momstown Victoria hosts Alphabet Play sponsored by Post Alpha-Bits Cereal

momstown Victoria moms and preschoolers enjoyed a fun craft, tasty snack and parachute play at our Alphabet Play event sponsored by Post Alpha-Bits Cereal!  Our preschoolers and tots coloured their alphabet placemats with bright, scented markers, then matched the letters in their Alpha-Bits snack to the letters on the colouring sheet. It was a fun and tasty alphabet scavenger hunt that the moms enjoyed, too! Then we played parachute and sang the alphabet song, and at the end, each mom brought home their own box of Alpha-Bits. It was a great event!

Post Alpha-Bits Cereal has the great taste and alphabet delight that kids and moms L-O-V-E! But Alpha-Bits cereal is more than fun and games. Post Alpha-Bits cereal provides a source of 9 essential nutrients plus is an excellent source of Iron and Thiamin, so you can feel good about including Alpha-Bits in a healthy snack! Also check out the Post cereal website for great recipe ideas for Alpha-Bits cereal. 

momstown Alphabet Play will now feature a tasty Post Alpha-Bits Cereal snack in momstown chapters across Canada! Alphabet Play is a monthly program which focuses on early literacy and letter sounds. Join your local momstown chapter to enjoy Alphabet Play and many other high quality programs for your whole family!

momstown Victoria Chef Boyardee Junior Chef

momstown Victoria moms & kids made Chef Pizza-roni Skillet and Ravioli Lasagne at Junior Chef this month! Chef Boyardee makes meal time enjoyable for the whole family by providing quick and easy meal ideas! Yummy enriched pasta, cheese and meaty tomato sauce, Chef Boyardee is a hot and hearty meal or snack. It’s kid approved pasta, and has no preservatives! Combine with different protein options, veggies and cheese for a new take on your regular way to serve Chef Boyardee!

The kids helped to shred the cheese and cut the green pepper and pepperoni for the Chef Pizza-roni Skillet recipe.

The green pepper, pepperoni, Mozarella cheese and Italian seasoning were combined in a skillet with Chef Boyardee Beefaroni.

The skillet was folded into a healthy whole wheat tortilla for a satisfying meal!

Then the kids got busy layering Ravioli, Ricotta and Mozarella cheeses, spinach and Italian seasoning into their lasagne pans sprayed with Pam cooking spray. 

The Ravioli Lasagnes were covered for the moms to take home and bake for dinner!

Each kid received a kid-sized Chef Boyardee apron, and each family received a gift bag with Ravioli, Beefaroni, Pam Cooking spray and a recipe booklet! Thank you, Chef Boyardee!!!

How to Make Chef Boyardee Ravioli Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2 cans (2 x 425 g) Chef Boyardee® Mini Ravioli®, Beef Ravioli or Lasagna

• 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped spinach

• 2 cups (500 mL) grated Mozzarella cheese, separated into 1 cup (250 mL) portions

• 1 cup (250 mL) 2% cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese

• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Spray 8" square or round baking pan with PAM®.
2. Spread 1 can of pasta on the bottom of the baking pan. Place chopped spinach in a glass bowl and microwave for 10 seconds; drain. Spread spinach over pasta and top with cottage or Ricotta cheese, 1 cup (250 mL) Mozzarella cheese and ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) Italian seasoning.
3. Layer second can of pasta. Top with remaining Mozzarella and Italian seasoning.
4. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Allow 10 minutes to stand before serving. 

Nutritional Benefits:

Adds calcium and protein.

Find Chef Boyardee on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/chefboyardeecanada

You can find more recipe and meal ideas:

http://www.chefboyardee.ca/en/recipes/default.html

You can also learn about the Chef Boyardee history:

www.chefboyardee.ca/en/history.html 

momstown Client & Partner Appreciation Party presented by Diggit

Friends and members of momstown Victoria enjoyed delicious appetizers and cupcakes by Crumsby's, Diggitini cocktails, a butler in a tuxedo, a slideshow from some of our 300 events over the past year, and brought home party favours and sunflowers. Thank you to everyone who made this a truly memorable event and year!

Mary Lloyd, founder of "Tinseltots at the Odeon," talks with local teacher and science performer, Glenn Kachmar.

Ian Kula and Kyrie Smith are greeted and announced at the party by Chambers, our butler in a tux!

Dr. Lisa Lau, ND, Martin Newham and Christina Gilbert.

One of our two gracious presenters of the evening. Thank you Erin Richards and Connie McConnell for being so much fun and for making this evening of gratitude possible. 

Thank you to Crumsby's Cupcake Cafe for supporting momstown over the year and for providing the wonderful venue and catering for this event!

