5 Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day

When I think of Valentine's Day, I think of red roses and chocolate (actually, I associate chocolate with almost any word, but I'm a bit obsessed). I also associate this day with romantic love - a chance to escape the chaos of family life and celebrate with my husband. But my parents always celebrated The Day of Love with us as children, and I often woke up to a special gift on my chair at the kitchen table. Although I'll look forward to giving my hubby a special card or a homemade treat, I'm also excited to share the love with my children. And truthfully, there's no money (and a lack of babysitters) to give us a night of freedom :)

Here are 5 great ways to celebrate Valentine's Day with your family:

1.  Date Night (or afternoon) - Surprise your child by picking them up early from school, and taking them out for a treat. So what if it's -15 outside? Indulge in an ice cream cone together (if school is more important for your child than it is for my kindergartner, then schedule your date post-dinner)

2. Go outside for a hike in the woods, and leave random hearts in the snow (these snow markers are so much fun!)

3. Read a special book all about Valentine's Day - this is our favourite!

4. Help your child make a Valentine's mail box, where they can collect all their Valentine's from school (yes, I know how annoying it is to have to write 30 Valentine's to all the kids in your child's class, but remember how much fun it was to receive them?)

5. If you want to purchase something, consider a gift that can support a charity - have your child pick out something special!

How are you celebrating Valentine's Day?

Surviving Winter: February Fun

January felt like a looong month. It always does, but in particular, this winter has been brutally cold. Our dog is depressed, our girls have cabin fever, and we're drooling over vacation catalogues. Alas, no warm vacation for us this year, as we blew that budget in 2013. So 2014 will be a stay-cation kind of year, with a week of family camping thrown in for fun.

Camping in August is a long way off, though, so I'm trying to come up with ways to make February a Fantabulous Month! Here are some ideas we have for making it through until March:

1. Create an indoor "park" - we'll set up cushions to make slides, and our rocking chair will serve as a swing. We might get really brave and create an indoor sand box!

2. Make homemade pina coladas (virgin for the wee ones, but a splash of rum for the adults!), and decorate them with fun drink umbrellas. Play Bob Marley while drinking the coladas.

3. Build a quinzee! Find the courage to sleep in there overnight? (highly unlikely)

4. Take part in all things Winterlude, and eat a copious amount of Beaver Tails.

5. Indulge in a warm, comforting meal with my partner to celebrate Valentine's Day - we're thinking tacos at El Camino!

6. Pull out the seed catalogues, and make 2014 garden plans. Can't wait to try new vegetables we've never grown before, including potatoes, onions and strawberries.

7. Welcome family guests to come check out the Capital in full winter swing! Which means extra play partners for the girls, and a chance for hubby and I to  escape for #5.

8. Declare Family Day to be annual Stay-cation day. Acting like tourists in our own town, we will head out to see Parliament, take in one of our kid-friendly museums and catch a bite to eat.

9. Put some of my New Year's resolutions into effect, and participate in a Wellness Program. I'm excited to cut back on processed foods, and meet some of my fitness goals....which leads me to:

10. The Olympics! Not only will we take in some of the Olympics as couch potatoes, but I also plan to involve my girls in fitness goals, and create our own Family Olympics.

What are you going to do to make February a Fantabulous Month?

Workshop Safety for Kids

Who says little ones can't help out in the shop? My husband is a woodworking hobbyist. Our house is scattered with his various projects, all beautifully made and handcrafted. This means that he spends a lot of time down in his shop - a place you would normally want to ban kiddos for fear of someone stepping on a nail or smacking their head against a sharp corner.

But our little 4 year-old loves spending time with Daddy in his shop, and he's found ways to get her involved, safely. If any of his saws are on, she wears ear protectors and goggles. He's also taught her how to safely wield a hammer, and she's practiced nailing into wood. Mainly, she likes wheeling around the shop on an old tricycle :)

Do you involve your children in "grown-up" hobbies?

