The Great Ford Escape – Halifax Style

Family travel, whether it be for vacation, everyday use or otherwise has a huge bearing on the type of vehicle one drives, especially IF driving something built for purpose use. I’m a big believer in living within your means, especially when it comes to environmental impact. My family has chosen to live in a relatively central urban location. There is some commuting time required, but we have worked to minimize the impact of that as much as possible. We live near a couple of bus routes. We are walking distance to a number of amenities, especially the ones we most often frequent. We drive a small, compact fuel efficient car. There are occasional times when it doesn’t quite meet our needs, a bike rack and a roof-rack will usually accommodate these. However, if we really need to we can rent something short term for specific use. It’s less costly and lowers our carbon footprint.

 

I recently traded in my three year old car for a Ford Focus hatchback. It’s a zippy little car with just the right amount of space for my family of three. Most families I know drive mini-vans and SUVs to truck their children, groceries and recreational equipment around.

 

Last week I got to spend some time getting up close to the 2013 Ford Escape.

 

Ford hosted an Escape for a day in Halifax. A number of bloggers, news and media writers were invited to spend a day driving and learning about the fun that is built into the Escape. I was partnered up with a car blogger, so we had rather unique perspectives on the vehicle. Kevin, CarDriven.ca had a real appreciation for the specs of the vehicle and shared some insights with me during the day. He was also a lot braver than I when it came to testing what the Escape could really handle on the driving course! šŸ˜‰

The first thing I noticed as we cruised along the highway was just how much roomier the interior was than I expected. It really felt like we were in a big luxury suburban. Although I’m not sure how much of that is relativity ā€“ my Focus IS a little smaller. šŸ˜‰ We got to test out all of the features that the Escape may come loaded with. Including opening up the massive moon roof. I think I got a little sunburned once we discovered that.

 

The Escape is really comfortable especially for longer road trips. Road noise was minimal and the handy navigator showed us where were at all times! Obviously these features aren’t just important to someone with children. A couple with a dog traveling across the country, or seniors making their annual trek to southern hospitality… It was an unusually warm July day in Halifax, so we tested out the very effective Air Conditioning – after just a few bungles we had cool dry air blowing and keeping us cool. The separate controls were a nice bonus given I liked the temp about 2 degrees cooler than Kevin did. We didn’t have to end the day frustrated with the complete stranger who became a friend during our Escape for the day. šŸ™‚

 

Once we arrived at Peggy’s Cove we had an auto lift-gate challenge, where we all had to race to load a lobster pot into the back of the escape using the hands-free auto lift. Kevin & I came in second. As Kevin noted, the other team must have been on steroids.

After a tasty lunch of chowder from the Sou’Wester restaurant we headed back into the city to Exhibition Park. It was my turn to drive and I thought it would be nice to turn off the AC, open the sun(moon?)roof right up and roll down the windows since we had no highway driving ahead of us. As we got closer to the driving course at Exhibition Park I started feeling nervous. I am a big wimp when it comes to testing limits! They want me to put the pedal to the metal, then slam on the brakes? They want me to accelerate rapidly and swerve through pylons? Wha?!

 

First we got to test out the park assist feature ā€“ which I’d experienced once before, but not while I was behind the wheel. It is pretty cool to have the car park itself while controlling only the gas and brakes.

 

Then to prepare us for the driving course we had a wii Fit ski slalom challenge. Turns out I suck at this. Actually, I already knew that. šŸ™‚

 

Kevin scared the crap out of me on the driving course, well not actually true ā€“ but it was fun to let him believe so. I suspect he was more scared when I got behind the wheel! šŸ˜‰ However, he was kind enough not to get video evidence of my wimpy attempt on the slalom.

 

Once we completed the accident aversion simulation we headed back on the road to Cable Wharf, where the Mar was waiting to take us on a boating excursion in the harbour! It was a lovely day for a sail, though I was disappointed not to see the sails raised on our trip. šŸ™ But who can complain really about being out on the water in the sun, with lots of tasty munchies?

Upon our return the day was completed with a meal at Murphy’s Restaurant. Scrumptious appetizers were ready for us, including scallops and mussels. We ordered refreshing drinks and many at the table experienced the treat of Atlantic lobster. I went for more scallops since I’d been treated to lots of lobster just days earlier at the PEI experience. šŸ™‚

 

When I see a Ford Escape now, I will be reminded of fond memories of a fun day spent with great people!

