Loblaws Click and Collect: My Starring Video Role

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Loblaws Click & Collect for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

We've all been there: lying awake at night, thinking about the next day's to-do list, and wondering how to get everything done. Some people like to count sheep to fall asleep, I like to count all of the things that could be taken off my list if only I had a personal assistant (grocery shopping, for example)...but who can afford that?

Then, one year ago, Loblaws actually made my dream come true with the launch of their Loblaws Click and Collect program at my local store. What a treat to order my groceries online from the comfort of my own home, and have a trained personal shopper do the work for me. All I have to do is drive into the specially marked parking spot, phone in to the store and have the groceries brought right out to my vehicle.

"Ah, but what's the cost for this dream-come-true service?", you may be wondering. The cost to shop Loblaws groceries online  is...wait for it...drumroll please...either $3 or $5, depending on the day and time of your pickup. Really, that's it. The cost for the items is the exact same as in-store, and you can even link up your PC Plus account to earn points as well.

Even if I pick up my groceries at a peak weekend hour, it is still totally worth $5, not only for the time saved, but also because I'm sure that I cut 5 bucks off my order by not taking children into the store...and let's be honest, adults make impulse purchases too!

We are all so busy (my readers know that I'm a teacher, freelance writer and TV guest), with lists of errands that can be pages long, and Loblaws has really helped to ease that burden. It seemed like every weekend we'd vow to get groceries on Friday, and then it wouldn't happen. Saturday for sure, we would say, and then Saturday would fill up with kids' activities and yard work. Definitely Sunday then, after we prepped for the next school day...which usually meant a stressful last-minute run to the store so we had something to put in Monday's lunches!

Now, I order online, often while at my treadmill desk, or sometimes even sitting on the couch crashing at the end of a work day. Then only minutes are required to drive into the Loblaws parking lot and do the pick up. (I've trained the girls to do the unloading and putting away of groceries, so that's a time-saver too. I highly recommend you get your kids started on household chores as early as possible!)

While my kids are older now (ten and eight) and thankfully past needing to be buckled and unbuckled into carseats by mommy, I can't even imagine what a convenience this would be for parents of younger children. No need to wake the baby to take him or her into the store! (Payment is so easy too, as we keep a credit card on file.)

We've gotten to know the Click and Collect employees, and now it feels like they're friends that we see on a weekly basis. I love how I can leave a little note online (e.g., "Green bananas please", or "Didn't see our usual floor cleaner on the website; could you check the store for me?") and the shoppers always happily oblige. You can even indicate what your preference is if an item is out of stock - I always ask them to choose the most similar item in a different brand.

Other than the cost, the biggest question that friends and family ask me is about the quality of the food, especially produce and meat. I can swear that we have always (after dozens and dozens of Click and Collect experiences) been happy with the quality of the food: fresh produce and meat that's well before it's best-before date.

I highly recommend you try out Loblaws online grocery shopping for yourself.

I am such a fan of the service that when I was approached to be part of a testimonial video, I jumped at the chance (and there are very few brands I would want to go out on a limb for like that). You may remember that I dropped some hints about a special project going on in my home back in the summer (with a makeup artist required!), and my girls even got to be part of it as well. (With all the lights, cameras and crew, "It looks like Hollywood in our house!" Eva observed.)

The video is now online; please check it out for yourself below and let me know what you think, and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about the program!

Vancouver Travel Guide and Trip Highlights

We've been east and we've been south, but until now my husband and I had never traveled to western Canada. (Yes, I realize I left out a cardinal direction, but unless I get invited to Santa's actual workshop that one isn't high on my list.)

A few months ago, we decided that to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary (and combine business and pleasure with a travel story), we would cash in our Aeroplan points and head to beautiful British Columbia - more specifically the city of Vancouver.

Today I offer you the highlights of our four day trip, and top suggestions for what to see and what to do in Vancouver.

First off, I love technology. Online check-in and digital boarding pass? Yes, please!

If you fly to Vancouver, consider taking the Canada Line train (leaving every 7 minutes) from the airport to Vancouver City Centre (or whatever stop you might need). It was $9 each to get us downtown, and we ended up just blocks from our hotel. As we trekked the short distance with our wheeled suitcases, my husband turned and joked, "Do you think anyone can tell we're tourists?"

