It's Our 5th Birthday!! Join Us at Heritage Square Downtown, Rotary Recreation Park!!

We are having a party and you are invited!!

                    What:     momstown Birthday Bash

                    When:    Sunday, August 19th

                    Time:     10 am - 1 pm

                    Where:  Rotary Recreation Park (Heritage Square)

Our momstown Birthday Bash is a FREE Family Event open to the public happening at all our momstown chapters during the month of August! Join momstown Central Alberta and our amazing sponsors for toy demos, crafts, birthday cake, and so much more! We'll have different activities set up to align with our 6 program pillars - there will be something for everyone!

We have great national sponsors on board to make this our biggest birthday bash yet!

• Clifford the Big Red Dog will be making a special guest appearance

• Today's Parent is our national media sponsor and will bring a surprise for all members - stay tuned!

• Fisher-Price toys will be on hand for a play area

• Britax will have some great giveaways and prizes!

• Melitta will bring their 'me time' mojo

• ConAgra will be providing yummy treats for all of our guests

The first 100 families at our birthday party will receive a FABULOUS loot bag filled with goodies from our sponsors! 

Join us in celebration with these amazing sponsors!

 

 

Tales for Tots: Old Macdonald's Farm

 At our monthly Tales for Tots Program at Chapters, we had a blast with our Scholastic Book of the month OLD MACDONALD'S FARM that is a puppet at the same time!

 First we read some stories as a group and some had a little one on one reading, which is always loved! Chapters has recently rearranged the children's area and we loved all the extra space we had!

Then we of course had craft time!

At the end of the event we read OLD MACDONALD"S FARM, the puppet book, well actually we sang along with the book, using the finger puppets to guide us along. The kids loved knowing which animal was next and following along with the puppett, and they all wanted a turn "trying out" the book! Many have commented that this book would make a wonderful baby gift

 Carla was the lucky Winner of our scholastic book of the month, and her son was thrilled!

momstown Monet: Shape Pigs

I love our momstown Monet program, focusing on one craft with the kids, and of course throwing some learning into the mix! 

This month we took our Farm theme and created pigs using shapes! 

All that is required for this craft is construction paper, scissors glue and a great imagination. 

We also added googly eyes, because who can resist a googly-eyed pig?

We used an oval for the body, circle for the head, squares for the feet, triangles for the ears, and then cut triangles out of the squares to make the pigs hooves!

For some fun we had to add a curly tail! 

Some of the kids also added a farm or pasture background to their masterpieces before the gluing and cutting started. Afterwards, the pigs needed some mess as well!!

No stencils were used, all were hand drawn, though some of us moms had to help of course!

Join us at next months event, where our theme is the Circus!!

Father's Day: Ode to a Stepfather

"Almost any man can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be Dad"

This quote is very true for our family.  My husband is Step Dad to our oldest Daughter.. This is not something we announce. It is not hidden, it is just we are such a well blended family, no one would even question it, besides the age differences between our kids.

Our almost 9 year old doesn't remember meeting her Dad. He has been apart of my life since she was 2.5 years, and she met him when she was 3. We were married when she was 6. Since then we have had 2 more daughters.

When I agreed to marry Paul, I did ask that he treat my daughter as his own, even if he had to fake it. We knew we wanted more kids, and I didn't want to have a family where the step kid was treated differently than the other kids in the house. He agreed, as this is way things are done in his family. His parents treat her the same as their other grandchildren, and have done so from the beginning.

I know of families who need to have 2 separate "Santa pictures" with the kids, separate family pictures. This is not how I wanted our family to be. How can it be blended when there is such differentiation?

My husband is an awesome Step Dad, in fact he is just Dad to all three of our girls. 

He has taken the spot that her Father has left. He never speaks ill of him. Paul is the one who is cheering her on at her soccer and hockey games, he is the one who is called with exciting news of school, he is the one sitting in the audience at her dance recital, and he is the one who is getting the Father's Day Present that has been created at school.

