Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

I spent last weekend in St-Thomas, Ontario. Why, you ask? Excellent question.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by my new friend Freddy from the CAW Local 2168 through Facebook (gotta love that!) He was asking me if I had information about what products are made in Canada, for a local trade show they were participating in. Their theme was Made in Canada Matters, which is a campaign really close to my heart! ‘'Better than that'', I answered. ‘'I will come down and spend the day at your booth and bring you some great products Made in Canada!''

I figured, ‘'How far can St-Thomas be from Montreal, right?'' FAR!  We drove for 8 hours down the 401 (yes, my hubby tagged along to keep me company...thanks sweetheart!) through Car Manufacturing Country. It was fascinating to see those gigantic assembly plants: Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Chevrolet, GM and Toyota. Also sad to see some abandoned buildings, evidence of the decline of manufacturing in this great country of ours. As a matter of fact, I learned that the Ford plant in St-Thomas is due to close in September, sending about 1,200 people to the unemployment line. The nearby Lear plant is also slated for closure, as it was supplying the seats for the Ford plant. I also learned that every 1 job in the car manufacturing industry sustains 6 related jobs. So all of a sudden, those 1,200 plus jobs look more like 7,200 plus jobs. Yikes!

At the trade show, I was privileged to meet many people from St-Thomas. Families, elderly people, business owners, etc. This community knows only too well the importance of buying Canadian and it's repercussions on the local economy. And not just cars. Their eyes lit up when they saw what we had brought:

On the table:

- Screwdrivers made by Picquic Tools in Ontario
- Royale Paper products made by Irving Tissue in New Brunswick
- Life jackets (PFD) made by Salus Marine in Ontario
- Pet food made by Oven-Baked Tradition in Quebec
- Goat's milk skincare products made by Canus in Quebec
- Card games made by Outset Media in British Columbia
- Baby sling made by Blue Celery in Ontario
- Boots made by Rallye Footwear in Quebec
- Belts made by Truth in Ontario
- Wall décor made by Felt Fantasia in British Columbia
- Baseball bats made by Sam Bat in Ontario
- Mr. Freeze made by Kisko in Ontario
- RimRoller made by Novel Solutions in Ontario (just in time for the 25th anniversary of Roll up the Rim to Win!)

If you want to see more of these products, check our our current Gift Guide.

To this community, buying Canadian is self-evident. But they had NO IDEA such products were made in this country. Again, information & awareness is the name of the game. And we sure LOVE to play that game!

So again, thanks to everyone in St-Thomas who came out to meet us! I will definitely be back in that part of the country in the next few months, and hopefully will be able to visit one of those assembly plants! Can't wait!

Images courtesy of Isabelle Remy

Do you ever tell yourself that in the Spring you're going to do a big cleanup and get all your stuff organized?  Well, I say, let's do it now!  I would much rather do this type of thing in the Winter when it's -20 degrees outside and it's just too cold to do anything, than in the Spring when it's finally warming up and you just want to go out and take advantage of the beautiful new season.

The first thing I like to do is clean out my closets.  You know the drill, take out every pair of shoes and every piece of clothing you have and then analyze them one by one and go by process of elimination.  If you haven't worn it in the last 2 years, than you obviously won't wear it again.  If it's something that you just can't seem to let go of, or if you think it's something that might be useful to you in the future, I recommend storing it in handy storage bins.  Bins are great because you can put a lot of stuff in them, and they are stackable, so they are easy to keep out of the way and it's just as easy to pull them out when you need to get something out of them.  The best way to keep them organized is to label them using simple mailing labels that you probably have on hand or can purchase at Staples all across Canada.  Try to keep everything of the same category in your bins, that way it's easier for you to keep track and stay organized.

Bins aren't just for clothes or shoes either; on the contrary, you can store all kinds of different things in various sized bins.  Take buttons, for example. We've all purchased a piece of clothing at one point or another that came with spare buttons. But where do we put those spare buttons?  At first, I just used to throw them in a drawer in my nightstand or in my desk drawer or anywhere else.  But the problem with that is that when you actually need that spare button, trying to track it down can be a pain.  I use little plastic containers now to store them, so now they are all in one place and I'm not searching high and low for them.  I use the basic plastic containers from Dollarama which are not only affordable but Made in Canada!

