DIY: Burlap Fall Wreath With Flowers

momstown Oakville has got some really crafty moms as part of our community and so we often have a Crafty Mamas moms night out where we all work on the same craft or sometimes each mom works on her own craft (scrapbooking pages, cards, etc).  It is fabulous when these events come about as it motivates me to get crafting and try something new.  This time I decided to make a Fall wreath using burlap and some felt. I liked this design as it seemed simple enough but was rustic and perfect for my door for the next few months.

Here is what you need:

16" styrofoam wreath from a craft store
Glue gun
Burlap garland
Red, orange, gold and/or yellow felt (or other colours of your choice).  You'll need three colours.
Green spraypaint
One other colour of spray paint for the flowers.  I picked a deep purple (almost brown) but you can pick any colour you'd like.  Cranberry, purple or a dark pink would work too.

Burlap Fall Wreath

Steps To Make the Wreath:

1.  Fold the starting edge of the burlap three times so you get a narrower width.  Glue this to the back of the wreath using the glue gun. This will be your starting point.

2.  Wrap the burlap around the wreath so its completely covered.  Make sure you pull the burlap tight each time you go around the styrofoam.

End of step 2 - your wreath should look similar to this picture

3. Cut the burlap off from the rest of the roll that may be left and glue the end to the back of the wreath with the glue gun.

4.  Next. cut out five strips of burlap (use the width of the garland, its the perfect length) for the green leaves and three strips for each flower (so 15 total for the flowers).  You can also use 4 strips per flower if you'd like.

5.  Once the strips are cut, fold them in half width wise and trim each of the corners off to a rounded shape. When you unfold the strips, you should have an hour glass shape.

6. Spray paint the hour glass shaped strips using the colours that you have choosen.  The leaves should be green, the flowers can be whatever colour you'd like.

7.  Once the spray painted pieces are dry, arrange the leaves and the flowers on the wreath.  I played around with mine a bit until I found the way I liked them best.

On the left is the hour glass like shapes.  On the right is my flowers arranged on the wreath.

8.  Using the glue gun, glue the green leaves on first, followed by your flower pieces.

9. Cut out small rectangles from the coloured felt, one from each colour (so three in total).  Rectangles should be about the same size as half of a credit card.  

10.  Using the glue gun, apply some glue along the longer edge of the rectangle and then roll the other side over the the glue and secure.  You'll end up with something like a mini straw.

11.  Then roll the felt from the shorter end (like rolling a sleeping bag) to the other end and use the glue gun to secure.  This gives you a rosette type mini flower that will be the centre of the burlap flowers.

Close up of the flowers with the felt centres

12.  Using the glue gun, glue a felt rosette into the centre of each burlap flower.

13.  The final step is to use leftover burlap to make a hook to hang the wreath.  Choose a length that will work for where you want to hang the wreath and then double that length.  Once you've cut that piece of burlap, fold it in half so you have the original length you wanted.

14.  Put the piece of burlap under the top of the wreath so you have an equal amount of burlap on each side and then use a piece of burlap string (that you can pull from the leftover burlap) to tie it towards the top.

My burlap Fall wreath is complete!

This was a really easy craft to do!  It may seem like there are a lot of steps but it didn't take very long and was a great project for an occasional crafter like me.  If you are interested in other Fall wreath options, check out this beautiful one made out of wood or I also love these DIY decorative blocks for the holidays.

Being a momstown member is a great way to try new things so please visit our website to find out how you can sign up to join us and be part of our next crafty mamas night!

momstown Supports The Telling Tales Festival at Westfield Heritage Village

Mark the Date, Sunday, September 15th, 2013 for the Telling Tales Festival! 

As you pass through the Westfield Heritage Village "Gates of Time", you will be delighted to discover a world that existed before the internet and video/computer games… Here life can be simple, and stories come alive! Storytellers will hold crowds spellbound in the Native Village.

