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Posts Tagged ‘fun stuff’

Snow Day, At Least That’s Our Excuse

Saturday, January 14th, 2012

It’s Friday. It snowed. The first real snowfall of the entire 2011/2012 season. It wasn’t a heavy snowfall but it stuck to the ground so you couldn’t see the grass. We planned on walking to school since I didn’t want to drive in the snow. That is until my husband called. I blame him for putting the idea in my head, which then lead to me casually asking the kids.

Do you want to go to school today?

Silly question right? My kids love school, as much as any child loves school, but not having to walk through the blowing snow, hanging out at home without school work, who would turn that down? So we called a Snow Day. After doing my dutiful shovelling job, the kids and I headed out into the backyard to make angels, toss handfuls of snow (since it wasn’t sticky enough to make snowballs), slide down the slide (you go like a bat out of hatis down the tube slide in snowpants), and just turning our pristine, fresh snowfall backyard into a maze of footprints, skid marks and snow piles.

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Sure, we could have gone to school, the weather wasn’t that bad. We might get a real Snow Day sometime in the future. But this year I’m living 2012 full of heart and enjoying moments for what they are. This was a fun moment and I’m glad I was in it.

Getting Ready for Monster Jam

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Oh boy my son can hardly wait! Maple Leaf Monster Jam hits Rogers Center January 21 and 22, 2012 and we’re going. monster_jam_gear_torontoWe’ve never been to a monster truck event but my two youngest did get a little taste when the official Canadian monster truck, Northern Nightmare, made it’s debut last fall. The kids can’t wait to see a full-blown, rumbling, jumping, spinning, mega-wheel show later this month.

And to make sure everyone is ready, they bought their dad earplugs for Christmas. Let the engine revving begin!

Rogers Centre Monster Jam® shows are scheduled for Saturday, January 21 at 7pm and Sunday, January 22 at 2pm. Ticket prices start at $20 for adults and $15 for Pizza Pizza kids tickets for children 12 and under, and are available at the Rogers Centre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ca, and by phone at (855) 985-5000. There are a limited number of TAP ($125) and Gold Circle ($50) seats available for both shows.  Additional fees may apply.

The Party in the Pits will be held from 3pm to 5pm on Saturday, January 21 and 11am to noon on Sunday, January 22nd. The pre-show pit party gives fans (with a show ticket) the chance to see the monster trucks up close, meet drivers, take pictures and get autographs.

Christmas Decor - Inspired by Our Members

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

I love Christmas; I think it’s my favourite time of year. I love listening the the music and watching the movies and eating the goodies, oh and decorating. I love filing the house with lights and evergreen and Santa. This year I received a little inspiration after clicking through our 3M Deck the Halls holiday decor gallery.

Jen F’s crafty snowflake DIY project was great but her Santa wall won my heart, mainly because we have our own Santa wall. Each year we get photos of our kids sitting with Santa. Instead of just displaying the current year, we have a corner of our room that’s devoted to these photos. We even bought a holiday Tim Biskip print to go in the center and are in the process of adding Santa photos from both my husband’s and my own childhood. I love looking at these photos even when Christmas has passed. I also love the mix of frames, sizes and placements. I’m not into symmetries with this wall.

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We have a wood burning fireplace with a mantle we actually moved from our old home. Seeing Stephanie’s holiday mantle inspired me to deck out ours. Our mantel extends up the wall so we don’t have wall space to hang holiday inspired art but I love the idea of draping it with garland. Since our mantle is old wood I’d never hammer nails into it so the 3M hooks came in handy, adding them to the top to secure the garland. And knowing they’ll come off when the holiday’s are over, without marring the wood is reassuring.

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We have two french doors that go from our front hall into our living room. In the past I’ve just decorated them with snowflakes but after viewing Melissa’s idea, with wreaths hanging on her dining room window, I thought I’d try something similar. Instead of buying wreaths to hang, instead I made some from extra garland (I had a whole bunch of the cheap garland unopened from the previous year). Taking the garland, I just wrapped it around in a circle, just like wrapping up a garden hose. Every once in a while, I’d twist to branches together, to hold the whole wreath together. It didn’t turn out to bad for a quick 5-minute project. And the 3M decorative hooks worked well, adhering right to the window.

