Monthly Archives: April 2022

5 Feel Good Parenting Moments in the 1st Year

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Being a parent is no easy feat. There is so many things that you go through even within the first few days that have you questioning everything. Is baby happy? Am I doing this right? What is wrong with me? It can be hard to loose track of how great of a job you are doing though when you are riddled with some anxiety around parenting. That being said, even with all of the worry and anxiety surrounded by asking yourself “Am I doing what is right”. There are many moments that happen that will no doubt reassure yourself that you are a wonderful parent raising the next generation. This is some of the best things that happen within the first year that will make you feel that sign of relief that you are doing everything right!

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Crawling is a huge milestone for any baby. It really is something that you can look forward to and also one of the major things you need to prep for since baby will officially be on the move! It really is a nice feeling to see your little one finally make it a bit across the floor. Normally their first little crawl is for yourself or spouse, another sibling or maybe their favorite toy! None the less it is a major milestone that no matter when it happens whether sooner or later you are going to be so filled with happiness you will be beside yourself for a little bit! When my 1st son started to crawl I even woke up my spouse from sleeping in because i did not want him to miss it. The fact that your tiny human is becoming mobile and moving about without your help is a relief in more ways than one.

**If you like what you are reading through out these blogs, and are looking at ways to financially support the blog, please consider checking out my Ko-Fi link here. You will NEVER be pressured to contribute to towards put any type of money towards the blog however if the thought has crossed your mind, here is a great way to help a stay at home mom provide some financial relief for her family.

Standing and or pulling themselves up onto things is another time when you will find yourself grinning and smiling from ear to ear. This typically is a sign that your young one will soon be walking. Pulling themselves up on to things like a table or chair is a sign that you also need to be checking what is up top of them and avoiding putting anything there. Due to the fact that they will be grabbing things they can now reach. I swear, it is like every month or so you are continuing to baby proof your house over and over again! And if you have another child that is older you already are half way there because you did it the 1st time! We even got a little walker for our first which we hope to use for our second (And third when the time comes!) to help them learn to pull themselves up also.

Laughing was a huge smile maker for myself. I don’t mean the little giggle at whatever they are thinking about. I mean the laugh where you are the one that created it. With my 1st this was when I would pretend to put his pacifier in his mouth but wiggle it on his gums or take it away really quick. I would say “Ohh too slow! I got your sookie!” And he would laugh and laugh and laugh. There is no greater feeling, or very little greater feelings than hearing and seeing your little one laugh because of you! This is a lot better then the alternative that will happen when they are teenagers when they begin to laugh AT you. Hearing your little one laugh is basically an instant mood booster also. No matter what type of mood you are in whether it be a sadder mood or even a mad one, hearing your child laugh can instantly turn that around immediately!

Trying foods was always a fun time. Especially if there were ones that you know they may not enjoy like a lemon or lime or even a raspberry which my son found was sour to begin with. Trying foods is a huge milestone because if you are like myself who bottle feeds, you can look forward to having to make less bottles because they are beginning to get full on more solids. Figuring out what you baby enjoys and doesn’t and seeing all of the facial expressions is a moment that you both will share as his pallet begins to grow! It was always funny to see his face scrunch up with different textures and foods to find out what he liked or didn’t like!

My 1st son Vincent! Playing Peek-a-boo in his blanket!

And lastly, a major milestone to look forward to is smiling! Sure, babies do smirk and smile quite frequently due to gas or whatever else. However when your little one finally smiles at you is incredible. Whether you are talking to them, or you are making a silly face, or trying to make them smile in whatever way works, seeing them fully have a real smile is a moment you will never forget! Seeing your child light up when you do that silly little thing that just gets them in their moment!

There is so many milestones within the first year of a child’s life that I could probably make more editions of this (Maybe some new blog ideas!) and each child you choose to have they may even change too. Or they could also vary in terms of child to child. For me, my first son never walked til after he was a year old. He was a late bloomer. Where as my second son maybe he will be walking before he turns one. Whatever you list as being the top moments of the first year, there is no wrong answer!

Poutine is NOT a great food

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Poutine is one of the few things that most Canadians will acknowledge as being French. After all, for most people it is a staple when traveling in Quebec. Especially with their homemade fries. For me though, I believe that Poutine is one of the most over rated foods we have within our country. I know that deep out there, there has to be more people like me who just think that poutine is a mediocre plate when it comes to junk food.

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If you have been living under a rock and are not aware of what a Poutine is you are in luck! I am about to explain. A Poutine is fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. Now, there is a particular way to making Poutine. That is you use fresh cut fries. None of the McCain (though delicious) store bought ones. You want fresh cut so that it gets a nice crisp. And yes, That means peeling potatoes (or not!) and frying them that way. In Quebec it is very easy to find these fries since most of the restaurants serve fries like this. Next is cheese curds. Not to be mistaken for grated cheese of any kind. Cheese curds that are not melted also. The gravy does this. And if you want to know if you have authentic cheese curds they make a ‘squeek’ sound. Be prepared though as it is not a sound that one would normally “enjoy” hearing it is rather annoying.