Once you're in Vancouver (click on subtitles to take you to websites):

CENTURY PLAZA HOTEL AND SPA

Out hotel was perfectly located on Burrard Street. We walked almost everywhere, and had shuttle buses right at the door. They were kind enough to accommodate our early check-in, and our room had a great kitchenette with a coffee maker, toaster, microwave, kettle and fridge - which made it easy to have a couple of grocery store meals (there's a fantastic IGA down the street) and one of reheated restaurant leftovers! The on-site spa is another great perk - more on that later! The only thing that could make the hotel even better would be a hot tub along with the pool.


HOP-ON, HOP-OFF FROM WESTCOAST SIGHTSEEING*

This bus tour gives you a wonderful overview of the city highlights, and the guides are very informative (e.g., did you know the Lululemon owner has a 63 million dollar home - the most expensive in Vancouver?) Your pass is good for 24 hours, and really hits all the city highlights: Chinatown, Gastown, Granville Island, Stanley Park, Robson Street, Canada Place...the list goes on!


ABSOLUTE SPA

My massage was "absolutely" amazing, with incredible service throughout the spa. The change rooms were beautiful, there was a relaxation area for pre- and post-treatment, and even a mini cafeteria for free snacks after the service. Absolute Spa has several locations throughout the city, and you know, if it's good enough for Emily Blunt (who commented, "Best spa day ever!",) Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd and Elle MacPherson then I think it's good enough for me.
P.S. While I can't speak for other extended health coverage, my plan covers treatments (e.g., massage from a Registered Massage Therapist) provided in other provinces.


STANLEY PARK HORSE-DRAWN TOURS*

When you take any sort of tour, the guide makes a big difference, and the young man who toured us around Stanley Park was terrific - knowledgeable and funny. Interesting Hollywood North note: the horses for the hit show Once Upon a Time are the Stanley Park horses - and we got a little glimpse of Prince Charming's carriage too. (If you're an entertainment junkie like me and want to try to see a movie or show being shot while you're in the city, check out http://www.whatsfilming.ca/.)

VANCOUVER AQUARIUM*

If you go to Vancouver with kids, or you have a particular interest in aquatic wildlife, you can't miss a visit to the Vancouver Aquarium (located in Stanley Park). I texted the photo below to my girls (who were back in Ontario with their grandparents) and said "We found Nemo!" My eight-year-old was quick to send back a cropped copy of the shot with the caption, "I found Dory!"

I also texted my Pittsburgh-fan brother a photo of the penguins...in the park that's named after Lord Stanley...just like the coveted cup. Deep, I know.

CAPILANO SUSPENSION BRIDGE*

With a free shuttle right at our hotel door, how could we miss out on this huge tourist attraction? We were advised to go early or late to avoid crowds, so we were on the bus at the earliest pick-up time of 9 a.m. The morning was actually a bit misty and drizzly, which also helped with the crowds - we didn't have to wait in any lines at all. Not for the faint-of-heights, the park offers breathtaking experiences like the Cliff Walk, and of course the famous Suspension Bridge (both shown below). My husband says this would be one of his biggest highlights of the trip.

Cliff Walk

Suspension Bridge

HISTORICAL CHINATOWN TOURS*

Not a regular tourist's view of Chinatown, Chinatown Girl Judy Lam Maxwell takes visitors behind closed doors, up staircases and into alleys to get an insider's experience of Chinatown. She offers a thorough historical view and tons of informative tidbits plus customized tours. Ours ended with an interesting behind-the-scenes visit to 94-year-old Bill Wong at Modernize Tailors. Don't just wander Chinatown yourself when you can have Judy as your guide.

VANCOUVER HARBOUR CRUISE*

I love getting out on the water, especially for a view of a new city (which may surprise people, since I'm not exactly the most outdoorsy girl). This tour was both fun and educational, and next time I would consider splurging for one of their dining cruises (the Sunset Dinner one looks great), in order to be out on the water longer and enhance the experience even more.

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY*

While I certainly can't pretend to be a big art connoisseur, I may never again get a chance to see so much of Picasso's work all in one place, so we made time for a trip to the Art Gallery. I learned a lot about Picasso and enjoyed a quick walk through the other exhibits as well.

GASTOWN

This is definitely a "hop off the bus and wander" kind of destination. Cobblestone streets, unique shopping (as well as typical souvenir fare) and so many patios that you'll have a hard time deciding where to stop to eat or drink. Why choose one place? Lunch at one, drinks at another, dinner at a third!


