Growing up, our strict Catholic family celebrated Easter as all good Christians should – with church and chocolate.

(In that order, of course.)

However, when it came to the celebratory meal, there was no “Easter Feast” per se; we just ate what we normally ate, but on a slightly grander scale. Hence, sometimes my mom would make one of our favourite dishes, or she’d put out a larger spread of the regular foods we ate. But as traditions go, it was as simple as 1) go to church, and 2) eat lots of chocolate.

So when I married into an Austrian family, I was quite intrigued by their traditional Easter meal – a tradition that my husband has assured me has been carried on for as long as he can remember. It goes something like this:

Hard-boiled Easter eggs are carefully dyed and presented to the guests. This is the first food that makes it to your plate; traditionally, you’re supposed to crack the egg on your head for luck!

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If you missed the Old Navy Family Day Festival in Toronto on February 18th, BOO to you! An amazing time was had by all, and I daresay it was the most fun festival yet!

I was anxiously waiting on pictures from the event to share the experience with y’all, but Bunch Family did one better – they sent this awesome little video. You’ll see that I quickly introduce the event, and then it’s all family fun and games from there on in (and, of course, a little bit of shopping! The deals were crazy that day).

My two little munchkins make an appearance at 0:24 (Ryder) and 1:17 (Reid). And after watching this video, I FULLY expect that my readers in the GTA will put the Old Navy Family Festival in their calendars for 2014! Too much fun!

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area and are currently scratching your head over your options for Family Day – boy, do I have a solution for you.

Come join me – I’ll be hosting Old Navy’s Family Day Festival: a FREE wild and crazy party for families to celebrate Family Day from 1-4 pm!

This is the second year for the Family Day event, and if it’s anything like last year’s party, you will not be disappointed. Come on down to the Old Navy Etobicoke location – just minutes from downtown Toronto, the store is across from Sherway Gardens and offers free parking. Once inside the party, the whole family will enjoy:

3 Craft Stations
Cookie and Juice Bar
Twister-style Dance Floor where kids can show off their dance moves!
One-on-one wardrobe consultation with a stylist
A gift with purchase while supplies last

Plus – a coupon for $10 off when you spend $50 or more! So, if you haven’t yet stocked up on some Kidtacular clothes during the Kids & Baby Sale, here’s a perfect time to SAVE EVEN MORE.

Hmm… great shopping for you, tons of activities for the kids, a gift with purchase and further discount… all in a family friendly, incredibly fun environment? Yes please!

If you do join us, be sure to come find me and say hello. I’d love to meet you! I’ll be the gal walking around and chatting with everyone… while putting clothes aside for the boys, and trying on some of Old Navy’s fabulous new lightweight patterned shirts. Hey, it IS a shopping event! (more…)

If there’s one thing I sorely need in 2013, it’s a camera with a faster shutter speed. Because really, it only takes 1/8 of a second for Ryder to face bomb our pictures, and apparently I’m not taking pictures fast enough.

Case in point: pictures from our recent family vacation to Walt Disney World. Sifting through the lot, I shuddered at the sheer amount of photos Ryder managed to face bomb. I swear it’s a skill; I’ll say, “Smile!” and I’m expecting to see something like this -

But then, the moment my finger hovers over the trigger for a second shot, THIS happens -

For lack of imagination, we call it “Ryder’s Ugly Face”. And boy oh boy, does he pull out that ugly face often. As soon as the picture is taken and I see the final result on the camera’s LED screen, I normally shriek and threaten Ryder within an inch of his life to stop ruining the family photos. He’s repentant for about 45 seconds… allowing me to snap an album-worthy shot or two. And then… BOOM! He drops another face bomb. For the love of God. (more…)

It’s just about time for me to unplug for the holidays, but I couldn’t leave without posting a little message to my friends online. This Christmas, may the holidays refresh your spirit and bring you new inspiration, and may the splendor of the season fill your heart with peace. Wishing you the joy of family, the happiness of friends, and the love of Christmas!

Today, I’m unofficially setting up an “Out of Office Alert”. Over the next several days I’ll be enjoying food, family and the festivities of the season – and hope you’ll be doing the same! I’ll be back later this week with some shop talk :)

Merry Christmas All!

