Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts

March 17, 2014

Disney Frozen will be out on blu-ray combo pack

My family and I had an awesome time watching Disney Frozen during the December holidays, when we all felt "frozen" because of the ice storm. Here is our thoughts about the movie. We enjoyed watching the movie again at home, and had lots of fun. This a movie that can be watched over and over again. You can own a copy of the movie when it releases on Blu-ray combo pack on March 18th.

February 12, 2014

Win a Copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: O Canada The Wonders of Winter


Chicken Soup for the Soul: O Canada The Wonders of Winter is a book that celebrates winter with stories from coast-to-coast that I enjoyed reading by myself, and reading to my children. Children will enjoy listening to these stories and ask for us to read more. These touching stories will remind us of our own experiences and make us feel proud to be Canadian.

December 28, 2013

Winter Wonderland: Ice, Frozen, Snow and Storm

The first week of this winter holidays for us is all about Ice, Frozen, Snow and Storm. We had an awesome start to our holidays watching the opening night show of Disney on Ice Princess and Heroes at the Rogers Centre. Disney on Ice is a wonderful live show to watch with the family. We enjoyed watching the Disney characters coming to life and beautifully skating on ice. 

October 28, 2013

Discover Grains and Meet Celebrity Chefs By Winning Tickets To The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

On Saturday, November 2nd you can meet Canada’s Next Top Chef 2013 finalist and Grain Farmers of Ontario at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Resident Chef Jonathan Goodyear will be demonstrating his original Ontario grain recipes from inside the Grain Farmers of Ontario Growing Connections trailer.

September 20, 2013

Three Season Tram Footwear

Tram footwear is perfect for all our winter, fall and spring activities from playing in the snow to slush or tobogganing and more. We really like the functional design with the grab-n-pull rubber handles that allow children to easily put the boots on. Having an easy to wear boots will give children the confidence to do things on their own. This is very important to young children like my son who is in kindergarten, as he is learning to get ready independently.

March 17, 2013

Striped check stitch knitted scarf

To make this striped check stitch knitted scarf you will need... 
4 ply worsted weight yarn 
4 1/2mm needle 

February 1, 2013

Snowshoeing in the beautiful Copeland forest

When I was growing up in Toronto we used to have a lot more snow that made the air feel clean and fresh, unlike in the recent years where winter comes with flu and sickness because of the chilled windy air and the lack of snow. Walking through the beautiful scenic wilderness in Copeland forest at Horseshoe Resort with our snowshoes, I felt how much of this we miss living in the city.  
There was a sense of calmness and thankfulness being surrounded by the trees that were heavy with snow. Walking by water trickling ponds and listening to the winter birds felt very pleasant.
I was able to take some wonderful portraits of my family in the snow surrounded by the green wonders.  Horseshoe Resort also has cross country skiing in these trails, which would be another wonderful way to admire the nature, exercise and relax our minds.
If you haven't snowshoed before think of it has wearing a big pair of shoes attached to your boots that allows you to walk in deep snow.  We can rent snowshoes at Horseshoe resort, so we don't have to buy or take our own.  
This would be a fun winter activity to do with the little ones and to take the whole family during the Family day weekend, Valentines or March Break.
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Zipfy a Snow Sled You'll Want To Own

Zipfy (pronounced as Zip'fee) is a unique award winning Canadian designed snow sled that is lots of fun for children and adults.  We really like this lightweight design as it is easy to carry it up the hill even for little ones.  Since it is only 3.5 lbs we don't feel as tired carrying it up the hill, so we can easily spend a few hours going down the hill. 
Zipfy is made in the US with HDPE rugged plastic and it can carry weight of 250 lbs.  I think Zipfy is a must have for everyone young and old who like playing in the snow.  Everyone in the family will enjoy sliding down on Zipfy so I would totally recommend one per person in the family so we can race and slide down together.  
Zipfy classic is recommended for everyone over the age of 5 years.  Last year when my son was 3 years I bought our first Zipfy online at Chapters and allowed him to go down small hills on the Zipfy classic.  If you want a specifically for children age 3 to 6 years then they have Zipfy Junior.
Using the Zipfy is easy, fun and safe.  To ride it we just have to sit on black area, hold the handle, keep the legs straight with our feet forward and go down the hill.  
To stop the Zipfy from sliding just drop your heels to slow then it will stop.  We can maneuver it by leaning to the side and carving down hill.  
Ready to race
Here are all the places in the world Zipfy is sold at.  If you don't know a place to take Zipfy check out their suggested tobogganin​g hill.