I am especially grateful for my members!

Candies and chocolates from Diggit and Tuscan Sunshine soap from Dragonfly Dreaming!

Thank you Diggit for being a fantastic presenter and event sponsor! 

Diggit is so much more than a free marketplace. They're taking a grassroots approach to bringing people together, and they have a beautiful online marketplace where local home crafters, artisans, home businesses and taste makers can connect with local shoppers in a safe and fun environment! 

Check out Diggit and subscribe to their newsletter!

Jr. Sportball Class with momstown Victoria

momstown Victoria parents and kids had an awesome time playing sports and creative games at our outdoor Junior Sportball class! Our kids and toddlers stayed active and engaged with Coach Claudia as they played games that kept them running, chasing, kicking, throwing, and much more.

This 45-minute program is the perfect introduction to Sportball. Children and parents explore different sport skills through creative games, and in a full length program, children would be introduced to a different sport each week. Parents are encouraged to participate and challenge their kids according to their skill level, teaching parents new skills in introducing sports to their kids as well.

Warming up with "Coach Claudia Says."

Launching our ball rockets.

3-2-1 blast off!

Coach Claudia gets a hula hoop bracelet.

Pushing a butterfly through the window.

Bear walking through the jungle.

Hopping towards the mud.

We're #1! Thank you, Sportball!

Thank you to Coach Claudia and Sportball Victoria for this fun and awesome experience! For more information on Sportball programs for ages 16 months to 5 years and beyond, check out www.sportball.ca.

Hockey, soccer, tennis, baseball, basketball, volleyball, golf and football

Parents and caregivers can have a direct hand in a preschooler’s development through a range of Multi-Sport programs. Sportball Junior, Parent & Child and Me & My Dad programs teach children important introductory physical skills and help them develop confidence in their abilities. The programs also help adults understand proven teaching techniques that can be applied outside of Sportball classes. Classes focus on refining, rehearsing and repeating skills and playing games in a fun, creative, non-competitive environment. Classes are conducted once a week in 45-minute sessions – just the right length of time for active little minds and bodies.

momstown Victoria celebrates momstown 6th Birthday Bash!

momstown Victoria was one of the first of 19 communities across Canada to celebrate its momstown 6th Birthday Bash event! Over 400 local moms, dads and kids enjoyed fun activities for ages 0 to 6 with the help of local and national sponsors! These were just a few of the fun things to see and do at our event:

Loot bags, parachute play and special guests were among the birthday fun at this year's momstown 6th Birthday Bash celebration!

Kids made a fun octopus craft with our Platinum Sponsor Island Parent Magazine.

Martin Newham estimates that 80% of the kids passed The Marshmallow Test, sponsored by Investors Group!

Silk Road Tea provided healthy Iced Rooibos Tea for the Nursing/Rest Area.

Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre brought Ollie the Octopus and a microscope lab!

Kids hopped, tossed and balanced with our Fitness & Adventure sponsor in the Jr. Sportball area with coaches from Sportball Victoria.

Clifford the Big Red Dog from Scholastic Canada made a special guest appearance!

Par-T-Perfect Victoria brought Balloon Animals and a huge Crayon Bouncy Castle!

Guests were delighted with these delicious chocolate cupcakes made by Kyrie Smith, a talented baker at Wildfire Bakery.

All the toys in our Fisher-Price Little People Toy Testing area became special door prizes in our final grand prize draw!

Parents and tots could cuddle up and read with our books from Scholastic Canada in Clifford's Reading Tent.

Birthday guests also enjoyed an open kindergym, parachute play, Dora Live Colouring Station, and three amazing prize draws with 18 door prizes in total!

Thank you to all of the sponsors who joined our celebration this year, including Britax, Fisher-Price Little People Toys and Scholastic Canada, Island Parent Magazine, Investors Group, Par-T-Perfect Victoria, Silk Road Tea, Sportball Victoria, Destiny Photography, Victoria Kids Consignment Sale, Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, Dora Live Canada, 4Cats Arts Studio in Oak Bay, Chapters Victoria, Tumblebums and UC Baby Victoria. We hope you had as much fun as we did!

A big thank you to our wonderful momstown volunteers! From left: Katie, Bridget, Sarah, Melissa, Kristin and Nicole. I couldn't have done this without you!

A very special thank you to momstown.ca and Kristin Heimbecker, owner of momstown Edmonton, for providing in-person help and support at the event!

Thank you to Amanda Ingram, owner of Destiny Photography, for taking all of the wonderful photos of our event. All rights reserved.

Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated with us!
We'll see you again next year!

Click here to find out if there's a momstown 6th Birthday Bash happening in your community!

