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My 3-year-old sings rendition of Taio Cruz - Dynamite

Smart shopping in Yellowknife

Submitted by Steven Efondo

It’s no surprise anymore that it’s expensive to live in Yellowknife. When I moved here I was financially low, but I was prepared… I had the experience…. the skills… of BUYING STUFF with COUPONS!

Back in Toronto, I shopped around with my bicycle armed with a combo of coupons and I  price matched items. I did not go home paying the full price of an item. The biggest item that I bought for a good deal was my 32 inch LCD TV, where after price match and price guarantee, I saved a hundred dollars from the sale price.

I collect coupons from popular buy/sell websites like redflagdeals, or I just simply google. Here in Yellowknife, I still do couponing. These are the websites that I go to:

https://www.websaver.ca/
http://brandsaver.ca/en_ca/
http://save.ca/
http://www.redflagdeals.com/in/yellowknife/coupons/
http://www.smartsource.ca/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=VV3BTXLWNQYWS&locale=en_CA
http://www.simplyfrugal.ca/category/coupons/
http://www.savealoonie.com/printable-coupons/
http://coupons.walmart.com/

Basically, when an item is on at regular price you save a few bucks with a coupon. But, if the item is on at a sale price and you have a coupon for it, you save more.

Happy couponing!

Miracle March

Submitted by Amber George

About ten years ago I decided that I did not like the month of March. I was going to university at the time and March was a month that always seemed cold-drab-stressful-uninspiring and loooonnnnng. March was five (almost) full weeks without the glimmer of a long weekend. My workload at school would be increasing (and so would my stress). March would somehow manage to be more drab, and more cold, then all of the winter months before it. (I should mention that I went to school in Edmonton.)

My bad attitude towards March continued after I was done school – so drab-cold-UNINSPIRING. Finally, I realized I had had it with March (or maybe, I had had enough of my bad attitude towards March) and decided to turn this challenging month into an opportunity. And that’s when I renamed it Miracle March.

A quick Google search tells me “Miracle March” might relate to a fundraiser of some sort, but for me, simply described – Miracle March is a gift that I give to myself every year to accomplish any goal I choose.

Do you ever wish you had more uninterrupted time? Have you ever said to yourself, “You know, I would like to start (insert goal here) in (insert month here), but maybe I will wait until (insert next month here) because (insert reason here).“ I do. Most of us make a goal for ourselves that we wish to begin on January 1 (okay, maybe the 2). You promise yourself that you will get started in January. Then you RESOLVE to yourself that, no, actually February is looking better. I will start in February. And then, just when you think you should shelve your goal because February is passing you by…comes March.

Miracle March does not demand you make expectations for yourself like January does. February tries to sweep up the broken pieces of your resolutions from January, but there is not enough time to do that. (February never feels like a real month anyway – it doesn’t even have a set amount of days!) Miracle March quietly offers five (almost) uninterrupted weeks to accomplish your goal, which might have been tossed, persuaded to be forgotten, like its better to somehow persuade yourself to forget about your goal rather than tend to its quiet, persistent plea for action. Miracle March could be the exact opposite of the old March adage “in like a lion, out like a lamb.” Maybe a goal started on the 1st of March can just…quietly…begin. Then… if it feels comfortable… maybe pick up the pace, pick up the confidence… pick up the drive and then YES, you are GOING for it –y ou are making it – ALMOST there - YOU DID IT! In like a lamb, OUT LIKE A LION. (I’m yell-typing, I’m excited, sorry.)

Miracle March will likely not apply to parents (who contend with March Break), March Madness fans, or people who are very organized and goal-oriented and who might be questioning this very post right now with a “What is she going on about? You can make a goal for yourself TODAY. Oh - and by the way, its called WILLPOWER.”

Miracle March can apply to someone who is disappointed that they did not meet his or her New Year’s resolution. To somebody who has not yet not used their painting set/Learn-Italian book/harmonica given to them at Christmas. Maybe Miracle March could be for someone who is trying to give up smoking, or emotional eating. But the idea of making such a big change in your life is “too big” to announce to a room full of people inquiring, “What’s everyone’s New Years resolution this year?” , between drinks on New Year’s Eve. Whatever it is that you might want to accomplish for yourself, and you don’t feel equipped to deal with it in, say, December-January-February, maybe you might be better equipped to deal with it in March. 

