Thankful in December

For us Canadians, our Thanksgiving is long over once December rolls around on our calendar. But the American Thanksgiving last week has me thinking about being thankful.

December is a busy time, especially for parents of young children. There are parties and concerts and lots of shopping to be done so it's often a stressful time trying to get to everything and do everything that needs to be done during the holidays.

Today, I am reminding myself that even in all the rush leading up to Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) it doesn't have to bring out the Grinch in you. After a particularly crazy week of juggling work and childrens' activities, this weekend I am going to focus on being thankful for:

1. Concerts - Instead of fussing over clothes and hair, I am going to be thankful for the music and smiles that I see on the stage at the school concert. This is the time for our children to shine, even the shy ones who need a bit more support. I'm going to listen, really listen and smile back at the beautiful, innocent and often toothless smiles I see at our concert.

2. Parties - I often worry about what to wear, what to bring, how the children will behave... and I'll probably still do that but I also will be thankful that we have friends and family who invite us into their homes and who want to be around us and celebrate. Instead of looking at the calendar and getting overwhelmed at all of the commitments we have in the coming weeks, I'm going to see these events as opportunities to catch up on the lives of friends and family and share our stories with them.

3. Shopping - This one is a bit tougher... although the stores can be crazy and I stress about finding THE perfect gift, this year I'm going to try to cross items off my list and be thankful that I have a lot of people for whom I buy presents. This means that I have lots of people to love and who love me too.

I am also thankful for the amazing blogging community that I am part of and the fabulous content that is created online to help us all thrive during the holidays. Here are some helpful Tips to Survive a Visit with Santa in the Mall and 20 Ways to Celebrate Christmas Eve with Your Kids.

One more thing, I'm going to be thankful when I remember to move our Elf on the Shelf!! Sometimes it's the little things that make you most thankful!

What are you thankful for the Christmas? Let me know.

Smore Martini Recipe - A Little Treat for Moms (and Dads)

Sometimes Moms like a little sip of something sweet over the holidays especially if they are missing the lazy days of summer and cozy campfires. If that sounds like you or someone you love, check out this delicious recipe for a Smore Martini:

Smore Martini
Per Serving:
2 oz. Marshmallow Vodka
1 oz. Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz. Creme de Cacao
1 oz. Chocolate, melted
1 Graham Cracker
3 mini marshmallows

Crush the graham cracker into a shallow bowl. Place the chocolate into a second shallow bowl and microwave until melted. Dip the rim of the martini glass in the chocolate and then the graham cracker pieces. Refrigerate for a few minutes to set. Add the Marshmallow Vodka, Chocolate Liqueur, Creme de Cacao and cream to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, shake well and pour into prepared glass. Spear the mini marshmallows onto a skewer or long fork and hold over a flame until the ends get toasted. Thread them onto a cocktail pick and garnish the drink.

Cheers! Borrowed from my talented friends at Flavor.

Our Favourite Holiday Tradition is Back

December has finally arrived! That means one of our favourite family traditions has started again for this year. Our Elf on the Shelf is back for another holiday season. Meet Henry:

 

Henry has been part of our family since 2009. Elves on the Shelf come to your home to check on kids on behalf of Santa. Every night, the elves fly back to the North Pole to report to the big guy. Each morning, Henry and his elf friends can be found in some new creative position sometimes creating havoc while we sleep. For the most part, Henry is a good elf but every now and then he gets into some trouble.

My girls love Henry and get up and excitedly search for him every morning. They anticipate his arrival every year and (im)patiently countdown to December 1st. This year, we decided to surprise Henry and introduce him to our new elf, Holly, and I think Henry is in love.

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf or another tradition (old or new) that you enjoy sharing with your family in December?

Shopping Local and Supporting Moms

This weekend, the East Coast Momma Collective is hosting the second annual Holiday Fair, November 23rd & 24th. More than 80 talented and creative women will be selling their creations at the Fair so make sure you get there early so you don't miss a single item.

