Summer's almost over, isn't it?

Oh, did I just put a damper on your day? Sorry. (To make it up, I'll let you in on a little secret ... if you really don't want to read my blog you could skip to the end to see the contest.)

Now, back to the discussion at hand ... I know that it doesn't officially become fall until Sept 22 - almost a whole month from now. But the real sign that summer is behind us is the first day of school, and that's less than two weeks away.

Everyone has a different event that signals the end of the summer. Perhaps it's a trip to the mall for back to school supplies, or spying your kid's worn-out, grass-stained sneekers lying in the front hall. (This week, both of my daughter's Crocs fell apart - a sure sign that summer is winding down).

For my family, the realization that summer is leaving us comes with the arrival of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The Ex, as it's affectionately known, always starts two weeks before school.  Len, the girls and I visited it on Sunday ... taking in the rides (I can't do rollercoasters or anything that spins too much, but I'm a star on the carpet slide!), smells (what is it with kids and candy floss?) and sights (great farm animals; we loved Oscar the long-tailed sheep).

Talk to me ... What signals the end of summer for you? And are you looking forward to what is  the real start of the new year?

CONTEST TIME: I've got a great Canadian family movie,  Finn on the Fly, to give away ... so write to me.

This movie has lots of laughs

First off, thanks to Kate for her reply to my last posting.

Kate, you are the proud winner of the latest cookbook by Canadian Living, "Make It Tonight." It's full of yummy recipes. (Send me your mailing address and register/sign up for this blog and I'll get "Make It Tonight" to you.)

I'm back to work at Canadian Living magazine and blogging after spending a glorious week in Picton, Ontario, with my family.

If you're not familiar with the area, the star attraction for the family set is the wonderful beaches that boast stunning dunes and stretches of sand that go on further than the eye can see. The main beach was perfect for my kids (7 and 10) because we could walk out about 50 metres into Lake Ontario and the water was only up to my waist. (Yes, it's actually clean water there and you can swim in it, which is a novel concept for this Toronto gal!)

We made sand castles on the beach with girls, swam and visited the nearby farmer's markets where we purchased the sweetest Ontario strawberries. And being a city girl, it was wonderful to spend Canada Day out in the country. The town put on an amazing fireworks display and served up scrumptous cake.

We didn't make it to any of the many lovely local wineries - ah, but that just gives me a reason to go back for a romantic weekend with my guy.

I'm a fair-weather camper and the forecast was dodgy so we stayed in at a bed and breakfast called One Main Street that I highly recommend if you visit the area. Our hosts were delightful and made the most amazing breakfasts.

Where will you be vacationing this summer?

Until next time, Kathryn

P.S. Watch out for the next contest. I hope to have it up later this week.

There are so many things to celebrate this Sunday!

First off, it’s Father’s Day.

In my home, we have an awesome dad. My husband, Len, does more than his share of childcare and household chores. And last night he finished building our new deck – yeah!

I love it when Len picks outfits for our youngest daughter, Sophie, 7, to wear to school. You can bet she'll be decked out in a kaleidoscope of colours, patterns and textures that would make a fashionista cringe. But hey, he tries and Sophie’s happy. And that’s what counts, isn’t it?

This Sunday we are celebrating dad by letting him sleep in, bringing him breakfast in bed, and showering him with the girl’s artwork. Then we'll head over to Len’s dad’s house for a backyard bbq. (My own dad is several hours out of town and I will be honouring him a week later.)

This Sunday is also officially the first day of summer.

We have such long winters, that this season is definitely cause for celebration. We got a head start this week by visiting a farm on the Niagara Escarpment where we picked strawberries. There’s nothing like the sweet, fresh, yummy taste of homegrown berries to remind us that it's summer.  I encourage everyone to get out to a local ‘pick your own’ farm this weekend.

Happy weekend everyone!

How will you celebrate? CONTEST TIME: One person will win a Canadian Living cookbook!

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.

Hello, let's talk spies.

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently had the opportunity to chat with a real-life former CIA spy -- very cool. Lindsay Moran is the author of, Blowing My Cover: My Life as a CIA Spy. (Read on to find out how you can win a copy of her book).

Lindsay worked for the CIA for five years and left in 2003. In 'spy school' she learnt how to jump out of an airplane, crash cars, shoot weapons and how to assume an alias. (Trust me, journalism school is a lot duller).

Lindsay gave it all up because she wanted to start a family and, as you can probably guess, the spy life and being a mama aren't a great mix.

We give up a lot to have kids, don't we?

I so often hear about women who have put something aside -- a passion or career -- to be a mom, but not so much with men when they become dads.

I'm not bashing the boys. (In all honestly my husband is amazing. He does more than his share of caring for the kids and home). I actually think us moms have a more balanced outlook on life and know that something has to give.

What do you think? I want to know. Tell me if you gave up anything to be a mum and if you have any regrets. Here's an incentive: I have a couple of copies of Lindsay's memoirs on her life as a CIA spy to give away. (Yes, another little contest ladies).

If you want to read about our spy girl's safety tips for women, sign up for my monthly e-newsletter at: http://www.canadianliving.com/my_cl/?mod=signup&action=newsletter_new.

Talk to you soon. Don't forget to write to me here on the mom blog.

Hello again.

First off, the winners of the fab Oster blender are: Stefanie, Angela and Garnet Girl. Congrats! (I wish I had a blender for everyone.)

Marta told me she would make brownies if she had won. Sorry you didn't win, but please do share your blender-brownies recipe with us Marta.

