CVK in the Community - NeighbourWood Walk No. 3

When I woke up yesterday morning to drizzle and chill, I seriously wondered whether we’d hit the trail for our weekly community walk.

Happily, I trusted the weather predictors (dangerous territory) and it turns out that while they were totally wrong about bright sunny skies this morning (where’s my 26 degrees I dreamed about all night?), they did keep the rain at bay until we wrapped up a fun adventure over at Puntledge Park.

We checked out the amazing blooms including tons of trillium, a few fawn lilies that survived the rains, dogwood and Oregon grape. The fish ladders and the ever-fun Morrison Creek were the hit of the day. Lots of smiling faces!

I know there are at least a few moms and dads who are a bit disappointed about our choice of time and the limited number of walk participants. It’s always tricky finding the balance when starting up something new and I really appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm for our walks. The Summer schedule - which will include two walks a week including a morning and an afternoon stroll - will be out in Mid-June.

Meanwhile, if you are itching to get outside with the kiddos and explore the forest in a fun, interesting way I highly recommend heading out into the forest or onto the waterfront with discovery on the brain.

Keeping a record of what you find while out there is a great way to inspire curiosity, dig deeper into the finds that spark the most interest and see nature with new eyes.

We spend a lot of time over at Hinterland Who’s Who learning about all of the cool things out there before and after any adventure.

Check it out and plug into nature!

For those who are registered, CVK’s third NeighbourWood Walk will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 at the Miracle Beach Nature House in Black Creek. I’m super excited, and the weather is looking great for this walk that takes a look at an ecosystem thriving where the forest meets the ocean. Not to mention we can log some excellent time digging in the sand and running on the beach.

 

CVK In The Community - NeighbourWood Walk Update

It is just a tiny bit overcast this morning. So, I suspect that there are at least a few NeighbourWood Walk participants who are wondering if we are still on for our 1 p.m. walk this afternoon.

Yes.

Weather reports all say that while it will remain overcast for the rest of the day, it’ll be a comfortable 11 degrees with no rain in the forecast for the afternoon.

The Puntledge Greenway is serious fun after a bit of rain. So, make sure to wear boots and rain gear. But, otherwise, we’ll be there at 1 p.m. for today’s adventure!

 

Food & Your Family with Christa Herrling - Freezer Muffins that Rock

Moving to the North Island has turned my family in to a trio of frequent road trippers.

There are piles of friends and hot spots we’ve left behind in our former cities of Vancouver and Victoria, and we make a point of visiting often to soak up a bit of the good stuff we’ve left behind.

Our little person is a pretty amicable traveler.

We always remember to bring along an assortment of happy-making supplies for the road, ensuring minimal boredom and whining for the duration of strapped-in-the-car-seat time.

We have the books. The crayons are packed. Fun music is on deck.

The obvious usually occurs to us after a morning of rushing about and loading up the truck, heading for the gas station on our way out of town.

“What are we going to eat?”

“Did you have breakfast?”

“I didn’t have breakfast.”

“Did he have breakfast?”

And so it goes.

What happens next?

Do we run home, unload the kid and pack a healthy meal and snacks for a day in the truck?

Well, not exactly.

We hit a certain popular donut and coffee joint moments from the gas station, and load up on processed snacks and caffeine.

The kid thinks he’s won the muffin lottery when we present him with the gooey “fruit” variety. Meanwhile, our allotment of travel money and calories has already taken a small dive, before even hitting the highway.

Sound familiar?

I am so not a mom who stays up late the night before hitting the road spending serious amounts of time in the kitchen making loads of trip food.

I’ve come to terms with it.

Travel treats needs to be easier than that.

So, my answer to easy road trip snacking is to have snacks at the ready, packaged and ready to go from the freezer.

The freezer is a big deal for me.

My parents bought one for my husband and I when we first moved out together, my mom being a big proponent of the “make a big batch and freeze it” camp. At first we just used it for storing extra loaves of bread when they went on sale. It wasn’t until I started stowing away servings of lasagna, casseroles, stews, muffins and loaves that I realized the awesome potential the freezer held.

One day of work in the kitchen could yield weeks worth of effortless dinners and snacks.

