, I’ll be driving in the truck along the dyke road looking out at the Canadian Geese flying over the Courtenay Estuary or stopped at a light and fantasizing about what it would be like to have eight complete hours of uninterrupted rest. I thought, maybe, as the wee one [...]
Friday Inspiration – Fly, Fly, Fly
By the time Friday gets around every week these days, I am a bit spent. Early wake-ups, getting kids off to school, the general disorganization of life has me in need of a smile and a giant nap. So, instead of getting heavy into life today, I thought I’d keep it light and sweet. Sometimes, [...]
Every Mom Needs A Vice – Right?
When I say every mom needs a vice, I’m not necessarily talking about a good, stiff drink or a $20-a-day caffeine addiction (well, maybe if I’m talking about myself that might apply). I’m talking about those little indulgences that help us check out, reset and feel one with the universe because we got to turn [...]
Why Is It The Sisterhood of Motherhood Isn't Always Warm and Welcoming?
I sat across the table from a new friend recently, martini and wine glasses collecting between us, in a bit of awe. It had been one hell of a week and we both needed to downshift, dumping a bit about motherhood, womanhood and the general state of our hoods when what seems to have become [...]
Why Every Parent Needs A Will
Editor’s Note: Comox Valley family lawyer Pauline Rae of Nowicki & Rae is here today to discuss getting your affairs in order so that – in case something happens to you – your family is cared for. Writing a will is a hard thing to think about, but so very important. Pauline tells us why. [...]
The Emergency Kit – Mom's Secret Stash
I am more and more convinced lately that women need at least a smidge of a secret life in order to maintain their feminine autonomy in the midst of motherhood. While this could come off as a very left-leaning feminist rant, I’m talking less about finding out one day that your very proper mother was [...]
Your Healthy Nature – Depeleted Mom Syndrome
I was reading Canadian Parent recently and came across an article that totally resonated with me. In it, the author talked about the realities of how exasperating and exhausting parenting can be at times. But, what really struck a cord in my head was his assertion that women in particular often suffer from depleted mom [...]
Is 40 the New Black?
Fully realizing that anything I write about my birthday is entirely self-serving and a bit on the indulgent side, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to wax on about such things today. I had a moment last night as Ken and I sat in the living room chatting about the last 10 years when [...]
In the Land of Multitasking, Focus is King (or Queen)
Moms are the ultimate multi-taskers. There’s no such thing as getting one thing done at a time. There are noses to wipe, meals to make, jobs to work, arguments to break up. The list goes on and on. We all have become professional jugglers. Some days it works brilliantly, others not so much. In that [...]
When Did You Fall In Love with The Canucks
It was 2002 and I had just met the love of my life. We found each other mid-season over horrible fish potatoes and an excellent love-at-first-sight story about February rain, miscommunication and that first look across a room of co-workers searching for him. I loved anything that he loved because just being near him blew [...]
When Did I Become the Idiot Around Here?
Sometimes, at night, I wander in to our oldest daughter’s room and admire her – sweet, snoozing and silent. I take these times to relieve myself of all of the stress built up between us during the day, to reconnect with her quietly and on my terms. It may seem a bit ridiculous that the [...]
Top 10 Reasons Moms Love Caffeine
Let’s face it, motherhood is exhausting. If there’s one thing most of us can agree upon, it’s that some sort of caffeinated beverage is a requirement of existence. For those of you who forgo it all, I commend you and wonder what super human powers you possess. I also may secretly suspect you are lying:) [...]
Local Business Creates Line to Support Cancer Foundation
As many of you know, the soulful and spirited Jenn Zahavich lost her battle with cancer earlier this year – touching so many lives and creating a sense of love in this community beyond compare. Since that time, many people have worked hard to make sure that her legacy of determination and heart lives on. [...]
The Canucks Have Stolen My Family
On our first date, nearly 10 years ago, Ken told me he wasn’t really into sports. With his charming curls and sweet, dreamy eyes staring back at me, I believed. I believed it meant that weekends would be free to go to the theater. We could take long, winding drives in the country. He would [...]
Yes, I Take My Kids Everywhere
We have a running joke, me and my fellow Chamber of Commerce board members. My youngest daughter may actually know more about the inner workings of the Chamber than any kiddo out there. That’s probably because she hasn’t missed a board meeting in months and now holds an honorary board position.:) I’ve been known, on [...]
Mom-Made Kids Gear – Little Sweetie Clips
While it may be up for debate, I generally don’t consider myself a girlie girl – especially when it comes to my kids. I prefer funky, fun clothes that are cute and make sense. The overall wardrobe color palate only occasionally involves pink and flowers. But, if there is one thing I love and will [...]