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I also added a nicer (thicker) garland and lights to the banister in the hallway. Instead of wrapping it around the banister itself, which uses up a lot of the garland, plus makes it hard to use the banister, I used small, clear 3M hooks to hold the loops in place. When we moved from traditional lights to these LED lights, I was left with a lot of light covers. These make great items to adorn garland. Plus they add a little more to the garland during the day, when the lights aren’t actually on.

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I was also inspired by this great vintage paper chain DIY tree garland. It reminded me of how fun garlands can be (and it gave me an excuse to use those crafty cutting edge scissors that never seem to get used). One night the kids and I spent a few hours cutting and making a colourful paper chain to string across the dining room. I looks great and the kids love to see it hanging over their heads during meals.

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A member’s blog post also brought on a childhood crafting memory. You know, those wreaths we made in school using garbage bags? Yup, so my kids and I made one of those too and hung it on our front door.

So I may not be done my Christmas shopping and the cards are still sitting unaddressed in a pile, but our home looks festive. That’s good right?

Monster Jam, Canadian Style

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

I always find as Canadians we’re can be pretty subdued when it comes to Canadian pride, unlike our neighbours to the south. But give us something to rally behind and lookout.

Now Monster Jam fans can get their Canadian pride on with the new truck designed just for them: The Northern NightmareThe introduction of Northern Nightmare marks the first time in the nearly 30-year history of Monster Jam, that a dedicated Canuck monster truck has been added to the tour. We had the chance to witness the big reveal and meet the driver, Calgary-native Cam McQueen, this week at the Rogers Center and there are only two words I can think of to summarize the experience:

LOUD.

BIG.

The 10,000 lb truck roared, and I mean roared, on to the field like something unimaginable. It swerved and bounced and zipped and zoomed. It was very cartoon like from the seats in the Rogers Center but up close Norther Nightmare is huge. The tires were bigger than the kids, forget the vehicle as a whole. My son was amazed at the size of everything, including the exhaust pipe. And there’s no mistaking this new Canadian truck as it is covered in dark red maple leaves.

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Canadian fans to welcome Northern Nightmare and Cam McQueen when it travels across Canada in 2012 as part of a 6 city Maple Leap Monster Jam Tour but make sure to bring your earplugs. For a list of cities and show dates, visit www.monsterjamcanada.ca.

The Winner This Halloween

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

I can’t believe Halloween has come and gone so quickly. That’s always the problem with holidays, you’re so busy getting ready for them and then they’re gone. Although we were a little slow at getting ready, we did get in the Halloween spirit by digging up the graveyard that sits under our front porch.

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The kids enjoyed heading out in their costumes, scaring up some treats. Of course the best part is going through the haul, creating piles, putting things into categories, counting and recounting. I received a treat or two, but I think that was just to lure me away from the candy stash.

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Overall Halloween was another success. And although we received comments on the decor and pumpkins and the kids loved dressing up, the big winner for the evening was this:

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We talked about the Hocus Pocus Treat Presenter within our Everything Fabulous post on Alternative Halloween Treats. And when we did receive one from Hallmark, my kids loved it, opening the flap to hear the various scary phrases. But the big win came on Halloween night. Every time I brought he book out to the trick-or-treaters and  they heard the voice, there was always a comment. Both little and not-so-little kids loved the book and the sounds, saying it was cool. I think that’s pretty cool. The Hocus Pocus Treat Presenter will definitely be part of our next Halloween.

Although Hallmark did send the Hocus Pocus Treat Box, there was no expectation of writing anything about it. This post is purely grew out of our experience using the book on Halloween night.

Open Auditions: Being Erica

Monday, October 24th, 2011

open_auditions_being_ericaWho doesn’t dream of being an extra in a movie or on TV, looking for their 15-minutes of fame? Just a dream you say? What about 15-seconds in a cameo on CBC’s hit show, Being Erica? Well if you are in Toronto, you’re invited to drop by Yonge-Dundas Square from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (November 1-3, 2011) for a live audition. Audition locations will be outfitted with a casting director, lighting and a stylish Hollywood-themed lounge, plus you can enjoy a sample of McCain Ultra Thin Crust pizza.

Similar audition events will take place in Montreal (October 27-29) at Centre des Jardins and in Vancouver (November 17-19) at TD Square. Can’t make it out? You can still audition online by uploading a 15-second video to www.cbc.ca/15seconds from October 24 until November 20, 2011. Canadians will have the chance to vote for their favourite from ten finalists from November 28 to December 12, 2011, by visiting www.cbc.ca/15seconds or the Facebook page.

