Are any of you Taylor Swift fans?

I confess I'm not, but my eldest daughter, Liv, likes her music and she's a lot classier (Taylor, not my Liv!) than a lot of young music stars out there today. (Don't I sound like the prudish, judgmental mum?!)

I'm also happy to report that, in addition to Taylor, my daughter has a fair share of Abba (you gotta love Abba), The Beatles (best band in the whole world!) and ColdPlay (great to see live) on her beloved purple iPod.

My favourite CD these days is Dolores O'Riordan's "No Baggage." Dolores is the lead singer in the fab band, The Cranberries. If you haven't listened to her latest solo recording, it's a must. (Bonus: This Irish songstress married a Canadian and is now a mum who spends most of her time living in northern Ontario.)

Back to Taylor Swift ... I'm giving away two CDS:

Taylor Swift Fearless - the CD/DVD Platinum Edition

(includes videos plus six brand new recordings — is that a great plug, or what?)

You could win this CD/DVD

The second CD is Christmas on the Open Road, featuring two Taylor Swift tracks

that haven't been released yet in Canada!

You could also win this CD!

What do you have to do to win? Tell me what your favourite Christmas tune is ... and why.

Good luck! Kathryn

What a gorgeous September it's been so far, hasn't it? I am loving this weather — the glorious sunshine and cool nights. I was just commenting to a co-worker that if I didn't have kids, I'd take my holidays this month.

But I do have kids ... otherwise I wouldn't be writing this mum blog ... and telling you about a mum (and dad) dilemma that I'd like your help with. Here goes.

My 10 year-old daughter, Liv, has groovy purple iPod. Well, actually she HAD said ipod. In case you haven't already guessed, my dilemma is to do with the absence of this treasured tech toy.

Liv got the iPod from myself and her dad (my husband, Len) last Christmas as her special gift ... and she adores it. But about two weeks ago, it went missing.

Liv swears she last used it in the car ... or the back deck? ... or the back screened-in porch? It was one of those places, she is certain of that. But now we've searched the car, the backyard, the back deck, the kitchen, the bedroom, the ... well, you get the picture: We've searched the whole darn place and — alas — groovy purple iPod is gone and Liv is sad.

So-o, what's a mum to do?

As you know, iPods are not cheap. And I'm trying to strike the right balance in handling the loss of it because Liv is a good kid and I don't think she was careless with it.

Do we:

(a) Tell her she'll have to wait for Christmas for a new one?

(b) Go 50/50 with her on buying a new one (she has some pocket money saved up)?

(c) Buy a new one for her?

(d) Give her chores to do so she can earn a new one?

Write and tell me how you'd handle the situation. Thanks, Kathryn

Thanks to everyone for replying to my post on Canadian music. The winners of Royal Wood's latest CD, Lost and Found, are: Denise Nielsen and Deann. (Please email me your mailing addresses and I will get the CDs out to you.)

Speaking of great Canuck tunes, my neighbours went to see a wonderful live show this week: The Canadian Songbook: A Tribute to Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall. A diverse group of Canadian musicians (Holly Cole, Stephen Page, the Cowboy Junkies, etc.) recreated Neil Young's 1971 concert at the same venue.

I tried to get tickets but it sold out quickly. That's why I was so pleased to learn that the tribute concert will air on CBC Radio 2 on June 29 and July 6 (two parts) at 7 p.m., and on CBC Radio One on July 3at 2 p.m. I am definately going to tune in.

I love CBC Radio. Confession time: when I went back to work from both of my mat leaves, I'm not sure who or what I missed more, my babes or listening to CBC Radio all day long.

If I had to take only a few things to a deserted island ... one of them would be a radio. Oh, and I would demand said island had the frequency to listen to CBC Radio One and Two.

What would you want with you on a deserted island?

Talk to you soon, Kd

For me, one of the greatest pleasures in life is listening to music. Curling up in a wicker chair on our old screened-in back porch with a glass of crisp Pinot Grigio and some great tunes on my ipod, or in the CD player, is a real treat.

