momstown Oakville's Noon Year's Eve Party At The Niblick Pub

While many people may be getting ready to celebrate the New Year tonight at midnight, momstown Oakville got a head start on the celebrations at our Noon Years Eve party earlier today at The Niblick Pub in the Upper Oakville Shopping Centre at 8th Line & Upper Middle Road.

We had a full house with families who came to make paper plate shakers, enjoy some yummy food and visit with friends before we rung in the New Year at noon.  With noise makers, bubbles and black and silver leis we did a countdown on the front tv screen and shouted 'Happy New Year' when the clock struck noon.

For most of us who will be at home (and probably asleep by midnight!) it was a nice way to ring in the new year.  A big thanks to The Niblick Pub for their great service!  They had crayons and paper on each table, self serve drinks and snacks ready to go when we arrived and served us all quickly too!  They've got a great menu for all ages and tastes.

Where ever you ring in the New Year tonight, momstown Oakville wishes you all the best in 2014.  We are ready for an amazing year ahead and we hope you are too!

Top 5 Recipes Of 2013

Whether you love it or hate it, chances are that as a parent, you spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen.  Here at momstown Oakville, we love sharing recipes that have been tested and approved by real moms so that you can get lots of ideas and meals that you and your family will love.

Here are the five most popular recipes that were viewed on the momstown Oakville blog in 2013.

1.  The Best Oven Baked French Toast

2. Cold Veggie Pizza Appetizer

3. Valentine's Day S'Mores

4. Best Steak Marinade

5. Marinaded Goat Cheese Appetizer

And click here to see the Top 10 recipes from our national momstown meals site!

Top 5 momstown Oakville Blog Posts Of 2013

It's been a fabulous year in momstown Oakville! Our supportive community has nearly doubled in size, as has the number of people reading this blog. Each month thousands of individuals read our posts! That's amazing and makes us proud to know that we're providing you with content that you find valuable from both a parenting and a community perspective. Thank you for continuing to come back.

We look forward to continuing to provide this to you in the coming year. Watch for more parenting, crafts, activities and community events to be published here on the momstown Oakville blog.

Take a look at our most popular posts for 2013.

1) What To Do & Where To Go In Oakville Series:

Whether it's a long weekend, March Break, Easter or another occasion momstown Oakville is your source for local events. You can always look to us to be a resource for family friendly activities in Oakville and the Halton Region for you to enjoy. Our top blog of the year, "Places To Go For Mother's Day Brunch in Oakville" is just one of MANY of our holiday focused listings:
http://momstownoakville.blogspot.ca/2013/05/places-to-go-for-mothers-day-brunch-in.html




2) Family Fun With momstown Oakville

Information about our 6th Birthday celebration event was our second most popular blog for 2013.  We were thrilled to celebrate with so many Oakville families at this free, open to the public community event.  Mark your calendars for April 13, 2014 for our next big community celebration!  We couldn't wait until August 2014 to celebrate with all of you again so you'll only have to wait four more months!

If you didn't make it to our 6th Birthday event, check out our second most popular blog to read more.
http://momstownoakville.blogspot.ca/2013/06/momstown-oakvilles-6th-birthday-bash.html

3) Resources For Kids

Oakville families are looking to momstown Oakville to find out about the best programs and resources for their kids.  Our third spot was taken by our "2013 Summer Camps For Oakville Kids".  Half day and full day, sports or art - we had a long and comprehensive list of options.

Take a look here - http://momstownoakville.blogspot.ca/2013/04/2013-summer-camp-options-for-oakville.html






4)  Apple Wreath Craft

Crafting is right in the heart of momstown!  We made these apple wreaths at one of our Fall momstown Monet programs.  Crafting is such a fantastic way to get children to learn through play.  Did you know that momstown has a theme for each month as part of our teacher developed educational curriculum?

Find out how to make this wreath here - http://momstownoakville.blogspot.ca/2013/09/apple-wreath-craft-for-kids.html

Don't forget, momstown has activities almost everyday for moms with babies, toddlers and preschoolers to get out and find fun & friendship. Join us!



5)  How To Make A Race Car Birthday Cake

momstown.ca is an amazing source for birthday party ideas. Whether you are putting together a theme for baby's 1st birthday or stuck for ideas for the 5th, you'll find lots of party inspiration with us. This race car birthday cake has been very popular!

Here's how you can make this cake: http://momstownoakville.blogspot.ca/2013/01/how-to-make-race-car-birthday-cake.html

Quick and Easy Christmas Tree Ornaments For Toddlers

momstown Oakville's monthly Art & Play program at the Oakville Soccer Club combines crafty fun with some free play.  Kids go home with their own craft creation and also get a chance to burn off some energy and be social while they play with other Oakville kids.

This month's craft provide kids lots of materials to get creative and make quick and easy Christmas tree ornaments to add to their tree at home.  We made popsicle stick Christmas trees, gingerbread men and snowflake ornaments! Kids had the option of using bingo dabbers, colourful foam stickers and shiny cut out pieces to really let our trees, gingerbread men and snowflakes sparkle.

