momstown hamilton

Announcing some positive changes!

2012-01-30T11:18:00.000-08:00

There are some exciting changes around the momstown neighbourhood and I'm just writing to let you know what's going on.

I am so pleased to announce that I am now your FULL TIME momstown mama :)

I'm so excited to start this next step in the evolution of momstown in Hamilton. While the past 7 months that I have been working FT & operating momstown has been great, it's been a continual race every day just to keep the dots connected. I am so thrilled that I will now be able to build the momstown community into the vision I have for it and create a place that you will be excited to be a part of. You will start to see some changes on the message board as I do some tidying and start to initiate programs that are near and dear to my heart. You will also start to see some exciting and new playdates and events on the calendar.

I'm not sure if I've ever shared with all of you where my passion for momstown comes from. I've been a member of momstown since November of 2009. Before that I never had community. I had a career instead. While that might sound hugely limiting and may not be the truth for everyone, it was my truth - and I've seen how, in the past 7 months that I've been back to work, a career like I had could be so isolating. Anyway, I found myself from 2005-2009 with new babies and mostly alone. I decided after a very long lonely stretch that I needed to build community. This is a skill I lacked and I had to learn (and continue to learn). I jumped in with 2 feet to my local church, which I love passionately, and I found momstown. After my family suffered a devastating health issue in 2010 (my husband had a heart attack), I realized the value of what I had found here. It meant so much to me to actually have friends come along side and help me emotionally and practically. That experience birthed in me the commitment to community that I bring to this endeavour. I have a dream for momstown to be a growing, vibrant, supportive community of women actively touching each other’s lives and changing the current face of motherhood; Where we don't just survive motherhood, we thrive in motherhood.

That said, building our community also means connecting you to other organizations in our community. I hope to be able to use our resources to help other groups that work hard to better our neighbourhoods and I also hope to be able to introduce you to some businesses that have great things to offer. To help in that endeavor Ashleigh Patterson and Stephanie Nash are now on board as our resident sales reps. Their job is to reach out to businesses in Hamilton who might want to share something with you; whether it is a message, a sale, a coupon or a trial of their product or service. We will also be doing regular large family weekend events and will be in need of sponsors to help those be successful. If you know anyone in the Hamilton community that you think would be a good fit with us please let us know.

Sarah Rogers is helping me find local editorial information that will benefit you. We will be providing you with roundups, reviews and articles. Please know these are based entirely on our opinion and unless clearly indicated will are unpaid and offered to you as a momstown service. We will be working hard to give you evaluations and insight into the products, services and businesses that we think you should know about. If you have a topic of interest that you think would make a great editorial piece then please share with us.

Finally, our blog will become a much more rich environment we incoporate all of these elements and now that I have the time and energy to commit to it. I am excited to offer any of you the opportunity to write a piece or share some thoughts on anything to do with motherhood. Please let me know if you feel so inclined.

As always I welcome any insight, suggestions or questions. Please remember that Hamilton and surrounding area is a massive community for 1 person to manage. Therefore, there are many small tasks and I welcome volunteer help. I encourage you to jump in and get involved with one another as much as possible. momstown is your community and we will get from it what we put into it.

I hope this news excites you as much as it excites me! I really looking forward to being more hands on and getting to know all of you so much better :)

How to read to your child - Top 10 tips

2012-01-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Family Literacy Day! There has been a whirlwind of activities this week in Hamilton to celebrate and promote literacy in our community. We started out with a kick-off party at Image Honda where the Hamilton Public Library brought in Turkey Rhubarb to entertain and a children’s author to do a book reading. Then we had “Snuggle Up and Read” day at the kids’ school where I volunteed to make hot chocolate and distribute cookies and then got to snuggle with my daughter for story time.

Children really do love story time. Isn’t it odd that research is showing that kids are losing their joy of reading as they get older? I wrote a post about it here. Did you know that children who love books tend to develop good literacy skills and have more success in school? I found some tips this week on how to encourage that love of reading in your kids.

Choose a time when they are ready to read (ie: when they are calm/comfortable)

Choose materials they are interested in

Turn off the TV while reading

Ask questions throughout the reading (“how do you think Franklin is feeling?”)

Change the sound of your voice for different characters

Relate the story to your child’s experiences

Praise your child’s interest in books

Stop reading when they appear restless or push the book away

Encourage your child to draw pictures to tell their own stories

Talk about the story and answer any questions they have

I hope you find some time today to snuggle up and read with your little one. Click here for some other fantastic literacy based crafts and activities you might want to do.

This weekend we're having a Baby Book Club at Indigo in Stoney Creek - Check out the momstown online calendar of events for more details.

Chinese New Year Playdate

2012-01-25T11:42:00.000-08:00

This week we celebrated Chinese New Year with a playdate at Jen’s house. Jen is a momstown mama who lived in China for a year teaching English and wanted to share her experience with us.

Jen taught us about the Chinese Zodiac and let us each know what our animal sign was.

It was fun to find out that I’m a tiger (could have told you that one – lol), my daughter is a rooster, my son a pig, and apparently I’m married to a snake (ouch!).

Each animal sign comes with an explanation of positive personality traits and ideal career choices.

Jen had prepared a traditional gift for the children in the form of a red envelope.

As per tradition the red envelopes always contain money so she filled these ones with gold foiled chocolate coins – a hit with the kids.

Red is commonly worn during Chinese New Year because it was once believed that red could scare away evil spirits and bad fortune. These are the attendees who wore red to our party :)

Jen even provided some traditional refreshments including Chinese green tea with flowering tea balls, cookies cut into the shape of fish, and mandarin oranges.

Since it’s the Year of the Dragon here’s a beautiful dragon craft you can do with your kids from our sister chapter in Calgary. You can find instructions here: http://momstown-calgarynorth.blogspot.com/2012/01/year-of-dragon-crafts-and-fun.html

Readers are learners... Family Literacy Day

2012-01-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

Whoa! I read this article back in December that says that children are no longer reading for fun. What? Where’s the joy? What is happening to rob this pleasure from children as they grow?

Of course I was very much, and still am, a bookworm. As a child I would spend hours alone in my room reading. Now days I spend a lot of time with children, as owner of momstown Hamilton it’s kinda part of the job. One of our values as a company is to create a foundation for life long learning, which we believe begins with early literacy.

We have ABC playdates which help to familiarize the children with the letters and sounds of the alphabet and we have both a Baby Book Club and a Moms Book Club. Our Baby Book Club is sponsored by Scholastic Canada who sends us a book that fits with our curriculum theme each month. This month’s theme is “winter” so we read a book called “Perfect Snow” by Barbara Reid, and then did a simple craft of a snowman which fit in perfectly with the story.

The children love it. They are so engaged and when we tie in an activity with what is happening in the story it really helps to bring it alive. This creates opportunity for some wonderful chats about what we’re reading.

We do a story time at almost every large gathering and as you can tell by these images the little ones are captivated by story telling. I don’t know a better way to get 15-20 preschoolers to sit and be quiet than to tell them it’s story time!

Now that my own child, who is in grade 1, is learning to read on her own it’s amazing to see her world open up. Everywhere we go she reads street signs, magazine covers, and even labels in the grocery store! These are little things that most adults take for granted but to her it’s fresh and new and wonderful. I love seeing the world through her eyes right now.

One thing a favourite teacher of mine used to say is “readers are learners, and learners are leaders.” Having known a number of people in my life that never learned to read, and listening to their stories of struggle it is apparent that literacy is the key to opportunity. In fact, a quote I found on ABC Life Literacy says: “Quality of life for families, including income levels and employment status, is directly related to the literacy levels of parents (IALS 1995/97).”

It concerns me that research is showing that kids are losing their love of reading. Why isn’t it any fun anymore? What do you think? Will you take part in Family Literacy Week in Hamilton? Click here to get more information about the events taking place the week of January 23, 2012.

You can also visit momstown.ca to find out information about Family Literacy Day across the Country and to enter to win a prize pack from ABC Life Literacy. Happy reading!

Celebrating Family Literacy Week in Hamilton

2012-01-18T11:28:00.000-08:00

Family Literacy Day is coming up. There will be celebrations in communities across Canada. Here in Hamilton there will be a number of programs and opportunities for you to get involved in and momstown Hamilton will be right there!

momstown is a huge advocate for early learning and literacy. We do regular Book Clubs (one for moms and one for babies), our Baby Book Club is sponsored by Scholastic Canada who sends a book for us to read that fits with our curriculum theme each month. We also do ABC playdates where your little one can get familiar with the letters and sounds of the alphabet.

Starting the week of January 23 the Hamilton Public Library will be promoting a week's worth of events to celebrate. You can visit their website to learn more information about the initiative, including the following:

"There are several outcomes associated with Hamilton Family Literacy Week:

Encourage families and young people to read together.

Focus on the talent of Canadian authors.

Celebrate books and reading across our community.

Experience the magic of hearing authors read from their books and illustrators demonstrating their skills.

Learn first hand what it is like to write a book.

Continue to grow cooperative efforts among organizations in Hamilton.

The line-up of presenters for Hamilton Families Read 2012 is very exciting and still growing:

Jean Little

TURKEY Rhubarb

Kevin Sylvester

David Bruins & Hilary Leung

Andrew Larsen

Image Honda will host our kick-off celebrations at the dealership, 155 Centennial Parkway North, on Monday, January 23 at 1 p.m. Don't miss Canadian children's author Jean Little, whose 80th birthday we'll celebrate, and local musical group TURKEY Rhubarb. Bruiser from the Hamilton Bull Dogs will also stop by!

Snuggle up and read! Join in a city-wide pajama party for parents and children. Come and enjoy great stories and reading activities at sites across the city on Thursday, January 26. Many programs will take place throughout the day at schools, libraries and other community agencies.

January 27 is Hamilton Public Library Night at the Bull Dogs. Everyone is invited to celebrate Family Literacy Day with the Bull Dogs as they take on the Toronto Marlies at Copps Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. Special $12 tickets (regular $26) are available by calling the Bull Dogs directly at (905) 529-8500."

Calling all Prince and Princesses!

2012-01-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

In exchange for a review, Feld Entertainment provided me with complimentary tickets to the recent showing of Disney Live! presents Three Classic Fairy Tales. Please note that while I received these passes, this opinion is 100% mine.”

This was such a great show! It was wonderful to see all the children dressed up in their best prince and princess outfits. Gowns, tiaras, smiles… magic. As this was my fist Disney show ever I had no idea it would be such a wonderful role playing experience.

The show itself, at 1-1/2 hours, flew by. My children were enraptured with the bigger than life characters and squealed with delight to see Mickey Mouse.
Both my son and daughter love princesses and so were on the edge of their seat to see what would happen next. The stories were wonderfully retold in a condensed version designed specially to keep the attention of the little people who love it.

I was amazed at the set design; especially that the set was mechanically changing all on its own throughout the show and even a few surprising special effects!

The show is still touring so if you are in the Toronto area and haven’t gotten tickets you’ll want to check it out. It's showing at The Roger Centre from January 13-15, 2012.

Here are some links for you to find some more information:

Disney/Facebook
Disney Live! Website
Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy as they take audiences on a captivating journey and magically bring to life three timeless fairy tale adventures. Discover Snow White as she searches for her one true love; Cinderella getting ready for her magical night at the ball; and Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, as she finds happiness in the most unusual place. Anchored amidst a transforming set, captivating choreography, innovative lighting and breathtaking costumes, this authentically-woven tale of “happily-ever-after” is a heart-warming Disney experience for the entire family.

momstown Hamilton: New Friends for the Holidays

2011-12-31T12:37:00.000-08:00

As we close 2011 I’m reflecting on the year our momstown Hamilton moms group has had and I'm just feeling so happy about the growth we've seen. It’s amazing to me how many members I talk to who have made lasting friendships as a result of being a part of our moms group. Our playgroups do an incredible job of connecting moms in Hamilton; to the point where many have indicated that their BFF was a direct result of their momstown membership.

Sharing the holidays with new friends is wonderful. First of all, our message board has been alight with conversations about how to handle difficult family situations, holiday tips & tricks, recipes, coping with Holiday blues and chats about teaching our kids about charity. It’s been an incredible resource for all of us, and continues to be throughout the year, as we connect online and share our lives together.

Secondly, we got offline and out of the house together; celebrating the holidays together at various momstown events. We attended a gala charity function, held a children’s Christmas Party, organized a giant Cookie Exchange and gave to Charity.

In addition to those super fun events we also had a Mom’s Night Out Christmas Party. What a night of friendship and laughter.
We had a “Dirty Santa” gift exchange where we each brought a “Naughty or Nice” themed wrapped gift valued at no more than $10. As each individual gift got unwrapped each mom took a turn deciding if they wanted to take the gift they unwrapped or trade it in for something unwrapped.

The gift stealing game went on for a while but generated tons of good laughter.