Could this be your moment of fame?

Playskool Partners with Sesame Street. We Rock with Elmo.

Friday, September 30th, 2011

Hasbro’s Playskool line and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, celebrated their new partnership with Elmo and his friends and we were invited (my 4-year old and I). The celebration kicked off with Nikki Yanofsky performing her hit single Believe (which we sadly missed due to traffic, construction and disagreements between my GPS and myself) followed by dancing, play and characters.

We arrived just in time to join in on the dance party. The front of the room was full of pint sizers giving it their all with a super sized Elmo. Even some parents were getting in on the fun. There was a whole play area set-up with some fun Sesame Street toys from Playskool. My daughter loved the Sesame Street Sesame World Playset and a group of older kids loved the Sesame Street Elmo’s Colour Mixer enabling them to mix two small play doh colours into a new colour.

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The snack bar was great too, offer fruit kabobs, fruit and yogurt granola bowls, little muffins and bite sized sandwiches, plus milk, juice and Starbucks Coffee of course.

playskool_sesame_workshop_partnership_snacksAlong with Elmo, Abby Caddaby and Cookie Monster were also in attendance. My daughter loves Abby Caddaby (she had the chance to hang out with her when we visited Beahes Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa). My daughter wore here twirley just to be like Abbey. Of course Cookie Monster’s big fuzzy size was a little intimidating to her so she stood on the far side of Abbey for her photo (I kind of felt bad for Cookie Monster. Love how he leaned into the photo too. Too bad my shot is so blurry).

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Of course the toy everyone was interested in was the new Let’s Rock! Elmo. Remember Tickle Me Elmo (yes, we have one of those), well Let’s Rock! Elmo is more interactive. Elmo and your child can play music together, like their own mini band. The toy comes with a tamberine and bongo drums but you of course can buy other instruments to use too, like a microphone, guitar and keyboards (for playdates or sibling fun). If the popularity of Tickle Me Elmo is any indication, Let’s Rock! Elmo will be high on Christmas wish lists this year. Luckily my 4-year old received her Christmas gift early this year.

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Arrg! Time to Talk Like a Pirate M’hearty!

Monday, September 19th, 2011

Eye patch on, (root)beer in my hand and a gruff voice bellowing commands. It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day and I’m lovin’ it. We love pirates in our family. international_talk_like_pirate_activitiesOne of our favourite pirate books (for little buccaneers) is Patricia StormsThe Pirate and the Penguin. If you’ve been as fortunate as I have to see her perform the sketch of her story, you can see why we love it so much (she exudes those fun characters). We also had a chance to visit The St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum on a recent trip to Florida. Firing cannons, steering the ship and checking out pirate booty is just some of the fun should you happen to stop by on your next trip to Florida.

But if you can’t get out to celebrate your inner pirate, your kids can get their fix on Disney Junior. Join Jake and Izzy on Jake and The Never Land Pirates all this week (September 19 to 23) at 5:30 p.m. for some pirate fun. If plundering is part of your little pirate’s plans, you’ll love this Pirate Treasure Chest craft idea from our craft editor. Fun.

To put ye in the mood, here are a few pirate phrases you’re kids can use to bring out their inner pirate:

  • Yo Ho! – used to express surprise or joy, attracting   attention
  • Ahoy! – an expression used to hail a ship or a person
  • Matey – a fellow pirate or crew member
  • Aye, Captain – to say ‘yes, captain’ following an order (the first thing you should teach your kids)
  • Port – the left side of a ship
  • Starboard – the right side of a ship
  • Shiver me timbers – another expression of surprise
  • Ship shape – all is in order aboard the ship
  • Convoy – a group of ships travelling together for protection
  • Jolly Roger – a flag on the mast that identifies a ship’s crew as pirates
  • Plunder – to rob treasure from another pirate or group (as Captain Hook often does!)

Yo ho ho and a bottle of pop!

National Museum Natural History MEanderthal App

Friday, August 5th, 2011

We recently went on a road trip to Washington, D.C., staying at the Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C. and enjoying some of the family-friendly activities offered in the city (to be shared within EverythingMom’s Everything Travel section soon). national_museum_natural_history_meanderthalOne of our favourite museums so far is the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (you can read more about visiting the museum within Everything Travel).

