November Highlights

My current playlist on the iPod consists of Burl Ives, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis and The Carpenters. So either I'm in my 70s or it's Christmas. 

This has been a great month on the blog. I appreciate any comments you leave, facebook "likes" and "shares". Please feel free to give me any feedback or suggestions! Today, I'm revisiting the most popular posts from the last month. 

Also, December events (and there are A LOT of them!!) will be posted later today on the directory.

#1. Book Nooks 

#2. Raising Charitable Children

#3. 24 Advent Calendars!

#4. Babysitter Basics

#5. Organizing Kids Rooms

Holiday Eye Candy!

I love candy and I love eye-candy. So when I began to see candy buffets and stylized dessert tables trending, well, you can imagine my excitement. I felt like a kid at in a candy shop...at Christmas...which is today's theme...

To create a beautiful and interesting dessert table, you need to display items at different heights. Prop plates up on pedestals or gift wrapped boxes. Experiment with different serving containers. A festive backdrop ensures that your table is a focal point, whether it be garlands, a mirror or  piece of foam-core painted or wrapped in paper or fabric. Fill in spaces with loose ornaments, pinecones or sparkly confetti. Small tags or signs to indicate what each treat is, is cute and helpful. Co-ordinating colours or themes pulls it together. Here are some gorgeous examples...

Be Merry

Fa La La La

Peace & Joy

Classic Christmas

Peppermint Stripes & Snowflakes

Nutcracker Suite

Holiday Shopping with Children: Are You Insane?!

Do you see the people in the photo below? NO ONE EVER looks like that when they are holiday shopping with their children. EVER.  

BUT, if you check out some of today's helpful tips, you may just accomplish your shopping without going off the deep end.

Tip #1 Leave your children at home. Well, that's too obvious! If you can't then...

Tip #2 Do your homework first. Make a list, then read flyers, check online sources and even phone the stores for prices and availability. You can order most items online and get them shipped to the store for pick-up or directly to your home.

Tip #3 Explain the ground rules. Tell them what the shopping trip is for, where you’re going and what you’re planning to buy. Remind them about not talking to strangers, not straying away out of your sight, not touching stuff on display, etc. nag, nag, nag…

Tip #4 It goes without saying that malls and department stores are INSANE during the holidays so have a plan in case your children get separated. Make sure they have your cell phone number. Dress your children in bright colours that will be easy to spot. Designate a meeting spot that is easy to find.

Tip #5 Go early to avoid traffic, parking issues, crowds and line-ups which are all magnified by a trillion when you are dragging hot, tired and cranky kids around. Small independent retailers don't usually have the chaos that bigger stores and centres have. Support local business!

Tip #6 Bring along small toys, books and snacks for distractions. A chewing mouth is a quiet mouth.

Tip #7 Take breaks. Have a cold drink in a quiet spot . Praise your kids for good behaviour, remind them of the ground rules, revisit your list and share a happy holiday memory.

Tip #8 Know your and your children’s limits. It’s better to make short, frequent trips than one grueling marathon shopping trip.

And don't forget the obligatory photo with Santa...

...ah, that's more like it...

Another Crazy Weekend of Holiday Events!

Another weekend with no shortage of activities for the family. Get your holiday spirit on! In case you missed last Friday's post on Parade tips click here and scroll down.

Friday, Nov. 25th 

Bloomfield Santa Claus Parade & Festival of Lights 6:00 pm

Main St. & Stanley St.

Saturday, Nov. 26th

Foxboro Christmas Parade 12:30 pm

Main St. (ends at Foodland parking lot)

Frankford Chrismas Parade 2:00 pm

Trenton Frankford Rd

Frankford's "Christmas Fantasy of Lights" in Tourist Park. 

Public Skating Trenton Arena 8:00pm to 9:00pm
 

Public Skating Quinte Sports Centre, Rink B

8:00pm to 10:00pm

Sunday, Nov. 27th

The Omni Holiday Gift Show 11:00-4:00pm

An event to benefit Omni Learning Centre. Over 25 vendors, on-site child-minding while you shop, face painting, photos with Santa and a bake sale.

350 Dundas St.W., Belleville (Sir James Whitney campus - look for signs)

Public Skating Trenton Arena 12:00 to 1:30

Public Skating Frankford Arena
2:00 to 3:30

Trenton Santa Claus Parade 4:30 pm

Parade leaves Centennial Park and heads downtown.

