Our Day in Toronto

At the beginning of August, my son and I went on a road trip. One of our first stops was Toronto, Ontario. We didn’t do a whole lot in Toronto, but what we did do was a blast.

Hotel:
We stayed at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel at 123 Queen St W.
One thing you may not see many places is that the self parking is completely off site. First of all, it’s somewhere “across the street” and you don’t have in and out privileges. I didn’t feel super confident about that so I chose to just valet. At least with valet, you have in and out privileges. Plus, you can request your car through a website so that it’s waiting for you when you get downstairs. It did cost close to $50 a night, though.
The room itself was very nice. We received 2 bottles of complimentary water. Plus, we had an amazing view!

The only downside was that there were some seriously loud people in the hotel that woke me up multiple times until 4am. I wanted to call the front desk, but they had a paper in the room saying there was a $400 fine for anyone that had a noise complaint so I didn’t. I wish I had, though.
There is a beautiful outdoor area in the middle of the hotel with large glass walls visible from inside the hotel. My son and I had a great time hanging out in this area.

Check in and check out were both incredibly easy and fast. That being said, we did those two things at very strange times (think 7pm and 7am).
There are multiple restaurants here. We did eat at Shopsy’s for dinner. I got a steak sandwich and it was delicious!

Food:
Of course, since we aren’t from Canada, we had to get some poutine. We decided to go to Poutini’s (1112 Queen Street West). We got the original poutine with just fries, cheese curds, and gravy. Let me tell you, it’s huge! I seriously should have gotten the small. But even my son, the pickiest child ever, liked it. Definitely check it out if you’re in town.

Activities:
Hockey Hall of Fame ($20/adult and $14/child)
This was probably the most fun thing we did while in Toronto and neither of us are even hockey fans. There are some great things to look at (my son loved the medals and trophies) and some great informative displays to read. But it’s the interactive things that really make the museum fun. You can take a picture with the Stanley Cup. You can be a goalie and try to stop the pucks. You can try to shoot past a goalie to make a goal. You can be a newscaster on Sports Centre. You can dress up like a goalie. Plus, they take some videos that you can access for free. It was a great time. We spent about 1 to 1.5 hours there. I’m sure plenty of people spend a lot longer there, but like I said before, we’re not really hockey people. You exit via the gift shop. We bought a mini goalie stick. I would absolutely recommend visiting here if you’re in the area.

Nathan Philips Square
This is located right across the street from our hotel, so we clearly had to make a stop. At first, we were just going to see the Toronto sign, but when we got there, we noticed a stage with dancers on it. It turns out, there was a children’s dance competition happening. We stayed to watch that for a while after taking our pictures with the Toronto sign. It was pretty cool. And it seems like the type of place that would constantly have something going on.

That night, I also went back to the sign to take a picture of it all lit up. It’s beautiful! I definitely suggest seeing the Toronto sign during the day and at night.

Owen's Notes: "I really liked the Hockey Hall of Fame. It had a bunch of hockey stuff. I even got to do a hockey shoot out! And after that, I really liked the cherry Tim Horton's slushy. It was the best slushy I've ever had."

Here are some other things that you can do while in Toronto that we just didn’t have time for, but I had on my list:
-Canoe Landing Park
-Lab Sense (ice cream)
-Beaver Tails (Ugh, I wish we had gotten some. They look so delicious.)

Terre Bleu Lavender Farm

At the beginning of August, my son and I went on a 2 week roadtrip (just the 2 of us!). We had an absolute blast. Our first stop was Toronto, Ontario. Before we got there, though, we stopped at the Terre Bleu Lavender Farm.

Terre Bleu Lavender Farm at 2501 Sideroad 25, Milton, ON
We arrived around 1:45pm on a Friday afternoon. After we paid our admission ($17/adult and $12/child), we were directed to a tent where we were shown an intro video about the farm. We were given a couple instructions like “don’t step on or over the rows of lavender” and “do not pick the lavender.” Then, we were free to roam as much as we wanted.