The East Coast Momma Collective (ECMC) is a coming together of Atlantic Canadian Moms who love to knit, sew, bake, decorate… create! The ECMC hosts two Fairs a year in Halifax, NS, so these talented Moms can sell their unique products in a market-like setting, giving you the chance to buy one-of-a-kind, locally made gifts and connect with local Mom-run businesses.

Chronicle Herald Holiday Parade of Lights in Downtown Halifax - This Saturday!

It’s that time of year again, time to kick off the Holiday Season. One of my family’s favourite ways to celebrate the start of Holiday season is to attend the Chronicle Herald Holiday Parade of Lights in Downtown Halifax. 

Close to 100,000 spectators will line the streets of Downtown Halifax for the Parade of Lights, presented by Eastlink and Downtown Halifax Business Commission, on Saturday, November 16, beginning at 6:00 pm.

The Parade begins on Upper Water Street at Cornwallis Street, continues over the Barrington Street overpass onto Barrington Street and turns right onto Spring Garden Road. It then turns left on South Park and then right onto University Avenue, concluding at the corner of University Avenue and Robie Street.

The Parade is a community event, which also serves as an integral fundraiser for local, non-profit organizations. Spectators of all ages line the streets donating new, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items along the Parade route. The Chronicle Herald and Scotiabank will be selling blinking, red noses at the parade in support of the National Sport Trust Fund, which helps the development of amateur Nova Scotia athletes compete nationally. Canada Post will also be picking up letters to Santa.

So bundle up and make your way to downtown early on Saturday to get a great seat to watch all the magic unfold. VISIT THE OFFICIAL 18TH ANNUAL CHRONICLE HERALD HOLIDAY PARADE OF LIGHTS WEBSITE FOR ALL THE DETAILS.

momstown Halifax entrepreneur wanted!

Dora is coming to Canada! She will help find the Missing Teddy Bear!

It’s Dora the Explorer! We are so very excited to welcome the adventurous little heroine starring in Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys! to Canada.

Visit www.DoraLiveCanada.com for a list of tour dates and ticket information.

The folks at Koba Entertainment want to do something special for you, our momstown readers. Use the exclusive code below to buy tickets in advance for a show nearest you! This code will be active between June 4 at 11AM EST and June 6 at 11PM EST. General on sale begins June 7 at 11AM EST.

Presale Code: EXPLORES

Day 3: Help Find Koba's Missing Teddy Bear

Welcome to momstown Halifax and congratulations- you have found 1 of three letter tiles today!

If you haven’t collected today’s three letter tiles, please return to the Koba Entertainment’s Facebook page to continue your search through the blogs.

Eastern Canada is very excited about welcoming Koba Entertainment’s mysterious guest to our region and we think you will be just as excited as us.


Make sure to check back in today with Koba Entertainment’s Facebook page at 11am EST for instructions on how to unscramble all the clues you have collected over the last three days!

Maple Syrup Festivals in Nova Scotia

It's Maple Syrup Season!!

Maple syrup is a regular flavour in our house, My kids adore pancakes and waffles with maple syrup, they even like to eat dinner sausages dipped in syrup too. I often get cuddles with a sweet and sticky maple child. 

Maple Syrup season is a great time to take a family field trip! Get out to see the sap running and celebrate at local a Maple Syrup Festival like the Dean Maple Syrup Festival.

In early spring, sap from sugar maples is collected and boiled down in sugar shacks to produce maple syrup and other delicious maple products.

Annually, promoters and organizers of the Dean Maple Syrup Festival offer tours through the woods to witness first-hand the process involved making maple syrup. After, visitors can enjoy home cooked meals while listening to some of the Valley’s finest musicians perform popular Down East ol’ time favourites.

That sounds like a fabulous day of Science, Music and Outdoor fun mixed together! What a great family field trip!

4 quick tips to make you a maple syrup expert so you can wow your kids with facts:

1.) It takes 40L of sap to make 1L of syrup (wow!)