Last month, I let y’all know about Toons for Toddlers - 60 minute, toddler friendly screenings that run with lights left dim and reduced sound levels. If you’ve ever tried to take your little one to enjoy an animated movie in the theatre, you’ve probably found that once the lights go dark and the sound booms through the speakers, either your little one is scared… or else after an hour they lose interest. Toons for Toddlers is the perfect outing for your family!

With young children, November can be a challenging month. Days are grey, the weather is cold and damp, and these are the first weeks when running around outside for hours on end is no longer an option. Many of us go the family pass route for museums and other indoor fare, but if that’s getting stale, taking advantage of a Toons for Toddlers screening can be a nice affordable treat for the kids (and a welcome break for you!).

Last month Toons for Toddlers packed theatres with the awesome screening of the Wiggles Big Birthday, and this November 24 & 25 they are returning with The Best of Chuggington- Fan Favourites at participating theatres across Canada including Toronto, Ottawa, London, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, and Vancouver.

The best part? It’s an extremely affordable family outing! Tickets are only $6 per person (babies in arms are free). At the end of the show, each child receives a small gift (colouring sheet, stickers or other cool stuff), and if you want a morning off, this is definitely the kind of event that a grandparent could enjoy with their grandchild.

To reduce wait times at the box office, tickets are being sold in advance on line at www.toonsfortoddlers.com or you can phone 1-888-222-6608 for tickets.

About The Best of Chuggington: Traintastic adventures await in the exciting world of Chuggington where eager engines Wilson, Koko and Brewster are learning to become working trains. Join these three young chuggers on their adventures, fun and excitement on the rails. Throughout each episode, the trainees embark on different adventures where they learn to ride the rails of life and explore Chuggington, a safe and exciting world. Each episode is designed to teach simple, yet important, social-emotional lessons that help preschoolers prepare for their early learning years. Enjoy the show!

This post has been sponsored by Toons for Toddlers. 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Halloween is over, and Christmas preparations are in full swing!

(Not really, but I love eliciting upward eye rolls.)

And… it’s my husband’s birthday! For those of y’all counting, he’s officially waaay closer to 40 than 30, you know. Yup, I’m married to an old man.

I recently realized that I spend a lot of time gushing about how wonderful my boys are, but I rarely pay tribute to my husband. He’s just about the most affectionate person I’ve ever met (which is actually kind of stressful, being that I’m a non-PDA-please-don’t-touch-me-before-washing-your-hands kind of person), is smart, kind and funny, and he actually works two jobs – his day job, and his daycare job, taking care of the kids early morning and late night as I blog.

Here are some pictures of the man I love on our recent Royal Caribbean cruise (yes, Ryder IS a carbon copy of him):

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There comes a day when your little one will take your fun away.

(Yes, I know the above statement can be in reference to one of the many time-draining, life-zapping scenarios that children throw at us. Please, don’t let me get started.)

However, in this particular instance, I’m talking about the day that your child picks out a toy for him/herself. At some point, he’ll point to it on a shelf, in a magazine, on the television, etc… and will ask, “Please, can I have this?” And, all those times that you visited your local toy store, carefully picked out a fun, educational toy and watched the joy spread across his face as you presented it… will be nothing but a distant memory. Because now he knows exactly what he wants and wants ONLY that one particular toy – and does not suffer fools gladly.

I was this child. For the longest time, I was content to play with almost anything I received, until I discovered Barbie dolls. Sure, building blocks and water colour paints were fun, but at the tender age of four, I wanted a Golden Dream Barbie. Badly. 

I’m not quite sure if Golden Dream Barbie was age appropriate at the time I lusted after her; I’m not even sure what my parents thought of my incessant pleading and begging for a doll that frankly, was quite gaudy compared to the more illustrious Peaches ‘n Cream (which would eventually turn out to be my favourite) and Magic Moves (which I’d later campaign for too). But from that moment on, I became the child that wanted to pick out her own toys, and carefully prepared Christmas and birthday wish lists that were to be followed to a tee.