The Heart of A Mom
It’s 3 a.m. and I’ve been up for hours with a tiny person who refuses to sleep tonight. We’ve tried everything and right now I’m feeling a growl welling up inside me. I’m frustrated and wanting to keep my cool. But, she just bit me for the fourth time, has yelled the house awake and [...]
Top 10 Things to Obsess About as a Mom
A great friend of mine was at our house this weekend and quipped about how she can’t believe the women she knows who can have a pile of kids, life in total chaos, and blissfully lilt along smiling and nodding as if nothing ever phased them. We, she said pointedly, are not those women. It’s [...]
What I Really Want for Mother's Day
I‘m a fairly typical woman, I suspect. You can feed me, treat me to a day at the spa, send me flowers and/or make me a sweet card full of love and you will have done your “I love you mommy” duty in terms of Mother’s Day. My family pretty much knows that a little [...]
Wines Just for Women
There are a few things that marketers know well about women. Most of us, whether we admit it or not, are suckers for something pretty. Give us great packaging, a brand that resonates with us and we are often sold. You can apply that to lots of things such as cosmetics, movies, even buying a [...]
Dads and Their Long Lost Spot In Bed
It’s a moment that will live in infamy forever. Christmas 2004. Me, three months pregnant. Loving husband gifting me with full body pillow better known as the Snoogle. Me loving said pillow like I have never loved an inanimate object before (oh the comfort). Loving husband realizing quickly that he had been booted out of [...]
Those Things Your Mother Never Told You About Having Kids
There’s a running joke among several of my good friends that if our mothers had actually told us the truth about pregnancy, childbirth and raising kids we might have thought twice (not really) or at least been better prepared. But, the reality is that there really are no hard and fast rules for it all [...]
In The Search for Bad Television, I Found Myself…
My mother-in-law says that having a new baby five years after the first one has softened me. I’d take offense, thinking she was referring to my pudgy middle or that somehow I have lowered my standards for parenting. But, really, she may be right. This new sweet face has left me too tired, too busy [...]
The Value of Having Fun With Your Kids
I have something to admit. I’m not very much fun. I used to be, in fact it is fair to say that I may have used up all of my fun quota well before I had kids. I could say I don’t know what it is. But, really, I’m no fun because I have this [...]
Coping with Momnesia
It’s something every mom laughs quietly about and completely knows the meaning of – momnesia. From forgetting where you put the keys (on the rack, where you always do) to mixing up the digits of your phone number or blanking so badly that you can’t even grocery shop properly – losing our minds per se [...]
Getaways – 10 Great Date Nights That Won't Break the Bank
It’s time to start planning a bit of romance in celebration of your favorite Valentine. But, a four-course dinner and an overnight escape may not be in the budget this year. So, we polled our fellow moms on their favorite date nights that are easy on the wallet and came up with a great list [...]
Mom-P-Inc – Is There Such A Thing as Planning Your Year?
Every year around this time I think that I should be in major life planning mode. Organization is the key to happy life, right? Well, I teeter on the edge of ultimate bliss and complete misery just thinking about how to change diapers, get dinner made and work at the same time. I know I [...]
Your Healthy Nature – It’s All A Matter of Time
You probably have no time to read this. I have barely enough time to write it. I’m so busy, and have no time, and am so, so, so busy. I’m so busy I had to say it four times in one sentence. Okay, I’m not actually all that busy. I’ve realized that much of what [...]
Life Is…The Perpetual Parent Fail of the Loophole
Not too long ago, my son was playing with one of those gooey stretchy balls on a string. This play involved swinging it in his father’s direction and hitting him. My husband gave him the “if you do that one more time, I will take the ball away from you” ultimatum. My 3 year old [...]
On Fatherhood With Daughters
Editor’s Note: This morning I am pleased to have Registered Professional Counselor and Comox Valley dad Brennan MacDonald here to talk a bit about what life is like as the father of girls. His lovely, warm perspective is one that brings it all together. Enjoy. I have the privilege and challenge of being the father [...]
Life Is…Resolutions of a Working Mom Changing Gears
I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. I think they are counter-intuitive to having a good time on New Year’s Eve. How can anyone have fun when they have vowed, after the worst hangover they will have all year, to now try and accomplish some tasks and goals that have proven to be at [...]
Merry Christmas
From our family here at OBE to yours, thanks for a wonderful 2010. May the warmth and light of the season keep you smiling – Merry Christmas to you all.