Monday Nov. 28th Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
Belleville 1:20pm

South Church St. railway crossing, south of Dundas St East

Trenton 2:35pm

RCAF Road/County Road 21, south side of railway crossing

Brighton 3:45pm

East of railway crossing at Mile 112.29, Prince Edward St 

Beyond the Fridge Door

My favourite section of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa is a tucked away hallway, where dozens and dozens of children's drawings are hung. The Gallery often has art-making sessions for children and many are proudly taped up on the wall along with the bragging rights of "My child's artwork is hung in the National Gallery". Long before my husband and I had our own children we would wander up and down the hall admiring the artists' amusing views of the world. Sometimes we wouldn't make it into the rest of the gallery!

Today, I've rounded up some interesting ways to display and immortalize your children's artwork. Many ideas will make great gifts for the upcoming holidays. Sites like Vista Print and Zazzle can easily apply your child's artwork to mugs, mousepads, t-shirts, buttons, calendars and the list goes on. Have you done anything special with your kid's artwork?

Frame It

artwork collage

poster collage

artwork collage, cards, magnets and ornaments

Wear It

Custom sterling silver pendant

Custom sterling key chain

Use It

Amazing duvet cover made by tracing pictures with fabric markers!

custom stuffie made from drawings

Haute Chocolate!

Snow! And snow means hot chocolate and hot chocolate means awesome. 

image source

The Mayans were believed to have created first chocolate beverage around 2,000 years ago and today, hot chocolate is consumed throughout the world. Many people use the terms "hot chocolate" and "hot cocoa" interchangeably, but apparently the difference is that "hot cocoa" is made from powder that has had most of the rich cocoa butter from the ground cacao beans removed and "hot chocolate"is made directly from bar chocolate, which already contains cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter. Fascinating stuff. Let's get to the good part...

Toppings & Garnishes!

• Whipped cream
• Marshmallows or Fluff
• Crushed oreos, peppermint, malted milk balls, toffee bits, etc.
• Chocolate shavings
• Coloured sprinkles, small candies, mini chocolate chips
• Raw sugar
• Fudge or caramel sauce, raspberry coulis, maple syrup
• Candy canes
• Pirouette rolled wafer cookies
• Cookies

Secret Ingredients!

• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Ginger & cinnamon
• Instant coffee
• Flavour syrups; vanilla, hazelnut, maple, etc.
• Liqueurs (big people only!)

And now, I've saved the best for last. Check out this adorable garnish!

Instructions here!

Pine Cone Critters & Creatures

I love collecting pine cones. I always feel compelled to fill my pockets with as many as I can drag home, much to the dismay of my husband. "Why do we have to have ALL these pine cones?" After today's post, I can answer him. "Why, so that the children and I can tart them up with pom poms and glitter for the holidays, dear". So there.

pom pom pine cones, skier trio, angels, reindeer, bird, mouse, snowman skier

Holiday Kick-Off!

The holiday season offficially kicks off this weekend with the Festival of Trees and the Belleville Santa Claus parade! 

photo by Jonathon McIntosh

The Festival Of Trees 

Mouse King's Breakfast

November 20 - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Memorial Arena, Market Square, Belleville

Get a hot pancake breakfast with all the trimmings and arts and crafts provided by Family Space beginning at 10 am. Kids will also be entertained by balloon artist, Christopher the Twistopher, followed by Andy Forgie, and the Jan-Bo Puppets show and workshop.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Children under age 5 are free.

The Toymaker's Castle 

November 20 - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Memorial Arena, Market Square, Belleville 

Arts and crafts for children will be offered by Family Space, and entertainment will be provided by Canadian Children’s Performer of the Year and Juno Award winner, Andrew Queen and the Croccodadies.

Artisans Village at Memorial Arena features a very special guest right before the Santa Claus Parade.

For more information call 613-962-1232 or visit www.bellevillefestivaloftrees.ca

Light Exchange

The City of Belleville Green Task Force will also be holding their 3rd Annual Holiday Lights Exchange beginning at 3:00pm on parade day in front of Century Place at the corner of Front St & Bridge St E. Bring your old incandescent lights and receive a new set of LED’s free. Maximum 2 sets per household, while supplies last.  www.city.belleville.on.ca 

Belleville Santa Claus Parade

The parade will begin at the corner of King George Square and North Front Street, travel south over the Pinnacle Street bridge, south onto Front Street and disband on Dundas Street East.

What to bring

A non-perishable food item to donate to The Gleaners Food Bank.

A cash or new toy donation for the Firefighters Toy Drive.

