momstown Oakville's Random Acts of Kindness

In the momstown Oakville December newsletter, we declared that we were making December our Random Acts of Kindness month to show our appreciation to our amazing members.  Our momstown community is so special and I was happy to share some love and let our Oakville moms know how amazing they are and that they truly are appreciated.

So, we played holiday elves and had fun spreading some holiday cheer!  Here are some of our random acts of kindness.

1.  Treated a few momstown Oakville members to a hot beverage of their choice at our holiday sip and strolls
2. Slipped chocolates into a few purses and coat pockets at some of our events
3. Added on an additional one month of membership for some of our members
4. Dropped off a sweet treat in some mailboxes for members to find

momstown Oakville is such an amazing, supportive and fun community that we wanted to say thanks to all our mamas who make it such a wonderful resource for all Oakville moms.

Wishing everyone a joyous 2013!

5 Tips For Successfully Purging Toys

It's time for a toy purge.  I feel blessed that there are so many people in my children's lives who love and support them.  These same people also like to give them gifts for Christmas and for their birthdays (both have a birthday within 3 months of Christmas), which is appreciated, but makes our house feel a little cluttered and our kids overwhelmed.  I also want them to understand how fortunate they are and have the capacity to part with toys they are no longer playing with and that would make another child happy.  I think most parents purge toys at least once a year, so here are five tips for a successful toy purge.

1.  Go through the toys first when your kids are not around.  If they aren't old enough to participate in the purge, then you'll only have to go through the toys once.  However, if they are old enough to participate, going through the toys first will give you a chance to make your own list of what you think might be ready to give away and what toys you may just want to even stash away for another time.  Doing this at the same time as you are asking your kids to make those decisions may results in confusion or stress.

2.  Think long term.  Are the puzzles that are not being played with ready to be given away or perhaps if you put them away and brought them out again in 6 months they would be popular again.  Also think about the scope of the toy.  I have noticed that my kids play with things differently as they age.  Toys that can be used for pretend play or role playing may be worth keeping as your kids will find new uses for them as they age.

3.  Its okay to give away toys that were gifts.  This doesn't mean that the gift was not appreciated.  Your kids may have loved something for 6 months but if its time to purge it, that's okay too.

4.  Age appropriateness.  Sometimes kids will play with a toy that isn't challenging to them because its still around.  If you want your kids to try some new things (more challenging puzzles or more role playing/pretend play) it might be time to get rid of the younger toys you have at home.

5. Doubles.  Do you really need three trucks that look basically the same and do the same thing?  Even if your child is still into trucks, assess whether quantity over quality (keeping the favourite or the one that is in the best condition) is really necessary.

Every family will have their own guidelines on how to organize the toys in their house.  These are tips that I keep top of mind when we decide its time to clean out the toy room.  My kids were fortunate this holiday season and have many new things that we need to make room for but I am also looking forward to boxing up some other toys and finding them a new home such as a daycare, a women's shelter or passing them on to friends or family who may have a better use for them.

The Best Oven Baked French Toast Recipe

The first time I had this delicious over baked french toast, I immediately got the host to photocopy the recipe.  I promise, this recipe is 'fall off your chair' good!  I will be making this for a family get together on Boxing Day morning.  It's perfect for a crowd and super easy for hosting as you make it the night before and then just bake the morning of your gathering.

Challah Bread

What you need:

7 eggs
2 to 2 1/4 cups milk (if you use more bread, add the extra 1/4 milk)
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
12 – 18 slices Challah bread, crusts removed (2 loaves usually)
½ cup butter, melted
½  cup brown sugar

What you do:

Lightly butter 9 X 13 pan.

Combine eggs, milk and cinnamon.

Dip bread in egg mixture, coating both sides, and layer in pan.  Pour the rest of the egg mixture on top.

Stir together butter and brown sugar and drizzle over top.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, bring to room temperature, preheat oven to 400 F and remove foil.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden and custard has set.