Plastic lunch container - Dollarama

Another great way to be organized and green all at the same time is to start composting.  You can easily do this in any home whether you live in a house in the country or an apartment in the city.  Lee Valley Tools has made this easier for you to do with their kitchen compost pails, which come in different sizes. Each one includes an activated charcoal filter to absorb odours and will fit nicely on your countertop, inside a cupboard door or in a little corner of your kitchen.

Kitchen Compost Pails $ 18.50 - Lee Valley Tools

If you're like me and like to have everything in your life super organized from the kitchen, to your desk, to your CD's, DVD's, books etc., you might be a fan of lists.  I've been meaning to get my CD's and books organized for years and the time has finally come.  Being keen on making lists, I plan on keeping a notebook and having all my lists in one book.  You can get great notebooks from Hilroy that are not only made in Canada, but also have subject separators built right in, to make it simpler to list everything into categories.  So, now, I'll finally have a list of all my CD's and the books in my bookshelf and be able to avoid getting doubles as well as being able to track the items I lend out.

5-subject notebook - Hilroy

It doesn't take much to be organized, you just need a little bit of time to get started. Once you've got the basics down, it's just a question of keeping at it and staying organized to avoid having chaos and clutter overwhelm you.

How about you, how will you get organized this year?

By Annie Curran

From the moment I landed in Winnipeg, until I left, it snowed. And not just a light dusting. By the time I went to bed (around 11PM) and then left the hotel to make my way to the CityTV studio for the BT Winnipeg show, a block away (around 6AM), there was over a foot of snow and it was still falling. I'd left Montreal on Thursday and it was hot and sunny 6 degrees and landed to a cool -6 degrees and snowing. And to think I almost didn't bring my winter coat with me!

I was staying at my usual home-away from home - The Inn at the Forks. At the front desk, they knew me as the guest who "had all those boxes shipped to the hotel". I smiled and nodded. Indeed, that is I.

After having dinner at Current Restauramt and Lounge, the hotel's amazing restaurant, I went back to my room and assembled the products that needed assembling and rehearsed, as I always do.

I was expected at the studio at 6:15AM to be ready for 6:50AM, when the first segment would air. I have to admit, I was a little surprised at the amount of snow there was. That early, the show plows hadn't passed yet but not to worry I thought. I'll put all the products into the XC Charriot Carrier and cart it on over... I was excited at the idea that I was testing out the product, right before showcasing it on live TV. I  actually jogged, in my heels, pushing the carrier in the foot of snow all the way to the studio. I must've looked ridiculous but who cares... There was nobody around, except a cab driver who offered me a ride, which I didn't need.

The first segment was about making the best of winter - indoors. You can watch the first segment here or click on the image below.

Here are the companies we featured:  

• Luxurious Egyptian cotton towels by Cambridge Towel Corporation - Ontario
• Mouth blown, hand cut votive candles by NovaScotian Crystals - Nova Scotia
• Caprina Goat's Milk Skin Care Products by Canus - Quebec
  

A short while later, I was back on for the second segment. This time it was about making the best of winter - outdoors. You can watch the second segment here (or click on the image). 

• Icers, anti-slip soles by Lee Valley Tools - Ontario
• XC baby carrier, including the jogging kit and cross-country ski kit by Chariot Carriers - Alberta
• Cardio Coulou joger cover and mittens by P'tit Coulou - Quebec
  

While I was setting up the second segment, Luke Fritz, the Winnipeg Blue Bomber who was there to talk about his project for the Pepsi Refresh Challenge was eyeing the Chariot Carrier (he has a 1 year old)... To be honest, everyone was in love with it. And everyone loved the P'tit Coulou Cardio Cover and mittens. Genius and darling!

If you're note already following us on Facebook, come and join us. If you're on Twitter, find us at @buycndianfirst!

 How will you make the best on winter?

Images source: BT Winnipeg

Author: Melissa Thibodeau

Good health is very important, but something people often take for granted, until the unspeakable happens. Maintaining  your health is not only a benefit to yourself but also to your family. Simple things like regular check-ups, a balanced diet, excersise and eliminating stress can all help achieve wellness. Here are five fabulous Buy Canadian First members who can help us in our quest for better health.

