Being a farming family, we don't get to travel much for pleasure very often. The farm cannot go unattended. The animals are always up to something. I also suspect that Murphy's Law has made it so that whenever we do go away, we can expect the unexpected...like our cattle getting out onto the highway or my mother-in-law's basement flooding. You know...all the fun stuff.

We were so thrilled to discover that I was selected as one of five Falls Avenue Resort Brand Ambassadors!

Niagara Falls has always been one of my favourite destinations. When I lived in Toronto, I used to try to make it to Niagara Falls yearly. I can never tire of "the Falls".

This trip was special since this was Little One's very first trip to Niagara. It was also the first time in a long time that we were able to go away as a family.

Niagara Falls is definitely "Like Nowhere Else", and the same can be said of  Sheraton on the Falls at Falls Avenue Resort and Fallsview Waterpark!

We were so excited about our trip that we were tweeting and posting on FB the entire time we were away! I had eight friends tell me they were going to take their families to Niagara on March Break just because of my Twitter and Facebook updates! I wasn't trying to suggest they go, but more just wanting to share how much fun we were having!

Here's a little glimpse of the fun we had!



We were welcomed by friendly and helpful staff at the registration desk. To be honest, everyone we met was very helpful and hospitable. What impressed me was that the staff recognized us and some even remembered Little One's name. The reason this struck me was that they see hundreds of faces filter in and out of the hotel and water park every day, yet they still remembered us. That is phenomenal.








Our room was perfect. The beds were very comfortable and it was the best sleep I had in ages!

The view from our room was breathtaking.



Once settled into our room, we made a game plan for how we were going to proceed with our time at the resort. Of course, Little One was set on spending pretty much the entire time at the Fallsview Waterpark.



Dinner at the Fallsview Restaurant at the Sheraton Falls was impressive. It was buffet style and there was something for everyone.

We could not believe how much our Little One ate! She loved the pasta and chicken. She was even served a special smoothie. She was right in her happy place!


I'm actually kind of embarrassed to tell you that my tiny waif-like 4 year old ate chicken, ravioli, a vegetable medley, shrimp, stuffed pork tenderloin, and a slider. She then had her smoothie and went to the dessert buffet with Daddy.


I was pleased (and not surprised) to see that for dessert she didn't go for the decadent items, but chose fruit!

We were seated in VIP, where we had the most amazing view. One one side we had this...


and this...

and on the other, we could see this...


While most parents like to have their kids in bed soon after dinner, there was a method to my madness. I suggested to Hubby that we take Little One to the Waterpark after supper because:

A) It would likely be less busy because parents were probably putting their kids to bed
B) It would exhaust her and she'd sleep through the night!


I have to say that for once I credit myself with being a true genius. It was the best decision I made! We went to the Waterpark the next day and it was packed!



A little bit about the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark


It's North America's largest indoor water park and resort with 3 acres of indoor family fun! There are 16 thrilling water slides and the water park is connected to the Falls Avenue Resort (including 3 hotels + more). There is a massive indoor wave pool, which my 4 year old enjoyed immensely! The water park also features hot springs and an outdoor pool and sundeck. Not only that, but it's also a 2 minute walk to the water falls!

If it were up to Little One, we'd spend our entire vacation at the water park! I think we spent a total of 6 hrs at the water park!

My family had so much fun that we decided we will definitely be back. My poor little four year old didn't want to leave!

We enjoyed our mini vacation so much and are excited to be able to share a similar experience to readers of Life on Manitoulin!

• Fallsview Family Suite at the Sheraton on the Falls
• Four Passes to the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark
• Celebration Dinner at the Rainforest Cafe

While in Toronto for the BlackBerry10 Launch Event and other important gatherings, I got to have a lunch date with @CCSweetTables. If you haven't seen Candy Coated's work, get thee to their website now! The business is run by Heather and Kelly.  I haven't met Heather yet, but am friends with Kelly. She adds magic to any party with her beautiful edible creations. The woman is a creative genius.

Kelly is not only a talented baker, artist, and socially savvy business woman, but she is a truly amazing person and a close friend. Being able to have a lunch date with her was so special. Everyone in the world needs a friend like her.

As you already know, I am obsessed with the Story Maker app on the BlackBerry Z10! Obsessed! I made a little "story" of our lunch date at Trattoria Mercatto.



Isn't it neat?! It's like a little restaurant promo/ad. It's so easy to do too! Just click and add the photos and videos you want to include, add the music of your choice, save, and share on your social media networks! How cool would this be for family vacations to Disney or the Caribbean? Ummm...Can you guess where my mind and heart are right now? This is perfect for foodies too! Making little "montages" of restaurant experiences via BlackBerry Story Maker is a whole new way gourmet gourmandes can share their foodie finds! Love it!

This was my second or third time dining at Mercatto.  If you love Italian, this is the place for you.
The ambiance makes for a very enjoyable dining experience. Of course, the food is stellar. It is a feast for the senses. Everything from the visual, olfactory, and right down to the taste buds...a veritable feast, I tell you!

Ordered (as seen in the video): Tuna, Ravioli, Gelato.

I remember when I was in my late teens/early twenties, being vegetarian wasn't as easy as it is today. Not many restaurants catered to vegetarians or had many (or any!) vegetarian options on the menu. Back then, whenever I dined out with friends, I'd end up eating a baked potato and a salad. Every time.