Unfortunately our Oldest's biological father is not involved in her life. He lives in a different province, and the last time he spoke to her was Christmas Day. It has been almost a year since she has seen him. I used to worry about her lack of her Father in her life. 

This is no longer a concern. She has a Dad. A great Dad!

Happy Father's Day Paul!

momstown Music & Movement: June 2012

Have you tried our newer events on our calendar yet? One of the newer programs added recently is one of my favorites, our momstown Music & Movement program. 

We are lucky enough to hold this event at the new studio location of Chair Tease Dance, and there is so much room for the kids to move around and watch themselves dance!

We start our program with some singing of new and old songs, getting everyone warmed up, even some of the moms who are shy to sing! Our songs always include lots of actions, which all kids love and helps get everyone in the mood for music.

The kids love it when the instruments come out, and it is their turn to make music! 

We end our program with a fun game of FREEZE DANCE. How do you play this? Have you ever played Freeze Tag? If not, ask your 4 year old, I am sure they can tell you the rules! ha ha

Similar Rules apply with Freeze dance, except you freeze when the music stops. Great way to get the kids moving and getting rid of all that energy before lunch time!

If this sounds like fun, that is because it is! Join us at our next momstown Music and Movement program, we hold it every second Tuesday, Check out the Calendar for all the details!

Everyone is Special?

In reading this article in the National Post, I find myself nodding my head, agreeing with the commencement speaker. Kids are not special. Sounds harsh doesn't it. Of course our kids are very special to our families, this is not what I am speaking of.  It is the medals for everyone, regardless for the outcome. Kids being told how special they are and that everyone wins all the time.

“You are not special,” he told them.
“You are not exceptional,” he said.
“Contrary to what your U9 soccer trophy suggests, your glowing seventh grade report card, despite every assurance of a certain corpulent dinosaur, that nice Mister Rogers and your batty Aunt Sylvia, no matter how often your maternal caped crusader has swooped in to save you, you’re nothing special.”
There was laughter, even applause from among the assembled students.

Perhaps because a middle-aged man wearing a blue shirt, blue jacket, blue tie — with reading glasses perched on the end of his nose — uttered The Great Unspoken truth on a day typically reserved for hollow platitudes: Our kids are not special. They are just kids.

My daughter has played soccer since she was almost 4, and I am sure she has over 15 medals. All from when she played recreation soccer, where everyone gets a medal. Since she has played competitive soccer, this is not the case. And wow what a difference! In the past year she played very competitive soccer and fun hockey. Guess which sport she tried the hardest at? Yup, Soccer, because it was expected! If she didn't play well, she didn't play. At the end of her first season she was given the award, a real award, for most improved player. That award meant more to her than any of the medals she was given just for signing up.

Same thing with all the fuss about the Zeros that the teacher in Edmonton gave out. I find it ridiculous that students can not complete work and are not punished for it. If I do not complete my work, I hear about it! I don't understand what this teaches kids who are on the verge of leaving school and entering the real world. I listened to a debate about this same topic recently, and some of the teachers who are against the zeros, say we should learn for learning sake.... sure that can be a lifelong pursuit. But in the real world, you do not do your work, there is consequences. At their job they cannot choose to not do part of their work and expect to keep their job.

If you were not punished for not completing your assignments in high school, would you complete them? What about at your job, does your boss care if you complete your work?

What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for just showing up? And if so for how long?

Art & Play: Farm and Father's Day

Art & Play, Father's Day and Farm! We combined the two themes this month, and the kids loved all the crafts!

In honor of Father's day, we thought we would try to make some sappy Father's day gifts for the Dad's in our lives. Thank goodness we had lots of Huggies Wipes on Hand to help with the clean up! We had the kids paint their feet to go along with some beautiful poems about having the Dad's in our lives slow down and appreciate the little ones in their lives. Such a cute craft, but oh so messy!!!

We also had a photo station set up for pictures with the letters D A D. We were inspired from many similarly ideas from pinterest and decided to do our own.