St. Francis Herb Farm Quality - Conscientiously Achieved. It all  began as a cottage industry, founded by Jeremy and Monique Rivett-Carnac over twenty years ago. Jeremy and Monique learned the art of wildcrafting herbs in British Columbia and today they operate a modern state-of-the-art facility in the Upper Ottawa Valley of Eastern Ontario, having built a ground-breaking and thriving herbal business. St. Francis Herb Farm has always set a high premium on the excellence and quality of their products and were the first Canadian herbal company with products that are truly organic. Over the years they have developed over 200 products from tinctures to oils, salves, lotions, and creams. Be sure to check out their Buy Canadian First member page as well as their website, where you'll find more information about the company, health, their products and how to become involved.

Natunola Health Inc . Flax is nature's healthy wonder seed, known to help lower bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure, fight diabetes and more. Flax is a little powerhouse of goodness. In its natural state, this little seed is not digestible. When ground, the Omega rich oils are unstable and the ground flax will need to be refrigerated or it becomes rancid quickly. Natunola Health Inc., together with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, has developed a revolutionary, patented technology, to shell flax. It removes the brown flax shell from the inner yellow kernel allowing for maximum nutrition absorption as well as a much longer shelf life. Not only are Natulola's shelled flax products higher in Omega-3, protein, fibre and lignans, they are also completely natural, with no preservatives. These products are Kosher certified and free of gluten, GMO and trans fats. Please view Natunola's Buy Canadian First member page as well as their website where you can read more about the wonderful things they are doing.

Herbal One International Inc . - Weight Management Nutrition Centre - A proud Canadian company with your weight management in mind. A fabulous philosophy to get you out of the dreaded yo-yo dieting syndrome and into a sustainable lifestyle aimed at keeping you at your target weight. Herbal One products, in conjunction with healthy food portions as suggested by Canada's Food Guide, are designed to help curb appetite, speed up metabolism, aid digestion, increase energy levels, and alleviate anxiety normally associated with weight loss. Once your target weight is reached, you move to a nine week 'Stabilization Program' to ensure your weight remains the same and then on to the 'Maintenance Program', where you are weaned off the Herbal One products and taught lifestyle changes to ensure lifelong success. Please see their Buy Canadian First member page as well as their website for more information and testimonials.

Daryl's Hi-N-R-G Bars - It all started when the company founder, Daryl M. Hudec, created his recipe for a low glycemic snack or meal replacement. Low glycemic foods help avoid sugar spikes, which is something that usually occurs with refined  foods and sweeteners. These all-natural bars contain quality ingredients like blackberries, blueberries and granola and are sweetened with molasses or honey. Used as both a snack or a meal replacement, these bars will surely keep you on the go.  Daryl's Hi-N-R-G Bars Buy Canadian First member page has other great products and you can view testimonials from their website . 

El Peto Products Ltd - "The Gluten-Free Experts". El Peto has been dedicated to producing and providing gluten free food and baking materials since 1988.  They strive to provide those with Celiac Disease, Candida and various food allergies, not only superior products, but assistance with gluten-free baking and information on the gluten-free diet as a whole. Everything is created in their Canadian facility and they have recently set up a lab to test raw ingredients. To see more products and information, please visit their member page as well as El Peto's website. 

Our health is so precious and is worth caring for. What are your best ways of taking care of your health? Leave us a comment and let us know!

xo

All photos taken from our Buy Canadian First member pages.

Like most people today, I'm watching my spending. I mean, I always paid attention to what was in my wallet but not to the same extent as today. Economists and the media could say what they want about the recession being over in Canada, but until I see it first hand, in my bank account, on my investment statements, I will continue to count my pennies. It's just common sense to do so anyway.

Me being me, I kinda took it to another level in the last couple of weeks: I've been scouring the web for deals and discount coupons and contests. This means that I've taken a huge interest in coupons and special promotions. I spent some time exploring RedFlagDeals.com and lo and behold, they had coupons for some Canadian-made goods and services. Some pointed to VisaPerks' website and that's where I hit the mother-load! I've been Tweeting about these deals all week, but I thought it would be better to put them all down here and link you guys to the right pages. Here they are alphabetically.

Happy bargain hunting y'all!

