Back To School Thoughts from the Mom

Sep 06 2010

Posted by Guest as Adventures in Parenting, One Parents Perspective

Dana is a Kamloops Mom to three; two school-aged and one not quite yet.

“When I sit and actually think about back to school I have mixed feelings.

On one hand I am excited.
I am excited to go school shopping and see how the kids have grown as I pick out what I think is their size but
when I hold the pants up to them they only reach down to their knees….yup, they’ve grown again this summer!
I am excited to watch them interact with their friends again after not seeing them for most of the summer. The grins are endless on that playground the first day of school. I am excited to take them to school and come home to an almost empty house and enjoy a hot cup of coffee in the ‘a lmost’ peace and quiet I am excited to see who their individual class teacher is and watch them stretch our kids in different areas that we don’t get the opportunity to do at home. I love seeing their personalities shine and how excited they get about school projects and activities.

On the other hand, I will miss hanging out in our jammies ’til whenever we feel we should finally get dressed for the day.
I detest making school lunches and trying to keep them interesting day after day for 10 months. I will actually miss hearing the cartoons on the tv while I putter around the house.

All in all September is an exciting time of year for our family. Do you remember the first day of school when you were a child? I remember riding my bike to the school every day for the last week of August waiting anxiously for the class lists to be posted on the door.
I remember the great feeling of reuniting with my friends and making new friends.
I remember picking out my desk for the year and putting all my brand new school supplies in it eagerly waiting to use that nice pink eraser for the first time and break into a fresh journal using my freshly sharpened pencil crayons.
I remember being way too hot wearing my brand new long sleeved school clothes that I insisted on wearing…..because I was so thrilled about my new school wardrobe; but it was still summertime weather outside.
Well, nothing has changed. It is still all the same great feelings for our kids as it was for us when we were young.
Back to school is a wonderful time of year, and we feel so blessed to live here and have such amazing opportunities for our kids through our school system.”

Melissa is another Kamloops Mom of three young ladies; two of which are heading back into the classroom, tomorrow.

Melissa smirks and says “reasons I am looking forward to the kids being back at school:

1. the kitchen table might stay clutter-free for more than 30 minutes during the day

2. the phrase “Moooooommmmmy!! She hit/bit/punched me!” will be non-existent between the hours of 8:30 and 2:30 Mon-Fri on regular school days

3. the toys/games/blankets/pillows ALL OVER the freaking place will be gone!

Come on September 8th!”

Miranda is a Kamloops homeschooling mom to six, with another on the way.
Miranda says, “Back to school has always looked a little different to our family as homeschoolers. We don’t tend to follow the traditional school year holidays so every year will look a little different as life changes. I have noticed a few patterns in our home, rather than the next grade starting in September our natural switch over seems to be May/June. While summer does become more relaxed we still do a lot of our studies during this time. This is our 7th year homeschooling and another trend I have noticed is we always have took the month of December off. But September has always brought a time of back to schedule and focus that I really enjoy.”

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Another Dimension: The KamloopsParents.Com Directory

Sep 03 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as One Parents Perspective, Ongoing Events, Parenting Resources, What's Going on in Kamloops

Did you know that there is another dimension to KamloopsParents.com? Have you checked out our directory? Over there, on the far right, there is a link that you should look at. There are numerous pages of family-friendly businesses and activities as well as different resources for play groups, hobby groups, interest groups, and a directory of parents working from home. Need a local photographer? Need ideas for a birthday party? Check out the site! I’m always working at updating the directory so if you know of something that needs to be added, or something that isn’t correct, just let me know!

If you or someone you know runs a family-friendly business or works from home and you would like to spread the word on KamloopsParents.Com, just let me know! You can e-mail me at elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com and we can arrange to get you promoted through the site. The business directory features free business listings and a number of affordable advertising packages on six month terms.

If you have any questions, just send them my way. If you want to get involved with KamloopsParents.Com, there are lots of ways you can! I accept guest submissions and articles, anytime. Reviews and Craft and Recipe Ideas are always welcome, too! Do you want to be a fitness-feature parent? Just e-mail me!

Well, did you go look yet?

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September Newsletter

Sep 02 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting

Thanks for reading the September newsletter from KamloopsParents.Com!

This month, we will be having a craft challenge. What can your child create with a toilet paper roll. Maximum of two submissions per child. Submit the photo and your child’s age and initials to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com by September 30th to win a prize. More information to come on the site to get creating and be sure to watch kamloopsparents.com to win!