*Another name for Challah bread is egg bread.

Oakville moms and kids make time for breakfast with Nutella

This week our momstown Oakville moms and their junior chefs got together to make some healthy and delicious breakfast and snack options using Nutella.  Before we got busy in the kitchen, our junior chefs started off the program by making their very own chefs hat!

Once all of our momstown Oakville Junior Chefs were outfitted for the task, we got working on making two tasty recipes from our sponsor Nutella.  Nutella recently released Canada’s Breakfast Report - new research that sheds light on how much children can benefit from eating breakfast.  Visit the Nutella Breakfast Table website to share tips, find advice and learn more about the importance of breakfast.

First up were the Bananalicious Nutella Pancakes!  This easy to make recipe uses whole wheat flour and oats and the kids were gobbling them up. The next recipe we tackled was for the Fruit ‘N’ Nutella Yogurt Parfaits.  The little ones loved dumping all the ingredients into their cup and our moms were thrilled to see fruit, power packed protein from the greek yogurt and hearty granola being mixed in with Nutella.  This recipe was a big hit when talking about breakfast and how to get kids a solid dose of nutrients to start their day and keep them energized.

The only downside to our event was that we didn't have time to test out all the recipes provided by our sponsor, Nutella.  Luckily, everyone went home with recipe cards so that they can make the recipes we tried as well as some additional ones such as Nutella French Toast Cups or Nutella Breafast Bars.

We hold our junior chef program once a month.  If you'd like to join us for this program and our other 30+ monthly programs, sign up for your 4 week free trial today!

Make Healthier Choices in 2013 with Balance Point Health Centre in Oakville

 Healthy Choices – Feeling Great, in Body, Mind and Spirit

Course taught by Dr. Jennifer Kaster, ND. and Linda Ljucovic, RHN.

Objective: Gain the knowledge to make healthy choices that are right for you and that last a lifetime.
If you feel tired, moody, overweight, demotivated, or just don’t feel as well as you think you should, this program may be for you. This program is about making small, incremental changes or tweaks to your diet and lifestyle that will lead you on the road to improved health and vitality.

Together we will cook, move, learn, eat, shop and be inspired!

By the end of the session you will:

• Have the knowledge to make healthy changes that will become part of your lifestyle
• Set and accomplish goals
• Explore and shop for new foods and learn how to turn them into healthy meals your family will love (healthy recipes)
• Understand and reduce cravings
• Increase energy and well being
• Feel better in your body and a little lighter!
• Explore different forms of movement that support the physical body

Cost: $420.00 for 12 weeks (=$35 a class)

Timing: Every other week from Jan 10-Jun 13, 2013. 7:30-9:00 pm

Program Schedule…

1. Getting Started: Weight Loss for Life / Yoga & the breath
2. Principles of Healthy Eating / Walk
3. Health Store Tour / Yoga
4. Food and Energy / Nordic Walking
5. Cravings: Sugar Addiction / Yoga
6. Nurturing the Self / Adrenal Fatigue / Upper Body toning
7. Intuition & Digestion / Meditation
8. Food and Mood / Lower Body Toning
9. Diets – a dirty word / Yoga
10. Healthy on the Go / Anywhere Intensity Training
11. Desires and Self Expression / Yoga
12. Taking it to the next level / Celebration

Personal Health Assessment Included

Please call the office at 289-291-0254 to secure your spot as space is limited.  Visit our website for more information on Balance Point Health Centre.

Merriam Music gets momstown Oakville moms and kids moving and grooving!

It was all about celebrating Christmas through song and musical instruments at momstown Oakville's music program today! Merriam Music helped everyone get into the holiday spirit as we used music sticks to tap to Christmas music followed by singing jingles bells using tambourines, maracas  and of course jingle bells.