March is now one of my favourite months. And this year (like most) I am planning to hit the gym. I am not going to be a fanatic, I am going to try my best… I’m going to go in “like a lamb”. I have no holidays or distractions to contend with. I have a gift of 31 days to make a positive change and finally listen to my quiet persistent plea to do something that I really WANT to do. 

SO – if you see me on the street and I am heading to the BK instead of the gym, remind me of this post. I might not like hearing it at first, but just say, “Hey – I thought this was your Miracle March!” I think that should be enough for me to pause, reconsider and then head in the opposite direction. ; )

Library Love

Submitted by Barb Guay

The traditional definition of a library is a large collection of books and where they are housed. Of course, today’s libraries also includes maps, documents, microfilm, CDs, DVDs, e-books, audio books and much more.

The first libraries, consisting of papyrus scrolls and clay tablets, existed in ancient Sumer and Egypt as early as 1900 BC. The first paper books appeared about the 8th Century AD. The first recorded public library opened in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England in 1598. How lucky are we that this occurred and books became available to the public.

I have always loved libraries. My earliest memory is of the basement children’s section of the public library in my hometown in Ontario. I probably read every book there several times before I was old enough to “graduate” to the adult library upstairs. My life and many moves have exposed me to all sorts of libraries, from the small village one with a few hundred books to the massive one at Queen’s University. When we moved to Yellowknife, I was thrilled to find a small, friendly library downtown where Northern Images is located today.

The current Yellowknife Public Library in Centre Square houses over 57,000 items and is a wonderful resource for Yellowknife residents. There have been attempts to find a more permanent, separate location for the library, spearheaded by the Friends of the Library. There have also been difficulties for the library staff, dealing with people who, seeking a warm hangout, disrupt the day-to-day operations. That situation is common to libraries everywhere, but, of course, our climate makes it worse. Hopefully, a solution can be found.

The staff at the Yellowknife Public Library are perhaps its greatest resource. I always have great conversations with the front desk staff about what they are reading and what I am reading. Guess I am old school, but I still love holding a book in my hands. Yes, I know that all the technology companies have come out with e-readers, but I’m just stubborn enough to want to always have a “real book”. And the Yellowknife Public Library has enough books to keep me happy for a long time.

Christmas

Submitted by Dawna

Christmas is my favourite time of year. Many people find it very stressful, but for some reason I seem to thrive on the challenges that abound this time of year.

Can I get my Christmas letter done before December 1? Can I get my Christmas cards and letter in the mail by the first week of December? (Can I talk someone else in my family into writing the letter this year? Ha, I know that won’t happen, but I still try year after year. Then I buckle down and get it done.) Can I get my house decorated and my tree up the first weekend in December? Can I get my shopping done by December 15?

My goal is always to have everything done and taken care of at least a week prior to the big day so that I can sit back and enjoy all the sparkling lights, festive atmosphere and great company of family and friends.

But, for those of you who find this time of year just a bit too stressful, here are a few helpful hints I found:

Stop being a perfectionist. I find this particularly hard, but prioritize your TO DO list and don’t sweat the small stuff. Guests aren’t coming to check for dust bunnies, so relax and enjoy your self.

Discard out-dated traditions. I also find this hard… I still stick with the old tradition of writing family letters and mailing Christmas cards. However, as our children have gotten older we’ve switched from driving around looking at lights every Christmas eve to playing snow dodge ball – a much more enjoyable activity that even our dog tries to get involved in.

Don’t take on too much. Not everything (including meals and baking) needs to be made from scratch. Sure, a traditional home cooked Christmas dinner is a given (at least in our house), but no one’s going to care if you bought your cookies and candy rather than made them from scratch. It’s the company than matters, not whether you slaved away in the kitchen.

Don’t stress over finding the perfect gift. As long as you know the person you are buying for, and buy with their tastes in mind instead of your own, chances are you’ll come up with something they’ll like. And, if all else fails, keep the receipt so they can exchange the item. The biggest issue is – “it’s the thought that counts”.

Don’t expect your family to change just because it’s Christmas. If people don’t get along, don’t expect them to become bosom buddies. If someone has a tendency to throw a tantrum when around a lot of people for too long, chances are it will happen during the holidays, too. If the baby is always pulling the dog’s tail, he/she will still do so Christmas day. Go with the flow and don’t feel responsible for other people’s behaviour.

Food, food and more food… I know this is a big one for many people. My approach is simply not to worry about it. There are all kinds of tips and trick out there, but I prefer to give in to temptations (but try and be somewhat reasonable). Come January, there will be way less opportunity to indulge – and, besides, that’s the time to attack those New Year’s resolutions with gusto!

