Teacher Christmas Gifts

Do you struggle with teacher gift ideas at Christmas time & the end of the year? I sure do.

I always want to do something nice & thoughtful at these times, since they do so much all year. Like a lot of people, I try to avoid the typical mugs & chocolates (although now I wonder if teachers never get those things & miss them? Teacher's comments welcome!!). I also prefer to give something personal, although that isn't always possible depending on how well you know each teacher.

This year I came across some great ideas on the internet. These book page ornaments specifically intrigued me (found here) since one of my child's teacher TRULY loves books and loves to read.

Each one of the ornaments I used:

pages from old books

(provided by my VERY good friend Shelley- you should check out her blog, she is AMAZING artist!)

glass ball ornaments

modpodge

various accents (ribbon, twine, eyelets etc)

For this ornament I used pages from an old torn up  dictionary - I thought that was appropriate for the teacher that LOVES books & to read.

This one I used pages from an old Dutch or German? book. Perfect I thought, for the teacher that teaches my child a second language 

The two ornaments below were from each child to their music teacher:

I then wrapped them in white boxes I had left over from my wedding, and found these really cute FREE tags  to top them off (found here): Voila, hand made gift as unique as each teacher!

Let me know what you think!!

Manitoba Nature Detectives!!!

So do you & your family enjoy camping in the Whiteshell or nature walks at Birdshill Park, or maybe picnic or just like to take the kids to visit any of our beautiful Provincial Parks or nature areas?

If so check out our own Manitoba Government site for some great printables for the kids! You'll LOVE them!!

Just click on the link to get your printable activities to become a  Manitoba Nature Detective!!

Summer Survival SOLVED!

So I FINALLY figured out HOW to survive summer with 3 kids...just buy a pool... HA! It's true though!

Click here to see this photo full size!!

Some Changes

I have been trying to improve "Family Things to Do In Winnipeg & in Manitoba" blog. After some reading & research, here are some of the changes I have made so far:

• a new logo & other design changes
• allowing everyone (not just google accounts) to post comments 
• added the Facebook Share button, found at the top right! "Sharing is Caring"
• a "link" will now open to a new window (and not leave this blog) - downfall every time you click something a new window appears -will need to remedy this ASAP
• There is now a FREE things to do page (see tabs above)... I will continue to add to this as I can!!
• a list of past popular posts

I also intend on trying to include more photos, and possibly mini reviews about of the places we visit!

SO, let me know what you think of the changes, and even ideas of things you would like to see. I would love to hear your thoughts!!!!
Heather

REVISED Summer Plan!!

Okay, so besides the days "we" have swimming lessons, THIS is how I plan on spending the rest summer!! I think I've GOT it right this time! What do you think??

MUST SEE!!

(if you came from FB looking for my Summer Survival Rant click here)

Do you have kids over the age of 3 or so?
Do you like to spend time with them outdoors?
If so then you MUST visit this AMAZING website I found!!!

I am SO VERY excited to share it with you that my fingers can't keep up with my enthusiasm!! (I think I even spelled enthusiasm correct the first time?!)

The site is called Nature Detectives, and they have AMAZING games, activities, printouts, booklets all based on the outdoors!!! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!! I found it while searching for basic information on trees (Dendrology; the science or study of trees) which I also learned in the searching process. For a very long time now I have wanted to go walking around our neighbourhood (the kids & I), and be able to tell the kids "Oh that's a ______ tree"... And I mean more than just pointing out an Oak or Maple. Well now thanks to this site, the kids & I can learn about the trees together. The site has leaf and bark identification pages, as well as bird, butterfly & ladybug sheets... Oh you are going to LOVE it!! It TOTALLY motivates me to get outside with the kids & ENJOY the simple things (Which is my new philosophy in life)!!

Anyway, go HERE, and you can download AMAZING FREE printouts for your children to enjoy this summer... or winter or fall or Halloween, or anytime of the year!!! It's SO GREAT!!!!!!

Okay I'll stop rambling now!! (Who am I kidding you are already on that site by now!! lol)

H

Summer Survival??

OK, so as some of you might know prior to summer break, I was feverishly planning and preparing for the school break with full intentions of sharing all of my findings with all (3?) of you! And if you couldn't tell, I was highly frightened of having to entertain 3 active kids of varying ages and stages 24/7. Well after weeks of searching for easy, fun, cheap and or free Winnipeg or Manitoba based family activities, and after spending as much time formatting all of that info - I just realized something.... NONE of that planning & preparing has mattered one single bit. NOPE, NOTTA! Do you know why? Because it was never about them (the children) it was about me, yep capital M.E. Imagine that! What a concept! HA! Who is that anyway?

