Boys and Girls Learn Differently Seminar

As a mom of different gender kids, I am very interested in this free parenting seminar hosted by the Oakville Parent Education Network and thought momstown should pass along.

Boys and Girls Learn Differently Seminar

The Oakville Parent Education Network Invites you to attend the following event about how gender differences influence learning and behaviour.

• Wednesday, January 25, 2012
• 7 – 9 p.m.
• Holy Trinity Secondary School
  2420 Sixth Line, Oakville view map
• Free Admission!

Boys’ and girls’ brains develop and operate very differently, and understanding the implications of what that means will help both teachers and parents. You'll learn strategies to raise and teach either gender to help them succeed in school and in life.

Guest Speaker: Michael Reist is a teacher with over 30 years of experience in the classroom. He is a frequent speaker to parent groups and education conferences across Canada where his workshops on gender differences and learning have drawn large crowds and enthusiastic responses. Michael’s work has been featured on CBC, TV Ontario, Today’s Parent Magazine, The National Post and the Toronto Star. Michael is the author of the forthcoming book Raising Boys In A New Kind Of World. His first book was entitled The Dysfunctional School: Uncomfortable Truths and Awkward Insights on School, Learning and Teaching. He has published over 70 articles on topics ranging from education, spirituality and parenting to movies, books and popular culture.


To RSVP

• Online
• Call 905-825-6000
• E-mail accesshalton@halton.ca

Holiday Shopping & Swarovski Sparkle at the Eaton Centre

We love Oakville and we know you do too. But - have you ever planning a day trip into the big city to celebrate the holidays with your kids?

Why not jump on the GO train one weekend this season, check out the holiday windows and lights, plan a trip to the Eaton Centre, and perhaps the Nutcracker ballet?

Each Saturday from November 19 to December 10, Swarovski is hosting the Stars for Wishes Workshop at the Toronto Eaton Centre! There will be glitter and sparkle and do-it-yourself ornaments the kids get to take home in addition to contributing to a great cause and holiday memory.

Best of all, proceeds go to the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. So you’re not only getting creative with your kids, but it’s for a good cause! Ornament kits are $20 each.

To register and purchase your kit, visit the Swarovski Gallery Store at the Toronto Eaton Centre or call 647-439-8584.

Swarovski Stars for Wishes Workshop
Where: Toronto Eaton Centre (In front of the Swarovski Crystal Wish Tree)
When: November 19, 26 and December 3, 10th from 10 am to 12 pm

Make this even better? Are you a YummyMummyClub fan? Each Saturday one of Erica Ehm's bloggers will be there crafting away with you and your kids - join in for a photo op and chat with other mummies!

Guess what? 3 outta 4 weeks the YMC mummies who are there are Oakville moms too! What a small world - travel downtown to mingle with other local moms in an event that's beyond your average Saturday!

November 19 - Caroline Fernandez, Activity Mummy
November 26 - Sarah Gunn, Wall Candy
December 3 - Lisa Thornbury, Party Mummy
December 10 - Sharon DeVellis, Inside Scoop & YMC Editor-in-Chief

Check out this great video about why you should head down!

Oakville Santa Claus Parade

It's tomorrow!!! The man in red is getting his suit tidied up and his float in pristine shape.

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 19th is the Oakville Santa Claus Parade! 9am on Lakeshore, rain or shine. Join other Oakville families to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season and enjoy the songs, clowns and activities of the parade.


You can find your way around with the parade route here:


Santa Claus Parade 2009 - momstown handed out momstown balloons!
Santa Claus Parade 2008 - momstown Oakville was announcing our launch (in the rain!)

Halloween: momstown on Live TV and Tots on Parade

The countdown for Halloween is ON!

momstown Oakville is excited to be featured on CHCH Morning Live on Hallowe'en morning. We'll be at Little Rascals Indoor Playground starting at the wee early hours to talk about Halloween crafts and activites. Then starting at 7:30AM (we know, it's EARLY!) our members will be arriving with their kids in costume for play, fun and crafts with us and Lori from CHCH until 9am.

If you can't make it, please tune in to Morning Live between 6-9am on Monday, October 31st.



Then our costumed crowd will be heading down to downtown Oakville for their annual "Tots on Parade' event. momstown loves this event and has been going for years! It's a perfect chance to trick or treat in the daytime when our kids are fresh and excited. All the shops along Lakeshore will be shelling out.