Giveaway:  
Zipfy is generously sponsoring a giveaway for one person in Canada to win a Zipfy Classic.  This giveaway ends on February 16th.  Please enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter below.  
Visit their site and let me know which colour Zipfy you like and if you like going down hill in the snow?  
Please follow Zipfy and my social media networks to enter the giveaway.  The winner will have 24 hours to respond from the time of contact.  
Update: The winner is Sydney
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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January 26, 2013

Magic of winter: Snow tubing at the Horseshoe Resort

Snow tubing and Snowshoeing are fun activities to enjoy during winter.  The scenic hills at the Horseshoe Resort makes it a perfect place to enjoy these activities.  Horseshoe resort is located in the natural snow belt area and is surrounded by beautiful nature.
We are big fans of sliding down hill and enjoy activities such as tobogganing, so we had an awesome evening tubing.
We can purchase tubing tickets at the Tack Shop located within the Adventure Park.  During the winter season they have special perks such as on Wednesdays we can go tubing from 4pm to 8pm for Free.
Tubing is pretty simple... get the tickets, grab a tube per person, go up their long "magic carpet," and then stand in line for your turn to go down the hill.  We can go in the the tube by our self or with up to 7 tubes connected.  All four of us went together, and then we went two at a time.  
The staff at the Tubing hills will ask if we want to spin or not, I would recommend spinning at least once it is really fun :) 
We spent a couple of hours snow tubing before we called it a night and enjoyed the comfortable accommodation at the Horseshoe Resort.  The next morning we did some snowshoeing before heading home, more about that with pictures coming soon.