We also sang about Frosty the snowman and Santa using our hands and feet as clappers and stompers. We were given scarves to dance around the room with to really shake out all those Christmas jitterbugs! Lastly we finished the morning with the reindeer hokey pokey, putting our tails and reindeer noses in and out. What a wonderful morning to bring the Christmas spirit to life through music - thank you Merriam Music for such a fun morning!  Find out more about Merriam's wonderful preschool programs here.

We get musical every month - this is just one of the programs offered through momstown Oakville for just $45 a year.  Sign up for your free trial today!

Make Your Own Candy Cane Sleighs

I'll be adding these adorable candy cane sleighs to our Christmas table.  They are very easy to make and add something fun to the table.

What You Need:

-Mini candy canes

-Snack size (mini) Mars bars

-Any flavour teddy cracker

-Icing or melted chocolate

How to assemble your Candy Cane Sleighs:

1.  Cut the Mars bars in half.

2.  If you are using chocolate, melt a small amount in the microwave and then put it into a ziploc bag and cut the tip off (creating a piping bag)

3.  If you are using icing, put a small amount into a ziploc bag and cut the tip off (creating a piping bag)

4. Using either the chocolate or the icing, put some on the straight ends of two candy canes and then press one half of a Mars bar and hold.

5. Put the teddy cracker against the Mars bar (the caramel will keep it in place) and put the other half of the chocolate bar in place.  Hold for a few seconds to let it set.

It is easier to assemble these if you have an extra set of hands.  You can do them yourself but it is a bit trickier.  You can add these to any table as is or package them up in clear plastic gift bags to add to a present or to give away as a gift.  These candy cane sleighs are also great additions to the front lawn of your gingerbread house!

Oakville moms and kids keep busy with momstown Oakville's Art & Play

momstown Oakville's Art and Play program this month was all about ornaments! Our Oakville moms and kids made gingerbread men and women and had a whole lot of fun decorating with colourful stickers- perfect to hang on the Christmas tree and to give as presents too.

Then it was time for some play! momstown Oakville kids and babies had plenty of fun playing soccer and we finished the morning with parachute games which both mama's and tots really got into and had a blast. Thanks to the Oakville Soccer Club for helping us burn off some energy!Everyone did so much running around that it was then time for a well deserved nap. Or at least I think that's what all of our mamas were hoping!

Come out and join us next time - sign up here for your free 4 week trial!  Did you know that all the craft supplies for all of our programs is always included in your membership fee of just $45 a year?

Tales for Tots: Finding Christmas

This month for momstown Oakville's Tales for Tots program, Scholastic Canada sent us a wonderful book to help us getting excited for the holidays!  Oakville moms and kids gathered at The Little Gym and made ornaments of their own before settling in to hear this very cute Robert Munsch story.

For our ornament craft, we used sparkles, cotton balls and dollies to make beautiful snowflakes to put on the Christmas tree this year! We followed ornament making with some tasty treats that the mama's brought to share, followed by lots of playing around.

We ended the morning with a Christmas story called 'Finding Christmas' by Robert Munsch, provided by our Tales for Tots partner, Scholastic Canada. We always give away a copy of our book of the month and today's book was won by none other than Melissa! Her son Jamie and his sister Emily will have fun reading this one with mama for sure.

Interested in joining us for our next Tales for Tots program?  Sign up today for your free 4 week trial with momstown Oakville.

Pampered Chef pampers momstown Oakville moms during our holiday party!

Last night momstown Oakville moms gathered together for our moms night out holiday party.  We enjoyed great company, delicious punch and and were treated to a fabulous presentation by Deb Forster-Yeudall from Pampered Chef.

I had been to a Pampered Chef party probably about 10 years ago and the rest of the group was a mix between not being familiar with the products at all and those that already had some favourites in their kitchen such as the pizza stone or the garlic press.  Deb gave us a quick overview of new products and answered any questions we had and then moved in to making a delicious Pampered Chef recipe that we were all going to get to taste and enjoy.

