Gifts that won't collect dust

As the gift giving season quickly approaches, I glance around my children's bedrooms and see a lot of wasted money. Sure the toys initially brought them joy. He loved the Crayola book and Lego sets, she went bonkers for the tutus and play purse, but the joy wore off PDQ(pretty darn quick).

 Now, they get scattered around the house and have become the bane of my domestic goddess-ness. Lego and doll clothes EVERYWHERE.

I have friends and family who are in the same boat. Toys-r-Us vomited all over their house and the little ankle-bitters are asking for more. Well, I can't do it. Hubby and I have bought a few gifts, but for friends and family, mostly family as they will understand are getting gifts that do not collect dust. EVER.

I have compiled a list to help inspire me and hopefully you too:

Gift giving for kids is tough. Especially when that kid has a large family.
Cooking classes ie: PC Cooking Classes or Petit Chefs Academy
Tickets to the Toronto Zoo
A session of swimming lessons or gymnastics
A donation to a charity Toronto Hospital for Sick Kids, McMaster Children's Hospital, world wildlife fund, world vision or local food banks.
Movie gift cards

Now the question, is what to get them, what would they enjoy and most importantly, what am I willing to spend!

What non-dust collecting gifts are you contemplating this year? What ones have you gotten that were worth their weight in gold??

Take Time before Time Takes

I wrote this post a few weeks ago, I just dug it out again to tweak.

Took a walk tonight with the kids after dinner. It was spontaneous and I don't think they knew what we were actually doing.

Its' strange that its October and there are still mosquitoes buzzing around, days before Halloween too!  I certainly swatted away my share tonight.

The walk was fabulous, kicking up dry, crunchy leaves and holding hands. My daughter found her share of sticks to start spontaneous sword battles with her brother. After cautioning about eyes and never watching TV again, I stood back. I watched as my tech-hungry kids, became just kids. The smiles and laughter  that sibling bond that is hard to describe and even harder to break.
There was definitely magic in the air.

 It feels like just a short time ago, my son and I were digging for worms in the yard, now at 6.5 he`s too busy riding his bike to friends houses. Soon, my little snugly 2 year old will be obsessively jumping rope and playing in some one else`s yard. My big brother did it, so did I. Will they still be able to truly act their age on a whim? Will they let me bear witness?

I know this post is short and sweet, but so is the time we get to adventure like this with our children.

How to Meet Bieber.

My friend Heather Stewart has this amazing family. Four and a half years ago, her daughter Kathryn was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a very serious form of juvenile cancer. After a very harrowing road and a lot of prayers and sleepless nights, Kathryn has been cancer free since March 2012. Thanks in HUGE part to the fabulous team at Toronto Sick Kids Hospital, this spunky, bright little girl can get back to having fun with her friends and family.

Kathryn and little bro Geoff this past summer (thanks @JenGPhotog)

This December 1st, Heather is taking Kathryn and her friends to see Justin Bieber. It's going to be a great day of serious girl time. What would make it better is for Kathryn and her friends to have a chance to meet Biebs and his crew pre or post concert. Like any parent she wants the most for her kids. In this case, she is hoping for an extra special day for her 9 year old girl Kathryn .

 On her Facebook page, Heather wrote the following: 




"OK I have a little request which costs nothing but a moment of your time. We have tickets to Justin Bieber on December 1. I have been writing to his record label Universal Music Canada to set up a meet and greet with Kathryn and her three friends and Justin Bieber/Carly Rae Jepson. I am writing to ask if you will write to them to support my request. I would ask that you "like" my comment and "share" and also send a message to Universal Music Canada (on facebook) to ask them to grant this request. Perhaps this pressure will help me get this wish fulfilled for Kathryn and three wonderful young ladies who have been wonderful friends to Kathryn throughout her journey with cancer. Thanks!"

Let me stress that Heather doesn't need tickets, she has them. She just wants Kathryn to have a chance to meet Justin and have a great memory with her girlfriends and mother. I'm sure with enough letters, and gentle "nudges" to Universal Music Canada (email them by clicking here!), we can help make this happen.