Don't forget your camera as there will lots of kiddies in costumes. And yes, LOTS. Prep for a crowd! The event kicks off at 10am at the Towne Square and ends around noon. momstown will be gathering in the Towne Square at the bottom of the big stairs.

See you there!

6 Halton Thanksgiving weekend activities

What to do this Thanksgiving weekend - you mean besides roasting a giant bird in the oven?

Looks like Halton is blessed with a stunning sunny weekend perfect for exploring the joys of our area.

Fall Fairs!
Rockton World's Fair is a big deal full weekend fall fair just down the highway. The schedule looks packed and fun for all ages!

Apple & Pumpkin Picking
Chudleigh's and Frootogo are fabulous places to visit for apples. momstown Oakville has picked pumpkins at Parkside Farms as well in Waterdown.

Harvest celebrations
We've been celebrating harvest in momstown this month but for more family fun try Springridge's Harvest Festival.

Take a Hike!
Our Halton conservation areas supply endless fun, beautiful trials for hiking or biking and discovering!

Turkey Run!
There's a fun "Turkey" 5km adult run, 1km or 300m run for little guys, at Heritage Square on Thanksgiving Monday.

Craft Away!
Of course, momstown will always encourage you to pull out the craft supplies - we have oodles of craft activities for Thanksgiving, fall or even Halloween on our site!

Visit momstown at Oakville Mom trade shows this weekend!

What a busy weekend is lined up for momstown Oakville! Two trade shows back to back all geared for moms and mompreneurs - fun and exciting!

We hope you will join us and seek us out and all the other terrific vendors.

Family Birth and Baby Show
Saturday, September 24, 1-5pm
St Paul's United Church, Rebecca St, Oakville (just east of 4th line)
Bring a food drive donation and get in for free.

What to expect at the show?

• How to enjoy your pregnancy, birth and postpartum periods
• Interactive Salsa Babies demonstration*
• 10 amazing tips that every new parent should know about how to ensure optimal neurological development for your children
• Car seat safety and installation**
• Family nutrition
• 7 Steps to Slumber: Sleep Expectations and Solutions for Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Where does Dad fit into the breastfeeding relationship
• Babywearing 101

momstown's founder Ann-Marie Burton is included in the line-up of speakers Most of all she'll be giving tips on how to get involved with your child in town and meet other mothers.

On Sunday, momstown will be at the Oakville Mompreneur Showcase
Sunday, September 25th 11am-5pm
Oakville Conference Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Rd, Oakville

This event is a celebration of mompreneurs and an opportunity for people to shop and learn about the many local mompreneur businesses in our Oakville community.

momstown is a HUGE supporter and mentor of mompreneurs and consider ourselves ones as well. was named of the Top 50 Canadian Mompreneurs by MOMpreneur Magazine in 2010 and recently voted one of 2011's top 10 Finalists in the Mom Entreprener of the Year Award by SavvyMom.ca.

Kelloggs Breakfast in the Park

momstown Oakville and Kellogg's is hosting a breakfast in the park, and you won't want to miss the fun!
We are serving up breakfast for moms and the kids at Coronation Park. We'll have loads of great Kellogg's cereals for you and your kids to try - you never know, you might find a new favorite! We'll have coffee and tea, fruit and yogurt. You'll have lots of energy when it's all over to run and play!


We have a great prize pack to give away, and lots of great information for moms!
We have goody bags stuffed with great things for the first 25 families who sign up.

While we eat, we'll be discussing:

• How to make your morning routine easier.
• Tips for dealing with fussy eaters.
• The nutrition and value of serving cereal to your family in the morning.

We'd love to get you involved in the discussion!
For more info about this great event, contact sarah.mclaughlin@momstown.ca

momstown Halton Mom to Mom Sales

Love a good deal? Mom-to-mom Sales are a fabulous place to pick up gently used children's toys, clothes and baby equipment.

In our Halton momstown neighbourhood, our momstown sister chapters, momstown Milton and momstown Burlington are hosting their own mom-to-mom sales this fall. Both very popular sales with tons of sellers, shoppers and oodles of goodies at awesome prices.

Our fall sales will have fall & winter clothes, winter coats/snowsuits and even Hallowe'en costumes for children aged 0-6 years old. Arrive early for the best variety and / or shop late for the best deals!

