Tag: Summer
Summer Eats – Hearty Middle Eastern Supper Salad
The blazing heat of August, all we can think about when it comes to making dinner is what will be healthy and something the kids will eat that we don’t have to turn the stove on to make. While the grill is a decent option, even that seems to hot to handle when it’s 40 [...]
Keep Your Home Safe This Summer – Don’t Advertise Vacation on Facebook
Editor’s Note: Today, the folks from Toronto-based Weiser Lock are here with some great reminders on how to keep your home safe while you are out and about enjoying vacation, road tripping or just a day at the beach this summer. 6 Tips for protecting your home on social media With Summer here, people are [...]
Adventures In Family Eats
When I think back to childhood summers spent almost in their entirety at my grandparents and aunt’s house in Niagara Falls, the things I remember most involve food. From the loaves of fresh Italian bread that we would sit on the kitchen floor, buttering and eating for breakfast to stealing pizza from my uncle’s bakery, [...]
Don’t Be The Grumpy Museum Lady This Summer
We here at OBE like to think of ourselves as pretty darn adventurous parents when it comes to the whole process of kids making art. Whether it be spinning paint, watercolors, sticky glue or paper mache, the fun of making anything is in getting all gooey in the process – right? Well, not so much [...]
The Scoop On Sun Exposure, Sunscreens & Summer
Vancouver Island may be a bit wet and chilly right now. But, as soon as the Canada Day parade is over, you know it will be 30 and sunny in less than 10 minutes.:) On the other side of the country in Nova Scotia, the heat and sun have already got us out hitting the [...]
The Summer To-Dos – What’s On Your Bucket List?
It’s the first Beach Days of the season with my wee kids and the effects on me and mine were wonderful. With all three of us at the tail end of a sniffly/sneezy bug, the salt air and sea breeze were just what we needed. My 5 year old is pumped following his morning soccer game and although my [...]
Summer Soups That Make You Sing
Summer eating rarely involves the stove or oven in my universe. The thought of heating up the house even more than it already is sends me in the direction of salads, Ploughmans platters and barbecue. But, with this year’s relatively cool temperatures and my parents in town for the season I have rediscovered a love [...]
Getting Kids Back Into the School Groove
Did you just gasp reading that headline? Back to School? It’s August 2. I have to be kidding, right? Well, as much as we are just getting around to the holiday part of our summer, I’m also spending a lot of time pondering how to get the big kid headed back in the direction of [...]
Get Your Tickets for The Big Time Out
Music festivals and summer are what Vancouver Island is all about – especially in the Comox Valley. Come August, the weather should be a whole heckuvalot better and it’ll be time for some serious outdoor concert good times. Getting your tickets now means a guaranteed seat at this year’s Big Time Out, serving up some [...]
Top 10 Summertime Ways To Spark Kids Natural Creativity
Now that we have survived June-uary here on the West Coast and the kids have made their formal exit from the classroom there is only one thing to do – wonder how we are going to fill the next 12 weeks. Summertime can be a great break and one heck of a grind in terms [...]
Kids Crafts – Summer Creativity
I am waiving the red flag in the creativity department. Our house has always been one that’s all about art and making things and finding new ways to make art and new things. But, the craft room has seen busier days. Thankfully, I took a peek back through some of the fun projects we’ve done [...]
Comox Valley Weekend Planner – KidsFest 2010
The end of summer is officially here. Yes, the weather is gorgeous and the sun is bright. But, I always know that those laid back days on the beach and in the park are winding down because it’s time for the final family festival of the season – KidsFest. Mark your calendar and get your [...]
Summer Treats – Get Fruitastic with Two Jelly & Fruit Gems
I am all over the easy summer treats that will wow the kid crew around here these days. Gelatin goodness packed with fruit are always the hit of the season. We’ve had some of my most loved (and most returned to) recipes here on OBE. Check out Rosina Huber’s Veggie Jelly Melons (with half the [...]
Summer Foodie Redeux – Homemade Frozen Treats
If there is one thing that makes summertime sweet, it’s popsicle in hand, bathing suit on, kiddie pool in play. As a kid, I would have skipped all things sweet and sugary for a fudgesicle or a freezie pop. Since then, though, I’ve had a few years to feel badly for my parents who got [...]
Road Trip & Beach Days Travel Packs for Kids
For our family, August is all about cramming in all of the camping, beach and road trip moments that got missed the rest of the summer into the 30 or so days before school starts (eeep!) What it also means is that I need to plan ahead for all of the down time attached to [...]
