This weekend, it’s my dad’s birthday. His health has rapidly deteriorated since the beginning of the pandemic and my heart breaks every single day that I can’t be there to help my mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law.   Why can’t I be there? Well, I am a dual citizen–a Canadian living in the U.S.–and the […]

I know so many of you are travelers like me. As we headed into 2021, I was hoping that I could soon begin traveling again. But, knowing a lot of the countries I’d like to visit are still shut down, I am now looking ahead to 2022. That being said, what I’ve realized is that […]

If you read my previous post, you’ll recall my daughters and I did a mandatory 14-day quarantine when we went home to Canada to see my family. Overall, I did a pretty good job of preparing and packing (minus forgetting my older daughter’s laptop charger), but I thought I’d share a few things I wish […]

If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know that I was born and raised in Canada. I’ve lived all over the U.S., but settled in Michigan in 2005, so I could be within an hour’s drive of my family across the border. In normal times, we’d see my parents every week or every other […]

I’m not sure what led to my desire to see the world. Perhaps it was because I was fascinated with my paternal grandparents’ stories of where they grew up (Ukraine and Poland). Maybe it was because my hometown was very diverse with many of my friends being first- or second-generation Canadians. Regardless, although my family […]

I don’t think most people could have imagined just how far-reaching the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak would be. Perhaps, medical professionals and scientists, but I doubt the average person gave it much thought unless they were either in a directly affected area or someone they loved was. Unfortunately, with so much conflicting information floating around (“Don’t […]

Is anyone else a tote hoarder? Are you always searching for the perfect ONE, the one bag that can do it all: look good for work, traveled well and can carry around a laptop, chargers, makeup, snacks, a water bottle, a change of clothes for the kiddos and books you never get to read? Yeah, […]

Our romantic trip to Edinburgh, Scotland: cozy pubs, historic castles, rainy days. Who would have thought Edinburgh would make for a great couples’ getaway?

Business travel can be fun and exciting. But how should you pack? The first time I was sent on an out-of-town work assignment, I spent six weeks traveling between four major European cities. Sure, it sounds like a dream (and quite frankly, it was), but my 21-year-old self couldn’t figure out how to pack for […]

“There is nothing we can’t do if we work hard, never sleep, and shirk all other responsibilities in our lives.”  – Leslie Knope Sound familiar? Sadly, that was me. For a long time. A working mom’s conundrum. I’ve spent the last 20 or so years of my career in communications, PR and marketing, watching the […]