Another party that happened this month is the momstown Soccer Team’s Ugly Sweater Party! I am incredibly proud of this Team. Originally it was the inspiration of one of our moms who was looking for an adventurous friend to join a Rec league with her (we all know it’s easier to do something new with a friend). Well, it was pretty awesome to see our message board go crazy with all the moms who were interested in trying it out with her. In fact, there was enough interest that the momstown Soccer Team was born. Season 2 is about to start and it’s been such a success they’re doing it again. It’s such a testament to the power of mom support and friendship since many of these moms had never played before. The bonds they’ve built on this team are evident and they all got together this month to celebrate the Holidays with their Ugly Sweater Party! Love it :)

As we say goodbye to 2011 it is with excitement that I welcome 2012! Our community continues to grow and the friendships get stronger. I resolve to pour myself into making next year even better. Thank you to my current momstown mamas whose friendship and support I value so much. I sincerely hope that if you are a mom in Hamilton reading this and are not currently a member that you will sign up for a free trial and consider joining us in 2012. The best is yet to come!

momstown Hamilton Christmas Toy Drive

2011-12-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

I have a very special place in my heart for Toy Drives. I have spoken to some folks who don't see the practicality when there are more basic needs like food and clothes that need to be met. But for those that can’t afford to provide their children with gifts at Christmas a toy drive provides something that food, clothes and shelter just can't match - that human need for joy and connection – knowing that someone understands that, though I might be in a tough spot I still want to see my children clap their hands and laugh with wonder and happiness.

I have been there. A mama who loves Christmas but unfortunately can’t participate this year. Thanking God that my kids are really still too young to understand that they’re actually missing anything. Cringing though when every adult they meet asks them what they want for Christmas or what is Santa going to bring them... knowing all along that the request will go unanswered.

But I have also known the joy of being supported by a community. To have people come alongside and say we love you and we want to help is one of the most humbling and uplifting moments for anyone to experience. The year that I couldn’t provide Christmas, it was provided for us by a community of Santas. I felt so privileged to be able to participate in a holiday that we otherwise wouldn't have had.

So now I love Christmas toy drives. Knowing that a Mom and Dad out there is going to feel some incredible relief knowing that a tiny bit of joy will be given to their child.

This year momstown had a children’s Christmas party at which each child received a gift. Our gift exchanges always include books in support of one of our mandates to promote children’s literacy. Each parent purchased a new book and wrapped it so their child could take home a gift from under the tree. In addition, they also brought a new unwrapped book to be donated to a local children’s charity. We had a sack full of books!!

I brought the sack of books to my favourite children’s charity, City Kidz. A few weeks before, me and some other momstown mamas attended their annual Dream Big Fundraiser where we learned about all the special ways City Kidz reaches out to inner city kids in Hamilton. It was pretty amazing when I dropped off the books to hear some more of their great story.

Each week these big red buses drive around the city and pick up over 2000 kids and bring them back to “The Play House” for a time of drama, laughter, love and support.

Each bus load of kids is designated a team of caring individuals to look out for them. These teams also reach out to these kids during the week, just a knock on the door, a quick hello, to let each of them know they are cared about. So when it comes to giving these kids presents from the toy drive the team leaders know each of them personally. They go through all of the donations and select gifts that they know would be loved and appreciated by each individual child. I think that’s a pretty special thing, to get a gift is great but knowing that it was selected with just you in mind is awesome.

So I got the privilege to go into the City Kidz “toy store” and see what goes on back there. All of the donations are sorted by age and sex. Every year there tends to be a shortage of gifts for kids aged 10-14 (keep that in mind next year!). They also share their donations with other community drives like the YMCA and Mission Services, to name a few. What doesn’t get distributed at Christmas is saved and given out throughout the year as each City Kidz child gets a special gift on their birthday.

Thanks momstown mamas for your donations and helping to shine a bright Christmas light into the lives of some children in need this year. You can read about how another momstown community is supporting charity in their community here: momstown Burlington

If you would like to surround yourself with an uplifting supportive community of fellow moms please check out momstown today.

momstown Cookie Exchange

2011-12-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks momstown member Caitlin May for sharing her thoughts on the momstown Holiday Baking Exchange we had this month:

What’s better than getting together with a bunch of great friends? Leaving the gathering with 9 dozen treats for the holidays, that’s what! A long time momstown member, Julie Corbett, hosted a great Mom’s Night Out: Holiday Baking Exchange for us... a night filled with fun, laughter, munchies, drinks, chatting, catching up and most importantly friendship.

Cookie exchanges can be dated back to at least 70 years ago. Today we continue the same tradition. As busy moms, it can be hard to find the time to bake all that we want for the holiday season. A cookie exchange gives us a chance to have all our baking done for us while being able to show off our own baking skills or bake a favourite recipe that we may love or that has been a tradition in our home. The best part of a cookie exchange is the chance to get together with friends new and old - as you can read about in this blog on the momstown meals site. Catching up on what other have been doing during this busy time and hearing about all the exciting plans everyone has for the holiday season.

Cookie exchanges had always been something I have been involved in at work but once I decided to resign from my job to stay at home with my kids I figured my days of the cookie exchange were gone as well. I was so happy when momstown started this tradition in our great mom community last year and have really enjoyed being part of it. Hoping my cookies last till Christmas, so far it’s not looking so good :)

Looking for fun and friendship? Check out our momstown community today and register for your free 2 week trial membership.

Product Review: Big Action Construction Site from Fisher Price

2011-12-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

"Beeep Beeep beep back it up... Gotta get these rocks delivered... Up the elevator… vroom!" These are the words and imagination that come from my children as they play with the Big Action Construction Site, with remote control, from Fisher Price.

My son squealed with delight when we first opened the box and jumped up and down when he saw the remote, I don’t know how but the second I put it in his hands he knew what it was for and how to operate it.
In fact it’s super easy, this toy is designed for children 3-7 years (my children are 4 & 6), so even if you gave this to a 3 year old the remote is colour coded to match an arrow on the truck to help them know which direction matches which button.

Even the ramps that the truck drives onto in order to enter the elevator are self guided to help ensure that the truck makes it onto the ramp. I love that both of my children enjoy playing with it and it’s a toy that can grow with them.

There’s so much going on with this toy! Firstly there is an elevator that operates all on its own, drive the truck into the lift and up it goes to meet the ramp on the upper level of the construction site.

Drive it around and it enters the other lift to be gently lowered back to the floor level. In addition to that each side of the construction site has another cool bit of action going on – on one side you can back it up and two boulders drop into the back of the truck...

...only to be then picked up by the crane and delivered back up to the top level.

I have no worries about the durability of the remote or the truck. Both items are heavy duty and can really take what action the kids can dish out. For $60 I think this product is a great investment as a children’s toy.

It helps them master hand/eye coordination and spacial awareness; and what I especially love about it is that they can expand the play even beyond the construction set and use it all around the house.

This is a great toy with a very wide age appeal and it will grow with your child and is limited only to their imagination!

momstown Children's Christmas Party!

2011-12-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!! Christmas is jam packed at momstown; we have so many things going on including our exclusive momstown event at the Puddicombe Polar Express, our Holiday Baking Exchange, the momstown Soccer Team’s “Ugly Sweater Party,” and our Mom’s Night Out Christmas Party! We’ll be finishing the year off with our Children’s Noon Years Eve Party at Boston Pizza! If you haven’t checked us out yet please register for your 2 week FREE trial membership and join us for some of these fabulous events!

We recently had our children out for a Kid’s Christmas Party and boy did they rock the house! It was so wonderful to bring the families of momstown together to celebrate the season together. We did some fun crafts including practicing fine motor skills by lacing up a Christmas stocking, and making some ornaments for mom to hang on the tree.

Circle time included a story provided by our partner Scholastic Canada which was A Porcupine in a Pine Tree - the Canadian version of the 12 Days of Christmas, so cute :)

Of course, no momstown party is complete without some super fun parachute play and the kids had a blast singing songs, shaking it around and running underneath.

The highlight was the children’s gift exchange where, befitting our passion for children’s literacy, each child went home with a new book. In addition to that, each family brought an extra book to be donated to a local children’s charity.

We finished off by raffling off some prizes including family passes to Disney on Ice!

Thanks for coming friends. I look forward to sharing our holidays whether in person or online :)

Hamilton - there's no place like home

2011-12-08T19:17:00.000-08:00

momstown Hamilton's Community Manager, Jennifer Godsmark, has been away for a bit. We are so happy she's back and by the sounds of this blog she wrote for us, she missed us just as much as we missed her:

Five weeks in Australia, and happy to be home?!

That’s right. I said it. I’m happy to be back in Hamilton after a five week holiday in Australia.
I know, I know, you’re thinking there’s a typo. But the truth is my heart is here in The Hammer (and surrounding areas!).

Don’t get me wrong, spending 5 weeks in tropical and sub-tropical Queensland was a dream come true. Sunny days, warm weather, beautiful beaches, amazing wildlife, and of course the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. My husband and I were even able to take a week long holiday in stunning Port Douglas sans child (she stayed with her grandparents in my husband’s hometown, Rockhampton).

So, you might be wondering how, after such a wonderful holiday, I could miss Hamilton.

I could list all of the wonderful things about the city. I could talk about the museums, the art galleries, and the theatre. I could go on about the magnificent Bruce trail, the escarpment, and the countless waterfalls. I could even justify missing Hamilton because of the cultural diversity.

All of the above would be good reasons, if not great reasons to be happy to be back in Hamilton. But, the truth is that simply put, Hamilton is home. My roots are planted firmly in this city. My friends and family are here. My neighbours look out for each other.

Was five weeks in Australia wonderful? Yes! But, like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, ‘There’s no place like home.’

Mom's Night Out - for a cause!!

2011-11-24T17:20:00.001-08:00

We mamas love to get out and have some fun. momstown has allowed so many of us to make fantastic friendships and it’s wonderful that we can connect “afterhours”. We do all kinds of things including: book club, dessert night, bowling and even bingo! On this particular Mom’s Night Out we got dressed in our finest and attended the City Kidz Dream Banquet 2011: Starz on Sherman a fund raiser for City Kidz Hamilton. It was a huge success with over 100 people in attendance. Amazingly they raised over $65,000 so far.

City Kidz exists to transform the lives of inner city children, break the cycle of hopelessness, and end child poverty. Every Saturday morning their big red buses tour the city of Hamilton and pick up 2200 children and bring them to the Playhouse where they are provided with an experience.

The City Kidz dream is that Saturdays be an experience where children feel safe, protected, cared for, and loved. A magical place, where dreams take flight, freeing each child to soar above all problems, all hardships, all difficulties. A place so electric, a child can’t help but feel the very presence of God, feeling alive and full of joy. A place to learn about and receive God’s grace, mercy, and His everlasting love. The dream is that each child would understand and hold on to God’s plan and purposes for their lives.

Each week the volunteers work hard to:

Inspire children to dream big, and to rise above their circumstances

Instill faith based values and teach children to do the right thing

Provide new experiences and environments that inspire kids to unlimited possibilities

Provide positive role models that build relationships with every child

Build hope by celebrating the special days in a child’s life such as Christmas and birthdays

Remove barriers by providing door to door transportation to all activities

Empower youth to be role models and provide opportunities to lead

"To this we commit ourselves, to search unceasingly for the child who needs to know that someone cares, the child who needs to know they have a place in this world, that they matter, and that someone believes in them."

You might consider sponsoring a child in Hamilton this Christmas so they can take part in the City Kidz program. For more information visit their web site at: http://citykidz.ca/

Baby Book Club: Are You A Horse?

2011-11-23T18:02:00.000-08:00

Every month is a new themed curriculum here at momstown. This November momstown went wild for Wild West this month! We've got a great round-up of Wild West-themed books for kids of all ages.

This month's book was "Are You a Horse?" by Andy Rash (Scholastic-sponsored book of the month) which we read at our momstown Baby Book Club this week at Chapters in Ancaster.

For his birthday, cowboy Roy's friends give him a saddle and some very specific instructions - 1. Find a horse, 2. Enjoy the ride! Now Roy has to find a horse... and it's not as easy as it seems! Great book to introduce children to details and descriptions, and great learning for them to decipher the different 'levels' of describing things. Cute twist at the end will entertain children too!

We always do a craft at this playdate that is themed around the book. Since it's Roy's birthday the children each made him a birthday card. Afterwards we did a raffle and momstown member Angie got to take the book home with her!

If you would like to see some other Scholastic books with a Western theme that we reviewed then please check out our momstown arts and crafts blog!

momstown 2011 Fall National Conference

2011-11-20T12:11:00.000-08:00

So it’s been a full week since the momstown National Conference where momstown Business Owners from across the country gathered to network, learn and grow together. I am still so full of excitement and inspiration after this 3 day gathering that I feel like I'm going to burst… and I have this desire to hug everyone due to the happiness welling up inside of me. This was a weekend of inspiration, affirmation and support.
momstown fosters fun and friendship in moms. We are bringing moms together in a new way, and that's amazing. But it doesn’t stop at our individual chapters, watch as we join forces all over the country and do this all together with a unified voice - moms everywhere, across Canada, real moms, will be connecting. As said by a fellow momstown business owner: “Our members set us apart. It's our members that make us so fantastic. On their own, moms are influential- in their families and in their community. But together, our momstown mamas make up an amazing force of influence, support, and love to each other and to the world.”

momstown Business Owners get strong support from Head Quarters. Our success is their success - the two are inextricable and it’s wonderful that they recognize that and do everything possible to provide us with the team, tools and training to help along the way. They are fantastic enablers :)
So what does this mean to you? Well it depends on what your relationship with momstown is. Are you a member, an advertiser or a potential franchise owner? Depending on who you are the answer might be a bit different. Mind you there are a few partnerships we have established going forward that will impact you regardless:

1) Kids CBC – will help us all, as parents, learn ways to use old and new media to connect with our kids and learn how to play with them. Celebrates our commitment to inclusivity. We will collaborate with the CBC to make our programming, and theirs, more engaging and empowering to Canadian Families.