 

I look forward to getting to know the Escape even better when I get to drive it for a week!

 

 

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at trish at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

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Celebrate this terrific mom with me!

This post is part of YummyMummyClub.ca‘s support of the DoveĀ® Celebrate Mom Contest. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors. You can nominate inspiring moms here: www.celebratemom.ca.

Iā€™ve always been a big fan of Dove campaigns. Their past campaigns always stuck with me and I love what they are doing now to promote girlsā€™ self-esteem. The Dove Self Esteem Fund has researched what has the greatest impact on girlsā€™ self esteem and found it to be the real women who are positive role models in their lives. This contest is a great way to celebrate moms who are doing this everyday.

 

Ever since I signed on to do this blog post Iā€™ve been struggling with who to nominate. My mom was one of those fantastic women who lived her life just as she wished and could genuinely say she had no regrets when her time came to an end far too early. Iā€™ve been trying to live my life according to a philosophy of making my dreams happen, one day at a time. And so I spent a great deal of time trying to discern what other moms I know who live according to similar philosophies.

 

I recently wrote about another mom award and how I really wished that the finalists would include moms who have faced everyday motherhood challenges, have shown their way of finding their happy place, inclusive of all the challenges, accepting that there is no true balance, but that if we can live with the happy chaos and be our own bliss, without attempting to be supermom.

Naomi MacKinnon is a very dear friend of mine, although I must admit to being guilty of not staying closely enough connected over the years. Naomi had the same relaxed approach to childbirth and impending parenthood as myself and another dear friend of ours who were all expecting at the same time. She makes being a mom look easy, is focused on her children and her role as a mom.

 

Since her children were born, Naomi has made raising her fantastic kids her life’s work. She has shown them and other girls and women in her life that whatever works for your own family is the best choice for you. And when it comes to girls that can mean studying Marine Biology at university, becoming an early childhood educator, and then eventually choosing to become a stay-at-home mom.

 

I struggle to remain focused the way Naomi seems to. Her kids always seem to be at the forefront of her mind and activities for the day, whether she’s playing games with them, baking for/with them, or vacationing on annual camping vacations with family and extended family.

 

She has three beautiful children, two girls and one boy. One of the things that has always stood out to me was how fantastic Na was at displacing that gender role stereotype. All of her children played together at Barbies, outdoor skipping games in the campground, etc.

 

 

Visit http://www.celebratemom.caĀ by September 4th to nominate a mom whoā€™s an inspiring role model to women and girls in the DoveĀ® Celebrate Mom Contest. Four inspiring women will win $2,500 for herself and $2,500 to be donated to the charity of her choice. And check out more stories on YummyMummyClub.ca about amazing role model moms:

http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/family/mummy/celebrate-a-mom-in-your-life

 

 

 

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at trish at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect,Ā like my page on Facebook, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do like/share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

 

 

Experience PEI

Did you know there are more than 30 golf courses on Prince Edward Island? If I were a golfer, or at least had a golfer in my life, this would probably really excite me. šŸ™‚

An invitation to experience Prince Edward Island ~The Gentle Island~ on the Halifax waterfront turned an unsuspecting evening into one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in my favourite/home city. And now I have locked in PEI as one of my family vacation destinations for the near future.

Being from Nova Scotia, it’s not the authentic island experience that attracts me so much, or even the coastal drives (I’d actually really like to cycle the Island coastline one day), but the rich farmland of the Million-Acre-Farm right next to the coast and of course the theatrical experiences of Anne of Green Gables to share with my 9 & 11 year old girls.

Recently I’m spending most evenings on my own I decided to take a chance and invite a new friend I’d only just met to join me. Lucky thing I seem to find like-minded adventure seekers to share my time with!