The Woman’s Room – PMS is Code for “Don’t Touch My Junk”
PMS is Mother Nature’s way of saying, “Don’t touch my junk.” Or so says a doctor friend of mine. It all comes down to that most primal of evolutionary drives: perpetuate the species. I asked this friend what the evolutionary purpose of PMS could possibly be. Here is her theory: an egg is most likely [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Managing Your Business During Major Life Events
One of the big questions I get right now that isn’t newborn related is “How’s the business going?” It’s not an easy question to answer, really, as I have a lovely delusional state that I like to live in where I can leap tall buildings, sit on 14 committees, care for an infant, educate a [...]
Family Financial Re-Solutions for 2011
Does setting resolutions for the New Year really work? Take a look at the word itself…it has the word “solutions” within it. That is what setting resolutions is all about; coming up with solutions that will actually work in 2011 and taking action on them. As a family gearing up for the holiday season, celebrations [...]
And Then There Were Two
People keep asking me “How does it feel to be the mother of two girls?” My answer after four weeks is still “I’m a mom of two girls?” The whole thing remains a bit too surreal to be reality. I had never thought of myself as the parent of an only child. But, after 5+ [...]
The Woman’s Room – Electronics for Every Woman
Editor’s Note: As we kick off Black Friday and people all over North America flood stores to begin their holiday shopping, women’s issues columnist Laura Busheikin takes a moment to poke more than a bit of fun at consumerism today. Here she is: This very intriguing document was leaked to me by a colleague at [...]
Life Is…Mom's Holiday Planning: Fantasy vs. Reality
Every year around this time I give myself a good talking to. I will not leave Christmas to the last minute. I will be an organized machine, and I will start early and do this at a leisurely pace in a relaxed and even-tempered manner. I will not be exhausted. This is the year. My [...]
Your Healthy Nature – A Dose of Laughter & Nostalgia This Holiday
It’s only November and I’ve already grown weary of the health advice I keep seeing in every magazine about holiday celebrating. Why does every article assume that I’ll lose my fudge-eating-cider-quaffing-gingerbread-house-breaking-and-eating mind? Maybe I need to read a higher class of magazine, it’s true, perhaps ones with less exclamation marks on the covers. Still, the [...]
Real Life Motherhood – Worry & Love Through Childhood Milestones
Editor’s Note: Good Morning. Today, Comox mom Merrilee Bouchard joins us with a sweet personal story about the trials and tribulations of mom life when it comes to helping your kids through major milestones. Enjoy! It’s amazing the difference a few months can make in the development of a child. When my daughter Ava turned [...]
The Woman's Room – Every Woman Needs Her Own Ruby Slippers
Imagine having only six items of clothing. For a whole month. Last June, a group of about 100 people, mostly women, voluntarily tried this out, as part of a social experiment called Six Items or Less. Their experiences, recorded on the project’s web-site, are fascinating – the biggest surprise being that other people, including husbands [...]
Life Is…Slightly Less Obvious Halloween Tips, Oh My
For the last two years, I’ve scanned the world wide web for Halloween tips for parents. Just curious to see if anything else has cropped up beside the usual stuff that insults our ability to reason, like “young children should always be accompanied by an adult”, or “make sure your children are visible to motorists”. [...]
Your Healthy Nature – The True Markers of Family Health
I’m guessing that if you’re reading this article, you have an interest in your own health, or your family’s health, or your bored and blindly searching the internet, or you’re related to me. Whatever the reason, I’m glad you’ve kept reading this long. As the writer of this column on healthy nature, I feel compelled [...]
The Wealthy Family – Spooktacular Saving System for Families
“Hey, Mom! I want to be Cinderella… ummm, or maybe Hannah Montana!” and the list goes on and on as kids get excited about Halloween and can’t wait to pick the BEST Costume ever. My kids pay for their own costumes and each year they get more creative as they strive to save money on [...]
Love or Hate The Curse – My Menstrual Manifesto
I like having periods. There – that’s it: my menstrual manifesto. So why is this fairly boring personal statement a manifesto? The first clue is that I can’t seem to find many women who feel the same way. An on-line thread entitled, “Would you stop menstruating if you could?”, initiated by the Museum of Menstruation, [...]
Life Is…Motherhood has Ruined my Nerd Credibility
Editor’s Note: I’ve been waiting anxiously all month to introduce all of you to our new humor columnist Melanie Snagg. Motherhood is ridiculously funny. This Vancouver Island girl turned Vancouver urban jungle mama knows it. Read on: I used to be a pretty decent nerd, but since I became a mom I’m just a regular [...]
