Loulou's views

Now that my children are older—five and a half, and almost eight years old—they love going to go the movies, and we love taking them to the movies. We don't have to worry about them getting bored, or falling asleep, or needing a diaper change. Yes, going to the movies is fun again!  We're excited to go to the screening of Disney's new movie, Planes —this is going to be one one action-packed 3D animated comedy, and it looks so funny. Think Cars, only with... Planes!  I'm excited to also be giving away a family pass for 4 to see Disney's Planes on Wednesday, August 7th, at Silver City at 7:00 p.m. If you'd love to bring your family to see this new Disney movie, leave me a comment below telling me what your favourite Disney movie is, and you'll be entered to win the family four pass. I'll be picking a winner on Friday, August 2nd—good luck!

Update: Congratulations to Kathryn on winning! Enjoy! Have you ever heard of Santa's Village ? If you have children, it's one of the best parts about vacationing to Muskoka. In Muskoka's Enchanted Forest, halfway between the North Pole and the equator on the 45th parallel, is... Santa's summer home! Yes, it's pretty awesome that Santa lives in Muskoka during the summer months, isn't it? Kids will love it because it has two theme parks, a day camp, animals, and a family campground, where children of all ages can visit Santa, enjoy rides, and take part in many of the fun, family-friendly activities. And of course, children can chat with Santa! Why wait until December when they can see the jolly old man in July? Santa's Village has been around for over 58 years, and it's truly a magical place to visit. In 2010, Santa's Whispering Pines Campground was modernized and upgraded and now includes 11 new cabins, 2 yurts, and 50 new campsites. It's ac...

As much I love to travel and explore new places, I also love the arts. Having grown up with a professional artist as a mother, I have learned to appreciate art in an entirely differently way. One of my first jobs was working in a fine art gallery downtown, and I've almost never missed one of my mom's art exhibits across Canada. When we traveled to Boston, we made sure to pop into any art gallery we stumbled upon while exploring the city.  Massachusetts is very artsy , and is home to some of the world's finest museums , like the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Although Norman Rockwell was born in New York City, he moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts in 1953 with his family. I love the art of Norman Rockwell—I love how he so perfectly depicts the time period, and the real, every day, American life.  The museum features original artwork of Rockwell, the most you'll find anywhere in the world. It also includes his personal memorabilia, supplies, and...

I love to travel and South Florida is a perfect vacation destination for my family because it has so much to offer: hot, sunny weather, the beautiful ocean, amazing restaurants and shopping malls, museums, a great night life, and amazing resorts, like The Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa , located just past Fort Lauderdale, right before Miami. I love that it's only a three hour flight from home, too. As you all probably know, we've been traveling to the The Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa since my oldest son was two years old, (he's now almost eight years old!) and each and every time we g o , we love it more than the time before. After all, with balcony views like this, how can you not love this resort? Here are my Top Six Reasons To Vacation At The Westin Diplomat Resort And Spa: 1. The Water: If you're a family who loves the water and you're looking for a tropical, relaxing vacation where you'll be able to swim all day in a gorgeous turquoise ocean, ...

I woke up the Breaking News this morning. Kate was having her baby and the world was on high alert. Of course I'm happy that this lovely couple (congratulations, Kate and Will!) had a healthy, I'm sure beautiful, baby boy, but I found it intrusive how much the entire planet—and every media outlet —was reporting on nothing else. I feel like I'm the only one who wasn't tweeting about this news today, and I feel like I must be a bad Canadian for not caring more, but I don't know... I just think something as special and lovely as the birth of a child should be a little more... private? I mean, there are literally thousand of people gathered around the hospital waiting to catch a glimpse of the new baby boy. I for one and glad I didn't have to share the birth of my children with the entire world. I'm a pretty private person, despite being a blogger and despite that fact that I am online all the time. I'm thankful that I'm not the mother of the Roy...

Summer is in full swing, and we've been on the go since school finished. We traveled to Toronto for a few days, and then we went to south Florida for a week of fun in the sun at our favourite resort with our entire family. My boys are attending another week of science camp (they love it!) and we are staying busy by swimming almost every day. Sometimes, though, I run out of ideas on how to keep my boys busy (and away from their DS's and iPads!) Summer is all about staying active, having fun, and doing as much as possible away from electronics. (Unless you're a blogger, of course!) Summer is about road trips, camping, walks on the beach, picnics at the park, and breezy BBQ's outside with friends. It is also about connecting with your kids—that is my favourite part. I'm so excited that I've been asked to be a part of the Summer Adventure Mom Blog Challenge with Michaels , because my children will be participating in the Passport to Imagination summer program....

