Museum + Art Pass from the Library

With young ones, it's sometimes hard to imagine paying full price to go to some of the museums or attractions and then only be able to spend a couple of hours there. As moms we know the value in taking our kids to the museum, gallery, zoos and other educational venues but it's so hard to fork over the admission fees when you know that you can only spend a couple of hours there due to naps/meltdowns.

That's why I think it's so great that some cities are now offering passes to various places for free through the libraries. It makes access so much easier for families and for people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it. It also gives you a chance to check out some of the places and maybe even buying a pass if you really like it! (like the zoo, science centre, ROM...)

Sunlife sponsors the Toronto program and it's pretty fabulous. You can pick up a pass at your local library for the following venues:


AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario
Bata Shoe Museum
Black Creek Pioneer Village
Casa Loma
City of Toronto Historic Museums:
Colborne Lodge in High Park
Fort York National Historic Site
Gibson House Museum
Mackenzie House
Montgomery's Inn
Scarborough Museum
Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens
Todmorden Mills Heritage Site
Gardiner Ceramics Museum
Museum of Inuit Art
Ontario Science Centre
ROM - Royal Ontario Museum
Textile Museum of Canada
Toronto Zoo

But you might have to line up for the ROM, AGO, ZOO or Science Centre passes as they are pretty popular and you might have to go to a different library than your own if yours is really busy or to get the venue of your choice.

The passes come in at a set time/day at your library and some of the popular venues do get picked up fast! This morning I lined up for the ROM pass, 15 mins before the library opened--but I got it! The key is that you shouldn't have your heart set for one particular venue--know that you might get your second or third choice. But it's a great opportunity to explore Toronto!


Also, keep in mind that during the summer a lot of families will want the passes so it might be harder for you to get them! The pass is valid for a period of time--so you can get a pass now and use it at a later date. The expiry period currently is 3 months!!! So take them out now for the summer!!! You can't get more than one pass a day, but you can get passes over and over again and for different venues.

More Info:


Similarly, other cities that you might visit with your family have the program too (every city runs it a bit differently though) so if you are visiting family/friends they could help you get some passes or tag along with you on an adventure without paying the fees.

Ottawa:
Their program is neat! Lots of venues( since they are the capital and house many national treasures and you can even get a Gatineau park ski pass) and you loan it just like a library book and then return it by a set date.
INFO

Victoria:
Similar to Ottawa, you loan it like a book, and you can use it for the Royal BC museum--which is a great museum!
INFO

Wherever you travel, if you are visiting someone locally, be sure to ask if they have a similar program!

Chudleigh's apple picking!

website:http://www.chudleighs.com/

Apple picking is such a great family activity!

If you are willing to drive west of the city--out by Milton--this is a wonderful place to go! At 9:15 in the morning it only took us about 30 mins to get there. It opens at 10am and it got busy very fast as it was a nice day--so my recommendation is to get there for 10 if you can--better traffic and less people at the orchard.

They have a petting zoo, slides, a maze (for older kids), sandbox, face painting, balloons and of course a wagon ride out to the get the apples. Take the wagon early in order to eliminate line-ups. All of this is included with your admission. The slides are amazing and a lot of fun and the petting zoo is well kept with little signs that indicate the animal's name and what each member of the animal family is named (a baby chicken is a chick for instance). Very cute.

My little one loved the tractors and was pretty excited about going on a wagon pulled by a tractor.

The apple orchard is great and picking apples with kids is a lot of fun--doesn't take long to fill up the bags that they give you to pick with. Mind you, don't pick too many as the apples at Chudleigh's aren't cheap--but you are paying for the experience, right???

We went today and it was beautiful weather and there were a lot of people but it was so well organized that things went really well.

On weekends: It's $10 for adults to get in and children 3 and under are free. A family is $36. You pay for the apples in addition to the admission.

During the week, there are cheaper rates.

We went with two other families and we had a great time. At one point one of our friends said that we should all break out in the "good things grow in Ontario" song... and I totally agreed. She also claimed she was going home to bake a pie...something was definitely in the air!

Great day and great place to go.

age/stage photos!

There are some great ideas out there when it comes to capturing your little one at different stages.

One of my friends has been taking pictures of her sweet little daughter with the same stuffed animal at different stages and puts a little sign beside her to indicate her age. It's amazing to see how much she has grown when you compare her to her stuffed toy.

Picky Sticky does these great stickers that have months 0-24 that you put on your little one's shirt then you snap a pic of them. (and yes, if you are careful with them they are reusable...for the next sibling or a friend..) Very organized and super cute. You can also do this by putting number stickers on your little one's shirt or make a sign beside them.