Try to indulge yourself. Whether it’s reading a trashy novel, vegging in front of the TV, renting a move, going for a walk or doing some yoga, give yourself permission to have some down time or alone time in between all the commotions. Whatever you need to do keep yourself sane during the holidays – do it – and then enjoy!

The Idiosyncrasies of Mankind…..

Submitted by Dave Marriott

Modern technology has provided us with amazing tools of convenience and a massive improvement in the delectable creature comforts of everyday life that we’ve never seen before. We have instant access to a world of information and the opportunity to enhance our intelligence with virtually no obstacles or barriers of any kind.  And yet, not matter how far, or how rapidly, the human race advances, there will always be those unexplainable…

 Things that make you go Hmmmmm……….

 Here’s my top 40:

1. If the funeral procession is at night, do folks drive with their lights off?
2. If a turtle doesn’t have a shell, is he homeless or naked?
3. When the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?
4. Why is the word abbreviation so long?
5. When companies ship styrofoam, what do they pack it in?
6. Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?
7. Why isn’t phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
8. Why are there interstates in Hawaii?
9. Why are cigarettes sold at gas stations when smoking is prohibited?
10. Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?
11. How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work?
12. If 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the doors?
13. If nothing ever sticks to Teflon, how do they make Teflon stick to the pan?
14. If buttered toast always lands buttered side down and a cat always lands on its feet, what would happen if you tied a piece of buttered toast on the back of a cat and dropped it?
15. If you are driving at the speed of light and you turn on your headlights, do they do anything?
16. Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?
17. Why do we drive on parkways when we park on driveways?
18. Why is it that when you transport something by car, it’s called shipment but when you transport something by ship it’s called cargo?
19. You know that little indestructible black box that is used on planes — why can’t they make the whole plane out of the same substance?
20. Why is it that when you’re driving and looking for an address, you turn the radio down?
21. Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains?
22. Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
23. What does Geronimo say when he jumps out of a plane?
24. If fire fighters fight fire and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight?
25. If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
26. If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?
27. Why do you need a driver’s license to buy liquor when you can’t drink and drive?
28. If a cow laughed, would milk come out it’s nose?
29. Why is brassiere singular and panties plural?
30. If a book about failures doesn’t sell, is it a success?
31. What do you do when you see an endangered animal that eats only endangered plants?
32. What’s another word for thesaurus?
33. If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
34. Would a fly without wings be called a walk?
35. Can you be a closet claustrophobic?
36. Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?
37. Why do people who know the least know it the loudest?
38. Why does Porky Pig wear a shirt but no pants?
39. If sour cream is sour, then why does it have an expiry date?

If technology is so great, why haven’t we been able to solve all these riddles?

Joys of Motherhood (Jesse celebrates being 3)

Written by @litlmscaffeine

It is when I hold you in my arms that I feel you are contented that I feel I am your world,

It is when I comfort you, when you fall down and cry, when I dry your tears and ask me to kiss the pain away.

It is when I stay awake late at night massaging your back, your little legs, your little arms, so that you may sleep well all through the night.

It is when every time I make your favorite meal and serve it to you, seeing you gobble it all up and ask for seconds.

It is when I see you grow beautifully, cheerful, and healthy when you are so happy of the amazing things you learn, discover, and do from the very first time you took your first step, sang your very first song, imitate your favorite superheroes.

And the best joy of all, is when you smile at me, give me hugs, and kisses, and say “I love you too, Mommy.”

Happy happy 3rd my dear Jesse. There is no other joy in the world like you.

Tin Can Hill Hiking

August 6, 2011. One of the hot August days. My family decided to go for a hike to Tin Can Hill. And so we went…

My eldest son was amazed how cool and tough the stroller was…”The best stroller! It can climb up rocky hills!” Then we found a spot and went downhill…

On to another spot…

After the 3 hour hike at Tin Can Hill, we went home and cooled down with triple chocolate ice cream. Yummy!

Baby Robins

The baby robins have now left their nest :(

As soon as we discovered this, we had to do some google searching just to make sure they were okay.

We learned that Robins nest in the same spot each year. (Yay! That means we should see more babies again next year.) The eggs incubate for 20 days. The babies are in the nest for 15 days. Then they have to spread their wings and leave so that Mom can have her 2nd batch of the season. (The babies we saw must have been her 2nd batch.)

So, I think that’s it for this year. But, now that we know the nest is there, we’ll be keeping our eyes open next year!