Preschoolers especially will find a world of things to do in our Large Meadow: Musicians, puppet shows, “learning through play”, crafts and much more. Plan to visit the Telling Tales Giant Book Swap and Shop Tent, a place to bring your slightly worn children's books, donate them to literacy and, if you choose, purchase second hand titles for just loonies and toonies.

Find out more information here: www.TellingTales.org.  PLUS! don't forget to like them on Facebook to participate in contests happening from now until the Festival!

Fern Resort In Orillia Delivers Perfect Family Fun

This past weekend, my family and I were lucky enough to spend a few days at Fern Resort in Orillia, Ontario.  Fern Resort is an all inclusive resort that does an outstanding job at taking care of families and making sure that they have an unforgettable vacation.  I am fortunate to have access to a cottage on both sides of my family, but Fern can't be compared to going to a cottage.  That's like comparing apples to oranges. For parents, Fern Resort offers you a break from cooking, cleaning and being the social entertainment planner for the kids.  At the cottage, I still have to do all those things. You really get to relax at Fern and spend some time as a family and as a couple and get alone time too (there is a spa, tennis courts, golf, a fitness centre and a jogging track too!)  - Fern really is the best of all options when it comes to all members of the family feeling like they got a vacation.

Check out more pictures of the resort here.

When we got up the next morning, the kids really wanted to hit the pool.  Lucky for them, Fern Resort actually has three pools!  After a delicious breakfast in the main dining room, we changed into our bathing suits and hit the pool deck.  All of the pools are surrounded by inviting lounge chairs, even the kiddie pool has kid sized lounge chairs.  While we were in all three of the pools, the favourite was the small wading pool that was nice and warm and very shallow.  After working up an appetite, we grabbed lunch pool side.  The kids had choices of hamburgers, tacos, hot dogs, wraps, pizza and there was lots of fruit and veggies to choose from as well.  And let's not forget the dessert station which offered ice cream sundaes, freezies, tarts and cakes too!

My littlest succumbed to an afternoon nap on Saturday and that left my son and I some time to explore the resort a bit more.  In one afternoon he tried several things he'd never done before.  First up, we relaxed for a bit in the hammocks by the lake.  Then we tried our hand at fishing (those sneaky fish stole our worm twice but the two kids next to us were having lots of luck!) and finally the trampolines and then the low ropes course. Yup, all that stuff is at Fern Resort for kids to do plus so many other options and I haven't even gotten to the Play Village yet!

Left to Right - Climbing the low ropes course, playing life size checkers and walking across the suspension bridge

The Fern Resort Play Village is  really quite amazing.  I have not come across such comprehensive children's
programming at an Ontario resort before.  Just take a look here at a sample of their weekly program.  One morning, my kids got to make their own superhero mask and have a pony ride!  They went back in the late afternoon and had fun with motorized jeeps (my 4 year old son was in absolutely heaven).  The Play Village has secure indoor and outdoor areas to play and breaks down the programming by age.  They will take infants from 2 weeks of age!  And what did Mom and Dad do while the kids were having a blast in the Play Village?  Well, we had a quiet coffee by the lake, we did Archery and tried out a dual pedal bike and even got to have dinner alone while the kids watched a movie with the Play Village staff.  The resort has done a great job at thinking of every last detail to make being away from home with kids easy and enjoyable.

Motorized Jeeps!  

My final note would be to say that Fern is not just your summer vacation destination!  This Halloween weekend package caught our eye and be sure to find out about their New Year's family friendly celebration too!  Check out all Fern has to offer on their website, you won't regret it!  Momstown members always get a 5% discount off of any price too!

Leading Canadian Event and Media Company Heads to Fern Resort for Fall 2012 National Conference

Orillia got a little bit bigger this past weekend as 25+ team members from momstown, the leading Canadian event and media company that connects and supports local moms, headed to Fern Resort for our Fall National conference.  As the momstown Oakville owner, I was lucky enough to be a part of this amazing weekend.  Huge thanks to Honda Canada for sending us up to Fern Resort in style - we got the chance to test out the Pilot, CRV and the Accord.  Everyone loved the smooth rides and I know it was a sad day when they had to be given back!  We were also spoiled with swag bags that included books and a few other goodies from Scholastic Canada and a box of Nestle's Black Magic chocolates - immediate hits will all of the conference attendees!

