Come help us celebrate momstown's 5th birthday!

                  

 

Join us for a day of family fun celebrating 5 years of connecting moms across Canada! Make sure to join the facebook event to get the latest updates!!

What can you expect at this Birthday Bash???

Loot Bags for the first 100 attendees full of great samples plus kids loot bags provided by Loot Bags Express!

A TON of incredible prizes from our amazing sponsors including:

Thyme Maternity:

Two $50 Gift Cards 

Britax:

B-Nimble Stroller

Baby Carrier

Back-Seat Mirror

EZ-Cling Window Shades

Stroller Organizer

Seat Protector

Fisher-Price:

Laugh & Learn Puppy 

Laugh & Learn Musical Table

Stand up Ballcano & 3 other surprise items!!!

Scholastics Canada:

Clifford Book Prize Packs

Arbonne Gift Basket provided by Sabrina Rhodes Arbonne Consultant

Cafe O'Play Gift Basket

Coverboo Couture Nursing Scarf

Gift Certificate from The Melting Pot

 

Check out the list below of great activities from our local sponsors!

 

Comfortable outdoor seating for our deserving mama's provided by:

Pampering courtesy of Electic Cherry Nailz:

We have two great photo sessions available to capture the memories on this special day!  Have your child's photo taken with Clifford the Big Red Dog from Pawrifict and get a family mini shoot with Curtis Scott Photography!

Make sure to arrive on time as space is limited. 

Is your business is interested in getting involved? It's not too late! 

 Contact us at info.edmonton-south@momstown.ca for sponsorship information

Canada Day Kids Fest at Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm

Grab your bandana and bring the kids to an eco-tourism adventure and on-farm festival complete with Canada Day fun, farm tours, a wild west ghost town, wagon rides, gem mining & more! In support of the Edmonton Wildlife Rehabilitation Society

The Canada Day Kids Fest at Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm is the perfect way to kick-start summer holidays on the Canada Day long weekend from June 30 July 1, & 2 from 10:00 am -6:00 pm each day.

Recommended for children ages 2 through 12, this festival is dedicated to improving children’s physical, social and emotional well-being through outdoor play, exploration and appreciation of nature & wildlife.

Check out the pictures below of our day at Prairie Gardens! Our kids had an amazing time discovering the endless fun on the farm!

Included in Admission:

Special Guests:

· Big Dave the Magician (Saturday & Hol. Monday) Free Magic Shows at 12 noon and 3pm

· Rupert Appleyard as Farmer Flash! All Weekend

· Knights Haven (A roving band of knights) (Saturday & Monday)

· Dennis the Blacksmith (Sunday) Demonstrates the lost art of blacksmithing at his forge!

· Wonderstuff Face-painter extraordinaire! Janice Shoults - Full Face Art (Extra fees apply)

· Edmonton Wildlife Rehabilitation Society – Wildlife Educational Information

Prairie Gardens Adventure Farm Fun - Free Activities

· Petting Farm

· Folk music with the Keith Remple Band 12noon - 3pm

· U-Snap photos & Dress-up at the Old Thyme Photo Parlour

· Face painting (Free - Canada Day Tattoos or Fancy Full Face - (2 tokens)

· Wagon Rides

· Deerland Little Tykes Tractor Track

· Straw bale pyramid

· Straw bale mazes

· Rope maze

· Hula Hoop contests

· Sack Races

· Critter visits at the petting farm

· Garden tours & workshops - learning how food grows

· Local Food at our Concessions

Family admission rate (4 or more) is $9.25 per person. Individuals are $9.95 per person. Kids under 2 are free.

Click here to buy tickets!
Extra Fun (Tokens cost $1 each)

· Gem Mining at the Lost Lemon Mine - $4 Kids Bucket of Gem Ore - $12 Family Pail

· Prairie Gardens Express Train Rides $2 (Net proceeds support Edmonton Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre)

· Shootin’ Gallery $2

· Fishin’ Pond $2

· Balloon Creatures $2 - $4 (Proceeds to Wonderstuff and Farmer Rupert)

· Pioneer Penny Carnival Games $2 - Bale Bowling -Milk Can Toss - Bushel Basket Ball

· Fight the Knights / Archery $2 (Proceeds to Knights Haven)

Alphabet Play: D is for Dirt

This month we got dirty with the letter D at Alphabet Play! Before learning about the sound the letter makes, we did a fun craft involving dirt. The kids painted a D with glue then spread out some dirt over the glue.  Some kids even added drawings of things that start with “d” around their letters when they were done.  It was definitely a messy, but fun craft!

After crafting, we talked about the letter and the sound that it makes. Then we read the story “Just me and my Dad” by Mercer Meyer. Father’s Day had been the day before and since “Dad” starts with d, we decided it was the perfect book to read. After reading, we played a fun game where the kids had to move like different animals that started with d. We had “waddling ducks,” “trotting donkeys,” “roaring dinosaurs,” and even “flying dragonflies.” It was so much fun to see all the kids try to be these animals!














                                                                                  
We would be lost without our awesome Huggies Wipes Simply Clean Wipes!  They got our big mess cleaned up in no time at all. Thanks Huggies for making our lives so much easier! 

Father's Day - A Dad's Eye View

I'm not going to sugar coat anything. Being a dad isn't exactly easy. But then, no one ever said it was. For those who don't know, I have three daughters. You read that correctly. I have been outnumbered by the fairer sex since my oldest daughter was born. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

People always ask me if we're going to "try for that boy", and it's nothing shy of annoying. Yes, we plan on rounding our family unit out to six. No, not in the immediate future. And do I care what the gender is? Of course not. Honestly, at this point I'm not sure I'd know what to do with a boy ...