Lest We Forget.....

World War 1 ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the11th month of 1918. It is observed in the Commonwealth countries since then, inorder to remember and respect the men and women of our armed forces who werekilled in the line of duty. The Treaty of Versailles was actually signed onJune 28th of that year.

In grade 2 or 3, when it was still a school holiday, I camedown the stairs one Nov 11th morning and wished my parents a Happy Remembranceday. I remember being devastated by what my father told me had happened in thewars. Until then, I was so naive, so green.

 As I got older, Ifound myself drawn to my curmudgeon grandfather. Mac was more complex than helet on.  Although he preferred not totalk about it, there were times he'd get nostalgic and I was lucky to be thereto catch him. He  told me stories ofmeeting fighter pilots in  WW2 , of whenthey arrived in Belguim and sadly, of never seeing them again. This must havebeen horrible for him, a young farmer from Dunchurch, Ontario.He told me, after the 4th or 5th failed to return, he stopped trying makefriends. In the midst of such a crazy, scary time, it seemed to me, he waslonely by choice. What an awful fate. No wonder he chose not to revel in thisdark memory.

The total number ofmilitary and civilian casualties in World War I was over 37 million. There were over 16 milliondeaths and 20 million wounded ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history. ( Thank you Wikipedia.)

In this deadly conflict, and the ones that followed it intohistory, the greatest victims were children. Innocent of any malice and totallyundeserving of the brutality brought down upon them. Childhoods were robbed.

How do we then teach our children, whom we want to protectwith the  fierceness of a rabid motherbear, about the true meaning of the sacrifices made on those battlefields,homes, and beaches?

I really don't know, but I do my best to tell my son aboutthe men and women he sees in uniform today. I explain that they left home, wentto countries across the sea and lost good friends, in order for their fellowCanadians to be free. I tell him about the elections, the free education andgood health care we enjoy and that not all countries are so lucky.

I just pray he understands.

Until then, this is as good as it gets:

"Soldiers went to fight and die for our country. Somejust went and died so they wouldn't have to listen to their kids anymore."Simon, 6 ~ Nov 1st 2012

Auld Lang Syne

Oh wow, we got it! My fave print shop came through AGAIN!
 I love a good working relationship. Yes, on this rainy Friday, we are feeling super positive.

Without further ado, here is the poster for our fantastic 2nd Annual New Years Family Extravaganza!

I am working with Mad Science to organize some amazing experiments for the kids to work with.
Can't wait to see you there with your little ones as we say good-bye to 2012 and welcome all the amazing possibilities to come in 2013!
Contact me to get tickets! barnilay@gmail.com

Hey, look, it's a Wolf!

This blog isn't about Team Jacob, or Monroe from Grimm. Not even the wolf  in sheep's clothing, although brand names are being accepted.

This blog is about the proverbial wolf. The wolf that turns your sweet, dewy faced, cherubic off-spring into Pinocchio.  Yes, that wolf.

Today my son had to sit alone at his desk while his classmates participated in fun games. He did nothing to deserve this punishment. He cried a little.
My husband was angry at his teachers ridiculous method of punishment. I was irate.

We were going to call the school and request a meeting.
Then Pinocchio told his father he was only joking. His day was just fine, he was able to engage in all kinds of fun times at school.  He even got to take the attendance to the office.
The joyful fruit of my womb is a very accomplished tale teller. 
 He's just 6.5 years old.

Thus began my sons indoctrination into Aesops Fables. Leading with a shouty version of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
This morning, I scoured the web for information on why kids do this. The lies are exasperating and annoying, yet seemingly a normal step in their development. Does this mean we parents should grin and bear it? Not at all. While a crucial step in social awareness, we are right to call them on it. However please be a little less rage-filled than we were.

Read this article  by Juliette Guilbert of Parenting Magazine . It sure shed some light on what I call the Pinocchio phenomenon.

What whoppers have your darlings told? How did you deal with it?