Today I’ve got a fantastic recipe for Mini Morning Glory Muffins that are jam-packed with nutrition and good calories to get your group from point A to point B without hearing plaintiff cries of ‘I’m hungry!’ from the backseat, and without derailing your budget or diet.

They freeze really well, and if you throw them into your kiddos lunch bag straight from the freezer, the muffins will help keep the other snacks cool as they thaw.

This recipe makes about 48 mini muffins. If you have an extra large bowl and helpers who are eager to grate vegetables, you could double the ingredients, and potentially keep your freezer loaded with home baked snacks for weeks.

CVK loves Tiny Morsels and her brilliant kid-friendly recipes. She is, indeed, a big favourite around here. We highly recommend that you check her out and send her some love in the form of a comment and regular blog visits. The recipes you see from Tiny Morsels are ones she often created herself and we are lucky enough to be able to share them with you here.

Mini Morning Glory Muffins (adapted from Tiny Morsels)

2 ¼ cups light stone-ground spelt or all purpose (wheat) flour*
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated parsnips
1 golden delicious apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup walnuts (finely chopped)
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tins, or line with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until just moistened (and not a second longer). Stir in the carrots, parsnips, apples, pineapples, coconut, walnuts, and raisins.

Batter will be thick, so use a small ice cream scoop to scoop it into the muffin cups. Fill them about 2/3 full, or higher if you like muffins that are big and puffy on top. Bake for 20-24 minutes, then cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

* Gluten-free adaptation:
Substitute spelt or all purpose flour with the following:

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Food brings the family together. Get all of our family-friendly recipes HERE

 

This Week - Empire Days, Summer Programs and School Board Meetings

With the vintage imperial traditions of Victoria Day permeating next weekend, it’s time to declare the Summer season just about in full roar. Helped along by 20+ temps predicted for it all, I’m totally looking forward to a little May Pole dancing and festival festive-ing.

Here’s what’s happening around the area this week:

- Make your plans now for Cumberland’s annual Empire Days (we’ll have a full schedule of fun events later on in the week). While the parade isn’t until 10 a.m. next Monday (May 19), plan for some family-friendly gems including the pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. on Saturday and the Soap Box Derby at 10 a.m. the same day.

- The SD 71 Board of Education will hold a special public board meeting at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, May 13) at 607 Cumberland Road in Courtenay. The meeting will cover items that were removed from the April 22 board meeting including the Cape Lazo School Closure Bylaw reading. Check out the full agenda HERE

- The Courtenay Rec Summer Recreation Reporter will be available tomorrow (Tuesday, May 13) with Summer program registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday (May 14). Call the Lewis Centre at 338-5371 or The Filberg Centre at 338-1000 for more information.

- The Comox Recreation Spotlight on Recreation Guide will be available May 28 with registration for Summer programs starting May 30. There are some amazing programs this year including kayaking, road hockey and the beloved Hands-On Farm. So, make sure to check it out.

- Youth ages 12 to 17 can now sign up for the Comox Valley Volleyball Camp. The Summer camp runs from July 7-10. Call Brian McAskill at 338-6735 for more information.

- The Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens Art & Bloom Festival kicks off this weekend. Head out from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday to check out work from amazing regional artists. The cost is $6. Call 338-6901 for more information.

- You can now get your FREE Emergency Guide to help your family prepare for natural disasters and other emergencies. They are available at Courtenay City Hall, Comox Town Hall and all local fire halls. It’s a great guide with tons of important information. So, be sure to get one.

- Parenting Coach Dr. Carl Ivey is hosting a seminar on healthy eating for families from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. this Saturday (May 17) at the Ironkettle Restaurant in the Campbell River Commons. 1414 Ironwood Street in Campbell River. The cost is $50 per person and $75 per couple and registration is needed. Call (250) 286-0542 for more information.

 

The Mompreneur - Carol Anne Parkinson

Motherhood, it changes you.

While there’s a whole list that involves sagging and wrinkled, exhausted and emotional that can be wrapped in there, for many women becoming a Mom takes life to a whole other level.

It brings out our genuine loves, forces them into places creatively and personally that reveal talents and ingenuity unrealized until that point.

It inspires.

Moms see a need and create the solution.

So, this May we celebrate the genius of Comox Valley women who turn the lessons of parenthood into a resource for the community.

We celebrate local Mompreneurs.