I am pretty familiar with the Orillia area (I grew up in northern Ontario) but had never been to Fern Resort.  I can honestly say that my first visit will definitely not be my last.  What an amazing, family oriented place! Their core brand really comes down to  genuinely wanting your family to have a wonderful vacation.  They have thought of everything in terms of keeping the kids busy (motorized jeep day, crafts, zip line, ropes course, beach front and even a special teen hangout cabin) and provide a wonderful balance between family time and giving mom and dad a chance to relax while the kids are happily entertained by their amazing staff.

Fern Resort main building and the beautiful view from right outside my cabin

Huge kids area!

What else sets them apart?  They get to know your family by name and after a day or two know what kind of juice your kids like at breakfast.  Amazing.  Kids cry when they leave this place!  We all enjoyed getting to know such an awesome Ontario family vacation destination. In addition to all the wonderful things they do for families, they are also a perfect conference location.  From team building bonfires to lots of space for team meals and nice, bright rooms for us to meet in, it was a wonderful place to spend three days. Huge thank you to Fern Resort and their amazing staff!

Three days?  What did we do up there for three days you may wonder?  Well, each day was jam packed with planning sessions for 2013 and brainstorming sessions on how to make our company even better.  We talked strategy, marketing and branding, social media, team collaboration and so much more.  And of course at the heart of it all is figuring out how to give local moms the best opportunities to connect and feel supported.

momstown is a National event and media company and so its only twice a year that we are all in the same space together and sharing all of our successes and supporting each other to up our game again and again.  This is one amazing team.  Before I left of the conference, I wrote about the passion, purpose and power that comes from this group and I believe it even more now than ever before.  We are so ready to achieve our goals for 2013 and we've set the targets high!  But I know we can do it.  And I know that I have the support of more than 20 other business women which is an incredible resource and we are lucky to have each other.

So many great conversation over dinner - the food was delicious!

Our next conference will be in May 2013 and I am already counting down the days.  Until then, I am so excited to start putting my plans for 2013 into place.  I feel so lucky to have found rewarding, meaningful work that helps my community and allows flexibility for me as a mother of two young children.  I searched for something like this for a long time and found it, plus about a thousand other amazing things, with momstown.

Wondering how you can join our awesome team?  Click here for information.

Babeebloomz Family Expo

On September 29th, momstown will be participating in the Fall Babeebloomz Family Expo at The Meeting House.  This expo is the place to be for everything baby, kid and parent related.  For a limited time you can get free tickets, and after that tickets are $3.00 (cash only at the door).  Kids under 12 are free.

This is a great opportunity to grab tons of information and also have a fun day out with your family.  Lots for everyone to do.  We'll be there and we hope to see you!

momstown Supports The Telling Tales Festival at Westfield Heritage Village

Mark the Date: Sunday, September 16th, 2012 for the Telling Tales Festival!

As you pass through the Westfield Heritage Village "Gates of Time", you will be delighted to discover a world that existed before the internet and video/computer games… Here life can be simple, and stories come alive! Storytellers will hold crowds spellbound in the Native Village. Preschoolers especially will find a world of things to do in our Large Meadow: Musicians, puppet shows, “learning through play”, crafts and much more. Plan to visit the Telling Tales Giant Book Swap and Shop Tent, a place to bring your slightly worn children's books, donate them to literacy and, if you choose, purchase second hand titles for just loonies and toonies.

Admission is FREE!  Find out more information here.  PLUS - don't forget to like them on Facebook to participate in contests happening from now until the Festival!

Bonus Birthday Gift For momstown Members!

The Christmas before my first baby was due, my aunt bought me a subscription to Today's Parent magazine and I have been a dedicated and happy reader ever since.  From awesome family recipes, to suggestions on how to keep your family healthy, or providing a list of the top 100 children's books, Today's Parent has a wealth of information that every parent can use.  I read my magazine cover to cover every month and always have at least a few sections that are dog eared to refer to later.  When I heard that momstown was going to partner with this fabulous parenting resource, I was beyond thrilled! 