Letter to Santa! Canada Post employees will be collecting them along the route and sending them to the North Pole! Address your letter to Santa Claus, North Pole, HOH OHO.

A plan in case you and your children get separated. Pick out a visible meeting spot. Write your name and cell phone number on a piece of paper and stick it in their pocket.

A cozy blanket or two and/or chairs.

Tissues for runny noses!

A thermos of hot chocolate or coffee. Bring a reusable mug for purchasing hot drinks as this will help cut down on street litter.

Sidewalk chalk to keep little ones busy while they wait for the parade to start.

Holiday spirit! You don't have to be IN the parade to participate. It's actually amazing how much more fun the parade can be when you're shouting holiday greetings at every clown, tuba player and Shriner who passes along.

 

Kabobs that KA-POW!

How is that for a snappy title? I'm always trying to make the children's meal more interesting and what can be more interesting than food stuffed onto a stick - a stick with a very sharp end. It's amazing what that element of danger does to improve a child's appetite. Here are some nifty kabobs...

cheese and fruit shapes kabobs

french toast kabobs

sandwich kabobs

pasta and meatballs kabobs

banana sprinkles kabobs

International Day of Tolerance

Today is the International Day of Tolerance! Let's make everyday a day of tolerance, not just November 16th.

image source Yes Ok Whatever

Lead children by example. Demonstrate tolerance and compassion. Avoid making negative statements about any racial, religious or special needs groups, etc. Reach out to your neighbors and community members who might feel at risk because of their ethnicity, religion or other traits.

   

Provide useful information. Accurate information about people, events, reactions, and feelings is empowering. Use language that is appropriate for children. Make sure that all information is factually true. This is especially important when news reports have negative statements about any specific group.

   

Avoid stereotyping people or countries. Children can easily generalize negative statements that can lead to prejudice, anger, and mistrust for innocent groups of people. 

   

Stop any type of harassment or bullying immediately.  Make it clear that such behavior is unacceptable.  Talk to the children involved about the reasons for their behavior.  Offer alternative methods of expressing their anger, confusion, or insecurity.

   

Emphasize positive, familiar images of diverse groups.  Identify people of diverse ethnicities, religions and/or lifestyles that children know and who have a positive place in their lives. These could be neighbors, friends, school personnel, health care professionals, members of their faith community, or local merchants.  Discuss the many characteristics, values, and experiences the children have in common with these people.

   

Volunteering with people from diverse backgrounds, helps children to feel that they are making a positive contribution, it also reinforces their sense of commonality with diverse people.

   

Learn about the diverse communities and faiths represented in your area.  Knowledge debunks myths about other people and can humanize other cultures. Children can ask their classmates about their family or culture to reinforce the notion that all people have special beliefs and customs.

   

Read books with your children that address prejudice, tolerance, and hate.  There are many books and stories available for different age groups that can help children think about their feelings regarding these issues.  The school or local librarian can make recommendations. 

24 Advent Calendars!

The countdown to Christmas has already started and I'm a sucker for creative advent calendars. Today, I've gathered up 24 different and inspiring ones. And while the kids would probably be just as happy with the 99¢ calendar full of waxy chocolate, I still hope that perhaps a pretty and creative advent calendar full of surprises will hold a special place in their hearts when they're older. 

snowmen, bags, pouches, wreath

jars, boxes, scrapbook

matchboxes, popsicle stick tree, buckets, shoe organizer

scrappy calendar, buttons, snowing presents, ornaments

birds, cones, sacks

pyramids, clothespins, mittens

felt calendar, cans, baby socks

Do you have a favourite?

Organizing Kids Rooms

With the holidays just around the corner, I need to start making room for the onslaught of toys, clothes and gifts coming our way. You see, my children have four sets of grandparents, a great-grandparent, three sets of Aunts and Uncles, One set of parents and the old man himself, Santa. Needless to say, Christmas is RIDICULOUS. Every year at this time, we start to weed through the outgrown clothes and the seldom-used toys, donating as much as we can and thinking about organization and storage solutions. Here are some ideas:

The first step would be gather about six bins, bags or boxes and label them as follows:

    Garbage

    Give Away or Sell

    Put Away

    Storage

    Last Chance

    Repairs

As you sort through the clothing and toys, place items in their appropriate bins. Work on one area at a time, to sort and purge items.

Consider how you can maximize storage capacity by looking under, over, inside and behind things. If you put a shelf over the closet door or a window, you can make good use of otherwise wasted space to display collectibles. Rolling containers that fit under a bed are ideal for toys or clothes.

