The Mamapicks Newsletter is BACK

Thank you to all my loyal readers for your patience during my little hiatus.  The Baby is a plump and sweet 3-month-old.  Whoever said that adding a third child to the family is easier than adding the second?   And thus, the Mamapicks newsletter will now be a monthly feature.

Stay up-to-date with Facebook updates by becoming a fan, and be sure to check the website daily for deals and other goodies!

What To Do This Weekend (Feb. 27th & 28th)

Woofstock! Join thousands of dog lovers and their four-footed friends at the largest outdoor festival for dogs in all of North America.   Woofstock is a free admission non-stop party that takes place at the historic St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood.  Sat & Sun. 10am-6pm.   If you want to punish me, take me to this event and put me next to a drooling dog with quivering black gums.  I dislike all dogs….oh well.

The Spellbinding Science of Perception @ The Science Centre
This is one of a number of new summer programs at the museum.  This workshop will demonstrate how science is key to understanding what’s going on in a magic show.  Visitors will witness, learn and practice simple close-up magic, based on math and psychology principles.
Sundays in July ( July 4, 11, 18, 25) in the Weston Family Innovation Centre, Level 6.  Three workshops daily at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm.

Strawberry Picking at Whittamore Farm will start this coming Saturday, June 12th.  They are plump and juicy!  They should last for 4 weeks and are $ 1.90 per pound.  You can bring your own containers or we will sell containers on the farm.  Always call our Crop Report at 905-294-3275 or visit the website’s Crack of Dawn Report before heading out to the farm.

Jack & the Beanstalk is playing at Solar Stage Theatre (Yonge & Sheppard).  If the forecast still shows rain, a play might be a great choice.

Check out more great weekend events on www.mamapicks.com

Teacher Gifts

In December, I surveyed teachers about their favourite gifts.  The winners were gift certificates to malls and spas as well as personalized stationary.  Losers were soaps, candles and chocolates…

Two personalized notepads from Honey Bunch are currently $23 for the pair and ship in 2 days.  Each pad contains 40 sheets.  Order this week and receive a furochic wrapping cloth for free.  Simply enter the code furochic at checkout.  What’s that?  It’s a cloth you use for wrapping gifts instead of paper.  Don’t worry, I didn’t know either!

Get organized for camp…

Mamapicks loves Mabel’s Labels!  You can label everything from shoes to clothes with your child’s name.  Very important if your child is going to camp soon.  Enjoy 15% off your order with coupon code KIDS.

Lickety Sips

While I was at Walmart buying 20 boxes of diapers last week, I came across these popsicle molds in the “patio dish” aisle.  There are a few great things about these…the lids close properly, it’s a great way to get vitamins into your kids by using real fruit juice, AND near the end when popsicles get all melty, your kid can simply use the straw to slurp the mess away.  Only $2.47 for a set of 4.  If you have any great home-made popsicle recipes, do tell and I will share them here.

Father’s Day Gift Idea

This is a personalized hand-stamped golf marker set which could be perfect for the dad in your family.  It’s my daily Etsy find.  However, I have to admit that I don’t know what the hell a golf marker is.

DIY CD Case Project

Loved this idea of using plastic CD cases to display a favourite photo.  Check out the Country Living website for more details on how to do this yourself.

What To Do This Weekend (Feb. 27th & 28th)

Toons for Toddlers is a great family cinema experience for little ones (ages 2-5).  Enjoy reduced sound, better lighting and special features.  $5 pp.  This weekend, see In The Night Garden – Fun in the Garden.  For details about various times and locations, check the website.

Saturday is opening day for the new Bat Cave a the ROM.  Bigger, better, scarier.  Families will be able to view more bats and highlights include an audio-visual show that explores cave formation, how bats use echolocation and more, and a spectacular dramatization of bats in flight during a nightly exodus for food.

If your kids are into trains, there is a great opportunity to see the Model Railroad Show at the Model Railroad Club (in Liberty Village) on Sunday, Feb. 28th.