Are you super organized? Then either make an online album or an actual album or photo book that has the pic with the age/stage sticker or sign, the you write in milestones they reached at that age. A really great keepsake!

Sharing the exercauser

Fellow mom Sari passed this tip along:

Every 1-2 months, swap your exercauser with another mom--this way your baby (and you) won't get tired of the toys or music! Better bang for your buck!

Great tip!

WHITE NOISE WHILE TRAVELING

I love this tip that fellow-mom Nada passed along to me.

If your child is used to white noise to soothe them to sleep and you are stuck in the car...simply find a bad AM station and let the static do the soothing! She claims that after a few minutes you will get used to it too and that the static is better than a crying baby any day.

Great tip!

NURSING TOY BASKET

I was at my friend Meghan's house yesterday and she and I were both tossing around ideas about what to do with toddlers who are 2 when mommy is with the new baby...

Meghan's mom passed along a great idea that Meghan shared with me.

When you are nursing or feeding your new baby have the toddler play with a special basket of toys that they can only take out when the baby is feeding. It will make the toys pretty special and since the toys are "new and different" it will keep the toddler entertained for a bit!

Something I do?
I ask my little guy to pick out some books. I have no problems reading to him while feeding the other one--it's a nice quiet activity. For larger books I have him hold them. It's nice and relaxing...usually! :)

Great Splash Pads/Wading Pools

I had to post this--most of it is from an email a friend sent to me. I got almost all of this information from my mom-friend Jen who has really explored the parks of the city! It's Great to have friends like her!

GLENDORA PARK:
There is a great splash pad and park called glendora park. It is near yonge and sheppard. It is huge and has lots of shady spots. Great for picnics. The playground is the perfect size for toddlers!!

SHERWOOD/ALEXANDER MUIR PARK:
Big park and suitable for all ages. Neither Jen nor I have been this year but Jen remembers it as being really great.

BAYVIEW VILLAGE:
There is one near bayview village. It is on bayview north of the mall. Love this one.

WOBURN PARK:
There is a great wading pool/ playground for young kids called woburn park. It is on woburn (north of lawrence) one block west of yonge street.

Want to know where other wading pools in your Toronto area are?
http://kidsenergyburner.com/swimming/wading-pools-toronto-ontario

EGLINTON PARK:
There is also a wading pool at eglinton park.

LEDBURY POOL:

http://www.aboutnorthtoronto.com/OutdoorPools
Ledbury pool is awesome! There is a big pool, a wading pool and a splash area all in one space-it is Jen's toddler's favourite. The big pool is a bit challenging with a toddler though as there are no stairs only ladders.
Ledbury is open 7 days a week from 12-4:45pm and then 5:30-7:45pm. Perfect for after dinner! Ledbury is 2 blocks west of avenue road and the pool is at the dead end of st germain. There is a parking lot there, but also street parking.

Whychwood Barns
They have a splash pad and a park. The park is not for little ones (there are two kiddie swings but everything else is too advanced for kids under 4 or so) Great place for a picnic or to go to the farmer's market on Saturdays. On Sundays they often have breweries there where you can sample their drinks (dads love this). PACK A CHANGE OF CLOTHES FOR YOUR KIDS--there is a water tap in a sand box area and kids love playing in it and will get dirty.

Riverdale Farm:
Awesome place to see the animals, picnic, go to the farmer's market. The Market operates from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM each Tuesday May 17th to October 25th. There is a circular and very shallow wading pool there where kids can have a blast running around after seeing the animals. It's just a cement circle so I advise water shoes/sandals/crocs but it's a fun way to cool off even though it does not have any of the fun water squirts etc that a splash pad has.

THE ZOO
If you are going to the zoo--be sure to pack a swimsuit for the little one! The splash pad is amazing! There is a shady area for picnics and this splash pad will keep your little one entertained. It opens at 10:00 and I advise you go there closest to 10:00 as possible as on a hot summer day it gets busy!
WARNING: your kid might get stuck in the red tunnel slide if they are wet as the slide does not have water on it. It's ok though--lots of kids get stuck and climbing it seems to be even more fun than sliding down!

(the zoo splash pad is pictured above)

All of these are definitely worth a try this summer!!!

Wading pool Listings:
http://kidsenergyburner.com/swimming/wading-pools-toronto-ontario

Relaxing long weekend?

I feel like my husband and I have completed the impossible... we got through a trip with a 2 year old and a 2 week old. Not a big trip mind you--but even little trips feel pretty big when you are trying to do it with 2 young ones.