Community Fundraisers

Fundraisers are great ways to spend some time with your family – in the name of a good cause, too! You can go out and get pledges, as a family, meeting those that live near you. You can get active in the event as a group, too! Do you know of a fundraising event that you would like to promote on KamloopsParents.com? Events are always posted for free, just e-mail elizabeth@kalmoopsparents.com. There are no shortage of great community fundraisers in Kamloops, this month. Here are a few:

SuperWalk for Parkinsons on Sept 11th

SPCA Paws for a Cause on Sept 12th

RONA MS BIke Tour on Sept 12th

ScotiaBank AIDS Walk For Life

VW Turtle River Race

KamloopsParents.Com is seeking:

crafty-minded people who would like to prepare craft tutorials to share on the site

parents interested in sharing their fitness ideas

parents interested in sharing their perspectives or parenting experiences and stories

parents who enjoy creating in the kitchen who would like to prepare recipes and posts to share on the site

information about great local events (one-time and ongoing) that you might have heard about

Advertisers looking to promote their business to the community

Ongoing Events

The North Shore Artwalk can be found along Tranquille St from August 6th to September 6th. Get out and enjoy walking through the community and enjoying some fantastic local art.

The North Shore Market runs from 4 – 8pm, every Friday until October, in the new Spirit Square on the North Shore.

The Farmer’s Market is open Saturdays from 8am to 12pm between 2nd and 3rd Avenues on St. Paul Street. Also, on Wednesdays on Victoria Street between 4th and 5th Ave from 8:00am to 2:00pm.

Saturday morning Story and Craft time at Chapter’s from 11am to 12pm

Kamloops Public Skating at local rinks. The schedule is subject to change, call 250-828-3387 for more information.

Big Little Science Center Drop-in hours are Thursday and Friday 3 pm to 5 pm and every Saturday 10 am to 4 pm with a show at 1:30 pm at Bert Edwards Elementary (722 Windsor Ave). More information, contact 250-554-2572

Kamloops Gymnastics & Trampoline Center – FAMILY DROP IN SUNDAYS 4 – 6PM
Supervised Open Gym time for the whole family to enjoy! Only $15 for 2 hours of family fun!!! Second visit: $25 Registration Membership Fee Due for each family member.
Purchase Membership Fee online and receive 2 free family drop in visits!!!

For more information on up-to-date events in the Kamloops area, be sure to check out the event calendar and ongoing events at KamloopsParents.Com

September Fit Tip

When working out it is best to train larger muscles first and smaller muscles last. Training large muscle groups (thighs, chest, and back) will take a majority of your energy; therefore you need to train your large muscle groups when you are at your strongest.

Smaller muscles (biceps, triceps, and forearms) should be trained after larger muscles because they don’t require as much energy to train. If you train smaller muscles first then you will not have enough strength left to train your larger muscles.
-Monica Macauley (BALANCE)

September 1st to 7th

It’s Baby Week at Michael’s

The North Shore Artwalk is going on until the 6th, on Tranquille Rd.

Cirque de Soleil performs Alegria with daily shows until September 5th.

At the Wilson House Gallery, Tammi Boudreau’s Show closes September 1st.

The North Shore Market runs from 4 – 8pm, every Friday until October, in the new Spirit Square on the North Shore.

The Farmer’s Market is a weekly Saturday event (on Wednesdays, too) and is a fantastic place to be.

The North Thompson Fall Fair is happening in Barriere, from Sept 4th to Sept 6th.

September 8th to 14th

The Porsche Club of America will be up at Sun Peaks if you want to look at some fancy cars! This event runs Sept 9th to Sept 11th.

Mommy’s Wellness and Nutrition begins on Sept 9th.

The North Shore Market runs from 4 – 8pm, every Friday until October, in the new Spirit Square on the North Shore.

Thompson Rivers University turns 40 years old with celebrations running, at TRU, on September 10th and 11th.

The Farmer’s Market is a fantastic place to be on Saturday morning.

Home Depot hosts their monthly Kids Workshop on September 11th.

The North shore Community Flea Market is happening on September 11th.

September 11th is also the celebration of Kamloops Railway Days!

7pm on September 11th is the next Kamloops Broncos game.

Sunday, September 12th is Grandparents Day at the BC Wildlife Park

September 15th to 21st

Max & Ruby are coming to the Sagebrush Theatreon September 16th at 3:30pm

New Paradigm Parenting hosts a workshop on September 17th and 18th.

The North Shore Marketruns from 4 – 8pm, every Friday until October, in the new Spirit Square on the North Shore.

The Farmer’s Market, itself, is a weekly Saturday event (on Wednesdays, too) and is a fantastic place to be on Saturday

The Kamloops Children’s Art Festival is happening on September 18th. This FREE event is a fabulous way to spend the day with your kids. There are all kinds of great creative opportunities thanks to local artists and the Kamloops Arts Council. The Drum Circle for Unity will be happening at 10:45am, so bring your drum or bucket and join in the fun!

September 18th, the Kamloops Broncos take on the Victoria Rebels at 7pm.

September 22 – 30

September 24th to 27th is the Provincial Winter Fair. Local 4H members show their animals and there are lots of fun displays to look at, over at the KXA.

Septemer 24th to 26th are Kamloops Heritage Days! With lots of great family-friendly events advertised, there will be more information to come.

Sept 24th and 25th are Culture Days at the Kamloops Art Gallery, with Free Admission to all displays.