Saturday, September 17th -- momstown Burlington MOM TO MOM SALE

* NEW Location * Angelic Treasures at 2054 Mountainside Dr, Burlington.
8:30 - 11:30am

We will have boys and girls clothing, as well as toys and accessories from high chairs to strollers and last year, we even had a bed! Make sure to get there early, as our best items sell quickly and we will only have goodie bags for the first 200 people to enter the sale!

The sale is open to everyone, and there is a $2 charge for those who are not momstown members

The sale is cash only and no strollers are allowed into the sale.

As always, our famous 1/2 price sale will take place from 11:00-11:30!

If you are looking to sell your gently used items at the sale, please email info.burlington@momstown.ca

If you are looking to put something into our goody bags and/or want to have a door prize at our sale, please contact info.burlington@momstown.ca for more information and pricing!

Sunday, October 2nd - momstown Milton's MOM TO MOM SALE
* NEW location * Cirque du Play 525 Main Street East, Milton
8am - 11am

It's the sale we all wait for!! Our momstown mom to mom sale where moms sell their gently used kids items at a great price, and you get to stock up your kids closets and toy chests without hurting your wallet ;-)

looking to sell? email sam.kassam@momstown.ca for details

Local business? Get in on our welcome bags to advertise. Contact sam.kassam@momstown.ca

CASH only

FREE admission for members

$2 Admission for non-members

WIN Backyardigans tickets!

Wanna WIN tickets to the Backyardigans LIVE show in Hamilton on Oct 20th?

All you need to do is visit the momstown Oakville Facebook Page and post a picture or comment of your kids loving Backyardigans. A picture of them dancing to their songs or telling you why they are their #1 fan.

Then come on back HERE and leave a COMMENT (this is your official ballot) and let me know you did so (please leave your Facebook name as well so we can easily find you)!

At the end of Monday the 5th we pick a winner between momstown Oakville & momstown Burlington.

Make sure you go check out the Koba Entertainment Facebook page and follow them on Twitter as well!

Win Toopy & Binoo Tickets!

Do your kids love Toopy & Binoo? Mine do!

Great news! momstown Burlington and momstown Oakville are about to reward one of you with Free Tickets to their upcoming show on September 25th at Hamilton Place Theatre!

Check out www.ToopyAndBinooOnTour.com for more details on the Show!
Of course I am sure what you really want to know is how do you win those tickets!

All you need to do is visit the momstown Oakville Facebook Page and post a picture of your kids loving Toopy and Binoo. A picture of them dancing to their songs or telling you why they are their #1 fan.

Then come on back here and let me know you did so (please leave your Facebook name as well so we can easily find you)!

At the end of the day we will choose one lucky winner!

Make sure you go check out the Koba Entertainment Facebook page and follow them on Twitter as well!

Junior Chef: Sail Away to Snack Time!

Sail away to snack time was a huge success today, and our momstown Oakville junior chefs had a blast!
This momstown event is open to all members, and hosted by Sherri from Circle Time Parties!

We had an awesome group out this morning, to our event. I just love that the older kids are so willing to jump in and help a younger one.

We started out with some arts and crafts as each child had to colour and decorate the sails for their boats. They cut out the triangle shapes, and glued them together.




We then put together our apple sail boats, and added a few sailors (raisins and peppers).
Egg boats were next on the list, and our hand crafted sails were the finishing touch.




Kids had a snack, and polished off their sailboats, while they did another traffic light craft, then off to circle time.

Sherri put together a great collection of songs and got all the kids moving around! We finished off with a story, and it was time to go.

Next month we are making edible sand castles! I saw some little ones looking at the pictures of the upcoming junior chef that Sherri has on display. I know they don't want to miss out!

This is a great program for any kids ages 2-6. Babies are always welcome, and playmats and toys are out to keep them occupied.
If your interested in joining us, contact Sarah. I will set you up with a free trial membership - and you can come out to see what the fun is all about!
For more pictures of the fun we had, check out our momstown Oakville facebook fanpage

Oakville Mompreneur Showcase

The Oakville Mompreneur Showcase is coming to Oakville September 25th. It was created to help small business owners get the word out to the community about their unique and flourishing businesses. Multi-tasking is a way of life when one becomes a parent, but Mompreneurs take it to a whole new level!

