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. 

Milton Optometry educates momstown Milton moms about Child Vision

How much do you know about your child's vision?

Parents, test your "Eye-Q"! 

As many as 1 in 6 children has a vision problem serious enough to impact their learning and development. TRUE! Often parents are totally unaware.  

My child will tell me if he or she has a vision problem. FALSE! Children under 9-10 years old do not know what normal vision is and assume they are seeing well.  

A vision screening performed in a school is the same as an eye exam done at an Optometry office. FALSE! School vision screenings can help identify children with vision problems but are very basic and are NOT the same as a comprehensive eye health exam. 

Conditions such as lazy eye (amblyopia) should be corrected by age 6 in order to have the best chance of correcting the problem. TRUE! If eye problems like lazy eye or turned eye (strabismus) are detected early, there is an excellent chance they can be fully corrected.

Rubbing eyes, squinting or tilting head to one side are all symptoms of a possible vision problem in your child. TRUE! These are noticeable problems. Other less obvious things such as avoiding close work, sitting close to the TV and hand-eye coordination problems are also signs.  

Babies are not able to have a full eye examination. Only children who can read letters are able to have one. FALSE! Babies as young as 6 months of age should be examined by an Optometrist. Children do not have to be able to read to have an eye exam.

Children should have their eye examined only when they say they are not seeing well. FALSE! It is recommended that children have their eyes examined annually by an Optometrist. 

After an eye examination, a parent should know if their child's eyes are coordinated, see colour and have good depth perception. TRUE! A comprehensive eye exam will tell you all of these things.

An optometrist, ophthalmologist and my family doctor all have different roles in helping my child's vision. TRUE! Family doctors are often one of the first professionals to see a child and recommend an eye exam with an Optometrist. Optometrists are primary eye care providers that perform full eye health examinations and prescribe medications when necessary. Ophthalmologists are eye surgeons.

As much as 80% of learning in the early years is visual. TRUE! Vision plays a HUGE role in the growth and development of a child's brain.

Bring your child into Milton Optometry today for a full comprehensive eye examination! It is full insured by OHIP for all children under 19 years.

www.miltonoptometry.ca

 

 

 

Dr Phil will be conducting an in-office tour for our momstown members on March 15th and July 9th. He will also be joining us as a guest speaker at our Baby Basics program on May 8th to educate our moms and to address any questions they might have.

 

momstown Milton offers a variety of info sessions and educational seminars throughout the year. If you are a business that would like to participate in our sessions please contact sam.kassam@momstown.ca. If you are not a member yet please click here to register for a 6 week FREE trial membership.

momstown Milton: Mom of the Month - Sarah Morrow

Name: Sarah Morrow                                

Age: 32
Born In: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK

Children’s name and age: Caleb 15mths, baby due April 27^th

Childhood Ambition: I wanted to be a vet

Fondest Memory:  My honeymoon, we went to Orlando Florida for 3 weeks and got to fly 1^st class. For any who know me, I’m a HUGE DISNEY fan.

Wildest Dream: That I was going to give birth to a 13lb 13oz baby….I really hope that doesn’t happen…that would be scary! But seriously it would be to go on Holiday to Bora Bora and stay in a villa over the water!

Proudest Moment: Giving birth to Caleb and raising him with no family help other than from Hubby.

Biggest Challenge: Moving to Canada and starting from scratch.  

Perfect Day: Like all mums, starts with a lie in and then spending the day with my boys at one of the Disney parks or SeaWorld. It ends with dinner at Olive Garden with wine.

First Job: I was a cashier at the local supermarket

Indulgence: I suppose its DVD’s although since moving to Canada I’ve become a lot better.

Last Big Purchase: Our bed, we didn’t bring any furniture with us and we wanted to make sure we had a good bed as hubby had back issues in the UK.

Favorite Movie or Favourite Sport? I don’t really have a favourite movie, but love the Harry potter movies and the Star trek movies. Not a huge sports fan but have found that I quite like baseball since moving here.

How long have you been a member of momstown Milton? 1year 1month

Describe your experience as a momstown member? It’s been a life saver. I would have gone nuts being stuck at home all day not knowing anyone. The first year here I hardly knew anyone; I could count them on 1 hand. Since having Caleb and joining momstown Milton I've made so many friends, it’s helped in making Canada feel like home.

Roasted Maple & Mustard Chicken: From TV to momstown Milton's Kitchen

The other day while at home, while avoiding the Boxing Week sales; I flipped on the television and there she was, the beautiful smiling Rachael Ray, showing her captive audience how to make the most succulent, the most mouth-watering Roasted Maple and Mustard Chicken.

 

As I sat mesmerized and wishing the chicken was roasting in my kitchen, I was inspired to create my very own recipe with the ingredients I already had sitting in my pantry, fridge, and freezer at home. 

 

I ran over to my freezer and grabbed a package of chicken legs and immediately set them in defrost mode. It was time for this momstown Milton mamma to get cooking! 

Ingredients

Chicken legs, 1 package (approximate 12 legs) 

4 tablespoons, melted butter 

7-8 medium potatoes, skin-on, cut into wedges

1 onion, peeled, cut into wedges, with root attached

Several sprigs of tarragon (whatever I had leftover...original recipe called for 2 tablespoons fresh thyme) 

EVOO-Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for drizzling as needed) 

3 tablespoons Honey Dijon mustard

1/3 cup maple syrup 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce  
About 1/3 cup chicken stock 
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated (OR use 2 tsp roasted garlic puree if you have it on hand) 
2 cipollini onions, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

Salt, pepper, paprika - to taste 

Preparation

 

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Melt butter in a small pan on stovetop or microwave. 

3. In a shallow roasting pan, dress potatoes, celery, pepper and onions with melted butter, and season with salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Roast 10 minutes then remove from oven.

3.  Arrange chicken over potatoes and onion. Brush with EVOO and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.

4. Combine syrup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, stock, garlic and cipollini in a small bowl. Pour sauce evenly over the chicken and potatoes, and roast 1 hour or as needed. I roasted for 40 minutes and then lightly brushed EVOO and syrup on the chicken and continued roasting for another 20 minutes at 400ºF. After 1 hour of roasting, I then broiled for 2 minutes to get a crispy chicken coating. 

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