ADELE LIVE 2016

Not that this is helpful to future Vancouver visitors, but one of our trip highlights for sure was seeing Adele live in concert. (I got last-minute tickets through StubHub). The woman is entertaining, funny, beautiful and what a voice!

And now, for the food!

THE WINKING JUDGE PUB

Just a block from our hotel, we had super friendly service (I'm happy to be called "hon" by waitstaff), large portions (I saved half my meal for later) plus it's always nice to get a bit of an Irish feel in every city we visit.

CACTUS CLUB CAFE AT COAL HARBOUR

Recommended by more than one of my Facebook followers, this restaurant - located at Canada Place - has incredible views...and even the bathrooms were some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. I recommend Rob's Crispy Chicken Sandwich - it has a nice little kick to it!

JOE'S GRILL (on Denman St., near our hotel) and DEACON'S CORNER (Gastown area) for those who like a delicious, filling, inexpensive diner breakfast.

CARTEMS DONUTERIE

The Triple Chocolate Threat is hands-down the best donut I've ever eaten.

BLUE WATER CAFE

This is where we had the meal of our lives. I had asked Vancouverite  Lainey Lui (who I know from my work with The Social) to recommend a favourite restaurant and this was her suggestion. I let them know it was our 15th anniversary celebration and from the moment we walked in we were treated with care. Price-wise this is definitely a special occasion restaurant (and while I saw some kids there, I wouldn't take my girls until they're older) but wow. Every course (including our after-dinner sorbet shown below) was delicious ("Have I mentioned how amazing this is?" my husband kept asking me) with a great atmosphere and convenient Yaletown location. This is the place for real seafood, though in a "you-can-take-the-girl-out-of-the-country-but..." kind of move, I ordered the beef tenderloin, which was incredible. Dessert? Of course! I indulged in the Warm Dark Chocolate Cake (come on, doesn't just reading the name make your mouth water?) and I was not disappointed.

A final note: as I mentioned earlier, I'm not a huge outdoorswoman, though I enjoyed spending four days of beautiful weather walking all over the city. Keep in mind though that there's so much more to see and do for nature lovers - including well-marked bike paths on city streets and trails. Be sure to visit Tourism Vancouver for a comprehensive guide to everything the city has to offer.

As always, don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions (leave a comment, email me or message through social media) and please feel free to leave your own Vancouver recos that we may not have had time for!

Disclosure: I was provided with a media Experience Pass through Tourism Vancouver, and received free admission to several attractions. Opinions are, as always, my own.

Canadian Cheese Awards - Giveaway!

Warning: this is my *cheesiest* post yet! (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

My loyal readers know that I am very discerning when it comes to brand partnerships. I receive tons of pitches that range from not-quite-a-fit to wildly-inappropriate, and I don't hesitate to decline...a lot.

However, when contacted with an opportunity share information about Canadian cheese...how could I say no? (Only chocolate would be a better fit for me!)

I'm a fan of Loblaws (I shared information about their super-convenient Click and Collect shopping option not long ago) and Loblaws is the destination to purchase award-winning Canadian cheese, including more than 15 of the Canadian Cheese Awards Champion and Finalist cheeses. (Yep, there are Canadian Cheese Awards! It's the only cheese competition in Canada open to all milks used in cheese making – cow, goat, sheep and water buffalo – with only pure natural cheese accepted for judging.)

Some awards highlights:

• Cheese of the Year Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar, which also took home Best Aged Cheddar (aged more than 18 months) and Best B.C. Cheese
• Best Fresh Pasta Filata, President’s Choice® Formaggio di Bufala
• Best Feta/Cheese in Brine, President’s Choice® Feta Light
• Best Firm Cheese with Holes, Oka l'Artisan
• Best Old Cheddar (aged from 9 to 18 months) and Best Goat Cheese, Lindsay Bandaged Goat Cheddar

Loblaws stores feature 300-400 varieties of cheese available in-store (would you ever have guessed the number would be so high?), including the best of Canadian and international Cheddar, brie, feta and more, and Loblaws is celebrating the incredible Canadian cheese featured at the Annual Canadian Cheese Awards by sharing them with Ontario’s biggest cheese lovers.

Are you ever unsure about what wine, beer or other snacks and condiments to serve with certain cheeses? This Cheese Pairings chart may come in handy!