As always there was still plenty of Christmas magic to burn off so we headed on to the soccer field for some soccer play, followed by the reindeer hokey pokey and frosty and Santa parachute games!  Join us in the New Year for Art & Play or any of our other monthly events you can find on our jam packed calendar. Your one year momstown Oakville membership includes a 12 month subscription to Today's Parent magazine, member discounts and access to our active 24/7 message board.

Sausage and Herb Stuffing Recipe

I never really liked stuffing as part of a holiday meal growing up.  Didn't matter to me whether or not is was on the table or not.  And then I had my first holiday meal at my now inlaw's house.  My mother in law makes delicious stuffing!  I will be adding it to my table when I host this year so I wanted to share this delicious stuffing recipe.

Photo credit

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound loaf (about 680 grams of bread) - white or sour dough, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and large-diced
1 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspooon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1lb pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (breakfast sausage also works too)
2-3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the bread cubes to a very large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, apples, parsley, thyme, rosemary salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Add to the bread cubes.

In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage while cooking. Add to the bread cubes and vegetables.

Add the chicken stock and cranberries to the mixture, mix well, and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 until browned on top and hot in the middle.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt For Kids At Oakville Place

Winter time brings along with it so many fun outdoor play options, but parents also need to get a bit more creative with indoor activities too as there can be days that are too cold, harsh or wet to be outside. Arranging a scavenger hunt for kids is pretty simple to do and the kids love it!  momstown Oakville moms and kids headed to Oakville Place this week to do a holiday themed scavenger hunt.

We handed out a Christmas tree shape to each child and a sheet of 12 stickers along with a list for moms to read.  The items on the list ranged from a singing snowman to penguins, to Christmas trees, etc.  Each time a child found something on the list, they put a sticker on the tree.  Once they found everything, they headed back to the food court to meet Miss Amanda to collect a prize which was home made reindeer food and a candy cane!

momstown Oakville has got tons of fun events over the winter to keep your kids busy and active in the winter months.  Visit our website to check out the calendar and to find out how you can join us.  A one year momstown Oakville membership is good for the whole family and includes a 12 month subscription to Today's Parent magazine.

Peppermint Meltaways Cookie Recipe

The momstown Oakville annual moms night out holiday cookie exchange took place last night and we had an amazing assortment of delicious baked goods.  One of the hits of the night were Peppermint Meltaways (they just melt in your mouth) and I knew the recipe needed to be shared!

Cookie Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (a blender works very well for this!)

Directions

1.  Cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

2. Shape into one inch balls. Place two inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.


3. For the frosting, start by beating the butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies.  You could add a small piece of candy cane on top of the frosting if you wish. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.

How To Get Your Kids To Talk About Their Day

All parents know that at the end of the day the last thing their children want to do is talk about their day at school. However, it’s important for parents to know what their kids are doing at school and how they feel about school. It’s also important for kids to talk about their day and share their feelings. These tips can help you get your kids to open up about their school day.

• Avoid asking “How was school today?”— If you want to start a conversation, quit asking this boring and expected question. Ask more specific questions, such as “Who did you sit with at lunch today?” These types of questions will help your children focus on one aspect of their day, rather than their day as a whole.

• Use Artwork or School work as Conversation Starters— When kids bring home their masterpieces from art class or a completed assignment, take the time to look them over and make observations about them to your child. Simple comments or questions will encourage your child to share more details with you.

• Talk About Your Day— Do you want to hear what your child’s favourite part of his or her day was? Start by talking about your day and modeling what you want to hear. After hearing your stories, your child will better be able to relate to you and share a similar story.

• Stop to Actually Listen— It’s important to actually put everything else aside to listen to your child without any distractions. Stop cleaning the dishes and sit down with your child to have a real one-on-one conversation. This time will show your children that what they are saying is important to you. When you’re not distracted, you will also be more aware of your children’s feelings and how they really feel about school, giving you the chance to extend the conversation and dialogue.

• Stay In-the-Know— Read the school newsletters and everything else your children bring home from school. Stay updated on what’s going on in their daily lives and what’s on their schedules. Being involved will help you better understand your child’s life and therefore help you stay connected to your child.

Each child is different and will respond in different ways. Learn what helps your children open up and what causes them to shut down. When does your child talk the most about his or her day, and how do you fuel the conversation?

*This is a guest post by the Sylvan Learning Centre in Oakville.  Contact them for more information on a customized tutoring program to help your child.  For more great articles on parenting and education, make sure to visit the Sylvan Mom Minded Blog.

481 North Service Road West, Suite A11

Oakville, ON

(905) 469-6353

Christmas Is Feeling Very Christmas-y This Year

At first I couldn't but my finger on it, but for some reason, Christmas is just feeling more Christmas-y to me this year.  I am enjoying the season more, looking forward to celebrating with family and friends and love watching my kids get more and more excited as we get closer to Christmas morning.  So what's different this year I had to wonder?  Here is the list I came up with:

• No more sleepless nights
• No more diapers (pull ups at night don't count)
• No more pureed food, high chairs, bottles or breastfeeding
• No more pulling ornaments off the tree (well, mostly no more)
• No more tears at the sight of Santa

Almost one year old.  Don't be fooled...he lost it the minute this photo ended! We got very lucky!