Mompreneur: Carol Anne Parkinson
Age: 36
Business: Kindermusik with Carol Anne and director of the Comox Valley Children’s Choir
Town: Comox/Courtenay
Tell us a bit about your work: My primary focus is to bring music enjoyment and education to children. Kindermusik includes children newborn to age 7, the choir picks up for the 7 and up crowd.

All through university I worked in the retail sector during the year and tree planting in the summer. I realized then that I was incredibly self-motivated and received more gratification from the ‘piecework’ (tree planting) environment than I did working on an hourly basis.

What made it possible? It was more a function of necessity at first - my position directing a church choir in Vancouver ended and I needed to ‘make work’ for myself doing something I enjoyed doing.

Why the Comox Valley? Comox Valley was a natural choice for me for two reasons. I grew up here and had family here and the arts community here is so active and vibrant. This is an educated community in terms of the arts and people value high-quality instruction which I knew I could provide.

I started here by teaching voice lessons (up to 50 students a week) and founded the Nova Voce Choral Society. Kindermusik came later.

The greatest challenge for me when I had Christopher was realizing that I could no longer teach voice lessons from my home and still parent the way I wanted to.

That is where Kindermusik came in. It allowed me to still bring the joy of music to families, but to teach classes outside of the home. This way I feel like I can reach the most amount of people with the least amount of time away from my children.

Greatest challenges now - I think it is trying to balance quality time. I am a morning person - so leaving my prep for work until 10 pm really doesn’t work for me. I love to work in the morning, but I also love to be with the kids. I think time will always be the greatest challenge.

I’m not even sure. Sometimes when I do get a chance to be by myself I feel a little lost. I love to do things that are quiet. Work in the garden in summer, cross-stitch in winter.

The best thing I can do is to do a good job in the classroom with the children. Happy kids and parents are my best form of advertising.

Word of mouth for me seems to attract like-minded parents in my target market. I keep in touch with my contacts through email and the odd snail mail. I reach most of my new contacts by giving free classes at community services (Baby Talk, Little Cruisers, church groups).

Why? Newspaper ads are expensive for the return, whereas my talents are in the class with the children. If I keep improving my skills there, then the classes seem to fill themselves.

My toughest lesson was when I spread myself too thin and still thought I could do everything on my own. The biggest success? My biggest success is from realizing my own limitations, focusing on my strengths, and finding or paying for help in the tasks that are better done by those with strengths in other areas.

When I did my Kindermusik training, one of the activities was to draw yourself as you were at the time - what was happening in your life, what were your thoughts. My picture was total and complete chaos. I was in the middle with a zillion thoughts swirling around in my head.

Then we were to draw a picture of what we visualized ourselves like. My new picture had family in the middle, and then a place for work and hobbies. Simple. Clean. From that we were to take away a word that then was to become our ‘guiding force’ per say. Mine is Serenity.

My new picture was calm and peaceful with everything in its place. I keep the word Serenity on a yellow sticky to my moniter. When I can’t find it anymore I know my priorities have gone astray.

My mother has always taught piano lessons from our home. She was my role model for that. When I started Kindermusik, I would have to say the training material was fantastic and provided more guidance than anything else.

My kids, well they won’t let me get lost, Mommy, mommy. mommy. mommy…..I am so relieved that I love being a Mom.

My husband? Well that IS a challenge. We both agree that we don’t spend enough time together, but we also realize that these years when the kids are so young requires super-human strength and endurance. We are up for it.

We now spend our time together multi-tasking. we clean up together, we exercise together. I moved the nice TV to the exercise room and we take turns riding the spin bike or doing BOSU/pilates/yoga while watching a movie instead of sitting on our butts eating. We go out for breakfast sometimes while the kids are with Grandma - we don’t like anyone else to do bedtime, so nighttime dates are out for us.

No plans. I think just working enough to keep our family, home and community sustainable is enough for me. We keep our expenses low, so that we can work a minimal amount. No point in working more than necessary as it takes away time from the family.

Realize your passion and maximize your time away from your kids. If your passion is sewing, spend your time sewing - not marketing/accounting. Pay someone to do that or you will get bogged down and resentful of your job because it will be taking you away from your passion. Keep your priorities in line as much as you can.

