Baking Buddies - Olympic Style

Our baking buddies had the opportunity to make a fun meal based all around the Olympics!

First on the menu was Cheese Hockey Sticks.  All the kids got a chance to help make the dough and then were given individual portions to create their own versions of hockey sticks.  Some even made hockey pucks to go along with the stick.

 

 As we put those in the oven to bake, we made pancake pucks.  Our little ones took mini pancakes and spread whipped cream and/or pumpkin pie filling on them.  Such a delicious treat!

 

 

Last but not least, dumbbell sandwiches to complete our yummy lunch.  Our hostess Vicki, cut up the bread in perfect circles and had an assortment of deli meats and cheese to choose from.  The kids loved that they could pick what they want to put on their very own sandwiches.  Perfectly sized for the smallest of hands:)

 

 

Finally, we presented our little baking Olympians with a special gift, created by our gracious host.  The kids were thrilled to receive their very own gold medal, with a yummy treat inside!

 

To learn more about what momstown Milton is all about - Click Here

To register for a 6 week FREE trial membership - Click Here 

If you are a business that would like to sponsor our events or advertise with us please contact info.milton@momstown.ca

 

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out

 







Tales for Tots sponsored by Scholastic Canada - Superworm

At our most recent Tales for Tots sponsored by Scholastic Canada, we read Superworm by Julia Donaldson.  It's a wacky and fun adventure starring an unforgettable hero, Superworm!

The kids had so much fun listening to this story and were sitting in anticipation waiting to hear what was going to happen next!  They loved all the colourful illustrations and rhyming lines.

After our story was done, it was time to make some crafts.  In honour of our book, our tots made their very own Superworm.  We used pipe cleaners and beads, to make some fun wiggly worms.  This is a wonderful activity to help improve eye & hand coordination and colour recognition.  We also had some fun downloadable sheets we got from Scholastic Canada that our tots could colour in.

Our theme for January was also all about trains, planes and automobiles.  We had fun making our own name train.  A fun activity to help our little ones learn to spell.  We glued popsicle sticks onto a sheet a paper to make our train track.  We cut out squares which represented the box cars.  On each box they wrote out each letter for their name.  They glued these onto a sheet of paper and used the bingo dabbers to make the wheels.  We drew in a smoke stack and Voila!  They had their very own Name Train!

 

 

 

Our tots couldn't resist in joining the train as we sang around Indigo.  Great exercise and a ton of fun!

 

One of our lucky little members got to take home her very own copy of Superworm!  Congrats!

Interested in joining us? 

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All one year memberships include a 12 month subscription to 

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come out and meet our incredible group!

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out

Fun with snow at our Baby Sensory Exploration

We brought the outdoors in for our Baby Sensory Exploration this month.  This is a great way to have fun with snow without having to bundle our our little ones and face the wind chills.  We shovelled some snow into bins and brought them in.  We filled spray bottles with non-toxic paints and found some fun bath toys that we could use as scoops.

 

 

Our little ones used a lot of different senses exploring the snow.  They liked looking at all the different colours that spray paint created.

 

 

They learned about cause and effect.  They saw that when snow warms up, it begins to melt.

We used the bath toys to scoop up the snow and make "snow figures".

 But there favorite part had to be tasting the snow.  Taste is a very important aspect in our infants learning tools.  (No worries the paint is non-toxic and completely safe)

 

 

Looking forward to our next Baby Sensory group... you just never know what we'll be doing!

We would love to have you join us for our Baby Sensory Program. A fun way for kiddies to discover the world and moms to discover to use our imagination and everyday resources available! 

Register here for your 6 week FREE trial.

 

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out

 





5 Delicious Smoothie Recipes!

2014 is the year of health and wellness for our mamas.  We are a lot more concerned about what we put in our bodies and want to be healthier not only for us but for our children.  It is so important that we set a good example for them and have them eating healthy foods.  A great way to do this is by drinking smoothies.  It is the perfect way to get your daily servings of fruit, vegetables and even dairy.

Here are some delicious recipes are mamas have shared on our momstown Milton message board:



APPLE BANANA GREEN SMOOTHIE (CherylV)

•  1/2 apple
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/3 cup almond milk (I like vanilla)
• 1/3 cup greek yogurt 
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 2 tbsp raw almonds
• 2 tsp raw honey

STRAWBERRY PINEAPPLE KALE SMOOTHIE (CherylV)

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup slightly thawed frozen strawberries
• 1 cup fully frozen pineapple
• 2 cups frozen crushed kale (per the directions above)
• 1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon stevia (if desired)

PEACH MANGO GREEN SMOOTHIE (Pam C.)