And now...you have a chance to win a great prize pack (worth $50), which includes:

 A selection of Canadian Champion + International Cheeses
 PC Black Label Artisan Crisps
 PC Black Label Fruit Spreads, Jellies, and Preserves
 Section of nuts and dried fruit

All you need to do to enter is fill out the form below and name your favourite type of cheese! Extra entries for following This Mom Loves on Twitter (ThisMomLoves), Facebook (ThisMomLoves) and Instagram (KateThisMomLoves), or following LoblawsON on Twitter. CONTEST OPEN TO CANADIANS.




The giveaway will end Thursday, May 12th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, after which time a winner will be chosen by random number generation.

Good luck!

Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by Loblaws. Opinions are, as always, my own.

Dread Grocery Shopping? Click & Collect from Loblaws To the Rescue!

Are you one of those people who actually loves to grocery shop, wandering leisurely through the aisles and savouring the whole experience, every single time? If so, this post is not for you. If not, read on!

I used to fantasize about having someone do my grocery shopping for me. In those moments when I daydreamed about ways to make my life more efficient and streamlined (other people do that too, right?) I would imagine the convenience and ease of handing my list to someone else and having that tedious chore taken care of for me.

Loblaws has made this dream come true with their awesome Click and Collect program.

Here's how it works:

From the convenience of your own home, you visit the Click and Collect website, and then "Click" to add every item on your list to your cart.  You place your order, and personal shoppers gather all of your items for you, ready to be picked up at the time you specified. Upon arrival at Loblaws to "Collect", you pull into a specially-marked reserved parking spot, call the designated phone number, and your bags are brought out and put in your vehicle. (I swear, I'm not making this up!)

Click and Collect is so easy to use, and I love being able to order my groceries on my laptop from the comfort of my own home (usually while relaxing in front of the TV, or at my treadmill desk - my loyal readers know I'm addicted to multitasking!) When I log in, the site remembers my previous orders and "My Favourites", so I can start by clicking on all of my regularly-purchased items, which is another time-saver. Once your order is ready, you get a notification which also lets you know if any items were out of stock, and if so what substitutions they suggest (which you can approve or decline).

This past weekend, I phoned to ask about a couple of substitutions before I arrived, and the personal shopper scooted around the store while on the phone with me, making sure that I got exactly what I needed. Now that's service!

I always pick up my orders at Loblaws in Lindsay, and I've been so impressed by how friendly the shoppers are, and how quickly my groceries are brought out. No getting kids out of carseats (or getting out in the cold myself!) By the way, you don't have to drive to use the service; you can walk up to get your order as well - no motorized vehicle required!

I've been raving about Click and Collect to family, friends and colleagues for a few months now, and the same questions often arise:

How much does it cost? The personal shopping service costs $3 or $5, depending on the day/time chosen, which I think is very reasonable (and tipping is not expected). Not only is that amount of my time worth the money, I'm also confident that I save at least 5 bucks every time I don't take my daughters into a grocery store with me. It's much cheaper to have them sitting in the back seat as our groceries get loaded! Prices online are the exact same as what you would find in store (no mark-ups for the service), and you get PC Plus points as well. (Another program I love - perhaps I'll share more about that in a future post!)

Do you get high-quality items? We've always been pleased with the produce and meat that has been chosen on our behalf, and the personal shoppers are actually trained to pick the best items for the customers. They want us to be happy with the service, so they're not giving us bottom-of-the-barrel merchandise. There's a box on the website to provide special instructions for your order and we always ask for green bananas, and so far have never had a problem.

What's the catch? There really isn't one! The only trouble I've ever had is that when you click to add an item to your cart, you have to wait for a quick second as the website processes your selection. Sometimes when I get ahead of myself and start clicking several items on a page I end up with something left off my order. If you're a touch more patient than I am, this won't be a problem (and my Loblaws contact tells me that they're working to resolve that minor issue).

Of course, the in-store experience is very different (my husband occasionally likes to walk through the grocery store for new ideas) and ordering online every week might not be right for you, but it's definitely worth checking it out!

Visit Click and Collect for more details, or to get started with your first order!

Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by Loblaws. Opinions are, as always my own. Please note that I had already used - and was extremely impressed with - the Click and Collect service several times before partnering with Loblaws for this post.