 

We arrived as Chef Corbin TomaszeskiĀ of the Food Network‘sĀ ā€œDinner Party Warsā€, ā€œRestaurant Makeoverā€ and ā€œCrash My Kitchenā€Ā was introduced and he explained how we were going to have an interactive food experience cooking with a team rather than sit and listening to him as he demonstrated ā€œHow boring would that be?ā€ But just to make things interesting, he insisted we switch partners with someone else in the room since we could/did cook with our guests all the time! I looked at my guest, we gave a little chuckle. So much for talking over our food and getting to know each other better! Chef Corbin is very entertaining. We had a lot of laughs as he described such things as his nocturnal racoon-like wife who is expecting twins in just two weeks, and ā€œhidingā€ his mom’s rice under the rim of his plate as a child. He had us prepare and taste 3 different dishes that each included lobster and fresh vegetables that will be plentiful during PEI’s Fall Flavours festival, which Chef Corbin will be a part of.

photo provided by Tourism PEI

After the food demonstration and tasting ended, we moved outside to the Courtyard of the Lower Deck. I love the summer experience of Halifax waterfront, and it did not disappoint. The weather was perfect. There was more food and great musical entertainment from PEI. 2011 ECMA winner Meaghan Blanchard started us off with her spectacular voice while we ate more tasty PEI treats and had a few drinks, then Paper Lions came on. Their music was a complete change from Meaghan’s and every bit as wonderful.

photos provided by Tourism PEI

 

photo provided by Tourism PEI

We mingled with the other guests had lots of great conversation, then left with a big gift basket filled with PEI delights! I’ve already devoured everything and didn’t even share. I guess I’ll have to restock when we visit.

 

I can’t wait to spend time getting to know the National Park of the Island, where the whole family will be able to enjoy the activities we love like cycling & running, hiking and swimming! There’s even a 75km challenge we could participate in for the 75th anniversary, if we get there before October 2012!

 

Can a 21st Century Mom find a Balance?

 

A Mommy Connections Halifax guest post:

After meeting with Karine Ewert of Todayā€™s Parent magazine, I got thinking about what it means to be a 21st century parent. Karine was in Halifax appearing on the CTV morning show talking about just that. How are the challenges of today unique from previous generations? How are they similar?

 

Karine pointed out a lot of things that are unique to today. Striving to achieve a balance, while trying to do it all and be good at everything, cannot possibly be manageable. There really is no perfect balance. We once fought for the right for women to enter the workplace, but I’m not sure it has been entirely to our benefit. There is a real struggle between the stay-at-home-mom and the working-outside-of-the-home mom to reconcile their choices often under societal pressure. For some the answer is to hire a nanny, for others, it’s child care centres, for others it’s working part-time or maybe even working from a home office and bringing in a child care provider part-time.

 

When I was at home with my children I often felt guilty for not being a strong feminist in the workplace, and when I was at work I often felt guilty for not putting my children/family first. We do this to one another. We hear it in the voices of those on the other side of the fence, judging us for making the choices we made. We need to cut ourselves a little slack. It is only possibly to achieve the balance we seek if we give ourselves a break. Let’s not strive to be all-things. Lets strive for the happy chaos, as Karine put it. The thing is – that which makes one mom happy is not going to be the same for every mom, and that is okay. It is as it should be.

 

I shared with Karine my desire for a Mom of the Year award to go to the everyday mom. A mom who is struggling but somehow finds their happy place by simply accepting things for what they are. She agreed that the best we can do as Moms is for us all to recognize that we are doing our best. To take joy in the everyday moments and to celebrate that we’re parents. Not all of us get to be. We have to remember that we’re all going to have bad days – some days are just easier than others.

 

There is still time to nominate the mom in your life forĀ Mom of the Year. Deadline is July 8thĀ though, so act fast!

 

There is also one day left to enter to win $50 or $25 in Walmart giftcards on my previous blog entry: Mom of the Year vs Supermom.

 

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at trish at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect,Ā like my page on Facebook, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do like/share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

 

 

 

Mom of the Year vs Supermom?

To understate things, Iā€™m not particularly fond of the supermom myth. I donā€™t know many moms who are. Yet our society continues to perpetuate the idea that moms can and must do it all.

Women fought for the right to be in the workplace, yet didnā€™t relinquish any of the traditional roles moms have played in households very well. We have this idea that we must strive for everything. We must be successful career women. We must be dedicated self-sacrificing moms. We must be able to manage it all without complaint or even asking for help. Supermom is superhuman. She does not exist!

