Top 10 Checklist for your financial health

Top 10 Checklist for your financial health

Here is a list of things for you to do this month to position yourself well for the rest of the year!

1.       Going in to the year deep in debt? Meet with an advisor to lay it all out on the table and develop a plan of action to get off the treadmill once and for all!

2.       Update, review or get a will and power of attorney for finance and health care.

3.       Review your year-end company pension plan statements. Is it all in order? If you get to choose the investments yourself, how have they done? Where should they be invested?

4.       Same as #3 for your personal savings, RRSP’s and RESP’s.

5.       Catalogue what is renewing this year. When does your home and auto insurance come due? Maturing GIC’s and term deposits? Mortgage renewing this year? Start shopping now.

6.       How much life insurance do you have? How much are you paying for it? Your life insurance portfolio should be reviewed every 3 years or as life changes happen.

7.       Between the ages 21 and 50? Have you talked to your advisor about critical illness insurance and disability income replacement?

8.       Between the ages 50 and 70? Want the insurance company to pay for your log-term care down the road? Now is the time to price it out and consider a 20-year paid-up plan.

9.       Save more, spend less. The national savings rate is now less than 1%. Your goal should be to allocate 10%+ of each pay towards savings and RRSP’s. A take-home $1000 means $100 per pay period should be saved – allowing you to live on the other 90% guilt-free.

10.   Forget product, you need a strategy. If your finances are like most, your insurance, savings, RRSP and RESP investments have been spread over five to six policies/accounts in three to four different institutions over the years. A good advisor can help quarterback and pull the whole strategy together to make sure everything is working in your best interests.

Make this the year that you get a good handle on where you stand today. Take this financial snapshot now. Then, if you need a hand from there, give me a call. I can help.

Douglas Hopkins

Phone: 905-827-9811 ext. 35
Email: Douglas.Hopkins@sunlife.com

 

Weaning Tips For Breastfeeding Moms

Are you a breastfeeding mama?  Do you have questions about the best way to begin weaning?  I decided to reach out to other moms on the momstown Milton message board who have or are weaning from nursing to see what worked for them.  Here are some tips that were suggested to me by more than one mom, so they must be good ones, right?!?

1.    Begin when you and baby are ready.  Don’t start the weaning process because others tell you it’s time.  If you or your child are not ready it will be a very frustrating experience for both of you.

2.    Take it slow.  Drop one feed at a time.  Begin with feeds where you would try solid foods, maybe replace it with a snack.  Also dropping one feed at a time will help with your breasts feeling full.  It will make it less painful.

3.    If your child is older, skip the bottle.  A lot of breastfed babies prefer cups with straws.

4.     Offer extra comfort.  Some babies breastfeed to feel safe.  Offer more hugs and kisses and cuddles at bed time.  Introduce a new lovey that they can snuggle with.

5.     Choose the time to wean wisely.  Don’t begin weaning if there are major changes happening in babies life (For example, mom going back to work).  Also, if baby is sick, wait for him/her to feel better before beginning

Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience and there is no reason why the weaning process shouldn’t be also.  Most important tip I can offer is do what feels right for you and your child.  Only you will know the right time to wean.  Whether you follow your child’s lead or you initiate it, make sure it is because you want to and not what society deems as the right thing to do. 

Happy Weaning!

This post was written by Angela Hickman who is a mom to a 4 year old and a 1 year old and is a momstown Milton member. Check out her blog at: http://angela-mommytimeout.blogspot.ca/

momstown moms participate in an Educational Tour at our Local Milton Grocery Store

Milton moms get healthy grocery savvy at Real Canadian Superstore

"Let food be thy medicine"-Hippocrates 

momstown Milton moms have been hard at work  with their Biggest Loser challenge which runs for a total of 12 weeks. To support the moms in their Biggest Loser goals, expert speakers come in bi-weekly to provide an education on a variety of topics. 

Kristen Owens, a mother of 3, a Holistic Nutritionist & BioEnergetics Practitioner Holistic of 6 years, met with momstown Milton moms for a fun and interactive healthy food options session at the Real Canadian Superstore in Milton. 