Don't get me wrong, this is not to say that I have not enjoyed the past four Christmases since my son and then my daughter were born but I'll be honest, I'm enjoying it all a lot more this year! As my kids get older, their enjoyment of the holidays fuels my enjoyment to an exponential level.  And while a baby is adorably cute in a Santa suit or a reindeer onesie, they still wake you up in the middle of the night making Christmas morning foggy!  Both my kids 'get' (and believe in) Santa this year.  They love the snow and want to play in it as opposed to just being bundled up in a snowsuit and not being able to move (see picture below).

Doesn't she look thrilled to be bundled up?

I look back on the pictures of my kids on both of their first Christmases with fond memories and I love the ornaments we have added to the tree over the years that have their pictures as babies but I am so looking forward to this Christmas and the ones to come.  So my words of wisdom (unsolicited, I know) to those mamas who are still in the 'foggy years' (to me that means at least one kid under two, mamas that have multiple kids under 3 or 4 years of age, etc) is to enjoy the season the best you can but don't feel bad if it doesn't seem all that Christmas-y.  It will come!

Getting Rid Of The Soother With Susy the Soother Fairy

Getting a child to stop using a soother can be a daunting task.  Soother attachment is a tough habit to break and sometimes help and reinforcements are the only thing that will do the trick.  momstown Oakville was so pleased to welcome Susy the Soother Fairy to our music and movement program today and read her new book about helping kids give up their soother in positive way by helping them celebrate the milestone.

Before Susy was set to arrive, the kids got busy making magic wands.  We used glow sticks from the dollar store and then added some foam hearts for the top of the wand.  Each child decorated their wand using glitter, markers and foam stickers.

When our magic wands were ready, we sat in a circle for story time and read the 'Susy The Soother Fairy' book to learn all about Susy's magic sac.  Susy's book comes with a magic sac that children can leave their soothers in for Susy to come and take away one night and leave a present in return! To read more about how Susy's book and  magic sac work, click here.  Finally it was time for Susy to come and sing with us!

We sang lots of great songs like Old McDonald, Jingle Bells and Sleeping Bunnies but best of all was the Susy the Soother Fairy song.  A very catchy tune (my daughter was singing the song all through lunch after our visit with Susy!) that goes something like "You're getting so big, you're getting so tall, you don't need a soother at all!"  Susy was lots of fun and the kids all enjoyed her visit.

Susy the Soother Fairy was written by local Oakville author Laura Page-Hamelin who came up with the concept after trying to rid her own daughter of her soother attachment.  Using Susy worked like a charm for her three year old so Laura was inspired to bring the concept to life and help other parents end soother attachment using a positive and rewarding method.  Click here to read more about Laura and click here to buy the Susy the Soother Fairy book.

Sensory Activities For Kids Using Snow

Too cold to play outside in the snow?  Bring the snow inside and play!  Momstown Oakville's recent sensory activity brought snow indoors for kids to explore by way of using cups, spoons, and food colouring so they could build snow castles and explore the texture and temperature of snow.

We also had  frozen paint popsicles (get the recipe here) which were a huge hit with the kids.  Add in a fun, snow themed craft where each child had the chance to decorate a snowman cut out using tissue paper, googly eyes, cotton balls and jewels.

Sensory plan can be a great winter boredom buster.  Check out these other great sensory play ideas we've tried:

DIY Silly Putty
Sensory Rice Bins
Rainbow Magic Snowballs

Sound like fun?  momstown members love having sensory fun at our events and don't have to worry about the mess!  Click here to become a momstown Oakville member and find out how to join our next sensory event.

Christmas Eve Traditions

Once the kids are tucked into bed on Christmas Eve, my husband and I crack open a good bottle of wine and enjoy a cheese tray while we watch Love Actually.  This has been our tradition since my son was born five years ago.  Because we've seen the movie so many times, we mostly talk and watch at the same time. The glow from the Christmas tree provides lovely ambience and we take a quiet moment, just the two of us, before the Christmas morning chaos arrives.  We think of this as a special occasion and so it requires special wine and special cheese! Here are my picks that have made it into our Christmas Eve soiree.

Cheeses

Dubliner - I first tried this cheese at a Mother's Day event and have bought it many times since then.  It comes from Ireland (as the name suggests) and is a mix between sharp cheddar and parmegiano.

English Applewood Smoked Cheddar - Smoked cheddar is very holiday-ish to me.  Its got a richer flavour then traditional cheddar but is very palatable even for those that aren't into fancy cheeses.

Oka Classique - This is a Canadian classic and appeals to everyone (even kids) but its a but fancier than something you may buy every day.

Saint Honore - Triple cream cheese.  Need I say more.  This is an award winning cheese that is the perfect decadent finish to any cheese tray.

Le Douanier - I tried this cheese for the first time at momstown's recent Fall conference.  It was served at our wine and cheese event at Chateau Des Charmes and I just loved it!  Similar to French Morbier, this semi soft cheese is split with a thin line of grey-blue ash made from maple wood.  Very unique and very delicious!

Le Douanier (photo credit)

Wines

Konzelmann's Pinot Noir - One of my faves!

Chateau Des Charmes' Earth & Sky Riesling - I'm actually not much of a white wine fan (red is much more my thing) but I really liked this one when I tried it recently.