We packed up the car and drove three hours for a beach weekend with family and friends. We survived so I thought I would provide some tips if you want to try your own trip sometime.

Word to the wise: choose your destination wisely. Don't be too ambitious and pick somewhere where if needed all the conveniences you are used to are available. This way, if you forget something that is essential (like diapers) you can always buy a pack at the grocery store or drugstore.

Tips to make your life less stressful:

1) Pack the night/day before you leave. Have as much ready as possible and have it in the car if you can--no surprises in the morning when you realize that you can't fit everything in the trunk!

2) Make sure you have good accommodations ready and booked. When I say good accommodations--you need space for your gear and ideally a separate space from the sleeping quarters. This might be hard to get but it is worth it. Someone once told me that otherwise you should put the pack and play in a closet... so something to consider.

3) If you are staying with family/friends make sure that they are aware of typical wake-up times so they are not shocked when they hear you at 6am. If you still have a young one who wakes up throughout the night, advise them of that too so they aren't shocked to see you nursing in the family room at 2am.

4) When the baby (or babies) cry in the car--be sure to keep an eye on your partner and the two of you can switch off the driving as needed so that not one person gets stressed out.

5) Stop when needed. Gone are the days when you can say "I will be there at....". Now you want to say "we are leaving at ________ and should be there between _______and ____ if not, we will call you". Give yourself time. Stop and take breaks at parks... or Tim Horton's.

Today's Parent Subscription

Great Deal!
If you get a subscription to Today's Parent Magazine you get a free personalized shirt from Simply Colors! Shipping is even included! The value of this is around $20!!!

I have ordered shirts from Simply Colors before (I have ordered the rugby and polo shirts) and they are great quality and a real hit as gifts as you personalize the shirts. The printing never faded! I have never seen the regular t-shirts so I can't vouch for the quality on them but if the other shirts are any indication, they are good.

For all the moms-to-be out there--Today's Parent is a good magazine and with the shirt you can announce their name or even put BABY and their Last Name for some cute "announcement" pics.

For all the new moms--great way to introduce your child to others!

And for everyone else--have your child choose something they are interested in (trains, fish, etc) and put it on a t-shirt just for them in their fave colour!

DEAL #2:
Go to the SIMPLY COLORS website https://www.simplycolors.ca/ and if you order $50 worth of merchandise you get 6 free issues to Today's Parent.

Picking Stawberries at Whittamore's Farm

http://www.whittamoresfarm.com/

I really wanted to pick strawberries with my 2 year old. I started to source out where to go among friends. People kept saying "somewhere in Brampton, Mississauga and Stouffville." Where I grew up we could ride our bikes to the berry farm so traveling so far seemed odd but I was willing. I did a google search and found Whittamore's farm which is not close to where I live but close to the zoo, which has been a destination for us recently. My friend Sheena said that she had been to Whittamore's so off we went.

It's open at 7am on weekends for Pick your own Strawberries and that in itself is a lifesaver for so many moms--an early activity that can be done to kill time in the morning if you have an early riser!

We got there at 8am and the place was hopping! Lots of people were out.

The prices are a little steep but it is well-organized and the berries were amazing. A $2 off coupon can be found on-line so do print it and bring it in--totally worth it. Also, bring your own containers if possible so you don't have to spend $3.50 on a bucket.

Throughout the year there are a variety of different Pick Your Own options at Whittamore's and so depending on the choice of fruit/veggie that you like, you could go there quite often.

There is a play zone that looks like fun but it is $6 admission. We didn't bother as the strawberry picking was excitement enough for my little guy! He ate a lot of berries and enjoyed it thoroughly.

I highly recommend it! I know that we will be going back again.

Also here is a tip for the people who have ZOO MEMBERSHIP PASSES: it's very close to the zoo so if you want, you can go to Whittamore's then the zoo. A busy but fun morning!

BEST PRENATAL MASSAGE

If you don't have the time to go to an out-of-town spa but your back is killing you...go to Zen Beginnings at Mount Pleasant, just south of Eglinton. Make an apt with Rachel--a registered Massage Therapist who, from my personal experience, is a miracle-worker. she just seems to get all the right spots for pregnant women.

She does not use a table with the hole in it for your belly. Lying on your stomach, even with the hole is known to stress your lower back and, as you are further along, your abdomen. (Not to mention if you have tenderness in your breasts, that wouldn't be comfortable at all!) Some women do prefer to lie on their stomachs, but I find the side is much more comfortable and anyway, if you go to Zen Beginnings it will be on your side. Rachel has you lie on your side with pillows for support--she is able to get at the soreness even while you on your side, so don't worry about not getting a good massage.