2) Scholastic Canada - supporting our love of literacy and lifelong learning.

3) Red Cross Canada - Reaching out in communities and supporting our desire to help our fellow mom as well as teaching us how to help our little ones be safe.

4) University of Waterloo Study – watch for more details on this as it gets released. To give a brief glimpse of the exciting news… momstown helps moms to not just survive motherhood but to thrive in motherhood.

momstown is the leading national organization that connects REAL moms across Canada. Do you want to get connected?

If you are a mom, register here for your 2 week Free Trial

If you are a business interested in advertising with us, email andrea.kovacs@momstown.ca to inquire about connecting your brand with moms and families in Hamilton

If you are a potential licencee please email licensing@momstown.ca to find out more nformation about how you can bring momstown to your neighbourhood.

To see more images from the weekend please click here.

Mom Entrepreneur of the Year!!

2011-10-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

So did you hear the news? momstown.ca has won the title “Mom Entrepreneur of the Year”! Wow! I’m feeling very proud of Ann Marie and so excited to be a part of this win even though I had no part in the birth pains of momstown. Considering I only purchased momstown Hamilton in June I've only just started in this game. The only smart thing I’ve done so far is join the team :) But, oh what a team it is! Daily, I am truly humbled by the support, creativity and intelligence that exist within this network of amazing women.

Speaking of amazing women, I know that the other Mom Entrepreneurs that entered this contest all have amazing stories, each one as powerful and moving as the next. I’m certain that the judges had their hands full deliberating between the top 10 finalists and I would like to say congratulations to each of them for the success that their businesses have seen.

Knowing how strong the competition for this award was I am incredibly pleased for Ann Marie, the founder of momstown.ca, that members, friends, families, and all of our communities together joined forces to lift her up and say we believe in this thing you have started. I know this success has been hard won for Ann Marie. While building momstown has unquestionably been an ongoing passion and love, I also know that not every moment has been filled with elation for her. This success is an incredible marker of all her hard work and that is why I am thrilled, that she is willing to share it with all of us.

Check out this limited time offer:

momstown would like to say THANKS for voting us SavvyMom MOM ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR with a FREE 1 month membership!

MEMBERS win when we win! Free one month membership to NEW members and a free month extension for EXISTING or EXPIRED members. To redeem, please register on your local site and complete the form* at http://momstown-moments.momstown.ca/node/372. Available between Oct 21- 28th. Memberships will be extended the first week of November.

PLUS, are you an ONLINE MOM ENTREPRENEUR? momstown wants to share our success by offering Online Mom Entrepreneurs exposure with a FREE national contest & member discount listing! Details, rules*, and entry at http://momstown-moments.momstown.ca/node/372. Available from Oct 21-Oct 28 for ad activity Nov – Dec 2011.

*Offers valid without purchase and expire Oct 28, 2011.

In closing I want to say a special thanks to you reader, member, friend. Even though there is little that I personally have done to bring momstown to this place, I promise to continue to earn it from this point on .

Oh and Ann Marie, this one’s for you ;) Thanks for your uplifting motivation, inspiration, support and encouragement! Way to go!

Another fabulous resource brought to you from momstown!

2011-10-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

Title: Is Time Out a Waste of Your Time?

Location: Webinar (virtual training)

Date: Thursday, October 20th from 2PM -3PM EST
Date: Monday, October 24th from 9PM – 10PM EST

Description:
momstown is excited to partner again with Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, to offer a free live training webinar to our members!

The session is…Why Time Out is a Waste of Time! Amy promises that we’ll walk away with concrete discipline tools we can use the next day and see results. In fact, you’ll learn one of the all-time “parent favourite” tools for stopping any power struggle in its tracks. You can watch, listen and even interact with our host, Amy. Participants are not required to have a webcam, only a computer with speakers.

You'll love the way this webinar is structured. Amy is right there LIVE, a video image of her is in the upper left corner of your monitor the whole time. As she talks with you, you'll watch her PowerPoint presentation that is packed with valuable information. She'll also stop to answer our questions about difficulties and needs when it comes to getting our kids to listen.

You will also have the option to write in specific questions and she’ll address them, right there for you!

All you have to do is RSVP (sorry due to limited ‘seats’, you MUST register on positive parenting) (http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/momstown) and then kick back and learn the proven strategies to Get Kids to Listen without Nagging, Reminding or Yelling!

Have a friend(s) that are not momstown members that you think could benefit from this training? Please Invite Them Too! Just share this registration link http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/momstown!!

About Amy McCreadyParenting expert Amy McCready is the founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, which has empowered thousands of parents worldwide to correct their kids’ misbehavior without nagging, reminding or yelling. Amy is a frequent guest on the TODAY show and has also appeared on Rachael Ray, CNN, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, and elsewhere. A regular contributor to the TODAY Mom’s blog, Amy lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and two sons.

Oct 15: Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day

2011-10-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

Please read the following post by Shawna, an active momstown mama, about October 15th, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. As you read please consider changing both your Facebook profile pic and your Twitter avatar at 7pm on October 15th to an image of a burning candle in support of the Wave of Light. If enough people do this we will have a visual “Wave of Light” on all of our social media outlets.

Hi – I’m Shawna, and I’m super excited (and nervous) to be a guest blogger for momstown Hamilton!

I am a bereaved aunt – my niece was stillborn on June 12th, 2010. My sister is my best friend and getting the news from her that her baby had died in utero at 39 weeks gestation was one of the worst moments of my life. There are no words to describe the utter shock, denial and despair I felt. The worst of it was the helplessness I felt, and the fact that I couldn’t take away any of the pain my sister, her husband and their daughter were dealing with.

As many as 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage and each year in Canada there are approximately 6 stillborn infants in 1000 total births. Thousands more families in Canada also experience this loss through ectopic pregnancy, medical termination and infant loss. If we haven’t experienced it ourselves, we all know someone who has endured this heartbreak.

What I struggled with was the lack of support and resources for pregnancy and infant loss. For an issue that is so widespread, it boggled my mind that there wasn’t a national organisation, governmental or otherwise out there for people to turn to.

However, I did find Perinatal Bereavement Services of Ontario (PBSO). I’ve been volunteering with that group for nearly a year now, and currently sit on their board of directors. It’s not easy. We, like all other worthy charities need funding and volunteers and supporters. PBSO provides a variety of unique support services that have been tailored specifically to meet the special needs of perinatally bereaved families. The organization has also grown to include developing and implementing educational training seminars for health care professionals, caregivers, clergy and funeral directors on how to best support these families.

Through PBSO, my pet project has been getting a bill passed at Queen’s Park recognizing October 15th as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day here in Ontario – in line with Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Lobbying in the realm of provincial politics in Ontario has been fascinating and rewarding but also very frustrating at times. I have yet to meet with anyone who has an objection to the bill but with other very high profile issues, it’s difficult to manage the logistics of pushing our important yet simply symbolic bill. What I stress to politicians and their aides is the importance of this bill and the impact it will have on bereaved families in Ontario. The simple act of recognition is one that leads to healing and understanding.

If your life has been affected by pregnancy and infant loss, I invite you to join us Lakefront Promenade Park in Mississauga (parking lot just north of Picnic area B) at 1 pm on Saturday, October 15th. PBSO is hosting a gathering of families to commemorate Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. You can RSVP at pbso@pbso.ca

If you are unable to attend, you can still participate in the Wave of Light – candles lit in loving memory of our babies. If everyone lights a candle at 7 pm and keeps it burning for at least one hour, there will be a continuous wave of light over the entire world on October 15th, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

If you are looking for support, connecting with others who’ve experienced loss or are volunteering and supporting PBSO, or just interested in learning more – you can contact me at shawnaclouthier@hotmail.com or contact PBSO directly at www.pbso.ca

5 Ways to Own Your Business

2011-10-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

I love being in business with momstown! I am incredibly fortunate to be a part of a network of women who share the same vision, plus support and coach each other onward to success. If I wanted to do this on my own it would be possible, but the road would much harder and lonelier than it is working alongside a network of Rockstars. Every day we are touching lives in our communities, supporting moms and building connections that will lead to better and brighter tomorrows for them, their children and our cities.

Now, I may be blessed with an incredible support network but ultimately I am the owner of my business. What does it mean to own a business? I don’t mean just BE in business but to really own one. Lots of people are in business or have a business but I don’t think nearly as many are “owning” their business… you know, really making it work

I think it’s essential to respect your business. Given the number of businesses that close it’s apparent that many people rush in unprepared and get hurt along the way. If you want to really own your business here’s some tips that I’ve picked up along the way that I think might help:

1) Your business will not survive on passion alone: Passion is good. You must choose a business you are passionate about. If you’re not passionate then why bother? All I’m trying to say here is that in order to succeed you must augment that passion with some additional skill sets. You might be the best stained glass artist, photographer, or cupcake baker EVER! But if you don’t find some help with business planning, marketing, accounting, networking, etc then you are going to come to a full stop. You will have a shop full of amazing products but no one will know that they’re available.

2) You do NOT set your own schedule: Your customer does. If you want to be taken seriously you need to operate when the rest of the working world is wants to do business with you. I totally understand that you can’t take business calls when the baby’s crying or the kids are fighting; however, if your customer can’t get to you when it’s good for them they will most likely turn to your competitor where they don’t have to compete with your kids.

3) There’s no glory in it: I’ve often had visions of owning my business where I am regularly out lunching with clients or on the golf course. It's wonderful to imagine all of the perks that come with being a business owner. However, as the owner no one will love your business like you do. This mean that you are the one that is cleaning the bathroom at 8pm so it’s perfect the next day when your client comes in, you will be the one working until 11pm to get the finances in order, you will be the one making cold calls trying to drum up more sales.

4) You need to manage your time: Check your calendar every morning. In addition to your appointments decide at that time what can/must be done that day. Commit to finishing those tasks. You might also want to consider tracking what you are spending your time doing. Try and make sure that you are spending most of your time against tasks that are directly related to earning money or will lead to that end. We can get lost in administrative tasks or branding or even social networking; unless these things are going to lead to sales you need to manage the amount of time spent on them.

5) You need to minimize distractions: Focus. In the time you have dedicated to running your business during the day have a plan to stay motivated, or on-task. Of course if you’re at home this might mean turning off the phone ringer if mom calls for a ½ hour chat every day at 1:30pm. There’s no boss to answer to so the 45 mins you spend looking at your favourite recipe site is not going to get you in trouble… or will it?

I’m sure there are many more tips that I could suggest to you but I have found these 5 have been my biggest lessons learned. Of course I haven’t mastered them all yet but I intend to continue to practice them every day and I am certain that with consistency their effect on my business will be unmistakable.

If you are looking for a business opportunity that you can "own" and that will also provide you with a model for success, plus friendship, support and fun you should check out licensing opportunities with momstown.ca :)

momstown Help: Breastfeeding resources in Hamilton

2011-10-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

So here we are just wrapping up World Breastfeeding Week 2011 (Oct 1-8th). There were lots of special events that went on this week in support of this international intiative and I am thankful to know that there are many moms out there who will not have to struggle like I did.

I am well past this stage in the parenting game but I remember all too well the struggle that I had with nursing - a mere 6 years ago. I had no friends who had children (much less experienced breastfeeding), I was the first in my family to venture down this road (what a rebel hippie I was, lol), and I struggled to find resources to help me success in this amazing endeavor to sustain my children in what is shown to be the optimal method.

Looking back, things didn’t work out the way I had hoped. I will never say I failed or was unsuccessful; I did everything I could but eventually had to make the next best choice. I managed to breastfeed my daughter, through colic, to 5 months and my son, through other challenges, to 3 months. Instead of wishing I could have done better I am thankful for what I was able to do understanding that I fought for every moment of it and some women are not even able to go that far. I am incredibly happy now that moms have groups like momstown Hamilton where they can ask other moms about breastfeeding and recieve support and tips to help them.

If you are a mom planning on breastfeeding or are currently nursing and in need of information and support, I encourage you to check out a social network like momstown Hamilton where there are 100’s of local moms just like you with lots of experience to share. I also recommend reading this blog about How to Make Breastfeeding Easier by momstown.ca.

Another breastfeeding resource in Hamilton that you might want to reach out to is from the City of Hamilton where a Board Certified Registered Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can help you. The IBCLC is also a Public Health Nurse. Moms are welcome to make an appointment through Health Connections @ 905 546 3550 about breastfeeding challenges, milk supply, baby's weight gain or other questions. If the concern requires only a brief question and answer, moms are welcome to drop in to the Limeridge Clinic during clinic hours:

Limeridge Mall2nd level near HMV - Old Navy entrance
999 Upper Wentworth St.
Monday-Friday
1pm - 4:30pm
Call Health Connections for an appointment (905-546-3550)

I am also happy about the recent launch of the Halton Baby Friendly Initiative (HBFI). The idea behind this web site is to help women define their own breastfeeding success. There is a comprehensive section About Breastfeeding which talks about everything from getting off to a good start to how to breastfeed during illness and what you DON'T need to breastfeed. We included a number of Breastfeeding Resources including where to get help and your breastfeeding rights. One of our momstown Hamilton mamas, Becca Charron, is a co-chair of this initiative.

