The in's and outs of the K-Days parade!

Friday is the K-Days parade and both Carter and I are super excited to be in the parade again this year. (Another reason my work is so awesome)

Last year Carter was a super star running along the side lines and giving hi fives to all the people sitting on the side walks. 
It's all he has been talking about since he found out he was going to be in the parade again this year!! 

For anyone who is planning to go, especially when travelling with children the more information you have, the better!! This is what I have learned over the past few years and hopefully you find it helpful too!  

What time to go? 
The parade starts at 10:00am and getting there early to stake out the perfect spot is ideal. If I were going to stake out a spot I would go for 9:15ish. 

Where to park? 
Taking the bus or the LRT downtown is the best idea! There is limited parking in close proximity to the parade because of construction (arena, road work, etc..) as well as many roads being shut down for the parade. Park and Ride is a great option. 

What to bring
Lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on the cement. 
Hats
Sunscreen
Snacks (The parade from start to finish can last up to 2 hours) 
Water bottles 
Money (If you want to purchase items from the vendors walking up and down the street) 
Camera 

Where to sit 
Check out the map of the parade, my favorite spot is by City Hall. Even though it is at the end of the parade, it is still my favorite place to sit. 
Locations that have natural shade will make the parade an enjoyable experience. 

If you see Carter and I in the parade, be sure to yell hi and have a great time!! 

Save 25% on Taste of Edmonton tickets - info in post.

We love going to the Taste of Edmonton and we love to save money so when we found out that we could save 25% on tickets we jumped on it! 

From now until July 16th @5:59pm you can buy 40 tickets for $40!! 

So how do you do this?? There are 2 ways: 

1. Purchase your tickets online here

2. Go downtown to Tix on the Square @ Sir Winston Churchil Square 9930 - 102ave. 

At 6pm on July 16th the tickets will go up to regular price, so hurry and buy your tickets now!! 

Staycation idea's - #2 Pembina River

While Kris and I will be planning a lot of things to do as a family, there are also some things that we will be doing without the kids. 
Going to Pembina River Tubing is one of them. 

(It is recommended that children be at least 5 years of age and that ALL children 12 and under are supervised by a responsible adult) 



Pembina River Tubing is located a little over an hour West of Edmonton. Detailed directions to the location can be found here. All you need to do is get yourself there and they provide a shuttle to the tubing starting point, tubes, life jackets, and offer various stop off points where you can grab a ride back! 
You have the option to pay for the whole shebang (tube, shuttle, & life jacket) or you can bring your own tube/life jacket and just pay for the shuttle! You can also pay $5 for them to keep your car keys for you!
>>> Prices for everything can be found here <<<


What to bring? 

• Sunscreen
• Shoes that you can wear in the water. (bring something to attach your shoes to the tube if you are wearing flip flops)
• Hat
• Sun Glasses 
• Beverages (Liquor is prohibited as it is a public place)
• A picnic lunch 

Things to keep in mind!

• Sometimes the water is not optimal for tubing - calling ahead doesn't hurt and then it's not a wasted trip. 780.515.1754
• Plan to go early! From now until September it is on a first come first serve basis during the weekends. IT GETS BUSY!!
• During the week you can make reservations - especially for large groups.

Happy Friday everyone! :)

Lego Take 'N' Play - Celebrating Summer

Looking for something to do this Saturday June 7th @ 11am with the kids?
Celebrate summer and take part in the FREE Lego Take 'N' Play at your local Toys 'R' Us. 
This event kids will be making a 
Lego Sail Boat. 

**Space and supplies are limited so come early to get a spot**

Want to find out where your closest Toys 'R' Us is? 
Check out the list below! 

North Edmonton

13029-97st NW

780-944-9404

West Edmonton

9908-170st NW

780-944-9414

South Edmonton

3940 Gateway Blvd NW

780-944-9424

Cheap movies - find out where to see them!

This past Friday after Carter's soccer game we decided to go and see a cheap movie at Movies 12. 

Movies 12 has been around for a long time and it brings back so many fond memories. I can recall many Friday nights hanging out there with friends. 

The majority of the movies that are shown are not the movies that are just out, they are movies that have left the regular theatre and some may or may not have been already released on DVD already. There are some first run movies as well and admission for that is $11.00.