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January 12, 2013

Winter Waves: Scarf and Skiing adventure at the Horseshoe Resort

Our skiing adventure at the Horseshoe Valley Resort inspired me to make this striped check stitch scarf for my son.  This pattern reminds me of the beautiful snow filled mountains and hills that are like winter waves.  I picked this colour of 4 ply worsted weight yarn as these shades remind me of the ever-changing winter sky.  I chose to knit instead of crotchet because the knitting needles represent the skiing equipment. 
To make this scarf I put 21 stitches using a 4 1/2mm needle, but if you want something wider then cast on a multiple of 6 stitches plus 3 extra
Row 1 and all odd numbered rows K
Row 2 K
Rows 4 and 6 P3, *K3, P3 repeat
Rows 8 and 10 K
Rows 12 and 14 K3, *P3, K3 repeat
Row 16 K
Repeat rows 1 to 16 until desired length.
Learning to ski at the Horseshoe Valley Resort will remain as a wonderful memory to our family.  We had a satisfying experience that I would like to share with all of you.  If you want to learn skiing I hope this post will inspire you... or if you already know then take a trip to Horseshoe and enjoy the gorgeous slopes.  
We were happy to enrol our son in this year's new Kids Korral Ponies program at the Horseshoe Ski Resort.  It is a wonderful opportunity for potty-trained children age 3 and 4 to get lessons from qualified instructors, so they can learn this sport correctly at an early age and have fun.
The lessons were from 10 am to 12 pm, so we left him with other children the same age and went to do our family Discovery ski lessons.  
My son said his instructor Connor and other staff like Jessica taught him to make a triangle shape with his skis to stop the skiboards from going; I think this a good way for little children to remember. 
Since he was on his own for the couple of hours until we returned, I could see his eyes were tearing and he was glad that we had come to pick him up.  I think this program is a good opportunity for children to learn skiing without the parents around, so they don't depend on us too much or cry because it is cold.  I felt that my little one was in good hands with the kind instructors.  There were lots of staff members to care and supervise the children, and I liked that they were making safety a top priority by not letting any parents inside the Kids Korral area.
At the end of the lessons the instructors took him inside to change the skis and shoes, and to offer him hot chocolate.  My little guy passed on the hot chocolate so he can come back to us quickly.  After we came to the room, he told us how much fun he had and that his favourite was going up the "magic carpet" and zooming down the slopes.   
The quality of the picture is due to my husband who went down with my poor camera as he tried to take action pictures :) He didn't get to hold the camera after that Incident!
This Kids Korral Ponies program is for beginner skiers as they learn the fundamental skiing skills without any pressure.  For the half-day Kids Korral Ponies lessons and rental the cost is $50.  Once the children master the stop and turn skills they can go for Kinder Private lessons or the Kinder Kolts program.
The family or group Discovery ski lessons that we did are for anyone age 7 years and up.  This program is a wonderful opportunity to everyone who wants to learn skiing or snowboarding.  The discovery program allows us to learn the basics so we can enjoy the hills at the Horseshoe Resort at our own leisure.  The beginner lesson package is $73 per person and includes the 1 and 1/2 hours lesson, 4 hour equipment rental and beginner lift ticket.  We can learn all the basics such as putting on the skis, going up the slope, skiing, stopping and turning.  I totally think having a teacher helps and makes a big difference when we are learning.  
Horseshoe also has a variety of snow school lesson packages such as private lessons, mommy and me programs etc to accommodate different ages, abilities and skills.
At the beginning of the lessons I was nervous because I thought we were going to be late as it took some time to get the rentals and to put them on.  So next time, I plan to be early at least 1/2 to 1 hour to get the rental equipment.  There is a lot of learning involved especially if it is your first time skiing such as putting and handling the equipment.  Renting the equipment made it easy for us instead of lugging our own.  
We found all the staff at the Horseshoe resort friendly, hospitable and wanting to help.  It was easy to ask them when we needed help with the equipment and to find the correct size.  There are coin lockers within the Horseshoe activity center in the Main Chalet if you need.
Our instructor Kelsey was very encouraging throughout the lessons.  By the end of the lessons, I wanted to keep on skiing :)  I liked our instructor's approach and enthusiasm, which made us believe we could do it as well.  The instructor put on a stretchy cord in front of my daughter's skiboards that she called "a worm" so my daughter could stretch it as much as possible to make the skis stop.  
My daughter told me that she was scared and nervous in the beginning just like we were.  However, after knowing how to stop and use the skis she felt comfortable and happy to go down the hill.
My challenge was getting off the lifts without falling :) I guess I will need more practice on that.
Look for their wonderful deals such as on Mondays we can take up to three friends for Alpine or Nordic skiing for $20 each.  Horseshoe Facebook is updated on Tuesdays with special offers.
They have lots of savings if you are member of their free Sky Life Rewards program.
Both my children and we had a fabulous time discovering skiing at Horseshoe.  Since Horseshoe is a located at the natural snow belt, it is a wonderful place to learn downhill skiing as they have fresh snow all the time.  Just thinking back to our experience makes me happy :) and makes us want to put on a pair of skis and head up the hill.
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January 6, 2013

Scenic accommodation and dining at Horseshoe Valley Resort

At the first sight of snow my family and I get very excited to get outdoors and have fun.  During the December holidays when we had some snow in Toronto, we were too sick to go out and enjoy it :(  However, I am glad we had planned to go to Horseshoe Resort in Barrie, Ontario before the school holidays ended and miraculously got well a day before our trip.

December 24, 2012

Egg carton characters

To make this girl and boy with the baseball gear we needed...

