A Field trip to the Toronto Christmas Market.

Toronto Christmas Market takes place in the beautiful part of the city, the Distillery District. This historic district is an awesome place as it is, with its shops, restaurants, and theaters, but every year now it also hosts a Christmas Market, European style, making it a great attraction for the Torontonians and visitors.

 

Yes, it was cold and the narrow streets full of people were sometimes difficult to navigate, but we enjoyed walking around, staring at the decorations, spotting various TV reporters with cameras, taking pictures here and there.

There was a big Christmas tree, of course, a gingerbread house, Santa with elves, performers every hour singing Christmas carols, or dancing folk dances of various nations, food stands, and much much more.

Read the rest of the story and more photos here.

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"Countdown to Christmas" Activities. Day 1.

As I've been told multiple times by multiple people, it is normal for the little boys not to be interested in art, creative activities, painting, gluing. I still encourage Santino to do something creative every day. Even if it is just a few strokes on the blackboard. Something!

Making wreaths or any other kind of Christmas crafts is a challenge here. Well, not the "making" per se, but the interest in such activity. Santino only wants to play with dinosaurs (anything related to dinosaurs) and silly wreaths had nothing to do with them. Now they do!

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Creative Hands Creative Hearts!

Article 2

 

As parents we think of so many things we would like our children to accomplish and dream of them doing great things. When my teens were little and I would drop them off at school I would say “Do Great Things”.

They knew that I felt that the little, kind and thoughtful things they did each day were “Great Things” to me. We are the teachers of great things. We know  when we are presented with a teachable moment. We have the gift of a wonderful connection with our own children. They hang on our words and actions. They hold moments close to their hearts and pull them out of a hat when they need them. When they are toddlers they are retaining memories that are tactile and more of the visual. It’s a time to feed the visual memory by supporting it with tactile connections.  It’s a time to share with them how their little hands can be creative and hearts thoughtful at the same time..

Valentines is a time to show your little ones visual ways of expressing what is in their hearts.

The heart itself is a great first shape to teach. Using their own hands they can form a rough shape of a heart. They can stamp their hand in finger paint or have you paint the bottom of their hands with a washable paint. You might want to have a bowl of soapy water and a towel ready. Once the heart is stamped as many times and in as many colours as they like, they can fill in the shape.

 

You could offer them some decorative sticky foam or other embellishments that are easy to apply to decorate the artwork or card. You can cut shapes out that they can stick on. Ask them what they would like to say in words on their gift, and who they would like to give it to. You can use dots for letters they can trace over or write the words for them.  This will help them to reinforce connections with others through a creative channel, while learning about a special shape and their abilities.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

Janine G-Z . 
Janine’s school of Fine Arts. 
Newmarket, On 
905-952-0806 
 www.jzartstudio.com 

    

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Making Christmas gifts with a toddler

We had a Christmas eve dinner at our house last night. Family members came to celebrate the occasion together. There was lots and lots food, Santino got cool trucks as gifts, and I managed to fill the house with the smoke from the fireplace. Yay, fun times!

Santino also had a few gifts prepared to give to his grandparents and aunts and uncle. Mommy (me) found these awesome ideas Puffy snowflakes and Salt Dough Ornaments online and decided to make some cool Christmas cards and gifts for the family. I mixed up the dough and made the cards and the ornaments, and Santino decorated them with glitter glue.

Puffy art Christmas cards

1/2 cup of all purpose flower, 1/3 cup of salt, 1 tsp of baking powder, water to make pancake type of consistency dough. Mixed it well and put in the plastic mixing bottle (we normally use it to shake oil and vinegar for salad dressing). I gave Santino a chance to try and draw whatever he wished with this dough, but all he did was make a large puddle, squishing everything in the same spot. That's fine. I made a few simple designs on colorful construction paper, then put the cards in the microwave oven for 30 second.

The designs dried out and were ready for more decoration. I gave Santino glitter glue, and he smudged different colors on top of the white lines. Now the cards became raised and glittery.

Salt dough ornaments.

I then mixed up some more salt dough, but more stiff: 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup flower and 1/2 cup water. Rolled out the dough and cut out ornaments with some cookie cutters: Christmas trees, snowmen, angel. I then put these ornaments in the 250 F oven and left them there for an hour. They came out pretty stiff. I also made little holes for ribbons.

Santino painted the ornaments with different colors, decorated them with glitter glue. I put silver ribbons through the holes and attached these ornaments to the cards with wire ties.

Pasta necklaces

I also colored some pasta and Santino made these necklaces for both of his grandmothers, and two aunts. I was left out, as Santino ran out of steam and wasn't interested in making the 5th necklace. I got this idea from his school. Last month kids at the Armitage village nursery school made these necklaces, and the teachers were impressed with Santino's fine motor skills, who is the youngest in his group, as he was able to make a necklace all by himself.

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Christmas No Baking! Rum balls.

Maybe rum balls are  more of an adult indulgence, but you wouldn't want your 2 year old eat too many cookies anyways, would you? After all, once the kiddos are all in bed, all cute and cuddly, parents are allowed a little something something made just for them. These rum balls also make a great part of the Christmas cookie basket that you would give to your neighbors and friends.

I am sharing the photo of the part of our last Christmas cookie collection. We made these rum balls with various alcohol, not only rum. We made our balls with cognac, Goldshlager, rum and even with Centerbe (this stuff)! The rest of the ingredients are also optional and open for interpretation and are only limited by your imagination.

