Enjoy Home Cooked Meals, Don’t Fret About Calories

Editor’s Note: Happy Friday! Esther Kane is here with ten great tips for healthy, happy eating and entertaining. Here she is:
I recently had the pleasure of visiting my grandmother Ruth in London, England, which I am lucky enough to do once a year. Although it’s quite the schlep to get there and the jet-lag is [...]

Making Room for Baby – Tips For Nesting

Editor’s Note: If you missed out on Alix’s morning post with tips on planning for large family gatherings, you can read it HERE. Now, we take nesting to a new level and get you organized for new babies (or even just to be more organized) with some tips that simplify, focus and pamper:
I don’t think I [...]

Kids Rock – Music Lessons Are Not for Every Musician

Editor’s Note: Good morning. Bobby Herron is on site today talking shop about why music lessons work for some kids and not for others. Finding creative ways to help your kids learn all kinds of things is a bit of an art in and of itself. One that is different for everyone. Here he is:
Music instruction [...]

Halloween Safety Tips for Families

The trick-or-treat festivities are just about upon us… and so is the weekend. Fright night or a Monday or a Wednesday, well, pretty chill. Saturday’s frightful activities might be a bit less tame than usual.

So, in the name of good, clean, spooky fun, here are some hot tips from the Comox Valley’s own Street Smart Kidz, [...]

Planning for the Worst Makes Family Travel the Best

Editor’s Note: Happy Monday. If you missed our morning post, OBE and Bitchin’ Kitchen have hooked up for a spooktacular giveaway. Check out the details and video HERE.
As we start to plan for the holiday season, traveling with our families enters into the picture. Before you run screaming from the thought of taking a long [...]

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 of [...]

What to Do About The Flu

Editor’s Note: Happy Friday! There is some serious goo going around town right now. So, we thought we’d pass along some resources and info this afternoon. If you missed this morning’s story, Bevin gave us some great advice on some DIY ways to conserve heat this season. Check it out HERE.
There’s a wild wave pounding [...]

SPROUTS – Goodbye Garden

Editor’s Note: Happy Friday. This morning we have gardening goddess Kendra Quince taking us through the steps of moving a garden from one home to another. Here she is:

Every year at this time, I begin to feel a little sad. Pulling out the plants and harvesting what remains of the garden reminds me that cooler [...]

Mindful Eating Roadblocks (Part 3)

Editor’s Note: The lovely and knowledgeable Esther Kane is with us today sharing tips from her latest book on practicing Mindful Eating. This is the third part of her Mindful Eating Roadblocks series. You can find the first two parts here – Part One & Part Two. Here’s Esther:

For this article, I will share with [...]

Cougar and Bear Safety as a Family

Editor’s Note: Quick, rearrange your schedules, there is ALL KINDS OF CHEESE GOODNESS going on today as Natural Pastures Cheese Co. wraps up its month of cheese from around the world. Head on over to 635 McPhee Ave. in Courtenay for fantastic cooking demos at 11 a.m., Noon and 1 p.m. I know it’s killer [...]

NeighbourWoodie Watch – Black-Tailed Deer

Editor’s Note: Good Morning. Today, we are excited to connect you with wildlife educator Sandy Fairfield and her new NeighbourWoodie Watch column here on Our Big Earth.
Sandy is the educator for an organization that is near and dear to my heart, Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society – a Merville organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured [...]

Summer Planning – Tips for Traveling with Kids

Editor’s Note: So, I woke up this morning, doing my normal morning thing, and hit 9:50 a.m., was in the middle of answering about 1.2 million e-mails, and realized I hadn’t posted yet today.
Some days…I feel like I need a brain transplant.

The good news is you don’t have me writing something unintelligible here today [...]

Esther Kane – Mindful Eating Road Blocks (Part 1)

Editor’s Note: Good Morning! We are here today hanging out with Esther Kane.
But, if you are out and about, be sure to come on over to Simms Park and hang in the Our Big Earth Family & Kids Zone at the 2009 Earth Day Family Festival. It’ll be packed with projects like a community art [...]

BUMPS – It’s Spring, Time to Nest

The space I have carved out for myself in this house is the spare room.
This is where I write.
Since my daughters share a room, this one is mine…well kind of.  I guess I share the space with the ironing board, the pack-n-play (for our baby guests to snooze), broken and obsolete electronic equipment, and other [...]

Where is The Love? Finding Time for Each Other

“It feels like I’m running a daycare with someone I used to date.” I’m not sure who the frustrated husband is who made this remark about parenting, but it really struck me and made me laugh.  I think the statement was particularly meaningful because I fell in love with my husband 13 years ago… at [...]

Lower Grocery Bills with Smart Food Planning

Editor’s Note: Sarah Stromquist is here this morning with her supermom advice (she’s amazing) on how to shop, cook and plan smart while keeping to a strict grocery budget.
That leads me to our Earth Day thought for the day.
Think local.
I know, I know. It’s all the rage. But there’s a good reason for it.
When you [...]

Homeschooling – Choose The Right Books

Editor’s Note: Good Morning. Today, Royston farmer and homeschooling mom Louisa McClellan is here to talk shop on how to find the right books for your kids.
Reading is a HUGE part of our lives around here and I, seriously, pound through dozens of books a month searching for the gems out there (long live the [...]

Get Organized – Planning Out A Nursery

Editor’s Note: Today the lovely and ever-organized Arran Kerrigan drops by to give us the scoop on getting the nursery organized.
I sure could have used this advice the first time around. I’m still looking for that pair of Canucks Robeez that disappeared about six weeks after the tiny person was born.
Organization is something I could [...]