With the help of some of the party guests, Deb made Hot & Cheesy Bruschetta Dip.  I'm not kidding when I say there was a round of 'wows' when Deb used the Measure All Cup to measure the mayonnaise into the bowl with no mess and no scraping it out of the container!

One of the other products that was used to make the dip was the Manual Food Processor.  This little thing chopped up tomatoes and onions so quickly and easily I started dreaming of home made salsas and chutneys!   I ended up ordering this product and I can't wait to put it to good use!

Everyone loved this recipe and we were surprised and impressed by the intense and fresh flavour.  One of the secret ingredients?  Pampered Chef's Herbs de Provence Seasoning Mix.

Once the dip was ready, we snacked away on it and some other tasty treats and did some shopping!  I know momstown Oakville moms are looking forward to getting their new items and as an added bonus, 20% of the proceeds of the sales from the event are being donated to the Canadian Red Cross.  

Deb was a wonderful hostess and if you are interested in hosting your own Pampered Chef party or ordering some of their fabulous products, I encourage you to contact her.  And be sure to visit her webpage often as they have a great deal every month like 60% off cookware for party hosts in February!  What I love about Pampered Chef products is that they really are designed to make your life easier in the kitchen but also encourages creative flair for those who like entertaining, baking and cooking.

We all had a great time last night learning more about Pampered Chef and raising our glasses to celebrate the holidays.  Do you have a favourite Pampered Chef product?  Leave us a comment and let us know what we should add to our wish list!

Plush Punch Recipe

Punch can add a festive and fancy flair to any occasion.  When our momstown Oakville moms recently got together for a holiday party, this punch was a big hit and so I wanted to share the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 quarts cranberry cocktail juice, chilled
1 quart Soda water
1-6 oz can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1-2 bottles sparkling wine ( depends on how potent you want it to be!), chilled

Preparation:

In a large punch bowl, combine cranberry cocktail and lemonade concentrate.
Stir in sparkling and soda.

Serve immediately.

If you want to get a head start, mix this up without the soda water and sparkling and add that right before serving. Also, ice is not required if you have all of your ingredients chilled.  This punch recipe will serve about 25 people.

Thanks to Melanie for the great recipe!

Holiday Baking - Ginger Molasses Cookie Recipe

I love to bake and I love trying new recipes.  Holiday baking is always extra fun for me as there are so many opportunities to share the goodies with family and friends and to use the items as lovely homemade gifts.

My mom made these ginger molasses cookies when we were growing up and I started making them myself when I had moved out on my own.  I make these cookies all year round but they certainly have a holiday taste to them and are perfect for a Christmas get together.  These are a great recipe for cooking with kids as they love rolling the dough in the sugar before baking.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup white sugar to roll the dough in

Follow these easy steps:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the 1/4 cup sugar.

Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.  These cookies freeze really well and as my husband will tell you, they are even quite delicious frozen!

Some of my other favourite holiday treats are White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies, Caramel Overload Bars, and Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Poached Pears.

Alphabet Play with Oakville Moms and Kids - J is for Jingle!

Every month momstown Oakville moms and kids of all ages get together for our Alphabet Play program.  This month we explored the letter 'J' which tied in very nicely with the holiday theme as 'J' is for jingle!

We used corks to paint red and green jingle bells onto a paper letter J.  We read Christmas stories, played with ABC games, built towers our of ABC blocks, and talked about what different things started with J.

 As an added bonus, our kids got to make their own jingle bells today, using a paper cup with two holes cut in the top.  We threaded shiny red ribbon through the holes and then tied on a jingle bell.  Our Alphabet Play program is hosted by West Oak Village, a long term care facility and the residents come down and enjoy the program too.  This time we made extra jingle bells and shared them with residents and then we had sing song of Christmas songs and shook our bells along to the beat.

