Canada

Treat Preschoolers to a Night Out with Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys-Giveaway

September 3, 2013 by Kathryn 8 Comments

Every preschooler I’ve ever met seems to fall in love with Dora the Explorer, and this fall, the energetic adventurer and her monkey friend Boots are hitting the stage in Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys. This fabulous tour will be crossing Canada and thrilling preschoolers everywhere! Here’s a brief synopsis of the show:

Dora is embarking on her most important mission yet in Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys. Dora has lost her teddy bear and the search is on to find him. With help from the audience, Boots, Map, Backpack, Diego and more, Dora uses her directional, counting, musical and language skills to successfully pass through the Number Pyramid and the Mixed-up Jungle to reach the City of Lost Toys. But watch out! You never know what that sneaky fox Swiper might be up to along the way! [Read more…]

Attractions, Entertainment and Retail Therapy Await at the West Edmonton Mall

August 27, 2013 by Kathryn 7 Comments

Edmonton is a vibrant city with a rich history and plenty of amazing attractions, but one of the largest and best known has to be the famed West Edmonton Mall. So much more than a place to shop, the mall features a variety of family-friendly attractions that make it a top destination spot for tourists from all over the world.

west edmonton mall

The last time I was in the West Edmonton Mall, I was just a child and so I couldn’t resist returning and experiencing it once more after so many years. And the mall has changed a lot and added even more fabulous attractions since my last visit. Of course, family-friendly fun is always on the agenda!

Get Active with Hit Attractions

Part of what makes the West Edmonton Mall such a great family destination is the large number of activities and attractions available. The World Waterpark features seventeen waterslides, a toddler water playground and the world’s largest indoor wave pool. Older children and teens will love sliding down the thrill slides including the Cyclone and the Tornado, while younger children will happily jump in the waves for hours.

world waterpark west edmonton mall

For those that prefer to stay out of the water, the Galaxyland Amusement Park contains twenty-four fun-filled rides and play areas for hours of amusement park fun in a colourful indoor setting. Take a spin on one of the four unique roller coasters!

west edmonton mall galaxyland [Read more…]

Edmonton, Alberta-The City of Festivals

August 14, 2013 by Kathryn 13 Comments

Edmonton is a vibrant city with a rich history and plenty of attractions for families, but one of the things that makes Edmonton an especially attractive family destination is its many events and festivals. Recently I visited the city to experience some of those special events for myself and I was lucky enough to attend not just one but two of the city’s top summer festivals.

Foodie Indulgence at Taste of Edmonton

Taste of Edmonton is the city’s yearly celebration of the many fabulous restaurants and food trucks in Edmonton. The festival runs for ten days and patrons can purchase food tickets for the event in advance. While Taste of Edmonton features free admission and entertainment, tickets are purchased and traded to sample the delectable fare offered.

taste of edmonton festival [Read more…]

Outdoor Adventures Fishing with Ford at Eagle Nest Lodge in Manitoba-Giveaway

July 30, 2013 by Kathryn 87 Comments

Living in Western Canada, I was raised to understand the importance of big trucks and big fish. A big truck was how farmers got around the fields, how homeowners hauled building supplies for inevitable renovations and repairs and how almost everybody dealt with the wear and tear of cruising on gravel roads. In fact, one of my earliest memories is sitting beside my dad in his old pickup driving down a winding gravel road in rural Saskatchewan.

Big fish, well…those were just for fun. Saskatchewan is an outdoorsy province, so hunting and fishing have always been a popular activity for us. From fishing in the nearby river as a child to heading out on a boat with friends as a teenager to eventually teaching my own son how to cast and reel, the combination of relaxation and pure excitement that fishing provides has always been something I love.

chocolate greeting at the fairmont winnipeg — This adorable sign made of chocolate was waiting in my room at the start of my Fishing with Ford adventure!