Kids Crafts – Bubbles & Boxes to Beat Boredom
You know how parents always seem to chuckle a bit at how the kids love the big box better than the present that came in it? More often than not, simple is the solution when kids are seriously bored and in need of an imagination adventure or giggle fest. I can’t tell you how many [...]
Healthy Summer – Tips to Keep Kids Safe In The Water
I admit it, I’m going through a phase. You know, the one where everything that used to be fun and carefree now completely terrifies me when it comes to participating in it with a kiddo in tow. …and I only have one. Yikes! One of the biggest concerns now that the sun has returned from [...]
Summer Kids Crafts – Pressing Flowers
The whole Comox Valley seems to be in bloom right now. I don’t know if it was the cold spring or the incredibly hot temperatures of the last week. But, that wow of color and scent is off the charts. For the tiny person, she’s in heaven searching for ways to talk me into picking [...]
A Summer Survival Guide For Parents Of Teens
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Today we have Tara Colborne back on site with an informative look at risks that our teens face during the summer months, along with ways that parents can keep them busy, out of trouble and safe. Here she is: Alert! Alert! Parents of teenagers, listen up. It is summer. Do you know what [...]
Must-Haves for Your Tween's Summer Reading List
Summer reading is all about adventures – whether it be to times long gone or another town where a great story lives that your kids can totally relate to. Some of this year’s hottest reads for young adults definitely fall into that category of “disappear for a while,” perfect for the occasional rainy day, a [...]
Family Eats – Summer Soups
Editor’s Note: Ah, Wednesday. Yummy day. Family chef Sarah Stromquist is here today offering up some tasty insight into Summer soups. delish. Anytime of year soups are a wonderful way to enjoy a healthy and generally quick meal. Paired with a wrap, sandwich or some such delight they become a full meal. But I usually [...]
Summer Crafts – Backyard Paint Party
Good morning. Just back from our brief, yet very go-go-go staycation in Victoria, we are all over the play-where-you-live theory on breaking now as we got deals all over the place, explored far-off worlds and ate at one or two of our favourite spots in the process. I’ll be back later in the week with [...]
Out and About – Does Sunscreen Equal Prevention?
Editor’s Note: Beat the heat today out at ASH Berry Farm as Don and Louisa McClellan host the final Farm Event of the Eat Real. Eat Local 30-Day Food Challenge. This fun day is all about berries, pigs (brings your veggie scraps to feed them) and farm sprinklers. It’s all from 10 a.m. to 2 [...]
Family Eats – Hot Summer-Time Treats to Keep Cool
It has been hectic around here with the winding down of school, sports and all this incredible weather. In the chaos and heat my ladies, like most kids I suspect, have been having trouble wanting to eat. I don’t blame them really. But I know that when my kids play outside all day, melting away [...]
Children's Books About Fairy Folk & Spring Day Dreams
Long hot days this time of year make me want to find a big, giant maple tree to spread a blanket out under, unpack a lunch full of cool veggies and fruit and lay back to begin a few hours of uninterrupted day dreaming. Since the likelihood of that happening is less than the odds [...]
Local Eating – My Favorite Recipe for Summer Borscht
After a great Summer of wonderful guest foodies, sharing dishes that have now become household staples around here, I thought I should maybe, kind of, sort of, pitch in one of my own. It is no secret to anyone who has ever dropped by our house on occasion that I have a thing for cabbage. [...]
The Farm – Everyone Loves Apples
Last Sunday we had a house full of old friends from Vancouver. The combo of energetic kiddos and sleepy adults meant we b-lined for the backyard, only to discover something fantastic – the apples are ready. That may not mean much to anyone else. But, we weren’t even sure there would be any apples in [...]
Making Bookmarks to Track Our Tales
Our daughter loves stories. From the second she pops her head up in the morning until she falls asleep to them at night, yarns about everything from how monsters make nutty butter to the vacations her collection of puppets are on float through the air non-stop. She is ALWAYS making something up, building imaginary cities, [...]
Summer NeighbourWood Walk No. 4 – Fanny Bay
Note to self: wine with the girlfriends after a long day on the trail is excellent fun at 9 p.m., not so excellent fun at 6 a.m.:) A small group of super intrepid walkers made it out to our fourth NeighbourWood Walk yesterday, which took us to the far south end of the Valley and [...]
Veggie Jelly Melons
Editor’s Note: As our Summer of Guest Foodies continues, I am beyond excited to bring you local mama Rosina Huber whose Nature Mama blog is packed full of nature learning, great crafting, homeschooling goodness and homestead cooking that looks and sounds so savory it’ll make you think comfort food for days afterward. Rosina and her [...]