Alphabet Play is a popular program and kids of all ages have a great time!  Join us next time as we explore the letter 'K'.  Sign up for your free 4 week trial or purchase your momstown Oakville membership here.  A membership also makes a great holiday gift!  Contact us to learn more about gift certificates.

Top 10 Holiday Movies

Part of the holiday season always includes watching classic holiday movies.  Which ones do you make sure to watch every year?  Our momstown Oakville moms were talking about their favourites on our message board last week so I thought I'd post a list of the ones that were most loved.

Whether your a sentimentalist and go for the old fashioned flicks or love hilarious holiday mishaps and favour the comedies there is something comforting about curling up on the couch to watch something you've seen many times and that can always make you laugh.  Holiday movies can also be tied to holiday memories.  What movies did your parents always have on around the holidays?  Is there a movie you can't wait to watch with your kids when they get a bit older?

It's not really a holiday movie, but The Sound of Music is always on during the week of Christmas and every year my sister and I call each other to make sure we are watching.  Sleepless in Seattle is another great movie that reminds of Christmas and spending time with friends and family.  With all that being said, here are the Top 10 Holiday Movies according to momstown Oakville mamas!

Scene from Love Actually.  Photo credit: www.mymodernmet.com

1.  Love Actually
We all admitted to watching this movie every Christmas and that our husband's all loved it just as much as we did!

2. Christmas Vacation
I'm pretty sure some of us could recite this whole movie!

3. Elf
Hilarious!  If you haven't seen this one, make sure it makes your list this year.

4. A Christmas Story
For some people this was a 'learn to love' movie,but it was consistently mentioned on our message board.

5. It's A Wonderful Life
The forever classic Christmas movie.

6. Scrooged
I remember watching this movie with my siblings and my Dad and all of us laughing hysterically!

7. Home Alone
Poor Kevin!  This is a fun movie and one that can be watched as a family as the kids will enjoy it too.

8. The Holiday
This movie has romance, travel and eye candy.  Enough said.

9. Charlie Brown's Christmas
This one debuted in 1965 and is still a treasured classic.

10. White Christmas
I'll admit, I had to look this one up!  But it was mentioned by several people and once I googled it, I recognized images from the movie and of course many Bing Crosby classic Christmas carols are a part of this movie.

Have seen all the movies on our list?

momstown Oakville's 10 Days of Holiday Give Aways - Winners!

We are having so much fun with the momstown Oakville 10 days of holiday give aways contests.  We'll list the winner daily on this blog post so check back each morning to see if you have won!

Day 1 Contest - 4 hours of cleaning from Sunrise Cleaning Services
Winner - Congratulations Cheryl!

Sunrise Cleaning offers regular cleaning, spring cleaning and move in/move out cleaning.  They have gift certificates, the ability to book appointments online are are locally owned and operated!

Day 2 Contest - Encore Cinemas Movie Passes
Winner - Congratulations Lee-Ann Webber!

Make sure to check and see what's playing this holiday season.  Did you know that Encore Cinemas has $6.00 Tuesday movie prices all day and that they do birthday parties too?

Day 3 Contest - 6 month momstown Oakville membership
Winner - Congratulations Laurie Armstrong!

momstown is place that connects neighbourhood Oakville moms for conversation, support and early education fun! momstown brings over 30 programs each month to Oakville like Art and Play, Tales for Tots, Baby Basics and Junior Chef.

Day 4 Contest - $50 Gift Card to Oliva Service.  Did you know that Oliva Service also provides a discount to all momstown Oakville members!
Winner - Congratulations Michelle Perrotta

Oliva Carpet Cleaning Company is your one-stop solution for residential. Our mission is to provide you the most pleasant cleaning service you will ever have! Our goal is your complete satisfaction, backed by our famous “Best Job or Your Money Back Guarantee ”! Our passion is cleaning with the use of environmentally friendly, “Green Seal” Certified Cleaning Solutions.