Mitolo Jester Shiraz - Often the wine I bring as a gift for the hosts

Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz - A family favourite

Beringer California Collection Cabernet Sauvignon - Very well priced, tasty, and goes well with just about anything in my opinion!

Hopefully I've made a few suggestions that have piqued your interest.  Whether you add these to your Christmas Eve or another holiday occasion, I hope you enjoy!

Tips For Ending Food Battles With Your Kids

This week momstown Oakville moms had an informative moms night out as we got together to speak with Jennifer Buccino, owner of Oakville's Beansprout Nutrition.  Not surprisingly, we had a ton of interest from moms for this event as pretty much every parent will have questions about food and nutrition at some point. Jennifer's approach is very realistic (probably because she has two young kids herself!) and she is easy to talk to, our time with her flew by!

We took questions from our Facebook page and also had many, many questions from the moms who attended the evening and there were certainly some common themes that we all had questions about.  Based on our chat, here are some top tips for ending food battles with your kids and for making meal time more pleasant for everyone.

1.  Remember the final goal of heathly eating. Healthy eating is about teaching your kids about balance and what nourishes their bodies.  Jennifer referenced The Feeding Relationship by Ellyn Satter – adults provide healthy nutritious foods and opportunities for kids to eat that food and kids decide what to eat. Its a really good reminder about not forcing them to eat and respecting their cues more.

2. Not eating dinner.  This problem came up quite a bit.  Jennifer's suggestion was to ask kids to do the 'lick test'!  They don't even have to take a bit, but lick the food so they can at least get the taste in their mouth. And you can certainly pull out dinner again if they didn’t want to eat it at dinner time but are asking for a bedtime snack. It can take up to 18 times before a person may decide they like a food so stick with it!

3.  Healthy eating is not about food at all.  It’s the relationship if you have with the food you have.  Its about the values that meal times represent - family time, sitting at the table together and having conversation, being together, creating rituals, etc.  Jennifer's suggestion was to not talk about food at all at the dinner table!  Asking kids repeatedly to 'eat your dinner', 'take one more bite', 'eat your carrots', makes them less likely to do so.  Would you want to eat if someone was saying those things to you?  Present the food on the table and if they don't want to eat, they still have to sit and participate in meal time but no one should be forced to eat.

4.  Remember to think of the bigger picture.  And that means not just over the course of the day, but over the course of a week.  Kids appetites can fluctuate a lot (no surprise there I don't think!) so look at their food intake in a larger chunk and you can determine if they are eating well or not.  Bigger picture thinking can also apply to things like the holidays.  Treats are in abundance (advent calendars bring on chocolate once a day!) but remember to think of that over the course of the year.  A few weeks of indulgence is not going to ruin good eating habits or have a negative effect on growth.  Its a short period of time when you think about it so try not to stress too much over holiday treats.

5.  Give kids the chance to learn to trust themselves.  They need to be able to decide 'I am full, I only want a bite or two'.  Listen to their cues and trust when they want to eat and when they don't.  In the end, those are cues you want them to have as older children, teens and adults.

Beansprout Nutrition offers a variety of services to suits your needs. Jennifer performs both individual nutrition assessments and nutrition plan, as well as family assessments. Workshops and small group seminars are also offered. Consultations happen in the comfort of your own home, or by email, Skype, telephone if those are more convenient. Contact Jennifer directly at jennifer@beansproutnutrition.ca to book one of her services or visit www.beansproutnutrition.ca for more information.

momstown Oakville's Rhyme, Rhythm & Read Program

momstown Oakville offers a few programs just for moms and babies as a way for new moms to connect and find support within the Oakville community.  In addition to our weekly Baby Basics program, we also run a program that focuses on early literacy and musical fun held at Little Sprouts Cuts For Kids called Rhyme, Rhythm and Read.  Each month we read a new book from Scholastic Canada and then one lucky mama gets to take it home to read it over and over again with their little one.

This month we read 'Kiss, Kiss Good Night' by Kenn Nesbitt which is an board book that tells the story of how mommy animals say good night.  A perfect snuggle up, bedtime book that shows baby bunnies, lambs, chicks, kittens, and cubs settle down for a good night's sleep while their mommies give them nuzzles, cuddles, and good-night kisses!

In addition to reading our book, we break out the parachute, let the babies shake and play with instruments and sing a few fun songs that gets the little ones bouncing along to the tune.  Join us next month by signing up on our events calendar!

5 Tips To Avoid Burnout This Holiday Season

Deck the halls! I love the holiday season; it’s a time for festivities, family and fun. As a mom I am so looking forward to making this a memorable Christmas for my kids, but not at the expense of my health. Here are my Dr. Mom tips to avoid the usual burnout this holiday season.

1. Keeping a regular sleep routine. Nothing says restoration and health like a regular sleep routine. Go to bed at the same time every night, the earlier the better. Remember to also sleep in complete darkness and away from all your tech gadgets  to ensure good quality sleep, or as good as possible - I too have a 5 month old at home!

2. Starting your day with lemon water. With all the indulgences the holidays bring, why not start your day by stimulating your liver with lemon water, a gentle and tasty liver stimulant that helps you detox toxins. Don’t forget to stay hydrated throughout the day!