After the moms did their weigh-in, it was time for Kristen to tutor the eager student mamas on food choices. We entered the produce section and were reminded that "fresh is best". The Canada Food Guide recommends 12-20 servings of fruits/vegetables. Kristen suggests that this number should actually be doubled. Our fruits/vegetables are not the same as those produced 50 years ago. With soil erosion and the impact of pesticides, eating a peach today, for example, does not provide the same nutritional value as it once did in the past. 

When shopping, it is recommended to buy organic produce, if possible, as your budget allows. With non-organic produce, the pesticides go right through the skin of a fruit, for instance. So with an apple, even if you were to remove the skin, you're still consuming the pesticides as the skin does not act as a barrier against the pesticides. A good tip to remember when washing produce: use 10 parts water to 1 part vinegar. With packaged salads that indicate "pre-washed", it's recommended to wash them again. There are theories that suggest that these salads are washed in chlorine.  

As we moved into the pre-made dips aisle, we were told hummus is an excellent snack choice. The bread aisle was beside the pre-made dips and so Kristen recommended that we choose probiotic multi-grain bread. She reminded us to keep in mind that whole wheat still has white flour. Stone ground is a better option, look for such as stone ground rye. Also, unbleached flour doesn't necessarily make the bread healthier.  

In the deli section, Kristen explained that deli meats contain nitrates which are used to preserve the meat and this wreaks havoc on the stomach/gut and is especially harmful for children. Do your research and look for nitrate-free deli meats. With meats in general, such as chicken, remember that hormones and steroids are often used. Source out, if possible, organic meats. 

Moving into the Natural Foods aisle, we were educated on the importance of essential fatty acids. We need Omega 3,6,9. We tend to be deficient in Omega 3 and get more of Omega 6 (olive oil, for example). These essential fatty acids are beneficial for our hair, skin and nails. (When buying oils look for dark containers to minimize the oxidation effect). 

Another thing to watch out for is the high toxins that can be in certain foods such as cheese and milk. You could buy raw milk and/or organic milk. If you're looking for milk alternatives, consider: almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, hemp milk, and coconut milk. 

Kristen warned us that the word organic on packaged food  does not automatically mean it's a better food option. There could be tons of sugar even in organic labelled foods. Instead of white organic rice, look for husky long grain brown rice or quinoa. 

As we concluded the grocery store tour, we were cautioned to be cognizant of the toxins in food that could result in poor intestinal health. 

QUICK AND EASY RECIPES:

A healthy salad dressing that you can make at home! 
Mix together:

Agave
Honey
Balsamic Vinegar
Flax Oil 
Herbs 
Plain Yogurt 

Breakfast or snack: warm toast spread with coconut oil, honey and/or almond butter

***

Shopping Suggestions: 
Real Canadian Superstore - Natural Foods; Organic Produce 
Rowe Farms
Organic Garage

Reference Material: 
Dirty Dozen 
Honest Food Guide
Food Inc (documentary film)
Food Matters (documentary film)
Never Be Sick Again by Raymond Francis 
Never be Fat Again by Raymond Francis 

Written by Liz Marques, a momstown Milton member, and mother of 2 girls. You can check out her blog at www.orchidaforever.blogspot.ca 

6 Tips and Tricks shared by our momstown Milton moms about how to achieve success when trying to conceive!

So you finally do it. You announce to the world that you and your significant other are trying to conceive a baby. And like a gust of an unexpected wind, everyone around you is only too enthusiastic to impart their words of wisdom. All want you to achieve the desired happy story ending of sperm meeting egg.

The conversations with those well-meaning friends can get quite scientific or downright eyebrow raising!  

We engaged our momstown Milton mamas in a frank discussion on our message board about making the baby magic happen.  

Here is our top 6 tips and tricks that were believed to help achieve a successful conception! 

1. Legs up  - Once you've done the deed, get those legs for a minimum of 20 minutes. Why? This may help the flow of sperm move in the right direction and can minimize the drip factor. 