Something to do at home?  Bake cookies with your kids…  always fun, quality time!

Check out more great weekend events on www.mamapicks.com

New To This World

Love this fine art print, personalized for a newborn.  Created by an Australian designer (Freya Art & Design)…found on Etsy, of course.

Free Weekly Meal Plans

What’s for dinner?  Ugh.  It’s not about whether you love to cook…it’s about being organized.  I do like to cook but figuring out what to prepare every day and making sure that the ingredients are in the house overwhelms me sometimes. Not to mention that I prepare separate dinners for my husband (who is a carnivore) and my kids (who have the pickiest palates).

I have been using Wovenfare’s free weekly meal plans for quite a while now and I love the great recipe ideas and the weekly grocery list.  I don’t normally use the whole plan, but pick and choose the recipes that appeal to us.  I am going to start publishing their dinner ideas right here on Mamapicks every Thursday.

Here are this past week’s recipes:

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Cilantro Beef Meatballs with Sour Cream Sauce, Roasted Salmon with Butter, Dill and Garlic, German Style Pork Steak with Red Cabbage, Mediterranean Pizza, Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard.

Bon Apetit!

Time to replace your pots & pans?

My mom recently got it into my head after pointing out that some of my pans were scratched and that Teflon is hazardous.  I am not much of a “green” mama so I am no expert on this kind of stuff.  Sometimes I even question recycling because I do want the weather to get warmer, I really, truly do.  However, the thought of Teflon in my kids’ scrambled eggs freaked me out.  I was on the lookout for a new set and found this great deal on Sears.ca.  Save $400 on this Henckel’s 10-piece set of pots & pans.  Regularly priced at $599.   Available for $199 until Feb. 26th.

Best of 2009 Series: Tree House Beds

I think I need to start a new category.  Things I want but can’t have.  These amazingly-amazing loft beds are from a Danish company called Kids Factory.  Their site is in Danish with no English options but I can tell you in very plain English that these tree-house beds are very expensive and that shipping would be a bitch.

Turn your child’s handwriting into a font!

The Boy is now writing.  He mostly writes lists of the names of the kids in his class.  He often makes a dotted outline of a letter for himself (just like on the worksheets at school) and then goes over the dots.  It’s quite charming.  I recently thought about capturing his handwriting style as it develops over the next few years and decided to look for a way to create a font for my computer called The Boy.  I found a website which generates personal fonts.  All you have to do is give your child (or anybody else you want to create a font for) the printable sheet to fill out the letters of the alphabet.  Then, you scan the sheet and the program generates the font for you.  This costs $9.95.  Click here to try it, it’s quite simple…and it’s a really nice way of saving your child’s handwriting, using it for various projects, and sharing it with them when they are older.

What To Do This Weekend (Feb. 20th & 21st)

I am happy to report that a 90,000 sq. ft. INDOOR BIKE PARK recently opened in Markham!  There are designated areas for all skill levels.  You can bring your own bikes or rent equipment on site.  Doesn’t this sound like fun??  Check out the website for more information.  If you go, let me know what you think!

The Wave Pool (Richmond Hill) is a fun outing!  Keep the family active and healthy.

Woodbine Fantasy Fair at Woodbine Mall is a great indoor treat for the kids.  This is Ontario’s largest indoor amusement park and kids just love it.

Check out more great weekend events on www.mamapicks.com

Free Movie Tickets

This coming weekend, get 2 free Cineplex entertainment tickets with a $75 spend at Shoppers Drugmart.

Bath For Baby

We are slowly bringing out the equipment for Baby #3 and I am reminded of my favourite products for newborns.  This bath with a stand that folds, can be easily transferred from one place to another and folds up nicely.  It removes the need for a spacious counter or kneeling over the big bath.  To drain the bath, my father-in-law bought a long and flexible plastic tube from Home Depot and attached it to the draining hole of the baby tub.  Something that never occurred to us!  I think we were quite prepared to lift and throw out the water daily…thank goodness for grandparents.  As far as I know, this model is only available at Dearborn Baby.