The museum has a number of hands-on exhibits, making it a great place for families (and also popular — why we suggested in our 6 Tips on Visiting the National Museum of Natural History that you should plan on arriving early to beat the crowds). One particular exhibit had many visitors intrigued.

MEanderthal yourself.

Located on the first floor, within the Human Origins section of the museum, you’ll find a stand alone exhibit. It won’t be hard to miss since you’ll find many people milling around. The exhibit lets you take a photo of yourself and transports you back to prehistoric days, transforming you into 1 of 4 different neanderthal species (2 male and 2 female in case you’re wondering). But if the exhibit is too busy you can still experience MEanderthal with their free app for both the android and the iPhone.

Of course we had to try it; who wouldn’t. After taking a photo of yourself (the app gives you a guide on where to position the person’s facial features in your camera lens. After taking the photo you are given the chance to reposition it to fit the markers. When you’re happy with your photo, you then choose which species you want to morph into and then watch your present day self change into a prehistoric self, right in front of your eyes.

My four-year old was happy that there were girls she could choose from for her transformation:

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The final image can be saved and shared and it has some brief info below on the neanderthal species you merged into. Sure the final image doesn’t look that realistic and I found the images start to look the same if you all use the same species but it’s free fun to enjoy and a great extension on your visit to the National Museum of Natural History.

Family Day in the GTA: Family Activities

Saturday, February 19th, 2011

Family Day is this Monday (February 21) in Ontario. That means a nice long weekend. Great if you’re planning to head out of town with the family, but if you’re here and the kids are driving you a little crazy from being home all weekend there are a lot of family-friendly activities going on.

Go for a World Record
Get yourself into the record books this Family Day. Sign-up to participate in a world record for the largest apple bobbing (for kids under 18) at the Ontario Apple Growers Winter Apple Ball. family_day_activities_gtaOr pull out your clogs and go for the record of the largest gathering of gnomes in one spot to support the launch of eONE Film’s family flick Gnenome and Juliet.

Explore Art at the AGO
Using the Canadian Passport, take a trip around Canada and explore the collections or go on a mission to collect art trading cards featuring Art Gallery of Ontario’s greatest hits. Just some of the activities includes in the Family Activity bags available at the Ticketing or Membership desks. Enjoy gallery fun with the whole family.

Get Your Engines Going at the Canadian Auto Show
Whether you’re looking for a new family vehicle or just have a fascination with cars, the Canadian Auto Show will have something for everyone. You can checkout some of the new family focused features and technology from Ford at the same time. The Canadian Auto Show will have special events, activities and contests just for Family Day. There is a family pass rate and kids 6 and under get in free.

Score with LKTY’s production The Big League
If you have hockey fans checkout Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People this family day. In The Big League, Tommy loves playing hockey with his friends but his dad thinks he can do better and wants to move him to a new team. LKTYP’s Mainstage is transformed into a hockey arena, complete with actors on rollerblades.

Go on an African Adventure at the ROM
Journey to the Royal Ontario Museum to experience  Africa’s rich culture and heritage through music performances, films, drumming workshops, a scavenger hunt through Africa, and family tours. Activities are free with general admission.

Hang Out for Fun at the Waterfront
The Waterfront Business Improvement Association is hosting free family fun this Family Day. Meet Hockey Olympians, skate outdoors, enjoy live music, dog shows and treats, indoor and outdoor activities to keep your whole family busy. And it’s Free.

Play with the Birds
The High Park Nature Center, located in the west end of the city, invite you to participate in the 2011 Great Backyard Bird Count. Make a bird feeder, learn about winter bird adaptations, borrow some binoculars, find out the best place to hand-feed birds, go on a self-guided hike, and help us with our Bird Count. This is a Pay What You Can (PWYC) event but a $2 donation would be appreciated.

Take a Trip to the Falls
Though not within the city, Niagara Falls offers a lot of distraction for families and it can be a nice afternoon drive. Along with visiting the majestic Canadian falls, you can enjoy outdoor skating on the edge of the falls as well as the Great Reptiles of the World exhibit.

Also check with your neighbourhood association for locally run activities and events. With all the stuff going on this weekend there should be no cries of “I’m bored.”

Happy Family Day!


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