(FYI Frozen is playing there right now)

The best part is that you don't have to wait until the once a month movies happening on a Saturday morning to go to a movie that won't make you go broke. 

Children under 2 are FREE so paying for 3 of us to go to a movie, on a Friday night... was just under $12!!!! (Admission is $3.99)

Another great thing? Tuesdays you only pay $2.25 to see a movie.

But there is more...are you a Scene Card member?? (It's FREE)...if you are, you save 10% off of the admission price

You can sign up at the theatre or go here to sign up online

The theatre is located in North Edmonton @ 5074-103 Ave.

Want to know what movies are playing? Check out the Edmonton Movie Guide to find out the times and movies. 

Happy movie watching! 

P.S.

Think...air conditioning on that super hot day that you just can't handle anymore......

What have I been up to?...

Wow it's been a few days since I last posted.

First of all, Happy Anniversary to my awesome husband Kris!! Today we have been married for 7 years..(man where does the time go??) ...and I am still in love with him as much as I was the first day that I met him (which was in grade 12, yes we are high school sweethearts). I am looking forward to celebrating with dinner and a movie tonight while Grandma babysits!!

So where have I been? Well most of you know that I also work full time and this week was the Employment First conference. I am still reeling from getting to meet Hayley Wickenheiser who was the inspirational keynote speaker at the conference.

We were also getting ready for the garage sale that we held this weekend. A right of passage of being a home owner in my opinion, and a great way to meet your neighbours, but thank god it is over.

The birthday party season also continued and we celebrated one of Cart'er s friends 4th birthday this Sunday, which honestly I still can't believe that Carter is 4, his friends are 4, and time just flys by way too fast!  It's just another reminder that life is short and you need to take time for friends, family, and life!

To celebrate the end of it all we went in the hot tub and drank rum.

So that brings us to today! I have lots of fun things planned for some posts so stay tune.  And if you want to receive emails of my posts you can sign up below!!

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FREE family fun - April 25th come and watch Frozen

Date: April 25th- Doors open at 6:30pm, movie starts at 7:00pm 

Admission is FREE 

Inglewood Hall

12525-116 Ave

·        Bring your cushions & blankets to cuddle up in...

·        Children must be accompanied by an adult

·        PJ’s optional!

·        Refreshments for sale

    (popcorn, juice, twizzlers etc.) 

Mommy madness- double the cash back @ Ebates.

Ebates.ca is offering double cash back through their Mommy Madness event.
Oldnavy, The Bay, Entertainment books and so many others!!
It ends soon so take advantage of getting paid double to shop now.

My top 10 tobaggan hill picks in and around Edmonton!

Information taken from The Weather Network website

With a fresh blanket of snow and a weather forecast that predicts warmer temperatures in and around the city, this is the perfect time to get in some family time and take advantage of optimum tobogganing weather!  

I have a few favorites that my family and I like to go to and I want to share them with you!

Castledowns Hill (Not sure of the "official" name)
10111 155 Ave NW

Castledowns Park
11520 - 153 Ave

ACT- Rundle Park (maintained by the City of Edmonton) 
2903-113 Ave.

Behind Canon Ridge Town Homes
1404 Hermitage Road

Emily Murphy Park
Emily Murphy Park Rd. and Groat Rd.

Next to Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church
9003 – 153 Avenue

Gallagher Park  (By the Muttart and where the Edmonton Folk Fest takes place)  

9411-97 Ave

 

Millwoods Park

2730 66 St

 
Seven Hills (St. Albert)
2 St Vital Ave

Broadmoor Golf Course (Sherwood Park )
2100 Oak Street

**Some toboggan hills are maintained through the City of Edmonton and Strathcona County**To find out which ones check out these websites!
City of Edmonton Tobbaging info  & Strathcona County Tobbaging info 

What to remember when going tobogganing:
Dress warm (Layering works well)
Tuck in scarfs so they don't get caught
Wear helmets - especially children
Practice good tobogganing etiquette
 1.Toboggan down the middle walk up in the sides
 2.Take turns if there are a lot of people

 Do you have a favorite toboggan hill? Please share! :)

FREE fun @ Millwoods Town Center March 6th-9th

Safari Jeff will be at Millwoods Town Centre

2331 66 Street NW

Enjoy the company of many cold blooded creatures such as a giant tortoise, crocodile, snake, frog, and lizards. (Plus more)

Dates & times

• Thursday March 6th- 11am & 2pm
• Friday March 7th- 11am & 2pm
• Saturday March 8th- 1pm & 3pm
• Sunday March 9th- 1pm & 3pm

Also, if you like what you read don't forget to subscribe to my blog :)

Selfie 365 Project - A year of memories

I have been inspired by a friend of mine (www.kristinb.ca) to start my own 365 Project.

