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Printable Activity Advent

November 16, 2020
Last year I decided to put together a little homemade advent calendar for my kids. I wanted to switch things up from the usual store bought chocolate calendars. I thought it would be fun if each day would have an activity for us to do together, kind of like a Christmas bucket list. 

I wrote out 24 different activities, on a scrap piece of paper, and put one in each day of our advent calendar. The kids had so much fun doing each activity last year, that I decided to up my game this year, and I created some printable activity cards that we could reuse each year. 

Because I know that there are probably others out there looking for activities to do in the month of December, and not everyone is into crafting, feel free to use my activity cards.


You can click the link above to download your own set of cards. You can either put them in your own advent calendar, or just keep them in a box and draw a card each day. I'd love to see how you end up using them! Feel free to tag me on Instagram or send me photo. 

Tips for using your Activity Advent Cards

1. You can purchase a reusable advent calendar to put your cards in, or you can make one. I numbered some paper bags and strung them on my banister using a beaded garland and clothespins, but there are so many different ideas out there. 

2. I've included a couple blank cards in case you want to create your own activity to use in lieu of one of the others. For example, you may not live in a climate with snow, so unless you plan on making a snowman in your freezer, you may want to veto that card. 

3. You may want to plan ahead and think about which activity you'd like to do on each day, rather than putting the cards in your calendar randomly. That way you don't end up pulling out the "Put up Decorations" card on December 24th - unless that's when you like to decorate.

Father's Day Gift Ideas

June 15, 2020
This post may contain affiliate links.

Less than a week until Father's Day and if you're running behind on getting a gift, like me, here are a few ideas.

One thing I've learnt is that not everyone receives love through gifts. I think my dad and my Jesse actually prefer "acts of service" over gifts. The dad in your life might be the same way, so I thought I'd include some gift ideas that aren't actually things.

GIFTS THAT AREN'T THINGS
Remember to get the kids to help if these are things you're considering doing for your husband. It's never too early to learn how to appreciate others. 

CLEAN HIS VEHICLE OR GET IT PROFESSIONALLY DETAILED
This is something the kids would probably love to do. 

MAKE HIM HIS FAVOURITE MEAL
Jesse will never say no to a good BBQ meal.

BOOK HIM A MASSAGE
Or just gift him the massage gun (seen below) - the gift that keeps on giving.

DO A TASK FOR HIM THAT HE HATES DOING
Mowing the lawn, fixing that thing that's been broken forever, take out the garbage...

FREE TIME
To play video games without complaining (you know what Jesse is asking for), golf, get together with friends...

A GOOD OL' BACK SCRATCH
This is something my dad used to always ask us kids to do. Haha.


GIFT IDEAS
Most of these items are things that Jesse has and loves.

To shop, click the product name listed below the graphic.




Slim Wallet || Most guys I know are not a fan of a bulky wallet. This one is slim and holds only the necessities.
Yeti Tumbler || You've heard me talk about these tumblers before, they're so great at keeping drinks hot or cold. If you're in the KW area, you can purchase one and get it personally engraved. A cute idea I've seen is to get it engraved with "dad" in you child's handwriting. You can order a customized one here.
Muscle Massage Gun || This was the one thing Jesse asked for for Christmas last year, and he loves it! It comes with different massage heads and a carry case.
Wireless Earbuds || These ones are a more affordable than others on the market. So many uses for these: at work, in the car, doing errands. They recharge in the case. 
Bluetooth Speaker || We have this one in white in the kids' room. But another one for in the garage, the washroom (during a shower), or to use outside would be handy.
Mens Adidas Cloudfoam Sandals || I steal these from Jesse sometimes because they're so comfy. They feel just like you're walking on a cloud.
Saxx Underwear || I mentioned these at Christmas. Don't ask me to explain the tech to you, but Jesse loves them. 
Customized Mug || I just think this is hilarious. You can get your kid's face put on a mug! 
Magnetic Wristband || If your guy doesn't have a tool belt, this is so useful for even just hanging frames. No more dropping nails and screws.

I hope you guys have fun treating the dad in your life. If you end up giving them any of these gifts, I would love to see! Feel free to send me a message or tag me on IG: @kalschultz

Thea's Diagnosis

May 31, 2020
William's Syndrome affects 1 in 10,000 people.