The Wealthy Family – Be the CEO of Your Home Inc.
Editor’s Note: Good morning and welcome to the debut of OBE’s new financial columnist, Kim Deep. We are particularly excited to have Kim join the team here as the CEO of Kidz Make Cents is one of the leading experts in Western Canada helping families and kids get their finances in order. Kim joins us [...]
Family Traditions are Good for Your Health
Editor’s note: Ah, Friday. Time to wind down and get in that weekend head space. New columnist Erica Fyvie makes her debut on OBE this morning as she leads us back in time a bit to those moments in childhood that became the stuff of tradition in our families – inspiring us to create some [...]
Back-to-Preschool 2010 – Handmade Kids Belts that Rock (Giveaway)
The preschool crowd headed back to school last week too, many of them with droopy pants. It’s not an easy gig, trying to find clothes that fit all of the different shapes and sizes that tiny people come in. But, when your kids are tall and thin or just moderately slight even the pants that [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Sanity Savers for Busy Moms
On these drizzle-filled, chilly Fall mornings, easing into the day seems like a lovely luxury to have a few moments to ourselves as parents. It seems like we are forever running around trying to meet the needs of everyone else. Unfortunately, that all starts over again with the arrival of Monday morning. But, there may [...]
After All That Parenting, It's Time for A Glass of Wine
There are some days when I know the only way to make things better is to open a bottle of wine. It is usually about dinner time when the kid craziness peaks and I allow myself a glass of goodness to sip as I multi-task among supper prep, daily goo removal and “keeping kids from [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Building Down Time Into Busy Seasons
Sitting here this morning, I have to admit that writing this column seems entirely fitting because I am abjectly exhausted – which is my usual condition come August every year. We call this month our annual “vacation,” which mostly amounts to Ken and I finally having a moment long enough to look at everything that [...]
Small Business Consult – Niche Markets that Pay the Bills
One of the most interesting, unnerving and ultimately eye-opening parts of owning a small business is discovering what pays the bills. Sometimes, your main product is the big revenue generator starting out. But, more often than not – as I’ve seen a lot of lately – it is something you never expected to be a [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Making The Best Out Of Competition
“It does not do you good to leave a dragon out of your calculations when you live near him.” – J.R.R. Tolkien When it comes to doing business in a competitive marketplace, I suspect it’s fair to say that most women have a bit of a split personality. On one side, you have the Pollyanna [...]
Letting Your Right Brain Out To Play
Editor’s Note: This morning Marcie Dumais shares her quest to find the artist within herself and how she plans on encouraging her boys to explore their artistic interests and abilities. Here’s her story: I really believe there is an artist inside all of us. I know that sounds cliché, but it is true. For some [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Overcoming Fear in Business
Whenever I sit down with my friends who own businesses, the conversation almost always veers toward ways to kick ourselves into gear. It’s not that we are standing still, watching our investments, time and energy swirl around us. But, sometimes it really does feel like this apocalyptic weight of “what do I do next?” weighs [...]
Outdoor Activities To Rekindle Your Love Life
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Marcie Dumais is here with some great tips on keeping the flame of love alive with some great outdoor activities just in time for the warmer weather and Earth Day. Here she is: Blame it on the rain, but I’m afraid I’ve landed in a big, nasty rut (sometimes you just have [...]
Savoring The Ordinary Moments of Motherhood
Editor’s Note: Karen Pantuso-Swanson is here this morning sharing some insightful words on finding the extraordinary in all of those ordinary moments in life – one of the greatest challenges many of us face. Her piece is a a great reminder to remember what’s important, live for the moment and find the joy in everything. Lovely. [...]
Why Women-owned Businesses Need Social Media
Editor’s Note: If you missed it this morning, check out Bevin’s great piece on how to plug your kids in to environmental education as we head toward Earth Day. You can read it HERE. Now, it’s time to figure out why the heck any of us would use social media for business. Have a great [...]
The Makings Of A Confident Mom
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Marcie Dumais is on site with a look at the top traits that make for a confident mom. Here she is: Over Spring Break, my kiddos and I flew to Penticton to spend time with my parents. This meant a quick flight to Vancouver, followed by a few hours in the [...]
Working Motherhood Is Insane… Or Is It?
Editor’s Note: If you missed out on this morning’s review of the luxurious Tigh-Na-Mara Spa & Resort, you can read all about it HERE. Now, here’s Robin with a look at working motherhood. It’s hard to hear, that sweet voice sitting next to me coloring at the kitchen table that pipes up when my computer [...]