Tiny Love Toy Recall

Last week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Tiny Love, announced a voluntary recall of the the company’s wind chime toys. Consumers should stop using the recalled products immediately.  Please note that the image above is only one of a variety of toys recalled/ If the toys break apart, metal rods are exposed which pose a danger to infants and kids.  For more information, please see the Health Canada advisory.  To get a replacement toy, call Tiny Love at 1-888-791-8166.

Best of 2009 Series: Table Playhouses

We celebrated our anniversary this weekend trying to enjoy brunch with the family.  Five adults, two kids.  No one sat for more than five minutes at a time as we all tried to mind my children and have a meal.  At one point, the kids were playing ever so quietly under the table and we all managed to have a conversation.  I thought to myself…wouldn’t it be nice if a family friendly restaurant designed tables that are like playhouses?  Parents sit and eat, kids play underneath.  While there is no such restaurant (anyone??), I did find someone who makes such playhouses!  Miss Pretty Pretty can create a playhouse to fit any size table.  Many playhouse themes available (such as the CupCakery, Royal Castle or Farm) and custom orders are always welcome.  Playhouses range $90 – $150 US.

Sippy Bowls

After seeing these bowls at a friend’s house, I couldn’t help but fantasize about my kids eating their cereal and then sipping up all the milk.  I looked everywhere and couldn’t find them.  I am even on a waiting list at Cayne’s.  Today, by chance, I found them at Walmart (Thornhill location) for $2 a bowl!  Don’t look for them in the baby/kid section…look for them somewhere much more obvious…at the edge of the bedding aisle where tons of (Dora adorned) sippy cups, plates and cups lie waiting.

What To Do This Weekend (Feb. 13th & 14th)

Ummm…this one sounds like the weekend winner for our family  – Toronto’s Kids-fest, Canada’s largest indoor inflatables show.  Located at the International Centre in Mississauga and open Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  The $8 admission (for ages 2+)  includes three stage shows.  In order to enjoy the inflatables, you must purchase a ride bracelet for an additional $15.  A little steep.  Click here for location and hours of operation.

I am happy to report that a 90,000 sq. ft. INDOOR BIKE PARK recently opened in Markham!  There are designated areas for all skill levels.  You can bring your own bikes or rent equipment on site.  Doesn’t this sound like fun??  Check out the website for more information.  The place is open on Family Day.

Little House on the Prairie is playing at the Canon Theatre until Feb. 28th.  This was my favourite show as a kid and I can still hear the end-of-show music in my head has the Ingles girls run down that green hill.  Thank goodness you can’t hear me now.

Check out more great weekend events on www.mamapicks.com

25% off @ Chapters/Indigo/Coles

Click on the coupon to print.  Valid until Feb. 14th.

Paper Lanterns

These paper lanterns are surprisingly simple to make!  Even if you don’t celebrate Chinese New Year this weekend, I think they make for a fun project on a cold day.  All you need is paper (shiny is nice but not a must!) and fasteners.  Click here for detailed instructions.  This idea comes from a newsletter that I really love and receive weekly in my Inbox.  Kids Craft Weekly provides you with great ideas and simple projects that you can make at home with your kids..and it’s free.

Etsy Find:  Custom Stamps

From an adorable Etsy shop called Craft Pudding (gotta love the name!), come these amazing custom stamps for girls and boys.  What kid wouldn’t love their own stamp?  You know those hard-to-shop-for 9-11 year olds?  This might be a great birthday gift for one of those…  Mention that you heard about it through Mamapicks in the ‘notes to seller’, and receive a free surprise little stamp along with your order.

Best of 2009 Series: Love This Shelf!

