Our Week at True North Sport Camp

On our first morning of drop off at True North Sports Camp I saw a glimmer of something rare in Molly - she was nervous.  She was shy, she was unsure of what I'd signed her up for, but she was happy that Jack was by her side.  Luckily, the staff was there to greet us outside and quick to introduce her to another girl in her group for camp that they thought she'd connect with - Molly felt at home when she discovered the girl had the exact same backpack as her.

As the least athletic member in a family full of rep and varsity soccer players, I was a little hesitant about how my kids would do with an entire week centred around sports, but by pick up Monday afternoon Molly was over the moon about how much fun she was having.  While Jack always holds his cards a little closer to his chest, but I could tell it was a fun day for both by his smile and how happily he went back each morning.

This blog post was sponsored* by True North Sports Camps, offering sports programs for kids aged 4-14 in Toronto, Etobicoke, Hamilton, Markham, and Whitby.  Camps include multi-sport and single sport oriented themes all summer long.

10 Things My Kids & I Learned at Their Week at True North Sports Multi-Sport Camp

Team Photo

1. Learning New Things Can Be Scary, But Fun
   My kids were always pleased that the coaches at True North Sports Camp told them what to expect the next day each afternoon before they left.  They knew which sports they liked were coming up and were able to prepare themselves for learning something completely new.
2. It Can Be As Much Fun to be a Cheerleader as it is to be a Champion
   Molly quickly learned that she was having as much fun cheering on other kids as she had when she was doing well at a particular sport.
3. Don't Underestimate the Power of Vitamin Nature
   Being outside all day is something we all should do more often.  Even on hot days my kids (even Jack who hates getting 'sweaty')  were having such a blast that they didn't complain once about the weather and we had some pretty hot days!
4. Picnic Power
   Molly mentioned so many times how much she loved sitting outside to eat and looking at the trees and nature around her.
   
   
   
   

   

   The Kids and Coach Gallow Enjoy a well earned snack selfie

5. A Good Night's Sleep
   I knew my kids were working hard by how well they slept the entire week they were at camp. I also knew how hard they were working each day because of Jack's  constant request for more lunch and more snacks. On many summer nights Jack will complain that he hates going to bed when it's still light outside.  Last week their heads barely hit their pillows before they were fast asleep.
6. It's About Community
   At the end of the day both kids would share stories about camaraderie, and about pouring water on their coaches, like they were MLB players who'd just won a championship game.  That enthusiasm lasted day after day.
   
   
   

   

   Ready, steady, play!

7. Try it, You'll Like It
   A few days into camp Molly started talking about how much she loved playing goal, whether it was for floor hockey or soccer. This is something we wouldn't have learned if it weren't for her week at multi-sports camp.
8. It's About Team Work
   Sports camp wasn't just all sports, all day.  Other fun activities included treasure hunts, magic, storytelling, and playing capture the chicken.  Both Molly and Jack loved working with the other kids and their coaches towards a common goal.
   
   
   

   

   Time for some water!

9. Celebrating Spirit
   Both kids love their bright green True North Sports shirts and proudly wore them for spirit day (and Molly wore hers pretty much every day of camp she loves it so much).  Molly has already told me that she wants to incorporate her shirt into both regular day wear and 'cozy' PJs.
10. The Leadership
    When we left at the end of the week, both kids made rounds to make sure they said goodbye to everyone.  When Molly went back for her second round of hugs I knew the team had really made an impact with her.  The positive coaches at True North made the week special for both Molly and Jack.

While it can be comforting to put your kids in a camp with kids they know, and activities they already enjoy, there's something to be said about expanding their horizons and letting them try something completely new.  If your kids are complaining that they're bored this summer, there are still select spaces left at a True North Sports Camp location near you!

*This is a sponsored blog post, however all opinions and commentary are my own.

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Paperback Writer - Sharing My Writing On Other Sites

It's that time where I get to share some of the work that I've completed over the past month.  I am lucky enough that I get to research some fun topics and learn something new almost every day (even if sometimes it's just celebrity gossip). Some of the travel pieces I've written this month make me want to just pick up my passport and go!