Now that's taken care of, let's get back to chatting ...

It's a gorgeous spring evening here in the West end of Toronto. My husband, kids and I have spent lots of time in High Park this week. The white blossom trees are breathtaking in full bloom. In the twilight they look like a blanket of soft fog hovering in the air.

May is my favourite season. Never fail, each year I am in awe of how nature renews herself.

My youngest daughter, Sophie (soon-to-be 7), was due on June 6th but I always said she would be my 'May baby' - and she was. Her middle name is 'May' because of my fondness for the month. May was also my perenially-sunny grandmother's name.

We have a special spring treat in our yard: a robin's nest. Liv, 10, is a champion tree climber. She spotted a nest in the 20-foot-tall evergreen tree in our front lawn and was half way up in no time. She soon discovered just how fiercely protective us mums can be when mama robin came flying at her in a fit of anger. Boy did Liv ever scoot down that tree in a hurry.

There's also a robin's nest on our neighbour's eavestrough and we have a bird's-eye view of it from the back window of our house. Each night after school and work, we peek at mama bird with our binoculars, looking for signs that her babies have hatched.

I think it's really these simple delights - these gifts of nature - that make May such a special month. Of course, there's Mother's Day, too!

My girls came home from school today (Friday) and excitedly hid their school-made creations wrapped in crinkly tissue paper. Hmm, I wonder if there's a macaroni necklace among them?

We don't usually make plans for Mother's Day but, instead, see what the day brings. Write to tell me how you spend Mother's Day 

P.S. Next time I write, I'll tell you how I spent Mother's Day and about my recent interview with a former CIA spy!

Mom blogs. Why are they called that? Because the writer is a mom?

Well, aren’t all of us moms a lot of other things, too? And isn’t the real reason why we are connecting simply because we are women? And as women we have a wonderful desire and capacity to share our thoughts and get to know one another. Why, it’s wired in our DNA.

I thought about this when I told a girlfriend yesterday that I’d posted my first entry on my “Mom blog."

We laughed and said it reminded us of the times when we’ve introduced ourselves as “So-and-so’s mum” on the playground, and then asked, “Are you James’ mum?” When my kids (now 10 and almost 7) were younger, I remember being called “Liv’s or Sophie’s mum” more than “Kathryn.”

(Note: my parents are from England. Most of my family still lives there so I say “mum” a lot)

I’ll let you in on a little inside joke here at Canadian Living. When the “Mom Blog” banner with my photo was first designed for the CL.com web site, it featured my pic and … (drum roll, please) … a backpack. Yes, that dependable, practical symbol of all things mommsy.

When our lovely (and non-mom) web editor, Jen, emailed the image to me, I said, “Jen, see what happens when you have kids? Your existence will forever be associated with a backpack.”  (That sobering reality might actually be an effective form of birth control for the under-30 set).

I wasn’t complaining, mind you. But Jen got the point and soon revamped the image. Now, you’ll see my pic with a charming (but practical, sigh) purple tote bag with a journal, car keys and … a teddy bear.

Truth be told, said bear is not mine, nor my kids. Their favourite stuffies are a hippo, “lambie” and a panda. And being the chic mum that I like to think that I am, I’d never be caught dead with them tucked in my tote.

Ok, enough.

I bet you are reading my mom/mum blog because in my first and last post, I promised you could win a blender and now you’re saying, “Where’s the blender mom/mum blogger? Just tell me how I can get the darn blender!”

The first three people who subscribe to my blog and post a comment telling me what they want to make in the blender - or when they least feel like a mum - will win an OSTER® DIGITAL BLENDER (retail value $79.99). Thanks Oster!

P.S. Here’s what I like best about the blender: it has an ice crusher blade that won't dull or bend as well as an ice-crush setting. Make yourself a frozen cocktail.

“OMG, what if I have nothing to write about? Worse, what if no one wants to read what I have to say?!”

Ok, full disclosure time. Those are the thoughts that have left me here, at my computer, in a cold sweat as I sit down to write this – my first blog post.

So, I take a deep breath and put on some inspirational music. (In truth, I grab the closest CD — the soundtrack to one of my all-time favourite movies, Love Actually). If it wasn’t 3:30 in the afternoon, I’d have a glass of Pinot Grigio, too, because it always gets the creative juices flowing. After a moment of reflection, I decide I either:

(a)  Am severely lacking in self confidence.
(b)  Have a bad case of Sally Field-itis. (Remember when she won the Oscar years ago and declared to her audience of peers, “So you really do like me!” Why do we, women and moms, care so much about being liked anyway? That’s something we should definitely chat about later).
(c)  Simply have writer’s block.

I’m opting for (c).

Because this is my very first blog post, I trust you’ll go easy on me. I’ve also decided I’ll start by introducing myself and we can take it from there.

By day, I’m the editor of the Life and Health sections at Canadian Living magazine. I truly love my job – reading all the latest books and studies that come in, and pouring over products and story ideas from readers and writers.

Outside of the office, I’m a wife, mum to two girls (Liv just turned 10; Sophie is almost 7), sister, daughter, girlfriend, and avid reader and bookclub member. I’m also trying to lose the 15 pounds I gained as a result of foot surgery in the fall. (Ok, maybe the Pinot Grigio and penchant for late-night nachos and salsa are more to blame).

A couple of times a week, I’ll be writing here at the CL.com mom blog to share my thoughts with you as well as tips, information, books and products that I think you’ll be interested in hearing about. And there will be contests, too.

Talk to you soon.
P.S. Watch for my next entry for a chance to win a blender.