**If you like what you are reading through out these blogs, and are looking at ways to financially support the blog, please consider checking out my Ko-Fi link here. You will NEVER be pressured to contribute to towards put any type of money towards the blog however if the thought has crossed your mind, here is a great way to help a stay at home mom provide some financial relief for her family.

Canadians all across the country do in fact love Poutine. Even if where they live poutine is not made properly. Still it is a regular favorite especially among the weekend crowd who likes to indulge in a few too many and enjoy some greasy food to settle their stomach either before bed or after they wake up staggering the next day with a more than slight headache. Or if you are feeling brave you are fully capable of making this at home as well. Even if you don’t have a deep fryer and you want to bake the fries in the oven. As long as you have the authentic 3 ingredients you will be able to make poutine.

Variations of the poutine are endless. Here in Nova Scotia my partner likes to treat himself to a donair poutine. This is popular here because donairs are also popular. There is also other variations such as hot dogs in it, sometimes bacon, sometimes even a completely different type of sauce is added to really change the game up. The possibilities to how make a poutine and what to add to one really are endless. That being said, you need to ask yourself the question, how far is too far before your poutine is not a poutine anymore? And let’s not forget the die hard people who believe poutine can be made one way and one way only. Even entertaining the idea that poutine can be made a different way is an out of this world statement to make.

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I personally think poutine is such an over rated meals in Canada. For what it is, there are far more dishes out there across the country that have more interesting stories or tastes. From the fresh lobsters off the coast, to maybe frog’s legs in Quebec. Perhaps a friend had been hunting and brought back some game they had shot too. There really are a whole ton more plates that can be made that are far more expensive and way more interesting than a fry meal with 2 added ingredients.

Why I don’t like it could even be the reason why many other folks don’t. To me a poutine is a hot, soggy, mess. Cheese curds are kind of “meh” to me for one. I also would not eat gravy on it’s own either. So by adding all of these together where the only thing I would actually eat would be the Fries. Which, even that point have to be fresh, hand cut fries because anything store bought just does not cut it. It just is one thing that does not seem very appetizing for me. This is also coming from someone who love chicken nuggets and garlic fingers. So I know what type of junk food is the best to binge on regardless of sobriety level or not.

As you can see, I am a bit weird and not your average Canadian by not eating the sacred Poutine. Putting it lightly, I just find it incredibly bland. And Yes, I have tried this before too! Whatever your reason I just know that I am not alone in this opinion. There has to be more of us living here who are just not fans of poutine (if at all!). I know growing up I was never interested in it, and now as an adult I still have absolutely no interest in eating or trying this again. I would for sure make this for my loved ones if they decided to enjoy and eat this concoction, but for me, I am completely never eating this!

Let me know if you are on the team no poutine, or the poutine party lovers! I would love to see just how many of us are out there! Maybe there is more people that don’t like poutine than there is to people who do like it. We will never know the true number.

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Should I check my Analytics?

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Before I even begin. If you are a streamer who legit only wants to be casual and feels there is no need to grow or you are only looking at this as a hobby with a few friends who game together or maybe even you have streamer friends and you want to just join in on the fun, this might not be a blog post for you. There is NOTHING wrong with that. A lot of people just stream for the fun and have no desire to pursue anything from this either. Believe it or not, I even felt this way before I started really getting into streaming. A few people I knew did it and I though why not. I can do that too. And would just go live from my PlayStation whenever I was gaming. I had no desire to really keep going or to make something out of this but here we are today! I will be breaking this blog as many before it into paragraphs no particular importance but things that are important (in my opinion) when exploring this side of streaming.

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Why do I want to look at my Analytics?
This is a super valid question I think to ask. Why? Are you looking at this because you are curious about growth? Are you looking because you want to know where you can improve? Or are you looking just because you can? I used to look at my stats just for a curiosity sake. I didn’t really care much about growth I just looked and seen what happened and then I wouldn’t focus too much about them. Now that I want to see how I am growing I look at them frequently and keep track of things I’m doing that might help or hinder the growth of my channel.

**If you like what you are reading through out these blogs, and are looking at ways to financially support the blog, please consider checking out my Ko-Fi link here. You will NEVER be pressured to contribute to towards put any type of money towards the blog however if the thought has crossed your mind, here is a great way to help a stay at home mom provide some financial relief for her family.

Where can I look at my Analytics?
The main way to look at them would be on your twitch dashboard. There is a section of where you can see stream lengths as well as followers, subscribers, etc. There is also lots of websites out there as well such as:
Social Blade: https://socialblade.com/
or
SullyGnome: https://sullygnome.com/
You can go back further with these then you can the twitch dashboard but its a great way to compare other things. Also Social blade has the opportunity to check other platforms and not just twitch as well too. They can be a great way to see how you are doing in the space of your choosing.