Of course there are times of chaos, deadlines to be met, etc. But those times cannot become the norm if you want to have the energy to parent with any creativity or consistency.

With so much available online for me through Kindermusik, I don’t think this applies.

Kids Clutter, Comox Valley Freecycle, Comox Valley Kids, save.ca as well as Swimplan which is my latest find. It prints out a new swim workout so I don’t get bored with my pool workouts. I also download Vinyl Cafe podcast every week to hear about Dave and Morley’s latest escapades.

Final thoughts: “Becoming a parent has been my greatest experience by far and has been the only thing that keeps my priorities in line. It gives me greater compassion for other parents. It shows me that all children are sensitive and have special needs.

My children have taught me that it doesn’t matter where we live or what we drive, so long as I can make them laugh and read them stories, everything is right in the world. I work just enough to feed my mind and keep the bills paid. Any more than that and I miss out on stories and hugs, and what would be the point of that

That is the best part!”

 

The Rainy-Day Book Club - Discovering Living Books

When we first started talking about homeschooling our daughter, I started to read.

I researched nearly every homeschooling philosophy out there, scanned blogs, subscribed to newsletters, checked out and pored through a huge pile of books from the library and realized pretty darn quickly that we are an eclectic secular homeschooling family.

There are bits and pieces from different schools of thought that really suit us. Art and nature-based learning from Waldorf. Theme learning from Unit Studies.

One that has reshaped the way we look at stories is Charlotte Mason’s theory on living books.

In a nutshell, living books are those that are “well put” and “well told”. They bring a place, time or idea alive through imagination, a tangible sense of humanity and inspiration.

That all sounded broad and vague to me at first.

But, then I started taking a look at books that I loved as a child (my mother had a classics-only rule in our house. I read a lot of Robert Louis Stevenson, Aesop’s Fables and C.S. Lewis), looking up authors that Mason’s followers recommended, and as our daughter and I read them together, I began to understand.

These books - and many others from Waldorf and Montessori reading lists - seemed to come alive in our hands.

Even though I read them to her as she fell asleep, the tiny person would wake up in the morning and want to retell the tales. She’d make up her own versions, want to dig into discovering the characters and recreating the worlds that spontaneously appeared from the pages.

We went from short board books to long, immersive tales that remained age appropriate, but took us both to a new level of stories and learning.

The nature nut tends to prefer tales that bring the forest alive. That is how we discovered two remarkable classics that most definitely fall into the “living books” universe and bring life in the woods into the realm of childhood.

Legendary children’s author Robert McCloskey has honestly taken me a while to warm up to. For me, it’s all about starting off with the “right” book in terms of getting me to come back. We first met McCloskey by test driving a tale that was more for a 2nd or 3rd grader and found it a tough read - so I backed up from him.

But, he kept showing up in our lives.

So, I asked our fantastic librarians at the Courtenay Library and they energetically passed along Make Way for Ducklings.

Written in 1941, this wonderfully spirited book about a family of ducks whom the city of Boston rallies around to help them reunite is sweet, connective and full of heart.

I love books that bridge the generation and gender gap, connect you to a place (it gives you a wonderful feel for the spaces and places of mid-20th-Century Boston and a statue of the mother duck and her ducklings stands in the Public Gardens today) and build a sense of community (we are really into reinforcing the teamwork philosophy around here lately).

On top of that, McCloskey’s illustrations make this Caldecott winner jump off the pages, as if the ducks could stomp right through the house.

Warning: I am about to gush.

When I cracked the cover on Thornton Burgess’ The Adventures of Mother West Wind’s Children the first night we brought it home from the library, the first few pages, filled with vintage illustrations of Green Meadow life sold me right there.

Then, as we began to explore the stories of Danny Meadow Mouse, Grandfather Frog and Reddy Fox, the tiny person and I discovered a world the likes of Beatrix Potter, Narnia (although far less scary) and The Velveteen Rabbit.

Written in 1911 and now only available through used book sellers and the library, this absolutely magical set of short stories is one of an 8-book Mother West Wind series that can easily claim a spot among the most beautiful writings in children’s literature.

Author Thornton Burgess found his inspiration in forest as a renown naturalist and conservationist, crafting more than 170 books during half a century of writing - including the beloved tales of Peter Rabbit.