3. Avoiding stimulants like coffee. I know, I know not a popular tip for the sleep deprived parents out there, but hear me out. Stimulants can negatively impact adrenal function and make us feel more fatigued. When I was child free, moms challenged me to see if I would still think this was sound advice after having children. Well, two children later and I can honestly say I function much more efficiently without coffee. Want to try a healthier alternative? Try a matcha latte or chaga mushroom tea - these are both energizing and adrenal supportive. 

4. Eating Protein at breakfast. Through my clinical experience, it is clear that most do not eat enough protein for breakfast. It is an optimal way to stabilize blood sugar right from the start which helps to balance our cortisol levels (our stress hormone) and prevents a yo-yo blood sugar affect for the rest of the day. Stabilizing your blood sugar is one of the best ways to remain energized and prevent over indulging in holiday treats – helping prevent  unwanted weight gain. My favourite, and one of the easiest ways to get protein in the morning? Smoothies, of course! Check out my website for my favorite smoothie recipes.

5. Move your body. This would be the worst time to drop your regular exercise routine, so donʼt let holiday commitments get in the way of something that does your body good. Make the time for exercise. Donʼt have a regular workout routine? Now is a great time to start. If getting to a gym doesn't fit in your agenda, then just get moving with your kids, walk around a mall, do a quick home workout when you wake for the day. Moving makes every cell in your body happy.

Already feeling burnt out before the holidays even begin? I can help! Naturopathic doctors are equipped with natural interventions such as botanical herbs, nutrition assistance, acupuncture, lifestyle advice and more to restore health and get you feeling optimal. We are your experts in treating and preventing exhaustion, naturally. I’m here to help you make this a terrific holiday season for you and your family.

Happy holidays!

*This is a guest post by Dr. Michelle Peris.  Visit www.drmomnd.ca to learn more and follow me on Twitter at @DrMomND and on Facebook for recipes and tips. 

Shop Local In Oakville For Holiday Gifts!

Oakville has so many amazing local businesses ready to help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list.  Whether you are halfway done your Christmas shopping or haven't even started yet, these local businesses have great ideas to help cross people off your list.

For Kids

Harlow's Perch has a wide selection of tutus, pajama pants, hats, leg warmers, diaper covers, headbands for ages 0 - 8 years and even handmade accessories designed for newborn photo shoots!  All of their items would make great gifts - my daughter loves her owl hat!

Local author (and a mom of two), Laura, from LPH Illustrations has recently published an adorable booked called 'Susy The Soother Fairy'. The book helps young children get rid of their soothers, once and for all with the help of Susy and her magic sac!  The book would make a great gift for soother loving kids who need to get ready to give up the soother. Susy has an easy 5 step process that makes it fun and exciting (and stress free for parents).  Buy the book here!

Experience gifts are great!  A gift certificate for Crock A Doodle (located at Third Line & Dundas) is a fabulous gift for the little budding artist on your list.  From piggy banks to race cars, a popcorn bowl or an animal, there is something for everyone to paint.  Kids aged 2 and up will have a great time creating something.

Live theatre can be such a treat for kids!  The Burl-Oak Theatre Group's production of Cinderella - A Holiday Pantomime would make a special holiday gift that also provides and opportunity for some great family fun.  The show is perfect for all ages with lots of humour and audience interaction.  Shows take place at the Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts on December 28, 29 and 30th.  Click here to get your tickets!

Pretty in Pink Spa & Studio for girls has an amazing selection of gifts and stocking stuffers for the holidays.  From Cupcake Bath Bombs, to robes, soaps and sleeping bags, you are bound to find a perfect gift among all they have to choose from. A gift certificate is also an option for a spa treatment that is age appropriate (and they have facials for moms too!)

Baby Borg strives to carry the best and most useful baby, toddler, preschool & little kid products!

Don't miss their one week warehouse sale from December 9th to December 15th (hours are 10-4pm except Sunday when the hours are 12-4pm)


For Moms & Dads, Grandparents & Care Givers too!

Gift certificates available for the local Oakville movie theatre!  Thanks to private funding, Encore is able to move to convert to digital and will be carrying all the latest Blockbuster movies!

Treat Yourself! This holiday season put a little sparkle in  yours or a loved one's smile with a 20 minute in office Spa Dent teeth whitening session for only $99 with Trafalgar Village Dental.  Call them today at 905-339-0404.

Visit Wee Piggies & Paws Oakville's website to learn more about their adorable fingerprint necklaces, ornaments and shawdow boxes.  Using your child's finger prints or footprints, you can create one of a kind pieces that will be cherished forever.

Offering Bio Sculpting Gel Nails, Victoria's work is second to none!  Bio Gel can give you beautiful nails that can last up to a month or more (and yes mamas, that is even with tons of hand washing, playing, cleaning, etc!)  Gift certificates available or treat yourself before the holidays to get nails that will last for all your events this season.  Promotional prices apply until Christmas.  Call today for your appointment, (416) 832-8555.  Momstown mamas are already raving about Victoria!

Where Can You Visit With Santa In Oakville?

Lots of places!  Read below for details on where you can find Santa in Oakville and surrounding areas.