When I see a contest/award like the Mom of the Year, my immediate reaction is excitement that we are recognizing moms for all of the hard work they do in the toughest job on earth! Yet, my social conscience quickly jumps in with the BUT… but how does this award NOT perpetuate the supermom myth? How do you choose a mom of the year, without highlighting everything that a supermom is? If I had my way, Iā€™d see the award go to an average mom who is struggling like the rest of us to make everything work, but has found a happiness in her role that has flown over to her family. I want a regular everyday mom to be made an example of to the rest of us. We all have our challenges and in each of our own situations, it is likely the toughest thing weā€™ve ever faced.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Karine Ewert, Editor-in-Chief of Todayā€™s Parent magazine, and one of the judges selecting the Mom of the Year. Our conversation could probably fill 20 posts, and there will be a couple of more to come, but I really wanted to learn how a woman who clearly gets that the supermom expectation is doing a huge disservice to moms is going to approach her role in selecting this award.

The first thing Karine told me was how she wished EVERY mom could get an award. All 13000+ nominations, all 9 million plus moms in Canada. This made me smile.

It was so refreshing to hear her speak of the challenges with making time for date night, struggling to get kids to bed (and stay in bed), getting to the office on time, managing the taxiing of the children day in and day out. If the Editor-in chief of a leading parenting magazine struggles with these things, then we all must. The key is that she has found her happy place. She emphasized that it really wasnā€™t about finding balance, but about being happy. Karine is a self-proclaimed work-aholic, because she loves her job, and would dedicate every moment that she had to it, if she could. Yet, she says the same about her time with her children.

We all have an inner battle going on about preserving our ā€œselfā€ while still being a selfless mom. The stories that have already been submitted in response to Wal-martā€™s call out for nominations have been overwhelming. Taking the time to read just a few reminds you of how important the job of being Mom really is. And they reminded me of how moms often put everyone else first.

Even in discussing the wonderful philanthropic aspect of this award it came to the surface. Wal-mart is presenting the Mom of the Year with a $10,000 prize to spend as they see fit, as well as $100,000 to present to the charity of her choice! Each of the other seven top nominees will also receive $10,000 and an additional $10,000 to present to the charity of their choice! As soon as this was mentioned, I pointed out how the moms who are selected will likely feel better about being selected for such an honor knowing they can do something for others with it.

There is still time to nominate the mom in your life for Mom of the Year. Deadline is July 8th though, so act fast!

Wal-mart has generously provided giftcards for our readers to be entered to win too!

You can enter below for a prize of either $50 or $25 from Wal-mart Canada. Deadline to enter is July 7th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at trish at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, like my page on Facebook, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do like/share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

 

Win a Mommy Connections Halifax class and Bonus CM Scrapbooking prize pack!

Mommy Connections HalifaxHelp spread the word to moms & moms to be and win a free class ($80 value) for yourself or a give it as a gift! *Class Gift Certificate is eligible for Mommy Connections Halifax locations only.*

As a bonus, when @MommyConnectHal reaches 300 followers and our Facebook page reaches 300 likes a prize pack of photo memory keeping supplies by Creative Memories valued at more than $100 will be thrown in.

Mommy Connections Halifax introduces you to programs and services available within your community. Our classes provide a unique learning opportunity as well as a fun way to bond with your child and other moms in a social environment.

Each weekā€™s class features a discussion lead by a local expert followed by social time for mom and baby. This allows for a unique bonding opportunity with your little one while still fulfilling your need to obtain information and be social with other moms experiencing the same challenges, fears and excitement.

We provide educational and social connections for the modern family before baby and beyond!

There are weekly door prizes and each registrant receives a free swag bag full of samples and discounts from local businesses.

For more information contact Trish at trish@mommyconnections.ca

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Overcoming the isolation of parenthood

Mommy Connections Halifax

Since recently losing my mom to cancer, the isolation that can accompany being a mom is all the more poignant to me.

 

I may not be a new mom in the general sense anymore, but I am new to being a mom of a tween, and will be new to parenting a teen, maybe a university student, or a bride, etc. And I remember all too clearly the feeling of isolation of being a new mom.

 

Like many new moms today, I didn’t live near my mom or mother-in-law. Sure I could pick up the phone and call my mom when I needed support, but it wasn’t the same as being able to sit down over tea, with her in the room seeing the joy, the frustration, the desperation, the inexplicably devote love, or outright helplessness on my face. As moms we try to be all. We expect to be able to inherently know what needs to be done. When those first few challenges come along, we feel like failures when we can’t just figure it out. It can be a truly isolating experience, whether it be facing struggles with nursing, sleep issues or perhaps with colic.

