NEW YEAR - NEW IDEAS FOR LUNCH....

Need a fresh start on lunches? We asked a group of kids and Survey Says - Top 5 favourites...
Henry Burris CTV Ottawa Morning Live and I have some tips to on how to fill the order.
Enjoy! And we would love to hear some of your lunchtime favourites.

It’s official!  With the radio blasting our favourite festive tunes and malls spilling with shoppers, the holiday season is well underways! But between hustle and bustle of the holiday season, there are still many families right here in Canada that will be struggling to provide their children with a gift to unwrap.

How We Can Help 

For the sixth annual year, Rice Krispies is encouraging all of us Canadians to fire up our stoves and make a Rice Krispies toy-shaped treat. By posting your gooey masterpiece on social media or on TreatsForToys.ca with #TreatsForToys, Rice Krispies will donate $20 to The Salvation Army to buy a real toy for a child in need.

Get the Kids Involved!

We know how valuable it is to get the kids in the kitchen to be creative and make lasting memories. Making your Rice Krispies toy-shaped treats together will let you teach your children about the importance of giving back to the less fortunate while also letting their imaginations run wild with sprinkles and icing. The best part? You get a delicious treat when it’s all done!

Make. Share. Give!

Spreading joy this holiday season is as easy as Snap, Crackle, Pop:

1. Make: Choose a favourite Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal variety, like festive multi-coloured Limited-Edition Holiday Rice Krispies cereal, Rice Krispies Brown Rice Gluten-Free cereal, or even Rice Krispies Original cereal and follow the Kellogg’s Rice KrispiesTreats original recipe on the box. Then, create a toy-shaped treat using the recipes on TreatsForToys.ca or get creative and design something unique.

2. Share: Upload a picture of the toy-shaped treat to TreatsForToys.ca or share it on social media using the #TreatsForToys hashtag

3. Give: For every photo submitted before December 31, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies will donate $20††† to The Salvation Army to buy a real toy for a child who may otherwise go without. 

Visit TreatsForToys.ca for toy-shaped treats inspirations, including videos, recipes and more!

Make the Most of an Indoor Day with Online Educational Fun!

Written and created by : Jenny Wise
Jenny Wise is a mother of 4 and a Special Home Educator.
She loves to sew, crochet, and take long walks on the beach.

 Make the Most of an Indoor Day with Online Educational Fun!

When the weather cancels your outdoor plans with your kids, instead of mindless electronics use and wasted hours of watching mind-numbing TV programs, use technology to tap into the vast amount of online educational resources. You can take advantage of having your kids with you under the same roof by enhancing your day through online activities that get you moving and learning. From online workout videos to science, art and music lessons, your family will never run out of options for enrichment.

 

Shake the rainy day blues with exercise

Just because it may be a hot, cold, or a rainy day doesn’t mean that your day has to be an entire washout. There are countless indoor activities to get you and your kids moving. Kids love to get up and move, especially when exercise is disguised as a play activity. Clear off the family room floor, throw down some yoga mats and get your kids, and you, sweating the day away. YouTube is filled with fun exercise options, including:

• Bootcamp-style workouts. Children can get excited and motivated by a drill-sergeant prompted workout.
• Yoga. Flexibility and mindfulness result from even the simplest yoga moves.
• Dance-inflected exercise programs.
• Martial arts-based activities. Kickboxing, tai-chi and ninja-zone-styled workouts can make kids feel like they are superheroes in their own living rooms.

Children can have fun with each of these styles of workouts, especially any that incorporate dance and fun music. If your kids are not the type to get organized around a specific exercise program, try playing Internet videos that feature dancing. Dancing can be the basis for high-intensity workouts for all ages and fitness levels. Challenge your kids to mimic their favorite stars. Have your kids take turns with you practicing dance moves, then end the rainy day with a dance competition.

Add some musical appreciation or learning

 If your kids are drawn to music, try enriching their day by adding some music without dancing or working out. Music appreciation is proven to increase cognition and improve mood. Your rainy day can be focused on purposeful relaxation, with a varied musical backdrop. Music listening can be a bridge to learning, too. Kids can easily learn simple instruments such as a ukulele via an online tutorial. Ukuleles are cheap, too, so the hobby doesn’t require a large investment. 

Tap into science and math learning and more

There are numerous outlets for fun games and activities that fortify your child’s education. Science lessons are popular since they often involve fun activities and experiments. You and your kids can gather a few household items to make elephant’s toothpaste in the name of science. 

Online websites and apps provide opportunities for math puzzles and quizzes. History, English, art, theatre and more are all easy to incorporate into rainy-day indoor play. Many kids enjoy drawing, and the internet provides many opportunities for tutorials and lessons.

Education doesn’t have to be limited to the basic courses taught in school. Children are never too young to learn business-related topics, such as real estate investing. Many children are curious about real estate sales, as it is a highly visible career choice in most communities.

Real estate is a complex field that requires skills in math, science, English, social studies and home economics. By incorporating real estate-based activities into your indoor fun, you can help students gain valuable skills in practical math application, presentation giving, forming a persuasive argument, earth science and so much more.

