Black Pearl Life Style

It's the first day of Spring! We celebrated with a snowy walk. The Spring Equinox 2018 officially commenced at 12:15pm today but there were certainly no daffodils poking their heads out of the ground to great us this Spring. Snow suits are still hanging on the coat hooks but the sun was shining - A great boost for morale AND vitamin D levels. Life in Collingwood is still well and truly frozen.

We are a very active family and it's really important for me to get outside and get plenty of physical exercise, likewise instilling these important principles in our kids. This is an interesting tip I read recently, and should obviously be taken according to each individual's condition as sometimes, fatigue can be a sign of illness or something more serious. However, I like how they recommend exercise, even a short walk, after work, in order to revitalize senses,  mentally and physically. Particularly, if you have a sedentary job. "Everything we do uses oxygen, so when you exercise it helps you work more efficiently and you don't tire as easily," FYI - I'm heavily sleep deprived in this photo ;) Here's the link with the quote! http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20857218,00.html#exercise-when-you-re-tired

Our pup Josie suffers from anxiety. Our recent purchase of the 'Thunder Vest' has helped enormously. Using the same principle as the 'swaddle' to soothe new born babies, the Thunder Vest is a tightly fitted vest that can be worn in stressful or anxiety provoking situations.  Josie is highly territorial and the Thunder Vest is proving a valuable tool in allowing her to enjoy her surroundings, including the glorious Niagara Escarpment in Collingwood. Here's a great link! http://www.thundershirt.com/

The past few weeks have been debilitating cold. When the temperature gauge falls below minus 20, it's crucial to bundle up before heading outside or risk frost bite (or worse). At a balmy -12oC today, I was able to get out with the kids. Here are some great tips I was reading about today! Always wear a hat. Apparently it's a myth that 80% of your body heat is lost through your head, however heat IS lost through any exposed area, so wear those woolens! Another wonderful tip in the link below is 'bake all day' - presumably so your oven will add warmth the home and the cookies will add warmth to your belly. A delightful idea!  Here's the link! http://mentalfloss.com/article/60076/12-toasty-tips-staying-warm-cold-weather

We are experiencing significantly colder than average temperatures so we've been googling some great tips to stay healthy and active during the winter months. As well as keeping active and remembering to take vitamin D supplements, heating the home is an important tool in surviving the winter. We love this tip: "Run your ceiling fans clockwise to keep heat circulating downward". Genius! Also be mindful of cracks and holes where heat could escape. The link below suggests even bubble wrap can act as a good insulator. Anything to keep those Hydro bills down! Stay safe and warm folks! Here's the link! https://lifehacker.com/top-10-ways-to-survive-the-cold-harsh-winter-1498172684