There are multiple different areas to the farm and we thoroughly enjoyed every one of them!

Here’s a map:

The Animal Pasture

Yellow Bench Trail

Lavender Field 2: Yellow Door
There is usually a line to take pictures in front of the door. We were fortunate enough to have kind people behind us that were willing to take a picture of the two of us.

Wildflowers

Lavender Field 1

Distillery

Herb Bar

Apiary
I just love how this was set up with a caged in area so that you don’t have to worry about getting stung.

Ice Cream
We bought some ice cream and some lemonade. And truly, I didn’t know how much I would actually like either one of these things because lavender seems so floral to me. But they were both delicious!

Store
I ended up leaving with some lavender oil in a roller ball, glass container. We also got some lavender and mint chapstick. I have seriously been using this stuff nonstop for 3 weeks. I love it!

Owen's Notes: "So cool! There was lavender everywhere. Row after row after row of lavender. There was also a yellow door. I like doors. I got to eat lavender ice cream and drink lavender lemonade. They were delicious!"

We thoroughly enjoyed our time here! We spent about 2 hours here. You could easily spend longer, but we were tired and wanted to get to our next destination. I would highly recommend visiting here if you get the chance.

There is a tour that you can take. It’s complimentary so you don’t have to pay any extra for it, but we just wanted to go at our own leisure so we chose not to follow along with that.

Crossing from the US to Canada

For some reason, before our trip, I was very nervous to cross the border. I mean, I’ve visited other countries before. But I’ve never travelled there by car. I’ve always arrived via plane or boat and they each have their own process. So I did my research. I looked up tips on crossing the border from the US into Canada. Most of them seemed super paranoid to me. Make sure your car is spotless, don’t make conversation with the border patrol, have proof that you’re planning to return to the US, etc.

I feel like I came pretty prepared. I took one of the folders from my office and put all of the pertinent information in it. Then, we were on our way to the border. I put my passports, a paper signed by my husband and notarized saying that I could take my son out of the country, our hotel confirmation in Toronto, and our hotel confirmation in Massachusetts.

When we arrived, there was a line that probably took us about an hour to get through. We pulled up to the booth and I rolled down both my window and the one in the backseat so that she could see my son. I handed the woman both of our passports. She then asked me where we were headed and how long we were going to be in the country. I answered her and she told us about a festival that was happening in Toronto. She was very pleasant. And we had no reason to be nervous! We were at her booth for less than 3 minutes. It didn’t take long at all.

So here are my tips:
1. Have everything available and ready that you may need. That includes everyone’s passport, information about where you’re going and when you’re coming back, and anything else you think you may need. You can find out more on the border patrol website.
2. Don’t try to bring in anything illegal like meat, firearms, fireworks, and excessive amount of alcohol. You also find this list on the border patrol website.
3. Be courteous. They want you to get through this line just as much as you want to get through it. But they won’t hesitate to make it harder for you if you’re a jerk.
4. Don’t be nervous. The woman we dealt with was very nice and we had nothing to worry about. As long as you have nothing to hide, you’ll be fine!

Hopefully, my tips will help you on your journey. Enjoy your time in Canada!

Owen's YouTube: Pop-Tart taste test

My son loves making his own videos. This time, he made a video about all the different kinds of Pop-Tarts out there. There are the regular Pop-Tarts, Pop-Tarts Bites, and Pop-Tarts cereal. To really taste test them, we bought the same flavor for each one.

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.

Last Day of Homeschool: Field Day

Even though my son is homeschooled, he is still friends with other kids that go to traditional school. So of course, they were telling him all about their Play Day (also known as Field Day to others) and he was jealous. I really didn't have anything planned for the last day of school yet, so I decided to make my own version of Field Day that would meet our specific homeschooling needs. They needed to be things that we could do just the two of us.