One of the things I love the most about traveling is eating. That's right, meal time is pretty important when choosing a vacation destination! I love food , and I love exploring new places to eat. I have my favourite restaurants in all the cities I frequently visit, but there's something very exciting about trying out a new place for the first time, too. Massachusetts is a great vacation destination for families, especially if you love festivals, the arts, and the great outdoors, but did you know it's also a perfect place to visit if you want an incredible culinary experience? There is something in Massachusetts for every vacationer who loves food. From seafood to pasta to delicious pastries, your taste buds will be very happy. Massachusetts is a wonderful place to try new food, especially seafood. It's a State that's filled with excellent chefs and culinary experts. After all, the Boston  Crème  Pie was first baked here!  If you...

It was a dark and stormy night and Ottawa was under a tornado warning. It was the perfect night to stay safe and dry indoors. By five o'clock, my boys were in their pj's and cuddled on the couch with their cousins, ready to eat popcorn and watch a movie. After all, what goes better with a stormy night than a great movie to watch in the comfort of your own home? The movie of choice?  A Turtle's Tale 2—Sammy's Escape From Paradise.   Thanks to Mom Central Canada, we were given the chance to preview the movie before it even hit store shelves. The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever that we had a DVD in our hands before it was available in stores! We received A Turtle's Tale 2—Sammy's Escape From Paradise  before we left for vacation, and didn't have a chance to watch it until today. (If you're interested in purchasing the movie, you now can.) We got right into the movie (after we had our popcorn in our hands, of course!) and the kid...

Summer is all about enjoying  the great outdoors.  Many days, my boys are outside from morning until night, and those are the days they fall asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows. Oh, the great joys of summer! I love summer in my city, but I love summer even more when it's by a beach somewhere beautiful, like Cape Cod, or  Martha's Vineyard . There is just so much to do in the great outdoors in  Massachusetts , especially during the summer months. The thing my family loves to do most of all in the summertime is swim, whether it's in a swimming pool, or in the ocean. We spend hours on the beach, going for walks, collecting sea shells, playing in the water, listening to the waves, and building sand castles. With so many beautiful beaches to choose from in Massachusetts, I know we'd be very happy. I still have very fond memories of my summer in Cape Cod when I was a child, and of my time spent on the beach during that vacation. Of course...

Summer is my absolute favourite season of all. If I could turn all four seasons into one, I would. Well, I'd leave a month for fall, because I love the colours of the trees, the crispness in the air, and the fall clothes, and I'd take two weeks of winter in December, for the holidays, but after that? Bring. On. Summer. You're probably wondering what a summer girl like me is doing living in a city that has like, seven months of winter (okay, slight exaggeration, but you get my point) and minus 30 degrees temperatures for months on end and I guess the reason I haven't left yet is because my entire family lives here. I would hate to be far apart from them. Anyway! School's out, backpacks have been unpacked, lunch boxes have been disinfected, and we're thinking of fun and creative ways to give the kids a summer they'll remember forever. Here's how we're making this the best summer ever: Sleeping In: I know, this is pretty impossible with most c...

My favourite resort is The Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in south Florida. I have been vacationing there every winter and summer for the last seven years, and we can't get enough. My boys love it! We love the perfect location between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the infinity pool overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and the lagoon style pool below, with cascading waterfalls. The ocean views are breathtaking, and the service is amazing, too. We also love how many fabulous things there are to do around the resort, like visiting Gulfstream Park , Aventura Mall, and the Bal Harbour Shops. We also love visits to the Miami Zoo and the Miami Children's Museum. I'm happy to share the news that the Heavenly Spa By Westin and Westin WORKOUT have opened at the resort's beachfront property.... which means that while you're being massaged, or while you're burning calories working out, you'll be looking at magnificent views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The new 14...

Before having children I would always take time to do the things I loved, like doing my hair once a week at my favourite salon, going for monthly massages, and getting regular pedicures and manicures. It took a while after my children were born to get back into taking care of me again, but I have a pretty regular routine now where I take the time to do things for myself. A weekly blow-dry is a must! It's so important to take the time to unwind, and do something you love, just for you. Last week I was treated to a fabulous manicure at Synergy Spa in Orleans, which is just a short drive from my home. (This could get dangerous, you guys!) After my Shellac manicure, I received an awesome hand massage with Moroccan Oil hand cream which was totally relaxing... and smelled absolutely delicious. I was also able to stock up on some Aveda hair supplies I needed, too, because the shelves are full of fabulous Aveda and Moroccan Oil products.  Synergy Spa is in the east end of Otta...