Winter fun: blowing bubbles

by Kamerine

When the temperature drops, and I mean when it gets REALLY cold, playing outside isn't fun. With the threat of frostbite a very real thing in Ottawa these days, it's hard to get out with the kids. But being locked inside all day every day is no fun either. What to do. There will always be indoor playgrounds, the mall, libraries, and playdates, but what about braving the cold for a little outdoor fun?

All those bottles of bubbles that you have left over from the summer just sitting in the garage? Use them! Bubbles do something really fun in super cold weather, -15C and below: they freeze! Blow bubbles using the wand just like always, but because it's so cold the bubbles freeze. When the kids go to pop them, they'll be amazed at the paper-thin, feathery bubble shell that floats to the ground.

And if you don't have any store-bought bubbles you can make your own. 

So find those bubbles and take ten or fifteen minutes and go play. Bonus points if you can get photographic evidence to share.. I know I couldn't! But check out these amazing pictures of bubbles in cold weather!

Kamerine documents her life with two children, a husband and a cat at The Life of K.

Programs for potential Power Rangers and more in the City of Ottawa Recreation Guide

By Wendy Given the number of Power Rangers shows in our Netflix instant queue and Star Wars light saber battles that rage through our family room, it comes as no surprise that my 7-year-old son’s career ambition is to become a Samurai.  While it seems a noble profession (assuming you have aspirations to be a Jedi Knight rather than a Dark Lord of the Sith), where does one get the hands on training to know if you’ve got what it takes?

Scanning through the on-line City of Ottawa Fall-Winter Recreation Guide in September, I was pleased to stumble upon a program for aspiring Samurai.  Shoshin Kendo - the “Way of the Sword” or Japanese fencing - is offered at the Plant Recreation Complex for girls and boys ages 7-16.  The cost for thirteen 2-hour classes is $125 (less than $5/hour), and the purchase of a Shinai (bamboo practise fighting sword) is approximately $35-40.  The somewhat intimidating - but very cool looking - Kendo bogu (fighting armour) is not required for the first year of training, which is great if your young padawan may not be committed to making a career move quite yet.

Kendo classes typically begin with demonstrations of respect to instructors and the do-jo (training hall), followed by warm-up exercises counted out in Japanese, and drills emphasizing foot and sword work.  Younger members practise strikes against bogu-clad teen/adult class mates or a mannequin, always accompanied by blood-curdling cries (great for the abdominal muscles, so I am told!).  Part way through training, less experienced members are separated from more highly-skilled practitioners to receive instruction on technique appropriate to their respective skill level; the adults and teens actually engage in full-fledged fencing battles!  Classes generally end with some good clean fun; playing dodge ball and other games that help develop speed and agility and that – as a bonus – leaves the aspiring Samurai perspiring and tuckered out.

In addition to providing a great outlet for energetic kids, there are many physical and mental benefits associated with practicing Kendo and martial arts in general.  Improved strength and balance; respect for self and others; increased mental focus and concentration; self-discipline and self-control; goal-setting; socialization with peers; and improved self-confidence are just some of the great benefits of martial arts training - and there are a range of programs in the Ottawa Recreation Guide to choose from.  Check out the Guide here  for brief descriptions of their martial arts programs, which include Aikido, Capoeira, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Karate, Kung Fu, and Taekwondo.

No would-be Ninjas in your household – no problem!  If martial arts are not your child’s passion, there are plenty of other City of Ottawa programs that span performing arts (dance, music, drama), creative arts (writing, drawing, crafts), a wide variety of team and independent sports, as well as certification programs and workshops on babysitting, being home alone and street-proofing, among others.

Registration for winter programs starting in January 2014 is ongoing.  Click the following link for details, including instructions on how to get your Family PIN and Client Codes required for registering here.  Note that costs cited in the Guide are typically for registration fees only, and additional costs may apply to purchase a uniform and/or equipment.

What City of Ottawa program(s) do your kids (or you) love?

Wendy is mom to Benjamin (age 7) and Evita (age 3).  She achieved the level of 2^nd Dan black belt in Taekwon-do before the birth of Evita, and hopes to get back into it…one day.