I do not like having my picture taken - I never have but as time seems to be going so fast these days I realize more and more that I don't have enough pictures of me with the people that I love and care about. So this 365 Project will be a Selfie 365 Project.

So what does this entail? A whole year, 365 days of selfie pictures with other people and doing things I love.

The picture in this post is my first 365 selfie with my son Carter. I thought it would be fun to put the picture of Sophie in there because while I was taking the above picture with Carter, she managed to get her hands on a pen and drew all over herself.

I will post my pictures in one weekly post for everyone to see just how exciting these next 365 days will be :)

Want to know more about the 365 Project? Check the website and start your own :)

If you want to know when my posts come out be sure to subscribe to my blog. 

Mom to Mom Show - March 26th, 2014

Our next show for Bun in the Oven Consignment is the Mom to Mom show on March 16th 10am-2pm and we will be there with a lot of beautiful Maternity clothes.
There will be over 100 vendors with a variety of items geared towards children & family as well as tables with new & gently worn children's clothes.
Check out the show schedule too  which will offer activities and presentations from Whole Family Health, Music Together, Wundersign, and Tough Grind Fitness.

Want to know more? Check out the Mom to Mom show website

Tadpoles & Butterflies - an interview with a baby wearing pro!

Are are new to baby wearing? Even the idea of baby wearing? 
Where do you start? 
There are so many brands, how do you choose?
Look no further- or do but read this first as your stepping stone.

I have had the pleasure of email interviewing Arie Brentnall-Compton. 
Amy works at Tadpoles & Butterflies and offers baby wearing consulting through her company the Canadian Babywearing School which she co-owns with Kelly Laffin. Her extensive knowledge has helped to build public health initiatives in Canada, educates many people from healthcare backgrounds to consulting for other people that are in the baby wearing industry , and along with owner Nancy Blink has helped to build the successful and exclusive go to baby wearing business that Tadpoles & Butterflies is today. 

So, grab some coffee, and take a moment to read this awesome email interview with Arie to help know a little bit more about the baby wearing world. 

How did Tadpoles & Butterflies start? 

8 years ago, the babywearing market was a VERY different place!  Locally, only ring slings & front pack carriers were available; nothing that truly allowed you to be hands free.  My best friend, Nancy Blink & I wanted to bring in some of the amazing 2 shouldered carriers that were starting to be made.  After we each ordered & tried an Ergo, we heard angels singing (Our babies were on our backs!!  We could unload the dishwasher!  We could start a business!), we decided everyone needed access to these miraculous items locally & opened Tadpoles & Butterflies as an online store.  In those early days, we did a lot of in person sales, showing these new types of carriers to mothers in playgrounds, playgroups & at trade shows.

What are the basics of the different types of carriers and their benefits?

We think there are primary 4 types; ring slings, buckle carriers, wraps & mei tais.  Ring slings are a one shouldered carrier ideal for the newborn stage & are wonderful for short hip carries for as long as you continue to wear your child.  Mei Tais are a a good all around option; they can be used from birth into the toddler years.  They're easy to learn to use, a favourite with men & have a great price point (under $100).  Buckle carriers are fast & easy; although there are some that can work from newborn on up, most excel as back carriers for babies from 6mos-3 years.  Wraps- there are subcategories within wraps.  Stretch wraps are perfect for the newborn period but quickly lose steam around the 15lb mark.  Purpose-woven wraps (this means the fabric was designed to carry babies) are amazing, they are an excellent choice from birth until you no longer carry your child.  Hybrid wraps have features of both; they're soft & stretchy but have specific features (one way stretch, hemming, wider width, etc) that allow them to be used the same way you might a woven.

Is there a basic carrier that you suggest for people new to baby? 

Yes!  A hybrid stretch or a mei tai is a great choice for almost all situations.  They're priced under $100 and are enough to last you from birth-toddler years if that's the only carrier you ever decide to purchase.  