There’s never been a better time to join momstown Oakville! When you purchase or renew a full year momstown membership in August or September, you received a BONUS subscription to Today’s Parent!

For a limited time, included in your membership to momstown is a one year (12 issues) subscription to Today’s Parent! This includes all new memberships as well as existing membership renewals, and applies only to full year momstown memberships ($45). This special offer is available from August 1st, 2012 to September 30, 2012 inclusive.

Already receive Today’s Parent? Then your subscription will be extended one additional year!

Click here for full details and mark your calendars to renew or sign up soon!  We've got a jam packed calendar for the Fall and would love to have you join us.

Only $45 a YEAR??

Since I became the momstown Oakville owner, I have been out in the community talking with new moms and moms with toddlers and preschoolers, other community resources and local businesses.  I love telling everyone what we are about and what we have to offer.  You know what the most common response I get is?  "I can't believe that it's only $45 a year - it's a steal! Momstown could charge so much more than that".  And they are right on both of those thoughts.  We probably could charge more, but momstown wants ALL moms to have access to support and activities that focus on the whole child, so the membership fee is an inclusive amount.

So what makes a momstown Oakville membership a steal at $45 a year?

• 40-50 programs on the calendar each and every month
• Events are geared towards 0-6 years old and there are evening events for just moms
• We have a Baby Basics program which focuses on helping new moms become aware of resources in the community and learn about important topics such as sleep, dental care, early literacy and more
• We have a 24/7 message board that is alive with hot topics, conversation and resources and recommendations
• The unique blend of online and in person support offered by momstown has been scientifically proven to be a positive influence on a mother's mental health.
• We give our members the opportunity to try out brand name products such as Crocs, Melitta, Fisher Price and Little Tykes
• Our members get exclusive discounts to local and National businesses
• Our events are built around our six program pillars which focus on early literacy and education
• We are partners with CBC Kids and Scholastic Canada which bring further benefits to our members

There is no other resource for Moms that provides all that momstown has to offer.  And what we hear almost daily is true, at only $45 a year, it's really not a question of why should you should join, but when should you join!

And if those reasons aren't enough, we have a special offer for August and September in celebration of our 5th birthday!  Buy or renew a one year momstown membership and get a one year Today's Parent subscription as a bonus!

Here's what some of our members have to say:

"Joining momstown Oakville was the best decision I have made since becoming a mom. It was given me new friends, fun activities to do with my children, and provides a wonderful opportunity to share challenges and ideas with other moms. I also like that I that I can communicate with other moms on the momstown Oakville message board at all hours of the day. I have found it to be very informative, and it offers a great way for moms to support each other with some of the challenges that comes with raising children. I am very thankful for momstown Oakville and all the wonderful people who are in it with me." - Michelle

"I joined momstown Oakville looking for quality programming for my children. What I found was far greater - momstown fosters an atmosphere of warmth and inclusion which has created a group of friends for me and for my children to learn and grow with. I have no doubt that the experiences my children and I share with our momstown friends will stay with us for years to come. And we have a lot of fun doing it!" - Melissa

"Recently moving here for my husband's job without having any friends or family in the area, I am SO happy I heard about and joined momstown Oakville.  It was such an easy way to meet local moms, make some friends (for me and my baby), find out about all the kid programs around town, and at the same time feel like part of the community right away.  As a bonus, a lot of the activities center around developmental skills for the kids.  As a first time stay at home mom, the events we attend take a little pressure off of me to organize all these developmental activities for myself at home with the baby (fingerpainting, swimming, organized song and dance, crafts, etc. )...instead I just show up and have a great time with my kid and our new friends while someone else does the planning and set up.  It's awesome!  This is all in addition to wealth of info I'm exposed to with all the more experienced moms I get to interact with everyday.  I would recommend momstown to every mom!" - Jody

It's easy to join us.  Sign up for your free 4 week trial today.  You can also come to our 5th birthday party on August 14th and sign up for a trial membership at the event.