 

The challenges often leave moms feeling like failures who just can’t do our jobs. My daughter and I had a great breastfeeding relationship from minute one, then suddenly after several weeks she was crying hysterically every time she started to nurse. For days I was so frustrated and upset trying to figure out what was going on. I’d cry while I attempted to nurse my baby who’d until then been so easy and happy. Then after a bit of research figured out that my milk supply was very plentiful and would let down fast and furious as soon as she latched on. It would flood her and she’d choke trying to keep up. I learned a tip that if I manually expressed a little before sitting down with her, the ā€œpressureā€ seemed to ease off and a steadier slower flow of milk allowed her to keep up. We found our balance and everything settled down, however not without a great deal of beating myself up over it and feeling very alone through the process.

 

I am a well-connected mom when it comes to family supports and services. I have worked in the field and know where to look. Yet, I found it challenging. I know there are other moms out there who struggle as I did, or more so.

 

I want to use my own experiences and education/background to help other moms feel less isolated. I spent a lot of time researching programs and options to start my own business and/or resource connecting moms to one another and the resources and supports that families want/need. I recently decided to start my own chapter of Mommy Connections here in Halifax/Dartmouth. As I spend time getting to know potential partners in the community I am more and more excited about the potential to meet my greatest passion of connecting moms and helping families to become better informed and empowered to get their needs met.

 

What could be better than joining a group of moms who are learning about and engaging in what our community has to offer, before we actually need it? Imagine becoming well-acquainted with moms in our own neighborhood(s) who are experiencing many of the same feelings of joy, excitement and frustration! And imagine knowing exactly where to find that shop that carries those fantastic natural/safe bottles or diapers; or new mom’s yoga class; etc.?!

 

If you are or know of a new mom or mom-to-be in Halifax/Dartmouth area; or if you are or know of a business interested in connecting with moms please follow/share http://www.mommyconnections.ca/halifax to connect!

Mommy Connections

BMO slashing mortgage rates. How will this affect you? *Sponsored Guest Post*

The mortgage war is back in full flow and after the Bank of Montrealā€™s decision to slash mortgage rates down to 2.99% it can seem like the perfect time to look at buying a home. But is there more to it? Should you be concerned or pleased with the latest huge reduction in mortgages?
Thereā€™s an old adage that many of us live by: if somethingā€™s too good to be true then it probably is ā€“ and that probably sums up the latest news in the Canadian mortgage industry. In fact, instead of being pleased, many commentators are questioning whether itā€™s a case of trapping families or simply a case of covering up losses by getting people signed up for mortgages.
Didnā€™t low mortgage rates lead to the economic downturn?
One thing that many notice from this idea is that the housing markets, and particularly the low rates offered in the USA, were basically the tipping point for financial meltdown. So, with this in mind, it seems that we didnā€™t learn many things and are risking our long-term welfare in order to secure short-term success.
That said, as long as you consider all of the options and check the extra charges to the mortgage, it may well work for you. Ultimately, this would be a risk to the homeowner, and it depends what your outlook on life is. If you look at it as various blocks, and sort of work by a five-year plan at a time then it could be right for you ā€“ but, generally, BMO has received bad press for this announcement and the other banks have had to follow suit just to compete.
How do you find the right mortgage?
With many people seeing this announcement as bankerā€™s suicide, itā€™s important to know where you should be looking for your loan. Plus, these special offers arenā€™t likely to last long so it is crucial that you know how to find what you are after normally.
As we know from this latest announcement, the banks are scared for their market share and rightly so. While many people can get deals by directly going to the lender, most people prefer to use online comparison websites so that they can compare the whole market.
Donā€™t worry though, while the rates might not be this low, over the long-term you can get everything back that you may lose short-term. By using a mortgage calculator for Canada you can find the best deals based on whatever your wants and needs are. Find out what happens when you pay a deposit and donā€™t get stuck with extra charges that you couldnā€™t see previously.
What you need to do is find a site that comes with mortgage brokers right there for your needs. Getting the correct information and advice is crucial to ensuring the best deal for you, your family and your future.

——————–

Posted by Michael Edmondstone, a sponsored guest post

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