Birks - 10% (think Canadian Diamonds and Gold!) - Expires: Nov 1, 09

 Cake Beauty - 30% - Expires: Dec 31, 09

Congratulations to Randy Berg who has won the second of three autographed copies of Jeff's book. Read Part 2 of this series and his comment here. Dont forget to read Part 1 if you haven't. You too win a copy! All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on this post, sharing your thoughts about this issue: If you are concerned or encouraged, agree or disagree, etc. We will then randomly select a winner and send the copy. The deadline for Part 3 (this post) is next Sunday, August 30th). Hurry up though: This is the last one we are giving away!

Isabelle: It's a pretty amazing concept and it's something I hope our politicians have the guts to handle.

Jeff: Don't worry about the politicians. When oil is $ 7.00 a gallon at the pump, people will know exactly what to do. They will send the right message to the politicians. For example, I don't know why we're spending billions of dollars to pro-up the auto-industry that's due to obsolescence by triple-digit oil prices. We should be investing billions in public transit instead of putting more cars on roads.

Isabelle: If Europe can do it, we can do it, right?

Jeff: Exactly. But here's the difference. In Europe, they've already been paying those prices for the last 10 years. When we start paying those prices, we'll become European. It's all about price. When gas is $ 7.00 a gallon, people won't have to buy my book. They'll know exactly what to do.

Isabelle: Can you tell me more about the concept of Carbon tariff on imports?

Jeff: I'm just saying this: if we're going to close coal plants and pay 3 times as much for our electricity...Now I know in Montreal you're blessed with hydro-electric power but that's not the way it is for most people in North-America outside of Quebec and Manitoba who have hydro-electric. It's coal plant or gas. California doesn't allow coal plants, so their power prices are 3 times as much as Texas. But if we are going to, all of a sudden, shut coal plants around North-America and pay 3 times as much for our electricity and then find out that China is building 800 coal plants, that does not make a whole lot of sense. So what I'm saying is we can't stop China from building coal plants, but what we can do is say : "if your steel factory gets its power from coal, from dirty power, we're going to charge you a tariff so that you pay the same price for your carbon emissions as our steel producers pay for their carbon emissions. In other words, you don't gain any economic advantage by using dirty power.

Isabelle: And what are the chances that someone will stand up to China and say that?

Jeff: The chances are excellent once we start paying 3 times more for our own power to close a coal plant. Because there's no point us making economic sacrifices for the environment if they're just going to be building coal plants like mad. Again, we can't tell them what to do, but what we can do is make sure they gain no economic advantage when they trade with us by using dirty power.

Isabelle: That would certainly fix 2 problems at once: the environmental one and the unfair trade that's going on.

Jeff: Exactly. And I think that's coming. There are some big changes and some big challenges but you know, it's not all doom and gloom. At as I say at the end of the book, in many respects, the new small world around the corner may be a whole lot more livable than the big one we're about to leave behind.

Isabelle: As a parent, I must tell you that I hope you are right. And in the meantime, I'm getting myself a ZENN Car!

Jeff: Now that makes sense! That's why I say: the key is not about the Bank of Canada, the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister of Canada or the Premier of Quebec. It's not about those guys. It's about you and me and the decisions we make everyday in our lives.

Isabelle: And I think that's the most uplifting message of your entire book. Thank you very much for writing it, and thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it

Jeff: Thank you and best of luck with your website!

Tell us what you think about Jeff's theory by next Sunday, August 30th. We will then randomly select a FINAL winner who will receive an autographed copy of  "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller."

Image source: China Digital Times

Congratulations to Kristy Smith who has won the first of three autographed copies of Jeff's book. Read Part 1 of this series and her comment here. You can win a copy too! All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on this post, sharing your thoughts about this issue: If you are concerned or encouraged, agree or disagree, etc. We will then randomly select a winner and send the copy. The deadline for Part 2 (this post) is next Sunday, August 23rd).

Isabelle: Do you think that such a rapid change will cause civil unrest?

Jeff: Whether is causes civil unrest or doesn't, we will have to change nevertheless. I'm quite confident that people will change. I believe that people will respond to prices. We're going to have to change our diets. We're not going to be able to eat avocadoes in February in Toronto because the cost of flying them in from Southern California or Mexico is going to make that avocado too expensive. But we'll end up eating more local produce and that means that we'll have to restore land back to farm land.