How do I analyze my Analytics?
The best way is to look at what you want to analyze. I would also suggest NOT looking at money. At least in the beginning. Subscribers can fluctuate a lot and to analyze these numbers a lot can make you feel horrible since you cannot control who and how many subscribers you will have at certain times. If money is your goal as well talking about this a lot in your stream can really push people away if they don’t see your vision. A great way to start is viewer average. That’s what I focus on anyways though. Subscribers are great to check up on occasionally but Its something you cant really focus on though. Its also great if say you are focusing on viewers, Say you use sullygnome and you can see how your viewers were and what you were playing at the time as well too. Since that is also important. Maybe you are trying to expand your channel and you want to see which games work, Or branch out into a totally different direction.

Remember as well, Regardless of what you are doing or analyzing, you have to be doing this for a period of time. Its not enough to just analyze things for a week and say there you go not working. Sometimes things take time, Starting a new giveaway for your regular viewers, playing new games, focusing on one game away from when you started, things of that nature. I have been keeping track of my stats though some months that were not very well that it’s good to see growth. Its also important to remember that not every month will be the same. You will have some that are amazing and others that may fall flat from expectations. That’s also okay. I know depending on my life and mind frame sometimes I am way to lazy and preoccupied to keep track. But none the less that is not that big of a problem as I normally step it up the next few months!

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Also before ending this, know that even if you decide to track stats and things. The important thing is to have fun streaming. If you aren’t having fun and focus too much on numbers that almost will always translate into your streams. And with twitch (Not entirely sure about mixer) On the dashboard you can actually click away some stats like your viewers, views, followers etc. That way if you are noticing you are focusing too much on numbers then you can hide them from sight. I normally do this with viewers and than if I feel like looking at the number occasionally I hover my mouse over the hidden area and it will show in a tiny bubble. That way its not staring me in the face if I have a slower stream one day then the next as well too!

And lastly, Stats DO NOT make you. Its great as an indicator if you are on the right path or need to change some things in your channel, but it does not mean you are a success or failure. As mentioned before if you don’t give a damn about your stats that is okay too. If you want to keep growing and focusing a bit more on the analytics then this is a great way to start. I know for me I love lists and seeing how I am doing  but if I slip up a little bit I also don’t get too stressed about that as well. Since we all know outside of streaming we have a life, Its okay to take it easy on stats a month. Remember though, Being the most consistent will help with your overall picture too !

Transition from Work to a Stay at Home Mom

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Transitioning to being a stay at home is not an easy thing to do. You have an entire new human to take care of. Your whole schedule is no longer your own and you are running your own things based on another person. I know me it was challenging however with the right tools I was able to adjust and now I feel like time in the day goes extremely fast!

Vincent and Felix!

If you are not familiar with my blogs, I have said previously that I used to live in Quebec. I before that, was in Nova Scotia. I grew up here. When I was living home and had never moved away I was in fact working. I was a disabled support worker and I also talk more about that here. It was such a rewarding and inspiring job that leaving it was a bit of a sad feeling for me. Leaving this work place that I was at for over 8 years was something that needed to be done but it never made things easier either.

After quitting this job due to moving to a different province, I never worked. I went to school to be able to learn French and obviously learn how to communicate more with my spouse’s family. He is from Quebec so his family speak French, I knew very little so instead I was able to sign up for French Classes through the government and get paid to go to school. It was nothing like if I was actually working however it was something and that was better than nothing.

**If you like what you are reading through out these blogs, and are looking at ways to financially support the blog, please consider checking out my Ko-Fi link here. You will NEVER be pressured to contribute to towards put any type of money towards the blog however if the thought has crossed your mind, here is a great way to help a stay at home mom provide some financial relief for her family.

And if you have not noticed the crazy amount of parenting and or baby type blogs you will find out that I ended up school and by then I was nearing the end of my first pregnancy. I wouldn’t have bothered to apply for work since the fact that I was nearing birth for my 1st I probably would never have been hired based on a few months work anyways.

I love being home with my son’s however I do find it very challenging to find a routine. If I was to tell you I didn’t miss the aspect of leaving and making a real paycheck I would be lying. I miss being able to make money and save where as the only income I have right now is the monthly allowance for having children basically, which of course does not amount to a whole lot. You can read more about why my partner and I decided that I would not work once we started to have kids here.

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Regardless though, I am trying my best to make something happen at home. I stream live on Twitch 2 days a week, Monday and Friday. I also have between 3-4 blogs being released every week which also helps to fill my time. I also do crafts and paintings and some creating as well because I think it is great for me to keep in touch with things I did before or still do since having Children. That being said they do not all bring in any money if any at all currently however it is a work in progress and hopefully by the end of the year I will be able to re-write this.