RioCan Oakville Place
Free Photos and Videos with Santa
November 29 to December 24

Tuesday to Friday:  10am - 8pm
Saturday:  10am - 6pm
Sunday:  11am - 5pm
Monday, December 23:  10am - 8pm
Christmas Eve:  Reservations Required

South Oakville Centre
Saturday's & Sunday's - 12pm to 4pm
Daily from December 16 - December 30th - 12 to 4pm
Santa reads stories every half hour

Burlington Mall
December 1st to 23rd
MON to SAT 10am to 8pm, SUN 10am to 6pm
Click here for photo prices

Mapleview Centre in Burlington
Now until Dec 15:  Fri - 10am to 8pm, Sat - 10am to 6pm, Sun - 10am to 5pm
Dec 16 to the 23: Monday to Saturday - 10am to 8pm, Sun - 10am to 5pm

Mama Book Club: Oakville Moms Discuss Inhuman By Kat Falls

momstown Oakville's calendar always has lots of great moms night out events each month but this week the fun was around our Book Club.  Thanks to Scholastic Canada for providing us with some great fiction to read by Kat Falls.  The book was called Inhuman and takes us into a dangerous world as we follow the main character, Lane, into an adventure as she tries to save her father.

The United States has been divided by a war that has left the eastern part of the country ravaged by mutation where many of the people exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. But Lane must travel into the forbidden savage zone to recover lost artifacts or her father will be killed.  The story is filled with awesome imagery and you can't help but visualize what a half man, half tiger creature might look like.  It was both fascinating and creepy to think about the mutations that may live in the feral zone.

In discussing the book, our mamas thought it was an engaging read and enjoyed the story.  There are two love interests in the book and we joked about who was 'camp Rafe' and who was 'camp Everson'.  There were also comments about the great writing by author Kat Falls, as she used the main character's Dad, Mack, to be a key piece to the story that wove everything together but he himself was hardly in the book at all, just mentioned through flashbacks or people talking about him.

Inhuman is the first book of a triology so there will be more to follow about Lane and her adventures in a darker world, one so different than where she grew up. My guess will be that Mack (Lane's Dad) will be a bigger key character in the second book as the past that Lane doesn't know about will come full circle and she will discover things she wouldn't even have dreamed about.

It was a great night out with wine, cheese, some treats and fabulous company and conversation.  Stay tuned for our book club picks for 2014!

momstown Oakville's Beat The Winter Blues Party

Winter is here.  Coats and hats, mitts and boots are now the norm.  And we've got at least four more months of this.  There are many great things about winter but its easy to miss the warmer weather, the sunshine and the activities you just can't do in the colder weather.  So what's a mom to do?  Come to the momstown Oakville 'Beat The Winter Blues' party!  On Sunday we broke out the sunglasses and spent a fun afternoon being active and crafty.

Everyone got some cool shades to help ward off those winter blues!

A big thanks to Monkeynastix and Bricks for Kidz for bringing some very fun activities to keep all the party guests busy.  Be sure to check out their websites for their Oakville winter program registration information (click here for Monkeynastix's schedule, click here for Bricks for Kidz schedule). Moms were commenting on how much the kids loved Monkeynastix's activities and how cool the building sets were from Bricks for Kidz.  

We also did some arts & crafts with sand.  Kids used white glue to make a design and then were able to take a handful of sand and sprinkle it over the glue.  Dump off the excess and you have a cool textured piece of art!

Sand crafts

Looking for more weekend momstown Oakville events?  We've got a few coming up in December so be sure to get your membership so you don't miss out!  Thanks to everyone who joined us and helped wipe away the thoughts of winter, if only for a few hours!

6 Practical Stocking Stuffers For Kids

I love Christmas stockings!  Opening my stocking on Christmas morning was one of my favourite parts of the day.  There was always a mix of fun and practical things inside and I loved pulling out each item one at a time and taking a minute to enjoy each gift.  As a kid, we could always open our stockings before my parents got up which I realize now was there way of not having to get up at 6:00 AM on Christmas morning because at least we were kept busy for a little while!  If you find it tough to fill your child's stocking, here are some of my favourite practical items to put in.  Might as well put in some essentials that you were going to have to buy anyway...that's just being a smart elf!

1.  A Watch
Both my kids are getting a watch in their stocking this year.  These are just basic children's watches that I got for about $10.  My older child is learning about telling time so this is perfect timing for him.  And because my youngest is always trying to keep up with her older brother, might as well get one for her too.  Watches are great items to start the dialogue about time and learning how to read a clock so I love this idea for a stocking stuffer.

2.  A Wallet or Purse
Kids love to mimic their parents so this is a great gift that helps them feel grown up.  Teaching kids about money at a young age is also recommended and this gift can help with that dialogue.

3.  An Umbrella
Chances are they are going to need one anyway, right?  There are tons of fun colours, patterns and character umbrellas available.

4.  Socks & Underwear
Use their stocking to stock their drawer full of fun socks and underwear.  Pick their favourite colour or characters.  If your child is close to potty training, this is also a good way to get them excited about underwear.

5. Toiletries
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, bubble bath, soap, lotion, hair elastics, new brush, etc.  Lots of possibilities here and just as most of the items mentioned above, chances are you can get your child's favourite character on most toiletries.