Product Review – Black Drop Designs
If there’s one thing the tiny person inherited from me, it’s a love of all things jewelry. I don’t wear a whole heck of a lot of it. But, the pieces that I have are significant. Ken can attest – after years of wondering if I will ever change a pair of earrings or try [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Blog Love for The Organized Business Mom
Good morning. It’s Sunday and that usually means we kick into Mom Entrepreneur mode around here with guest columnists like Emma Payton of Payton Hughes Consulting. Emma has offered up some fantastic business advice to OBE readers and now it’s time to return the love as she’s kicked off her own blogging project that is [...]
How To Plan For A Family Reunion
Editor’s Note: Happy Monday! This morning Alix Wilson is on site with tips on preparing your kids for large family gatherings. Here she is: This summer we are headed to a huge family gathering. It’s a wedding on my husband’s mother’s side of the family, so there will be plenty of people that I have [...]
Finding Your Parenting Zen (and Strength) with Yoga
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Today we have Marcie Dumais discussing one of my passions – yoga. Here she is: As parents, the wellness of our little people is top priority – making sure they have nutritious meals, stimulating activities, exercise, time outdoors, caring role-models, quality education and so on. We devote a lot of time [...]
The OBE Business & Community Directories Are Here!
Wow, what a great sunny day. Have you seen the Comox Glacier yet? It’s truly breathtaking. With all of this gorgeousness going on, we are excited to unveil the latest OBE tool for folks in the Comox Valley and beyond to easily find the restaurants, organizations, service providers and destinations that make this region such [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Discovering Community Literacy
When you say the word “literacy” the images of libraries and academia often come to mind. It takes you down a mental path of helping kids learn to read and guiding adults through the challenges of needing to be able to interpret for themselves written words in order to manage the day-to-day tasks. To me, [...]
A Year for Joy
I sat here for an hour trying to come up with a clever headline that captured the emotion of this year without sounding like a broken record or a trite cliche. Joy ended up the only word that constantly came to mind. Perhaps most people, including myself, wouldn’t consider joy the appropriate sentiment based on [...]
Making Old Family Traditions Your Own
Editor’s Note: This morning Marcie Dumais is on site with a look at folding old family traditions into your very own new holiday traditions. It’s such a fun time of year to reflect, honor, laugh and enjoy. Creating those memories and reliving happy pieces of our childhood are some of the best parts of this [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – "Funding" A Start-Up Through Bootstrapping
Editor’s Note: Happy Sunday. If you missed this morning’s post on the second part of the Sustainability Strategy tackling hard social issues such as homelessness and affordable housing, you can read it HERE. Right now, we have local small business consultant Emma Payton back on site discussing bootstrapping as an alternative way to fund start-up [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Do What You Love
“I write because when I was an adolescent I looked in the mirror and no one was there. Can you believe it? Complete nothingness. And then, beside me, “others” assumed great importance.” – Rosario Castellanos I actually remember feeling that way, looking in the mirror and having no clue what I saw. It scared me [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – The Attributes of an Entrepreneur
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Today we have local small business consultant Emma Payton back with us and taking a look at some of the characteristics that make successful entrepreneurs. You can find her first article on the myths and realities of self-employment HERE. Here’s Emma: In the previous article in this series we explored some [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Integrity
As many mom bloggers do, I get A LOT of freebies offered and/or sent to OBE. I don’t go looking for them, phone people, send letters or ask for them. While there’s a huge business culture based on cashing in on these freebies, there’s one big reason we don’t take them (and it’s not because [...]
What Is Your Personal Parenting Style?
Editor’s Note: Good Morning, today early childhood educator Heather Magdanz is here to talk shop about parenting. She’s got some interesting insight into why we all parent the way we do… food for thought. Here she is: Have you ever considered what kind of parent you are? Come on… who thinks about that really? It [...]
The Making of a Mom Entrepreneur – Letting Go
I have been hanging myself out to dry for a while, all because of an inability to let things go. I work hard on not being petty, keeping things in perspective and maintaining some sense of order (or simply the need to pick up pieces properly) when my quick-fire reactions lead to a giant flaming [...]
Mom-P-Inc. – Is Self Employment For You?
Editor’s Note: Happy Sunday! This fine morning we have local small business consultant Emma Payton on hand addressing whether small business is right for you. This is the first of a three-part series, so stay tuned for more… Self-employment – is it for you? How many of you have thought, “Wow, I’d love to work [...]