So how was it to go from being out in school and class all day or working all of the time trying to make a living, to staying at home taking care of a household and two little boys? It was not to bad. One of the biggest things I find is that time flies by most days. I am sure anyone you know who has any amount of children will tell you, “Wow! They sure do grow up fast don’t they”. Well you would not be wrong. I feel like I am just having my 1st son and here I am a few months into having another son. Time flies when you have children and before you know if they are back talking and sassy to you!

One thing that has kept me sane the whole time being home (Not just with being a stay at home mom, but also dealing with Covid too!) is having an agenda. I talk about my obsession with them and what I look for here. I find being able to schedule things even if it something as simple as date night with the boyfriend, crafts with the kids, time to blog and prep for the month ahead, network and chat on social media. Scheduling things (As hard as it may be with children!) is important for me to keep track of where I am going, where I want to be, and what I can do to make things go smoother. It doesn’t have to be just about appointments either!

For me I think the transition was pretty simple due to the fact that I was in school before and not working my shift work job before. I also am sure that if people are used to doing over time and suddenly working from home that it also may be challenging too. Or maybe they plan on only taking so much leave and going right back to work. That I can imagine will also be tough too. Knowing that my spouse could be away for a long time with his job, or even months, I think has made this a bit easier at least on myself. The idea of being a constant in my children’s lives while there can be so much uncertainty is a huge things for me. Regardless of what you do, there will be challenges, but nothing you can’t over come!

From a Stoned Mom

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As I write this it is a few days before 420 and well, obviously being a mom I have to be creative. I smoked a roach before writing as it is Sunday morning and my spouse is watching our boys while I catch up on per-writing blogs for the months ahead. As you know (If you follow the blog for a while!) that I tend to save titles of blogs and then I slowly write and schedule. By bulk writing and scheduling it makes my life as a mom of 2 boys that much easier and gives me far more free time.

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Enough about that fluff let’s jump in!

From a stoned mom. Some life advice maybe? Maybe some good jokes (Just kidding!) or maybe just talking about how wonderful you are (maybe).

First I think the most important thing to do is to become a free spirit. I know this was something that I never really did until I was in my 20’s. Growing up as a stoner and in school where I was not as memorable as I would have liked to be. That being said, I am so thankful that I am this person now. I like to be a dreamer. The world needs more dreamers. Whether you are 3 years old or maybe you are 18 years old you should know that you are unique and you are incredible. If you are a parent you should be encouraging your kids to use their imagination.

**If you like what you are reading through out these blogs, and are looking at ways to financially support the blog, please consider checking out my Ko-Fi link here. You will NEVER be pressured to contribute to towards put any type of money towards the blog however if the thought has crossed your mind, here is a great way to help a stay at home mom provide some financial relief for her family.

Creative play is just that. Being creative. Encourage using skills and tools to express themselves. Also know that in this day and age there is no right or wrong way to teach your children, some are visual learners and some are more constructive learners or maybe even more traditional. Not everyone needs to learn the same way and if they did the world would be pretty boring right. Another thing to remember is that sometimes people like to learn certain subjects one way and then another way for other topics too. There is many ways for children to understand.

This probably goes without being said but BE CHILL. There is so much that people say about parenting and that would be that time flies. When I had my first son I felt like time was moving so fast. I turned around and he was already 6 months old and next moment he was a year. Time passes so fast when you have a kid. Now that being said, I have 2 now. I did not think it was possible but time is actually FLYING past. At the time of writing this we are a few days shy of my youngest being 5 months old, next month we need to start feeding solids! That is how incredibly fast time is flying. If you are uptight and time passes this fast your mental health will suffer. Relax and take in every moment. I swear my kid says whats that to so many things and just the other month he was barely even saying anything. Life is too short to have everything perfect and be obsessive about any aspect of it too.



Keep lines of communications open. I would like to think that as a teenager it was hard for me to express myself to my parents. They are great people don’t get me wrong but sometimes it was hard for me to really tell them what was happening in my life. As a stoner mom I would like to think I would be the opposite of that. I would like to believe that when my son’s are growing up that I would be able to have that conversations with them whether it be about sex or weed. Currently weed is legal in Canada with the age of maturity however that doesn’t mean teens are allowed to smoke it either. Keeping lines of communication open can be so very challenging and I am not even in that part of my parenting journey either! I just hope that when the time comes I will be able to make sure that everything that needs to be said to prepare my children for making a smart decision is there and that they know if needed they can always pick up the phone and call me.

Call me crazy, but maybe because I am a bit buzzed on this roach I smoked before writing this, but I would like to think stoner mom’s or even parents, as long as there is some sort of balance, we can change the world. The hardest part is you want better for your children. Does that mean that I want to be high all of their life, no. I do enjoy getting high because I like to and always have. I smoke occasionally in the day when my oldest naps and youngest also naps but eventually my oldest will not be napping so I will have to be that luxury till they are older. I am relishing in these moment and also still making sure that I am able to keep myself. Becoming a parent changes a person. Whether they would admit it or not. And just like people have their drink at the end of the day or their glass of wine, my smoking a joint is the same thing. I even talk about it here where there is what seems to be a double standard to smoking at the end of the day vs drinking at the end of the day.