Toopy & Binoo Review

2011-09-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

I had an incredible time last weekend. We've been working pretty hard around here so this weekend in particular was all blocked off for mommy time with the kids. We attended an amazing momstown Hamilton family playgroup, our favourite Fall fair and finished the weekend off with the live showing of Toopy & Binoo by Koba Entertainment at Hamilton Place.

Here we are waiting for the show to begin and to meet Toopy & Binoo in person!!

There they are! Backstage preparing for the show.

And here we are! Meeting Toopy & Binoo in person :) The kids were all aglow thanks to this backstage experience.

All settled in with popcorn we are ready to see the show!

Curtains!

Wow you had to see it. At first glance of the favourite characters the crowd cheered like crazy. The characters and set were perfect real life representations of the cartoon living room of Toopy & Binoo. Especially wonderful were the multi-media effects - my son was so excited about "going under the sea" with his friends :) It was amazing how the video effects were used to build in that bigger than life experience.

My daughter and I loved the costumes with the little sheep being a fast favourite for both of us. However, those crazy jelly fish were very cool!

It was an exciting quest for Toopy - to find just the right song. On his way there are lots of songs sung by incredible imaginary creations like the "Blue Cat Blues Band" - wow what a catchy gig they've got going on! The lesson he learns in the end is timeless and applies to each and every one of us.

So happy that we got to go. It definitely made for some amazing family time after a very busy and stressful week.

mommy moments: I'm a runner!

2011-09-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

I am so thankful to be a part of momstown Hamilton. We have such a diverse community and I am amazed at the experiences I get to be a part of by sharing and supporting other moms in the group. Today's inspiring experience to us from our new Community Manager, Jennifer Godsmark (aka Jen & Grace):

Very few events are as dramatic as the start of a foot race. Tension filled air, racers taking their mark, the air horn – they're off! Oh, did I forget to say that I was talking about my 3-year-old daughter’s first 1k run?!

Allow me to digress for a moment. In July of this year my husband ran a 12 kilometre trail run at Rattlesnake Point. This is not unusual as my husband has been an avid runner for the past 3 years. As usual my daughter and I came to the run as his cheering squad. As usual the runners took their mark. As usual we started to chant ‘Go Daddy Go!’ However, what did not go as usual was my daughter’s reaction to her father running away without her. My daughter began to yell “I’m a runner! I’m a runner!” Crying, nay sobbing, that she was not able to join in on the run.

Fast forward to two months later and Grace would have her opportunity to shine. My husband signed up for another 5 Peaks run at Hilton Falls in North Burlington, and Grace was able to participate in the 1 kilometre Children’s Challenge.

Grace at the Star Line of the Children’s 1k Challenge

Watching as she crossed the finish line, the look of excitement in her eyes, knowing that this would not be her last race. For a mere $5 my daughter received a running bib (the number that runners wear on their shirts), a ribbon, and a small toy, and was able to participate in what I hope is the first of her many organized runs. Yes baby you are a runner!

Grace with her ribbon and prize

Jennifer Godsmark
Mommy to 3 year old Grace
momstown Hamilton, Community Manager

To read about another momstown mama that actually signed her kids up for a Triathlon please check out momstown moments.

Kellogg's: Breakfast in Our Pajamas Party!

2011-09-21T18:05:00.001-07:00

This past weekend the momstown Hamilton moms group enjoyed breakfast together. In fact we had a pajama party breakfast courtesy of Kellogg’s! It was a great time and a fantastic opportunity to learn some new information about cereal and how incorporating Kellogg’s cereal into our busy mornings can help make life run a bit more smoothly while feeling comfortable that we’re not compromising nutrition.

Before the moms arrived I laid out this appetizing breakfast which included a variety of Kellogg’s cereal, milk, fresh fruit and yogurt, orange juice and of course we had coffee – my beverage of choice!

Given that the spread was so colourful and appealing the kids were eager to dig in. Allowing them to make their own choice, and in some cases even serve themselves really contributed to helping even the very picky eaters to be adventurous enough to try some things they never would have had before.

Once the kids were all settled in and enjoying their cereal I took the opportunity to share some of the things I’ve been learning from Kellogg’s that I found very interesting. But first, let me start by saying that I was definitely a skeptic. In fact, last year when my daughter was in the hospital for a week I found very disconcerting that they found it ok to feed her Kellogg’s Fruit Loops as part of her “nutritious” breakfast. I was pretty shocked that our health care system didn’t know (or care) about what I knew about sugary cereal. That said, we come to present day and I have learned some very interesting things.

Firstly, when you compare a serving of Fruit Loops directly to a perceived healthier option like low-fat yogurt you can see that in fact the Fruit Loops cereal have a lower quantity of per serving sugar than the yogurt. Also, the Fruit Loops has fibre in it while the yogurt has none. I was very intrigued by this especially since my kids like this cereal and yet I withhold it from them (especially on a school morning) because it’s not healthy, all the while happy serving up yogurt for breakfast. Now please don’t get me wrong, I am not demonizing yogurt! I still think yogurt is a very healthy option for my kids. All I’m saying is that this new information opens up options for me that I had previously ruled out due to misinformation.

Now, mornings are much easier because I don’t have to fuss and argue with my kids to eat breakfast before school. When they choose what they want things go so much more smoothly, and when I combine it with milk, fresh fruit and orange juice I’m very confident that they have all the energy, nutrients and fibre they need to get them happily and healthily through to snack time.

If you’re interested in comparing how Kellogg’s cereals compare and how your choices contribute to your calorie and nutrient intake for the day I encourage you to check out this neat tool from Kellogg’s that builds a breakfast for you and then compares the breakdown of each food.

http://www.kelloggsnutrition.ca/canutrition/en/gda-tool/GDA3.html

We finished our morning with a story from Scholastic, one of our momstown supporters, called Underpants Zoo. The kids loved it – and I think the moms really did too!

Oh and by the way, each of the moms got to take home a goody bag filled with treats including a coupon book with $25 in savings! They didn't stop there either, check out the amazing prize pack that Kellogg’s gave us to raffle off to one of our moms. She’s going to be enjoying cereal for a very long time!!

Thanks Kellogg’s.

Everything mom...

2011-09-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

An amazing post with a very good question at the end written by one of our momstown mamas, Candice Donaldson. Comment at the end please and let us know if you ever feel this way...

"I know where every single thing in the house is. I know when everyone here took their last poop. I know what everyone has eaten and when and what they want to eat next. I know what bills have been paid and when the next ones need to. I know when the mortgage payment comes out and how much it is. I know about 12 passwords for various things. I know what's in the fridge and what's in the cupboards and how long it will last and when I need to shop next. I could tell you exactly where any product is in my grocery store. I know what specials are on at all the stores this week and next and last. If you can't find your keys, I know where they are. If Bunny is missing, I know he is wrapped in your blanky under your crib. If you have an upset tummy I know its because Dad snuck you a sip of his pop. I know when you said you were watching Megan, she was really playing in a dirt pile and you had no idea. I know everything that happens here, I know when it happens and I know what you all are planning to do next. Nothing gets by me. I am the MOTHER. I am the WIFE. I am the hug to your needed cuddles, I am the kisses to your hurts, I am the ears to your problems, I am the answers to your questions. I am the wallet to your needed products, I am the one who makes sure you have clothes that fit you to wear...and they are clean. I am sad if you are sad and I am happy if you are happy. I do everything. I feel everything.

I don't say this to sound conceited. It's just true. I never asked to be all of this. I didn't apply, or try out for the position. It's just happened this way. It's not easy. Sometimes it's even very overwhelming. But most times its more rewarding than anything, ever. I've set this expectation for my family and guess what...guess what happens when I need a break? It ALL falls apart.

I know this is a bit of a rant and I am not looking for any advice here because I know that this is a discussion to be had with this husband of mine. But my goodness, I can't be the only one feeling like this can I??"

Kelloggs love Your Cereal Pajama Party!!

2011-09-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

momstown wants to help you keep things easy as you head into Fall, so whether that means back-to-school or just back to routine we are always looking for ways to help busy moms. I know for me, breakfast and snacks can be quite the challenge to fit into my busy schedule and I'm always worried about my kid's nutrition when we always seem to be in a rush. So I must say it's been very interesting talking with Kellogg's and leaning a few things about how incorporating cereal into our routine is really a healthy option.

For example, did you know that cereal has less sodium than one slice of whole wheat toast, one croissant, one English muffin or a half a bagel? Or did you know that one serving of Kellogg's Fruit Loops has less sugar than one medium blueberry muffin or one serving of fruit yogurt (12g vs 22g or 33g!) Wow, I guess I don't have to feel guilty about letting my kids eat those after all! Especially if I'm balancing their diet with all kinds of other good things.

Would you like to learn more? Please join us on September 17 for a fun early morning pajama party and have breakfast on Kellogg's! There will be lots of information and goody bags containing $25 in savings for the first 25 moms! Please let me know if you're coming so I know how much milk and fresh fruit to purchase. Coffee, tea and juice will be served!

RSVP at this link: luvurcereal

Contest: Family Passes to see the Backyardigans

2011-09-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Backyardigans are coming to Hamilton Place on October 20! The Backyardigans and the Quest for the Extra Ordinary Aliens is the theatrical production by Koba Entertainment that brings to life the fun-loving and adorable characters from the favourite children's TV show. Wouldn't you love to surprise your little one with this special outing?

Well, once again, I have great news! I am going to award one of you Free Tickets to the show!!! Here's how to enter our contest:

All you need to do is visit the momstown Hamilton Facebook Page anytime between Friday, September 2 and Monday, September 5 and post a picture/video/or story featuring your kids loving The Backyardigans and why they are the number #1 Fan. We hope you will get very fun and creative in honour of our friends The Backyardigans!

Don't forget you will need to come back here and post a comment letting me know you completed step 1 which was uploading your creative submission on Facebook (please leave your Facebook name as well so I can easily find you)!

I will need to see your post on Facebook and see a comment here on the blog in order for your entry to be valid.

At the end of the day on Monday I will choose one lucky winner!

Check out www.thebackyardigansontour.com for more details on the Show and make sure you go and like the Koba Entertainment Facebook page and follow them on Twitter as well!

Adventure: Tour Hamilton September 10th

2011-09-01T05:27:00.000-07:00

Every month we have a special theme just for moms. September's theme is "Adventure!" We have had a few brainstorming session but one thought was that we should have adventures in our own backyard and explore the City of Hamilton. Coming up on September 10 Hamilton dowtown will be alive with activity. There's the James Street North Supercrawl (a huge music and arts festival), the Locke Street Festival, the CCMA Fanfest on the Jackson Square rooftop, and Tall Ship: Pride of Baltimore (a war of 1812 replica tall ship docking at Pier 8).

There are many of us who haven't ventured out and really experienced what this beautiful city has to offer. Well I came across some fabulous information sourced from the Tourism Hamilton website (http://visitus.tourismhamilton.com) regarding a shuttle bus service that will help us easily experience all of these local happenings:

Sponsored by the City of Hamilton's Economic Development Division, the free shuttle will take downtown visitors from the Locke Street Festival to Pier 8 and back downtown for Supercrawl and the CCMA Fanfest.

The shuttle is free and will run all day and night (10am - 10pm), HSR will install a temporary bus stop card on the southwest corner of Main & Locke. The bus will depart every half-hour from Main & Locke with stops at John and Wilson, Pier 8 Discovery Centre, James and Strachan, James and York/Wilson.

Get out and enjoy this exciting day in Hamilton! Our mom's theme this month is Adventure - go on an adventure in your own backyard!!

Contest: Win Family Passes to Toopy & Binoo

2011-08-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

So excited about the Toopy & Binoo show coming to Hamilton Place on September 25! Toopy & Binoo and the Marshmallow Moon is the theatrical production by Koba Entertainment that brings to life the fun-loving and adorable characters from the favourite children's TV show. Wouldn't you love to surprise your little one with this special outing?

Well, I have great news! I am going to award one of you Free Tickets to the show!!! Here's how to enter our contest:

All you need to do is visit the momstown Hamilton Facebook Page on Monday August 29th and post a picture/video/or story featuring your kids loving Toopy and Binoo and why they are the number #1 Fan. We hope you will get very fun and creative in honour of our friends Toopy & Binoo!

At the end of the day on Monday I will choose one lucky winner!

Check out www.ToopyAndBinooOnTour.com for more details on the Show and make sure you go and like the Koba Entertainment Facebook page and follow them on Twitter as well!

Work Life Balance: The SuperMom Myth

2011-08-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

According to this blog research that has shown that “Supermoms” are more prone to depression.

