Time to 'GET CRACKING' it is HALLOWEEN! We have some fun ideas to host a Howling Good Time

Halloween is one the most exciting holidays of the year at my house. The kids are thrilled with their pick of costumes, they have chosen their pumpkins and are counting down the days until they can hit the streets and collect all of that candy. 

As a Mom, the thought of all of those sugary sweets has started to send shivers down my spine. I know that treats come with the territory, I love them too!

This year I have had some fun and found some ways we can incorporate healthier alternatives into our Halloween habits. ENJOY!

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.4149453

Back to School - Back to Routines

We have got some great tips and tricks for first time and seasoned families on how to make back to school a smooooth transition.  

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

 Back to school, back to our routines and back to the neighbourhoods we call home.

There is no time like the fall to remind us of home – the streets we live on, the shops we frequent and the places we meet.  Fall is brimming with tradition and this urban Mom is eager to get her family in full swing.  

A recent trip around my neighbourhood brought me to the Field House at Parkdale Market.  This is an amazing food boutique where everything is grown and produced locally.  Fall comfort cooking with my kids is a wonderful tradition, especially with fresh local products.  Have a look at my tip sheet for cooking with kidsfor ideas. 

The red and orange hues of the season warm the windows of shops and eateries.  As we pass The Collected Works, I notice friends gathering over coffee and families looking over the collection of new fall books.   My current Raise a Reader campaign is supported by The Collected Works.  My kids and I love to read together and I look forward to those cold fall days curled up with them around a book. 

Here are some books we love:

How do Apples Grow ~ Betsy Maestro

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf ~ Lois Ehlert

Too Many Pumpkins ~ Linda White

Johnny Appleseed ~ Reeve Lindbergh

The window at Thyme and Again is eye-catching.  Stepping inside, we are greeted by a wide array of fall decorations for the home and table.  I am tempted by a poster of their fall Thanksgiving catering menu – mouthwatering.  The kids picked out festive candles and napkins for our Thanksgiving table. 

We will work on some crafts over the next few weeks to complete the look.  Here are some fall craft ideas.

Summer is gone for another year.  Camps and cottages, holidays and travels are over for another year.  Fall is upon us and it is good to be home! 

Lemonade Standemonium

Kids, take a stand for Cancer and have fun while you do it!  Join hundreds of kids across the country as they participate in the 7^th Annual Lemonade Standemonium.  The countdown is on to the big event.  Make a  commitment to making a change.  Start planning today.

This year’s event, hosted by the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and Candlelighters and presented by Cardel Homes, takes place on Saturday, June 1, 2019. 

Getting involved and putting the squeeze on cancer is easy. 

How can YOU get involved? Registering for the Great Canadian Lemonade Stand is easy!

1. Join the Lemonade Brigade movement and make a STAND against cancer.
2. Register your stand at www.ottawacancer.ca/lemonade.
3. Recruit your family or friends to join your stand – the more the merrier! Everyone who registers online will be eligible to win great prizes.
4. Plan out where you would like to host your stand. At a nearby store, at the end of your driveway, at a playground – there are loads of choices. But be sure to ask your parents for help in determining where to host your stand, and get permission from your chosen location.  You may also be able to host your stand a store or another busy location in your neighbourhood.
5. Get your mom and dad involved and send an email to let family and friends know where your stand will be hosted, and a link to donate to your virtual stand. All this can be done through your online stand page.
6. Get family and friends involved and design and build your own custom stand.
7. Plan out your stand campaign. Decide when you will be hosting your stand – you can host a stand more than once leading up to June 1, and then on Lemonade Stand Day. Also, be sure to decide what you would like to serve at your stand. There are great recipes at www.ottawacancer. ca/lemonade.
8. Host your stand on or before Saturday, June 1
9. Drop off the funds raised at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation (1500 Alta Vista Dr.) on Sunday, June 2 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
10. Celebrate all of your successes and the work you have done to help local families who are facing cancer.

Quick tips for building a lemonade stand

• Paint and decorate with bright colours.
• Put up a poster:  Download here:   French   English
• Consider using chalkboard or paint to make an instant sign on the stand.
• Attach pinwheels, streamers, balloons or other moving decorations to draw attention.
• Display a basket of colourful lemons on your table to get attention.
• Make great signs. Use large letters, arrows and eye catching colours.
• Put out a bowl of water for dogs.
• Play music and get your groove on. Dance, dance, dance!
• Offer baked goods.
• Bring out your pom-poms and shout out a lemonade cheer

** Mom in the Know Secret Sauce – Tips!

1. Don’t wait for customers to come to you.  Make a mobile stand using your wagon and wheel around the neighbourhood. 
2. Use something you already have.  We once a puppet show theatre to make a great stand!

Get Excited

• Make great signs.  Use large letters, arrows and eye catching colours. 
• Play music and get your groove on.  Dance, dance, dance.
• Bring out your pom poms and shout out a lemonade cheer.

Stay busy between customers, it will make the day fly by and will attract people to the activity at your stand. 

Get crafty making friendship pins, bracelets and keepsakes that’s what the day is all about.  Do some chalk art.  It will keep you busy and help draw attention to your stand.  Skip, blow bubbles, get out your jacks or play hopscotch.

Most of all, have fun.  You are doing a great thing to help others in need. 

SPRING - A great time to get CRAFTY!

TIme to get CRAFTY!!!!

It is fun to share arts and craft ideas. So this year we decided to come up with a weeks full of Art Projects. The video above gives you the big picture. Best part- You can do them anytime

ENJOY!

A few recipes:

SLIME: Thanks to the Slime Queen.

MATERIALS:

• GLue - it can be any type of craft glue.
• Baking Soda.
• Contact solution - any brand, does not need to break the bank.

DIRECTIONS: The amount of glue you pour, is the amount of slime you will be making. Add just a pinch of Baking Soda to creat the bind. Slowly add contact solution untill you lose the stickiness. Thank you to the Queen of Slime, Charlotte.

BEST EVER NO-COOK PLAY DOUGH RECIPE - Thanks to The Imagination Tree.

MATERIALS:

• 2 cups all purpose flour.
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 1 to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)
• Food colouring
• few drops glycerine ( secret ingredient for stretch and shine!)

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil in a large mixing bowl
• Add food colouring TO the boiling water then into the dry ingredients
• Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, combined dough
• Add the glycerine (optional)
• Allow it to cool down then take it out of the bowl and knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone. * This is the most important part of the process, so keep at it until it’s the perfect consistency!*
• If it remains a little sticky then add a touch more flour until just right

Winter is Here to Stay - So Let's Get Cracking -

It is a great time to embrace the outdoors. The city is full of adventure!

And after a full day of outdoor play, come back to a warm, slow cooker, meal from www.getcracking.ca!

Not just for speical occasions.