On a whim, we decided to do a road trip to NY for March Break.
Going to NYC is a ALWAYS a good idea (well that’s at least how I felt before coming a mom) ha!
But I’m happy to confirm, it’s still a good idea with kiddos tagging along.
Since it was the first time our girls had been, we knew that we had to hit up some of the touristy spots. But we also wanted to try things we had never done before. And although the post says 4 days, it was actually 6 (because the travel days there and back were 10-11 hours each way! – which surprisingly also wasn’t as bad as it reads lol!
We decided the first full day post travel that we’d take it SUPER easy! We were staying in Weehawken and decided to take the kids to the Nickelodeon Universe Indoor Amusement Park. But not before hitting up Target!
In all honesty, this was the 1st of 3 trips to Target. This first trip was all about the clothes and accessories – spoiler alert I didn’t find much! TikTok made me think I’d be making OOTDs in my shopping cart 😆
The Nickelodeon Universe is located inside the American Dream mall. It’s a MASSIVE mall with every store, specialty restaurant + food court and every community amenity under the sun (ice rink, ski hill and waterpark!).
We spent some time exploring the Secret Garden. It’s a specifically designed garden made of moss, gnomes & crystals.
Then we spent about 3 hours at the amusement park. With height appropriate rides (both joy and thrill) the girls really enjoyed themselves – even going on their 1st rollercoaster!
Next up? Checking out the tourist sites in Manhattan!
I’ve realized recently that I need to do a better job of sharing more about my shop (my Etsy Shop that is)!
I guess some history to start. In 2016, I participated in the Vaughan of a Kind show #VOAK. I applied as an artisan vendor, with my photography as my art. The application process was pretty involved (application, your story and samples of your work) but overall do-able.
The entire process of applying and being accepted to the fair made me and my photography feel part of something. I felt supported – like making my art and sharing it with the world was safe to do.
With all that said, I wasn’t anticipating how much work it would be to prepare for the show. Although it might have felt like more work as I was a new-ish mom (about 2 years in) so finding time to prepare was a challenge.
I did have a positive experience as a seller at the show, and immediate decided that I wanted to continue selling my photography art. I turned to e-commerce and Etsy was up and coming at the time so I went that route.
And again, I had a rude awakening as Etsy was harder to maintain than I expected, especially as I shortly there after became a mom to two. During those first few years, I did make a couple (read: 2 lol) sales and I shipped off physical products to my customers!
So I let my listings expire… until a few months ago when I decided to switch from a physical product to a digital product.
And now here I am, starting again with a beginner’s mindset who has a little more experience and better time management practices. I’ve been using youtube to learn more about Etsy and leaning into my Digital Marketing education to help me make the most of the online advantage. I’m trying new things which makes me feel good. So without further ado, my current Etsy shop listings!
This a new product type for me but something I’ve wanted to put out there. I have so many ideas in this area, just working on some designs and colours. PNG/SVGs can be used for any personalized products and home printing (like cricut). I love the idea of gifting this to a Bhangra dancer or my husband 😆
I took this photo during a family trip to San Diego. My kiddo was sleeping as we were driving towards La Jolla, when I realized the sun was setting across the water. While the fam waited in the car, I ran to the shoreline to grab some pics. It was so dreamy that a surfer was there so I had to capture the moment. I love this piece for because with the muted warmth of the ocean and mountain vista it will compliment any space.
Taken again on another family trip! It’s pretty tricky to get a shot at this sign since there is always a long line of people. But thankfully this shot does really well on an angle. Even the power lines don’t look intrusive. This pice will always have a special place in my heart – it was my first Etsy sale!
Also taken on the same trip as mentioned above. We were driving to the Grand Canyon and this camper van was positioned perfectly. Desert shots can be tricky because the brightness can cause over exposure. So I’ve had to post process this a few times and decided on the warmer unsaturated tones. I love this for traveller in your life!
I am writing this Saturday night because I wanted to get this out there on time!
And this was actually quite easy for me share because I always end up doing majority of the activities every Sunday. It feels great because it’s a natural progression to the end of my week (which I love)!
To me, the “Sunday resets” however they look (read: sped up tik tok video or otherwise!) are meant to bring the art of leisure back into our lives and set us up to build routines for our ideal lifestyle.
Hopefully these are some things you can add to your Sunday!
Sleep in a little longer!
Swap out your workout for a walk in nature, pilates or yoga
The kids had a PA day on Friday and we decided to go to the AGO! PA days can be hard to accommodate as a working parent and our usual PA day is some form of winter activity and lots of TV. But we decided to change things up and I took a day off to spend time with the girls!
It’s been about 12 years since the last time I went to the AGO (embarrassing!) And in hopes of not repeating my 12 year absence, I got a yearly pass!
The girls had a great time. The big open space, engaging environment and children’s spaces made for a great few hours of culture!
Below are some tips on how to make the most of your next trip with the kiddos to the art gallery!
Plan to spend 2-3 hours at the art gallery. That might mean packing snacks, water or even a lunch
Find out if the art gallery has amenities like coat check, digital passes & free stroller rentals. This will just help you plan your day
Figure out what exhibits you want to check out. Maybe there is a limited time on an exhibit or maybe the theme/topic of the exhibit will resonate with your family (ex: for us it’s Indigenous or anything related to South Asian culture)
View the art in different ways: up close, at at distance, on an angel and don’t forget to read the plaque!
Talk about what you see. It could be as simple as “did you see the bottom of their shoes” or “how many of xyz do you see in the painting” to “what does this piece make you feel”
We just got back from a little family adventure downtown to check out some of the free festive set ups! We started with an early dinner (our first choice was Spaghetti Factory, but the wait was wayyyy too long) at a long time favourite with the kids Jack Astors. Unfortunately didn’t get any shots of enjoying the time there, but we had a corner booth and the food was just amazing!
We immediately headed out to see the Fairmount Hotel windows – which were surprisingly cute!
While we made our way to Yorkville, S needed to drop off some of her meal bags (she’s working on a badge for girl guides) so we drove around in circles but could only find 1 person to drop them off at (we ended up leaving them in front of a church).
At Yorkville the kids were more amused by the big mountain 😆 which left me tons of time to enjoy the light display!
Toronto is a great city and there are no end to the fun, festive and free things to do around the city during the holiday season! Be sure to bundle up and be sure to check out the list below on some ideas on how to enjoy the season (on a budget)!
*NOTE* images are not mine and have been referenced below.
Distillery District
The last time I went to the Winter Village was 2019, and the photographer in me wants to re-create this magic through my lens! This place is full of beautiful sights (every corner is perfect for a selfie) and tastes (thank you coffee and chocolate)! Entrance is free on weeknights before Dec 27th + children under 9 are free of charge!
Yorkville is beautiful any time of year, but having it all lit up makes it amazing. The best photo op would be in the light tunnel! And the christmas tree totally gives Rockefeller Center vibes!
This rink is ALWAYS jam packed so keep the little ones close to you and on the edge of the rink. The best part about skating here (other than – it’s FREE as long as you bring your own skates and snacks) is the MUSIC. Whether it’s 90s christmas pop or top 40, you’ll have a great time whipping across :)
Miniature displays and twinkling lights? Sign me up! I’ve yet to check our the Royal York windows but I’ve heard that they are enchanting. Grab your mocha or hot chocolate and enjoy the stroll past these beautiful displays!