Today for my full-time job I write and ghostwrite articles for online publications, organizations and blogs, in addition to providing public relations services.  While I can't really share my ghostwritten articles on this platform, cause then I wouldn't really be a ghostwriter would I, I can share some of the other stuff I have been working on.

Click on the links for the topics that interest you most, and if you enjoy what I wrote please share, like, and follow, and keep parenting and reading on!  If you have any ideas for a story, a playground review, or article on any front, feel free to shout it out!  I'm always looking for new sources of inspiration!

Travel & Wanderlust

Celebrate Halloween In Hell, Michigan

25 Strange Towns That Everyone Should Visit At Least Once

Central Park

30 Places In New York That Are Worthy Enough For Fans Of Gossip Girl

Food & Health

Image from McDonalds 

13 Healthiest Fast Food Options (12 To Avoid)

Pregnancy & Parenting

The One Where Rachel Really Wants to Go Into Labour

15 Things Dads Should Be Doing For Their Wives In The Third Trimester

20 Things That Happen During Pregnancy That Can Lead To A Big Baby

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Hiking The Catskill Mountains

I've always wanted to hike the Catskill Mountains.  Maybe 13 year old me saw Dirty Dancing one too many times, but for whatever reason exploring the trails in Upstate New York has been something I longed to do.  That's one of the many reasons it made my 101 in 1001 bucket list and I was happy to cross it off.  It was a challenging hike and both Chris, I, and the kids huffed and puffed our way up the Kaaterskill Waterfall trail on a hot summer day.  I am so thankful I got to do this and share it with my kids.

Here are 13 tips for hiking the Catskills Kaaterskill Waterfall Trail

People swimming at the base of the waterfall (about half way up the mountain so to speak)

1.  Be prepared to walk along a fairly busy roadway after you park your car to get to the trail head.  Keep your kids close and make sure that oncoming traffic sees you
2. Start early in the day to beat the heat.  Our trail was quite shady, but by the time we were headed to the car (at around noon) it was a scorcher.
   
   

   

   Small Streams Beside the Path

3. Wear proper shoes.  I saw a number of people wearing flip flops on the trail, which would be great for dipping your toes in at the bottom of the waterfall, but not practical for the number of rocks you'll be climbing up and the type of tread you'll need.
4. Bring a backpack to dispose of any snacks you eat on the trail. Although it's a very heavily trafficked trail there are no garbage cans.
   
   
   

   

   Stopping for a water break along the stair portion of the hike

   
   
5. Go to the washroom before you head out.  We learned from personal experience when one of the little ones had to go that it can be hard to find a private space near the trail to take a wee.
6. Sign the hikers registry.  Do it for safety so people know you were on the trail that day and to help let conservationists know that you've enjoyed the trail. No one will know just how may people have benefited from hiking a trail, or just how popular it is if you don't fill out the guest log.
   

   

   The bottom of the staircase part way to the top of the falls

7. Go on a dry day.  I can only imagine how slippery this trail would be after the rain.
8. Try and convince your kids to be quiet on the trail.  During quieter moments we spotted a snake, several chipmunks, and a mouse.
   
   
   

   

   Our Chipmunk Friend Who Molly named Cookie

9. Pay attention to the caution signs, many of these cliffs are without barriers and it's a far drop.  Don't risk your safety for that perfect photo.
10. Pack plenty of water and a snack.
    
    
    

    

    A good reminder to us and the kids to be safe with our steps

11. Bring a change of socks, shirt, and some deodorant if hiking on a hot day and heading somewhere other than a shower afterwards. 
12. Remember - take only pictures, leave only footprints.  Even the hiking stick Molly found was left beside the trail for someone else to enjoy.
13. Hiking is about the journey and the destination.  Take a deep breath and a moment to really experience both

Me  - Victorious at the top of the falls

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Things My Kids Say As Posted on Twitter

We spend a lot of time with the minions and I'm fortunate enough to record the things that they say and do so I can look back on it and laugh.  Some of it makes the blog and other smaller moments don't.  One of the brilliant things about Twitter is how it's the ultimate parenting "elevator speech", because you have to keep it short. Below are recent Tweets, conversations, parental musings and things that the minions have done or said over the past month, for your reading pleasure that haven't made it to the blog.