Next time bad weather threatens your day, don’t resign you and your kids to a lazy day. Take advantage of the time together and fill your day with activities. Online resources make it easy, so use those devices for something educational and fun.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Easy Ways to Cozy Up Your Home for Fall

The nights are getting cooler and the leaves will soon begin to change.  Fall is here and with it comes sweater weather, baking, colourful leaves, warm soups and harvest stews.  I can almost feel the seasons changing when I step outside and that’s my cue to make some seasonal changes indoors too. 

Inspiration is Right Outside Your Door

Take a walk outdoors with the kids to find things to bring inside. This is such a fun family activity.  Small branches can be brought inside and bundled together, tied up with pretty ribbon in autumnal colours and placed around your home.

Short, thin twigs can be glued onto clear glass jars to create seasonal votives. Pinecones can be collected and placed in large glass bowls or onto plates and platters. Children can glue pinecones to a paper plate to create a decorative wreath.  Add a little English Ivy to your displays. They are not only beautiful, but they are also a natural air purifier.

Bring your hydrangea inside and let them dry naturally.  The beautiful fall hues will add warmth to your home. 

Take a Trip to the Farmer’s Market

Stop by your local farmers market and pick up seasonal fruits and vegetables to decorate your home.  The rich colours and textures of apples, pears, clementines, squash, gourdes and pumpkins really stand our when clustered together in your kitchen or family room. 

Throughout the month, swap out fruit with fresher varieties and use your ripened pieces in your fall baking. Nothing says fall like an apple pie or cobbler fresh out of the oven. 

Simmer Some Stovetop Potpourri for Natural Warmth 

Bring the scents of fall indoors with a simmering stovetop potpourri.   Add any combination of your favourite fall fruits and spices to a large pot of boiling water.  Reduce the water to a simmer.  This will not only make your home smell like fall, but the steam from the pot will add moisture back into the dry air caused by the heat.

• Apple slices
• Orange slices 
• Whole nuts with shells
• Cinnamon sticks
• Vanilla 
• Whole cloves
• Cinnamon
• Star of anise
• Berries
• Essential oils 

Create a Cozy Corner

Create a cozy corner in your home that invites your family to relax and unwind. Add inviting blankets and scatter some soft cushions in fall colours.  Set out puzzles, games and some great fall reads.  Here are my suggestions.   

Kids

• Apple Farmer Annie – Monica Wellington
• Time to Sleep - Denise Fleming 
• Halloween Day – Anne Rockwell
• Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf – Lois Ehlert
• Giving Thanks – Jonathan London 
• Leaf Jumpers – Carole Gerber 
• Applesauce Season – Eden Ross
• Pumpkin Circle – Shmuel Thaler

Adults

• The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena
• The Best Kind of People – Zoe Whittall
• Commonwealth – Ann Patchette
• Wenjack – Joseph Boyden 
• The Wonder – Emma Donoghue
• Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
• Two by Two – Nicholas Sparks 
• Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult 

Pumpkin Spice is Always Nice

Stock up on fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mulling spice, thyme and vanilla.  Fill your pantry with new, fresh ingredients so you are ready on a whim to whip up your favourite fall recipes.

Make and Entrance

From Thanksgiving guests to trick-or-treaters, your front door is a busy place in the fall.  Carry your fall decorating right out the door by adding a few potted mums to add an instant pop of autumn colour. Welcome your guests with a cheerful fall doormat and pile on the pumpkins.  Don’t be shy to experiment with containers.  An old wagon makes a perfect display for hay bales, flowers and gourds. 

Freshen up for Fall

Fall cleaning is not as common a phrase as “spring cleaning,” but preparing your nest for the long winter is just as wonderful as cleaning out the cobwebs after a cold season spent indoors. 

1. Clean your blinds with 50-50 vinegar and water mixture and an old sock. 
2. Use a razor to remove paint and lint from clothing.  Bring out your favourite cozy sweater.  It will get you excited for cool weather. 
3. Freshen your dresser drawers with a sachet of fall spices.  
4. Remove tough carpet stains using an iron and a damp washcloth. 
5. Scrub your cutting boards with half of a lemon and some kosher salt.   Rinse off with warm water and dish soap.
6. Get your cookie sheets ready for holiday baking.  Scrub with a mixture of 1/4 cup baking soda and enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Rub the paste all over your sheets in small circles. Let sit for 2-3 hours and rinse. 
7. Freshen your mattress by first vacuuming the surface. Follow by sprinkling with baking soda.  Let the soda sit for 2 hours before vacuuming off.
8. Clean your microwave by filling a bowl with equal parts water and vinegar. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. This will steam clean the microwave from the inside allowing you to simply wipe the walls clean. 
9. Wash plastic toys in the dishwasher using the short cycle.  
10. Rub a half bagel over a dusty painting to remove particles from the surface.  

A special thanks to  Flowers by Maggie, who inspired me with her expertise in bringing "the outside in.

Back to School - Back to Routines

 Back to School tips and tricks for familites - It takes a village.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv0jweiaBWo