Beading Buds Giveaway

I recently came across Beading Buds and thought that this was a great option for Ainsley's next birthday party. She loves making jewellery and this company helps make this activity easy!

Beading Buds is a GTA based jewelry making birthday party
entertainment service that comes to your home (or venue of choice) to
help your child and their guests create beautiful one-of-a-kind
jewelry.

As the host, you relax and the party while the beading instructors
entertain the children for you. The children make beautiful pieces of
one-of-a-kind jewlery that your guests happily take home, and this
becomes an environmentally friendly loot bag alternative to replace
the generic loot bags filled with candy and plastic toys. Beading
Buds parties also include customized electronic invitations, jewelry
pouches for all the guests and free earrings and a princess tiara for
the birthday girl.

What I like about Beading Buds is that while the children are having a
fun time making beautiful jewelry, the party encourages creative
interest and helps to build on a variety of skills important for a
child’s development. It is also great fun and the children leave with an item they have
made themself.

Perfect for ages 4 and up, Beading Buds customizes each party based on
the age and amount of the children attending. They even have fun
beading activities for boys, because boys love beading too.

Beading Buds specializes in children's birthday parties but has
recently expanded their services to cater to corporate events,
bachelorette parties, bridal showers and adult birthday parties.


Visit their website (www.beadingbuds.com) or facebook page
(www.facebook.com/beadingbuds) for more information and photos
from past parties.

Beading Buds is located in Peel but travels to Hamilton, Guelph,
Georgetown, Milton, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, Port Credit,
Streetsville, Brampton, Etobicoke,Toronto, North York, Vaughan,
Woodbridge, Thornhill, Richmond Hill and Newmarket.

Beading Buds has donated a pair of Swarovski crystal pearl earrings
for one lucky reader. To All you have to do is visit the Beading Buds
Facebook Page www.facebook.com/beadingbuds – click LIKE! and leave a comment on this blog post.




All posts will then be entered into a draw to win the earrings. The
contest closes on Friday June 10th at 8pm EST and the winner will be announced on Saturday June 11th, right here on our blog!

I hate Silly Bandz

I hate Silly Bandz. It is amazing that a small rubber band can generate such a strong emotion. Since the first time I heard about these things, I have disliked them immensley. I have not menitoned them to my daughters and am lucky that they are young enough to have not been introduced to them by their peer group. I have been dreading Ainsley's start of Kindergarten next year, in part because of her inevitable introduction to these bands.

Initially my dislike was because I could see what would happen if the girls started bringing these things home. There would be silly bandz everywhere in our house. I would find them in my bed, my purse, my drawers, on the floor, on countertops. The silly bandz would be everywhere. I envision my days spent picking up the bandz that I have stepped on and I really do not want to have to deal with these things all the time.

Yeseterday I went out for breakfast with a girl friend who told me a story that now has given me a more official and understandable reason to ban silly bandz from my house. Her daughter woke up in the middle of the night crying and complaining that her legs hurt. It turns out that she had put the silly bandz around her thigs and they were cutting off the circulation to the rest of her leg. If she had not told her mom that she was wearing silly bandz under her pyjama pants, who knows what would have happened but the implications are pretty serious.

The thought of these things potentially harming my child, in addition to being just plain annoying, has made me realize that we will not be a silly bandz household. I really hope that this craze has ended before September because for now, I have not had to fight this battle.

Menu Plan - May 23rd to May 29

Below is this week's menu plan. All recipes are from Rose Reisman's cookbook "Family Favourites".

Tip: When planning your weekly meals, take note of which recipes need to be made in advance. Some recipes require refridgeration or marination before completing.

Girls Day Out

A few weeks ago I got to spend the whole weekend alone with my youngest, Juliet. She is almost 2 1/2 which meant that she was finally old enough to have a girls day out with her mom. I planned a super-special day for us and we both had a wonderful time.

We started out going to music class where we got cookies afterwards (lucky girl).





Then we headed home for a nap (busy day needs meant we needed a well-rested mommy and daughter). Then we went off to Vaughan Mills to Build-A-Bear. Juliet had a great time picking her bear, stuffing the bear and then choosing the outfit.



We then took a quick trip to Homesense to get hangars for her closet. A chore I know but she had a great time anyway.



We then headed over to Boston Pizza for dinner.



Juliet did not want to leave. I did not want the day to end. It was so much fun for both of us. It's always nice to have a day alone with each of my girls so they can have my undivided attention.

Menu Plan - May 16 - May 22

Okay, the week is almost half way over but I will post this week's menu plan. I promise to try and post next week's sooner!

So far the recipe's from Rose Reisman's "Secrets for Permanent WEight Loss" have been wonderful. I made the mashed cauliflower tonight for us and my brother and he could not believe it was cauliflower and there was no dairy in it!

Next Week's Menu Plan

Okay, it is time to bite the bullet and start eating healthy before swim suit season starts! Luckily, I have just received and advanced copy of "The Organized Family Menu Planner" and can do it right! Below is my plan for next week. Now I just have to stick with it!

Weekly Menu Plan

If you've read any of my previous posts, you would know that every week I do our family menu plan. I've decided to go ahead and post what I plan each week as I've had a number of people ask me what we're having for dinner and it's always nice to see what other families are eating. I love sharing food ideas and love experimenting so I hope my posts will inspire your meal planning.

This weeks meals include:

Monday - Tomato, green onion and cheese omletes with Seafood Soup. The omelete is from scratch and the soup is a frozen President's choice meal.

Tuesday - Crunchy Cheddar Fish Strips and Seared, Steamed and Glazed Green Beans. Both recipes are from Marlene Koch's "Eat What You Love" Cookbook

Wednesday - Garlic Lime Chicken and Curried Cabbage. Both recipes are also from "Eat What You Love"

Thursday - Smothered Steak Burgers with Mushroom Gravy and Quick "Pickle" Chips. Also from "Eat What You Love"

Friday - Stir-Fried Vegetables with Udon Noodles. I like to make this from scratch and throw any left over vegetables into the wok along with the Udon noodles and soya sauce or teriyaki.

Saturday - Tuna Noodle Casserole from "Eat What You Love"

Sunday - Mother's Day. Menu is not my responsibility today.