• 1 cup kale
• 1 cup almond or coconut milk or coconut water
• 1 cup frozen or fresh fresh mango and papayas (I use frozen, it makes the smoothie colder)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp greens powder
• 1 scoop of protein powder

Makes 2 cups

SIMON'S SMOOTHIE (JennBee)

• 1 cup pineapple
• 1 package tofu (coconut or almond flavour)
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1.5 cups kale/greens
• Vega One (one scoop)
• 2 cups blueberries
• 250 ml juice of choice (just has to be 100% juice w/out sugar added)

LACTOSE FREE GREEN,  APPLE, BANANA SMOOTHIE

• Celery 
• Swiss Chard
• Apple 
• Frozen Bananas, blueberries) & blueberries 
• 1 scoop of natural whey protein 
• Unsweetened lactose free coconut or almond milk 

Do you have a favorite smoothie?

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out



Family Day Activities in Milton 2014

Family Day is quickly approaching and it's time to plan some much needed together time. 

Here is a listing of where to find Family Day activities in Milton.

The Town of Milton has a number of FREE events for you and your family to enjoy.  Choose from skating, basketball, family table tennis, family Zumba and so much more. Our moms and tots are looking forward to trying out the Play with Me Demo and a FREE skate with Olympian Becky Duke!

Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School will be celebrating the official Grand Opening of the Milton Indoor Turf Centre. Click here for the FREE activities that will be offered from 2:30pm - 5:30pm.

Milton's very own Travis Gerritts will be competing for gold in freestyle aerial skiing at Sochi starting at 8:45am.  The Milton Sports Centre will have 3 Big Screens in the lobby, gymnasium and banquet hall showing the games.  There will be a DJ to help get everyone in the mood.  Don't forget to wear RED & WHITE to show your support!


Mountsberg Conservation Area - Tales By a Winter Fire - Feb 15 - 17 from 10am - 4pm:  Take a hike around the grounds and enjoy all the beautiful sights.  Then join around the campfire to share stories and roast hot dogs and marshmallows.

Crawford Lake - Snowflakes & Snow Snakes - Feb 15 - 17 from 10am - 4pm:  Learn about a traditional Iroquoian winter game called Snow Snakes. Participate in legends in the longhouse, snowshoeing, marshmallow roasts, craft making and much more!




This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out

A mother's perspective on what Valentine's Day is all about.

I still give my husband crap whenever he drops the ball on Valentine’s Day. Is it a holiday invented by retailers throughout North America? Yes. Do I still want to see flowers and chocolates waiting for me downstairs? Absolutely! But this year is different. This year, I’m not just cooking up heart-shaped chocolate chip cookies for when hubby gets home. This year, love takes on a whole new meaning; this year, I’m a mom.

As we get older, we learn quickly that blood isn’t always thicker than water and that every single time we love, it feels different. There are the loves that fade in and out; those that pop in quickly but last a lifetime; and inevitably, the ones you just didn’t see coming. There’s the passionate love you share with your partner. Or maybe it’s a simple sort of love that swells in silence, a feeling of belonging in a life shared with your better half. There’s the protective kind of love you have for your pet, and the adoring love you have for your mentor, and a million other types of love that will make grand entrances and subtle exits over for the course of a lifetime, but nothing – and I mean nothing – is as fulfilling as the unconditional love shared between a parent and their child.

It’s enormous, and at times overwhelming. As mom to a four month old angel, never have I felt so many emotions all at once; such massive pangs of sadness when her big blue eyes sprout alligator tears or such incredible joy every single time a smile decorates that chubby little face. I find myself dancing on my head just to see her happy and aching on the inside whenever I hear her cry. From the minute she was born, she became my one and only valentine for life, unless of course she’s lucky enough to have siblings but we’ll end that sentence with a …

The question now is: if Valentine’s Day used to revolve around fancy couple dinners featuring glass upon glass of expensive wine, what on earth does it mean now that the love we celebrate is shared between three?


For now, it doesn’t mean much - except for a cute stuffed animal that will go straight to the mouth and then on the floor, never to be seen or played with again. In years to come however, this holiday will consist of homemade cards that my daughter and I will put together especially for daddy, and yummy chocolates chosen by delicate hands and presented as a combined gift from my husband and our beautiful baby girl. All of a sudden the importance of grand gestures has disappeared (I hope my husband isn’t reading this) and we have entered the era of meaningful gifts. Gifts that will be stashed in closets and shoe boxes for years to come; gifts that will be cherished, and then forgotten and then found again by generations down the road; gifts that last a lot longer than it takes for roses to wither, or for me to polish off a box of chocolate delights.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never say no to a beautiful necklace or surprise weekend escape (now my husband can start paying attention), but in the end, all I want for Valentine’s Day is to spend every minute of it with the ones I love more than anything in this world and to bask in the smiles, the milestones and this one-of-a-kind love shared between a parent and their child.