Don't get me wrong, my girls are great. And there's nothing I love more after a long day at work and having them rush to the door with their big grins, squealing and screaming my name. But sometimes, having three girls under five can be quite taxing on the nerves. They scream, they fight, they bicker just as sisters should. Sometimes I wonder if it goes beyond sibling rivalry.

Trying to spread myself out evenly amongst my girls (my DW included) is no easy task. I'm one man against four females. I'd be lying if I told you that I don't feel like I'm being pulled in all directions. I have a one year old, who (despite being breast fed and a TOTAL mommy's girl) still begs my attention for no less than 2 hours every day. An almost three year old who is my little monster, a daddy's girl in every way ... and she doesn't even have to try. And my big girl, four and a half year old and already able to outsmart me. Though that may not be as hard as one might believe ...

I can't help but laugh at people's reactions when I tell them I have three girls. "Wow! THREE GIRLS?!?!" Yes. That's what I said, or were you not paying attention. "Oooohhhh ... Outnumbered, eh? Bet you love your personal time!" Yes, I do. Thank you for worrying about me. But, who doesn't like a little 'me time' now and then? I get where these people are coming from, because I used to think in a similar fashion. Then when our oldest was born, my views changed. They changed again when news of a second girl was on the way. And yet again with the third.

As a father I feel I'm always adapting, changing, evolving to meet the needs of my family. And I couldn't be prouder. As we grow older, our time on this planet grows shorter (but you don't need me to point that out, you're smart). It's my lot in life to be surrounded by beautiful women, and I plan on doing right by every one of them.

Becoming a father changed my life forever, and in more ways than just extending my DNA into the world ... I'm a better person, a stronger person ... a more whole person. Being a father is the one thing in life I will never get bored of.

Thank you to our guest blogger this week Jon Vanderzyde a momstown daddy and blogger - check out his blog Dad's Eye View here!

Father's Day Craft - Hand Print Frame

We brought this cute craft to Cafe O'Play for mama's and kids to create for Dad!  

Crafts don't get any easier than this and they turned out great!

What you'll need:

• Card Stock
• Glue
• Frame
• Tiny Hands for Tracing

How to do it:

• Place card stock in frame as background. 
• Trace those tiny hands on card stock and cut them out. Tip for squirmy babies - trace one hand and use as a stencil for the other hand.  
• Print out or write "Daddy, we love you because".  
• Write all the reasons Daddy is so wonderful on the handprints and glue them on.
• Click here for more Father's Day crafts from momstown arts and crafts!

Honouring Babies Lost to Miscarriage and Stillbirth

It's been three years today.  
Three years since we didn't hear her heartbeat. 
Three years since we held her in our arms. 

Three years seems like an eternity but each and every year I am flooded with memories and sadness. We are so very grateful for the incredible children we get to see everyday and the little one I feel kicking me as I write. This year though worry has also set in.  On this anniversary we just happen to be 24 weeks pregnant - the same gestation that we lost Maya. Although no complications have arisen it can't help but weigh on my mind.  

Because Maya is a part of our family, we speak of her often and each year we've found ways to celebrate her. Some parents may struggle to find meaning and peace through milestones like birthdays and due dates.  

I have listed some ideas to honour these little lives lost. 

• Write a message on a balloon and release it
• Bake a Birthday cake for your baby
• Donate to a baby loss charity such as Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
• Donate a blanket or bear to your hospital
• Get a piece of memorial jewelry
• Plant a flower or tree 
• Write a letter to your baby
• Buy a gift for the age your baby would be and donate it to a charity
• Honour your baby with a tattoo
• Light candles
• Spend the day together as a family
• Consider incorporating your baby's birthstone into a piece of jewelry
• Share your experience with others
• Buy a special memento to remember your baby
• Volunteer to help encourage other mothers

How do you honour your angel baby's birthday or due date?

Whole Wheat Berry Shortcakes!

 
We used farm fresh strawberries and blueberries this month at Junior Chef! We tried a healthier version of shortcake using whole wheat biscuits & light whipped topping! You could also give these a try with vanilla flavoured greek yogourt to increase the protein content. We found it did need a bit of sweetness though and the whipped topping provided just that!

We used a super easy recipe from 100 days of real food for the biscuits, the kids loved cutting out fun shapes with cookie cutters! We mixed the berries with a teaspoon of sugar to sweeten them, cut the biscuits in half and let the kids build their own shortcakes!

Whole Wheat Biscuits

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk (any kind)

In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well with whisk or fork. Cut the ½ stick butter into little pea sized pieces and then mix the pieces into the flour mixture. Using a fork, try to mash the butter pieces as you mix it together with the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. It is okay if the outcome just looks like the same pea sized pieces of butter covered with flour. Then pour in the milk and mix it all together. Knead the dough with your hands 8 to 10 times and then turn out onto a counter or cutting board. Pat it out flat with your hands until the dough is a somewhat even ¾-inch thickness (sprinkle with a little flour if necessary). 


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Stirring is the most popular job in the kitchen!


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Rebekkah builds her own Strawberry Shortcake!

 Did you know that Junior Chef is a monthly event included with a yearly momstown membership? We let our little chef's prepare a special treat and learn about nutrition, measuring and sharing all at the same time!

Nutrition is one of momstown’s 6 Program Pillars which define our event curriculum. We are focused on the whole child, the complete family and early education and our pillars give us a stronger foundation from which to build that awareness. We want to build awareness that momstown is not “just” a convenient playgroup. We’re so much more.

Click here to sign up for a free 1 month trial!