Thanksgiving Weekend Round-Up

Phew, what a week! The blog's been quiet while I was away at the Birth and Beyond Conference in London, Ontario. I'm back now, and dealing with all the email and work that's piled up in my absence :) One thing on my mind this past week was Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has always been a special time for my family. As a child, I spent the weekend up in Haliburton, Ontario at my grandfather's cottage. Cold nights by the fire, marshmallows, canoe trips on the lake, and going for wheelbarrow rides (which ended by getting dumped in a pile of leaves at the bottom of the drive).

We're far from Haliburton here in Ottawa, but we share the vibrant colours and crisp sunny days with cottage country. I'm motivated to plan fun activities for my family to do while I've got three days off. Here's a list of the ideas I've gathered:

1) For families with older kids - a Haunted Village at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum.

2) A hike in Gatineau Park to see the Fall colours.

3) If you're up for a full day, you could pair your hike with a trip to a Quebec cranberry farm.

4) A walk along the Mer Bleu Bog Trail.

5) If you have a babysitter or are kid-free, you may want to get that last round of golf in!

6) The Ottawa Farmer's Market is still open and it's hopping! I'm planning on heading there on Sunday to stock up on veggies for soups and stews.

7) A country fair is perfect for this time of year! The Pontiac Country Fair is taking place in Gatineau Park this weekend.

8) Pumpkin patch! Saunders Farm, Millers Farm, and Cannamore Orchard are a few popular places.

9) Thanksgiving Weekend activities at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.

10) Help others in need by making a donation to your local food bank!

What do you do Thanksgiving weekend?

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?

Making New Year's Resolutions With Your Kids

I love the idea of making New Year’s Resolutions with my kids. I think it’s a great way to reflect on what they were proud of in the past 12 months and think about what goals they still want to work on for the next year. So this year, as you think about what you want to work on for the next year, try including your kids, no matter what age. Here are some tips to help your kids make valuable goals and work to attain them:

• Make sure the idea is their own
• Make sure it’s realistic
• Make sure it’s manageable
• Help them think of ways to make their resolutions work
• Help them refine it if necessary
• Help them deal with setbacks

New Year’s is the perfect time to connect with your kids and help them to see that life is about being introspective, taking a look at who we are and trying to change for the positive. Making resolutions and working towards them is a way to put that into motion, no matter what their age.

Do you make resolutions with your kids? What are your resolutions for this year? 

Follow Santa's Path Tonight

 

Christmas Eve is now upon us and as we all settle down with family and friends, there's still one guy who has lots to do.

You can track Santa’s whereabouts with NORAD’s track Santa site. It's easy. You can log on, show the kids where Santa is busy delivering his gifts and then tuck them into bed. (Remember Santa doesn't come if you're awake!). There are also games and links and you can see what's up at the North Pole.

From our Kids in the Capital family to yours, we wish you a holiday full of peace, love and lots and lots of joy.

Great Holiday Book Ideas from the OPL

By Jennifer Evans,  Children’s Librarian at the Hazeldean Branch of the Ottawa Public Library

A Big Guy Took My Ball! By Mo Willems (2013).

Gerald and Piggie are back for more adventures in this silly but relatable story. Piggie finds (and quickly loses) a most excellent bouncy ball – can Gerald get it back? Fans of the Elephant and Piggie series will delight in their 19th outing. This is a great series for early readers, as it features lots of word repetition amidst wacky story lines.

Clementine and the Spring Trip by Sara Pennypacker, with illustrations by Marla Frazee (2013).

I recommend Pennypacker’s Clementine series every chance I get, so I think it would be wonderful if it made its way onto some shopping lists this holiday season! Clementine is this generation’s Ramona Quimby. She is smart, silly, creative beyond words, and always seems to find herself in outrageous situations. For new readers to the series, start with Clementine. The newest addition to the series is Clementine and the Spring Trip, in which Clementine unravels the secret rules of Grade 4 and tries to find a way to survive The Cloud on Bus 7.

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman (2013).

Gaiman won the prestigious Newbery Medal for another children’s book (The Graveyard Book), so you can’t go wrong picking up this story, which is geared towards younger readers. While going out to buy some milk for his children’s cereal, a father is abducted by aliens (I know what you’re thinking: typical Monday). As a result, the father is taken on a wild journey through the space-time continuum, meeting up with pirates, space aliens, dinosaurs, and volcano gods. This makes a great read-aloud for children ages 7 and up. Check out the author reading an excerpt here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMEC87U1gT0

Frog and Toad Storybook Treasury by Arnold Lobel (2013).

If you often find yourself doing some last-minute holiday shopping, you’ll want to keep this title in mind (it won’t be released until December 23rd). However, Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad are worth the wait. This treasury brings together many of our favourite Frog and Toad tales, including Frog and Toad Are Friends and Frog and Toad All Year. This would be a lovely addition to anyone’s personal library, young or old.

LEGO Play Book: Ideas to Bring Your Bricks to Life by Daniel Lipkowitz (2013).

For the builders in your family, you will want to get a copy of this colourful guide to everything “LEGO”. The recently published LEGO Play Book suggests ways to improve building techniques, provides fun timed challenges, and features ideas from some of LEGO’s biggest fans. With easy, medium, and more difficult challenges, this book will appeal to builders of all skill levels.

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson (2013).

If you loved Herve Tullet’s Press Here, you’ll want to add this book to your holiday shopping list. In Tap the Magic Tree, readers are asked to help a tree move through the four seasons by tapping, rubbing, and wiggling the pages. Children will love the chance to participate in helping the story unfold – simply put, it’s pure magic.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants Now in Full Color by Dav Pilkey (2013).

Everything old is new again with Captain Underpants, as the formerly black-and-white series gets a blast of colour. If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it tells the story of two fourth-grade boys who hypnotize their school principal to run around town as the hero of the comic books they’ve written (enter Captain Underpants). Silly? Oh yes. But its popularity can’t be denied. The action, humour, and blend of text and pictures all come together to create something truly special.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, with illustrations by Oliver Jeffers (2013).

Like many young children, Duncan loves to colour and draw. However, his crayons have a few complaints about how they’re being used, and leave him a stack of letters outlining their protests. This is a delightful and funny picture book, with expressive illustrations provided by the always enjoyable Oliver Jeffers. This story is sure to appeal to a wide age-range.

The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, with illustrations by Barbara Reid (2013).

While there are dozens of versions of this quintessential children’s Christmas story, this is my new favourite. Barbara Reid has lent her creativity to the story, providing beautiful and intricate Plasticine illustrations alongside the classic text. Read this story with family and friends, and don’t forget to spend ample time poring over the pictures – Barbara Reid likes to hide lots of little details to reward the attentive reader. Watch the book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rl4HEuxV8A

Who Goes There? By Karma Wilson, with illustrations by Anna Currey (2013).

Snuggle up with your little ones to read this cozy book by Karma Wilson. Lewis Mouse has moved into a lovely new nest just in time for winter, but something seems to be missing. Before he can figure out exactly what his new home is lacking, he starts to hear mysterious noises outside his nest. Will Lewis be able to figure out what’s making all this noise? A lovely surprise will help him to make his house a home. The story is comforting and feels familiar, which makes it a perfect story to share on a cold winter night.