Scott McGillivray Launches Digital Series "Good To Grow" on YouTube

Scott McGillivray, real estate and renovation expert and the host of the top-rated HGTV show, Income Property, has launched his first digital series, "Good to Grow," on YouTube. "Good to Grow"​is a 1​6​ episode series that ​follows​ ​McGillivray as he and his family prepare​, plant, and harvest their fourth-annual organic vegetable garden. McGillivray and his wife Sabrina ​share their passion for gardening as ​they try to make healthy food and healthy eating exciting to their young daughters, Layla (1) and Myah (3)​.

Each episode follows the growth of the family's seasonal garden​, reveals Scott’s tips and tricks for the perfect crop​, and offers some delicious treats from each harvest. New episodes premiere on Wednesdays (the first 5 episodes are already available), with a corresponding food prep episode released the next day (each Thursday) right through the first week of October.

I'm also excited to announce that I'm going to be chatting with Scott soon for Parents Canada magazine, so stay tuned for that! {Update - July 31 - I just got off the phone with Scott, and we had a great conversation about the new series, parenting, and what his wife thinks of all his "Most Beautiful" titles! Watch for that soon on parentscanada.com!}

"Good to Grow" can be viewed on Scott's YouTube Page at

​​

www.youtube.com/user/scottmcgillivray

Help Me Out, Win a $25 Tim Hortons Gift Card!

Hello, lovely reader! Yes, I'm talking to you!

I'm working on an exciting new project (more details to come) and I need some reader input - in fact, as much as possible - from Canadian parents of school-aged children.

If you fit the bill and you would be so kind as to answer the questions below about school lunches and snacks, you will be entered to win a $25 Tim Hortons gift card. I'll make the draw on Sunday, August 9th 2015 at 11:59 pm EST (though you're still welcome to respond to the survey after that date).

You do NOT need to answer every question, so if you want to leave something blank, feel free.

If you wish to be entered into the draw, you'll need to leave your email address at the end of the survey. While your responses to the questions MAY be printed in the future, they will be used anonymously (I will never connect them to your email address, if provided).

Thank you so much in advance for your time. I can't wait to tell you more about what I'm working on!

Family Fun In Kingston: Delta Waterfront, Megalos, Crockadoodle and More!

My husband and I are proud graduates of the Queen's University Faculty of Education (the Trent/Queen's Concurrent program), so what better place to take the girls for a mini-break than the beautiful city of Kingston, Ontario?

We started our visit with some creative fun at Crockadoodle. The girls each chose an item of pottery from the huge selection shown below (a cupcake box for Maggie and a dog for Frannie) and very carefully painted it with their selected colours. Items are marked on the bottom with prices (for example, the cupcake was $22), which include the paint, glaze and kiln process.

Owner Lisa Ustel filled us in on how busy her Crockadoodle location has been since opening before Christmas, and this March Break day was certainly no exception. Not just for kids (though a great birthday party destination), the pottery painting process is very popular with adults too, and her weekly ladies' nights are sold out far in advance.

A few careful coats of paint later (with lots of support from Theresa and other helpful employees), the girls had their creations ready to go:

We left the items behind to be glazed and then placed in the large kiln to be heated  - to over 1800 degrees F - overnight. Since there is a turnaround of a couple of days (the only downside of the whole experience), Lisa kindly agreed to ship our items to us, but tourists should make sure to visit Crockadoodle at the beginning of their trip to have creations ready by the end!

When the final products arrive, I'll be sure to update this post with an "after" photo!

Next, we were off to our hotel, the gorgeous Delta Kingston Waterfront. The downtown location is very convenient (and if spring didn't feel like winter we really could have walked everywhere). Covered parking was steps from the lobby door, and as soon as we walked inside we were impressed with the clean, modern look.

The girls are posing dutifully for this photo, pretending that they weren't just fighting over who got to push the elevator button. They roll their own suitcases, which of course they pack and unpack themselves, too. Though that did mean Maggie came without pajamas...

The room was also modern and sleek, with just enough space for our family of four.

The view from our window (Kingston is located where the St. Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario)

Even the hotel toiletries made me happy, with their inspirational names and messages.

You may be wondering why I am showing this small closet. Well, dear reader, it's to share with you that somehow my daughters managed to turn the space into a private change room. You gotta love kids.

Once we had unpacked, the agenda called for some fun (kids) and relaxation (me) at the top-floor pool and hot tub. (Loyal readers know which one I actually spent time in.) We arrived at a quiet time, prompting Frannie to announce "They must want a really good review from you, Mom! We have our own private pool and hot tub!"

The incredible view from the pool window:

This is my idea of a relaxing March Break - lounging by the pool with all the latest magazines on Next Issue. (Delta offers free wifi - a much-appreciated perk!)