As a career woman who also runs my own business and is a partner in my husband’s business I know a bit about busy. I’m also a mom, sister, daughter, friend and volunteer in my church. I have a home that needs upkeep, elderly in-laws that need care and... I have been told, on occasion, that I take on too much. I guess, somewhere in my mind I don’t have an end. I look at life and just believe I can do everything I want (and I want to do a lot). I enjoy it, I thrive off helping, doing, creating, solving… I guess I am a “Supermom.”

But am I really? I personally don’t think so. I know that every time I accept a task or a project something has to fall off the other end. I must, on a regular basis, accept my limitations. I can’t do it all. I hate saying that, because I want to do it all. Unfortunately, there is no way that one person can do a 1,000 things and do them all well. As I recommend to my advertising clients all the time: if you have a limited budget then you must choose one or two media and do them well. If you try and spread your dollars thinly across all media – you’ll do a miserable job and just won’t be effective in any of them. The same principle applies in my life. I don’t believe in work/life balance. I think it’s a myth. I think we make choices and we can be successful in those things we choose as priorities.

I personally have had to redefine what being a successful mom is to me, but I’ve also had to redefine my career too. I don’t believe I can be at my best in both of those roles at the same time. For example, I decided when my kids were young to focus on them 100%. To me, this meant being very poor for a while and putting my career on hiatus. I didn’t have to give up my career, but upon returning to work I simply cannot expect to be at the same level as my peers – my career took a back seat. In the same regard, I’ve now made the choice to return to the world of work and business… can I expect to still be that hands-on mom I was before? That’s absurd, there’s not enough of me to go around.

This is why I have found fabulous care for my kids and have made choices that will allow me to pursue that which is on the other end of the scale (thus tipping its balance once again). Work/life balance? No such thing - there is always an imbalance. We get through our day. Hopefully we prioritize the right things at the right times. I think it’s healthy to admit that we can’t do it all. We need to allow ourselves to let things go. Otherwise we set up a trap for ourselves and then we feel guilty and depressed when we don’t or can’t live up to our own expectations.

Experience has taught me that life is about making choices and compromising. I’ve even started to realize that what I once may have classified as guilt or even depression might just be raw feelings of mourning. Mourning the loss of what might have been if only I really could do it all. Take your time to mourn but then refocus on the choices you have made and do the best you can within that framework. Make the best choice with the information you have at that given time, admit your weakness, work hard at building your support network, own your decisions and celebrate your successes daily. This I feel, is the new definition of Supermom.

Fisher Price: Little People Zoo Talkers Review

2011-08-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes momstown mamas get to be product testers and, oh boy, excitement bubbled in our house when the Fisher Price Zoo Talkers: Little People, Animal Sounds Zoo showed up at our door. I thought at first that my little guy at 4 years old might be too old for this toy, however it does say on the box that it's good for ages 1-1/2 years - 5 years so we jumped in to test it out.

He's so excited to get it out of the box!
It was pretty easy to assemble, just a couple of screws and 3 AA batteries. In fact, my son was racing ahead of me putting it together while I read the instructions - lol!
He of course has some favourite parts. He definitely likes the talking parts. When you press down on the ticket booth the ticket taker talks to you. It's really cute. You can also put each of the different animals on the button on the base and each animal makes it's own sound.

His favourite part is when you press on the lily pad and it plays a song. He likes to do it over and over again! I really like that the sounds are not abrasively loud like many of his other toys. The volume was set at a reasonable level which makes me very happy because I find that most toys are far too loud for our little people. There were actually 2 volume settings and I found even the loudest one was just fine. My little guy has a fantastic imagination and this Little People Talking Zoo has given him another great outlet for exploring and playing in his own colourful way. I love hearing him make the voices of each his animals as they get ready to go down the big slide or swing on the canopy swing.

In fact, it was so engaging for him that even big sis had to get in on the play! I'm so glad we got to test this great toy from Fisher Price we had a lot of fun and my son is still happily playing with it.

momstown Hamilton Birthday Party

2011-08-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

momstown Hamilton celebrated our Birthday this weekend with a huge party attended by over 200 kids, moms & dads! What an incredible day. This party gave us the opportunity to showcase some of the activities we do at our children's playdates, our mom groups and how we help moms and kids make friends in Hamilton.

Nicely decorated and getting ready for the action! This is the pavilion at Battlefield Park in Stoney Creek ON.

We had loot bags stuffed with love from our sponsors!

And even a special bag of loot for the kids (thanks One Greetings).

No party is complete without ballons - what a ton of fun we had blowing up 200 of them!

Thanks to Cupcakes of Westdale Village for providing a celebration mini for each of the kids.

Our prize table was stacked with incredible prizes from our very generous sponsors including: Mable's Labels, Hamilton's K-lite FM, Jac & Jill Designs, Koba Entertainment, Kidproof Hamilton, ED Smith, President's Choice, Life Choices Foods, Clorox, Greenworks, Maple Leaf Foods, Hasbro, Little Tikes, Smashbox Cosmetics, Kids CBC Super Why

The kids had a blast working on their "A" craft. Starting in September momstown Hamilton will be running Alphabet playdates to help our little ones get familiar with their letters. This is a part of our rolling 5 year educational curriculum that's inspired by the Nipissing District Developmental Screen (NDDS) and the Ontario Full Day Early Learning-Kindergarten curriculum.

The kids loved having their faces painted by BreCreative and Hullabaloo Children's Parties. They did an incredible job!

We also had the chance to show off one of our favourite summer activities, Picassos in the Park. The kids & their moms really enjoy being creative and making beautiful artwork out in the sunshine. momstown Hamilton has regular meetups and playdates with a variety of fun activities for moms & kids.

KidsProof Hamilton joined us for story time in the park. They read "Bee Safe" a story which helps kids learn about what to do if they ever get separated from mom & dad. momstown Hamilton has a number of initiative to encourage reading and literacy for our kids. With partnerships with Scholastic Canada & CBC Kids we will be implementing many new programs in the coming year.

Many thanks to Creative Manor for coming in and hosting this very creative "make & take."

Boston Pizza from Upper Centennial in Stoney Creek joined us for the day and brought pizza for everyone (huge thanks) and brought their mascot Lionel who was a definite hit with the kids :)

Our final activity of the day was parachute play - always a favourite with the kids - they love the bright colours and running underneath! We sang some songs and didn't forget "Happy Birthday" to momstown!

Big thanks to everyone who came. I had tons of fun getting to know you better. I look forward to the next year and the many friendships that will be found! Thank you to the volunteers from The Creek Community Church who donated their time & energy to our day. Mike Kovacs Photography took all of our pictures - what a great job! If you want to see more please visit our Facebook Page where you will get to view many more pictures from our super fun day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMSTOWN!!!

momstown Hamilton: Festival of Friends 2011

2011-08-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that momstown Hamilton will have a booth at the Festival of Friends this year at their new location in the Ancaster Fairgrounds. If you need directions you can get them here.

We will be there in partnership with Koba Entertainment giving away tickets to see The Backyardigans & Toopy & Binoo who will be making appearances at Hamilton Place this Fall.

Koba has provided this amazing giant mural for the kids to colour. I hope you bring them by to see me because it's way too big for me to colour all by myself!

While you're there helping me colour don't forget to check out the other children's entertainment that The Festival of Friends has got lined up! Click here to see who's on and when in the Cogeco Children's Pavilion. For a grounds map to help you find where the pavilion is you can click here.

Hope to see you there!

momstown: Splash Pads in Hamilton

2011-07-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

So it has been a plan of mine for quite a while now to write a post listing of all the splash pads in Hamilton so that when our moms group wants to get the children together for a play group we can easily locate one to meet up at. Unfortunately my busy schedule has left me little time to do much but think about it. As a result, I was a bit upset with myself last week when Hamilton sweltered under that incredible heat wave. It would have been perfect if someone, namely me, would have done that.

Well, I am so happy to tell you that I’m not going to think about it anymore. In fact, I’m not even going to do it. I don’t have to! Yay! Actually I was extremely happy to see in a recent blog post, published by Raise The Hammer, that Joey Coleman, a volunteer with Open Hamilton, has already done it. Click here and you will find “Dowsing,” Hamilton’s Swimming App. It’s really pretty cool.

momstown Hamilton: My Son's Favourite Colour is Pink

2011-07-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

My son is 4. He loves glitter, high heeled shoes, getting his nails polished and his favourite colour is pink. He also loves cars, jumping from high places, Spiderman and pretending to shoot things. Does he have gender identity confusion? Absolutely not. In my opinion, he just likes what he likes, and I personally don’t see anything wrong with his love of “girly” things. In fact, I struggle with the imposition of others who feel it necessary to comment in such a manner that is designed to make him wonder if he really should like pink. Grandparents, family members, friends, and strangers often point out to him that he’s wearing nail polish (as if he didn’t know). I love the simple way he disarms them with his response of “Of course I am.”

I know that most people humour very young boys when they express an interest in things that society has deemed “girly.” But then, as they get a bit older, it ceases to be ok. “When is he going to grow out of that?” they ask. What does it matter? You know, I am certain that there are many grown men out there that love pretty things but hide it because it’s not “manly.” Do I think this is an issue of sexual orientation? Not at all, I think that’s outrageous, especially when we’re talking about a 4 year old child. I think we impose adult issues on little people. We bring our own fears and baggage to the table: “We mustn’t let him indulge too much, it might have future consequences…”

… so I refused to buy him a pink hat the other day that he really, really liked. Unfortunately, I can’t help but be afflicted with concern for what people might say. Do me a favour my commenting friends, the next time you see a boy playing with a toy or with painted toe nails or possibly dressed in an outfit that you wouldn’t classify as masculine could you please not comment. It makes me feel just awful that I withheld something that would have brought him great joy because I didn’t want to offend your sensibilities.

Moms in Hamilton, momstown is a supportive, non-judgmental community for normal moms just like you. If you are looking for a place to connect please check us out for a 2 week free trial.

PS - the image used above was featured in a very controversial J. Crew advertisement in which creative director Jenna Lyons appears in a photo with her 5-year-old son, Beckett. A quote from Jenna reads, “Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink." You can read a great blog post about it here.

momstown Hamilton: Coping With A Heat Wave

2011-07-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

There's a heat wave going on in Hamilton, Ontario. We may have even broken the record today for the hottest day ever. How do you cope with the heat with small children? The momstown Hamilton moms group decided this week that a pool party playgroup was in order. Just look at these happy faces. No complaining going on here!

What do you think they're plotting?

Don't let me go Mom!!

Getting ready for a big splash!

Nap time... that's how the heat makes me feel too :)

Summer is great but can be a bit of a drag when it gets too hot to take the kids out. Don't stay home though, check us out... things are pretty cool here at momstown.

Momstown: 4 steps to making new friends in Hamilton

2011-07-09T19:32:00.001-07:00

Wow, it was a pretty amazing compliment recently when momstown was recognized by Today’s Parent magazine as one of The Top Ways To Meet Other Parents!

After that was posted I did a survey on our message board to gather the thoughts of our members and see if they felt the same way. Here is some real feedback from our members along with the steps they went through toward lasting friendships:

1) Know that we have a lot in common:

"I have no friends in Hamilton and thought it would be nice to know a couple of other moms to have coffee and conversation with."

"I have felt really isolated since having a baby... I'm finding being a mom quite lonely most of the time. I made a couple of connections with other woman at work, but don't feel like I have a good social circle for myself or my daughter. I was hoping momstown would provide me with this..."

2) Overcome the jitters:

"I totally found it intimidating my first time out. I'm usually not a shy person but when you go to an event where everyone is already friends and you're the new guy, it's hard to get in on it all."

"Any new group or activity you start (depending on your personality), will be awkward. I felt the same going to a new fitness class for the first time, or starting a new job."

"I didn't know the protocol -- which there isn't! I kinda just forced my way into conversations!"

3) Get to know each other:

"I think we are all really open, friendly ladies!"

"I have done a few MNO's and had a great time and everyone is super friendly."

"For me, this has been a wonderful way to get my kids out around other kids their age and meet moms going through similar stages to me."

"I still find that connecting online has a lot of benefits for me as I am finding it really hard to talk to my neighbours."

4) Enjoy the results:

"3 years later we still meet regularly! "

"I have met some amazing and wonderful moms that my kids have become "playmates" with and am very fortunate to have these new friends."

"More than a year later I still get together very regularly with several of the moms (and even weekends from time to time with the dads for family bbqs and picnics, etc.)"

"It was really the primary source for several of my current friendships and I am very grateful that they were set up!"

So, aside from the expected jitters everyone gets upon setting out to meet new people, the response was deeply satisfying. I found that, like me, the moms that belong to momstown Hamilton really feel that it has enabled them to make lasting friendships. What’s unbelievable to me is that 2 years ago I would honestly have been able to say that I only had a couple of true friends – momstown has made all the difference!!

momstown Hamilton: Book Club for Moms

2011-07-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

What a great group of moms we had last night at our momstown Hamilton book club meeting held at Chapters in Ancaster. We had a great conversation about many things affecting our lives as moms - and we even talked a little about the book!!

We started out with introductions because though some of us see each other regularly through the momstown play groups, others of us have returned to work and have been remaining connected through our message board, and still others are brand new members - so the face time is extremely valuable. Once we treated ourselves to the free coffee and treats from Starbucks that our hostess, Gwenevere, put out for us we settled in to some serious chatting.