What are some benefits to baby wearing?

There are none!  Baby wearing is the biological norm; babies are born expecting to be carried from birth until they can walk on their own.  There are many reasons to babywear, from simple practicality (Walk your dog!  Get laundry done!) to important health interventions (normalised breastfeeding experiences, reduced postpartum depression & parental stress, etc).

What can people expect from the courses offered in regards to baby? 

Tadpoles & Butterflies offers baby wearing 101 workshops monthly to parents new to baby wearing, or those looking to increase their skill set.  We keep our group sizes small so there's lots of time for questions & for individual attention.  We'll have a baby wearing educator there to talk with you about safety, choosing a carrier, reasons to babywearer as well as helping you with trying out the carriers that interest you!  There will be demo carriers & demo dolls there for you to use.

Can you tell me a bit about the Canadian Babywearing School and what you offer through them?

I sure can!  We offer public & private customised courses designed to train the trainer; our goal is to increase attendees skill sets around teaching baby wearing to others.  Our focus is on baby wearing as a public health initiative as well as building baby wearing businesses.  We get a mix of attendees from the baby wearing industry, those looking to join the industry & those in various health professional roles as well.   We also offer consulting services to those already in the industry.

How has society come along/changed since you first opened? 

So many things have shifted during these past 8 years!  There have been 2 large shifts that have allowed the renewed interest in baby wearing we're seeing now.  The first is that baby carrier manufacturers began making & marketing carriers to be the parent's accessory, rather than the babies.  We used to see only unattractive prints & uncomfortable styles; parents like us who desired attached relationships tolerated them for the benefit of being with our babies!  There are of course now patterns, colours & styles suited to every style, lifestyle & body type, which makes purchasing (& using)  carriers much more attractive to all types of parent.  The second change is very much the advent of social media.  Parents are now easily exposed to the ideas of thousands of people instead of just the 8 mothers at your local playgroup.  The odds of a new parent seeing baby wearing discussed have gone up exponentially, so they're much more open to the idea.  This of course corresponds with carriers being more widely available online, in boutique & even in big box stores.

Is there anything else that you want to share about your business or baby wearing?

Hmmmmm.....there are so many things!  We've gotten to travel all across North America (& even the UK!)  teaching & participating in the baby wearing industry, but I'm most proud of the work we've done with public health initiatives within Canada.  Seeing the difference that implementing baby wearing can make in a community has made us feel that we're really doing good work. We believe in changing the world one carrier at a time, one baby wearing educator at a time.

You can check out the Tadpoles & Butterflies online store here. 

Want to attend one of their baby wearing 101 work shops? Go here to register! 
Also to learn more about the Canadian Babywearing School you can check out their websitie here. 

Win 4 general admission tickets to the Mom, Pop & Tots Fair

It's that time of year again and I don't know who is more excited about going, me or Carter?

The Mom, Pop & Tots Fair is a staple for families with young children and is coming up on March 7th & 8th at the Edmonton EXPO center.

Toopy & Binoo are the guest entertainers and will be performing three live shows at 10am, 1pm & 3pm on both days. (We will be there early to get a good spot)

With approximately 150 booths the Mom, Pop & Tots Fair is your one-stop event for parents to gather resources and to see the latest on what is trending with products and services for everything children and family.

There will also be many other activities for you and your family to participate in from an interactive classroom hosted by Edmonton Catholic schools, a chalk drawling floor, bouncy castles, a petting zoo,  Pony rides by Thistle Farms, as well as the baby crawl races.

Don't forget to stop by and see Mrs. Claus for the kids to decorate a cookie and have their face painted. She will be there with Santa's Anonymous, which is the Mom, Pop & Tots Fair "charity of choice".


Want a chance to win tickets to this event?

Family Productions Inc. has graciously donated four general admission tickets to the Mom, Pop & Tots Fair.
Entering is easy! Leave a comment in this blog post about your favorite thing about the Mom, Pop & Tots Fair
(There are several other options to get EXTRA entries)
Hope to see you there!! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kids Play @ Kingsway! A prehistoric flash back this Wednesday!

Are you looking for something FREE to do with your child(ren) this Wednesday February 26th 9am-11am. Check out Kids Play @ Kingsway!
(Located @ 109 Street & Kingsway) 

Jurrasic Forrest will be at the first event talking about everything Dinosaur! There will also be story time and a craft to take home afterwards. 
Where is this awesome event taking place? Upstairs between the Gap & Below the Belt. 