The Oakville Mompreneurs Group and The Oakville Mompreneurs Showcase both have one main goal: to exhibit the creative talents of Oakville's local mom-businesses!
In doing so collectively, it is our hope that the community will get an informed glimpse of how everyday women are making a difference for their communities, for their families, and for themselves!



So many reasons to attend this great showcase!

Support your local community. Oakville is such an incredible community. Why not come out and support the mompreneurs who work within the Oakville community, call this wonderful town home, and raise their children here. What better way to show your support for your community than to attend, you won't be disappointed.

Are you thinking of becoming a mompreneur? check out the showcase and see how you can get exposure, network and build a business. This is an important step when deciding to become a mompreneur. You'll see so many businesses in action at the showcase. It will be motivating to see how many successful mompreneurs are within your community. I also find it uplifting to see all the support of the mompreneurs of Oakville coming together for this showcase to demonstrate to Oakville what we are all about.

You don't want to hear it! but, christmas is just around the corner....yes it's true. Some of these vendors have incredible products that would make a great christmas gift for mom or baby, even family gifts, and something for grandparents too! Don't miss the opportunity. You will get ahead of the christmas rush. You'll find gifts that you don't find at the mall, something special and unique.

Momstown will be at this showcase, stop by to visit and have a chat about our upcoming events. Our fall calendar will be finalized and i'll have lots of news about new and exciting events coming up! Not a member? I will set you up with a free trial membership so you can see what all the fun is about!

Don't forget to enter the Oakvillle Mompreneur Showcase prize draw! There are loads of great prizes to be won,including a 1 year membership to momstown!

Be sure to follow and "like" both momstown Oakville and the Oakville Mompreneur Showcase on facebook. There will be lots of info on both pages in the weeks building up to the showcase.

So join us, you will be amazed at the talents that lay within your community, and the work and effort these mompreneurs have put into turning passions into reality.
Please bring a non-preishable food item to donate at the door in lieu of an entry fee.

Burlington Children's Festival on the Waterfront

In Oakville we're so lucky to have such great public events both in Oakville and in surrounding areas. Just next door in Burlington is the Children's Festival this weekend - an incredible spot to spend the day with your kids!

momstown Burlington is a sponsor of the event so make sure to pop over and do a craft with Lisa's team at Spencer Smith Park.

This is the 20th Year of the Festival that's all about kids having FREE fun - this year pirate style!

For more details visit the City of Burlington website or read below:

Day Two takes place in Burlington's Spencer Smith Park. On Sunday, from 10am-4pm, the park will be overrun by pirates & princesses! Themed around pirates & princesses, children will enjoy great activities targeted to them such as:

• Live entertainment
• Play zones
• Pirate ship inflatables
• SpongeBob SquarePants™ meet & greet
• Talking parrot shows
• Kids' marketplace
• Princess & Pirate Promenade Parade*
• Crafts

FREE for families!
*Be sure to come as a pirate or princess and join in the Promenade Parade.

Day 2: Entertainment Schedule

Time	Main Stage
10:00 am - 10:15 am	TBD
10:15 am - 10:30 am	Burlington Dance Academy
10:45 am - 11:45 am	Bird Kingdom: Talking Parrot Show
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm	Puppet Tamer Pirate Tim
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm	Princess & Pirate Promenade Parade
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm	BIEBERMANIA: Justin Bieber Tribute
2:15 pm - 2:45 pm	Puppet Tamer Pirate Tim
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm	Reptile Rob: Safari Science
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm	BIEBERMANIA: Justin Bieber Tribute
Event Highlights
10:00 am- 4:00 pm	Roaming Pirates on Stilts
12:00 pm- 4:00 pm	Brilliant Balloons by Cindy
Time	Gazebo Stage
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Tutor Doctor: Spelling Bee
10:45 am - 11:15 am	Monkeynastix: Kinder Gym Demos
11:30 am - 12:00 pm	Kicks for Kids: Karate Demo
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm	Creative Edge Dance Studio
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm	Princess & Pirate Promenade Parade
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm	SpongeBob SquarePantsTM Meet & Greet

Rejoin us at 7pm with the Amazing Captain Corbin to kick off our outdoor screening of a pirate movie! Cozy up after Captain Corbin's "Boatloads of Fun" magical Pirate show in front of Open Air Projection's 25ft. outdoor screen in Spencer Smith Park. Don't forget your lawn chairs or blankets! Movie starts at 9pm - fun starts at 7pm!