2. The big O - Reaching that orgasm can increase the blood flow and yes, help you reach that ultimate goal. 

3. The waiting game - Wait 10 days after your period ends and then start having sex every other day for 2 weeks. Why every other day? This is to help ensure freshness of the sperm product. ;)

4. Natural supplements - Evening primrose capsules. You start taking them on the day your period starts and stop when ovulating begins. Evening primrose can help make your cervical mucus more sperm receptive.  Consuming ginger can also be helpful in conceiving as it may help regulating a menstrual cycle to improve chances of conception. Ginger snaps anyone? (As with any vitamins or supplements, we always recommend speaking to a health care practitioner for appropriate advice.) 

5. Temperature charting - the measure of knowing how to maximize your most fertile time. Urine-based ovulation predictor kits are available for home charting use. The temperature charting can help you gage when you're ovulating so you're making merry during your peak fertile periods. 

6. Three times the charm - Remove the stress (sometimes stress creeps up quickly in our lives and without us even noticing!) and get working on your horizontal mambo moves at least 3 times/week. Enjoy it! Once that baby arrives, the time for sex just won't be the same. 

Written by Liz Marques Kogan. A momstown Milton member and mother of 2 girls. You can check out her blog at www.orchidaforever.blogspot.ca 

momstown Milton kicks off a new French Literacy Program: Contes pour les bouts d'choux sponsored by Scholastic Canada

We are all proud of our beautiful nation, Canada, and its two official languages: English and French.  On January 16, 2013, the momstown Milton moms and tots were bursting with pride and excitement as they headed over to the Indigo bookstore for an  interactive French Tales for Tots: Contes pour les bouts d'choux story time sponsored by Scholastic Canada!

The featured book this month was Mon Ami Henri by Philippe Beha and the theme for the session was body parts (les parties du corps). Upon arriving to the bright and colourful Indigo store, the little ones were put to the creative test by making face puppets inspired by one of their real-life friends or by the delightful whim of their imaginations of what exactly Henri might look like?  

To help the tots become comfortable with French vocabulary, Madame Liz, would ask them repeat body part names and associate them back to their own puppet creations. They took to the task with gleeful enthusiasm. "Le nez!" they'd exclaim with excitement while gesturing at the noses on their puppets or their own face.

The tots then assembled in a circle on the floor to sing a "hello my friends" (bonjour mes amis) song. Their young but strong voices filled the air with happiness. Passers-by stopped with their children and grandchildren to find out what all of the buzz was about and then of course, they just had to join in on the fun too!

After the rousing rendition of the bonjour mes amis song, we moved on to a body parts song (to the tune of head and shoulders, knees and toes). "Tête, épaule, genoux et pieds!" Little hands and feet got busy grooving to the beat.

Then it was time to settle down for a story. The group gathered close together as Madame Liz read the featured book Mon Ami Henri. (With each page read, an English translation was provided). In the story, a young boy describes his best friend, Henri, and the children were mesmerized by the description of Henri: petit (small), frisé (curly hair), deux grands yeux noirs (two large black eyes), des tâches de rousseur sur le nez (freckles on the nose) and une sourire jusqu'aux oreilles (a smile that reaches to his ears). They happily followed along with the story using their puppet or own body parts for emphasis. 

Once the reading aloud of the story was done, the children then bounced off the floor and back to the craft station to review their colours in French. Each child was given a sheet with the colours in French and crayons so they could fill in the circles on the sheet with the appropriate colour. Little hands scribbled furiously to get the job done! We then reviewed all that we had learned together to gather a complete description of their friends - blue eyes, black hair, white teeth, etc..

After the review was completed, it was time for a few final songs. We sang "Alouette" and shrieked with delight and practically did a little dance showing off all of our body parts as they were announced in french. 

Our fun French time didn't end before our special Scholastic Books draw. Our lucky winner who funnily enough bore a strong resemblance to Henri (the character in the book) was delighted to take home the book to add to his own personal library! 

It was over all far too soon and as we bid au revoir to our amis, we weren't sad as we knew that we'll all be back next month for another exciting Contes pour les bouts d'choux. 