Here is how we made them last year. Please note, the measurements are approximate, so please "play it by ear"; if the texture is too stiff, add more butter or alcohol (go easy on the alcohol, add by spoon), or if it is too soft, add more crumbs!

Graham cookie crumbs - 900 g
Butter (room temperature) - 200 g
Cocoa powder - 2-3 table spoons
Alcohol - 2-3 shots
(replace regular graham cookie crumbs with oreo crumbs, or other chocolate cookie crumbs and omit cocoa powder)
1 cup of toasted nuts (peanuts, walnuts, whatever other nuts you like) - toast them lightly in the 300F oven for a few minutes, then chop into small pieces.
Add raisins or dried cranberries, or candied fruit, mini chocolate chips of various colors, anything that can add to the texture and taste.

Then it is pretty simple, just put all ingredients together, mix well (by hand, it is the best way!) so that everything is mixed evenly. Form little balls, sprinkle with festive-looking red and green sprinkles, or just confectionery sugar. If you prefer, make other shapes, like cones, or little "snowmen". Place them on a flat cookie sheet and put in the fridge for an hour or so, so that they would cool off and hold the shape better.


Note, that you can make various kinds of these rum balls: make a batch with nuts, another batch with candied fruit, another batch with chocolate chips, etc.

Try not to eat them all at once!

Happy holidays!

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GOOBER GANG ADOPTS A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS

 

Hey Gang

I thought it would be a nice gesture as an organization this year to try and adopt a family for Christmas. It's something our family tries to do each year but in these economic times and being a single income family (like many of us!) I know it can get difficult to commit to something like this on your own... So I thought doing it as an organization this year would be a great option for all of us to contribute how we can :)

Many of you may have heard, seen or even known a family who has been assisted by The Yellow Brick House Organization. One of their homes is actually right here in Aurora!! I've personally known moms and went to school with kids who were helped in times of need from this organization and coincidentally our friend, Amber Gordon-Bunn, from Goober Gang works there as a Fundraising Coordinator. So what a better organization to pick ~ helping women and children being affected by abuse!!...

How Can You Help?

The answer in short is IN ANY WAY YOU CAN! Below are the details of "our family" that we are loosely sponsoring as a guideline. Those who would like to donate monetary gifts, gift cards or the items specified below can do so.

Furthermore, there are TONS of other families with a wide arrangement of needs, including the organization itself which is always looking for supplies for use in the homes. So basically anything new / unused goes! Here are some ideas.....

• toiletries for mom and baby (samples are great! i.e. mini shampoos, soaps, razors, toothpaste, floss etc.)
• unused ladies and children's clothing, shoes, purses, scarves, hats, mitts etc.
• toys, art supplies, colouring books, books, learning toys / items
• chocolates, candies, "stocking stuffers", nick nack toys
• non-perishable food items
• cosmetic products (we all have so many hand soaps, perfumes, creams and such!)
• diapers & diapering products (..have unused ones that your kids grew out of? Loose unused diapers are ok...)
• unused Christmas decorations, good condition gift wrap / bags / ribbon /wrapping supplies etc.

...and more! the list goes on.. If you are not sure on an item, just ask!

How To Submit Your Items?

Drop Off: to Connie's house ~ 58 Ross Patrick Cres Newmarket *at your convenience. A bin on my porch will remain available.. Just call or email me when you'll be dropping off so I can look out for the items or arrange to be home (connie@connieberenguer.com 416.885.9709). You can put your name on the items if you like.....

Email: you can send an email money transfer (EMT) to my personal email address connie@connieberenguer.com and I will cut a chq to the organization as a whole from all the EMT's I get

Mail: you can mail your chq's or gift cards to me at:
Connie Berenguer
58 Ross Patrick Cres
Newmarket, ON L3X 3G9

In Person: you can personally give my your donations when you see me next :) I'll be at most of the upcoming Goober Gang and Life With A Baby Play Dates :) If you prefer to give your gift directly to the organization (I totally don't mind and understand!) ~ Amber is happy to accept them also.... You can email or call her direct:

Amber Gordon-Bunn,
Resource Development Coordinator
52 West Beaver Creek, Unit 4
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1L9
T: 905.709.0900 Ext. 2230
Toll Free: 1.800.263.2231
F: 905.709.1308
amberg@yellowbrickhouse.org

For those looking to receive a tax receipt for a cash donation, please make your donation through www.yellowbrickhouse.org -- “donate now” button or provide to me directly and I will collect the information we need to get your receipt: (name, address, postal code and amount (over $20).....

We are hoping that gifts for families can either be delivered (or picked up if absolutely needed) by December 7 (preferred) or December 14 (absolute deadline!). PLEASE DO NOT WRAP YOUR ITEMS. THE ORGANIZATION WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT!

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Yellow Brick House - FAMILY #54

Mom Female 21 M Ladies 9
Wish List: Mom didn’t request personal items so on her behalf, a gift basket or gift cards (grocery, clothing or gas) would be lovely. Also a journal or digital camera to capture memories.

Child #1 Male 2.5 years T3 T8
Wish List: warm clothing, diapers (size 5), wipes, Train set (chugginton) snowsuit and boots, pajama’s, board books, Leap frog Tag reader or Leap pad, superhero sheets/comforter

Child #2 Female 2 months 3-6 months Infant 2
Wish List: clothing, crib sheets, wipes, diapers (Size 1), toys, formula, bundle me car seat cover, bath items

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Thank you and looking forward to seeing what we can come up with as a group :) Hopefully a BUNCH of happily mommies and kids :)


UPDATE:

Here is a thank you mail to all Goober Gang moms for donating and Connie personally for organizing this event:

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