So many women don't take advantage of their work health plans--check yours out and see if you have allowance for a massage. After the massage you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner because it is such a relief--especially later on in pregnancy when you are still working but are carrying around so much more weight (and stress/anxiety). Typically if you have a nice work plan, they will cover some of your visit to a registered massage therapist--just submit your receipts and possibly a referral from your doc.

Rachel at Zen Beginnings is very sweet, she takes your sore areas into consideration and really wants you to have a good experience. She isn't all "touchy/feely" and she will either talk to you throughout or keep things quiet--she takes the cues from you. She is young and vibrant and gives you a great experience without leaving the city.

Sure--a spa weekend would be nice, but it's not always in the cards. So if you are like me and just need some relief--go to her, she will alleviate the pains.

father's day

Father's day has always been strange. My dad was always so hard to buy for and now I am facing the same thing with my husband. I am very happy to say that both my dad and my husband are awesome dads... but then that complicates things because you want to make the day special for them and really, they don't make that easy!

For the past 2 years, I have been consistent with father's day gifts--BEER and a nice dessert of his fave cupcakes...but now that our son is 2 and is a lot of fun, I would like to incorporate him in the festivities.

So my son woke up my husband (we let him sleep in a bit...) and we had a Tim Horton's breakfast ready for him (not ambitious enough yet to actually make a big breakfast) and then had him open his gifts (2 books from the little guy, some specialty beer and cupcakes) and then we took off for the zoo.

Zoo is a timed activity with a 2 year old. You don't want to spend too much time there or else they will meltdown. So we did 2.5 hours there (arrive early, before it gets busy) and then we got home for naptime. Worked out well. A nice outdoor activity.

The afternoon will be more outdoor fun with some of my husband's friends.

So did I get Father's Day right? I think so. Today is a nice balance of being able to say how much I appreciate him (beer!!!) and having him spend some quality time with his toddler--without having him do too much work. And the best part of the activities we chose? They are outdoor--which means the toddler will hopefully sleep well tonight... so maybe we can have a nice quiet "adult" meal tonight too!

Tips for Santa Pics

It's that time of year when people line up with their little ones and get their pics with Santa. When your baby is really little they often don't care (or notice) that a big bearded man is holding them but once they hit a certain age or you have a more particular baby you might have to get tricky about how to get pics that don't involve a screaming, crying baby.

First of all, if at all possible, make sure that you go to a mall when it's not busy. So either at the very beginning of the season, or on a weekday or evening (if your child is old enough) Saturday at 11:30 is never a good time.

Make sure your little one is well rested (so that they don't become MORE cranky and/or fall asleep in the line-up.

If you can, go to a smaller mall that has a santa. Often they have better deals and less line-ups. Some Santas at certain malls even allow you to take the photos!

If you hear of a good santa from a friend--and it's do-able, go to that santa. A friendly and patient person can make a world of difference.

Dress yourself up and put on some make-up--sometimes it's easier for you to be in the pic too and hold the little one yourself while santa stands behind the chair. (or in the case of the sofas that some santas are now sitting on, it allows for you to sit beside santa while holding your child/children).

If your child has an older sibling--do have them go together--there is comfort in numbers. But... if it's your child's first Christmas, you might also want some alone pics. Do the sibling ones first if at all possible.

Don't stress if you get a pic with a crying kid--these things happen. It's a memory. You might not want to frame it, but it's worth having.

If your child is old enough to sit on their own but doesn't want to sit on Santa--don't worry. Have your child sit on the chair (either with you or not) and have Santa stand behind or beside the chair, whatever makes your child comfortable.

Bribes might work. Santa offering your child a toy or candy cane might make all the difference in the world.

Have fun and enjoy the season! (and thank goodness we only do this once a year!).

Hooray for Crockpots!

As a working mom who values a homecooked meal I have to say that this Fall my crockpot has become a saving grace. I throw things into it the night before, place it in the fridge. The next morning I take it out of the fridge and plug it in. Come home from a long day at the office and there is a wonderful smell wafting through the air.

And here is the best thing: no need for recipes.

Throw potatoes, carrots and your choice of meat in the crockpot with a little bit of water and two bay leaves and you have yourself a meal! No need to peel the potatoes. Make it easy on yourself. For extra flavour--throw in a bouillon cube.

Heather J's Travel Advice

I love this advice from my friend Heather J. She mentioned this the other night and my goodness, it made a long day of travel so much better!

Heather J's advice:

Before a trip, go to the dollar store and just buy $10 worth of toys and stuff. Pull it out while traveling. Kids get excited for new toys. If they get damaged or lost, doesn't matter--it's from the dollar store. Throw them out if you want.