Hey Oakville Moms...Did you know?

Sometimes it's hard to explain to Oakville moms what an amazing resource momstown is.  Not because its weird or complicated or exclusive, but just because there is so much more to us than people think!  After speaking to some friends the other day, I was inspired to write the top 10 things you probably don't know about momstown.  Feel free to comment on this post and tell me what your score was...how many of these things did you already know?

Counting down (just like Dave Letterman!)...

10.  momstown is a National company with chapters in 20 different cities across the country and still growing at a rapid pace!

9.  Not only does each chapter have their own blog, but momstown.ca has four amazing blogs that are constantly updated with valuable information for you and your family.

• momstown Arts & Crafts
• momstown Meals
• momstown Minds
• momstown Moments

8.  momstown has amazing contests every month, both from the main website and at the local chapter level.  Just this month alone you can enter to win a Imaginext Mega T-Rex from Fisher Price, a gardener's dream gift basket, a healthy happy baby package, a Men's care package from Dove, an Earth Day prize pack and a $100 Indigo gift card.

7.  momstown is going to be 5 years old in August! Stay tuned for details about our birthday party!

6. momstown founder, Ann-Marie Burton, is a Wilfrid Laurier University Alumnus.  I know, I know, this isn't really a momstown fact, but I am a Golden Hawk alumnus too so I thought I'd just throw it in here.

5. momstown has a teacher developed curriculum that is woven into our programs and events.  We have 6 program pillars that guide our programming.  We have a focus on early education and early literacy.

4. momstown was recently part of an independent research study by the University of Waterloo.  Their findings were overwhelmingly positive and specifically point out how momstown's unique model of online and in person support was key in helping the mental health of mothers.

3. We provide a wealth of information every month to our newsletter subscribers, the open rate of our newsletter is on average 20% higher than industry average.  We have good stuff to share, we promise!

2. Although there is a $45 annual fee to join a momstown chapter, once most people discover what is offered through momstown, they can't believe that it is ONLY $45 a year. 

And #1....drum roll please....

1.  All chapters offer a FREE trial period so you can try before you buy.

Whether your are soon to be a new mom, a mom with a new baby, or have a toddler, preschooler and/or a baby  in tow, we have got programs and support for you.  Come and join us for a free trial and see why momstown is more than moms just getting together.

I look forward to seeing you at one of our programs or events soon! 

The Hunt!

We had beautiful weather for our Easter Egg hunt this morning and 60 eager little ones ready to find all the Easter bunny's hiding spots.  The park was covered in pink, white, green, purple, yellow, orange and blue eggs!  The older kids had fun rooting through the bushes to find their eggs.

Our hunters were of all ages, from a few weeks old to 9 years old - its a great event for the whole family.  We loved seeing all the Easter baskets and bunny ears!

After they collected their eggs, the hunters traded them in for a loot bag and a chance to win our Easter Raffle prize.  Congratulations to Laura, our raffle prize winner!

If you missed our Easter Egg Hunt this year, be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you learn about what other great events we have coming up.  We offer a FREE four week trial, so there is no reason not to join today and see why momstown is more than moms just getting together.

momstown Oakville: What's for Dinner?

I seem to always be wondering what to cook! I also seem to constantly be struggling with my 5pm chaos! Kids are hungry, and tired from a busy day, and I'm trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I have done well with meal planning, so i usually have what I need on hand. I do struggle often with the meal preparation.
Momstown has helped me solve this problem, and I still feel like I'm feeding my family a healthly meal! We hosted our first BIG COOK! What a successful event. We had a great turnout, and so many awesome meals. Each member who participated brought 3 freezer meals - all prepped and ready to go. Everyone went home with 3 great meals for the freezer. All we have to do is defrost and put the meal into the slow cooker or oven! So easy! I can't wait until the next Big Cook!
Here's a few of our prepped meals, all ready to go!

