So I just returned from a week holiday with my 2 boys and husband. Now I use the term holiday loosely because holidays are meant to be relaxing but when you are looking after 3 males it is anything but relaxing. Thank god for my girls weekend, that was a holiday. This trip was not about me it was about creating memories for my sons. One day we ventured up to Sylvan Lake for the day and while the boys were in the sport store I cruised into the women boutiques to talk to the owners. The common theme among them were that most stores have been affected by the recession but the main culprit to their low sales was the super center Walmart moved in to Sylvan. Now I have always despised Walmart, and my hate for that store grows at a rapid pace. North America was built from the back bones of small business and when the big box stores entered the picture the livelihoods of thousands of merchants crumbled and it's happening again. Please support your local business, they need your help.

I just returned back from a 4 day girls weekend, it has been 2 years since I have been away from my husband and boys and did I ever enjoy myself. Why as women and mothers do we not take more time out for ourselves. I will never wait 2 years to decompress again. Every year I am going away for atleast 2 days even if I have to sleep in my car. On the Friday as it poured rain the whole day, I stayed in my PJ's the whole time and my glass of wine stayed full. I sat under the awning by the pool and just relaxed. The women who I went with were not my friends but my girlfriend's close crew and we were all there to celebrate her 40th birthday. Well when you stick 6 women who are connected through one, in a beautiful house together what do you get...One %$%$# fabulous time !!! I laughed, I mean deep belly laughed for 4 days. I had great conversation with 5 amazing and completly different women. I came home feeling fresh, renewed and hungover (in a good way). If you haven't laughed hard you need to.