(edited to add, click here to see the momstown papa version here)

Then of course we had craft time with our theme of Farm Animals. We made a barn with opening doors where the kids drew the animals that they though they would fine in their barn.

Of course all of our Art & Play events have lots of time for free play and our circle time with stories and songs.

Turning 40: The List

In less than a year I will be 40 years old. That is crazy to me! I feel 28. Truly. I remember when my mother turned 40. I was 12 and she seemed so old! ha ha

It seems that a lot of people make a list of things they want to accomplish before they turn the big 40, and I have contemplated a list.
1)I could get a tattoo. I do not have one, and well, I don't want one.  I like the way they look on other people, and plus I have no idea what I would get. Getting one for turning 40 should have some great significance, I think, and well, this isn't for me.
2)Skydiving? ummm nope, I like to stay in an airplane once I get on one.
3)Bungee Jump? again, I like to stay on a bridge when I am on it.
4)Start a business... done that! Wink!


What else is there? Travel? I have seen a lot of the world. I have ridden an Elephant, hand fed a black Rhino, visited an orphanage and it broke my heart, climbed the Eiffel tower twice, visited Hiroshima and cried... swam in many different seas and oceans...

Now this may sound obnoxious, and I don't mean to, but I cannot think of a list of things I want to accomplish before I turn 40.

So instead I have come up with a list of things I am looking forward to my 40's bringing to me.

1) Taking back my body. Being able to eat and drink what ever I like when I like. (see #2)
2)Pregnancy will be a thing of the past
3)Reclaiming my breasts! Breastfeeding will be finished in this decade!
4)Claiming that 40 is the new 30!
5)Being in the same decade as my hubby! lol at least for a few years.

Tell me what are you looking forward to the 40's?

Discovery Field Trip: Sunnybrook Farm

We took a field trip to Sunnybrook Farm! The kids had a great time learning about Farming in the area 100 or so years ago.

Here they are checking out old Dairy equipment with a chance to "milk" a cow at the end.

This cow doesn't smell and it doesn't kick!!

Here the kids are feeling the different types of grains that were grown on the farm, I think a few might have been mixed up for a new variety!

Here is the collection of old tractors, the kids loved checking them out and climbing into a few of the drivers seats

Of course a train brought all the kids over, an old steam engine!

In the old Hunting shack they have on the property, the kids felt different furs and pelts, including a bear skin! Our guide was awesome at explaining things so that the kids understood.

In the old tool shed, there was lots to see! So many tools were there for the touching!

All in all it was a great day outside of exploring and learning about Central Alberta's farming history, and the day ended with a wagon ride and the chance to stay for a picnic lunch. It was a very inexpensive day, and the best part, the moms and dads) were free! Looking for other things to do this summer with the kids? Check out our calendar for lots of things to do to keep you and the kids busy!

Alphabet Play: J is for June & Jaguar

Alphabet play is our monthly program where we focus on One letter and create a craft or two along with our story to reinforce the letter literacy learning. This is one of our two programs that is held at Chapters every month.

There is always lots of free play before our event starts as none of the kids can resist the train set that is set up! No matter how often we are there, the kids are still at the train table!

Then our Story time begins, and our Chapters Staff member reads to the kids, asking them questions and making sure they are involved int he story. This month we read a Dora & Diego book, which the kids loved! For June we used the letter J for both JUNE and JAGUAR, that was the centre of our story.

Then it was craft time! space is limited, so we usually have shifts of kids completing their craft, but there is always enough materials to go around.

 The moms help the kids, as there is tracing, cutting and gluing almost always involved. 

All important fine motor skills that the kids will need for kindergarten.

 This months crafts involved making a Jaguar out of the letter J as well as making Jaguar ears! 

I am sure many of the ears were worn all day!!

Love crafting and letter literacy? Join us for our Alphabet Play Program at Chapters. This event is capped at 12 attendees so you need to sign up early!