Isabelle: It also means that in Canada we're going to be eating a lot of potatoes!

Jeff: We'll eat potatoes, we'll eat corn. I'll tell you something, when I was a kid growing up in the sixties in Toronto, there were no fresh blueberries and raspberries in January, there were no avocadoes and I survived. I'm sure others will too. People will change their minds because at the end of the day, people will have no choice.

There are people who believe that we should go back to local because it cuts down on the carbon trail, and there are people who believe that we should go back to local because it will put us more in touch with our environment, and that's all fine. But I'm saying, even if you don't believe that, you're still going back to local because the whole model of a global economy doesn't work on triple-digit oil prices.

Isabelle: This is the best news I've heard in many, many months. Because what we do here at Buy Canadian First is help Canadians find goods made in Canada.

Jeff: Well, this is right up your alley because you're going to find more and more made in Canada. Of course, this is every bit as true in China as it is in Canada. Distance costs money for everybody. But in the Canadian economy that I see in the future, more and more things we consume will be made in this country.

Isabelle: That is certainly welcome news for a lot of our manufacturing members here who are struggling!

 Jeff: I think the big surprise will be that triple-digit oil prices are going to breathe new life into our rust belt. And it's going to lead to more farms, as well.

Isabelle: That's an interesting subject, because suburbia is replacing farmland almost overnight in many parts of the country. That's certainly the case here in Montreal.

Jeff: Those houses will be abandoned. And what we'll see is farm land re-claim those sub-divisions. And not in 20 years. In 4 to 5 years. In 4 to 5 years, you're going to see land starting to be reconverted back to agricultural use. And that will be as a result of soaring food prices and plunging suburban real-estate prices.

Stay tuned for more good news for Canadian manufacturers in Part 3!

In the meantime, tell us what you think about Jeff's theory by next Sunday, August 23rd. We will then randomly select a winner who will receive an autographed copy of  "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller."

Image source: Flickr Creative Commons: Dan Zen

I just left CTV's studios in Toronto after a live appearance on Canada AM. You wouldn't believe how many things are going on all at once on the set! Congrats to a great crew that makes it all look so seamless on screen! In case you missed it, here's the segment

The theme was back-to-school with Canadian-made items. The products and companies featured were:

For kids:  

1) Basic workbooks, from Hilroy in Ontario

2) Recycled pencil case, from Eco-HandBags in Quebec

3) Lunch bag, from Eco-HandBags in Quebec

4) Ice-packs for lunch bags, from Cryopak in Quebec

5) Family organizer/calendar, from More Time Moms in Quebec

6) Multi-vitamins for kids, from BodyBreak in B.C.

7) Plastic lunch containers, from Era Group in Quebec

8) Rain boots, from Rallye Footwear in Quebec

9) Eco-friendly journals and workbooks, from Ecojot in Ontario  

And for Moms who got the kids back-to-school in time!  

1) Yoga wear, from Terrafrog in Alberta

2) A Day at the Spa, from LUSH in B.C.

Happy Back-to-School everyone!  

P.S. Yes, the dress I'm wearing is made in Canada. It's from Tristan's Summer 2009 collection. 

Blog post written by: Sam Title

Consider this scenario:

You go nuts this year trying to figure out what to buy your sibling for the holiday season. You’ve combed the whole city – and several others, thanks to the Internet – for something you’d like to be the “perfect gift”… only because the floral hula girl tie (but it was silk!) just didn’t cut it last year. Heck, you might’ve spotted it on the butt of his kid’s jeans posing as a patch. (But it was silk!)

Not this year, dagnabbit! You’re bound and determined NOT to let that happen again… with anyone on your list. Yet, it’s never an easy task trying to figure out what to put on your kilometer-long holiday gift list.

Here’s a good suggestion for some original gift giving ideas!

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, there’s a better than average chance that you’ve heard of the One of a Kind show. It happens in other North American cities as well, but my budget only permitted me the chance to visit Toronto’s. It’s a fantastic time to check out and sample Canada’s up-and-coming artisans and entrepreneurs.