This has been a popular event across many momstown chapters - there are also some great recipe ideas on momstown meals. Check out some of their blogs, for some great ideas - Burlington, Edmonton, and so many more!
Interested in joining us for the next Big Cook, or learning more about our events? Join us for a free trial membership.

My Senses!

"My Senses" was the theme this month for our momstown educational curriculum. What a great theme to get the kids involved in fun and learning! We explored so many different ways this month through crafts, Junior Chef, snack, and today at our event at The Little Gym, we explored with playdough!



For some of our younger kids, this was their first experience, and they had a great time.


We also brought along our usual fisher-price toys for everyone to share and enjoy.


This event is a great opportunity for the kids to explore, and learn to socialize with others. It's also a perfect opportunity for our moms to catch up with each other, and get to know one another. We will be learning about "our senses" at our events, until the end of March - we hope you'll join us. For a free 4 week trial, register with momstown Oakville.

A Porcupine In A Pine Tree!

Our Scholastic book this month was a funny holiday twist on the classic "12 days of christmas" - with a Canadian theme! A Porcupine In A Pine Tree. This book was a hit! Kids were giggling and laughing as we went through the 12 days of Christmas from beaver tails to Stanley cups, this book is a perfect addition to your holiday collection.


This book is donated by Scholastic Canada and after we read the book, one lucky member gets to take it home to keep and enjoy with their family.


I love reading with my kids, and Christmas is no exception! We have an extensive library of holiday books that we pull out in November, and enjoy all season long. If you are looking for great books to read with your kids over the holidays, don't forget to check out momstown book reviews, winter wonderland collection, Hanukkah books, and our Top 5 Reindeer books! Momstown has some great suggestions for keeping literacy in the holidays!

Crafty Kids and Christmas Fun!

Our momstown playgroup at The Little Gym was in full holiday spirit this week!
We had a great group of moms and kids take some time to relax, play, and enjoy the holiday crafts (and snacks too!).







We made "r" is for reindeer crafts, and some of our littlest participants substituted their "r" for hand print antlers. It made a great keepsake for "baby's first christmas".
We chatted about our holiday chaos, and what we bought our hubby's for under the tree. Everyone left a little more relaxed, and the kids had a great time!


Looking to get out and meet some new people? We have a new member meet up at the Little Gym every month! Sign up for a 2 week free trial with momstown to find out what the fun is all about. For details about this craft, or other easy holiday crafts you can do at home with your kids, check out momstown arts & crafts.

Junior Chef: Snowflakes and Snowballs!

It wasn't snowing outside today, but we sure had a fun winter party inside! Our junior chef program today was all about winter and snow! We made snowballs and snowflakes and the kids had a great time!


Our youngest chef was too small to take a turn to stir, but he was so happy watching all the "big" kids creating with food! He also enjoyed the occasional taste.


Our snowflakes were made from tortillas! Just like you make a paper snowflake, we folded and cut the tortillas, and when we opened them, each snowflake was unique!



Everyone enjoyed tasting our treats! There weren't too many snowballs left to take home.



Junior chef isn't complete without our circle time by Sherri from "Circle Time Parties".
We sang about snow, dressed in hats and mitts, and even did the snowman Hokey Pokey!



Thanks Sherri from Circle Time Parties for hosting another great momstown Oakville event. Next month we are diving in christmas with gingerbread houses! If you'd like to see what the fun is all about, join us for a free 2 week trial.

Momstown Conference 2011: We have an amazing year ahead!

Our momstown leadership team met last weekend for our semi annual momstown national conference. What a team we have! It was my first opportunity to meet some of the leadership team members and i have to say that i was truly impressed by each and every one of them. Each team member comes from a very diverse background, and brings different interests and skills to the group. With all of us combined as a team, we are an incredible force!


Although we would have enjoyed socializing all weekend, we really had to get to work, as we had 3 days packed with informative workshops and brainstorming sessions. We met at the offices of Jan Kelly Marketing in Burlington where they had an incredible space for us to use. We attended workshops lead by Jan Kelly Marketing, Allison Burke of Impressions Public Relations and seminars on blogging and marketing.