(My parents threw in the towel surprisingly quickly and presented me with cash at every occasion from there on in. Totally took their fun away, however, #winning)

I suppose the question is – who drives the purchase of toys in your household? Do you leave it up to your children to decide, or do you stick to your instincts and buy the toys that you think will be the most beneficial to them? (Maybe it’s a little of both.) However, if you do decide to take pointers from your kids, at what age do you let them influence – or dictate – your purchase decisions? (more…)

Our little guy was just registered for Toddler Dance classes! After playing “Just Dance 3” obsessively for the last two weeks, we felt he was trying to send us a message :) Excited to see Reid bust a move on the school’s dance floor!

Three minutes of foot stomping and fancy hands ahead…

As my first born – my baby – starts school in exactly two weeks, I’ve been a bit “off”.

I’ve been a bit excited, and a bit scared. I’ve been a bit concerned, and a bit nervous. I’ve been a bit sentimental, and more than a bit emotional. And, I’ve been a bit sad.

I’ve spent the last four years knowing that this time would come, and yet somehow, I don’t know where the time went.

And so I’ve caught myself humming this song on and off for the last few days - ”I Hope You Dance” by LeAnn Womack. Last night, thinking of Ryder and the beginning of his journey, I drifted off to sleep in short prayer, thanking God for my infinite and often unearned blessings… and for our many, wonderful opportunities to dance.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder; You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breath for granted… God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean; Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance; And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance; Never settle for the path of least resistance.
Living might mean taking chances, but they’re worth taking… Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth making.
Don’t let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter; When you come close to selling out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance; And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
I hope you dance

I hope you dance

(Time is a real and constant motion always rolling us along, tell me who wants to look back on their youth and wonder
where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean; Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance; And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…

Dance!
I hope you dance

For my boys:

One day, you will fight over whose turn it is on the Xbox (or whatever futuristic game station is relevant).
You will argue over who “needs” to borrow dad’s car immediately.
You will poke fun at each other, keeping the insults just above the belt until someone gets really peeved and will go there. (Though he will apologize later because it’s the right thing to do.)

Someday, you will borrow each other’s clothes.
However, well before that happens, you will put a stop to me dressing you both in matchy-matchy outfits.
You will accuse me of favouring one over the other, and believe it until you’re 35.
You will scream “He’s hitting me!” exactly 4,348 times over the course of the next 10 years.

One day, you will be embarrassed to be related to one another. (Thankfully, it will pass quickly.)
You will hide toys, steal crayons and take the last treat for yourself.
You will be an honest and enthusiastic snitch – pointing out your brother’s shortcomings and faults.
And, when asked to borrow 5 bucks, you may opt to keep it for yourself.

Someday, you may take each other for granted.
You will intend to call, but the days will stretch into weeks.
You will be busy with your own family and your own priorities.
Maybe, you just won’t feel a connection to each other.
You will forget about your best friend.

And, on that day, I will forward this link – and these impromptu pictures that I took on a cold winter afternoon in February 2011.

Yes, you were in matchy-matchy outfits.
Yes, you were very young.

But you only had eyes for each other.
Unadulterated affection written all over your faces.
You took care of each other in way that makes my heart explode.

Boys, meet your first true love: your brother.

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A few weeks ago, I shared with you the tale of Ryder’s jaunt down to Mini Oakville, his personal happy place. Who knew hanging around a closed car dealership on a Sunday afternoon could bring about such joy?

(Well, I kind of suspected he would be mildly interested. To put it mildly, of course.)

Three takeaways from my post:

1. Ryder is obsessed with cars – Mini Coopers in particular.
2. Mini Oakville is a local dealership which just happens to have Mini Coopers in its parking lot.
3. Ryder treats cars like people; he likes to talk to them, hug them, etc.

In fact, if you haven’t read the original post, I’ll just wait – you’re really missing out on a cute story.

Read “The Happiest Place on Earth?”

Now the spirit in which I originally wrote the post was simply to point out that sometimes, the best things in life are free. (Disclaimer: the best things in life cost a lot of money.) And to a four-year-old boy who really doesn’t know the difference between a lavish vacation or trip to a local car dealership, it was heartwarming to see his enthusiasm, inquisitiveness and unbridled joy.