The North Shore Market runs from 4 – 8pm, every Friday until October, in the new Spirit Square on the North Shore.

The Farmer’s Market is a fantastic place to be on Saturday morning.

September 25th and 26th, BIGCON Interior Gaming Convention is in town.

For even more great events happening in September!

Sometimes events come up after the newsletter has been sent out. Rather than continuing to bombard your inbox with newsletters of events, you can find the event calendar on the main page of KamloopsParents.Com, in the right-hand column. Just hovering over a date will show you that day’s events as well as the posts from that day. Clicking that date will open the events for you to look at, more closely. If you hear of an event that you think we should know about, please do not hesitate to contact us and let us know! You can e-mail elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com

If you don’t get the chance to stop by KamloopsParents.Com, please do! There are lots of great things going on!

Monday to Friday you will find something fresh and family-related

There is a local business directory full of great family-friendly, local businesses

There are great reviews of local businesses and their products

Every Tuesday we share a craft tutorial or creative idea through Crafting with Kids

Every Wednesday there is a recipe or cooking idea post with Kidz in the Kitchen

Each Friday, there is a review of one of the KamloopsParents.Com advertiser and a giveaway!

Once a month we have a post dedicated to birthday parties in Kamloops with our Birthday Party Guide

Once a month there is a new fit tip and a fitness-feature parent sharing their ideas and strategies to getting and staying fit with a family

We are also sharing parenting tidbits, thoughts and perspectives

If you like to write, like to share your ideas or would like to get involved in some way, just e-mail elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com to get in touch!

Remember to pass this newsletter on to those that might be interested and tell them to sign up at kamloopsparents.com to stay “In the ‘Loop” For more information, to read or to share your thoughts or experiences of being a parent in Kamloops please visit the site at KamloopsParents.com

If you know of any great local events or businesses and want to spread the word or want to get involved, just contact us at elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com. Events are always posted on our site FREE!

Have a great September,
~Elizabeth

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Lunch Lunch Lunch: Kidz (are at school, so not) in the Kitchen

Sep 01 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Kidz In The Kitchen, One Parents Perspective

Lunch, lunch, lunch…. do you ever get that?

Where if you say a word enough times you can’t even figure out what you are saying? I mean, who thought of that word… “lunch!” It’s just weird, isn’t it. Anyhow, weird or not, this has been on my mind a lot lately.

Back to school means that the kids are out of the house for lunch. I’ve heard it over and over… how do you keep lunches interesting and fun for your child, so that they actually eat it for the entire school year? Well, as a rookie-school-aged-child parent, I don’t know. I don’t know how to do it and still manage to balance everything else. I don’t know how to do it in the amount of time I have set aside to make lunches (read: very little, I’m sure). So, as I stumble my way through and try and figure it out, I will probably share some ideas with you.

Until then… here are some sources of inspiration for me:

Healthy Kid Lunch Box Ideas

Creative Lunch Recipes

Lunch List

Yummy Lunches

School Lunch Tips and Tricks

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Who Says You Need A Plan?: Crafting With Kids

Aug 31 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Kidz In The Kitchen, One Parents Perspective

There are always great craft ideas to find online, when I need a little inspiration. But, sometimes, it’s just enough to give the kids a word and let them go with the materials I have on hand. ”Rocket” (enough said, for my five-year-old son) ”Pony” (my nearly-3-year-old is all over it).

We always have a good stock of dollar-store items on hand. Glue sticks and white glue, tape, feathers, googly eyes, cardboard, construction paper, funky scissors, popsicle sticks and foam sheets are just a few and provide a good base to add personality to any creation.

Kamloops’ city curbside recycling program is a fantastic thing for the environment. I love it. I smile and say “yessss” every time I see the garbage/recycling truck bins my bins. It’s SO nice to have the stuff off my hands but also makes me feel good to know that I have done my part by filling my recycling bin more than my garbage bin. I also love how it also gives me one place to look when I need a little bit of… ummm.. “junk” for the kids to work with. Cardboard? Usually. A little plastic? Yep. Soup cans? Definitely. Milk jugs? Ummm, of course. If there is something that looks particularly useful, I tend to set it aside in my “To Create” bin. Sooner or later we will get to it.

If I feel like letting the kids go wild I can just tip the bin for a few seconds and get some high-quality imagination-motivation for my little ones. And, the more I get in there with them… the less I mind the cleanup (because it’s my mess, too).

We have a designated craft space in our house. It’s a bit of a disaster at the moment.

But I like it that way.

What have you been crafting? We had friends come over with toilet paper rolls and we made some awesome things out of toilet paper rolls, feathers, googly eyes and foam. What fun! I even got to make the tp roll flowers that I had been ogling as a decoration for my bathroom. Get ready for the toilet paper roll challenge, coming in September!! Check out the next newsletter (Sept 1st) for more details!!

What’s your latest recyclable creation? Care to share it? I’m looking for guest contributors with craft and cooking ideas, so if you want to get involved, just drop an e-mail to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com