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So if you are a teenager or kid reading this, I would be questioning where your parents are! And why is a blog with this popping up on anything you are doing, is the parental controls not strong enough? And if you are a parent also know this, whatever you are doing, is enough. You are the best parent you can be. Can we be better? Yes. But we won’t get there overnight and we wont get there dwelling on what we could be. We are able to change and we are able to show growth in the process too. We are fully able to keep ourselves, be a parent, and balance whatever the world throws our way!

I’m doing a weight loss challenge – Self Care Thursday – April 14th 2022

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(This post contains some affiliate links, This is to help a kick back to the blog financially by simply shopping as you normally do. If you choose to support the blog by this way, thank you, your support is greatly appreciated!)

I know, I did this late so if you are reading this after the Thursday it is supposed to be posted and PRETEND that I am on time. I swear we will be on time next week! I just have been majorly slacking and wallowing in self pity for whatever reason so I have been behind!

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I have decided to do a weight loss challenge. Through some folks on Facebook there had been a group of a 12 week weight loss challenge. The cost is 25$ and you weigh in on the Monday it starts and whenever you want towards the end. I am not entirely sure if it will go winner take all or not but I feel like for 25$ it still is cheaper than a gym membership or personal trainer that I hope it gives me the motivation that I need. I am so excited to start this and I really hope that I can get some pounds gone and maybe even winning something along the way as it goes too.

*** If you would like to support this blog financially you are more than welcome to do so by clicking this link here to bring you to my Ko-Fi website. Supporting the blog via tips is NEVER pressured however if you feel so inclined to help out in another way this is a perfect way to do so! You can see some behind the scenes items as well as insider info on the store updates and uncensored blogs also coming soon!

That being said I have started to go back to how I lost weight before. If you know from previous blogs I have lost weight before, mind you this was a long time ago and also before I was ever pregnant but I still lost weight. I have created a new calorie counting book. I am hoping to really deck it out at night to avoid munching and snacking at night. I want this to be more of a journal than a diary or log book. I also may not even be writing the calories of things but just documenting with what I eat in the run of a day. I also am debating if I want to do some sort of fasting like maybe 12pm noon until 7pm max however I am still undecided. I also am going to be doing different things and workout videos and things again too.

I feel like this could be a huge opportunity for me to be with other people who want to also lose weight. One thing I want to do as this journey goes and hopefully the weight also goes is by going through my clothes. That is something that I need to face reality. I do not need the amount of clothes that I have. Number one, some of them may never fit me anymore due to having 2 kids and my body changing. I need to come to that realization and just start weeding out clothes. I barely flip through clothes not let alone the ones that I used to wear to the bars. I need to start de-cluttering my life and clothes is huge. I know there are some underwear that will never fit me again based on my hips being incredibly different now.

One of my favorite items to use to workout and get the heart pumping is a skipping rope. Pair this with hand weights for a mini workout when you are a bit crunched for time!

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Starting this Monday I will take some before photos and re-post measurements. If you have been someone following this journey you will know that the weight I Have and measurements are probably not that much different than when I first started writing this in January. However I am excited to see where it takes me. I may even write some sort of a guide for the Thursday blogs so that I can talk about the same things every week and make things that much easier. Here is to 12 weeks and getting some what of a summer body back before my spouse has parental and we explore the province with our sons!

One shake that I found to actually fill me up is slim fast shakes, they are a great meal replacement with a sweet kick added too. When I am needed an added bonus for energy I tend to reach for these Nuun energy tablets.

Easter Ideas Without Candy or Chocolate

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(This post contains some affiliate links, This is to help a kick back to the blog financially by simply shopping as you normally do. If you choose to support the blog by this way, thank you, your support is greatly appreciated!)

This is probably going to be a blast from the past but here we go. When you think of Easter you obviously think about the bunny, and candy and chocolate. When I was growing up it was so much more than that but also not over done. Some of the coolest things we got you couldn’t even eat. One reminder that we always had growing up too, was that Easter is not a second Christmas. Though I never really understood what this meant until I had my own children and buying can get a little bit out of hand if you aren’t careful too! Here are some of my top Easter ideas that you can add to your children(s) baskets (or buckets) that won’t give them an all day sugar high!

