Woman in Real Life

Summer and frozen treats go hand in hand. I distinctly remember the feeling of standing outside the local convenience store as a child with a colourful icy treat dripping down my hands. Being more health conscious now, I'm not so fond of the artificial colours, but I still crave a lovely ice pop on warm days.

The end of summer is threatening. Not only is it mid-August, but we have also had a few cooler days and a few rainy days. This past week, I was determined to get in at least one beach day. The weather on Friday was promising, so we headed to Centennial Park in Barrie, Ontario with my visiting in-laws and my sister-in-law and her husband and kids. As you can see, we sure know how to make ourselves at home on the beach. It's all hands on deck when it comes to carrying coolers, chairs and umbrellas to and from the car!

My husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in July. Back when we were just youngsters, we loved to travel to big cities like London, Rome, Florence, Vancouver and New York. We simply weren't the lounge-at-the-beach types.

Two kids and a couple of decades later, I have to say long days at the beach sound pretty inviting. For our 15th anniversary, however, we thought it was only fitting that we once again hit the big city of New York for sightseeing, food and good fun. We briefly debated leaving the kids with grandparents, but those little beings are truly the best thing to come out of our marriage, so it's only fitting that they came along.

Keeping the kids occupied over summer break is always a concern. We try to balance formal sports/dance activities with family visits, travel and some good old-fashioned downtime. Where downtime is concerned, I find it's helpful to have a solid collection of kids' books in the house. I turned to DK Canada's Summer Fun Boutique for a selection of books to help me keep the kids happy and productive this summer (all at 30% off too!).

I intended to do a What I Ate Wednesday post from New York City last week, but we were so busy during the days (and tired at night!) that I opted not to do it in the end. So, this What I Ate Wednesday, I have highlights from about a week and a half of eating. Eating healthy on a road trip can be a bit challenging, but I did okay for the most part.

On our recent road trip to New York City, we decided to make a pit stop at Farm Sanctuary in picturesque Watkins Glen, New York. One of three Farm Sanctuary locations across the United States, the Watkins Glen sanctuary is nestled in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region. The 175-acre shelter is home to more than 500 rescued farm animals.

Visitors can take an hour-long guided tour, getting up close with the lovely animals that call the sanctuary home. Following the tour, you can also meander through the sanctuary on a self-guided tour too, just as long as you don't open any gates on your own. Some of these beauties are large!

If you are looking for the same old same old vegan recipes, Terry Hope Romero's Vegan Eats World: 300 International Recipes for Savoring the Planet isn't the cookbook for you. This eclectic cookbook, from the bestselling coauthor of Veganomicon, features 300 international recipes that translate the world's different cuisines into delicious vegan eats.

"We can freely indulge, nourish ourselves and save the planet by reinventing vegan food," says Terry in the cookbook's intro. "It's as easy as borrowing from all the cuisines of the world."