This shelf caught my eye today.  It is called The Toy & Crayon Shelf and it’s made by a sleek Spanish furniture company called Nine To Nine.  The neat thing about the shelf is that it comes with ready made holes for those stuffed animal legs.  Isn’t it an adorable idea?  So…I was thinking…you can buy an IKEA Lack shelf for not-so-much and drill big holes in it.   And VOILA!  You’ve got yourself an awesome shelf for your nursery.   If any handy mama/papa takes this project on, be sure to send me a photo.

Printable Birthday Invitations

I know, invitations are something you might not want to invest in…but what about $10 for a package that includes as many as you need as well as a whole bunch of other stuff?    That’s the idea behind purchasing a printable birthday package from Happy Papers.  They do the art and you do the printing!  A birthday set includes invitations, circular labels, rectangular labels and tags.  A non-personalized birthday package costs only $5.  Receive the PDF file in your inbox and print as many as you like.

What To Do This Weekend (Feb. 6th & 7th)

The City of Vaughan’s 21st annual Winterfest (Sunday, Feb. 7th, 10:30am-3pm, Vellore Village Community Centre) will feature the following family events:

• Free Kidz Zone with rides and a really nice selection of activities (all day)
• A special story telling concert by Robert Munsch on the outdoor (what??) Tim Horton’s stage @ 11am.
• A tribute to Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus (1:30pm & 2:30pm)
• Autograph signing session with Maple Leaf’s goalie, Jonas Gustavsson (2pm)
• Meet & Greet Sesame Street characters (10:30, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm)

Admission is free.  Click here for the Winterfest brochure and see more about the Kidz Zone offerings.

Check out more great weekend events on www.mamapicks.com

Hyper Parents & Coddled Kids

There is a CBC documentary that may be of interest to you coming up on Feb. 4th @ 9pm on CBC-TV.  Hyper Parents and Coddled Kids explores the parenting trend termed over-parenting and its impact on children.  I’ll be setting my PVR, which by the way, has changed my life almost as much as my children have.

Valentine’s Day Craft

Martha has done it again.  Check out this cute DIY card for Valentine’s Day.  Click here for more information.

Two Great Family Shows Coming Up…

I didn’t know anything about the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga until Chantal Kreviazuk performed there a few years back and we went to see her intimate show (it was amazing).  The Living Arts Centre is a place where community members of all ages come to delve in arts related courses, programs and entertainment.  It’s like a super-high-class community centre.

The Living Arts Centre’s Wiggle Club, showcases great performances for kids.  There are two coming up in March that you may want to buy tickets for:

• Robert Munsch (1pm & 4pm , March 17th)  Tickets are $20-$30.
• Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny (March 28th, 3pm) Tickets are $15-$25

Click here to find out more information about these and upcoming shows at this venue.  To buy tickets offline, call the box office @ 1-888-805-8888

I think show tickets are an amazing birthday gift for a child and accompanying adult if you are looking for an original gift .  If your own child is celebrating a birthday in March and you want to do something unique, you can have the birthday as part of the above performances…  Call 905-306-6158 for more info on birthdays.

Best of 2009 Series: 31 Awesome Cake Ideas

My husband and I always (well, we’ve only had kids for three years…) liked to create our children’s birthday cakes from scratch.  It’s a fun project to do together.  The Boy’s cakes have always been based on a story that he loves like The Very Hungry Caterpillar.    See the unbelievable ideas in this Parenting showcase of 31 cakes. I like the detailed explanations on the photos of the cakes that reveal their nifty tricks.  You’ll need to scroll down for those!

Special Promotion: Alphabet Prints

These gorgeous alphabet prints by Penny People Designs are the type of find that I want to share and keep to myself all at the same time.  My son has one in his room and I can’t help but admire it every time I see it.  I love the concept, the colours and of course…I am 100% into anything personalized (in case you haven’t noticed). The prints come in two sizes and fit into an IKEA  Ribba frame which makes framing so simple.