I thought the tale ended there; a simple account of a young boy and cars. However, through the magic of social sharing, Mini Oakville was directed to my post and asked one of their sales professionals to reach out to me. Within hours of publishing the story, I received an e-mail from (the very sweet and lovely) Valerie Harden, who wrote:

“We just had your blog brought to our attention by our marketing coordinator. What a special boy!! We would like to do something special for him. Let us know when you can come in.”

I was stunned. And blown away.

First, by the kindness and generosity from Mini Oakville; who recognized that a love of cars is often a life-long addiction, stemming from the innocence and enthusiasm of a young child. Second, by the realization of just how social our world really is; that a simple blog post with pictures could inspire a company to reach out to a young fan. And third – it was incredibly heartwarming to know that in the midst of our very busy lives, there were strangers who were not only willing to set time aside to entertain a little boy, but actually shared his excitement too.

And so, we revisited The Happiest Place on Earth. (more…)

… Certainly not me! I’m off to the Fisher-Price headquarters in New York for a couple of FUN-filled days. Along with three other #FisherPriceMoms Play Panel members (Tammi, Caroline and Lisa), we’ll grab a sneak peek of the newest toys, tour the facility, and even get to spend time at the famous Fisher-Price Play Lab!

Hence, this is me signing off for the next couple of days. Have a splendid week, and I’ll catch up with y’all on Saturday!

So, Ryder has a *slight* addiction to cars.

He plays with them. He takes them to bed at night. He makes highly annoying noises; emulating the roar of an engine, the impact of a collision, and – my personal ticket to hell – the screeching sound of brakes.

Oh, happy day.

At last count, he has over 100 toy cars – a smörgåsbord of Hot Wheels, die cast models, mini Kinder Surprise cars and even a ride-on Fisher-Price Cadillac Escalade (or the “Escalegg” as he refers to it). I don’t even know how he amassed such a collection; most of the cars conveniently disappeared during my massive decluttering session, only to reappear a few days later.

However, if there’s one car that Ryder treasures above all; one car he plays with EVERY single day – it’s his die cast red MINI Cooper. Fashioned to look exactly like my own, it was gifted to him by his Uncle Adam after a trip to San Francisco, and he’s been hooked ever since. At first, he referred to it as “Mommy’s Car”, but now he correctly (lovingly?) addresses the toy as “Red MINI Cooper”.

(Not to be confused with ”Blue MINI Cooper”, the car he’s been asking for, and “Green MINI Cooper”, the car he wants mommy to buy. Oh, and “Silver MINI Cooper” which is just on another level. Of course.)

So today, on a day when soccer practice was a little scary, and his little brother was a little annoying, Ryder was feeling particularly low. And after it was apparent that not even Popsicles and pretzels could pull him out of his sour mood, I decided to take him and Reid on a little road trip.

“Where are we going, Mommy?” he asked.
“It’s a surprise,” I replied.

Ten minutes later, we rounded the corner and the MINI Oakville dealership came into view.

“Ta-da!” I exclaimed. “We came to visit MINI Coopers at their home!”

Okay, so you know how parents record their child’s reaction when they are told they’re going to Disney? I wish I had recorded Ryder’s reaction as we pulled into the parking lot. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

“MOMMY!” he yelled. “We’re visiting the MINI Coopers? In their home? I’m so happy! I love you MINI Coopers! I’m here to see you!” (more…)

On Saturday, my whole family had the chance to “Discover the Hidden Zoo” – a media preview with the Toronto Zoo. Since most press events require me leaving the boys behind, they were tickled pink to join me at the coolest place on earth for kids of all ages. Needless to say, they had a blast.

Needless to say, I was pooped. Almost comatose, actually.

I didn’t take a lot of pictures, because let’s face it, you’ve all seen someone’s zoo shots of a hippo lying in the water. (Oooh, look, a motionless hippo!) But here are the photos I did take:

There are four boys in this photograph, assuming the white rhinoceros in the background is male.

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