The Mother West Wind series was among his first published works and carries with it the charm and simplicity of the early 20th century as well as a way about the vignettes which teaches profound childhood lessons (acceptance, persistence and teamwork) through the stories of nature.

This group of 20-page tales is absolutely magical for older toddlers and preschoolers as well as fantastic early readers for the K-2 crowd that get the imagination roaring and can be translated into time outside in search of the sites of Green Meadow.

If there is one set of stories I’d ever recommend for all ages - The Mother West Wind series is it.

Stories are the stuff of magic. Check out all of our Rainy-Day Book Club recommendations HERE

Robert McCloskey book cover courtesy of Viking Publishing

 

Your Active Community with Patti Fletcher - Mom & Baby Yoga

BB (Before Baby) my relationship with yoga constituted the primary focus in my life.

I discovered it in early 2002 while recovering from a lengthy illness, when I needed the space to focus on physical well-being in a quiet, centered way. What I discovered was the doorway to a healthy head that began with working out the kinks in my back and knots in my hips.

A few months into it all, Ken would send me off to class with a reminder that - if we worked on hips that day - I was supposed to tell him so he could plan to work late. I laugh now, but it was true. Hip work brought out the worst in me emotionally. But, eventually, yoga became the salve rather than the spoon stirring the pot and we both loved it.

The zen buzz and quiet space gave me the chance to truly enjoy pregnancy. It was my time to bond with our daughter in a very intimate way, something that looking back upon I consider priceless.

I totally admit that my struggles with motherhood early on including a hard whack of postpartum depression entirely derailed that yoga practice. But, the time I spent on the mat still allows me to work out a few kinks and refocus on those days when life is in overwhelm mode.

So, when you run down the list of mama workout options, yoga is most definitely in there. What momma doesn’t need some Zen in all of chaos?

Here’s Patti to share some perspective on why:

Throughout a childs’ lifetime, the opportunity for them to participate in recreational activities with Mom are many and varied, but the very first year is critical and the very first opportunity to recreate together starts in the womb.

One of the most valuable and popular programs to experience while pregnant is pre-natal yoga. Pre-Natal yoga programs are designed to allow for the mother to gain physical and emotional strength, while the child within gains a sense of calm and confidence. This quiet practice allows for precious time during which Mother and child can relax, breathe and focus on the new and exciting days to come, together.

Following the birth of a child, yoga programs are also an ideal venture for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual activity, in a supportive and caring environment - a great way for Moms to release the tensions of new parenthood, gain elusive relaxation time and build strength and muscle.

As early as 4 weeks post natal, Mom and babe are encouraged to join in.

Gentle poses to strengthen the body, relaxing poses to relieve stress, tension or fatigue, and playful poses for Mother and newborn to enjoy together fill the room that is designed to meet the needs and flexibility that new moms require.

Once a child begins to crawl and has that desire to explore more of the wonder and joy of the world, Diaper Gym programs are the next step for Mother and child being together.

Diaper Gym is a facilitated free play time with a variety of preschool gym related toys, mats, balls, and other parents and tots in a safe and sensory-activating environment. Developmentally, a baby’s first year is remarkable, and scheduled uninterrupted activity time together is invaluable for both Mother and child to share.

Together with Comox Recreation, Mother and child can experience any one of these programs, by calling 339-2255 or visit www.comoxrecreation.com

You can also find pre- and post-natal mom/baby classes through Courtenay Rec, Comox Valley Aquatic Centre and Black Creek Community Association. There are several private yoga studios in town that occasionally offer prenatal and postnatal classes as well. (If you know of any that are currently offering classes, please leave a comment.)

 

Food & Your Family with Christa Herrling - Mom’s Day Spinach Pesto Fettuccine

On this, the week before Mother’s Day, I’d like to offer up a recipe that I have come to love for its simplicity- or in other words- I have come to love this recipe because it is easy enough for my husband to prepare, and is downright delicious.

I know there are many husbands and partners out there who excel in culinary pursuits, and to those of you living with one of those people, may I extend my congratulations.

My hubby’s repertoire amounts to…scrambled eggs on toast.

It’s partly my fault.

I hoard the kitchen because I actually enjoy cooking for all of us. It’s the one place where I become a bit of a control freak.