Lindsay, the talented Toronto-based designer of the prints, just sent me information about an amazing promotion.  For every 13×19 print that you buy, you will get one free.  That’s a $25 saving!  Shipping is $13, but will include as many prints as you like.  To take advantage of this promotion, go to the online store and only place in your cart, the amount of prints you would like to buy.  Upon checkout, enter the promotion “Buy1 Get 1 free” in the notes to seller, as well as information about how you would like to personalize your free print(s).  This promotion runs until Feb. 3rd, 2010.  Please note that everything on Etsy is in US funds.

What To Do This Weekend (Jan 30th & 31st)

Wintercity Festival takes place this weekend and next.  Here are some highlights that are appropriate for kids:

• The National Film Board of Canada is holding free hands-on animation workshops for Winterfest on Saturday and Sunday (12:30-3pm).  Little filmmakers will learn how to create an animated film using clay, paper and stop-motion techniques. Saturday mornings with a different theme each week! Admission is only $5 per child and the accompanying adult is free.  Register at 416-973-3012

• Glacialis: The Ice Orchestra – Jesse Stewart creates and plays music on instruments designed and built out of ice!  Performances take place at Nathan Philips Square on Sunday, Jan. 31st at 5, 6, & 7:40pm.

• Enjoy skating at the outdoor skating rink at Nathan Phillip’s Square.  Skate rentals and indoor change rooms are available.  All kids under 6 need a CSA approved helmet. Rink Hotline: 416-338-RINK (7465)

• Winter Carnival takes place from at the square 4-8pm (Sunday) with traditional winter carnival games, circus acts and family entertainment.

Thinking about registering your kids to camp this summer?  This Sunday (1-4pm), go to the OCA 2010 Summer Camp Fair - hosted by the Ontario Camps Association, Canada Camps for Parents magazine and The Toronto Star.  The fair takes place at Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel (Leslie & Hwy 7).  More than 30 camps will be on hand to talk to families about summer camp.

Moo!

Those of you who know me, know that one of my favourite finds (ever!) are mini-cards by a printing company called Moo.  They are very sturdy little rectangular cards that you can print anything on.  I print photos of my kids…and Mamapicks business cards.  You can use 100 full colour photos, designs or text to make business cards, mom-calling-cards, or gift tags for only $19.99.  Mini cards can be kept in a sleek plastic mini-card holder which makes for a great gift.  Definitely more original than wallet photos!  Moo makes it easy to create with their friendly interface and great prices.  Get 10% off on your first order with this code until Jan. 31st: RKZCMU

Book of the Week (ish)

There is No Such Place as Far Away is one of my all-time favourite books.  It is a beautiful and timeless keepsake for both adults and kids alike.  The author is Richard Bach, who wrote Love Story.  With beautiful water-colour illustrations throughout, this powerful story chronicles a spiritual journey through storms and mountains, to attend the birthday party of Rae Hansen, a five-year-old girl.  The message is that if you want to be with someone who is important to you, you are already there.  This book is a great gift for a child or adult who is moving away.  It really shows how there is no such place as far away when you are friends.

Play-Dough Recipe

If you are home this weekend and are looking for another way to keep the little ones busy, make your own coloured play-dough!   Give your kids cookie-cutters, a garlic press, toothpicks and other utensils to keep them busy. Put the following ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.

• two cups white flour
• ½ cup salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• ¼ cup cream of tart
• a drop of food colouring

Once the mixture is smooth, let it cool and let them play.

Best of 2009 Series: The Best Double Stroller

Two years ago, I was on a mission to find the perfect double stroller for my newborn and 18 month old.  In November, at the Babytimes Baby Show, I finally found it.  I gasped.  How dare they come up with the perfect stroller 2 years too late???

Introducing the City Select for families on the grow.  Made by Baby Jogger, it is a multi-functional stroller that comes with a frame (like the Bugaboo) which allows parents to mix and match seats, bassinets and car seats in order to customize the stroller.  It easily converts from a single stroller to a double.  Simply snap on a second seat!

This stroller just came out this month.  Here is a list of retailers that carry the Baby Jogger product line.