**Kids Play @ Kingsway is a monthly event so mark your calendars**
Want to know more about upcoming themes & dates for Kids Play @ Kingsway? 
Follow Box Social Event Planning on their Facebook page here.

Lazy Perogy Casserole - Make it, eat it, LOVE IT!

Do you have one meal that is your unhealthy vice? One of my favourites is lazy perogies!

There are so many great things about this casserole:

• It's a quick easy recipe 
• Can be made ahead of time & freezes great as a make ahead meal
• Isn't super expensive to make, which makes it a GREAT potluck dish and for large groups of people because it is very filling
• One of my favourite meals to bring on a camping trip. (We bring it frozen and put it in our cooler. We usually eat it the second night we are camping, it serves as a great ice pack for the time its in the cooler as well. 

What you will need:
 9 x 13 in (22 x 33 cm) Lasagna Pan
9 Lasagna Noodles
3-4 cups Hot Mashed Potatoes
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Chopped Onions
1/4 tsp. Onion Power (can be omitted)
500mL 1% Cottage Cheese
1 Egg
1 cup Butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 onion chopped
Sour Cream
Bacon Bits

Instructions:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degres F 
2. Make a pot of mashed potatoes - enough for 3-4 cups
3. Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, a pinch of onion powder (if you want) and 1/2 tsp of pepper to the mashed potatoes and mix. 
4. Cook noodles in a large pot. 
5. Line Lasagna pan with 3 noodles 
6. In a medium size bowl mix cottage cheese, egg, a pinch of onion powder (optional) together and spoon the mix the mixture over the noodles.
7. Add another layer of 3 noodles
8. Spread all of the cheddar cheese potatoes evenly over the noodles
9. Add another layer of noodles
10. Melt butter in a frying pan and saute onions until they are clear and soft. Pour over noodles. 
11. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes. 
12. Once out of the oven let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting 

Serve with sour cream and bacon bits.
Makes 8 large servings

I would love to hear what you think of the recipe!
~Happy Lazy Perogy eating~
Christine

Toddler Time @ WEM

Are you looking for something to do with your little one?

Check out Toddler Time at West Edmonton Mall 

Monday-Thursday 

12pm-3pm

For $12 you and your toddler can hang in the toddler pool, play in the water play park, or enjoy some of the water slides! 

And then he accidently pee'd on his pants.

On Saturday I found out that Toys 'R' Us has some awesome clearance deals on warmer clothes for kids!

From the title I am sure you can guess it was due to a bathroom mishap. My son learned a valuable lesson - make sure your pants are pulled down all the way before you go to the bathroom!

But in the end we picked up a nice warm pair of fleece pants for only $3.98.

I decided to look further and snap some pictures because there actually a good selection of items starting @ $3.98 (everything in this post was that price, plus more)

 

This was at the North Edmonton Toys 'R' Us and there was lots!
Sizes 3 months to 5T!

 

 

Keter expandable table- Steal of a deal.

In April 2013 we sold our condo and in 48 days we move into our house. This home is huge for us and the backyard is a 1/4 of an acre.
Next step: We now have to find some outdoor furniture to accommodate our family and friends!

We recently had a flyer delivered for Wholesale Liquidators and decided to see what they had to offer.


We lucked out and found a Keter expandable table for $103.95 (this includes tax). Internet prices go upwards to $300.00. It can accommodate up to 14 people, is extremely easy to use, and is very compact.

The best news is that they still have some available so go check them out!

Wholesale Liquidators
14715-131 Ave
Open: Friday 10-7, Saturday 10-6, Sunday 10-5

Win a blanket from Baby Jack Blankets!

The Pregnancy & Newborn Facebook page is offering Facebook fans 4 chances to win a cute blanket from Baby Jack Blankets!

How do you enter? A few simple steps!

1. Like the Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/pnmag

2. Like the Baby Jack Blankets Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/babyJackblankets

3. Go back to the Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine Facebook page and leave a comment on their post about why YOU feel that you should win a Baby Jack Blanket!

Looking for a good magazine to subscribe to? You can subscribe to Pregnancy & Newborn here
Want to order a Baby Jack Blanket you can shop their website