We would love to have you join us for French Tales for Tots/Contes pour les bouts d'choux  sponsored by Scholastic Books next month at Indigo - Milton. A fun way for kiddies to learn and practice French in a group!  Register here for your 6 week FREE trial.


Written by Liz Marques Kogan, a mother of two girls, and momstown Milton member. You can check out her blog at: www.orchidaforever.blogspot.ca 

momstown Milton and Today's Parent join forces to provide complete mom support across Canada!

There’s never been a better time to join momstown MILTON! When you purchase or renew a full year momstown membership in 2013, you received a BONUS subscription to Today’s Parent!

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 January 1^st to December 31^st, 2013, inclusive.

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

Click here for full details and mark your calendars to renew or sign up soon!

 

momstown Milton welcomes new families to the Milton Community

I had wanted to write this piece for quite some time and one overcast cool morning in October 2012, I decided it just had to get done. It was no longer a matter of a nice to do but a must do.

Just over one year and a half ago, my spouse and I made the decision not to renovate our northwest Mississauga home and instead move to a newer shinier home just a bit further north in Milton. Unsurprisingly, this decision inspired comedic comparisons of the "Love It or List It" reality TV show from friends.

We'd done our research. Milton was an up and coming town (2011 census confirmed once again it's Canada's fastest growing community) and its word of mouth reputation was that it was family-oriented with a charming small-town feel. Of course, let's not forget the bottom line...the real estate was significantly more affordable when we compared Milton against Mississauga and Oakville. In truth, Milton had originally been our third choice but we quickly had a change of heart and saw the merits that so many others were seeing.

So off we went about the logistics...French immersion school - check. Commute to work - check. My spouse was already on the Milton GO line and it was just one stop further than the Lisgar stop (Mississauga). As for me, my job as a disability case manager was home office based so commuting was not a factor.

In late August 2011, we excitedly moved in our belongings and set about making our house a home. We enjoyed exploring our pretty little neighbourhood and checking out local attractions. And unceremoniously, here comes the but.  I was finding it difficult to meet new people and was plagued by feelings of loneliness. Muttering "Where is the Milton welcoming committee?" to my ginger root painted walls, I would wallow in isolation. On a brighter note, though, throughout all of this, it was a soothing comforting that my daughters were busy making friends at school and adjusting well.

I debated whether to accept that this was just the way things were in Milton now and perhaps the small-town feel was a thing of the past. Then one cold March 2012 evening, while waiting for a table at Boston Pizza, I saw it. A stack of momstown business cards and a teasing notice of a discount for momstown Milton members. I could argue that it was the bargain hunter in me that drove me to check out the momstown.ca site, however, I know myself better than that. It was my need to connect with other moms and belong.

Far too impatient to wait until I got home, eagerly I typed in the momstown.ca address on my iPhone browser as we waited for our drinks at the restaurant. The About Us section on the site resonated a very loud chord with my socially disconnected soul. It talked about a different time in our society when everyone knew each other and brought over casseroles to help out a new mom. Moreover, it went on to explain, the need for a supportive and caring community reaching out to help moms connect with each other and their little ones. Sam Kassam-Macfie, the owner of momstown Milton shared her story as well. As a newcomer to Milton with a newborn baby, she attended the December 2009 Open House Christmas party and was, in her words, hooked! Soon, she had a circle of caring mamas to socialize mama-baby style. Momstown was such an inspiration that she decided to buy the Milton chapter.

Feeling inspired myself, I enthusiastically viewed the sample calendar and it was jam packed with events. My girls watched me with interest as I explained to them that mommy wanted to meet new people in Milton and how much fun it would be to attend mom/kid events.

After typing off an email to momstown Milton, I quickly received a warm and friendly response from one of its ambassadors.  Given that I have one child over the age of 6, I was advised that momstown is geared for mothers with children aged 0-6 years, however, I was assured that Sam takes her members needs very seriously and there were a plethora of mom's night out (MNO) events such as dessert night, supper club, movie nights, you name it. I was encouraged to check out the site and was given a free 6-week trial membership to do so.