Here's what we came up with!
1. Soccer
2. HORSE (basketball)
3. Egg Race
4. Chalk Art
5. Crab Races
6. Lunch Outside (we had burgers!)
7. Water Balloon Toss
8. Blowing Bubbles

My Favorite and Least Favorite Travel Hacks

While my son and I are away on our 2 week roadtrip, I thought I'd share some travel hacks with you!

I love to travel. Like it's definitely in my top 5 favorite things only behind my son, my dog, and my husband. I am super jealous of those people that get to travel for a living. Ah! So fun! Well, I may not be able to make a living by travelling, but I do my best to get in as many trips as possible. If I'm not travelling, I'm planning some trip we're taking in the future so I've looked at quite a few travel hacks. Here, I have compiled my favorite hacks and my least favorite hacks (sorry!):

Packing

Favorite: Pack some ziploc bags.
I like to bring gallon bags for wet swimsuits. Quart bags for keeping my liquids together. Sandwich bags for snacks and leftovers. Snack bags to hold small things like pressed pennies, jewelry, or smaller snacks.

Favorite: Pack a day bag.
Sometimes, you just need to bring more than you can fit in your purse. Especially if you're going to be out and about all day.

Least Favorite: Shirts and Underwear can be rolled and stuffed into socks.
This is way too much trouble. I like to keep all of my shirts together and all of my underwear together.

Favorite: Invest in some packing cubes.
I would much rather organize my clothes with packing cubes. It helps keep things together in a much more organized way while still giving you the option of looking at all your clothes to see what you want that day. And for the record, I still roll my clothes, even in the packing cubes.

Favorite: Necklaces can be kept in straws.
I love this hack. I don't have to spend time untangling my necklaces anymore!

Least Favorite: Put jewelry in a pill case.
It just looks like you're wasting so much room to me. And there are so many better ways to organize your jewelry.

Favorite: Keep your earrings together by putting them through button holes.

Favorite: Keep samples for when you travel.
They take up way less room. Plus, you can just throw them away when you're done with them.

Least Favorite: Put lotions, creams, foundation, etc. in contact cases
This is never enough for me. I need more! I just invest in some travel-size dispensers and use those over and over again.

Favorite: Put plastic wrap under the lids of lotions and shampoos
This will keep them from spilling out.

Favorite: Bring a laundry bag
I like to bring one of these with me if I'm staying in the same location for my entire trip. This way, I have somewhere to put all my dirty clothes so that they don't end up on a pile on the floor or mixed with my clean clothes.

Least Favorite: Store Q-tips in an old pill bottle.
I just throw them in a snack baggie with some cotton balls and bobby pins. I feel like you have to have just the right size pill bottle. But even then, it takes up too much room.

Favorite: Use a dryer sheet to keep your bag and clothes smelling fresh
I love this! So simple. Yet it makes every difference when you get to your destination and have fresh smelling clothes.

Favorite: Bring a portable charger
I seriously bring one with me every time I travel. It's great when you're using your phone as your camera and looking at apps and using maps. Your battery is bound to die at some point.

Airport

Favorite: Bring an empty water bottle
This feels like a no-brainer to me. There are so many filling stations in airports. Plus, you'll save money by not buying drinks.

Least Favorite: Go left at security.
In theory, this makes sense. In execution, not so much. There are so many reasons this doesn't work. I've been to airports where people are directing you where to go so you don't get a choice. Other times, just use your eyes. Pick whichever line looks shortest. But even then, if the people in front of you are super slow, it's not going to matter.

Favorite: Bring your own snacks
I always pack snacks in my carry-on. Again, saving money!

Least Favorite: Every hour, get up and walk the length of the cabin to prevent swelling.
Come on, if everyone did this, the aisles would constantly be crowded with people. What about when the attendants are coming through with that massive cart? You might get stuck on the wrong side and not be able to make it back to your seat. What about the people that actually need to get up to go to the bathroom? Now, you're in the way. Also, are you on the aisle? Because if not, you're annoying the other people in your row. I say just invest in some great compression socks. This really only applies if you're travelling far distances anyway.