Great Wolf Lodge

We recently spent a night with the kids at Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls.  It was our first time there and by far, the best Winter excursion we could have hoped for.  The water park is immense and there is so much to do at the resort for kids of all ages (arcade, playroom, wave pool, slides, etc.).  The staff and service was exceptional.

The in-house restaurant was a bit bland for us adults but the fact that my 3.5-year- old (picky eater extraordinaire) and my 2-year-old were able to serve themselves at the kiddy buffet with plastic dishes and all the foods a toddler could ever hope for, was a dream.  We took a standard room but got to peak in the other options which offer cool stuff like an in-room cave/tent/log house with bunk beds.  At Great Wolf, they have really thought of everything that families may need.

There is a 2-day sale on currently.  I found that the best deals are for those who are able to stay Thursday & Friday nights (approx. $150 per night in a standard room and $190 in a specialty room).  The sale ends on Friday at 10am and is valid for bookings from Feb. 1st  – March 11th.  Unfortunately, the sale does not apply to Family Day.  Use Promo Code: MULTIPLE.

What To Do This Weekend (Jan 23rd & 24th)

Enjoy High Park’s Winter Fun Day at Colborne Lodge (Sunday, Jan. 24th, 11am-3pm).  Families can enjoy horse & wagon rides, making snowmen, pulling taffy, roasting marshmallows and more.  Bring your own cup and get free cider.  Activities will take place indoors and outdoors on the Colborne Lodge grounds.

Want to do something indoors?  How about painting pottery?  Here are a few options: Mess For Fun (Finch & Dufferin), The Glaze Craze (Locations in Thornhill & Brampton), The Clay Room (Danforth & Broadview), Bisque It (Woodbridge), Artistic Way (near Eglinton & Bathurst).

See Tim Horton’s FREE holiday skating schedule. They currently sponsor these free public skates in many locations all over Ontario.   Check here for locations and schedules.

There are more ideas and events for the weekend on www.mamapicks.com

Costco City Passes

I’ve decided to re-publish some goodies from 2009.  Even I wish that I remembered this one for our recent trip to California since the entrance to Disneyland is absolute financial suicide.  If your travel plans include a trip to a city in the U.S.A., a Costco city pass is a great money-saver.  Available online for places such as Southern California, New York, Chicago, Boston, and more.  A youth/adult city pass is good for 9-14 days depending on location and gets you in to many of the most popular attractions for less.

Etsy Find: Personalized Stickers

Only $10 for a set of 30 stickers.  Cute, no?  What a great addition to a birthday gift.  There are lots of other silhouettes (for boys & girls) to choose from.  Check out Nella Designs.

Toy Recommendation + Sale!

FantaColor Junior has become a favourite around here.  When kids turn 2, they seem to develop a real passion for sticking pegs into holes.   The FantaColor Junior Basic comes with 48 plastic pegs, a transparent board and 16 different pictures which encourage and help kids apply colour recognition.  I love this toy because it develops so many skills and offers an opportunity for focused, quiet play.  Currently, you will find it on sale for $20.99 (down from $29.99!) at Grand River Toys.  Which brings me to the next point – Grand River Toys is having a huge sale (30-50% off a great selection).  The sale has been extended until Jan. 24th so make your order ASAP.

Fairness for the Self Employed Act

As of January 1, 2010 the Government of Canada has introduced the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act, legislation that would provide all Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits, including maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, to self-employed workers.  Find more details here.

Displaying Your Kids’ Artwork

I recently posted some ideas about organizing displaying your kids’ artwork…and just found another idea I want to share.  I think this one is great although it requires a bit more work and possible use of Photoshop.  However, if you do have a photo-printing option at home, you can choose to print out a contact sheet and frame that!  Find more information on the blog of Jen Grant Morris.