I decided to sign up for a family supper night during March Break 2012. And guess what? I chickened out. I withdrew my sign up. I didn't even have a good reason for doing it. Just the "cold feet" excuse. I got scared.

A couple of months went by and in early June 2012, I decided to reach out to momstown Milton again after my free trial membership had expired. I think at that point I was tired of the self-imposed isolation and knew I had to break out. Sure enough, I was received yet again with a warm and compassionate reply encouraging me to attend an event and see what the community was all about.

So I signed up for a MNO supper night. On the day of the event, I got a personal message from one of the momstown Milton members telling me that I was the only person still on the attendee list. Her message indicated that she'd love to meet up with me and provided her cell number. I called her back and was just in awe of her friendliness and willingness to reach out and welcome someone new. To me, it spoke volumes about the quality and substance of the momstown community. We arranged to meet later that evening. We had a great time swapping kid stories and she happily relayed her positive momstown Milton experiences. I was so impressed by the kindness shown to me that I decided to join and paid my membership dues for momstown Milton the next morning.

This was only the beginning. The next event that I signed up for was a MNO dessert night at Portabellos. True to form, the momstown Milton mamas were friendly, engaging and just plain fun to be around! I had some good laughs that night and by hearing the stories of the mamas with babies, I was able to walk down memory lane and remember when I was constantly chasing after an active baby.

momstown Milton has opened so many doors for me in Milton in such a short period of time. From an ultimate girls night out to see sexy Magic Mike to a summer afternoon mom-kids meet at Yogurtys, there are just so many ways to interact in a meaningful way with this community.

More than discounts at local establishments (although, who doesn`t love that?) and social events, momstown Milton really cares about Milton as a whole and about giving back. We attended a wine and cheese United Way Milton fundraiser at Casa Americo in August 2012 as a group. Not only was the event fun and a fantastic way to support a great cause; it was a phenomenal opportunity to meet the many outstanding members of Milton's community whose passion for this town is positively endearing. I made amazing connections and gained a sense of belonging.

The opportunities to get involved in momstown Milton are endless. Along with a group of dynamic women, I assisted with stuffing the loot bags for the highly successful momstown.ca 5th birthday bash and had a blast doing it.

I could go on and on as I am overcome with gratitude to momstown Milton for welcoming me with open arms. For reaching out to a Milton newcomer and making me feel like a part of something. For finally to be able to proudly call Milton my home, I know that thank you is not enough. But from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Written by Liz Marques Kogan, a momstown Milton member and mother of 2 girls.
You can check out her blog at orchidaforever.blogspot.ca.

Cooking with Kids - How to make a Spinach Ricotta Lasagna

Our Junior Chefs had a great time making a delicious and easy Spinach Ricotta Lasagna. We crafty moms are always looking for new ways to include more veggies in meals for our kids, and this recipe is a yummy way to do just that. Easy enough for a weeknight meal, and special enough for company this recipe is a keeper.

We started on the spinach ricotta filling. The kids took turns adding and measuring the ingredients into the mixing bowl. A great opportunity to learn about numbers and build awareness of quantity!

 They especially liked the hands on approach to squeezing the water out of the spinach (and a few mamas learned a new trick!).

What you need:

4c of part skim ricotta

2 packages frozen spinach - thawed and with water squeezed out!

1/2 cup Parmesan

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp pepper

3 eggs, whisked

The Junior Chefs then moved on to assembling the lasagna! We added layers and the little ones had fun guessing what came next. They soon discovered that there was a pattern involved.

Sauce (1/2c)

Pasta

Spinach Ricotta mix

Sauce

Pasta

Spinach Ricotta mix

Sauce

Pasta

Sauce (approx 1 cup to cover the surface of the pasta layer)

2c shredded mozzarella

Our beautiful lasagna was covered with foil and went into the oven at 350 degrees for 45min. The foil was removed and it baked for 10 minutes longer. The highlight was being able to taste test what we had made - YUMMY! It was unanimous with our group of Junior Chefs - everyone loves pasta!

