Hula Hooping

I never really got hula hooping as a kid. Everyone had a plastic hula hoop kickin' around in their garage, but whenever we tried them out, they always ended up falling to the ground - so we used them as skipping hoops instead! This past weekend I discovered what a real hula hoop is like. These are not your average plastic hoops - they're heavy duty, and weighted down with water. After a couple of tries, I got it! I managed to keep that hoop up for quite a while.

Once you get the hang of it, you can practice different techniques - hooping both right and left, moving side to side or front to back. I was shocked at how much effort went into it! You're basically giving yourself a full body workout. The next morning, my abs were sore!

Hula hoops come in all different sizes, and the kids had a great time trying out the smaller size.

I did some Googling, and apparently there are adult hooping classes here in Ottawa.  I may have to sign myself up for the Fall!

A Review and Giveaway from Mastermind Toys!

I'm so excited to be posting this giveaway from Mastermind Toys! Growing up in Scarborough, Ontario, our favourite store to visit (other than Stedman's in Haliburton during our summer cottage months) was Mastermind Toys in the Scarborough Town Centre. Unlike the toy aisles in Kmart (yes, I'm old) or Sears, which had distinctly separate rows of pink and blue, Mastermind Toys curated the best toys from around the world and marketed them to.....wait for it.....children!! Not boys or girls, but all children. There were science sets for any young person keen to see things smoke, bubble or explode. There were toy trains, tracks and miniature people for the kid eager to build a village, and of course, coveted items such as Skip It and Marbles (and remember Slap Bracelets?)

My mother loved Mastermind, because the majority of the toys were "educational" - in other words, they awakened creativity, enhanced fine motor skills and developed imagination. And bonus points for the fact that my brother and I were never the wiser :)

So when Mastermind contacted me about their new store opening in Barrhaven (71 Marketplace Ave., in Chapman Mills Marketplace), I was stoked! The Grand Opening will be July 10th - 13th, and there will be free loot bags for kids, a great offer from the store, cupcakes (Saturday Only), and giveaways! Staff will be on hand to help you with all your shopping needs, and complimentary gift wrap service will also be available all weekend.

Mastermind gave me one of their amazing summer-themed toys to try out with my girls. Most of the toys were for older ages (my girls are 20 months and 4 years old), so we chose to try the Kidnoculars. These are the only binoculars designed specifically for kids! The eyepieces are more than three times the size of ordinary binocular, and the perfect-fit goggles with placement guide enable kids to see up close.

The 20-month old was a little too young to appreciate the Kidnoculars, but my 4yo loved them! She ran around the backyard inspecting bugs, plants and spying on the neighbours :) These are certainly worth the $16.99!

As well, Mastermind is giving away a $50 Gift Card to one lucky recipient! Entering the contest is easy!

• Comment below with YOUR favourite toy that you had as a kid
• For a second entry, head to the Mastermind Toys website, and tell me which toy your kids would love for summer
• Winners need to pick up their gift card at the store

I will draw one name using Random.org at noon EST on July 9th, 2014. I’ll contact the winner via email at that time. Good luck! Comment #31 was the winner - congrats Jo!!

Community Cup 2014

It's hard to make connections in our community. We're busy people, with jobs (sometimes multiple jobs!), kids, pets, housework and financial worries. But building a community to support yourself and your family is a marvelous way to make friends and find others to lean on when times get tough. I've built my own community here in Ottawa in many different ways, and participating in groups and events has been instrumental in helping me find other like-minded parents to hang out with.

That's why I was excited to hear about the Community Cup, taking place this Saturday (June 28th) at Brewer Park.

The Community Cup is a not for profit, multicultural initiative that integrates volunteerism and sports. Initiated and hosted by the Catholic Centre for Immigrants in 2005, this volunteer driven, major event in Ottawa, is primarily a fun and engaging way to help newcomers and non-newcomers connect in a barrier free way that celebrates diversity and welcoming communities. The Community Cup is now an annual community festival, featuring soccer, multicultural dance and music, international food, a citizenship ceremony, events for the kids, and more.

In this day-long event, there will be:

• A 64 team co-ed recreational 7-on-7 Soccer Tournament with 4 divisions starting at age 7 and up.
• A Community Tent hosting 25 Ottawa-area non-profit and community service organizations
• Live Entertainment and Music with hints of Multicultural flavours
• Live streaming of the FIFA World Cup matches
• A Kids Zone for ages 14 and under providing non-stop activities, games, crafts, entertainment and a youth soccer challenge.
• Soccer Skills Challenge hosted by the Ottawa Fury and CKCU. Come meet the players!
• An Interactive Demonstration Sports area presented by various sports clubs/groups to learn and try out new sports and find out how to get involved. All abilities welcomed.
• A Canadian Citizenship Ceremony (1pm to 2pm). Witness and welcome newcomers to our great country.
• Experience delicious Local Food provided local vendors and food trucks.

And bonus? You can pop over to the Ottawa Farmer's Market for some fresh fruit and veg!!

Check out the website for more details, and comment below if you end up attending! Have fun!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=examfJRI5EE

GCGC Gymnastics

For a while I only knew them as GCGC Gymnastics. I recently discovered that GCGC stands for Gloucester Community Gymnastic Challengers. Tucked away in an industrial park in Gloucester, this unassuming Gymnastics centre wow'd us with their programming.

I took both my girls out to a Saturday morning Kindergym, and they were in awe of the 12,500 square foot facility. The children started off with a warm-up on the floor with fun music (who doesn't love running around in a circle like a mad person?) The kids were then separated into groups based on age and skill level. An instructor led each group over to various parts of the gym, and the girls got to practice on the balance beams, trampoline and bars.

My youngest (18 months), was just a teensy bit too young, although she certainly had a good time. By the time the class was over, I was in a full sweat from chasing her around everywhere. My 4.5 year-old got a lot out of the class, and I was so proud to see her confidence in trying new skills.

There are a lot of gymnastics options out there for parents, and it's hard knowing which one to choose. I like GCGC because there are both recreational and competitive options. Founded in 1976, the centre is in good standing with Gymnastics Ontario and bilingual coaches are certified with the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). The ratios are very small, and my girls were in a group of only 4 children in total. It's great knowing that my oldest could start off in recreational programs and perhaps move into competitive programs as she builds her skills.

Summer camps are also open now for registration, so if you're like me and have procrastinated getting your kids signed up, there's still space! Take a look at their website for more program information. Also, head over to their Facebook page and give them a "like!" Supporting local businesses like GCGC is such a pleasure!

Strawberries, strawberries, everywhere!

They're falling off the plants, and making their way onto our plates. I LOVE strawberry season. We try our very best not to purchase strawberries from the US, because it's just so lovely waiting for the delicious local strawberries to arrive in season. The flavour is so much better! Last night I scoured my recipe books for a quick strawberry cake I could make for dessert, and came across this one from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons. If you're going for healthy, this is definitely not a good choice :) But, I did cut the sugar back to 3/4 cup, and it was definitely sweet enough!

Cornmeal Strawberry Cake

1 1/3 cups cornmeal 2/3 cup unbleached white flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 1/4 cups sugar 4 large eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup buttermilk (or yogurt) 1 cup sliced strawberries

Preheat oven to 350, and grease a 9 in cake pan. In a large bowl mix together cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder.

In another bowl, mix butter and sugar (don't cream them). Stir in half the beaten eggs and mix. Stir in the rest of the eggs and mix well. Add the vanilla to the buttermilk. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and stir well (do not beat). Add the buttermilk and stir again. Then add the remaining flour mixture. Fold in the strawberries and pour the batter into the pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or greek yogurt!