6.  Craft Supplies
A new pack of markers or crayons, scissors, a sketch book or stickers are all great options. You can also find your local dollar store and stock up on some new supplies like pipe cleaners, feathers, googly eyes, bingo dabbers, etc and then pick a craft to do together with your child.

Stockings can be such a fun thing to fill, so use your creativity and let the shopping begin!  What practical items do you like to put in your child's stocking?  Leave us a comment with what works for you!

Burl-Oak Theatre Group's Holiday Production Is Fun For The Whole Family

The holidays are for extra special family fun, new experiences and also about traditions.  This holiday season, the Burl-Oak Theatre Group is proud to present Cinderella- A Holiday Pantomime, a holiday treat that's fun for the whole family.  Whether you are looking for an extra special event to share with your children over the holidays, want to try something new or if you already share the gift of live theatre with your family every Christmas, this production is the one you don't want to miss.  Tickets to see the show would make a wonderful holiday gift!  Toys always seem to be abundant, so give the gift of an experience.

I loved going to live theatre as a kid (still do) and have fond memories of those special outings.  There is something magical about the energy on stage, the costumes, the music and the feeling that you are getting to experience something special.  I recently attended a dress rehearsal for Cinderella- A Holiday Pantomime and found myself laughing out loud!  The show has a great mix of kid and adult humour and does a fantastic job of bringing a story that has been around for a very long time into a modern day setting.  You will still see all the treasured elements audiences know and love but they are combined with interactive fun, some new zany characters, and a festive spirit that’s sure to please audiences young and old. 

The cast ranges in age from 7 to 70!

Show times are as follows (buy tickets by clicking on your preferred show time):

• Saturday, December 28th at 2:00pm
• Sunday, December 29th at 2:00pm
• Sunday, December 29th at 7:00pm
• Monday, December 30th at 2:00pm

Cinderella- A Holiday Pantomime is being performed at The Oakville Centre For the Performing Arts on Navy Street in downtown Oakville.

Tips For Moms: Going From One Kid To Two

There seems to be a baby boom happening within the momstown Oakville community!  We have many mamas that will soon be moving from a family of three to a family of four, so we recently got some of these mamas together to talk about transitioning from one child to two. Here are some top tips that came out of the discussion:

1.  The older child is going to be more work than the baby (well, probably anyway).  This concept seems pretty foreign as I know we all remember it feeling like a ton of work the first time around!  But remember this...the baby stays in one spot!  Your older child will not!  Finding things to do to keep your older child busy (especially when you have to feed the baby) is crucial.

• Television is not the enemy!  We all use it (more than we all admit) and sometimes its a necessity. Remember that the phase of having a newborn and a toddler/preschooler will not last and if you rely on tv more than you would like at the beginning, its okay.  Really, it is.
• Get help!  Don't be afraid to ask your inlaws, parents, neighbours, siblings, friends, etc to help out and take the older child to an activity or to come over and play with them.
• Find a source of support.  momstown Oakville is a fabulous supportive community that not only offers activities for your older child but also peer support and a link to community resources.  One of our members said "being a member of momstown is actually one of the things that helped me most with adjusting to life with baby #2."

2.  Don't be afraid to get new gear.  If you didn't have some of these with your first baby, might be worth a look.

• A great sling to carry baby so that you can be hands free for your other child.
• A white noise machine to keep the kids from waking each other up in the night (or day!)
• Video monitor.  Can save you some time of having to go up and see baby or older child.  The monitor can show you if they are just rolling over and making noise to get comfy again, lost a soother so you know you need to go up, etc.  The Motorola colour video monitor or a web cam with a D-link app were two options that have been frequently suggested.
• Double stroller.  
• Stork special from SupperWorks.  They wave the fee to put the meals together for you if you order the Stork Special within 3 months after having a baby.  I used this both times I had children, so helpful.

My son giving his newborn sister a hug

3. Include the older child.

• No matter what age your older child will be when the baby arrives, chances are they will want to feel included.  Can they help you bath the baby or go get a diaper for you?  Give them a special role like always putting the blanket over baby in the carseat (with help of course).
• Lots of mamas said that they had the older child pick out a gift to give to the baby when he/she arrived and had the baby give a gift to the older sibling too to create more of a celebratory feeling.
• There are lots of great books about being a big brother or big sister that you can start to read as your due date approaches such as I'm a Big Brother or I'm a Big Sister by Joanna Cole.
• Your older child might actually end up being more helpful than you thought, give them a chance to pitch in.  Love this blog post on Mastering The Art Of Couch Parenting (great tips for when you are stuck on the couch cluster feeding)!

4.  Prepare ahead of time.

• Stock your freezer!  Here is a great source for freezer friendly meals.
• Buy in bulk so you don't have to worry about running out of toilet paper, paper towel, etc in the first few weeks of baby's arrival

5.  Give yourself a pat on the back.

• There will be some tough days, but try not to sweat it.  If you don't get dressed and end up tossing in a frozen pizza for dinner, well, at least you had dinner, right??  It will get better and if you are doing the best you can then there is nothing more to worry about!

What other tips helped you get through adding a new baby to your family?  Share your tips for those mamas expecting baby #2!

Holiday Fun In Downtown Oakville With Santa, Wagon Rides & A Shopping Spree!