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Skipping Rope I know simple right. I know we always got a new skipping rope when it came to out Easter Basket. Just as a lot of kids as we grew up did when playing outside, a jump rope had a lot of play time. Sometimes you may have even gotten a longer skipping rope and could use it with a few friends when chanting the songs. Whatever the length of rope, you knew it was always going to be used. The only time it wasn’t used was if you got lucky and that particular Easter was one that it actually snowed on the day and you had to wait til it all melted again to use it. You also could use the ropes to build things in your yard and tie things together, though this practice was not always smiled at by your parents because sometimes accidents happen and they would break. Sidewalk Chalk is always a classic. The only limitation would be if there was somewhere to use it. Most time you can and should use this outside however if you are like me and have a chalk board wall in your kitchen and one in your son’s room then you can use this indoors or outdoors. Outdoors it is always a staple of any neighborhood that is filled with kids is to see there be doodles scattered around the street.

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Bubbles is one that I think regardless of age you can always find yourself smiling when you see them around. When I was growing up we used to use straws in order to blow perfect bubbles that we would try and blow the biggest and most perfect one. That is before the wind knocked it into something that made it pop. There is no shortage of bubbles either if you buy the large jugs that have a liter or two. Though I would suggest using them somewhere OUTSIDE because on certain floors they may make it pretty slippery if dumped or too many are popped there. Yard Games or even outdoor toys are a great investment also. Right now since buying our home I am working on growing the collection for my son’s to be able to play on the deck. We already have a hard plastic pool and I was debating on buying them one of those fisher price slide however stuck with maybe a sand and water table instead. The slide is also something that may pop up in the near future too just have to wait and see what happens! If you have older kids you may even want to buy something like lawn bowling maybe washer toss, or beanbag toss. Maybe you want to get a swing set or something (Though they are for sure not on the cheaper end). I also had got my son’s a package of outdoor balls A soccer ball, foot ball, dodge ball and whatever else. This way we can continue to also encourage throwing is done outside and not in the living room!



Bathing Suit’s are something that we got every year and normally it was from my grandparents. You eventually use it if you are in a part of the world that you have super hot days and are able to go swimming. We really enjoyed this because we knew summer was on the way and we could spend out time splashing around at a family friends place. They had an in-ground pool which we would live at on smouldering days.

This also ties in with Clothing as being a great gift as well. This was something that I would buy when my oldest was a baby, he was born a month before Easter and it was nice to be able to buy something for his basket even though he was so little. Now fast forward to my youngest son, he is only 4 months old and so he has things in his basket I got him some new clothes as well as some teethers too. That way he can also enjoy the Easter bunny even if he obviously does not understand it! And, if you plan on having more kids it can be put to good use by being able to make sure that you have a little bit of clothes to carry on to the next baby too!

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And finally, a Skipp-it. Or as many of us born in the 90’s refer to it as, ankle smashers. I’m not even entirely sure if and where you could find this but I know if i ever see it somewhere I will be purchasing one even if only for myself. These contraptions would sit on your ankle and you would swing your foot and jump over the ball on the end that was spinning. If you didn’t pay attention enough they would smash your other ankle too. And if you made someone mad they even may try to physically swing it at you too.

Regardless of what you decide, there are so many other options to fill your little ones baskets with things other than junk and candy. Though there is always some room for a little bit of junk food now and than too!

Mental Health and Streaming

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Mental health and streaming can have a very fine line between them. Streaming can also be a huge in opening the lines of communication when it comes to mental health due to the broad audiences that can be brought together to talk about things.

Before I even begin I think I should mention that this is one of the MOST if not IS the most important thing to remember when it comes to streaming and mental health is this:
STREAMERS ARE NOT THERAPISTS AND VIEWERS ARE NOT THERAPISTS.

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It is very easily for a viewer to forget that streamers are not therapists especially if a streamer is very open with a community. You build a relationship and connection with them or their other viewers too. Mind you, Normally streamers don’t mind hearing about a shitty day you had, however there is no need to jump into the details of that either. For me sometimes I mention if I’m asked how my day was I say not the greatest but here to relax and turn it around. Which is a great way to kind of mention your feelings and yet not bring down the damper of the chat. Also, by not being super specific you aren’t putting any pressure on people to try to fix the situation. Some streamers don’t mind hearing about the details but you don’t want to make the whole tone of the stream go down either. Remember, This is not your stream. And sometimes if you are close to a specific person with in the community sending a message would be more beneficial to a person/friend then airing everything out in chat while a content creator is live.

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Now the flip side to this, Streamers, Don’t treat your viewers like they are your therapists. Sure, a lot of streamers who start their streams will talk about their day so far or some things that happen. And that’s okay. What is wrong (In my opinion) is when a streamer spends the next 6 hours repeating the same complaint or problems waiting for chat to magically give them an answer to fix said problem when they could have probably taken the day off of streaming and dealt with whatever their issue was for the day. It can really put a damper on streams not to mention, If you have viewers who have come to your stream to get away from a problem they may be having, coming to a stream that might not change their mood or mind off of something (Even if temporarily) might be a quick way for them to go else where. I know someone who once wanted to have their stream as an “open mental health channel”. What did it turn out to be? It turned out to be them complaining and talking about the negatives in their life for weeks and months to their viewers and then again feeling bad in tweets and things why they never seen any growth.