The book we chose to read this month was "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.

I don't want to reveal too much because some of you might not have read this book but let's just say that it was well loved by all. Each of us walked away with favourite characters and we were all able to discuss how we saw parts of ourselves in them - even the characters we felt the most judgment towards. Themes that we discussed from the book that seem like universal struggles for moms included favouritism, keeping up appearances, and the struggle between managing our needs vs. putting our children first. It was great that the sharing was so honest and sincere.

We decided to meet again in September, this time to discuss the book "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. A few of us choose to pick up our book last night because, on the night of the club, Chapters offers us an additional 10% off our next month's book selection if we purchase while we're there.

If you enjoy reading and are looking for a group of moms to connect with please consider joining us. Our next meeting will be on September 13th at 8pm. Hope to see you there!

Oh, and thanks Chapters for being such great hosts :)

momstown Hamilton: Proud to be Canadian!

2011-07-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

It's Canada Day!! I am so excited about all the celebrations and the long weekend activities going on in Hamilton Ontario. And since I have already written a post about our Top 5 Family Friendly Activities this post is more about what Canada Day means to me.

I grew up in a military family and as a result I have a strong sense of patriotism. Canada Day stirs up a great sense of pride for me... pride in our country, pride in our freedom, pride in the men & women who work to make our country (and our world) an better place... and pride in my Dad.

This Canada Day we should ask ourselves: why do they do it? It's called commitment and it’s called courage - commitment to country, community and family and the courage to uphold their personal values – attributes exemplified by the military members who voluntarily leave their jobs and family to put their lives on the line.

And let's not forget that when one answers the call to military duty, there is the “invisible support unit”, the spouses who in many cases carry on their own careers while raising a family

Well done to those who serve our country and our community both at home and abroad. Your work enables me to celebrate this weekend with my family and to truly say in the sincerest sentiment "Happy Canada Day"

...and props to my Dad, R.D. (Dave) Williams, CD, Hamilton - love you.

momstown Hamilton: Summer Reading Club!

2011-06-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

The Hamilton Public Library's summer reading program launches July 4! You don't need to be a reader to participate as there is something for everyone from birth to 18 years of age!

Sponsored by TD Bank, the reading program is launched Canada-wide at the end of June/early July in many communities*. The goal is to encourage children to engage with books throughout the summer.

Upon signing up, children usually receive a poster, stickers, colouring book, and a way to track their summer reading. When milestones are hit (say, 10 books read) kids receive a reward - such as a free ice cream from a local restaurant, or a pass to a local entertainment complex. Each year my kids look forward to the library reading program, and it's a great way to start off the summer!

The theme this year is Splash! Celebrate Summer and the website has lots of links to recommended book lists (ranging from pictures books up to teenage years).

An interactive kids website has been designed to engage kids in reading with online games and activities. Whatever momstown community you're part of, there should be a local library ready to engage your kids in reading this summer!

momstown has a strong literacy program as part of its educational curriculum for children aged 0-5. Our kids and baby book clubs, book reviews, and parent resources help families make reading a part of their every day.

Even the youngest child can engage with letters - momstown has a full range of alphabet crafts to get kids interested!

momstown Hamilton: Top 5 Family Friendly Canada Day Activities

2011-06-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Looking for some fun family friendly activities to ward off boredom this looong weekend? Here's a list of some exciting things to do to celebrate Canada Day in Hamilton Ontario:

Backyardigans Pre-game Show at the Ticats Season Opener - exclusive pricing from momstown: http://hamilton.momstown.ca/featuredsponsor

Fireworks presented by the City of Hamilton on Friday, July 1 at Bayfront & Pier 4 Parks. Free HSR bus shuttle from King & John Streets to Pier 4 Park beginning at 6 p.m. Please bring non-perishable food donation. www.Hamilton.ca/specialevents

Canada Day on Concession Street with Chris Charlton on July 1 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. entertainment, facepainting, games, barbeque, and free balloons. Mountain Drive on Concession Street at Upper Gage.

It’s Your Your Festival is a free festival in Gage Park featuring live bands, food from around the world, special events and a midway. The four-day festival kicks off June 30th and will feature six stages of entertainment, a new music expo, over 150 arts and crafts booths, Canada Day flag raising ceremonies and new this year: the West Coast Lumberjack Show, featuring logging and pole climbing competitions.

2nd annual Canada Day Rotary Ribfest, June 30 – July 3, 2011 - Memorial Park, Waterdown http://ohcanadaribfest.ca/

Whatever you choose to do this Canada Day weekend have fun and do it with a joyous and thankful heart. Happy Birthday Canada!!

momstown Hamilton: Mom's Night Out "Big Cook"

2011-06-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

I'm continuously impressed with the sense of community we have here with momstown. A few weeks ago the ladies got together for a Mom's Night Out. Something we need to do (and often) in order to remind ourselves of our individualism, and remember how good it feels to just be. On this particular night the moms decided to do a "Big Cook". Eight ladies got together with food prepped and made freezer meals for one another - perfect for those days when life gets too hectic to make dinner. I know how many times I've been thankful that there's a home made dinner already prepared and all I have to do is pop it in the oven!

This momstown Hamilton Mom's Night Out was particularly interesting because it was sponsored by Chateau des Charmes Generation Seven wine. Everyone loved it! There was much debate about whether they liked the red or white better; and while I particularily liked the red the momstown moms voted the white as their favorite!

The cooking was fun - though a bit of a comedy of errors at times. Shannon didn't bring enough ketchup, Lindsay didn't have the salt out at her station, her can opener doesn't really work so she had to be designated can opener for eveyone because it is very tempermental. Jen forgot the cheese for her recipe but no one noticed and neither did she so now has offered to make cheese deliveries - lol.

In chatting we discovered that Caroline has fresh flowers at her house a lot because she gets them from the nursing home her grandpa is at and the nursing home gets them donated from the local funeral home which was a good laugh.

Emily and Tara won the wine and both plan to enjoy once they are nursing less.

Christie came all the way from Ingersoll and it was so nice to see her.

Good friends, great food, fun time had by all. Thanks to Chateau des Charmes for the wonderful wine and prizes for our moms it made this Mom's Night Out that much more special.

If you would like to be a part of our amazing community please visit us at momstown Hamilton
and sign up for a free 2 week trial membership. We're looking forward to welcoming you!

momstown Hamilton has a new owner? Let me introduce myself...

2011-06-18T05:31:00.000-07:00

The decision to purchase momstown Hamilton was almost a no-brainer for me. Of course, I had many moments along the way of questioning the sanity of adding this to my already very busy and full life, but quite honestly I always knew that given the chance this is what I wanted to do.

Having been a member of momstown Hamilton for nearly 2 years I have had the priviledge of getting to know some amazing women and have found a real community here. Having always been rather independent and career driven I found myself very isolated and lonely when my children were small. My first child had colic and cried for months, I struggled immensely with breastfeeding (and while I still would choose to do it if I could I learned to embrace the formula alternative), and then with my second child we had serious feeding issues and some developmental concerns. Everything worked out in the end (as they often do) but having found momstown Hamilton after I went through those struggles I know how amazing the support and friendship of a community of women who have gone through those very same struggles would have been to me.

I am so proud to now play an integral role in providing this service to other moms in my community. I am excited to see what the future brings as our children grow and we share these new experiences and all the bumps and bruises and stresses and anxieties that come with raising our children, as well as show support to all the new moms that will enter into our community. But not just that, to also share and celebrate the moments, experiences, joys, and heartaches that bring us together as women – because each one of us is so much more than a mom and I look forward to getting to know all about each of you.

Sincerely,
Andrea
andrea.kovacs@momstown.ca

Welcome to the new Owner of momstown Hamilton!

2011-06-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

Though this has been my labour of love for almost the past two years I happily and regretfully have become to busy with my other business venture to do a proper job at both.

My years here have been life changing. My children have grown up with a mom who runs a very busy moms group and my 2.5 year old often asks if we are "going to momstown today?", it is truly been all she has known since she was a baby. It is with a heavy heart I bid farewell but I know it is what's best for everyone involved.

The momstown Hamilton community is like my own child as it did not exist before I purchased it and with that being said it is with much elation my pleasure to announce that Andrea Kovacs (one of our wonderful members) will be the one who is making the giant leap into momstown chapter motherhood!

Andrea has two children herself, she is mom to Emily (born in June 2005) and Nathan (born March 2007). Andrea is more than qualified to take the reins of our community. She has been a host to many of our play dates over the past two years and has always been a wonderful host. Andrea has firm roots in her community and is seen as a leader in our group and in her own personal circle of friends. Andrea is already thinking of many unique and interesting ideas on where to take the chapter in the future. Andrea is warm, kind, easy to get to know and the first person to welcome new members to our group. Many of our current members know Andrea very well, our new members will get to know her soon and everyone involved is lucky to have her.

Join me in welcoming the new owner of momstown Hamilton Andrea Kovacs!

MNO - Comedy Night Fundraiser for PBSO

2011-05-15T08:06:00.001-07:00

The Perinatal Bereavement Society of Ontario hosted a fund-raising event last night at Club 54 in Burlington. momstown Hamilton member Shawna Clouthier organized the event and it was a great success. Shawna's family was personally touched with a perinatal loss and upon her search for community support resources for her family she came upon the PBSO where she is now an active member as well as Treasurer/Secretary.

Although Perinatal Bereavement is obviously not a laughing matter the event itself was and suitably titled "Laughing Again". It was a night of comedy at Club 54 and our members were treated to two great local comedy acts. Ben Guyatt was our host for the evening and definitely made it a great night out.

The PBSO is an amazing organization supporting families who have suffered a terrible loss.

When a pregnancy ends with miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, medical termination, stillbirth or neonatal death, the parents may experience anger, hopelessness, lowered self esteem and other feelings. It is healthy and helpful to allow the parents to feel, name and express their emotions. Holding in feelings may cause delayed grief reactions. The shared grief felt by parents, families and friends will be expressed in different ways. No two people grieve alike.

Finding supportive family, friends or professionals, who are able to listen, allows one to grieve in their own way. Taking time to work through grief in a manner that is right for each person promotes healing and health.

PBSO provides a variety of unique support services that have been tailored specifically to meet the special needs of perinatally bereaved families. The organization has also grown to include developing and implementing educational training seminars for health care professionals, caregivers, clergy and funeral directors on how to best support these families.

For more information on the PBSO click here to visit their website.

Thank you Shawna for all of the hard work you do for such an important cause and thank you for bringing back the laughter to their lives last night. We are lucky to have such caring women as our members.

Mommy Words of Wisdom

2011-05-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

In honour of Mother's Day I started a thread on our message board about what advice our members would give to new moms who are just starting out or what advice they wanted to share with each other about being a mom.

Here is what they came up with:

"Cherish every moment, even the tough ones. When times are tough - just remember, this too shall pass." And, it's funny but when the difficult times pass - we think back on them fondly!!!"

So true how many of us have shared those horror story moments like when our children broke down in the grocery store or peed their pants only moments into a park play date. You can probably think of one of those tough moments right now and then smile as the thought passes. Every challenge only makes us stronger right.

"Don't read too much. If you start reading parenting books or online articles all the time, you'll put too much pressure on yourself to be the "perfect" parent, and you will also build an unnecessary anxiety about every little thing. It's great to be knowledgeable, but so much of being a mom comes naturally and life is easier for both mom and baby when you're more relaxed."

Well put! We have all driven ourselves crazy trying to be the perfect mom. Here's a little secret your kids will love you know matter what just because you are mommy!
"Don't wish their life away. Don't wish for when they can just hold up their own head, for when they can sit, crawl, walk etc. Enjoy each moment as it is, because you can never get them back."

I found myself taking this piece of advice with my second as I learned my lesson with my first. With my first I wished everyday for her to be able to do the next big thing on the list of milestones every child achieves. With my second I knew better, it goes so quickly I was holding onto every moment, celebrating his successes but feeling a little sad as each one passed as well.
"Remember that no matter how awesome or how difficult a moment can be ... that it is just a moment!~ There will be some many (both good and bad) so savour each one as you never know what is around the corner! It will never happen again."

Totally agree savour the good and the bad alike!

"Ask for help at every turn. Whoever you know who can help watch the baby while you sleep, or help around the house -- whatever you need. People love to be asked to help, and new moms need it the most!"

As a mom of one I thought I could do it all and hated to ask for help, as a mom of two who runs two businesses, bring on the help! I learned my lesson and take no shame in asking for help when I need it!

"Don't forget about you. To be a good momma and a good partner you need to take care of mom. Go out for that manicure, have that coffee or drink with a friend. The kids will still be there when you get home and will be happy to have a refreshed mom."

I couldn't agree more. Every mom deserves time for herself schedule that time, make it a priority and make it happen! You deserve it!

And finally a little piece of advice from me. The days may seem long but the years fly by so enjoy every moment....and try to remember all of this advice the next time you are having "one of those days".

Just remember you aren't alone, your friends from momstown Hamilton are always here when you need a shoulder to lean on! Not a member yet, click here to sign up today!

