Tag: Review
Winter Seasonal Classic Children's Books From Sweden
Over the last couple of years I have become a huge fan of classic Swedish children’s book authors such as Astrid Lindgren and Elsa Beskow. Their warm stories combine the magic of imaginary creatures who make nature come alive and an old world charm that is both soothing and familiar. In our house, their stories [...]
Books to Recreate Traditions of Food, Handcraft, Celebrations and Stories
There is something so full of comfort, warmth and a sense of those who came before us that comes with celebrating the festivals of the seasons, creating home-spun handcrafts, telling the stories of gnomes, elves and little creatures of magical times gone by. For years, I had my wishbone out, hoping that somehow I would [...]
Books About Girl Power
Helping our kids form a positive self-image of themselves as well as helping them to see other kids as unique and interesting as well is one very serious challenge. From all of the competitiveness in our own daily lives, our own worries about weight, money, the right look, the perfect this and that, our kids [...]
Poetry For Little People
We spend a lot of time storytelling in our house. Whether it’s reading books, using our imaginations or making up a grand tale, it’s so much fun to see what we can create. But, the one thing I could never get myself or our oldest daughter into was poetry. I wanted to and tried hard. [...]
Star Wars Books for Preschoolers
While at our local downtown bookstore the other day looking for some fun stories about heading back to school we found ourselves distracted by something neither the big kid or I could resist. There is one thing in our house that rates above all others – Star Wars. For years, our nephews who are a [...]
Books That Your Toddler Can't Destroy
The wee one at our house is emerging into this incredible, feisty and amazing kid and every time I turn to look at her these days – she has a book in her mouth. Actually, she has just about anything she can find in her mouth. It’s crazy and, in my perpetually panicked mom state, [...]
I-Pad Apps to Get Kids Ready for School
The countdown calendar at our house shows we’ve got about three weeks until the kids are back in school and it’s time to start thinking about plugging their brains back in to learning mode without freaking them out and sending them over the edge. Our IPad has been on sabbatical for most of the summer. [...]
Books That Get Kids Up Close with Animals
I am always on the hunt for great board books that give the kids a chance to see pictures of actual animals doing cool things with a nice, easy story to keep them interested. When my oldest was wee and just starting to get into animals the best options – honestly – were usually discovered [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Family Movie Review (Easter Edition) – HOP
Editor’s Note: In-house movie critic Ken Henderson is here today with a movie review just in time for Easter. Hippity Hop. Enjoy. For any parent out there who was wondering what excuse they’d need to get their kids to eat more candy, soda and or popcorn over Easter weekend here’s your solution. Finally… an animated [...]
Kids Books That Teach The Alphabet of the Environment
As we shift gears into learning a bit more about how to live lighter on the Earth this next week, it seems most appropriate to start it all off by offering up fun and engaging tools that help get that whole conversation started with your kids. Since greening our lives is something that has only [...]
Nutritious Solutions for Young Kids
Well, we’re not quite to the solid food stage with our newest little one. But, in getting ready for it I’ve been doing a fair bit of reading and in the process found myself reminded of all of things that I should (and more than I like to admit don’t) be doing to make sure [...]
Beautiful Children's Books About Colors & Sound
Finding books for preschoolers on basics like colors and sounds that keep kids connected to nature while still being seriously fun are not exactly easy to come by. I remember a spare few when our oldest was that age and totally fell in love a few weeks ago when she picked two out of the [...]
Books Filled with Day Dreams of Fairies, Butterflies and Sprites
I have always wished I could live in a magical world. Yes, magic lives all around us. But, I really, really think there should be a way to move between the world of the fairies, the sprites, the gnomes and even a goblin or two. Thankfully – since C.S. Lewis did not leave his wardrobe [...]
Book Review – You Are Your Child's First Teacher
I will be the first person to admit that I do not subscribe to any one style of parenting mostly because I have a deep and enduring aversion to parenting books. It’s not that they aren’t helpful and they surely provide people with important structure during a time when we all are humbled by how [...]
OBE's Top 5 Animated Family Movies of 2010
Editor’s Note: OBE’s in-house movie critic Ken Henderson is here this morning to pass along his top family movies of 2010 and why. It’s been a great year at the movie theater. It took him a while to make his picks. Enjoy! What a year for kids animated films, it seems the industry is finally [...]
Movie Review – How To Train Your Dragon
Editor’s Note: As the holiday season kicks in, it’s also a great time to pick up the hot movies of the season as well. Resident movie critic Ken Henderson will be here throughout the month to review movies, offer up favorites and more. He’s here today reviewing one of the hottest animated films of the [...]
3-D Books for the Scientist Kid In Your House
As we move into the holiday season, I am working on making sure that our 5 year old gets her full dose of science nerd as she is so into owls and dinosaurs right now that our entire universe seems to have wingasaurus tendencies. She also loves books just about as much, but finding age-appropriate [...]
Crush of the Month – Annie's Rice Pasta Mac N Cheese
Can you L-O-V-E macaroni and cheese? I dare to say that I have singlehandedly proven that it is possible, even probable, that mac and cheese can serve as a most beloved friend when in need. Even when your kiddo is desperately allergic to wheat. That’s all because of Annie’s Homegrown Rice Pasta Macaroni and Cheese [...]