This also includes trama dumping. This is when a viewer will come into a streamer who is live, and talk about their major issues for the day, week, month and put the streamer on the spot or even their chat to respond. This also includes when celebrities pass away and viewers come into chat to announce that yes, so and so has passed away. This is something that is entirely unfair to the streamer since we have no idea the relationship or meaning that these statements can have on them especially while they are live.

There are great opportunities to however mix streams with Mental health days, Where chat can vent about issues and streamers kind of moderate them. Coping strategies are great as well too since everyone copes differently and hearing how others have overcome adverse issues in their lives. There is a time and place for things and sometimes streamers even have a specific spot in their discords for things like this as well too. If you know a streamer who has these days tune in, you may be able to learn a few strategies that could help you with anything you may be seeking some help with.

Another thing to remember, As a streamer, You are ALLOWED to take a day off. Whether you are sick, mentally drained, or simply put you don’t feel like streaming. From someone on the outside streaming looks easy, or fun, or no strain whatsoever on a person. That would be wrong. Trying to entertain people for a period of time can be emotionally draining and taxing to someone. And there is a good chance if your day is going crummy and you hit that live button you will also project onto your stream that you are in a bad mood. Sometimes its easier for us to click live for fear we are feeling bad or “Grinding” out time. Take time to have a break. Don’t apologize if you don’t want to. For me myself, I have missed quite a few streams in the last few weeks why? I have had my 2nd child and trying to balance a newborn, with a toddler, and a blog, and a crafting business I would like to get started too. Do I post late if streams aren’t happening? Normally. Do I feel bad? You bet. But at the end of the day, I’m not going to sacrifice myself missing out on sleep (or sanity) in order stream.

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Whatever you decide to have an open line of communication in your streams or you are a viewer seeking this. It is totally okay. In today’s world mental health should be in the open and the stigma should be gone. That being said, no amount of venting in streams or in discords will help the same way as a licensed therapist or psychologist would. There are just some situations when you actually have to seek professional help in case there is deeper meaning or reasons why someone feels the way they do. It is totally okay to reach out to others but as people who become friends online, or sometimes in cases seem like family, unless we have proper school and credentials it can be extremely hard to help someone. Even if you have dealt with the same situation os even similar, one way does not fit all when dealing with mental health. Though a lot of times listening to a problem can be a huge help. It isn’t always the only thing that someone may need.

And, Last but not least again, TAKE DAYS OFF IF YOU NEED TO! Don’t force yourself to stream or really do anything if you aren’t feeling it. Sure its okay to feel bad, However self care is IMPORTANT in anyone’s life. No matter what the profession, Taking a personal day is great for anyone!

Maple Syrup and Canadians

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It may come as no surprise but one of the big things that Canadians are known for is in fact Maple Syrup. For some strange reason that is. Maybe it has to do with the fact that there are a lot of trees around here or even the fact that we have a big honking maple leaf on our flag. The reason for this could be something we may never find the answer to. Not that knowing an answer would really make a difference here anyway. Let’s talk about Canada and Maple Syrup! According to a 100% Canadian eh!

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Most may understand the concept of how maple syrup is in fact made. Some may also have no idea. I will be only briefly talking about the process since I am not a professional in this department. Basically in the spring as sap warms up and starts to flow, maple syrup harvesters will collect the sap into buckets or through tubing. This is collected in a cabin where it is removed of debris (sticks or bark) and then boiled to remove the water. Leaving maple syrup! You need a whole lot of sap also to make a very small amount of maple syrup which may be one of the reasons why it is so expensive. But more on that later! If you have a child or you yourself have grown up in the Canadian school system in most if not all the provinces, there is a good chance that you have heard this story at least once but more often than not, more times during school as one of the lessons.

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One stereotype I can think of is people assuming everyone likes maple syrup. Though a large amount of people do enjoy it I personally enjoy regular store bought table syrup. Nothing really fancy about it. Or maybe a lot of people know how to make syrup. Though that my be true, it certainly is not the case. Maple syrup is mainly made in certain provinces like Quebec. However in order to make it you need to have a maple tree, that is where the sap comes from! It may take a very long time though if you are only using one tree. And one important thing also, if you do decide to tap your own sap, make sure to plug the hole again with a piece of wood so the tree doesn’t keep running!

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If you are a fan of maple syrup it comes to no surprise how expensive it really is. Especially if you are buying Canadian maple syrup from a different country. Even here as a Canadian it is quite pricey. Whether or not you get it in  a fancy maple leaf glass bottle or you get it on a tin can. There is no denying the cost. Why is it so expensive? I honestly have no idea. Everything now a days is rising in costs however syrup has been quite expensive for some time. I assume it may be due to the way it is made and how you need a whole boat load of sap in order to make a tiny bottle of syrup. It also could be because or how long in general it takes to make. Sap does not flow quickly like water does that is for sure. None the less, most of the households I knew growing up would buy it for special occasions only. Though I am sure that there are some families who will only buy maple syrup for their homes.