Mother's Day Reflection

2011-05-06T02:37:00.000-07:00

As I sit here this morning with a hot cup of tea to get my day started I am feeling a bit nostalgic. As I do everyday, I am feeling so thankful for the health of my own mother who as many of you know went through a double lung transplant less than 2 years ago. Everyday that she grows stronger I count my blessings and remember that precious family moments cannot be taken for granted.

I always try to remember to take photos along the way this one is from last Mother's Day, 4 generations, my Grandma, my Mom, myself and my daughter.

I consider myself one lucky lady as not only do I have my own mother and grandmother I also have a mother-in-law who is a more giving and loving person than anyone else I know. Though she has two daughters of her own, she treats me just as if I am one of her own and I am thankful everyday that I have her in my life. Here she is on her first Christmas as a Nana!

This will be my third Mother's Day as a mom and just like everyone always says I can't believe how quickly the time has gone.

I am also thankful to have been blessed to have grown up with a life long friend who I still keep in touch with today. To start our lives we were born only 5 months apart, many years later we got married one week apart, and our first born children are only 6 weeks different in age, one boy and one girl.

Here we are when the two of them were only weeks old.

This photo is from last Mother's Day weekend when we were lucky enough to spend some time together with our children, and this year I was able to go for a visit on Easter weekend which was only two weeks ago. My how the kids have changed over the year. Here is a snapshot of them last weekend on an evening stroll. I am so thankful they will be able to grow up together just like their moms did!

My advice to any new moms out there, or really to just any moms in general on this Mother's Day weekend...although sometimes the days feel long, the years fly by, so take a moment each day to appreciate the small things. Here are a couple of my favourite moments from the past week.

A kiss from my baby boy!

And a roll in the grass with my big girl!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there from momstown Hamilton!

Happy Mother's Day momstown - here is a gift from us!

2011-05-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

momstown.ca is celebrating Mother days with a free GIFT to our mamas!!

From May 1st to May 10th momstown is offering a “gift” with purchase or renewal of membership. momstown offers over 25 local events, a 24/7 message board to get answers to your parenting questions from local neighbourhood moms like you and exclusive member privileges.

Spend $45 for our membership and receive exclusive discounts from our fabulous partners valued over $150*!! Discounts from Mabel’s Label, Name Your Tune, Gingerbread Monkeys and Photoboof Canada .. just to name a few! Happy Shopping!!

momstown is now offering even more events, discounts, and interactive features than ever!

* Offer valid with a purchase of a new (or renewal) 12 membership and expires May 10, 2011.

Get Out and Vote!

2011-05-02T03:22:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought when this election began that the election race would have been so tight, and not by who pollsters would have thought. The NDP have made quite the comeback and Jack Layton has turned into a Canadian rock star! Although the Conservatives maintain their lead things sure are tight, and every vote will count!

So mamas get out there and vote! Make your voice heard and shape the world that we will live in. All you need to vote is proof of address and a valid Canadian ID. If you have just moved and your ID has not been switched bring a piece of mail with you that has your current address on it.

Not sure where to go to place your vote click here Vote.ca it is super easy. Enter your address and voila it will give you a map of where to go. It even lists who the candidates in your area are and links to their personal sites.

You can also find out where to vote at the Elections Canada website.

So get out there and vote! Polls are open from between 7:30 and 9:00 pm and most are open for 12 hours, no excuses!

For some around the house voting activities to get the kids involved check out "Get Out the Vote with Your Kids" here at the momstown arts and crafts blog site.

Paper Plate Flowers

2011-04-30T05:25:00.000-07:00

To close out our month of April Flowers crafts and play dates in momstown Hamilton we got creative with whatever supplies I had in the house. The original plan had been to do Cookie Cutter Flowers where we would use cookie cutters to trace pictures of flowers onto paper. The problem was I realized the night before our craft date that I had lent out my flower shaped cookie cutters. Uh-oh, so I had to kick my crafty mom mind into high gear.

Supplies:

Paper Plates
Construction Paper
Glue
Scissors

Instructions:

Use the paper plates as your flower bases. Cut out yellow construction paper circles for the flower centers. Cut out petal shapes from other colours of construction paper. We did this ahead of time as our crafters were a bit too young for scissors though older children may find that part fun too!

We secured the yellow circles to the center of the paper plates with glue and then let the kids go crazy with the glue to secure all of their pretty petals. It was good practice for them to try and place the petals properly, great for their fine motor skills.

The kids had a great time and the results were beautiful! For more great flower craft ideas pop on over to the momstown arts and crafts blog where the crafting ideas are in full bloom!

Cooking With Kids: Turkey Meatballs

2011-04-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

My daughter loves to help mommy in the kitchen, and I have to say at the young age of not quite 2 1/2 she is a pretty good helper. The other night we decided to make Turkey Meatballs. We love to make anything around our house that means we have a reason to get our hands dirty so meatballs were the perfect outlet!

Other than the momstown meals blog who do I turn to when I need a trusty recipe? Well Martha Stewart of course and my monthly copies of Everyday Food! Here is the recipe I found in an old copy of Everyday Food Magazine.

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Serves 4

Prep time: 50 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

To make meatballs that are moist and tender, avoid using very lean ground turkey.

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

5 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper

1 large egg

1/3 cup milk

1 white onion, finely chopped

2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 pound ground turkey

1 pound spaghetti

1. Make the sauce: In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with a fork. Stir in onion, breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley. Add turkey, and mix until combined. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls.

3. Add meatballs to skillet, and spoon sauce over to coat. Place over medium heat until meatballs are just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

4. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to skillet, and toss gently with the sauce. Serve with more Parmesan.

Note: Keeping your hands wet when forming meatballs will prevent the meat from sticking, making the task much easier.

The results were so yummy! We even had enough leftover meatballs to use the next day for a smashed meatball sandwiches which tasted amazing and made mommy happy because I got two meals out of one prep session!

I did of course check into to the momstown meals blog before I hit my magazine copies and I did come across an amazing spaghetti recipe that I think we will try another time Spaghetti with Salmon Cream Sauce sounds delicious, head over to momstown meals to check it out!

What to do with all of those plastic eggs?

2011-04-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the lovely spring weather we have been having (enter sarcasm here) I have an abundance of left over plastic Easter eggs, 60 of them to be exact! I decided to go to my favourite arts and crafts blog, momstown arts and crafts, and sure enough there were 101 Uses for Plastic Eggs.

While I was at the momstown site I also came across this adorable spring craft idea for Egg Carton Easter Chicks. Off I went to dig trough my buckets of craft supplies to find what I would need to make this adorable craft with the kids and low and behold I was out of googly eyes (gasp!). This got my crafty wheels turning and you can see below what we came up with.

Without our googly eyes the Egg Carton Easter Chicks were going to be out of the question, so instead we went for the embryo approach and created Hard Boiled Plastic Easter Eggs!

As you can see the craft was a hit with the kids on one of the recent rainy days. They had so much fun filling the plastic eggs with glue and stuffing them with cotton balls for the whites and yellow pom-poms for the yolks. We continued the morning by basically gluing cotton balls to anything they could get their hands on and the moms were able to have a spare moment to drink a hot coffee.

Easter fun in momstown Hamilton!

2011-04-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

We have had so much fun this Easter in momstown Hamilton. In order to make sure all of the moms had just the perfect decorations for their Easter tables we got together to decorate eggs!

We many colours to choose from and some of the kids even chose to double dip! It was a great way to show the kids how two different colours can be combined to make a third. The results were beautiful!

Everyone took a quick minute to pause and take a quick picture to show off their beautiful creations! After the eggs dripped dry we spent some time placing stickers on them.

Though decorating the eggs was fun the cake that followed was the real star of the show! Payton Peddle and her Nana spent the afternoon before the decorating event preparing this very special cake for all to share. You can find the instructions for the Bunny Cake recipe from Kraft Canada here. If this recipe looks a bit complicated you can find even more food to make with your kids at our momstown meals blog.

As you can see the cake didn't last as long as the decorating did. Between the moms and the kids that bunny quickly found a new home in our tummies!

We hope everyone had as much fun this Easter as we did in momstown Hamilton! If you don't want to miss out on more momstown Hamilton events be sure to click here to join us.

Do you have your taxes done yet?

2011-04-19T16:51:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Our Latest Contest Winner!

2011-04-19T13:13:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Shannon B the latest momstown Hamilton member to win and win big! Shannon has won a fantastic birthday package from Players Paradise.

Stay tuned for the next contest announcement coming soon!

Not a member of momstown Hamilton yet, click here to join in on the fun and amazing contests!

Egg-stravagant Easter Events in Hamilton

2011-04-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

I truly can not get enough of that cartoon! Well, it is the time of year again when spring blooms begin to blossom and our favourite furry little bunny hops into town! Check out all of the amazing Easter events happening in and around Hamilton beginning this week and continuing right through Easter weekend!

April 16, 2011

momstown Hamilton's Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Presented by momstown Hamiton, to register click here!

Join us at 10:00 am for a fun Easter Egg Hunt at Memorial Park in Waterdown! After the hunt stay and play at the play structure! Plan to be on time as we want everyone to have a chance to hunt! Meet at the splash pad and wait for the go ahead to hunt!

Easter Egg Hunt

Presented By Puddicombe Estate Farms and Winery

Easter egg hunt, easter craft, wagon ride, visit the bunnies at the petting farm and take your picture with the easter bunny, and meet some of the Springtime Guests. Puddicombe Estate Farms Easter Egg Hunt at 11am or 1pm. Rain date is April 23rd.

www.puddicombefarms.com

April 22, 2011

Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt

Presented By Players Paradise Sports Complex

From 10:00am-12:00pm we will have thousands of chocolate eggs that will be hidden on our indoor turf field with our egg hunt starting right at 10:30am. There will also be fun for the whole family with bouncy castles, games, face painting, kids entertainers, and even a visit from the Easter Bunny!

www.playersparadisesoccer.com

25th Annual Easter Treasure Hunt

Presented by the Ancaster Rotary Centre, 310 Wilson St. East

All participants must register at the Ancaster Rotary Centre Reception Area. Registrations accepted in person and participants can register no later than Monday, April 18th, to be included. Spaces are limited! Non-registered participants will be turned away on event day. Call 905-546-2424 ext. 1698 for details. Hunt #1 Ages 2-4 years begins at 12:30, Hunt #2 Ages 5-8 begins at 1:30

April 23, 2011 Downtown Dundas will be hopping on from 11am to 3pm

Visit Participating Downtown Dundas merchants to enter the draw to win one of 60 plush bunnies

• Meet our Easter Bunny and get your special treats

• Free horse & trolley rides around town

• Rabbits galore! Visit the bunny display in front of Shoppers Drugmart

• Wear your Easter bonnet and win a special prize

Egg-cellent Easter Egg Decorating Workshop

Presented By the Hamilton Children's Museum

Have you ever seen those beautifully painted Easter Eggs and wondered how it is done? Well, with a little colour and lots of imagination you can learn to decorate Easter Eggs too. Drop in anytime between 10 am and 2 pm for some decorating fun. Be sure to visit the museum while you're here.

April 24, 2011 Easter Brunch

Presented By the Royal Botanical Gardens

Take a stroll through the Gardens and catch some early blooms, then join them in the Café for a delicious spread.

www.rbg.ca

Wordless Wednesday - The Wonder of Spring

2011-04-13T05:31:00.001-07:00

Bingo Dabber Flowers

2011-04-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

Our theme this month is April Flowers so be sure to watch out for all kinds of flowery fun happening in momstown Hamilton. This morning was our first craft morning of the month where the kids made Bingo Dabber Flowers. We got this amazing craft idea for our very own momstown arts and crafts blog site. You can find al of the instructions for the craft there, but in case you are interested here is what our little artists came up with.

This is a perfect craft for little hands as the bingo dabbers are easy to hold and manipulate. The kids loved banging them on the table and the moms weren't worried about them ruining the tips of the markers as that is just what bingo dabbers are made for.

Serious concentration happening here!

As you can see the flowers were plentiful in this garden!

Even though the bingo dabbers didn't always remain on the paper everyone had a great time!

Stay tuned for more great floral related crafts and in the meantime if you want to do a few with your kids be sure to check out the momstown arts and crafts blog where the crafts are as plentiful as the flowers in our Bingo Dabber Gardens!

Organic Baby Food Swap

2011-04-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

We all want to make baby food for our little angels. The problem is time. Who has enough of it?? Certainly not me, so when one of our fabulous members at momstown Hamilton recently came up with the idea to have an Organic Baby Food Swap, I was the first to jump on board.

Each event attendee prepared two purees, one simple for starter foods, and one more complex for stage 2 food options. Each attendee picked two recipes they wanted to make and posted to our event page so that we had a great variety. Once the recipes were decided we each prepared 1.5 cups of each of your recipes per person in attendance. Lovely Lentils, Apple and Squash, Tomato, Lentils and Cheese and Green Bean Casserole were just a few of the recipes we used.

The result...happy moms with freezers full of baby food, which means less prep work in the for future meals on our busy days. Each mom brought their 1.5 cups per person in attendance in Ziploc storage bags which made for an easy mess free swap. I brought mine home, cut the tip off the bag and squeezed the food into ice cube trays for pre-portioned healthy baby meals in a snap! Once they were frozen pop them out of the trays and into other Ziplocs for easy storage in the freezer.