What To Do This Weekend (Jan 16th & 17th)

Robert Munsch will be launching his new book ‘Put Me In a Book’ at Chapters Scarborough on Saturday. For more info, please call 416-335-4311

Sounds horrible to me, but some of your boys might enjoy seeing the Monster Jam at the Rogers Centre.  Top trucks from the Monster Jam series will entertain fans with unbelievable jumps, and stunts. Expect the unexpected every time the trucks leave the starting line.  Pizza Pizza kids tickets are $15.  Earplugs for children are recommended.  Check Ticketmaster for show times.

A heads-up since Playhouse Disney Live! On Tour is on stage next weekend (Jan. 23rd-24th).    Let your kids celebrate with their favourite Playhouse Disney pals in this brand new live show which features the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Mickey plans a spectacular music party for all his friends (including  The Little Einsteins, Rocket, Pooh, Tigger and Darby.  Handy Manny and his team of tools find the perfect party beat. Laugh, sing and play along…check here for  ticket information.

There are more ideas and events for the weekend on www.mamapicks.com

Magazine Subscriptions for $1/Month

Today’s Parent is a great magazine with tons of information about absolutely everything for Toronto parents.  You can get a subscription for this great price through Rogers’ magazine service if you are a Rogers cable, internet or phone customer.  Is there really any choice?  The $1 will be added to your monthly bill and you can cancel at any time.  Check here for more info and the magazine selection for this exclusive offer.  BTW, a subscription to this magazine makes for a great little gift for new parents!

15% off at Old Navy

Valid until Feb. 1st, 2010. Click on the coupon to print your copy.

Want-It-Can’t-Have-It

This is another thing to add to the category “things I want, but can’t have”.  I absolutely love it!  I saw this a little while ago as I was surfing through decor blogs and found it on  The Seventy Tree.

Mamapicks Reviews Pinkalicious, The Musical

Pinkalicious, The Musical is currently playing in the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts.  Accompanied by The Boy (3.5) and his girlfriend of the same age, we embarked on a first theatre experience on a Saturday morning.  I didn’t know that the book, Pinkalicious, written by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann, was so popular.  We entered the small and intimate theatre to find tons of excited kids (mostly girls) dressed in pink.  I was really pleased that the theatre was small and there were cute carpets on the floor right in front of the stage.  Parents can sit with their kids on the carpet or on the seats behind the carpet area.

Read More…

Winterlicious!

The only thing that can make Winter a little warmer is good food.  Winterlicious is taking place Jan. 29-Feb.11th and it’s time to book your reservations.  Check out this website for a list of restaurants AND menus so that you know exactly what to expect.  In past we’ve had great lunches at Oliver & Bonacini (Bayview Village) and Auberge Du Pommier (Yorkmills & Yonge) but were very disappointed with Centro (Yonge & Eglinton) because of their very skimpy Winterlicious portions.  If you have any recommendations, please let me know!

What To Do This Weekend (Jan 2nd & 3rd)

I love that my kids have some friends who were born in the Winter months.  Four January birthday parties have shaved 8 hours off of our dreadful Winter weekends.  Hurray for winter babies!

Visit the 52nd Annual Toronto International Boat Show.  There will be an indoor lake, free boat rides and a Kids Boating Zone… all indoors at the Direct Energy Centre.  Kids 16 and under are free.  Saturdays, 10am-7pm and Sundays 10am-6pm, Jan. 9th-17th.

Visit Fantasy Fair at Woodbine Mall. We spent the day there last weekend and the kids had a great time at the indoor amusement park which is made to look like a Victorian village.  There is an antique style carousel, indoor ferris wheel, bumper boats and cars, express train and more.  There is also a soft play village with 3 levels and lots of slides. Open Sat. & Sun. 11am-7pm and someone just told me that if you come for the last hour, ride tickets are half price.