So I did this (not at the dollar store as I didn't think that far ahead, but still VERY cheap toys. My little guy was excited to have something new and it was so inexpensive I didn't panic about the items on the plane as we were leaving--if we had them, great. If not--no big deal.

Great idea Heather J!

Quick Room Make-over

I have an aversion to colour on my walls. My house is a bunch of beiges and greys and whites... I know that it's boring, but I can't help it. When I was choosing the paint colour for my nursery I went with a wonderful beige called ZEN. It's soothing and gender neutral and I loved the way it looked with the dark furniture--very clean. I had nice pictures up to add a touch of colour and to go with the theme. I loved that nursery. Then my son got busy... and liked to reach up on his change table and grab at the picture I had hanging on the wall... so those came down. The mobile was also becoming dangerous, so down it came. A few pics remained on the wall but overall, the room was a beige nursery with not much going on. My mom who loved my initial nursery recently commented that it "wasn't very stimulating".

I wasn't going to paint so I started to look for adhesive wall decals that would go with the decor to spice things up. It was hard to find something that I really liked and a lot of the nice ones were quite costly on the internet.

Went to Winners. They had a great selection of wall decals that you can stick then un-stick. They weren't nearly as expensive as the ones on-line and I found some that I really liked. In 10 minutes, the room had a more fun look. My son kept reaching for the decals but that's fine because they stay on the wall. I even had the opportunity to rearrange the ones that I didn't place just so. Great invention.

These would be particularly wonderful for playrooms and bathrooms (add a little fun) and of course nurseries converting into kids rooms (no paint but a whole new decor).

So much better than the days of borders since these are easy to apply and easy to take down! Now I can add some colour without permanently changing the neutral palate I so love.

A Trick for Control Freaks!

I have been doing something that I am not proud of--but it really helps...me. I claim it's a time-saver but if I was really being honest, I would admit that it ensures that even when I am not dressing my little one, he is wearing an outfit that I have chosen.
I basically fold the outfits together (a top and bottom) and then place them in the drawer. If someone is taking care of my little guy I can then just say "oh--just grab an outfit from the drawer" and not worry what it will look like because I chose it. I know. I am a control freak. But it honestly does save time. Instead of looking for a top and then trying to find a bottom in the morning, I can just pull out my pre-selected outfit all folded together. It also ensures that the pieces of an outfit get worn together. Overall, it keeps things together and saves time--the bonus is that you know what your kid will be wearing even if Daddy is dressing your little one.

Can't Believe it's not Peanut Butter!

My friend Jill's daughter is starting school in September. The school actually recommended this soy butter instead of peanut butter since peanut butter is a no-no due to allergies. Jill was pleasantly surprised when they discovered that it tastes just like peanut butter and it's easy to find. (she found it at a health food store but apparently some major grocery stores carry this brand as well.) Thanks for the tip Jill and here is the link for all interested moms!

http://www.soybutter.com/school-safe.html

NO BAKE TREAT

Here's a treat to enjoy this summer and the best part is that you don't have to turn on the oven!!

Slice a melon into 1 inch thick pieces
Use cookie cutters to make shapes out of the melon
Frost your treats with vanilla flavoured Greek yogourt (or whatever type of yogourt you use--it's best though if it's thick like Greek Yogourt or even 3.25% yogourt)
Top with sprinkles if your little ones are into that

Quick and easy and delicious! A fun, easy to grab treat for the whole family!

Hooded Towel

Recently when I was hanging with my friend Belle, she brought out a good size hooded towel. I was impressed. I had little hooded towels but my son has grown out of them and I was looking for something bigger. Hooded towels are awesome and I was getting frustrated that I couldn't find larger ones.

So I found out that sewing a hooded towel is actually quite simple. LOTS OF INTERNET SITES TO SHOW YOU HOW. If you don't have the time or desire, this is a great project for Grandmas.

I recommend that you always use a hand towel instead of a washcloth to make a nice deep hood.

http://www.makeandtakes.com/easy-hooded-bath-towel

http://jennross.chattablogs.com/archives/2008/09/making-your-own-hooded-towel.html

For those too scared to sew or you just don't feel like sewing (and there is nothing wrong with that)
Pottery Barn Kids offers some great ones. Different designs that are cute and they are warm and fluffy. Nice deep hoods. They are currently at Canadian Pottery Barns for under $30. They are a good size and so if your child is young, they will fit for awhile.
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/turtle-beach-wrap/?pkey=dbeach-wraps