I realized I haven't shared much publicly about Thea's journey. Up until now, I don't think I was ready to share much, so I'm going to try and back up a bit.

When Thea was born, she was born with a heart murmur (in her case, a narrowing of the heart's valve). Heart murmurs are not uncommon, and even I had one as a baby and it corrected itself. After having it examined, the cardiologist informed us that when there is a heart "defect" there may be a genetic change that causes it. He gave us the option to have some genetic testing done to see if this would be true for Thea.

Although we had hoped that this would not be the case, we had suspicions that something might be underlying.

About a month ago, after months of waiting, we received the results from her bloodwork and Thea was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called William's Syndrome. A condition that occurs at birth and is commonly characterized by cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, learning challenges, physical differences, but also highly social personalities.

When I got the call about Thea's diagnosis, honestly, I was devastated. Although part of me was waiting for this bomb to drop for months, the anticipation didn't soften the blow. Emily Pearl Kingsley expresses this journey of learning your child has a disability so beautifully in "Welcome to Holland".

As a parent, you want the best for your kids. You hope that they grow up with the same (or better) opportunities that you had. It broke my heart knowing that Thea might not have these same opportunities. I mourned the loss of the future I had envisioned for her. She might not go to a regular school, be able to play sports, she may not have the same career opportunities, she may not get married, have kids, or even be able to live independently. 
It was hard to accept that she will live with some limitations. 

Although the love I have for Thea has not changed, I worry how others will treat her or how they will look at her. I pray that God will protect her tender heart from hurt and bring loving friends into her life. 

All of these thoughts still come and go in waves.

For now, we don't know which characteristics of WS she will exhibit, or to what degree. Only time will tell. In the meantime, we continue to do our best to help her meet milestones while working alongside a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, and other health care professionals. We are fortunate to receive her diagnosis at a young age, so that we can determine the areas where she needs extra support and start working on them early.



I know that this diagnosis is not the end of Thea's story, but rather the beginning of a different story. It's not necessarily any less exciting, fulfilling or adventurous than the one we had thought, it's just different. 

Overall, Thea is doing great. She is still our sweet girl. She is so content, easy going, and has made so much progress in developing her skills. She might not grow as quickly as other babies her age, but that just means more cuddles for me. Her brother and sister love her just the same, and that makes my mama heart happy. There is no doubt that she will be a little ray of sunshine to those around her. 



A few words from Jesse
I remember a conversation I had with a friend and colleague of mine a number of years ago, before either of us had kids. We were working together in a home where we supported people who experience disabilities. We both still do that actually. The conversation was about whether we were worried about having kids with disabilities and if God had put us there to prepare us for if we someday had to raise our own child who had a disability.

We concluded that it shouldn't be something to fear, and that we would determine to be the best dads we could be, whatever the case. At the time, I felt we had settled the matter confidently and with spiritual maturity. It was perhaps over-simplified, but something I now need to apply. And maybe a simple foundation is best.

With each of our first two children, my radar for the atypical was always pinging about every little thing. I tried to suppress it but I thought certain traits and habits looked like autism or some kind of cognitive delay. It would kind of dissipate over time as I realized our kids were hitting milestones and seemingly enjoying life. It was fear that was circumstantially mitigated but not really dealt with...and probably more common than I thought.

Between our second child and Thea, I entered a time in which my faith was stripped down a bit, my perception of God was challenged and I found myself wondering about His goodness and interest in my meager affairs, or anyone's for that matter. Again, these are probably common developments for people, but the conclusions we land on shape our future and should be given some thought. As this was taking place, I lost my father suddenly and unexpectedly. At the time I was able to be strong when I needed to be but since have felt rather depleted and fragile. Perhaps due to natural physiological reasons, perhaps for the others as well, regardless, I notice it.

It has created an interesting time for Thea to enter the picture. More specifically I guess it’s an interesting time to learn about her diagnosis. It’s a struggle for me to say “diagnosis” to be honest. Language is a funny thing, always progressing and eventually offending...sometimes I really care about the semantics of disability ...right now though I just want to love my little girl and figure out how to describe things later.