 If you have a child that loves to cook then this program is a must try! Register here for your 6 week FREE trial.

momstown Milton kids take a trip to Holland

Grab your passport and hop aboard as momstown Milton takes a trip around the world! Our first destination was Holland. We used our globe to find Holland and discovered that it was a small country located across a large body of water called the Atlantic Ocean.

With the flag of Holland hanging on the wall, the children saw that it was made of red, white and blue strips that run horizontally. The children learned that Dutch men and women wear wooden shoes called clogs while working in the gardens of tulips.

Since we were visiting Holland during the holiday season, Miss Mandy had made a special Dutch treat called Boterkoek. It was so yummy for a morning snack! The recipe is a family recipe that is passed from one generation to the next. It's top secret!!! While eating our treat the children learned how to say please and thank you in Dutch. We always need to remember our manners.
To say please, you say alstublieft (als-two-blee-ft) and thank you is dankuwel (dan-ku-well)

Miss Mandy had silk scarves that belonged to her Oma (grandma in Dutch) that showed the children some of the different cities in Holland such as the capital city of Amsterdam and Rotterdam; where Miss Mandy's family is from. The children loved looking at the pictures of the tulips and windmills that are found throughout Holland.

After seeing the beautiful windmills, we made some windmills of our own to take home. We used the colours found in the Dutch flag.

To make our windmills we used the following supplies:

paper plate (cut in the blades of the windmill)
red, blue and white paint
large straw or Popsicle stick

Happy travels everyone! Next month we will escape the January cold and head south of the border to Mexico. If you would like to join in on our journey around the world program please register here.

momstown Milton: Discovery Field Trip to the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory

Milton kids have a fun day of discovery the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory!

Nothing beats the "cooped up inside" cabin fever better than a field trip. So on Friday, January 4, 2013, the momstown Milton families made the trek from Milton to Cambridge to visit the idyllic Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. After shedding our thick layers of winter clothing in the Cloak Room, we headed over to the Paradise Gift Shop to buy tickets (or show proof of e-ticket purchase); and get our butterfly hand stamps so we could tour the facility.

As a special Holiday Activity for Kids, we were each given a sheet and crayon to conduct our very own scavenger hunt within the lush tropical gardens of the Conservatory! Our mission as "Bug Detectives" was to go on a quest to find all 8 insects listed, circle as found and then redeem the completed sheet for a special prize. 

I think I found one!

Cool - A hissing cockroach - Mom can I PLEASE take it home!

As we moved inside the warm oasis of the Butterfly Conservatory, the excitement was simply magical. "Ohh, so pretty!" the little ones squealed with delight as we marvelled at the sight of thousands of butterflies flying around. Very memorably, we were fortunate to admire the beauty of the white butterflies fluttering around us like snowflakes as it was the Flight of White special holiday exhibit. 

The Touch Table was a a special sensory learning opportunity for the children (and moms and dads too!) to look and feel the empty cocoons, chrysalides, and butterfly wings. Laminated cards on the table explained the difference between moths and butterflies. 

 

Some of the butterflies proved to be very friendly and perched themselves comfortably right on our hands. A moment of surreal fun! 

We watched with keen interest as the butterflies fed daintily on the oranges, marvelled at the rich green turtles sitting languidly in the waters, rushed over to the babbling waterfalls and laughed with enthusiasm as pictures were taken. To admire and capture the looks of wonder on the children's faces was a joy that simply cannot be put into words. 

With all of the Bug Detective work and touchy-feely butterfly moments, we were famished and ready to enjoy lunch at the Paradise Cafe. After lunch, we scooted back into the Butterfly Conservatory for one final marvellous tour before claiming our Bug Detective prizes and heading back home. The momstown Milton field trip to the fascinating and stunning conservatory was simply unforgettable.

momstown Milton would love to have you join us for our exciting events. Sign up for your 6 week free trial today!

Written by Liz Marques Kogan, a momstown Milton member and mother of 2 girls. 
You can check out her blog at orchidaforever.blogspot.ca.