1 egg carton
scissors
glue
markers
and things found around the home to decorate
* cloth
* plastic craft lace or gimp
* ribbon
* tissue paper
Children will need help from an adult to cut the cups from the egg carton.  Once it is cut just play with it and let your imagination take over in creating a variety of different things.
After creating this girl and boy with the baseball gear, we were able to make up our own little story behind it.
"Is she still looking at me?"
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December 9, 2012

Gingerbread cookies and Celebrating the Joy of December

In the month of December more than any other month through the year, I feel that my family and I tend to be in a celebrating mood :)  The lights, snow, family gatherings, the relaxing feel, cozying up, baking, giving, getting gifts, making new plans, our son's birthday are some of the things in December that we look forward to.  

To keep our children occupied and to make the holiday season memorable we make holiday crafts, bake cookies and go for a drive just to see winter lights covered in blankets of snow.  We made these holiday Gingerbread cookies adapted from Joy of Baking site.  My children helped me bake and decorate, if you would like to make a batch with your little ones you will need...
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg at room temperature
2/3 cups molasses

We can use a paddle attachment in the stand mixer or hand mixer to make the dough.
Beat butter till it is creamy, add sugar and beat till the mixture is light and fluffy.  
Add the egg and beat.  
Spray the container with oil spray before measuring molasses so it doesn't stick to the measuring cup.  Then add the molasses to the mixture and combine.
Add the sifted dry ingredient 1/3rd at a time to the wet mixture.  After adding and mixing all the flour, gather the dough into a ball and cut it into two parts before covering it with a plastic wrap.  Leave the dough in the fridge to chill overnight or until it is firm so it can be easily rolled.
Flour the surface, rolling pin, cookie cutters and hands well with flour and roll the dough about 1/2" thick.  Keep turning and lifting the dough so it doesn't stick.
Prepare a tray with parchment paper and butter before placing the cut shapes.  Space about 1"between the cookies and leave the tray in the fridge for about 10 minutes before baking.  Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.  The cookies should barely brown around edges if baked too much it will become too crispy.  Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
The cookies will stay well covered for up to two weeks if it lasts that long :)
For more holiday cookie and baking ideas check LMD Facebook page as Pillsbury will be sharing their ideas from December 3rd to the 15th and Betty Crocker will be sharing their ideas from December 17th to the 31st.
Disclosure:  I am participating in the Life Made Delicious Ambassador program and receive special perks as part of my affiliation.  All rights reserved on photographs and opinion of the written content Createwithmom © 2012.  Please Ask First

November 26, 2012

Win your copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid & Ice Age + Inspired activities

Here are some activities that are inspired by the movies, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Ice Age that you can enjoy with your children and family :)  If you want to know more about the movies check this post.

The activities below are inspired by the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
S’mores, the yummiest camping treat that can be made indoors.
You will need...
graham crackers 
milk chocolate
large marshmallows

Place a couple pieces of chocolate on one half of the graham cracker. Place the marshmallow on a skewer and hold it over the stovetop on high heat.  Once it is toasted place the marshmallow on top of chocolate and stack the other half of the graham cracker on top.

Other ideas...
Why not build a tent with ropes and sheet in the living room.  Or cozy up and watch a marathon of movies, if your kids are up for it :)

Activities that are inspired by Ice Age: Continental Drift 
Watch a movie in the theatre with dad, then eat out and talk about the movie.
Go shopping for something specific so both you and dad will enjoy the experience.
Do a DIY project together, however before doing make sure mom approves :)
During good weather camp out or take a trip to the zoo.
Giveaways
2 people can win a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Blu-ray   
1 person can win a copy of Ice Age: Continental Drift Blu-ray and an acorn ice-cube tray gift pack 
These giveaways are open to people in Canada and US, ends on December 15th.  Please enter the giveaways through the rafflecopter below and please make sure to leave a comment. 
Update: The winners are Jennifer and Dawn 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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November 11, 2012

Get ready for winter with Pediped

Get ready for winter with reliable boots for children from Pediped. We want our children to be as active as they can during any weather, especially in winter. To be active and enjoy, I think it is important that children have proper footwear.