This year’s holiday season show (November 27 – December 7) was chock full of nick-nacks, doo-hickies and watcha-macallits fit for even the most discerning of siblings (did I mention it was silk?!). I wanted to put together a list of terrific items to add to your list, but I collected too much information for it all to be included here.  So I’ve pared it down significantly to feature the ones I felt were some of the more original, “rarely seen before” types of items.

So here’s my list (in no particular order) of suggestions for your lists:

Artech glassblowing studios

Thirsty for some really nifty glassware? Check out the reclaimed/re-blown soda pop bottles for – what else – soda pop! Or have a gander at the reclaimed/re-blown beer bottles (some Canadian ones too, ‘natch!) for your holiday suds. Very cool! Nuff said!

The Candi Factory

If ties aren’t your thing, maybe underwear is. If someone you know enjoys wearing artsy undies check out Candice Levine’s collection at The Candi Factory. Her lines are made locally (Toronto) and ethically and are available in all sizes for both women and men. Try wearing unmentionables you'd love to mention.

Poupées Raplapla

Some of you might remember the Raggedy Anne dolls (do they still make those?). If you do, have a look at this little gem from Montreal. These limited edition dolls are made by Erica Perrot, a former costume designer and sewing instructor, according to her, their smiles never fade! Now that’s value add.

Admiral Road

Founders Amy Ballon and Danielle Botterell decided mothball their business suits and 80-hour Bay Street work weeks to provide some…ahem…coverage with their line of personalized or non-personalized fleece blankets. Everyone from newborns to the biggest of kids (adults) can enjoy these products… especially through a Canadian winter. Brrrr! Bundle up on Admiral Road.

Were you at the One of a Kind show this year in Toronto/Vancouver? Did you see any cool and unique items to give as a gift? Let us know.

Blog post written by: Sam Title

This one's for the parents out there. You know who you are (or not...but I don't judge). Not sure about the rest of the country, but winter arrived in the GTA with quite the flurry!

I suppose, as Canadians, we're expected to enjoy our winter wonderland whenever it comes a knockin'. For us parents, it's that time when we dust off the skates, skis and snowsuits and prepare the kids for all things icy and cold... but fun!

What if you're just not in the mood to go out? It happens. You might not have it in you to prepare for snow play by wrapping up each kid in three layers of clothing and THEN stuffing them into snow pants, boots, jacket, hats, mits, muffs...WHEW! I almost nodded off just writing about it here.

You could just put on their coats, throw them in the car, or bus and head over to places like the Ontario Science Centre. Great fun for the whole family...the first four visits. OR...you could find out if there are any neighbourhood indoor playgrounds that are open for play. Check out Amazon in mid-Toronto. They're open late on Tuesday nights! A godsend in winter!

What about staying home? "WHAT?!" you say? "The kids'll destroy the place!" Perhaps. But what if you tried something new? Something creative and imaginary.

Remember when your kids were much, much younger (last year!) and you bought them that nifty new toy, but what they chose to play with was the box? Yeah. Been there... witnessed that! They spent forever in that thing, making a house or a fort or a rocket ship! Awesome, I say... except for that lonely new toy.

Well parents (aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.), I'm really excited to be introducing you Paperpod Cardboard Creations. one of our vendors. I saw their website and I think I had this look on my face akin to when my dad brought home the Atari 2600 gaming console as a family holiday gift... sheer bliss and awe!

Originally an English (U.K.) invention but now in Ottawa, simply put, this stuff is awesome! It's made from the same box-like cardboard you'd unpack a new T.V. from... but it's shaped like a chair or a house (for humans AND dolls) or a rocketship! And coming soon, as the site says: a fort! A teepee! A paperpod, which looks like more fun than words can describe.

You can draw on them! You can paint them! You can use them as spare furniture! Best of all - you can occupy your kids for ages! I'm giddy just thinking about the possibilities.

From what I can tell on the site, you can find this product in Ottawa at Red Chair Kids or in Toronto at Smartalik (in the beaches). You can also find it online at Natural Pod and dh love life, which is actress/activist Daryl Hannah's online foray into all things green.

Best of all about Paperpod is that it's all made from recycled materials, and when your kids have thoroughly loved theirs, you can recycle it as easily as that T.V. box.

As far as I can tell, the only downside to Paperpod is that the rocketship and fort don't come in adult sizes!

If you have any "dead of winter" activities you like to do with your kids, or places you like to go, please let us (me!) know.