Shelly Wutke

What does the long weekend mean to you? For some people a long weekend is an extra day to turn the alarm clock off and sleep in. For others, it’s time to turn off the work computer and turn on the home computer. While it’s great to give your brain a breather and stuff yourself with hot dogs, it’s also the perfect time to gear up, get out there, and do things you’ve been waiting all winter to do.

It’s great to be impulsive, but if I know one thing for sure it’s that a family camping trip just can’t be done correctly when approached with a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ mentality. Yes, logically you could be on the road in 20 minutes with the kids, a bunch of sleeping bags, tent, and flashlight to head off into the wild, blue yonder, but you’ll be regretting it come midnight when someone is cold, wants a very specific type of snack, or needs their nightlight to ward off the monsters in the dark.

Welcome to my life spaghetti squash! Actually, I’ve been creating spaghetti squash recipes for quite some time now. When I discovered how the golden squash will turn into noodlelike strands when you bake it, we were off to the races. It has a light flavor, so it basically blends in well with whatever sauce you’ve picked for it.

What do you think of when you hear the name Dyson? For most people, Dyson the brand name brings to mind vacuum cleaners with enough suction power to blast through endless piles of dust, debris, and pet hair. But if you only have a Dyson vacuum, you’re really missing out.

Did you know the average person spends almost 1/3 of their life sleeping? That’s a lot of hours spent in blissful slumber, and if you sleep at home for the most part, a lot of hours spent on your mattress. But for most people, it’s not just sleep they’re after, it’s a good night’s rest – the kind of rest that only can be had on a great mattress.

Apps are amazing on so many different levels. They keep you organized when you’re frantically sprinting through your day, they entertain you when you need some downtime, and they will even be your personal trainer when you want to get healthy or lose weight.   Personal fitness apps are where Garmin comes in, and although you may have only heard of Garmin for their GPS products, they’ve recently hit the sports market with a variety of fitness bands that track your exercise data via the Garmin Connect Mobile app.

It’s Easter weekend, and although it might not really feel like spring in Canada the spring activities are kicking into high gear all over the country. Softball, soccer, and other sports are all starting up again after a long winter, and between work, commuting, and all of the household fun that goes into weeknight life you’ll have less time than ever to put together dinner.   That’s why you need easy dinner recipes, and it makes it even easier if those dinner recipes come packaged with an appetizer, main course, and desert. After all, just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat like you have all the time in the world.

In the past year the wearable tech market has really exploded. From Bluetooth rings to Smart Eyelashes we’ve seen them all, but there’s nowhere it’s been more dominant than in the fitness category. To improve your heath and keep yourself accountable, you just can’t go wrong with a fitness band, and the latest band out of Garmin will track to improve your sleep and monitor your heart during fitness activities too.   Garmin has entered the fitness ring with the Garmin vivofit, available now at Best Buy.

Busy weeknights and casual weekends – these are the times when pasta recipes really come in handy. Even if you’re watching what you eat, pasta is a great go-to dish for anyone because it’s versatile, easy to prepare, and almost everyone loves it.

After a long, grey winter, I’d say it’s high time we started seeing some color again. You can liven up your house by adding a bunch of tulips or daffodils, change up your throw pillows, or swap out your duvet for something more ‘spring-ish,’ but the single best way to breath life back into a house that’s been asleep for the winter is to update your kitchen colors.