You see, as summer was approaching I became increasingly aware of this fear that had developed... Honestly I just was not looking forward to the 60ish upcoming days of fighting, bickering, screaming (yep my kids scream...and then so do I), tattling, the crying, the whinning, and the never ending complaining of boredom. Yep, I was afraid of all of that, and more so; how I was going to deal with it?! SO, I knew my best bet was to plan and be prepared! Well lets just say I was more prepared than a troop of Girl Guides going to camp! I had daily schedules drawn up, ideas of things to do close to home on a sunny day, things to do close to home on a rainy day. I had a list of places we (my family) wanted to go, divided into places we could go spontaneously or the places we would need to plan in order to go. I had everything figured out right down to the T (what does that even mean?). But guess what? As we are into our second week of summer I have barely even gave that booklet (yes it was a booklet) a second look. Well, what the HECK? Why did I waste my time? Why isn't my plan working, Why do I not want to do all those wonderful things I planned? Well I have come to realize I am in a funk... I have been a Stay At Home mom for YEARS now, and I am BURNT OUT! I AM DONE. FINISHED, FINNITTO! I GOT NOTHING left! But apparently that was not in my plans!

So, holding true to my style, I searched out a book, or an article(s) on "How to stay motivated as a SAHM" or "SAHM in a rut" etc. etc..... FINALLY I came across something worth reading and DEFINITELY worth sharing! Mom Body and Soul

It's a great blog about personal development, about being your own person, and not just mom... I started to get back this way of thinking prior to having my last child... but I had forgotten all of it since having to keep my little man alive! Well now that he is a healthy, robust, growing and well developing 16 month old... I think it's safe to say it's okay to start putting my needs first again (at least some times).

SOOOO... Maybe this summer isn't about them? Maybe it's about me. Wow that sounds WEIRD!! I just know that if Im happier, the rest will follow.... so my advice to you about Surviving Summer... Try to make your self happy, however you need to. Put your needs first. Be your own person, and love you... Then you will have more to give, right? RIGHT?... I guess we'll see. Alls I know is something has got to change, and we only have the power to change ourselves!! Wish me luck! And good luck to you! ;)

Summer Survival Guide coming soon!!!!!

Are you a Stay-at-Home Parent, or perhaps just home for the summer with your kids? If you are, my next post is just for you!


I have 2 bigger kids and very active toddler of my own to entertain...so If I don't want a free trip to the crazy house (and Im NOT ruling this idea out yet - hey everyone needs a break) I will definitely NEED a plan this summer. I'll share my thoughts & ideas here soon!! (This one might be worth sharing!!)


But first I will be busy having my butt kicked by a group of nine year old boys, and then will be finished off by a mob of fluffed & frilled 6 year old girls... BTW who's idea was it to invite a gaggle of kids into your home, fill them up on chips, sweets and pop, put a blind fold on them and a sharp object or stick in their hand spin them around and call it a birthday...  yep I'll be hosting 2 kid parties back to back.... hmm maybe the crazy house is closer than I thought?! Wish me luck, and if I make it out alive I will post that Summer Survival Guide for your reference!!


And to add colour to this post, I thought I'd share a photo of the cupcakes I made for my son's class! If you want to make them, go here for EASY and GREAT instructions!!

Snake Dens; CHECK!

Here is a brief description of our day trip on Mother's Day weekend to the

Narcisse Snake Dens!!

As usual we (ok I ) packed everything but the kitchen sink, just in case!

Out of everything, THIS above was well worth it. We LOVE Road Trip Bingo (found here)

I love it because it actually engages the children into the trip and the drive. And REALLY, they just plain love the fun of it!

One of our first stops was here at the Teulon landmark.

I love taking the kids' picture at landmarks like this! It's a GREAT reason to pull over, and stretch your legs!! Not to mention that I hope it helps the kids remember their trip!

Our next stop was just prior to the actual snake dens in the town of Narcisse.

My wonderful hubby spotted this statue, and pulled over for my sake! And let me tell you, I would have been very sad if we missed this one!!

Once again, we all jumped out of the vehicle and the kids ran over to the snake pile. They got to the statue and started to resume the "oh so familiar" family photo op, when to our surprise "someone" was already waiting for their photographic debut!

YEP, snakes were all over the rocks below the "large snakes"!!! So EXCITING & COOL!

We were very LUCKY to have ran into some "brave" locals that introduced us to these little guys, and ensured us that the snakes were virtually harmless!! I feel SO fortunate to have met these VERY kind and friendly people! I think they REALLY made our trip so much better!

I think these people may have been the highlight of our snake adventure!

Sadly we had to rush through this moment, as we were racing some BIG BLACK Clouds... 

Check out that rear view mirror!! YIKES!!!

...and of course when in a hurry, you are always bound to hit a train...

OR a horse parade!?! Yep, we ran into a major traffic/horse jam!! 

But it was WAY more interesting than a train, that is for sure!!

Almost 2 hours of driving, FINALLY The Narcisse Snake Dens! ... and due to those mega storm clouds, we skipped the traditional family photo on the landmark (*sniffle*) and opted for a quick drive by shooting instead...

So here is what the first (of 3 or 4?) snake dens looked like:

and with a bit of a closer view you should be able to spot a snake or two...

We were told that den #2 was more active, and so we quickly carried on, and hit the path running (almost literally)...

And along that path, what better to see on our first official Manitoba day trip, but our provincial flower!! The Manitoba Prairie Crocus!!

And here are the snakes at den #2...