Blog written by Arden Jobling-Hey: new mom, momstown Milton member, travel fiend, freelance writer and blogger at www.thefriendlygiraffe.com.

Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

Let's keep it real. It's been roughly a month into the new year and chances are (like 90% of people) you're starting to lose steam on the new year's resolutions. Whether it's to adopt a healthier lifestyle or learn a new special skill, we all need a helpful nudge to stick to it and see our resolutions through to the end of the year. Don't throw in the towel just yet - read on for tips:

1. Make a plan - Break down your larger goals into smaller, bite-sized tasks and set deadlines for yourself. It is way less overwhelming and you're more likely to succeed if you focus on the smaller but very necessary steps to get you to your bigger target. And with a looming due date over your head, you'll be less likely to procrastinate. 

2. Tell everyone - Once you have your best laid plans in front of you, tell your friends and family about it! They probably won't hold it against you for giving up but if others know what you're trying to do, you won't want to back out. Plus, who better than your loved ones to help motivate you to reach your goals?

3. Put your money where your mouth is - Take that cooking class, sign up for that gym membership, finally book that cross-country trip. You won't give up on accomplishing your goal when you've already spent some of your hard-earned cash on it. 

 

4. Have a support system - When times get tough, you need someone to help keep you on track. Find a supportive friend(s) to check in with on a regular basis and discuss your progress. It helps to find like-minded people with similar goals too. Join a local group and feed off others' energy. Or, start a discussion on our momstown Milton message board - you know our mamas are a supportive bunch!

 

5. Keep your eye on the prize - Whether it's a written list of your resolutions or your desires beautifully depicted in a vision board, remind yourself every day of what you wish to achieve - and don't let yourself forget it!

What are some of your tips on how to keep your new year's resolutions? Share them with us in the comments.

Written by Margaux Lee Cabais - first time mama to one little fellow and momstown Milton member since October 2013.

Healthy Oatmeal Recipe that Kids can help make!

It's winter and it is COLD out there.  Our momstown Milton families are really feeling the chill this winter with wind chill warnings, and snow, snow, snow!!  This month our Junior Chefs spent some time in the kitchen making winter comfort food - hearty bowls of healthy oatmeal.

We started by taking turns measuring out 1/3 cup of rolled large flake oats for each junior chef into a glass Pyrex bowl.  We measured and added the water to the bowl, as well as some flax seeds (1tbsp).  The bowl was covered with plastic wrap and microwaved on high for 7 minutes.

 While the oats were cooking, we got busy working on toppings for our oatmeal.  We chopped up some banana, which is a really easy fruit for little ones to cut up with bread knives!  One of our volunteer chefs got busy at the sink with mom, cleaning blueberries - a delicious topping for oatmeal!

Our Junior Chefs had fun taking turns shredding some apple into a bowl.  Apple is a great addition to oatmeal and can be added before or after cooking.  It adds great fibre to the bowl, and natural sweetness as well.  We all got a chance to scoop some other toppings - raisins, shredded coconut, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.
 

Once our oats had a chance to cool, everyone got a bowl and started having fun selecting their own special blend of toppings.  Voila - an easy meal and oh, so nutritious.  The room was a lot quieter once everyone (mamas included) started to enjoy their bowl of warm happiness.

Oatmeal is a great way to start the day.  It is filling, nutritious, and power packed when you serve it up with healthy toppings or mix-ins.  We have bowls of toppings ready for the week and change them up every so often.  The kids love to add their own combinations and are usually excited to see new toppings available (though ground flax meal wasn't a hit for some reason?!?).  Oatmeal can be made in advance and re-heated with the milk of your choice.

We had another great day at Junior Chef.  Our momstown Milton kids are great helpers in the kitchen, and it is always a joy to cook with them.  In this program we try to offer healthy meal options for busy families.  We keep it nutritious, quick and fun.  If you haven't been to a Junior Chef program, check out the calendar today and sign up!

momstown is proud to offer programs based on our 6 Program Pillars.  If you haven't been to a momstown Milton Junior Chef event, please check one out soon.  We hold this event monthly and it is always a great time for all.

To learn more about what momstown Milton is all about - Click Here

To register for a 6 week FREE trial membership - Click Here 

If you are a business that would like to sponsor our events or advertise with us please contact info.milton@momstown.ca

Submitted by Paula Porter, a momstown Milton member and

 mother of two amazing girls.