I am the type of person who needs to constantly be learning new things, and thinking about what's next. This entire weekend was perfect for me! There was so much information, brainstorming and excitement i was totally exhausted by bed time, but couldn't sleep as my brain wouldn't turn off!!


After our workshops, brainstorming and planning sessions we had a day planned to meet with momstown strategic partners. We spent time with Kid's CBC at their offices in Toronto. We then headed out to Fisher-Price offices to learn about their organization, and their exciting plans for 2012!


I left this conference so inspired by everyone I work with here at momstown. I am also so motivated to make momstown Oakville the best that it can be! We have some great events and contests planned for 2012, and i'm so grateful to be part of such an amazing organization of incredible leaders.


If you are already a member, you will be excited to see what we have planned for 2012! The events, contests, and information that momstown has to share will make for an exciting year. If you aren't already part of the fun, why not join us for a free 2 week trial! Momstown has so much to offer!

Fisher-Price LOVE U Zoo Musical Activity Gym

Cole is our 3rd baby in 4.5 years so needless to say he doesn't get too many new things! We were all very excited when we found out he would be testing the Love U Zoo Musical Activity Gym. He would get to be the first one to try this out!
Well, it arrived just in time! Cole had been teething for 2 miserable days. I tried everything. Then, the Love U Zoo Musical Activity Gym arrived.
Just the distraction Cole needed. To start with, this activity mat was so easy to put together. With the eager help of a 2 and 4 year old we had the mat assembled in minutes. Cole loved it! He was rolling from side to side, exploring the toys. He was rolling the ball under the elephant and pulling on the monkeys.
We placed the mirror so that he was smiling at himself everytime he rolled to his tummy (checking out his 2 new teeth!). At one point his arms and legs were going at the same time as he kicked and pulled the toys.
This was exactly what my fussy 6 month old needed. He seemed to be having so much fun he forgot about the teething pain. Coles excitement for this activity mat didn't change. Every day he enjoys rolling around, playing with toys.
His 2 sisters just love laying on the floor interacting with him. They move the toys around to keep him busy exploring and play "teacher" telling him about all the animals on the mat.
What a great new toy to keep my little guy busy for the next few months.

Happy Father's Day

Our momstown Oakville playgroup had a great time at The Little Gym this week. We made father's day cards, and the dad's are going to LOVE these ones.










They are BIG to give our kids lots of room to create, add pictures, draw something, and cover the card with LOVE.

We added handprint and footprints to the cards to personalize them. The kids really enjoyed making their card special for dad.

In keeping with our construction theme, the kids got to work building towers when they were done the craft.

We also featured out scholastic book at this event. All the kids really enjoyed reading and getting involved in our book this month.
Congratulations to Sherri the winner of our first scholastic book giveaway! Momstown Oakville will be reading and giving away one scholastic book every month.
Want more great craft ideas Dad will love? Check out our arts and crafts blog.
Want to join us next time at The Little Gym? Register for your 2 week trial at momstown Oakville.

Win $5000 Family Vacation from Rice Krispies!

We know you like cereal - we ate a lot of it at our momstown Oakville Breakfast Club! You will love this creative contest (and chance to win a $5000 Family Vacation!!)

If you can imagine it, you can make it with Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal. Get creative with your kids and make a spring inspired treat using Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal and a sprinkle of imagination.

Submit a photo of your creation at www.ricekrispies.ca to enter the contest.

Don't worry if you're not a pro, they're looking for colourful, creative and fun treats that are perfect for making with a little helper.

There are lots of prizes including a Grand Prize of a $5,000 family getaway to the destination of your choice! The first 25 entries get a Rice Krispies prize pack.

momstown is heading to OPRAH!

Did you hear the incredible news???

momstown has been invited by the new Oprah Winfrey Network to be part of a brand new reality TV show on mom groups!!! Isn't that awesome? We'd like to invite you to join us!!



Oh, wait... it's April 1st. APRIL FOOLS! :-)