Go to The Wave Pool (Richmond Hill) or any other indoor pool.  Keep the family active and healthy.  Send your husband.
There are more ideas and events for the weekend on www.mamapicks.com

iPhone Apps for kids…and parents

We have all had those moments…when our kids need an instant distraction so that we can get something done.  In an endless line-up at the grocery store or while trying to make an appointment with the doctor, I have been known to shove my iPhone in my toddler’s hands in order to avoid a meltdown (mine).  I have decided to invest ($2) in some iPhone apps that are appropriate for kids and found this website called Tantrum Apps.  Don’t you love the name?  On this site you will find a number of quiz and sound applications that are bound to save you!  I really liked the animal sounds app…

15% off at the Gap

Valid until Feb. 1st, 2010.  Click on the coupon to print your copy.

Entertainment Book Promotion

A reader e-mailed me about this great deal for the Toronto Entertainment Book.  $19.99 + Free Shipping (down from $35).  You can order and view the coupons on this website.  Purchase a second book for only $15 – maybe you have a friend who would want one too.

The Cheesecake Factory

Following a recent visit to Los Angeles and four meals at The Cheesecake Factory, I decided that Canada is still missing one very important thing…this amazing restaurant.  If you are fans like me, you’ll be happy to get the (secret) recipe of their most popular dish, Chicken Madeira.  Check it out on www.mamapicks.com.

Canada’s Wonderland Promotion!

I know it’s hard to think about Wonderland when it’s so cold outside… but there is only one week left to take advantage of this great offer.  You can renew your passes for 2010 for $59.99 or buy new passes for $64.99.  This is about a  $25 saving per pass!  This deal is only available until Jan. 6th, 2010 and Wonderland also allows you to buy now and pay on March 1st, 2010 for no additional charge.  Next year, Planet Snoopy will open which will offer another 2 rides and a show suitable for little ones.

What To Do This Weekend (Jan 2nd & 3rd)

Niagara Falls offers its 27th annual Winter Festival of Lights and the new Rink at the Brink (until Jan. 4th).  They say it’s sort of like the rink at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City but even more dramatic, since it offers breathtaking views of the Falls.  The light festival offers over 125 animated lighting displays and 3 million tree and ground lights which can be seen within the Niagara Parks Winter Wonderland, including the world-famous Enchantment of Disney® displays and the world’s largest illuminated Canadian-American Flag.  The Rink at the Brink offers paid admission recreational ice skating, skate, helmet and locker rentals.

Solar Stage Theatre ( Yonge & Sheppard) presents Cinderella for ages 3-10 on Saturday.  The theatre is small and intimate and I liked how all the kids sat on pillows.  My own kids were unable to sit through a show (we went to see one a couple of months ago) but maybe yours are more into theatre…

Visit the Ontario Science Centre for an OMNIMAX Film.  The Light Before Christmas is an animated tale where two kids are magically transported into a fantasy world complete with Santa and his full team of reindeer.  Other interesting options are The Human Body and Under The Sea.

There are more ideas and events for the weekend on www.mamapicks.com

Kissable

Nothing more scrumptious than a really good lip balm/gloss in December.  Soft, refreshing and kissable.  If the wind is howling and your hair gets stuck to your lips, you know you need to keep looking.  I was in Los Angeles last week and stocked up on anti-bacterial soap at Bath & Body Works.  Yes, I know we have this chain in Canada now but “3 for $10″ sounds so much better than “5 for $20″.  I decided to try the Mint Lip Tint and Mint Lip Buffer and fell in love with both products.  Highly recommended!

Great Coupons!

I was surprised to find that the Help! We’ve Got Kids website (the book is a great resource for Toronto parents) has about 60 printable coupons for places like Melon Head, Olly Shoes, The Shoe Company, and many indoor playgrounds that might come in handy this week.  Enjoy!

Chapters.Indigo

This sale is valid Dec. 26th – Jan. 3rd and applies to regularly priced books.  Includes the kids’ selection too!

Happy New Year!

These is a collage of my Facebook statuses from 2009.  If you want to make your own, go to this nifty little application!  Sort of fun to see what life has been all about.  I wish you all a healthy and happy 2010!