Pediped meets all the things we as parents demand :) and their shoes are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Pediped footwear are made with quality products that will keep our children's feet protected, comfortable and warm. Pediped has a variety of boots that are stylish, so children will not refuse to wear :)
I like that Pediped puts a lot of thought into their products as they only make footwear for children's growing feet. This Flex Cruz Pediped boots was my son's first choice because it has his favourite colour red. These boots are waterproof and withstands temperatures as cold as -20C. The cushioned insole makes the boots feel real cozy and protects the feet from frostbites. My son eagerly wears these Pediped boots as the weather has been chilly and windy. 
These shoes are lightweight and durable, which allows children to be active. I found the Flex Fit System in the boots useful as it gives an additional insole that can be inserted for a snug fit and can be removed as our children's feet grow.
I am very happy that these boots have slip-resistant flexible soles, which are not stiff so children can move their feet naturally without trouble. It is also easy to clean and maintain the boots.  

These Pediped boots are made with a combination of water-resistant leather and nylon material. I am glad that the boots have velcro, which makes it easy for my little one to put and remove on his own especially at school. The fabulous collection of Pediped boots can be bought at these retail stores or online. 
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November 7, 2012

Canada Goose will keep us warm in the harshest of cold climates

Canada Goose has been proudly manufacturing jackets for over 50 years in Canada.  I totally think they understand all the features we need in a jacket to stay warm during cold climates.  The authenticity, ingenuity and the years of manufacturing makes these jackets special.  All Canada Goose jackets have an Arctic disc symbol that depicts the features of the traditional Arctic map and creates a sense of community.   
The vision of the Canada Goose jackets are born in the designing room, where about 56 pieces are needed for an average jacket to be perfectly mapped out, cut and sewn. The craftsmen at Canada Goose use a variety of tools, including the Fedlock Dual feed sewing machine from the late 1920s to make these extraordinary outerwear.  The whole process of creating the jackets are monitored by experienced, skilled people that have been a part of the Canada Goose team for over 25 years.  They make sure no thread is overlooked as they inspect each jacket by hand to meet the highest standards of craftsmanship.
  
Each ounce of down used in the jackets are about 2 million fluffy filaments that interlock and overlap to create insulating pockets of air, which will keep us warm in the harshest of cold weather.  The down is used from the poultry industry, so no birds are harmed for the purpose of getting the feather.  Canada Goose only uses hypo-allergenic, lab-tested feathers and down from the Feather Industries approved vendors so all policies, philosophical and ethical positions are shared.  I don't own a Canada Goose jacket, however when I wore a variety of jackets at the Canada Goose 2012 Fall & Winter fashion collection event held in Toronto, I felt the coziness and comfort of these jackets.  Canada Goose says, that if we care for our jackets well it will last for generations.    
Most Canada Goose jackets have Canadian coyote fur around the hoods for functional purposes and not for fashion.  Canada Goose spokesperson said, the reason they have always used coyote fur in their hoods are because it doesn't hold water, never freezes and the uneven length of hair on the fur creates a windbreak protecting our skin and face from frostbite.  Canada Goose will continue to use coyote fur in some of their jacket hoods for functional purposes and also because this supports sustainable industry and the way Canadian aboriginal communities in the North live.  If you are not into the fur and will not need the fur, there is an option to remove it or buy Canada Goose jackets that don't have the fur.  
The jackets are lightweight and perfectly stitched, as I didn't see any feather plucking out.  The fashionable and functional designs are well thought-out, which makes the jackets ideal for all types of winter activities.  There were a variety of jacket choices for us to choose from i.e. different colour, designs and lengths... but I instantly fell for the berry coloured, knee length jacket :) I like the special features of the jackets such as the extra long fleece lined stretch cuffs that have thumb holes.  


Canada Goose has a wide collection of jackets for men, women and children to suit all types of lifestyles.  Canada Goose also has quality accessories such as headwear, neckwear, gloves, scarves, mitts etc... that we all need during the season.  I really like their 100% knit cozy merino wool scarf, which is already keeping me warm.


These jackets sold all over the world keep many people from freezing during the harsh cold climates.  When buying Canada Goose make sure it is authentic because there are lots of counterfeits.  Here is a link to the online stores and retailers. 
All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First