The Farm – Rocking the Barnyard
When we popped in at the Hands-On Farm over at the Filberg on Sunday, Popsicle was giving us the evil eye. Maybe it was the “Please save me from these crazy pigs” eye. Nonetheless, his new “buddies” Penelope and Veruca are scaring the spots off of him. P & V may only be six weeks [...]
The Farm – Keep Cool, Pioneer Style
It is HOT on the Farm these days. This week is blazing as the dog days of Summer set in the animals are feeling it too, bucking for shady spots and taking quick dips in the pool (they have one, ya know) to beat the heat. Our Hands-On Farm Friend, Popsicle, was feeling a little [...]
Summer NeighbourWood Walk No. 2 – Pt. Holmes Reef
There is a perfection to kids in nature. Those times when they can soak themselves down, run around barefoot and discover unbelievable sorts of wonders – together – force us as adults to slow down a bit, let a few things go, and just let them be for a while. We find ourselves standing back [...]
Summer Sun Safety
Editor’s Note: Patti Fletcher is taking a break this Summer, on sabbatical from her post as Comox Rec Program Director. Mandy Johns has stepped in and graciously agreed to write Patti’s column while she’s on leave. Mandy is busy this Summer filling in for Patti all over the place and we are grateful that she [...]
Summer NeighbourWood Walk No. 1 – MacDonald Wood
It’s about 8:45 a.m. as I sit down to write this post. As a general rule, I write the night before. Mornings are nuts around here and throwing blogging into that mix is generally a stress of the unnecessary kind. But, today, it’s entirely beautiful. That’s totally because I got out of bed about five [...]
It's (Sort of) Berry Season
Mother Nature has not been kind in the U-Pick universe this year. The whole June-uary weather event means that berry ripening and picking is well behind schedule. But, the good news is that berry farms are starting to open and local fruity yumminess will be available for early risers for the next few months in [...]
The Farm – Cow Lips
Happy Canada Day. While you are soaking up all of the family good times in the Valley that is celebrating the nation’s birthday, we are busting out our maple leaves and saluting the cow in Canada – in honour of our Hands-On Farm Friend Popsicle. First, a few facts: – Popsicle is a Holstein, the [...]
Summer Reading Together
Editor’s Note: Mom and CV teacher Helen Oliphant has dropped by today to lend us a hand getting into the learning that happens away from the classroom this Summer. She kicks it all off with tips on how to help your kiddos get reading, with a little help from mom and dad. “Thurs. June 2, [...]
Announcing the Summer NeighbourWood Walk Series
It’s with some serious excitement that I announce our Summer NeighbourWood Walk series. After such a fantastic response to our first series and some disappointment about our time choice, we knew we were going to have to plan for two walks this Summer. So, here’s the scoop. Our NeighbourWood Walk series will run for eight [...]
Natural First-Aid Kit
As we head into the middle of June with high expectations of warm summer days filled with fun adventures, I can’t help but feel a little hesitant. While I’m excited for outdoor exploring time with my toddler, I’m also anticipating a few more bumps, cuts and tears as I watch him run faster than his [...]
Summer Kanten
Editor’s note: Christa and I work tandem on the food column these days. She writes the stories and I take the photos. I love Christa’s yummy un-jello Jello recipe this week. But, my family is totally not down with melon – of any kind. So, you’ll see that the photo doesn’t really look like an [...]
Shaker Salad Dressing
I don’t have to tell you that I’m a big proponent of getting kids involved in the kitchen. Kneading dough, scrambling eggs, flipping pancakes- some of my best childhood memories are of learning basic kitchen skills from my parents. It’s with a love for nostalgia and good food that I find myself encouraging my little [...]
The Weather & Garden Synch Up
It’s true. Our Sprouts preschool garden experiment, well, died. Being entirely new at making anything grow, I had no plan for dealing with the record-cold April and the reality that frost always wins over veggies when push comes to shove. I’m a little embarrassed, mildly comforted by the fact that a whole whack of people [...]
When Preschool Gardening Gives Way to Absentmindedness
Bad news first: I have no brain. It has been missing since about six months into pregnancy…and it is now becoming painfully apparent that its continued decline is starting to effect our day-to-day well being. …at least when it comes to gardening. After our unfortunate leaving-outside-overnight incident last week, I lovingly put the sprouts back [...]
Beating the Dog Days of Summer with Bubbles & Games
I was out having coffee with my pal Kathy recently when trading stories across the table turned to the topic of summer seemingly nearing its end. The cloudy coolness of the last few days makes moms like us think maybe it’s time to start talking Halloween and Christmas instead of beaches and fun in the [...]
