I guess it takes a bit of a health scare to make me start taking care of myself. Actually, it was a combination of getting less than glowing heart stress test plus an invitation from my sister.

R-O-O-O-X-A-N-N-E
YOU DON'T WANNA PUT OUT THE RED LIGHT...
THOSE DAYS ARE OVER
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SELL YOUR BODY TO THE NIGHT

This weekend was my time to clean out all our medicine cabinets and drawers. Admit it - how many expired bottles of medicine and creams are fermenting on your shelves?

Seven years ago my daughter was diagnosed with severe nut allergies. Since then, I've been trying to find a replacement for my beloved peanut butter for breakfast. I've tried this french toast recipe which my kids have every morning, and this healthy chocolate breakfast spread.

As YMC continues to grow, I expect the number of opportunities to connect and empower other amazing people will also grow. I'm motivated by watching individuals who have a dream make it happen. I'm drawn to programs which help individuals with big dreams realize their potential.

I am having the best freaking birthday this year. Why? Partly because of this, and also because of this:

but really because I bought myself The Best Gift.

Last week I attended a workshop on How To Put Together a Business Plan. The seminar was organized  by Leigh Mitchell's Women in Biz Network. Teaching us were my friends Cora and Kathryn from Mom Central and Amy and Danielle, YMC Mom Ink bloggers.

It's hard to turn your dreams into a reality; to have the stamina and determination to beat the odds and make things happen. Especially when you do it in public in front of your peers. You need guts to put yourself out there - and be cool with the way cookie crumbles along the way.

Last night I met a young woman who inspired me. I also had dinner with the new Magnum heir. As luck would have it, they were one and the same. Twenty-one year old Shawna Howson, a self-professed content creator for the web was impressively strategic about winning this online contest.

Last spring, to introduce the extremely rich and decadent Magnum Ice Cream bars to Canada, the confectionary company invited anyone so inclined to make a compelling video about why they should be the new Magnum heir for a chance to win the $250,000 grand prize.

There is a huge chasm between having a great idea and actually making it happen. As an entrepreneur, I understand how incredibly hard it is to take a thought and turn it into something concrete. There are a ton of obstacles along the way to prevent you from achieving your goal. There's the money needed to fund it, the business plan you need to map it and the team you need to help you build it. Getting all three pieces to align can be the difference between dream and reality.

It's no secret I'm a fan of Rockport. These boots have been my favourite ever. Not only are they stylish, but they are comfortable. Platforms always work for me because they create the illusion of heels and height, but they are easy to walk in.

When YMC started almost five years ago, it was just me - an exhausted, confused mom of a two and five year old, trying to connect with other like-minded moms.

Fast forward to YMC today - a vibrant, passionate community of close to 70,000 parents who connect virtually through this site. To say I'm proud is an understatement.

But what makes me pinch myself daily is the incredible talent I've managed to pull together over the years that are responsible for creating, brainstorming, building and writing this site.

Everyone needs to know how to cure the common cold, right?

Clearly I didn't read the invitation properly. "Would I like to spend a week test driving a Chevy Orlando Crossover in Orlando with my family?" Sure - kids were finished camp, I had caught up on my work, let's go to Florida!

I guess I missed the fine print which said something about driving the entire distance from Toronto to Florida in the car - without a DVD player or Navi. By the time I figured out the amount of time I would be forcing my kids to endure in the back seat of a car, I had already agreed to the trip.

I love how a couple of disparate events come together to make something useful happen - like how going to see the band Journey helped me save $502 on my Christmas vacation.

I'm in the process of planning our family holiday for the winter break. It's kind of mind blowing how expensive it is to travel at that time! But, it's the only time the kids aren't in school and my business is in slow mode. I suck it up and fork it out.

Back-to-school = stress. Forms to fill, carpools to organize, and new schedules to plan. My nemesis is shopping for school supplies, probably because my son's school list is insanely long and specific. It usually takes me three or four shops to get everything his teacher requires.

Spending a couple of days at BlogHer reminded me, once again, that my own daily struggle to balance family and career is a huge issue with so many other women. At the Success on our Own Terms panel, author and entrepreneur Jane Buckingham, spoke about how challenging she found it to find time to get her to do list done. She admitted, almost confessed, to hiring a nanny. She seemed embarrassed to admit to having "help".

When I was invited by Ford Canada to attend BlogHer 2011 in San Diego, not only was I looking forward to getting behind the wheel of some high tech cars, I was also hoping to be inspired by all the amazing BlogHer sessions. And I wasn't disappointed.

Before we left for our family trip with Trafalgar Tours I was so busy tying up loose ends up at work, I didn't really spend a lot of time studying the itinerary. So every morning when we settled in on the bus, I was always excited about where we were headed to next.

Here are a few of the cool stops we made in the English countryside.

There are those with big ideas, and there are those who make those ideas come to life. Making dreams come true is hard work, especially if you have an awesome concept but no one to help you along the way.

If you have an amazing, original idea you've always wanted to make happen but didn't know how to do it, the new Room for Thought initiative from American Express Canada could make your dream a reality!