We agreed to use as much organic veggies as possible for this swap in order to keep the food as healthy as possible for our new little eaters. As you can see below the moms weren't the only ones who appreciated having a freezer full of pre-prepped healthy and organic baby food! The event was a big success and I am sure we will be hosting many more in the future.

Some of the moms used cookbooks they had for recipes and others used http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ for some inspiration. If you have older kids, check out http://www.wholesometoddlerfood.com/for some more great ideas and if you are looking for some amazing recipes for the whole family check out the momstown meals blog, you can't beat it!

Want to join us next time but not a member yet, click here to join momstown today!

Dinner at My Place

2011-04-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

Just a few short weeks ago I spent a Friday night dining at the fabulous Nobu in Las Vegas, this past Friday night unfortunately was not quite as glamorous, and by not quite I mean not glamorous at all!

I spent the afternoon preparing a fantastic meal for my husband and I to enjoy with the kids. As we all sat around the dining table it only took about 3 minutes for the first disaster to occur, my 2 year old flipping forward out of her chair. Crisis averted nothing a kiss from mommy couldn't fix.

Next it was the baby's turn. It was our first try at him eating mashed potatoes and carrots and to say he wasn't a fan is an understatement. The repetitive gagging made for soothing dinner music to enjoy our roast beef dinner by!

Next back to the toddler; with her now on my lap we were enjoying our meal (an when I say we I don't mean the baby as the gagging continued after each bite) she took too big a bite of her roast beef and up came her dinner all over my feet and the bench seat cushion. (Note to self good call on the removable cushion covers).

At that point I had to abandon my dinner and take her up for a bath. I figure someday I will be able to eat a hot uninterrupted meal but until then I will take it with a grain of salt, all part of the glamorous role of full-time mommy!

Nobu, we shall meet again my friend…someday!

Congratulations to Our Latest Contest Winner!

2011-03-11T04:52:00.001-08:00

Congratulations Shay! Shay was our latest momstown contest winner. Shay has won an amazing prize of a free in-home consultation with Buy Borrow and Style Interiors! Maybe the next time everyone is at Shay's for a play date you will see some of her soon to be done new home design ideas being put into action!

To check out one of Buy Borrow and Style's latest projects click here!

Not a momstown Hamilton member yet, don't miss out on another contest click here to join today!

Love Your Cereal with Kellogg's

2011-02-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

This past Friday momstown Hamilton and Kellogg's teamed up to bring an amazing event to our members. With love in the air and just in time for Valentine's Day we celebrated by learning to love our bodies and our cereal at the Love Your Body party! Players Paradise in Stoney Creek were our fantastic hosts for the event.

The event began with everyone arriving and heading out onto the soccer field for some much needed "outdoor" exercise time....what's the best thing about Players Paradise? You get the outdoor space and freedom without the frigid outdoor temperatures. It's always sunny at Players Paradise and that makes moms happy!

Even the littlest members go in on the fun! We had a parachute and all kinds of balls and other things to play with.

After we ran them until they could run no more we took them upstairs to enjoy a yummy and nutritious breakfast thanks to Kellogg. Rice Krispies, Corn Pops, Mini Wheats, Frosted Flakes and Raisin Bran could be found in the bowls as we went around the room but the favourite by far was Froot Loops! The kids were loving them and the moms were excited to find out that Froot Loops actually have less sugar per serving than some other common breakfast foods like yogurt.

And the good news kept coming, Did you know that cereal is typically a low-fat, nutrient-dense food that contains no cholesterol? We do now! We also learned that nine out of 10 kids don't get the fiber they need. To help address the critical shortfall, Kellogg has added fiber to many of its cereals, including Froot Loops®, Apple Jacks® and Corn Pops® – which provide a good source of fiber in every bowl. Even more healthy facts about cereal were shared throughout the morning. You can read more about them through Kellogg's Love Your Cereal website.

With swag bags in hand, tired bodies and full tummies everyone was happy and healthy and headed home for some much needed rest...moms included! Congratulations to the Sarah D. the winner of the Kellogg's gift basket full of all kinds of cereal goodies!

Jet Baby - momstown Exclusive Sale!

2011-02-04T06:51:00.001-08:00

Don't miss out on the exclusive momstown sale TODAY at Jetbaby in Oakville. Momstown members can shop the sale a day early on Friday Feb 4th from 10am-7pm. Get first choice on sale items and avoid the crowds on the weekend! Strollers are welcome. Don't forget your Momstown card!

JetBaby's annual 50% off sale is taking place on Sat Feb 5 and Sun Feb 6. Get 50% off all clothing, shoes & sale items, and selected books, CDs, toys and rock shirts. If you have never been to Jetbaby you don't know what you are missing, it is an amazing store, such unique finds for your little ones.

A Holiday in Review

2011-01-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful holiday season we had here at momstown Hamilton. The season began with many adorable holiday crafts for the moms and kids to make. All That Glitters was the theme of the month and man did we make our houses sparkle...literally....I had glitter from the front door to the basement! Oh well the kids had fun which is all that matters
.

Speaking of fun the moms had some mommy fun too! Our annual mom's night out holiday party was fantastic. Our friends at The Watermark in Waterdown treated us to an evening of cocktails and appetizers and everything was fantastic. A special thanks to Jessica who took such good care of us and all of the arrangements. We had a blast during the "Naught or Nice" gift exchange when the most popular present to be "stolen" happened to be one that everyone was convinced had a bottle of booze in it, I can't imagine why ;) It ended up in my lap when all was said and done and I was even happier to discover it was full of various types of hot chocolate!

The annual kids holiday party was also a hoot. Thank you so much to Rice Krispies who provided an amazing giveaway won by a luck momstown Hamilton member in attendance. Ahead of time my daughter and I prepped a fantastic Rice Krispies treat tree and we had just as much fun making it as the children did devouring it at the party!

The month came to a close with a wonderful Noon Year's Eve Party where the kids counted down to noon, wore party hats and blew their noise makers until they were blue in the face. The craft table gave them a festive craft to busy themselves with where they were making Paper Plate Disco Balls. The kids used buttons to make the "disco balls" sparkle. Who knew buttons and paper plates could be so much fun?

Happy Noon Year Everyone, here's to a fantastic 2011!

momstown day at Christmastown!

2010-12-11T04:28:00.001-08:00

What an amazing day we had at Christmastown at the Mountsberg Conservation Area. The magic began just as we arrived where we were greeted by a happy little elf helper who sent us up to elf school where the kids could play and learn all about what it takes to be an elf. That was just the beginning. From there we headed out to wait for our horse-drawn wagon to pick us up and take us into the Christmastown Village.

On the way to Christmastown Village we sang carols and enjoyed the sound of the horses moving us swiftly through the woods. Everyone was bundled up and able to enjoy the crisp temperatures.

Once we arrived in the village there was all kinds of fun to be had. The kids decorated cookies in Mrs. Claus' kitchen and we all sipped warm hot chocolate. There were other places to explore as well while we waited for our turn with the top elf. The Parcel Post was a huge hit with the kids as it was a cabin full of wrapping paper and ribbons and of course the list of the "Naughty and Nice" children.

Soon it was our turn to meet the jolly old elf himself and the sense of wonderment in my daughters eyes was incredible. She quietly approached as Santa reached out his arms with joy she calmly climbed into his lap to have a chat about what she would like for Christmas. Being not quite two yet she doesn't quite understand how all of this works but she was sure to tell him about her favourite Backyardigan, followed quickly by the question "where's my cookie Santa" as in the last cabin she was greeted with the sweet treat. Santa and the rest of us had a good laugh.

The whole day will truly be a day we never forget. The magic of Christmas is alive and well at Christmastown!

Sugar Cube Pyramids!

2010-11-16T11:16:00.000-08:00

November's theme is "Your House, My House" and we have been busy building houses of shapes and sizes. For the latest adventure we used our imagination to travel to Egypt where we built sugar cube pyramids.

Although it was a bit sticky even the moms got in on the crafting. The hardest part about this craft was keeping the kids from eating their pyramids before they were built. Pyramids get smaller as they go up so part of the fun was counting along with the number of "bricks" we needed to build each level.

To say these are the sweetest houses ever built is an understatement. The "bricks" are sugar cubes and the "mortar" is homemade icing. The step-by-step instructions of how to create this craft at home with your kids can be found at the momstown arts and crafts blog site.

To find out what other crafty projects are going on this month check out the calendar here!

2010-11-08T10:07:00.001-08:00

What an amazing time was had by everyone who came to the momstown Hamilton Annual Boo Bash sponsored by Fisher-Price. The guests were greeted by a fantastic Fisher-Price goody bag and a ballot to enter into the draw for one of the fabulous toys we were kindly given to raffle off!

Thanks to our friends at Mike Kovacs Photography we have wonderful pictures to share, you can check out the whole set on their Facebook page.

There were lions, monkeys, fairy princesses and even a Buzz Lightyear in attendance. We had all of the latest and greatest toys available from Fisher-Price out on display and the kids had so much fun trying them out. It gave our moms lots of ideas for Christmas as everyone got to see which toys their kids preferred without having to spend a dime. Nevertheless I am sure all of us will buy their favourites from the party and on Christmas morning they will all be playing with the boxes!

Congratulations to all of our winners, check out who the lucky moms were:

o Laugh & Learn™ Learning Kitchen™ - Sarah W
o Lil’ Zoomers™ Spinnin’ Sounds Speedway™ - Sara L
o Stride to Ride Dino - Christie G
o Little People® Animal Sounds Farm™ - Amanda G
o Little People® Racin’ Ramps Garage™ - Heather G
o Loving Family Grand Dollhouse - Andrea K
o Imaginext® Ocean Boat - Candice D
o We Really Did It Dora - Maryann K
o Thomas & Friends Return from Misty Island Playset - Caroline L

In addition to the toys we had an amazing potluck lunch complete with many Halloween treats. There were spooky crafts to complete (details can be found at the momstown arts and crafts blog) as well as a rousing game of Gourd Bowling! Thanks to everyone who made the morning such a spooky success!

Eh! Good Looking Baby Registry

2010-10-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Eh! Good Looking | Ch ildren’s Photography Boutique is proud to offer a unique registry service for ever-growing families to enjoy the results from for years (and years) to come.

This baby registry is perfect for showers or as a gift for the holidays. Anyone who signs up for their baby registry in October receives a complimentary maternity session,
a $135 value on top of their package.

The concept is simple, and much like an experience you might have at any other boutique or store while registering. Simply be in touch and choose your selected package. An account will be created for you and a package will be sent to your home within the week including additional details and personalized registry cards for inclusion in shower or birthday invitations.

Once you’ve distributed the registry cards (or had your mum, aunt, sister or friend do it!) your friends and family will be directed to a secure registry outlet on Eh! Good Looking’s website where, there, they’ll be able to select and contribute to your package as they wish.

As soon as your registry has been fulfilled, Tamara will be in close touch so you can begin setting up your sessions and concepts together. As a bonus, you’ll also receive a set of 25 custom designed ‘thank you’ cards to then send out as a token of appreciation for choosing Eh! Good Looking to register with.

Tamara Campbell is the owner (and relatively new first-time mommy to one Isla James) of
Eh! Good Looking Photography. Eh! Good Looking is a fantastic local children's photography boutique that services Waterdown, Dundas, Ancaster, Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton and the Tri-City Regions of Ontario.

Don't forget to check out your discount board for the exclusive discount you receive as a momstown member.

You can find out more information at the Eh! Good Looking website or Facebook site or by e-mailing Tamara directly.

Sign up for this fantastic Baby Registry and have those precious moments of your little one(s) to cherish forever!

Eh! Good Looking Fall Mini Session

2010-09-04T02:16:00.000-07:00

In my opinion fall is the most beautiful time of year for outdoor photos. What could be better than the beautiful fall colours surrounding adorable children. Watching kids play in the leaves and enjoy the outdoors is truly something to behold. There is so much for them to see, do and explore in the fall. The leaves create their own playground everywhere you look, there are pumpkins growing and apples in the trees.

Tamara Campbell is the owner (and relatively new first-time mommy to one Isla James) of Eh! Good Looking Photography. Eh! Good Looking is a fantastic local children's photography boutique that services Waterdown, Dundas, Ancaster, Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton and the Tri-City Regions of Ontario.

As I do, Tamara loves the beauty of the fall season and has decided to offer a special photo package this fall which will take place in an orchard setting with lots of things to do, perfect for snagging sweet candid shots and unique keepers for albums and framing around the home.

These mini sessions are great for annual family photo refreshers or holiday card images. The mini session includes:

a 30 minute session
no fewer than 10 fully mastered images to choose from in a private, online gallery
one high resolution digital file
one 11x14 wall feature print
two 8x10 gift prints.

All of this for only $125 and that includes the tax!

There are limited sessions still available on Friday, September 17th and Saturday, September 18th, and all sessions are taking place in the Waterdown area. When momstown members mention MOMSTOWN when booking, Tamara will also include a custom holiday greeting design using your favourite image from the session, a $50 bonus for our members and a check-mark on you rlist of already growing holiday to-dos!

You can find out more information at the Eh! Good Looking website or Facebook site or by e-mailing Tamara directly.

Don't miss your chance for some fantastic fall photos of your little one(s) today!