When my husband and I first moved in together, he would attempt to help out prepping vegetables for me, and wind up listening to me tell him exactly how to do it- as though there was actually a wrong way to slice carrots.

Over time, the kitchen became almost exclusively my domain.

In the years since we’ve become a family of three, I’ve urged him to give cooking another try. He is apparently scarred by days gone by, and ever convinced that I won’t approve of the food he would make.

He’s a little bit right on that one.

After seven years together, he’s perfected the art of asking, “Is there anything I can help with?” at the exact moment in dinner preparation that there is in fact absolutely nothing left to help with.

To his credit, there are occasions when he whips up delicious eggs on toast, and every now and again, he- my allegedly inept husband- drags out the food processor and whips up Fettuccine with Spinach Pesto, from scratch.

Doesn’t food seem to taste better when somebody else makes it for you?

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s a snap to prepare, takes virtually no time in the kitchen, and requires just a few simple ingredients. It uses only a few dishes, and involves steps that your big kid can help out with, such as juicing the lemon, weighing the pasta, or grating the cheese.

Take a little time as a family this Mother’s Day weekend to show the special mom/family chef in your life that she’s appreciated by giving her a break from her routine, and letting her sit back and relax while you make dinner.

Fettuccine with Spinach Pesto (ready in 25 minutes)
Adapted from Everyday Food
Serves 4

12 ounces fettuccine
coarse salt & ground pepper
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 Tbsp pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1 tsp grated zest plus 2 Tbsp juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water; immediately drain pasta and return to pot.

2. While pasta is cooking, place spinach, Parmesan, nuts, garlic, and lemon zest and juice in a food processor (if you don’t have one, a blender should do the trick). Process until a paste forms. With motor running, add oil and 1/4 cup cold water; process until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add pasta; toss, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce is thinned slightly and coats fettuccine (you may not need the water). Serve, sprinkled with additional Parmesan and nuts, if desired.

Food is so much fun. We’ve got lots of family-friendly foodie goodness HERE.

 

All Mom, All the Time - Mother’s Day the Together Way

There’s a running debate amongst my girlfriends about whether or not we personally should have a hand in what happens on Mother’s Day.

Yes, there is a wonderful charm about waking up to a magical surprise this Sunday morning (yes, gulp hard dads, Mother’s Day is Sunday) completely crafted by your partners and tiny people to show how very much they love you.

But, I am of the mind that holidays like Mother’s Day freak most gift-givers out, leaving one of a handful of things to happen:

1. They default to something done a million times before.

2. They assume moms require extravagance in order to feel the love.

3. They do nothing.

All three of these options often result in one at-least-mildly disappointed momma, and that sucks for everybody involved.

Moms - we’re not really a fussy bunch (mostly, although I’m pretty sure Ken will belt out a big HA! after reading that) - often it is a hand-picked bouquet of flowers, a picnic in the sunshine, an extra-long sleep or a homemade gift that makes us melt into a pile of goo. But, we all have our own personal visions of what would constitute big love in the Mother’s Day universe.

It’s a tough balance (like so much in our lives) to figure out what to do for the special people in your lives that will really have some extra heart, or to say to the people who love you, “Hey, if you are thinking about what to do for Mother’s Day, I’d really be into something like this.”

I have this theory that Ken shouldn’t have to bear the wrath of my unmet holiday visions. So, he spends the week before any given calendar event receiving not-so-subtle hints from me. Notes taped to the computer, newspaper clippings on the keyboard, e-mails with links.

This year - a brunch with some bonus adventure - I picked the spot, made the reservations, and totally can’t wait to spend a great afternoon with my loves. Yay!

But, telling your spouse, partner or kids the low-down on mom - or getting the scoop out of your favourite mom in terms of what she’s hoping for - is not the easiest thing. Sometimes planning it all together and seeing how things evolve is the best present ever.

So, here are a few hints from me on what makes a mom’s heart sing that families can plan and do as a team. Drop a few hints yourselves by leaving a comment with your suggestions. I think we all could use a few. I’m still trying to figure my mother-in-law out. (in a good way). She’s been recruited for our brunching adventure.

- A photo collage is an amazing treasure. Snapshots are the best slices of life and pulling them together in one spot so your favourite mom can remember warm times at will is priceless. Each family member can pick out their faves (no content editing, the personality of each choice is what makes it special) and you can create it together.