Take a look around the house to see what you may already have. Clean jars, shoe boxes and baby-wipe containers are perfect for small toys, and putting them to good use provides a valuable lesson in recycling. Or clear, plastic boxes are an efficient solution to the multitude of little cars, meal toys and other tiny objects that are too small for the large toy chest.

Low, open shelves are a functional addition to every child's room, whether along a wall or inside the closet. This allows easy access to favourite toys and games.

via house to home

Every item in a household should have a place where it belongs. Add a variety of stackable bins in small, medium and large sizes to give everything its own place. Labeling the outside of the bins makes it easier to find what you are looking for. For children who can’t read yet, paste a photo or picture on the bin for easy recognition.

Keep some toys in a plastic bin in a storage room and rotate them monthly with toys currently in use.

Plastic three-drawer units organize art and/or school supplies.

Make bed-making easier by eliminating the top sheet. Instead of being used, it always ended up pushed into the abyss of the end of the bed.

Post those novelty basketball rings above anything you want your kids to slam dunk stuff into rather than the floor: garbage cans, laundry baskets, etc.

crate shelves

Have your child plan their wardrobe one school week at a time. Store outfits within five stacking cubbies or on five combination hangers (hangers with a bar and clips to hold pants as well as a top) to streamline their morning routine.

Try to put things where they make sense and group together related items. Involving your children in the reorganizing of their space will give them a sense of ownership and will hopefully, encourage them to keep their rooms tidy. Fingers crossed;)

Lest We Forget

Today is Remembrance Day and my family and I heart would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the men and women who fought for our freedom. And while I was thinking of what to write today, I came across the blog written by a new friend. And I'm so glad I did. Her post on Remembrance Day was perfect and beautiful and I would like to direct you there http://lifewithbellymonster.blogspot.com/2011/11/lest-we-forget.html

Tips for Planning a Family Vacation - courtesy of Jennifer Hunter

As an Independent Travel Advisor, specializing in custom family and group vacations, I am often asked for my tips for travelling with children.  As most parents know, every child presents their own set of challenges just going to the grocery store, let alone a 5 hour flight to a Caribbean destination.  Although flexibility is key, there are a few things you can do in advance, to make things go a little smoother when preparing for a family holiday.

Documentation
Any travel outside of Canada requires a valid passport. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months past anticipated return date.  Passport Canada is implementing new rules for travel documentation applications for children under the age of 16, effective December 1, 2011.  Be sure to check out Passport Canada’s website regarding requirements www.ppt.gc.ca

Plan and book ahead
Last minute deals are few and far between...  Even if you do find a “fantastic deal”, it really isn’t a bargain if you don’t enjoy the trip.  The savings are much better with advanced purchase and early booking offers.  Get the kids involved.  Look through brochures together; ask them where they want to go. If they are involved in the planning, they will be much more excited when they get there.

Pay for that advanced seat selection
There is nothing more un-nerving for families than going with the free at check in seat selection, arriving at the airport to find out the family will be split up on the plane.  If you are travelling with pre-schoolers, you have to anticipate a good majority of that flight is going to be spent in the bathroom. No matter how prepared you are, I guarantee you will not be able to keep them confined to their seats the entire flight. Bulkhead seating gives you more leg room and a little extra space for the little one to crawl around or stand up and stretch their legs.

Go with an age appropriate destination and family friendly accommodations
Yes, you have always wanted to watch the sunset from the Eiffel tower and view the Mona Lisa at the Louvre but chances are that isn’t going to thrill your 8 year old princess.  Stay in accommodations with kids programs. Kids like to be active and meet other kids.  Moms and Dads need some quiet time to relax.  Stay in accommodations large enough for your family.  Although you think you won’t be spending a lot of time in your room, a family of 5 is never happy stuck in a standard room with 2 double beds and a cot.  Many resorts accommodate larger families with adjoining rooms or family suites.

Packing
Create a list of must-have items well in advance and then pack as light as possible.  Most scheduled airlines charge per checked bag and most charter airlines allow for one free checked bag. Be sure to pack enough in a carryon to occupy the kids on the plane ride as well as keep them clean during the flight.  Diapers, wipes, snacks, drinks (must be purchased at airport after clearing security), crayons, colouring books, hand held video games, comics etc. Bring a change of clothes for them as well as yourself in case of accidents or delays. Find out in advance if resort has strollers or pack n plays.  The minimal fee may save the aggravation of lugging them along.