Favorite: Bring a scarf
It doubles as a blanket on planes.

Money Savings

Least Favorite: Learn how to haggle/negotiate
This one just doesn't work me. Not because it's not a great tip. But because I just can't do it. It makes me way too uncomfortable. Plus, I feel like this isn't a hack. Either you can haggle. Or you can't. Simple as that. Plus, this is only customary in some travel locations.

Favorite: Buy all-inclusive passes
If you're staying in a city with lots to do, odds are, there will be some kind of pass that will get you into multiple attractions. And if you're planning on visiting multiple things anyway, this is a great way to save you money.

Hotel

Least Favorite: If you forget your wall charger, use the USB plug on the back of a TV to charge your phone.
Okay, so first of all, you can't always get to the USB plug. Second, the amount of power that you get from these plug ins, is usually so little, you can barely get your phone to 100% by charging over night. So while this may be an emergency hack, it's not my favorite travel hack.

Favorite: Attach your car's air vent clip to the A/C unit if your room smells funky
I love this hack! Almost everyone has an air vent clip in their car. And if you don't, go buy a cheap one from the dollar store to bring with you. And even if your room doesn't smell, sometimes it's nice to have a scent that reminds you of your travels.

Favorite: Use the appliances in your room to make some cheap food.
That's right, I have used tin foil and an iron to make quesadillas and grilled cheese. And while I haven't used a coffee maker to make an instant cup of noodles, I would! This is only for people on a budget that can't afford to eat out for every meal.

At Your Destination

Favorite: Research public transportation
I was totally nervous about this at first because the town I grew up in didn't even have public transportation. And even now, I just drive everywhere. But sometimes, in large cities, it just makes more sense to use the buses and trams and subways to get around. No one enjoys paying for parking or navigating traffic. I'm getting more used to using public transportation now and I love that some of them even use apps that you can use to pay for your trip.

Let me know if you have any hacks to add in the comments.

Lukow Loot: Our Homeschool Rewards System

While my son and I are away on our roadtrip, I thought I would tell you all about how our rewards system for homeschool is going to work.

In most schools, they have a rewards system where kids can earn some kind of cash (it was cape cash and then puma paws at my son's old school) for doing great things. Then, they could spend that "money" on special activities like playing on the Wii during recess or eating lunch in the classroom or sitting in the teacher's chair all day and many more options. Sounds great, but certain teachers would NEVER give them out and some people would give them for absolutely no reason at all and for everything.

So, when we started homeschooling, I decided to do my own version. The biggest difference is that we have definite rules about how they will be earned. For instance, my son will earn a certain amount of "money" based on how much time he spent reading that month. That way, his choices directly affect how much he earns. I definitely want to teach my son that the harder you work, the more you earn. Then, he can spend his earnings on things like going out for lunch, special snacks, or a free-write day during Writing.

The name we came up with for our "money" was Lukow Loot. I then designed something on Design Space and used my Cricut to cut it out.

Now, they sit in a wooden treasure chest ready to be collected by my son.

Do you use some kind of rewards system for your homeschool? Tell me about it in the comments. I'm always looking for new ideas.

Claude Monet Water Lilies Project

With school starting soon, I'm looking back on our end-of-year art project from 3rd grade. I decided it would be great to look at Claude Monet and his impressionist paintings.

First, we watched this YouTube video to learn more about Claude Monet.

Then, we watched this YouTube video about impressionism.

Finally, we watched this YouTube video specifically about the water lilies.

For the project, I followed the instructions HERE for the pond part. I let him choose which colors he wanted to use. After all, this is all about impressionism. So I wanted this to be his impression of a pond.

We cut out a large shape from an old cardboard box.
Then, he painted it using a spoon. He had so much swirling the paint around to look like waves and ripples in the water.

We set it to the side for a couple days to let it dry.
Then, we made the water lilies. He cut out lily shapes and I helped him make some pretty lilies. He attached everything to his pond.

And, voila! Here is the finished project!