Parent Health – Managing Blasts From The Past

Many of my clients express confusion and concern about the new complexities of human relationships Facebook and other websites that have resulted from the advent of that make you easily accessible to the world, including people from your past.
I, personally, took myself off of Facebook after about two weeks precisely for this reason.
Clients often [...]

Digital Dating & The Single Mom

Editor’s Note: Esther Kane is back today to talk about digital dating for single moms and I have a quick digital dating success story to share – mine.
Ken and I had moved to Seattle within two weeks of each other eight years ago, and both of us for just about all the reasons Esther points [...]

Green-e-ology – Save Money, Unplugged

Not so long ago I was searching online for power saving ideas (no gigantic bill this time, just pure curiosity).
I came across information about power usage for electronic devises that are not in use and was amazed to learn that many electronic devices continue to use power when switched off, or in stand-by mode.
This continuous [...]

Parent Wellness – Trading Tots for Time

Editor’s Note: Happy Thursday. I am so excited to introduce Comox mama of two Marcie Dumais and her wise parenting ways as she shares her take on parenting and taking care of ourselves.
I am legendary in the “can’t ask for help” universe – some weird mental health issue that I apparently need to take some [...]

Mommy Talk – Cure Post-Holiday Blues

It hit me about 9 a.m. yesterday morning – Christmas is over. All the wind up, the preparation, the crazies (which I could have totally lived without) and sugar rushes are now just a memory and, whew – I feel a little low.
While we kept it all pretty darn modest this year – no big [...]

Friendship is Key to Managing Stress in Pregnancy

Editor’s Note: I have the most wonderful friends. Seriously, I couldn’t ask for better. They have enormous hearts and are entirely some of the most generous women I have ever known.
But, when I need them the most (ah, it’s the Cancer crab in me…or some serious issues, I’m sticking with astrology) in times of [...]

Get Water Wise, Turn the Tap Off on Your Hydro Bill

Editor’s Note: I very much believe that it is up to us to make sure our children’s Earth is alive and well. We are the keepers of the future. If we live for today, that’s not good enough.
I could, and often consider, going on a mad tirade about it all. But, we all know [...]

Back-To-School Safety Tips

Editor’s Note: Street Smart Kidz’ Steven Baird is here with us today to share his wealth of knowledge about ways to keep your kiddos safe as we head back to school.
Safety is one of those necessary evils in the world and Baird’s organization does a fantastic job at giving parents the tools to make sure [...]

Helpful Hints for Art at Home

Creativity takes courage. – Matisse

Matisse couldn’t have been more dead-on.
The ways people get their creative groove on define them in huge ways.
They give people courage…
…a place to let all of their emotions spill out…
…and a voice to speak out, admire, honour or just simply reveal those things that mean the most.
Giving kiddos [...]

Top 10 Tips for Boxing Day

It’s Boxing Day around these parts and that means one thing – SALES!
I had big plans to be out the door by 7 a.m. this morning in search of the deals of the century. But, a perogi hangover (those things are brutal in the food coma department) left me less than energetic and I am [...]

Holiday Family Cooking with Kids

I am NOT the queen of the kitchen.
Growing up in a family of pretty darn great cooks, I never bothered doing much of it myself. It was something so much more beloved to other people. I happily watched while they created.
What I discovered years later, when I finally felt confident that our daughter could safely [...]

Dr. Carl Ivey – Family Holiday Survival

Campbell River parenting coach Dr. Carl Ivey is back today talking about ways to lower the stress factor around your house this holiday season.
I hate to say it. But, the grumpy season has officially kicked in. I was hoping it had skipped the Valley this year – folks had been all smiles and really enjoying [...]

Family Fitness – The No-Excuse Excuse

It seems so very appropriate that, on a day when the weather man reveals that we are supposed to get 50mm of rain and that crazy wind action that is a solid island Winter storm, Comox Valley Kids debuts its new Family Fitness column.
Once a month, local fitness expert, Vanier track coach and nationally-lauded running [...]

Returning to the Real World with Family Vacation Tips

I apologize for being MIA yesterday. A snail-paced internet connection and gorgeous, jacket-free last day in Tofino meant radio silence.
Anyway, back in the Valley and back to business, our week in Tofino has inspired me to begin putting together family-friendly vacation guides for hot spots around the island – with Tofino being the first.
Look for [...]

Holiday Stress Busters

My parents are in town.
It’s all good, as they seldom make the 3,000-mile journey around the holidays. So, it’s a fantastic chance to hang out, tour the island and have one of those classic family moments that is the idyllic notion of Thanksgiving.
Oh, the expectations.
I don’t think I’m the only one around who busts out [...]

More Recalls and Ideas for Being Proactive

The rash of recalls lately – particularly the ones for lead paint – have brought to the forefront a renewed deep concern on my end about the toys that live in this house.
I remember while I was pregnant and right after our daughter was born I wouldn’t have even considered putting anything plastic or painted [...]

Safety First – Cougar and Bear Safety

Well, it took me a bit longer than expected, but today we’re finally getting to the good stuff in terms of keeping your family safe while you are out enjoying the incredible wild of Vancouver Island.
Senior Conservation Officer Dan Dwyer gave us a call over here at CVK yesterday to talk shop about cougar and [...]

Food & Your Family – Make it Fresh

I heard the groans from the gallery as soon as you busy parents out there read the words “Make It Fresh” in the headline. Fresh definitely doesn’t give off the aura of fast and easy, which for working parents with a house full of kiddos can be almost untenable.
I think a lot of parents, including [...]