Valentine's Day Dinner

by Carly

We love to celebrate Valentine's Day with a nice family dinner.  We set the table with our nicest dishes, keeping to a red and white theme.  Jake loves shaped pancakes so I had fun making heart-shaped ones for our special dinner.

I had a few heart-shaped cookie cutters laying around, so after mixing my pancake batter and pre-heating the pan, I sprayed the cookie cutters with cooking oil and placed them in the pan.  Add the batter, be careful not to overfill the cutters.  When the pancake starts to bubble, use a pair of tongs to remove the cookie cutter from the pan.  You may need to gently cut around the edge of the cutter with a knife to loosen the pancake first.  Once the cookie cutter is removed, flip the pancake and cook it on the other side.  Be sure to re-spray the cookie cutters with cooking oil before using them for the next pancake.

 

Since my husband isn't big on pancakes, I made him some heart shaped eggs, using the same method.

 

Topped with maple syrup, some powdered sugar and homemade fruit salad, our pancakes made with a lot of love were a big hit!

Carly has red hair and occasionally the temper to match.  She loves potatoes, rainy nights, photography, her husband and her 5 year old son, Jacob.  Probably in reverse order.   She also blogs.

Welcoming the Jewish Community Centre

You may have noticed a number of new sponsors in our side bar this month. We're thrilled to welcome some new partners to Kids in the Capital and over the next few weeks will be introducing them all to you.

The Jewish Community Centre (JCC), located in Nepean near Carling and Maitland Avenues, runs fabulous summer camps from July 2 - August 24.

A few fun facts about their camps:

- Camps include Day Camp (age 2-15), Traveling Sports Camp (age 7-15) and 15 amazing Specialty Camps (age 5-15).

- Instructional swimming lessons and a daily free swim in our outdoor pool are included in Traveling Sports Camp and Day Camp.

- Each week of Day Camp offers a unique and exciting theme: Lets get the Party Started! Super Soakin’ Adventure, Yummy in my Tummy, Under the J Sea Sea, Life is a Highway, Topsy Turvy Spirit, Hunters and Scavengers and Blast off Week.

-  The Traveling Sports Camp is truly a unique experience as it is the only camp in town that takes campers on an exciting field trip every day. Campers spend the morning at the Soloway JCC where they learn a wide range of sports. After lunch they hop on a bus for a different adventure every day. Some trips planned for this summer include horseback riding, ice skating, bowling, go-karting, water skiing, NCC beaches and much more.

- New to the Specialty Camps roster this year are Radical Reactions – Chemistry and Crime, Powered Up LEGO and Photography Camp. Our most popular Specialty Camps, back for another season include Girls on the Go, Fit Kids Have Fun! Horseback Riding Camp, The Great Adventure, Tennis Camp, You Go Girl! Triple Threat, Soccer Camp, Summertime Splash, Basketball Camp, Girl Power Camp and Last Blast.

- The JCC's mature and highly qualified staff is chosen for their ability to work with children and a low counsellor-to-camper ratio further ensures that everything they do, at all of the camps, is safe and fun. Day Camp staff includes teachers and early childhood educators, many Traveling Sports Camp counsellors are university students and Specialty Camps instructors are all experts in their field and have experience with children.

- JCC of Ottawa Summer Camps take place at the Soloway JCC and have access to great on-site facilities including indoor saltwater and outdoor pool, full size gymnasium, air conditioned camp rooms, social halls, kid friendly play structures and large grassy fields for playing.

Check out their site for more information and help us in welcoming this new fabulous sponsor!

The Soloway JCC welcomes everyone, regardless of race, religion, or ability. Anyone can be a member and take advantage of our fantastic facilities and outstanding programs.

Have you started thinking about summer camp yet?

Maple Syrup Snow Candy

by Jayda

Need something fun to do on a cold winter day in the Capital? Why not make candy? Maple syrup snow candy!

Ingredients:

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup EarthBalance butter (or unsalted butter)

Directions:

1. Heat the syrup and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

2. The mixture is ready 6 to 7 minutes after it boils (220 to 234 degrees on a candy thermometer); soft ball stage.

3. Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes. Bundle the kids up and find some clean snow to pour the cooled maple syrup over. It cools quickly so that kids can taste it right away.

Bonus:

Maple syrup is a significant source of several nutrients. For example, on average, a 60 ml (4-tbs) serving of maple syrup supplies more than 100% of our daily intake of manganese, 37% of riboflavin, 18% of zinc, 7% of magnesium and 5% of calcium and potassium.

Jayda is a nutritionist and researcher, living under a co-dictatorship, a master mediator, whole food advocate, living a little greener everyday. She can be found at EatWhole Be Vital.

Decorating for Valentine's Day

by Carly

The Little Man loves getting into the season, regardless of which one we're celebrating.  One of my favourite decorating "crafts" to do with him is very simple!  Since we don't really want him colouring the walls, I love turning him loose on the patio door windows with some window markers or crayons and some homemade window paint.

I bought the window markers and crayons at Michael's, but you can get them pretty much anywhere.  To make the window paint, I mixed washable tempra paint with a bit of dish soap and we painted away!

Jake was especially proud of the heart he drew with my name in it.  He also loves that he can easily erase his creations and start over again anytime.  The Little Man also specifically asked that I paint a Valentine's Day message backwards on the window so our backyard neighbours could read it too!

Have you decorated for Valentine's Day yet?

Carly has red hair and occasionally the temper to match.  She loves potatoes, rainy nights, photography, her husband, her five year old son, Jacob and her brand spanking new son, Noah. Probably in reverse order. She also blogs.

Family Day Activity: Funnovation Imaginarium

Family day (February 20) is a great time to get out and do something fun as a family and break free of the mid winter doldrums.  There are many fun activities planned around the city in honour of Family Day - here is one to consider! Old Navy is hosting a FREE event for kids and parents at their Rideau Center location!

From 1-4 pm, Old Navy will turn into the Funnovation Imaginarium, a place devoted to the imagination where the whole family can have tons of fun while being super creative - together!

Activities include dancing on the Funky Floor, strutting your stuff on the Crazy Catwalk, and inventing new kinds of machines, creatures and fashion accessories in the Funnovation Lab.  There will also be a Kooky Cookie and Juice Bar to help keep those creative kids fueled up.  For parents, a special discount for purchases over $50, and a swag bag will be available while supplies last.

The event is free to attend, with no purchase necessary and will no doubt make this a Family Day to remember!

*This post was sponsored by Bunch Family and Old Navy.