Momstown Oakville Birthday Bash!

Happy Birthday Momstown Oakville!

In the week or so leading up to this event i may have made several lists, and left them laying all around the house, checked the weather network several 100 times (per day),
and ordered pizza for dinner more than twice as i lost track of time while stuffing goody bags. My husband actually asked told me the last time he saw me acting like this was
the weeks leading up to our wedding! So - you can see how excited, nervous, anxious and thrilled i was to be involved in the planning of such a great event!
On the day of the event i was beyond happy to look out my window to a beautiful sunny perfect morning! And so the day begins!




Loot bags were bursting at the seems! Filled with so many great treats for moms and kids.

Heather who is a photographer owns From the Heart Imagery and she was ready to go when the crowds arrived! She set up to take pics and from the few that i've seen, they are
incredible! Her online gallery will be posted on our facebook fanpage and momstown message boards. She has a small sample up now - i know many of you are excited to see final
pictures.

Oakville Parent Child Centre were there to set up a wonderful reading spot under the shade of a tree for moms and kids to enjoy! They also brought along 3 boxes of books for
kids to read, enjoy and take home with them! My kids picked "I Want A Dog", and we can't seem to read it enough!


Starbucks (Cornwall & Trafalgar) arrived to set up a booth and provide all the moms with coffee or cold drinks (that were kid friendly too). Thanks Starbucks! I'm sure there were a few mamas at the party who hadn't had a full nights sleep - that coffee really helped:)


TA Bounce Events arrived to set up the bouncy castle and i think they had a line up start before they decided where to set up the bouncy castle! The line up lasted all morning!
It was so much fun for all the kids!


Momstown set up our Picasso in the Park table. The longest one we've had so far! It was huge! It filled quickly, as did our clothes line, where everyone could show off
their creations! I just loved checking out all the work.


Safari Science arrived with a tortoise and a snake (gulp!). When i looked over - i was worried he was being swarmed with excited kids! They wanted to meet these creatures, ask questions, touch them and hold them! It was so great to see such interest.



Our demos began at 10:30 and kept the kids busy!
Opening the party with a fabulous circle time was Sherri from Circle Time Parties. The kids were jumping, dancing, and singing! Just getting warmed up!


Hope you are ready to move - Binu has energy! Zumba was our next demo and she really got the kids dancing and moving!




Monkeynastix was very popular! One of my kids just couldn't get enough climbing, jumping, and riding the bike!


Power Yoga Canada got the kids stretching and moving - so much fun!


And Sportball took the stage right after the rain! The kids were under the shelter for 10 minutes while it rained, but their energy levels were high, and they were ready to go! Sportball was perfect! They had the kids running, cheering, and having a great time!


We did get 10 minutes of rain, and it couldn't have been timed better. Right before the rain, Cupid's Gourmet Cupcakes arrived with our treats! Perfect. We will wait out the rain under our shelter and eat cupcakes while Ann-Marie and Ally announce the winners of our HUGE raffle! Raffle prizes were amazing! Moms were so excited to hear their names called - and every prize was great! Sylvan Learning, Kathy and Kim Originals, Circle Time Parties, Leya~Christine Linens, Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop, Clorox, Maple Leaf, Little Rascals,
Life Choices, Boston Pizza, Crockadoodle, Kellogg's, Little Tikes, Infant Organics, Longos, President's Choice, Monkeynastix! WOW!













We finished off with a very loud "Happy Birthday" Song to Momstown Oakville and a couple of parachute songs! and sent home 250 happy party-goers!








A huge thank you for attending, sponsoring, donating, and being part of our BIG day! It was truly a team effort and momstown was thrilled to be able to offer such a great
party to the community. Watch for pictures and stories as Oakville.com, The Oakville Beaver, and SNAP Oakville all attended the party and took pictures! Don't forget to
check out momstown Oakville on facebook where we are posting lots more pictures of the event.

If you are interested in being part of the day to day parties at momstown you can join us for a 4 week free trial. Check out our calendar, message board, and keep up to date
with community events. Register now, you won't want to miss out! Momstown is offering a 4 week free trial for the month of August, while we are celebrating our birthday.

Momstown Oakville was only the 2nd of 18 birthday parties that momstown is hosting across Canada. Keep checking facebook as we announce each party!

Well, i better get going, momstown's 5th birthday is only 363 days away, and there's lots of planning to do.