And THEN the storm hit!! We RAN all the way back to the truck!!!

So, SADLY our 2 hour drive was followed by just a quick "peek-see" at the snakes.

I think we were all a bit disappointed... but we carried on and tried to make the best of the rest of the day...

All 5 of us piled back into the truck soaking wet, disappointed, and a little miserable, turned around and started for home... 

We decided to take scenic route (as we so often do)....leaving the storm behind us... and only blue skies and rainbows ahead of us the whole way (well almost)...

Here are just a couple photos I took of a GORGEOUS Manitoba prairie and sky... notice the faint rainbow in the sky!

Since our final destination was drastically shortened (thanks to Mother Nature), we decided to see if those snakes at the big snake statue were in the mood for some more company {the kids REALLY wanted some more "hands on"} and luckily they were!!! This time they were warmer and more active though...

After running around the beautiful surrounding field, trying to catch a snake, we all happily (this time) piled back into the truck, warmer, happier, and much dryer. We then set our sights for Winnipeg Beach (initially Gimli, but those roads were way too rough!)

Here is the Totem Pole at Winnipeg Beach... and I have to tell you that THE WEIRDEST thing happened just a couple minutes prior to this photo... we saw the end of the rainbow. SERIOUSLY!!! It was the craziest thing... (but no gold or Leprechauns!!?) I wonder what that means??

Because of the rain, and the HUNGRY children we did not stop and get out for photos with this Big Guy either... However I was OK with that, as we frequent this area often!! We will be back for more!

Some quick rainbow photos out on the lake.

And then we hit up a greasy spoon (wish I would have photographed that!).

With only 1 last stop! (this one we actually jumped out and did family photos!!)

We went home! Good Times were had by all! ;)

Writing a Pysanky!!

Last night I joined my daughter's Girl Guides of Canada Sparks Unit on a field trip. We went to the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre (here in Winnipeg) to learn about the art of writing a Pysanky. This is SUCH a beautiful craft! I had such a great time, and just had to share our experience. 

Here are a few things we learned:

This is one of the main tools used, its a Traditional Kistka.

Hmmm smells like honey! Beeswax is also needed to write a Pysanky.

It "goes in" the Kistka.

A candle, for heating/melting the wax that is in the Kistka, that will be used to write a Pysanky.

Egg Dyes. We used yellow, orange, red, and then black, all in that order.

And this is how "we" write a Pysanky!

To learn all the details I would highly recommend an educational visit to the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre!! It was a GREAT experience!

Writing Ukrainian Pysanky (Easter Eggs)

A teaser for the next post...

Wonderful Wizarding World

Like most 8 year old boys these days, my son loves anything "Harry Potter". And my little girl doesn't stray far from the interest of most kindergarten girls. If it's about princesses, dressing up and anything fairytale or magical, my 5 year old adores it. So if your kids share the same interests, and you want to feed those imaginations, this post is for you. 

"Bathtub Potions" have been a favourite around here for a while. If you've got kids you know all about the magical mixings of soaps, shampoos, and bubble bath! And now that Spring has sprung here in Winnipeg "Backyard Potions" have made a strong comeback; thanks to the reminder from the kids' friend, J!

Perhaps these backyard potions aren't as popular as the bathtub variety, so let me just confirm the real magical power of these mixings. I had no idea how magical these potions really were, until I saw it with my own eyes. However I'm sure my idea of magic differed from my kids' ideas. The magic I saw was the shared common interest between a brother and a sister three years different. Sunday morning they were in the backyard creating real magic. They were talking the "same language", sharing ideas, and for a moment living in the same fantasy world! Well I did what most moms would do; I scrambled through everything I could trying to gather props to foster this moment of pure imagination & creation that was happening between the children who as of late would rather yell, whine, tattle tale, and bug each other to no end.

So here is what I came up with, substitute as needed:

-Kinder Egg containers (those little yellow containers that house the "surprise" found in the Kinder Egg chocolate) 

-a small plastic organizer (meant for small office supplies like paper clips & thumb tacs ) previously bought from the DollarStore (phew! glad THAT dollar didn't end up being a waste)

- a variety of old *past due?* spices & herbs. These are very authentic looking ingredients, that easily pass for "dried frog spit" as my son called it. Anything from plain black pepper, to Oregano to Mustard or Celery seed.

-old medicine cups & droppers

-a variety of contianers to mix in, or to use to "sprinkle with"

-toothpicks for mixing potions

- and maybe most importantly (at least to the girls) is sparkles of any kind (It's the *magic*)

The rest is pretty self explanatory, just give it to your kids and watch the "magic" happen!!

I would have LOVED to put this together and given it as a surprise gift to my children.... although they were pretty surprised & VERY thankful! However without their lead, I would not have thought of this on my own!

The best part is (besides watching your children create a magical world) is that most of the items are free (found around the house), or bought from your local Dollar Store. Also these "potion packs" can be refilled over & over again! 

Hope your kids enjoy it as much as mine did!!

p.s.

don't forget the stick from the backyard tree- carve off some of the bark & *POOF* a real magical wand!!!