2) 70 maple producers in Nova Scotia with over 300,000 taps! This creates 170,000 litres of maple syrup

3) Sap flowing in high volumes is called a “run” (and you thought the word only applied to toddlers and marathoners!)

4) Maple syrup is ten million times better than sugar in coffee (seriously, you need to try it and that is my official percentage)

momstown's favourite recipes that go well with Maple Syrup:

How to Make Snow Taffy at Home
Silly Snacks: Wacky Waffles
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with Maple Butter
Maple Glazed Squash & Green Beans
Maple & Spice Biscotti

How to Host an Easter Egg Hunt for Kids

How to host an Easter Egg Party? Planning a neighbourhood or small family Easter Egg hunt is easy with out quick 4 steps.  It all starts with fun, and momstown has serious experience on the Easter egg hunt front. Let us tell you, momstown knows how to host a neighbourhood Easter egg hunt that’s fun for everyone. Our annual Easter egg hunt is something that our members look forward to year after year.

This is what you think your Easter Hunt will look like...

This is what it will really look like (still FUN, maybe not so fussy)

Step 1: As organizer, purchase a million multi-coloured reusable eggs.

Take an educated guess about the number of kids that you are expecting, and ensure that you will have at least six eggs per child. Don’t worry about stuffing them with anything, parents are particular about what their children eat...and stuffing them takes forever!

After the kids collect the eggs, have them redeem them at a prize table. They can swap their eggs for a choice of inexpensive spring gifts, like bubbles, skipping ropes, bouncy balls, and sidewalk chalk. The organizer can keep all the eggs until next year, so the only cost, really, is the prize table each year.

Step 2: Assign each age group a colour (or colours).

This will keep the crying of younger kids and the overflowing baskets of older kids down. If only the two-year-olds collect the yellow eggs, and the five-year-olds pink eggs, things will be much smoother. Just ensure that you have enough colours per age group. This trick is also a great tip for keeping the peace in your own family egg hunt.

Step 3: Mud clothes for everyone.

As the saying goes: there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing. Fussy Easter clothes are for inside and calm non-messy activities. A fun Easter egg hunt is neither of those. Bring out the splash pants, rubber boots and washable coats. Or some years, like this year with an early Easter, snowsuits are needed. That goes for parents too! You will have way more fun if you’re not worrying about getting dirty.

Step 4: Every kid needs a basket.

Not a bag, but a basket. Why? Well, that’s just the tradition, and it’s not Halloween with a bag of candy. The eggs are supposed to bounce out when the kids run-it’s part of the memory! Silly bunny ears and drawn-on whiskers do make the pictures cuter, too!

Attention Running Moms: Blue Nose Marathon May 19, 2013

Almost 10 years ago, pre-kids, my husband and I were runners. Well, I was a newbie runner with the Running Room and he was training for his first marathon to celebrate his 30th birthday. He signed up for the Blue Nose Marathon in Halifax - what an experience!

The race heads all over the Halifax region and tours many neighbourhoods. The year we were in town, 2004, it rained the entire time. Cold spring rain. Not the best way to see to Halifax but certainly a real way.

Now it's the 10th Annual Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, the biggest annual race weekend in Atlantic Canada and they are both calling for runners and looking for volunteers to help.

momstown loves to connect moms - that's what we do! Our Fitness and Adventure program pillar focuses not just on  child fitness but also mama's. In many chapters we host a Mama Run program to encourage moms to start running, or even Mamas in Motion to help train for races and keep the group fit. This year many chapters like momstown Oakville  have launched Fitness Challenges which find our members in active spots each week like Spinning classes, Zumba dancing or Run clubs.

Our owners of momstown Edmonton have signed up for the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 5th. They are training for the half-marathon  with 12 other momstown moms to raise money for a the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They've been running in extreme temperatures all winter to be ready for the spring. Much like those training for the Blue Nose Marathon this spring.

Feeling inspired?


Online registration info can be found here  for the Halifax Blue Nose Marathon.