I think the point I’m trying to get to is that I feel broken enough to accept the news, the “diagnosis”. I don’t feel like fighting it, denying it or even praying about it to be perfectly honest. Maybe that sounds like giving up but it feels more like trust. Somehow I’m learning to trust God’s goodness even in disappointment or just simply when things are not as I anticipated.

I’ll conclude with trying to summarize some swirling thoughts:

I love Thea, I think she is so sweet and cute. I’m grateful that despite some challenges with mobility and potentially cognitive ability, one of the main traits of Williams Syndrome is being very friendly, empathetic and social.

 I’m thankful that our family and friends first were introduced to Thea without any type of “syndrome” attached. She was just Thea.

I believe that she can have a great life, an enviable life even. I believe that there will be lots of opportunity for her to pursue her interests and dreams. We will just need to put the work in to equip her for success...perhaps different measures but is that not what we would do for Averie and Remi as well? Or any other parent for their children regardless of need.


Thea has her whole life ahead of her, I don’t need to have everything figured out right now. I just want to disembark well from this new harbor.

Quarantine Mother's Day Gift Guide

April 22, 2020


This post may include affiliate links.

Mother's Day 2020: the year of the global pandemic. Needless to say, celebrating Mother's Day might not be on the forefront of everyone's minds this year. But during a time where we are all cooped up at home, shifting to new routines - some of us homeschooling, some balancing work and family - many of us are realizing how important our moms and mom figures in our lives are. 

I asked you what were some of your most memorable Mother's Day gifts, what you would LOVE to receive (tangible or not), and what were your fav small shops and I've included some of your responses in the post.

Your mom, wife, sister, a mom friend...whoever you're celebrating, here are some fun gift ideas and simple things you can do to make them feel special.


THINGS THAT DON'T COST $
Because even if you don't have the moolah, there are many other ways to make them feel loved.

A CARD / PHONE CALL / TEXT / EMAIL
Sometimes the easiest way to show gratitude is just to tell someone how grateful you are. Being a mom can be daunting and overwhelming, having someone tell you you're doing a great job can be the encouragement you need to get you through the tough times.

A NAP
Many moms are exhausted and an opportunity to catchup on some sleep can mean the world!

ALONE TIME
We love those little guys, but sometimes they just need some quiet.

GOOD FOOD
A fav snack / someone else doing the cooking / delivery

BREAKFAST IN BED
Let her take her time getting up for once.

TIME TOGETHER AS A FAMILY
Doing something as a family to celebrate.

A FAMILY PHOTO
Take a photo together, maybe even get the kids dressed up to make it extra special.

HELP!
Maybe some help with the chores that day, so mom can truly relax.


GIFT IDEAS
Given the difficult circumstances for businesses and entrepreneurs, I chose to highlight some great Canadian small shops. If you're looking for a gift to give, I would encourage you to checkout some local shops. Not only will you likely find something unique, but you'll be supporting a small business. 

To shop, click the product name listed below the graphic.


1. Pretty By Her Scented Soy Candle || Not only are her candles all hand poured, her labels are just hilarious! She has graciously offered us a promo by using code KALEENA15 at checkout.
2. Mama Sweatshirt || Because cozy is key these days.
3. Bungalow Blue Scrunchies || For that mom bun.
4. Dainty Personalized Stacking Rings || You can customize them with your kids names, a special date, or meaningful word.
5.  Personalized Initial Necklace || You can personalize this necklace with initials and include a symbol which would be a sweet way to remember an angle baby, rainbow baby or other important person.
6. Yeti Tumbler || Not from a small shop, but a great gift non the less and currently 25% off.
7. Digital Family Photo || A fun way to capture a family photo. 
8. Fit Glow Beauty Lip Gloss || A plant-based lip gloss that also plumps.






2020 Easter Gift Guide

April 01, 2020
This post main contain affiliate links.

Although Easter isn't all about gifts, I know that some of us are gift givers and like to shop for the little ones in our lives. I'm not sure what I'll be getting my kids yet, but found some cute things online and thought I'd share. Best part, they ship directly to you!

To make it even easier, just click on the product name under each photo to shop.