Image Courtesy of Tenor

1. M (listening to the radio when Frank Sinatra comes on): wow this Guy is really good. Like he could even audition to be in #MaryPoppins

2. My son has named my stomach (Mr. Meat).  Mr. Meat spends most of his time burping, threatening people, and complaining that he is bloated.  Am I being roasted by a six year old?  And why do I find it so funny? #parenting #ThingsKidsSay

3. M: when I’m a teenager and get a phone I’m going to use it for Sophie me: what? M: you know. To take pictures with my friends #Sophies #parenting #tech #selfie

Image Courtesy of Giphy

4. J: I've decided I love you more than #Lego but not as much as daddy. Me: Is that supposed to be a compliment? J: I dunno (shrugs and walks away) So I'm totally #winning at #parenting right?

5. Since #bingewatching #MrPeabodyAndSherman on  #Netflix whenever my kids fight their ultimate burn is to call each other Richard Nixon @netflixcan #Learning?

Image Courtesy of Imgur

6. Words I think should be added to the #Dictionary - Famulous (a combination of Fabulous & Famous) as created by my 6 year old son #parenting #ThingsKidsSay Example, "Yeah sure, they're enjoying their 15 minutes of fame, but are they famulous?"

7. Virtual #Starbucks Gift Cards have allowed me to leave things to the absolute last minute and still celebrate M & Js #teachers #LastDayOfSchool #winning

To read more blogs featuring the wacky things my kids say as featured on twitter, follow me @Sarabethbug & click here, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, & here.

Movie Review - The Incredibles 2

On the last day of school we decided to surprise the kids with a trip to the movies after our annual trip to Dairy Queen for Ice Cream.  Both had put checking out the Incredibles in theatres on our summer bucket list, and I'm not lying it was pretty cool to knock it off the list on our very first day of the break.

Movie Review The Incredibles 2

Image Courtesy of Facebook

What's in it for the Kids?
If your kids dug the first Incredibles movie, this offers all of the same characters you love (although for whatever reason the animators decided to completely change what teen hero Violet's love interest Tony looks like - Buzzfeed even wrote an article about it you can check out here).  There are a lot of laughs with baby Jack Jack as he begins to explore the full range of his own super powers.  This provided most of the kid related comic relief for the movie.

What's in it for the Adults?
Although both Incredibles movies are supposed to be set in the past (we have not idea exactly how distant) both adult characters face feelings of incompetence and stress when taking on new job and family related responsibilities - very easy to relate to (although this could be seen as reinforcing old fashioned women in the workforce gender roles - worthy of debate).  The villain in this film, Screenslaver, serves as a creepy Big Brother reminder that felt very Orwellian to my English major self.  Voice work by all of the original characters, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel Jackson, Holly Hunter, and Brad Bird continued to impress, as did the additions of  Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) and Catherine Keener.

The Incredible Family

Best Parts of the Movie
After a 14 year gap this movie hits the ground running, in what is set to be mere days after the first film.  Action sequences are fun and the villain is genuinely scary.  Kids in the theatre six and under were quite scared in specific villain confrontation scenes, so consider yourself warned in what is otherwise a family friendly flick. You don't need to have seen the first movie to enjoy this film.


Worst Parts of the Movie
The movie felt a little long at times, particularly in the first half, but once it got rolling the kids were highly invested in the characters, so much so that we had to force Jack to go to the washroom while it was still on. 

Overall Rating
I would rate this movie 3.5/5, I don't consider it a classic, but the kids enjoyed it and want to watch it again.  A fun way to beat the heat on a hot summer day, but don't sweat it if you wait until it comes to a small screen for streaming near you.

To read my review of A Wrinkle in Time click here