The Santa Claus Parade may be over, but Downtown Oakville has many other fun holiday activities perfect for Oakville families.  Bring the kids down for Santa in the Square, a wagon ride or just to look at all the colour windows and holiday lights.  Keep reading for all the details about these great events happening in Downtown Oakville!

Santa In The Square

Saturday, November 30th
11:00am-4:00pm in the Towne Square
Don't miss this opportunity for children of all ages to share their Christmas wish list with Santa!

Christmas Cheer in Downtown Oakville (Towne Square)

Saturday’s and Sunday’s, November 30th – December 22nd weekends
Carolers 11:00- 4:00

Saturday’s and Sunday’s, December 7th -22nd weekends
Wagon Rides 12:00 – 4:00

Christmas Window Competition
November 16th- December 9th

VOTE for a chance to win 1 of 3, $500 Downtown Oakville Shopping Sprees!
To vote on your favourite Christmas window display, visit Downtown Oakville's Facebook page between Saturday, November 16th and Monday December 9, 2013 at 9:00am and leave a comment about which store window is your favourite for a chance to win $500 shopping spree. The winner will be contacted by the BIA.

Downtown Oakville has so many great stores and tons of holiday gift ideas.  Head downtown and shop local this holiday season!

Marinated Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe

momstown Oakville mom's night out events are great for so many reasons, but one of the reasons at the top of my list are the number of great recipes I get to try due to the fabulous hosting skills of so many mamas in our community!  My latest new favourite came from our recent poker night and seems to me like a perfect fit for the upcoming holiday season.

Photo Credit

What You Need:

6 oz goat cheese
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme  (if you don't have thyme you can use oregano or basil or another similar spice)
1 tsp pepper
10 pitted and chopped olives

Putting It Together:

Mix all ingredients together, except for the cheese.  Shaking them all together in a jar works well.  Pour mixture over cheese and marinate for at least two hours in the fridge.  You can leave this to marinade up to 2 days, the longer it marinades the better the flavours are.

Warm to room temp 1/2 hour before serving.  Will keep up to 1 week and the flavours just keep getting better and better!

Serve with your favourite crackers or spread onto baguette slices.

Sensory Play - How To Do A Colour Hunt

momstown Oakville's gathers our little explorers together for a morning all about sensory play and discovering new things.  Last month we put together a colour hunt that was a big hit with kids of all ages. Each child got a paint chip (with flowers punched out so they could colour match) colour book and they began matching right away. They enjoyed matching colours in a garden, the grass, trees, and changing leaf colours.

There were also magna tiles (coloured see through tiles) and the kids were asked to look through them to ask what they saw, what colour they saw, and how their vision changed.  At the end, the kids were surprised with some colourful streamers taped to popsicle sticks. We waved them in the wind and talked about all the colours and how colouful they were. As a thank you for coming, each child got to take home a colourful streamer wand and their own colour matching paint chip booklet so they could continue matching at home.

This month we are doing sensory play with ice and snow and will be having a holiday themed scavenger hunt in December.  Click here for some more of our sensory play ideas like summer snowballs, cloud dough or DIY silly putty.  If you'd like to join us for our next sensory play event, purchase your momstown Oakville membership here which includes these programs along with 40+ other things to do each month for just $45 a year.  Your membership also includes a one year Today's Parent magazine subscription.

Beansprout Nutrition Provides Healthy Eating Tips And Support For Oakville Families

Jennifer Buccino is so excited to let the momstown Oakville community be the first to know about her new business that offers nutrition advice and consultation to young families.  Introducting Beansprout Nutrition! As a Registered Dietitian (RD) and a mom, Jennifer knows first-hand the challenges that parents face when feeding their children. Jennifer's aim is to bring the most credible nutrition information to you in a variety of different ways to help you make the best choices for your infants and children.  Jennifer knows those tough moments both from personal and professional experience which includes working with children for almost 15 years at the Hospital for Sick Children. Advice received can be conflicting and as a new parent you want the best for your child.

Some common areas of concern that Beansprout Nutrition can help with are:

• Do I start with pureed foods or go with baby-led weaning?
• Do I introduce cow’s milk at 9 months, 12 months, or never?
• Is my child growing well?
• Why is my 2 year old suddenly so picky
• My school aged child brings her whole lunch home untouched

Beansprout Nutrition welcomes you to contact them to work through these questions and issues. Jennifer has answered these questions and many more over the years that she's been practising dietetics. In fact it was her own group of “new mom” friend’s that inspired her to start Beansprout Nutrition and bring knowledge and expertise to other new moms in the area.

Beansprout Nutrition services include:

• Nutrition Assessments
• Nutrition Plans
• Workshops 
• Family Counselling

Getting a great nutrition start is essential to health and well being. Beansprout Nutrition will challenge you to think about establishing your own nutrition philosophy to guide you through making the best choices for you and your family. The added benefit of working with Beansprout Nutrition is that they come to you! It can be for an in depth nutrition assessment and plan or a more informal chat but you get to stay put and won’t have to bundle up your little ones in jackets and car seats. If after bedtime works better consultations can take place by phone, Skype, or email.

Please contact Jennifer for more information (Jennifer@beansproutnutrition.ca) and visit their Facebook page for helpful tips and information.