Have I ever told you about the time I asked if I could have soy milk and the server told me I'd have to grind my own soy beans?! Ummm...Thanks.

Now, there are so many amazing dishes to tempt the taste buds. Yes, admittedly, we do live on a beef farm and my husband is very much a meat and potatoes man. This said, I do make sure we incorporate lots of vegetable dishes into our diet and we also have days when we have vegetarian dishes.

I had heard about The Island Chill from friends, but every time I passed by, it happened to be a day when they were closed. The Island Chill is a vegetarian eatery that offers a variety of mouthwatering items on their menu.

The Island Chill is a take-out place, but there are a few tables available should you wish to dine on location. The atmosphere is casual and the service is friendly. Take your pick from fruit smoothies, veggie burgers, paninis, chili, burritos, wraps, and more!


Since we had friends visiting, we took them to the Bridal Veil Falls and Manitoulin Chocolate Works. While there, we decided to get a bite to eat. Not wanting anything deep fried, I suggested we try The Island Chill. I was so excited to finally get the chance to try out their food! I have been wanting to try their Sunflower Hemp Burger for a while now!



If you're in Kagawong, Ontario, pop by The Island Chill!

The Island Chill is located on Hwy 540 around the corner from downtown Kagawong on the way to Gore Bay, right beside Rock Island Mini-Golf. Open July and August. Open Sun-Fri 11.30am-7.30pm, Sat closed.

When my lovely friend, AwesomeGal said she would be in my 'hood, naturally we had to plan a visit!  AwesomeGal and I worked at the same school in Toronto TEN years ago! Whoa. That makes me feel really old!  AwesomeGal was the Activities Coordinator and I was an English teacher at the school.

We've kept in touch ever since I left Toronto.  We have been trying to meet up over the past few years, but it just wasn't in the cards. When the opportunity presented itself, we jumped at it.  I have to say that it was really nice having my good friend over (even if it was just for the night).  There's nothing like rehashing funny stories from a time long before Little One was even a glimmer in my eye.

Hubby and I also got to meet AwesomeGal's other half, AwesomeGuy (seriously, he is so awesome! Love that guy!).  Because their stay was so brief, we spent the night hanging out at our house and then capped off the remainder of their stay with breakfast at The Garden Shed Cafe and a walk along the boardwalk at Providence Bay.


Little One loves showing people "The Many Faces of Little One". It's her latest "thing"! She shows us her happy, scared, shy, shocked, cold, hot, confused, surprised, and MAD face! 


If  you're on Manitoulin Island, you have to try out the scrumptious breakfast items on The Garden Shed's menu!  I'm a fan of the Mediterranean Omelette (followed closely by the Florentine Omelette).  If you're like me and love black olives, the Mediterranean Omelette is a must.

Just for some variety, I tried the Reuben Omelette.
Heaps of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut overflowed from the giant fluffy omelette! The combination was just right. The only thing is that Laurie's omelettes are HUGE! She does get bragging rights for the hugest, fluffiest, most delicious omelettes around, but you might consider sharing with a friend or taking the rest home for later! At The Garden Shed, I'm known for doing that! I can usually be found doggy-bagging my meal and quite often Hubby or Little One will finish it for me later.

Another fun dish to try is the Breakfast in a Bowl and if you're the type of person who loves a great deal, the Potting Shed Breakfast is a good one! It's only $2.99 for eggs, toast, and bacon!
The Garden Shed offers a different jelly for your toast every day. Today's jelly was rhubarb. Their watermelon jelly is also quite tasty.

The ambiance is fantastic. It's a real treat and a surprise to enjoy a meal amongst the greenery and stunning, vibrant flowers at J.D.'s Garden. Relaxing atmosphere, quaint environment, and fun local flair.

Lots of laughs were had and I'm really hoping to see AwesomeGal and AwesomeGuy again soon.

...on a weekend getaway with Grandma (Lola) and Mommy!

A few weekends ago, Little One and I went on a mini "trip" with my Mom. We spent the night at a hotel in the "closest big city" to us. We did our Christmas shopping, ate at some really great restaurants, and had some good Toddler-Grandma-Mommy bonding time.

This was Little One's first time sleeping in a hotel!
 Little One was watching Lola brush her teeth and all of a sudden, put the ice bucket on her head like a hat. I don't know what possessed her, but she entertained herself for a long time.


 Supper at Red Lobster's...only because I was craving Red Lobster's!

 The  hotel offered a continental breakfast. We could have eaten in the hotel restaurant or ordered room service, but we opted for the continental breakfast. I was expecting the usual stale muffins and watered down juice. To my surprise, the hotel had a really cool waffle maker, eggs, muffins, several types of cereal, bagels, a juice bar, etc.

We ended up going to Umai Sushi for lunch after our shopping spree. The one thing I miss now that I've been  living on the Island is having access to many different kinds of restaurants and having "ethnic cuisine". I miss Japanese food, so Mom and I decided we'd go for Japanese at lunch.
 Everything was DELICIOUS. Mom (Lola) really wanted tempura.

 Little One ate some food from my bento, but she also had this soup all to herself!
 She also had some of my miso soup. Mmmmm! We LOVE miso soup!

It was a lot of fun. It was a nice, refreshing weekend away. We had lots of fun with Lola!

Check this out!!! Enter to win a free meal at Lake Huron Fish & Chips Co.!!!