So for me, getting an invitation from Travel Manitoba and Ford Canada to go “Fishing with Ford” wasn’t just exciting; it was pretty much a dream vacation. A day of cruising around Manitoba in a new Ford vehicle on a scavenger hunt followed by a trip to a fly-in fishing lodge for almost three days of fun on the water…what more could this small-town Saskatchewan girl ask for?

kathryn lavallee ford manitoba — Go Team Blue!

The trip kicked off in Winnipeg and after a delicious dinner with my fellow writers and a good night’s sleep in the plush Fairmont Winnipeg Hotel, we were up bright and early to start our adventure. I was put on Team Blue with travel blogger Pam of Savoir Faire Abroad and we couldn’t wait to hop into our Ford F-150 Platinum Edition.

ford f-150 platinum edition — The Ford F-150 Platinum Edition is a thing of beauty!

[Read more…]

Ford’s New Electrified Vehicles Give Canadians the Power of Choice

July 18, 2013 by Kathryn 7 Comments

One of the things that I admire about Ford Canada is its dedication to innovation. I experienced the company’s progressive drive firsthand back in January when I had the chance to attend the unveiling of the Ford Atlas concept truck at the North American International Auto Show. And I saw that dedication reinforced once again at Ford’s recent Power of Change event. This half-day experience showcased the steps Ford is taking to make its vehicles more fuel efficient and eco-friendly while also giving us a chance to test-drive some of the vehicles for ourselves.

ford sustainably built vehicles

The opening presentation featured a quick overview of the different options Ford is currently offering in its engines and its five electrified vehicles. From fully electric to hybrid to plug-in hybrid vehicles, there are choices for every market and in a province that has a lot of rural areas and a minimum number of charging stations, that’s important. The flat fact of the matter is that while electric vehicles are great for large urban areas, they’re just not a viable choice for small-town Saskatchewan. Options such as the Ford C-MAX Hybrid, an affordable hybrid engine vehicle that provides huge fuel savings, and the Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid that runs purely on battery power and only utilizes the gas engine when necessary, gives those in rural areas the ability to minimize pollution and fuel costs while still being able to make long-distance drives. [Read more…]

Stellar Performances, Special Effects and Leather Pants Make Stars on Ice a Hit

May 16, 2013 by Kathryn 2 Comments

Figure skating is such a beautiful sport. The combination of athletic ability, breathtaking tricks and beautiful choreography captivates me every time and I love watching a really good show. Recently Jergens offered me the chance to check out the Saskatoon performance of Stars on Ice featuring some of Canada’s most popular and talented figure skaters including Patrick Chan, Ashley Wagner and the incredible Kurt Browning, my favourite figure skater ever since I watched him win the World Championships when I was just a child.

stars on ice program

But as much as I would have loved to attend, the two-hour drive was a bit much to manage and I knew that my mother and sister would appreciate the experience even more since my sister used to be a figure skater herself. My mother, Sharlee and her good friend Hannah were thrilled to head to the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon to check out the show and the girls loved it so much, they couldn’t stop talking about it! [Read more…]

Do It with Class Young People’s Theatre Company Presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

April 10, 2013 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

This Thursday and Friday, the first musical featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and the lyrics of Tim Rice, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, is coming to Regina thanks to DIWC! Do It With Class Young People’s Theatre Company (DIWC) is Saskatchewan’s only pre-professional musical theatre and drama company for children and youth and this weekend they’re bringing the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber to life!

joseph amazing technicolor dreamcoat

[Read more…]

First Ever We Day Saskatchewan Lineup Includes Hedley and Martin Sheen

February 13, 2013 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

On February 27, 2013, We Day will come to Saskatchewan for the first time even and it promises to be an event of epic proportions. Among the star-studded lineup are JUNO and MMVA award-winning recording artists Hedley and Shawn Desman and legendary actor and activist Martin Sheen.

“As a long-time supporter of Free The Children, I’m excited to be a part of We Day Saskatchewan and help provide youth with the knowledge, support and confidence to become leaders in social change,” said Martin Sheen. “We need to send the youth of today a message that resonates and reiterates that one person can make the difference of a lifetime”. [Read more…]