You can see all the pictures of the event on facebook!

If you would like to be a member of momstown Victoria, sign up for your free trial membership here!

Enter to Win A My Little Pony Equestria Girls Doll!

Introducing My Little Pony Equestria Girls!  A magic mirror connects the world of My Little Pony to Canterlot High, where some things change, but true friendships remain magical! The mirror is a portal to a magical new land with high schools instead of castles, and where six pony friends become real girls with a love for fun and fashion. Rainbow Dash is sporty chic, Rarity shines with girly glamour, and Fluttershy dazzles in her own graceful style. Playful Pinkie Pie wears outfits fit for a party, while Twilight Sparkle shows off her smart style, and Applejack loves to look country chic.

Straight from the halls of Canterlot High, the My Little Pony Equestria Girls dolls are best friends with a flair for fashion and fun!  Each doll in the collection comes stylishly dressed in an ultra-chic look and features her signature ‘cutie splash,’ a unique design similar to the cutie marks on their pony alter egos.  Each doll sold separately.

Coming soon to DVD:  My Little Pony Equestria Girls movie on DVD 
August 6th at major retailers across Canada. 

Keep checking the My Little Pony Equestria Girls website 
for upcoming information and fun activities. 

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment about why you'd love to win 
and your email address. One entry per email address.

By entering this Contest, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and accept the terms and conditions below.

No purchase necessary. Contest closes August 6th, 2013 at 11:59pm EST. Open to residents of Canada (excluding Quebec), who are of legal age. Limit one submitted entry per person/email address. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received online by the contest closing date.  One winner will be chosen randomly and contacted by August 10th, 2013.  Winner will not be able to select specific doll characters.

 © 2013 Hasbro. MY LITTLE PONY Equestria Girls is a registered trade-marks of Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FREE momstown 6th Birthday Bash in Victoria on August 10th!

momstown 6^th Birthday Bash!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH, 2013

pearkes recreation centre

10 am - 1 pm

Sportball Kids' Area   Toy Testing Zone  Bouncy Castle

Kindergym   Balloon Animals  Parachute Play

Cupcakes   Door Prizes   Shaw Ocean Discovery Station

Loot Bags For The First 100 Families!

Pack a lunch and prepare for a day of awesome family fun for ages 0 to 6 with our fabulous sponsors! Door prize draws will be staggered throughout the event, cupcakes at noon, and there will be special appearances by Clifford the Big Red Dog and Ollie the Octopus! See below for a complete list of activities and door prizes!

  

ACTIVITIES

• Our Platinum sponsors, Island Parent Magazine & Kids in Victoria, will be doing a fun kids' craft! Look for our IPM note & ad in this month's issue!
• Par-T-Perfect Victoria will be bringing a bouncy castle and balloon animals!
• Sportball Victoria will be a hosting a Sportball Jr. area with coach!
• Martin Newham from Investors Group will be doing a variation of the "marshmallow test" with our kids!
• Check out the Shaw Ocean Discovery station which will have microscopes and "crab hat" making supplies!
• Enjoy free Iced Rooibos tea from Silk Road Tea in our rest area for nursing moms!
• Cuddle up and read with our chapter library of books from Scholastic Canada! Also find a free book from Scholastic in your loot bag, and enter to win a Scholastic book pack in our prize draw!
• Parachute play, free cupcakes and open kindergym area!
• Little People Toy Testing area by Fisher-Price!
• Dora colouring and sticker station and chance to win family pack of 4 tickets to Dora Live Tour!

DOOR PRIZES

2 Free Day Passes to Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre
UC Baby Victoria 3D Gender Assessment plus 4 x 6 Picture 
$50 Prize from Tumblebums
$50 Prize from Par-T-Perfect Victoria
$50 Gift Certificate for Victoria Kids Consignment Sale in September
"The Day the Crayons Quit" book from Chapters Victoria
Book Prize Pack from Scholastic Canada 
Artist of the Month Gift Certificates from 4Cats Oak Bay
$50 towards Sportball Victoria
Fisher-Price Little People Toys from our Toy Testing area
Britax Organic Baby Carrier & B-Agile Stroller
Family Pack of 4 Tickets to Dora Live Show

Thank you to all of our amazing sponsors for making this event possible!

national event sponsors

  

     

   

 platinum sponsor

silver sponsors

mini sponsors

      

door prizes & loot bags

     

  

ONLINE PARTIES = more chances to win!!!
Join us on August 6th for our online Facebook Fan Party!
Join us for our Twitter Party on August 13th 
(follow #momstownbd6)

Is your business interested in joining our party? 

Contact us at info.victoria@momstown.ca for sponsorship info.