Hire a professional
Have a travel advisor be your partner in planning and booking your adventure.  Ask yourself this question, would you design your new dream home and create blueprints between diaper changes and carpool?  No, you would hire an architect.  You might think booking your vacation is as easy as checking out a few internet sites and clicking the buy now button.  When planning a family vacation, there are many good reasons to use a professional.  Travel advisors can offer you advice on family friendly destinations.  They offer one stop shopping when it comes to hotels, car and flight bookings.  They also can be your personal concierge organizing everything from character dinners at theme parks to golf tee times.  When travelling with kids, always expect the unexpected.  A travel advisor can sort through the travel clutter and be your advocate should something unexpected arise. Family vacations should be memorable.  Travel advisors can customize your trip to meet the needs of your family.

Jennifer Hunter
Jennifer Hunter Travel by Design
Independent Travel Advisor with Vision 2000 Travel Group
P: 613-661-6551
E: Jennifer.hunter@vision2000.ca

For the Birds!

My family is lucky to have a big dead branch sticking out from our pine tree that's right outside our front window. We're lucky, because we often have many bird and squirrel visitors on the dead branch that we can get a really close look at. It never fails, that I'll be looking out the window, thinking about cutting the unsightly branch off, when a blue jay or a big fat squirrel will suddenly be sitting there in a silent protest. I decided this would be a great opportunity to feed them and attract more birds. So today I found some super-mega-turbo-simple bird feeder ideas that can be great for all ages plus a recipe for "Bird Pudding".

 pop bottle feeder, cookie cutter feeder, birdseed balls, fruit & nut garland, TP feeder

Bird Pudding
Materials: One pound lard (or leftover cooking fat), one cup hot water, two cups oatmeal, one cup flour, four cups wild birdseed, large pan, mixing spoons.

Procedure: Soften the lard or fat over warm heat in the large pan. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bird pudding can be slathered into any kind of container-type feeder. Mmmmmmm......

Raising Charitable Children

I made two new friends at a craft show on Saturday. Erich, age 7 and his sister Allison age 4. What struck me most about these siblings, besides their lovely dispositions and well manneredness, was their participation at the craft show. The two had made dozens of Christmas ornaments (jingle bell wreaths and candy-cane reindeer!) to sell, with proceeds going to the Fire Fighter’s Toy Drive. I was so enamoured with the children and their project, that it lead me to today’s post about raising charitable children.

It begins at home, with parents or guardians leading by example. This was apparent on Saturday, as Erich and Allison’s mom was helping to raise funds for her own project, an Eco-Quest program at Centre Hastings Secondary School. From what I know of this family, the children have been raised in an environment where giving is a natural and encouraged occurrence. Watching parents give something of themselves to others sets a positive example and lays the groundwork for creating kind, compassionate and responsible children and eventually adults.

Talk to your children about a variety of world issues and causes. You don’t have to get into some of the nitty-gritty or scary details that might be over their wee heads, but rather present it to them as an opportunity to make a difference. Would they like to help the homeless? Help cure a disease? Erect a playground? Save the environment? Having this conversation will identify what your children’s concerns are and what matters most to them.

Once your children have an idea of what cause(s) they would like to contribute to, research together the charities and services that are associated with that cause. Have a brainstorming session on how they can help. Many children are eager to help, but don’t understand how. And there can be many more ways other than donating money.

• Keep a jar in your house for donations. Small children will be eager to toss in loose change. Older children can allocate a percentage of their allowance for giving. Even small amounts of money can make a difference.

• Encourage children to donate gently used toys and clothing to charities or families in need.

• Collect non-perishable items for the local food bank. Most grocery stores have a bin for food bank donation items. Allow children to choose healthy items to put in the bin.

• Spend time together making cookies for a bake sale.

• Pick up litter in your neighbourhood park or playground.

• Set up a lemonade stand or even a yard sale and donate the proceeds.

• Do yard work, go grocery shopping, or bring the garbage cans in from the curb for an elderly neighbor.

• Hand out flyers, put up posters or stuff and stamp envelopes for an event in your area.

• Collect books for a local book drive.

• Cut and donate your hair for Cancer.

• Participate as a family in a walk-a-thon.
  
• Collect Canadian Tire money for charities, such as animal shelters.

Talk about it afterward. Why was their contribution so important? How did it make them feel? It is important to remember that the spirit of philanthropy is not about what or how much you give but rather about the feeling that you are helping others in need.

For more information on charities who need your help, follow these links:

http://www.canadahelps.org/Home.aspx

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/lstngs/menu-eng.html

http://www.canadacharity.ca/

http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/main.asp