Mom's Book Review – The Idle Parent
Editor’s Note: This morning Comox mom Robin Blackburn gives us the low down on one of the hottest parenting books on the market right now – The Idle Parent by Tom Hodgkinson. The book tackles a touchy topic and asks us all to look at why we parent the way we do. Robin breaks it [...]
Halloween Faves from the 5-year-old Crowd
It’s time for spooky tales of fright that make you stay up through the night and get kids wondering about ghosts and ghouls, thinking their parents are silly fools. You’d think these rhymes, made up by our kiddo who LOVES to peek into all things scary mean she is edging toward the spookier realm of [...]
Sweet Reads for New Siblings
When it comes to helping kids through the process of figuring out what life will be like once a baby shows up around your house, there really is no magic formula. There could be months of “Oh I can’t wait” and a year of “What a nightmare” after a new baby is born. Or, a [...]
Movie Review – Legend of The Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Editor’s Note: Happy Monday. OBE Design Director Ken Henderson is here this morning with his review of the latest release from Animal Logic Studios – Legends of the Guardians, The Owls of Ga’Hoole. Ken is an entertainment industry veteran with more than 20 years working as an animator, art director and concept illustrator for film [...]
Books To Make Sure Your Readers Are Ready
If there is one bit of advice that teachers and veteran parents alike pass along this time of year, it’s that moving your kids back into school mode is made a bit easier with a trip to the book store for some pre-classroom reads. We’ve reviewed some great tween books for the older crowd this [...]
The Ultimate Guide to Tracking Your Pregnancy
It seems like the longest 40 weeks of your life – that time from the moment you conceive until the day your beautiful baby is born. But, keeping track of all of the special, personal moments, logging all of the physical and emotional changes that go on and even finding those important bits of advice [...]
Smile-Causing Books About Behinds, Buddies & Being Kind
This summer our theme for books has been all about fun. If it looks like we’ll end up giggling, with a smile on our faces, at the end of the story, we pick up the paperback and head for some cool afternoon reading time. It’s been a great way to discover some really sweet new [...]
Books to Read When Teaching Kids About Local Food
I‘ve been in way back mode the last week or so taking a peek at some of the things we have written about in the past. One of them that keeps me coming back is books that are all about connecting kids to food. While we are far from harvest time in this neck of [...]
Crush Of The Month – EcoFan Pro
It’s funny the things you fall in love with. In our house, finding ways to make work life a bit more lovely, a bit more eco and a bit more soothing rate very, very high. There’s too much sharing of life and work space to have it any other way. A while back I got [...]
Crush of the Month – RW Knudsen Spritzers
Happy Monday! Do you ever go through deep and meaningful love phases with things in your life? I get some very serious crushes. Just ask Ken who has seen me watch the same movie every day for two weeks straight, eat the same thing for lunch for a month or fall head over heals for [...]
Educational Books About Earth Day for Grade School Kids
If there’s one publisher that is a go-to when it comes to great educational books that really hit the mark for kids, it has got to be Usborne Books. Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to come up with a good collection of Earth Day-related books for the kiddo, and it wasn’t until I [...]
Kids Books Filled With Mischievious Easter Tales
Editor’s Note: If you missed out on Rebecca’s morning post about the gift of imagination, you can read it HERE. Now, Robin is here with three great Easter themed books for kids. Since Valentine’s Day there has been a bit of a countdown in our house. The tiny person doesn’t really care that much about [...]
Children's Books About The Dino Adventures of Cats & Dogs
Editor’s Notes: Good afternoon. If you missed out on the morning post from Rebecca on the tradition of advent, you can catch it over HERE. Now it’s time for a review of two very fun children’s books and a giveaway… We have moved into the comedy portion of our daily story routine these days. There’s [...]
Comfy, Urban, Vintage – Freakin' Coffee Shop
Dining may not be the first thing you think about when it comes to a place to load up on caffeine. But, it’s all about the experience at Tin Town’s Freakin’ Coffee Shop on Rosewall Crescent in Courtenay. Food is optional. Since my first job out of school, I have lived quite fondly for the [...]
Which Cloth Diaper to Choose?
Editor’s Note: Comox Valley Mom Kathy Roberts is a cloth diaper convert. In her quest to make life easy and non-disposable, she took it upon herself to test drive just about every type of cloth diaper out there, even making a few of her own. Thankfully, I’m annoyingly persistent and she is incredibly generous, now [...]
101 Uses for Hemp Milk
A while back, after CVK mom Reesh recommended Hemp Milk, I started doing a bit of research into it all. Cow milk is no friend to us, and the whole goat’s milk our daughter has been downing for a year or so is now – I’m told – a bit too fatty for her to [...]
Time to Ditch the Plastic Sports Bottle/Sippy Cup
I’m about to scare you. Plastic may be useful, but it is also potentially irreparably harming our children by disrupting their endocrine, immune and reproductive systems by leaching toxins into their water, milk and food. That’s even the plastic in baby bottles, sippy cups and sports drink bottles. If you are like me, you have [...]
Worth the Drive – Kool & Child
My husband and I almost set up camp there – particularly happy that the tiny person and grandma decided to hang out at home instead of come with us. Otherwise, she would have insisted we move in forever. I’d been told by more than one intrepid parent that Kool & Child in Nanaimo was one [...]