- A special picnic with all of mom’s favourite foods (anything at all) is a fun treat. I highly recommend a desert picnic where everyone gets to spend an afternoon snacking on all of mom’s favourite confections.

- Schedule a photo shoot with the family - whether professional or with your own set up - and get silly taking family photos at a spot that’s special to Mom.

- Plant a Mother’s Day garden. Head out to the plant store together to gather up some momma faves and turn a corner of the yard into an ode to mom (you could even make a Mom’s Garden Patch sign to sweeten the deal)

- Plan a Mom’s movie night. Let the mom in your life pick out her favourite movies (no censoring for chick-flick content, all Meg Ryan and George Clooney movies are on the table), stock her with some serious movie goodies and let her curl up under a big, soft blanket for the night.

- Check in about doing something traditional like breakfast in bed or Sunday brunch. Your favourite mom might be in the mood for some sentimental mom-focused feasting. Tradition doesn’t have to be dull. Find a great locale for brunch (which can be a surprise), have the kiddos come up with the breakfast menu and get them involved in the cooking.

Most of all, have fun.

Moms are all about seeing their families happy and healthy. A smile on everyone’s face is the best present of all!

 

Sunday Morning Walks - Kin Beach and Bird Badges

On those sunny days when the wind is warm and a day digging in the sand is in order, starting your morning out at Kin Beach Provincial Park is the way to go.

This tucked away spot, just down the hill off of Kilmarnack Road in Comox, is the perfect combination of quaint picnic/cookout locale, beach goodness and playground that will keep the whole family entertained.

So, make a store run, stock up on grill food, bust out the potato salad and in the midst of this gorgeous weather, head out to explore.

Kin Beach isn’t a challenging hike in the woods, more a leisurely wander from the BBQ pit to the rocky waterfront and back. A stroll along the beach checking out some of Kin’s unusual foliage and wildflowers makes for some excellent exploring while the kiddos test drive the ancient, funky playground equipment that may make you cringe a bit in the safety universe. But, totally gives you 70s elementary school flashbacks (whoa, did I ever just date myself).

The main parking area also doubles as the camping/BBQ spot and a flat, well-maintained path leads you out to the beach. You can walk in both directions for a fair bit, particularly at lower tides with snails and crabs dominating the tide pools.

There is PLENTY of grassy open space just above the beach for running, touch football or all kinds of fun with a big covered picnic area if a cold lunch is more your style. The quaint treat is the Kin Beach Store, where you can pick up a few snacks and chat up the friendly folks there.

My biggest tips for this locale are to dress for changing weather and bring lunch, maybe even a tent. You’ll be charmed into spending the better half of a sunny day there. You get there from Courtenay by taking Ryan Road out to Comox 19 and making a left onto Military Row. Make a right on Kilmarnack Road and at the fork in the road, go down the hill to the left and into the park. From Comox, head out to Military Row past Comox 19 and follow the directions from there.

One of the treats of this spot are the birds - from the seemingly ever-present bald eagles, crows and seagulls to the robins, hummingbirds and chickadees who linger around the old cherry trees. The grassy park space draws in some of the more charming chirpers and make Kin Beach a great spot for some serious bird watching.

After some good binocular-wielding times, you can head on home and to make the whole family a set of bird badges in honour of their field studies.

This is a great craft from the book Look and Make with Paper (available through VIRL) that you could even do at the picnic table while on a break from the beach or the BBQ.

Here’s what you need:

- Red, green and yellow construction paper
- Scissors
- Google eyes
- Pompoms
- Craft glue
- Medium-sized paper clips
- Tape

Directions:

1. First, cut out a body, beak, leg and two wings (there’s a great template in the book) and glue them together.

2. Take a paper clip, open up one end and slide a piece of tape over the unstraightened end.

3. Tape to the back of the bird and put a pompom on the sharp end of the paper clip to keep it from poking someone.

4. Wear and enjoy.

We are actually going to be using these as our NeighbourWoodies mascot for the NeighborWood Walks that kick off this Wednesday. If you haven’t signed up yet, check out all of the details HERE and join the rest of us NeighbourWoodies for some good times on the trail!