Every August I go camping with good friends from high school. Each year someone picks a different location we haven’t been to yet and we plan a long weekend full of hiking, boating, badminton (I’m probably the worst player in the group), and swimming. Judging how full the campsites are each year I think many families choose this time to squeeze in some last minute vacationing in the great outdoors (great movie, by the way!). If your family or friends are planning on camping, here are some tips to make your camping trip a safe one.... [More]

The weather is getting warmer! With summer practically here (this year’s summer solstice is June 21, 2010) and school being out, that typically means the same thing for most families - busy, busy, busy! Kids are in different summer sports or programs, parents are at work, there are family trips, gatherings and barbeques! With all of this going on, a lot of people end up choosing to quickly grab food at the nearest fast food place... [More]

Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Many of you probably have childhood memories of your parents reciting this rhyme as they tucked you into bed. Perhaps you even say it to your own kids. In fact, the other night my mom ended our phone conversation with that exact phrase! As I lay in bed that night, I started to wonder if there was any truth to the phrase. Turns out, there is!.. [More]

One of my good friends is in the process of buying a new home. He’s really excited about the upcoming purchase, but a few days ago he asked me what I thought about getting the home tested for radon. We both decided to do some research and see if testing was necessary. We found out it certainly was! In fact, after what we discovered, I even decided to test my own home for radon... [More]

As a conscious consumer I like to be aware of what foods are best for me. This means that when I’m at the grocery store, I am always seeking out foods with the best health benefits. Ultimately, this is all part of my goal to a healthy diet. Recently, with this goal in mind, I’ve decided to incorporate organic foods into my meals... [More]

Here’s one you may never have heard of - Osgood Schlatter disease. If you have heard of it, it’s most likely because you know someone who has had it. My friend has a daughter who was diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter’s at a young age. It was painful for her to even walk up and down the stairs. It was stressful for both her and her parents... [More]

I remember my first pet. After begging for months, I finally became the proud owner of Tawny the orange cat. I was so excited when my parents brought Tawny home from the local humane association! However, with pet ownership comes the inevitable day when that beloved pet passes away. I still remember the feeling of loss the morning I discovered that Tawny had died... [More]

There are a lot of controversial health & wellness topics out there. It’s often very difficult to find neutral facts to form your own opinion about these topics. A recent debate grabbed my attention: is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) safe?.. [More]

Have you ever received the e-mail with a list of reminders of what it was like to be a kid back in the 1980’s? It’s a funny e-mail! Obviously times have changed but there are a few things to take from that e-mail. Most pointedly is that kids back then were generally more active than they are today.. [More]

I’ve had a lot of questions from moms about how to pack a healthy lunch for their school aged children. I remember the days when I would take a lunch to school and everyone was excited to see what they could swap with someone else. It was exciting! And I actually remember when we got a soda machine. Talk about controversy!.. [More]