A treat that originated in Quebec is maple taffy. This is when you take the syrup and boil it a little bit more so it becomes thicker. You then pour this liquid over the snow and when it starts to get cold you roll it onto a stick and eat it. Pretty simple and if you go to any sugar cabin where they make maple syrup you bet this is a tasty treat that is probably made there! Of course though you can make it at home after a fresh snow fall or as the snow melts in the spring! This is something that I know for sure I will be doing with my children during the colder months once they are a little bit older though!

Another reason why Maple Syrup is even now becoming more loved is the fact that is such a versatile type of condiment. From the thousands of desserts that you can make with it to the benefits in tea’s. This sweet golden liquid can even be added with soy sauce to make a great glaze for fish also. The syrup has the ability to sweeten a wide range of dishes and treats. Even if it does have a hefty price tag 99.9% of the time. Don’t forget the pancake and crepe uses that you would make on Sunday morning’s during the long weekends.

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Overall, I cant say for sure how many Canadians may regularly buy maple syrup. I know my family and even extended maybe buy it once a year if that at all. For the amount of times per month that a family tends to eat pancakes or crepes or whatever in order to use maple syrup is more than likely extremely low. Does it taste great? Yes. But is it worth the price tag? Debatable. The bottle line I guess I am trying to say is this is totally as serious of a topic as the rest of the planet thinks that it is for Canadians.

What I Tell Myself for Motivation

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Before I begin, know that what motivates someone is and can be subjective. Motivation in general is a very specific thing even when talking about it. What can motivate me may not be something that motivates another person and vice versa. These are things that I tell myself personally for motivation and though they may be different than what you tell yourself, you still have things you do tell yourself even if they are not the same. Unless maybe you are using something that is harming yourself to motivate you, most types of motivation is a good thing!

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Keeping in mind also, something to motivate yourself does not always have to be self talk or something mentally. You can have some motivation being candy, treats, something you want to buy, self care (different than every day things, maybe getting your hair or nails done) and more. For me, if I do a lot of what i set out to do for the day maybe I will treat myself with a chocolate bar. Another thing I would do is maybe if I saved enough money from a pay day I would go get my nails done or hair done by someone other than myself. It is totally okay to have outside factors a part of motivation. One reason also why I would like to lose weight is for our 3rd and final pregnancy. I want it to go as smooth as possible and in order to do that I feel like losing weight is a great way to start. Sure it can be a feeling but I think it will pay off by doing so.

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This is going to sound so cliche but one thing I tell myself for motivation is to do it for my kids. I know sappy and totally expected but it is true. I am over weight for one thing. I know that as my boys grow I do not want to be one of those moms that has to sit on the side lines after a few moments because she is winded. I want to be able to chase them around and participate in as many activities as I am able to. Whether that is running around a football field or ice skating on the pond. I want to be in good shape for them to have a mom that is around for a long time. I always said that I would never be the sappy mom and say corny things like this however here we are aren’t we. My kids are fr sure a major motivation right now in my life. They are a huge reason for me to want to push myself further and keep going no matter what obstacles that I may find myself encountering.

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“The sooner you get it started the sooner it will be done”. This may sound funny but I know I cannot be the only one thinking about this. I say this for many tasks like house work or doing dishes and laundry. This is something that honestly I need to say to myself if I need some sort of a pep talk. I know that as soon as I start something I will enjoy it, the problem a lot of times is actually getting started. The truth in this is, once I do get started and a momentum built, I am pretty unstoppable and able to keep going with little motivation afterwards. Sometimes the hardest part is to get going.

Motivate yourself. Simple. And probably way to obvious. I say this because we really are our own best motivators. There are so many reasons that start with you to do something. Whether it will make you feel better, accomplish something, or whatever else the best reason for anyone to be motivated is yourself. Sure I suck at cleaning sometimes and it can be hard to be motivated for that, but I know when it is all done I am going to feel amazing when I see everything done. As much as I also say that I am motivated to be a healthy weight for my children I can also sit here and say that i know when I look in the mirror I will feel a lot better about myself when I see that I took my own health as a priority.

More often than not we are always trying to find some outside factors when it comes to motivation. We need to stop this thinking and look at ourselves. We can be just as powerful of a motivator as any outside one. Sometimes we also find that maybe it may not seem like a motivator but in the end it really was one too. If you find yourself questioning what motivates you, ask yourself how it makes you feel. By doing this you can see how the impact is on YOU. I am too guilty of this. I never think how doing something would make me feel I always think of other people and that needs to change. I know a lot of the things that I do may make me feel a lot better.

If you find yourself wanting to do something, or stuck on having a reason why, remember that you can always go back to yourself to have the motivation to do something. Sure I do slack on doing things just like any other person. I am however trying to make an active decision on what it will take to stay motivated even if it begins with me!