Day 5 Contest - A tutu from Harlow's Perch!
Winner - Congratulations Jacqui Foxall!

Harlow's Perch offers adorable tutus, leggings, hats, bags, greeting cards and more!  This local Oakville company focuses on products that let kids be kids!

Day 6 Contest - Cityville Monopoly Game
Winner - Congratulations Ashleigh Wood!

It looks like the classic fast-dealing property trading MONOPOLY game, but this CITYVILLE MONOPOLY game has been reimagined like the addictive online CITYVILLE game! Buy properties, build houses, community spaces and businesses on them, and raise cash when it’s your turn. You’ll pay when you land on zoning permit spaces and get paid when you pass Go! The first player to build 4 skyscrapers wins.

Day 7 Contest -  We're going to make this the Day 11 Give Away!

Day 8 Contest - $200 of holiday arrangements from Forest of Flowers on Trafalgar!
Winner - Congratulations Melissa Elliott!

Forest of Flowers on Trafalgar offers same day delivery with 100% satisfaction guaranteed!  They do custom designs, corporate arrangements and of course arrangements for any and all occasions!

Day 9 Contest -  Comfy pair of pajama's from Goodnight Goodmorning!
Winner - Congratulations Tania Li!

Whether you’re looking for something silky and sexy or pretty and practical, Goodnight Goodmorning offers a fantastic selection of nightwear and loungewear that is perfect for every occasion. Each item we carry is carefully selected to ensure we are able to offer the ultimate in quality, style and comfort, and is chosen from a range of well-known superior lines

Day 10 Contest - $50 from Balance Point Health Centre.
Winner - Congratulations Sarah Keddy!

Balance Point Health Centre offers Manual Osteopathy, Naturopathic care, Holistic Nutrition, Registered Massage Therapy, Hatha Yoga, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Electrodermal Screening and an on-site supplement store with competitive pricing.

Day 11 Contest - 12 month membership with momstown Oakville!
Winner - Congratulations Gillian Bagley!

Thanks to everyone who entered!  Happy Holidays!

Oakville Camps and Sessions for kids during the 2012 Holiday Break

Santa has come and gone but Oakville kids don't go back to school until January 7th.  What to do over the holiday break?  We are lucky to have so many fabulous options, Oakville moms have plenty to choose from!

Register now for these great Holiday Break sessions!

Holiday Dash Sports Multi Sports Camps
December 27 - 29 and Jan 2-5 (scroll to the bottom of their page for info)

The Busy Genie
Dec 27-28 and Jan 3-4

The Little Gym - Holiday Camp Schedule
Dec 27 - 28 and Jan 2 - 4

4 Cats West Oakville Potter Camp
Dec 27 - 28 and Jan 2 - 4

Canlan Ice Sports Hockey Camps
Jan 2 - 4

Little Rascals Indoor Playground
Dec 27 & 28th

Holiday Baking: White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondie Recipe

This white chocolate gingerbread blondie recipe won the right to be the selected recipe for both of the cookie exchanges I am participating in this year.  One with the momstown Oakville moms and one with my university girlfriends - looking forward to a stocked freezer!  Gingerbread is an integral holiday flavour and the white chocolate dresses it up a bit.  This square is delicious with a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.  Add a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of dark chocolate and its fancy enough to serve for dessert.  The recipe makes 4 dozen.

White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondie Dough

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1 1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/4 packed brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar

2 large eggs and one egg yolk

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1/3 molasses

1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a rimmed cookie sheet (12 X 17 inch) with foil and then spray it with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and spices.

Cream together butter and sugars.  Add eggs and yolk, one at a time.  Add vanilla and molasses and mix until combined.  Add the dry ingredients mixture slowly and mix until combined then stir in the white chocolate.

Spread batter evenly into the pan.  I found the best way to do this is with damp hands and then use a butter knife to smooth it out.  Bake until golden on the edges, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool in the pan completely before cutting.