I Luv my Funky GrandmaMy Granddaughter gave me a penny,
And it means the world to me.
For it is a constant reminder,
Of the love she has for me.

She chose me to have her penny,
That meant so much to her.
To buy a world of treasuries,
Was her special dream for me.

I will never spend this penny,
It’s more precious to me than gold.
Because it tells a story,
Of a love that will never grow old.

© Brinda Carter

Tags: Grandchildren

GrandparentsGrandmas are moms with lots of frosting. ~Author Unknown

What a bargain grandchildren are! I give them my loose change, and they give me a million dollars’ worth of pleasure. ~Gene Perret

Grandmothers are just ‘antique’ little girls. ~Author Unknown

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. ~  Welsh Proverb

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Tags: Family, Grandparent

A paediatrician identifies symptoms that can be warning signals for more serious health problems

The 10 Health Symptoms You Should Never Ignore Fevers, bumped heads and vomiting are all part of being a kid. But from your perspective these symptoms can be warning signals for more serious health problems.

So how do you know which ones call for immediate attention? “It boils down to you knowing your child and being aware of the signs and symptoms that indicate a serious problem,” says Dr. Hirotaka Yamashiro, a paediatrician in Richmond Hill. Here’s his list of the 10 symptoms you should never ignore.

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Tags: Child Health


Will a baby near you be sliding into a pair of jeans this summer? No, not ACTUAL denim, but denim-look “designer” diapers. Huggies is bringing the Jeans Diaper to the market in limited quantities this June and July across the country.

At first, we weren’t sure if the press release announcing these new diapers was an early April Fool’s Day joke, but it seems to be genuine. And, as unnecessary as they may be, we admit that the idea of a little babe in a white t-shirt and a Jeans Diaper scooting around in the backyard would be pretty cute in the warmth of summer. Add a little red hankie hanging out the back, and blast “Born in the USA” and the transformation of your little boss will be complete.   http://www.canadianfamily.ca

Tags: Babycare, Children's clothing

A few simple tips to help trim your spending

Need some help finding extra money right away?

Here’s a list of five seemingly small daily purchases that can add up to a lot of money, along with a few alternatives that will help you end the day with extra cash in your pocket.

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Tags: Bottled water, Hospitality_Recreation, Personal Finance

Actress Hilary Swank, Iams Home 4 the Holidays Ambassador

Actress Hilary Swank, Iams Home 4 the Holidays Ambassador

Thinking of putting a puppy under the Christmas tree this year? Take a trip to the local SPCA or Humane Society first.

“As a country and as a society, if we can move towards caring for those animals around us rather than breeding more we’d all be much better off,” says Steve Carroll, CEO of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies.

Take part in Iams Home 4 the Holidays adoption drive and choose from the 1.5 million animals who are looking for a loving home.

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gingerbread cookiesThis recipe has been handed down from generation to generation and is one of our family’s favourite holiday treats.

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grandparentsI grew up with practical grandparents who had been frightened by the Great Depression in the 1930′s. A grandmother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a Name for it… A grandfather who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Granddad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Grandma in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other.  It was the time for fixing things: a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

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Annemarie knows the judgy mummy all too well.

Annemarie knows the judgy mummy all too well.

I had no idea about how judgy people were about mummies, and mummies were themselves, until I had my first daughter, by C-section none the less. And she wouldn’t breastfeed.

Even now I feel that I need to defend why I had a C-section. So I’m going to restrain myself from saying anything except that M wouldn’t have come out otherwise.

So take that mum I met at mum’s group who told me I hadn’t really given birth since I’d never experienced labour. Umm…hello, see this baby? Did she not come out of me? Was it the birth I’d wanted, anticipated and planned? (I laugh now about “planning” a birth.) Hardly. But were my daughter and I both safe, sound and healthy?

Yup. And that was the point as far as I was concerned.

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