I also like to lounge on the couch by candlelight with my two girls by my side. We skip the Miley Cyrus and listen to Feist and Sarah Slean instead.

My love of Canadian music comes from my parents. They are avid CBC radio fans who introduced me to the formidable Gordon Lightfoot when I was a kid. I can still remember listening to the haunting sounds of  “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” on long drives up to the family cottage in Parry Sound, Ontario.

We’re blessed to have so many truly gifted musicians and songwriters in Canada. I think we rank no. 1 in the world when it comes to lyricists. One of my favourites is Hawksley Workman.

Of course, listening to music live is a whole other experience. Devine.

Recently, my husband and I had the chance to take in a live show of a newish Canadian artist, Royal Wood. His band is brilliant and Royal is a gifted and elegant performer, who writes beautiful songs.

His latest recording is “Lost and Found” and it’s definitely worth listening to. For a preview, you can visit his site www.royalwood.ca.  Read on for a chance to win this CD.

Sometimes I find a certain song, or lyric, will become a mantra or motto in my life that helps me make sense of things, or gets me through a rough patch.

Lately, it’s been the line, “Will they miss the rose if blind to the bloom?” from Royal Wood’s song, Don’t Fall Apart’ on the Lost and Found EP. In this crazy world, it reminds me to slow down and savour the small pleasures; pay attention to the details and little things so I can see the big picture clearly.

Who are your favourite Canadian musicians, songs and lyrics?

Let me know and you could win Royal Wood’s EP Lost And Found.

Thanks for sharing.

Wow. I can’t believe it’s been a week since we last talked. I find the last six weeks of the school year take me by surprise. There’s so much going on …

At our home, we celebrated Sophie’s 7^th birthday last Friday night and are now immersed in my older daughter, Liv’s, busy soccer schedule (her school team made it into the city finals – yeah!).

I’m trying to keep on top of weeding the garden (why do the weeds grow so, so much faster than anything else?) and get all of my annuals into the ground. I usually go for white flowers but after such a long winter I want my outdoor world awash in colour, so this spring and summer purple impatiens reign.

We’re also building a deck in our backyard. (Ok, my husband is actually building the deck while I play general contractor and monitor the progress).

With all this activity, I admit homework takes a backseat in our house. I was delighted when Sophie came home from school and announced her grade 1 teacher’s rule: No homework on lovely spring evenings. How very civilized.

I felt quite smug about my slacker attitude toward homework this morning when I read a report from Active Healthy Kids Canada. One of the key findings says: Parents should think about trading time spent doing school work for time spent being physically active with their children because research shows that kids who are active do better in the classroom.

Hello, and thanks to everyone who shared tips on how to keep our kids safe in light of the tragic abduction of Tori Stafford.

I find the Child Find websites very helpful. Check them out.

My daughters had an interesting incident at their small Toronto school last Friday. A man was talking over the school yard fence to the kids. (I know, we should be able to shrug and say 'big deal.'). I loved how the school communciated the info. to all parents and had teachers remind students about safety and strangers. Here are some of the tips that came home in a letter:

• Trust your instincts (my favourite) and tell your parents or teachers whenever someone treats you or speaks to you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

• Know that someone you see regularly in the neighbourhood is still a stranger (isn't it sad we have to tell our kids that?) and should be treated as a stranger.

• If a car is following you, change directions and run.

• Say 'no' if an adult wants you to do something that you think is wrong.

• Never approach or enter a stranger's car. Adults have no reason to offer you a ride, ask you for directions, or for help.

• Always walk with a buddy.

I hope these tips are helpful.

My current mum dilemma is how to keep our daughter, who turns 7 this Friday (yeah!) interested in playing the piano. Share your tips with me on how you keep your kids interested in music lessons.

Tak to you soon!

P.S. Next post, I'll tell you about a brilliant live music concert I went to, and give you the chance to win a CD. Yes, it's contest time again.