For dinner, we headed up Princess Street to Megalos, a favourite for my husband and me, but a first-time visit for the girls. It's warm, inviting and private (lots of cozy booths), and while it's welcoming to families, it has a classy feel, perfect for grownup meals as well.

The kids' menu offers the standard fare you would expect, but also healthier options like a stir-fry and a chicken breast meal. All four of us were thrilled with our food (pasta for the girls, pizza for my husband and fish and chips for me) and the portions were large enough that we left with some take-out containers to stash in our hotel room fridge. Other "adult" selections on the menu include pastas like Shrimp Florentine, Lobster Ravioli and Vegetarian Gnocchi, chicken dishes, stir-fry, salmon, steak, burgers and sandwiches. They also do lunch, weekend breakfast and special occasions/large parties.

It took a while to discuss the merits of linguine over penne, but eventually Maggie made her choice!

While we did have leftovers, we managed to find some room to share this delicious chocolate concoction, the perfect way to end any meal!

The service at Megalos was excellent, and combined with the delicious food and warm atmosphere (they call it "upscale casual, yet family-friendly"), it gets a very high recommendation from not only me but the (picky) girls and (even more discerning*?) Daddy. (*Update: I originally used the word "pickier", but it's not to say that he is unduly selective about what he eats - like his wife is - but that he appreciates good food and ambiance and would never give a good review if he didn't mean it!)

Walking on Princess Street after dinner, I snapped this shot of the girls outside Gap. The reason? When we first found out we were expecting Frannie, and hadn't yet told anyone, we took a trip to Kingston and at Gap I bought my baby-to-be her first gift: a little unisex white onesie with a cow and the word "Moo" on it. (Appropriate for country folk like us.) The onesie is now in her box of mementos, and every time I go by this Gap the memory rushes back.

Another downtown Kingston purchase that has been saved for the sake of sentimentality is a pair of "I got a job!" jeans, flares with detailed bottoms, picked up at a boutique on the February day I found out I had been hired with our school board for the following year. As a student, I had never spent so much (around $80) on one item of clothing!

I had hoped to take a picture of another landmark, the downtown Indigo store, but I learned that it closed a couple of years ago. It was there, on a trip almost seven years ago, that I decided I really was going to give the freelance writing thing a go, and I bought all of the parenting magazines I could find in order to immerse myself in that world. The rest is history.

Speaking of history, we took a few minutes to drive by the Faculty of Education, and answered the girls' many questions about our university days!

After dinner we headed back to the pool at the Delta Waterfront, where I ended up meeting someone I haven't seen since high school! (Small world, right?) Her two girls are around the same ages as mine, and they all had a good play together in the pool while my former schoolmate and I caught up. (For those who want to be a little more active during your hotel stay, Delta also offers a fitness room with elliptical machines, treadmills, bikes and free weights.)

At bedtime, we all took advantage of the luxury of watching TV in bed (something none of us can do at home) and as tired as the girls must have been, they insisted on watching the entire 10 p.m. episode of Love It Or List It. (Spoiler: They listed it.)

No matter what time my beautiful daughters go to bed, their little biological clocks wake them up by 7 a.m. every day, so we were off to an early start. After a smooth and speedy checkout from Delta and great breakfast at Peter's Place (a diner-style restaurant right at the bottom of Princess Street) we visited the Museum of Health Care, where the girls learned a lot in a short period of time. I'm pretty sure Frannie will never forget that in the 1800's, doctors might drink a patient's urine in order to come up with a diagnosis. Ew!

An iron lung

The girls were invited to sit in on a free educational March Break program, where they were talking about the very important topic of being active. Admission to the museum is by donation, and there are tons of great activities and events for kids, so Kingston locals and visitors should be sure to check it out!

Kingston is an amazing city to visit, for couples or families, and we didn't even come at the best time of year. When the weather warms up, there is so much to see and do downtown Kingston and beyond. Next time, we'd like to check out Canada's Penitentiary Museum - lots of learning to be done there - and take in all of the fantastic shopping opportunities.

If you live in or are familiar with Kingston, I'd love to hear your ideas for other family activities we may have missed in this beautiful city. For others, I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have about our travel adventures.

Disclosure: We were provided with free accommodations at Delta, pottery painting at Crockadoodle, and meal at Megalos for review purposes. Opinions are, as always, my own.