Two Legged Fun

Happy National S’mores Day 2014

August 10, 2014 chantelledoll

August 10th is National S’mores Day. In celebration I was planning to try one of the many delicious recipes I have on my S’mores Pinterest Board, but decided to just keep it simple with these easy S’mores pops.

I chose this recipe because it was ridiculously easy and only required 3 ingredients – graham crackers, large marshmallows, and milk chocolate chips (I used mini Hershey kisses), plus sticks to skewer them on if you so desire. I was going to try something more complicated to get my S’mores fix, but this worked perfect to get the kids involved and let them have a little messy fun in the kitchen.

To make the pops, simply crush the graham crumbs in the food processor (or buy a box of crumbs) and set out in a bowl.

Next, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 1 minute increments, stirring between, until the chocolate is smooth.

Insert straws or popsicles sticks in each of the marshmallows then have the kids dip the marshmallows in the chocolate, then coat the chocolate in the graham crumbs. Be careful as the chocolate may be a little hot for the kids.

Set the finished pops aside for the chocolate to harden. I put mine on a cookie sheet and into the freezer for a short period to speed up this process.

Enjoy!

We made our pops yesterday so I could bring them along as a treat last night to watch Rio 2. Our private beach holds an annual summer event where they bring in a giant inflatable screen and residents get to sit out on the sand and watch a Movie at the Beach.

I wasn’t sure how my 4 year old would do since the movie began at 9:45, but he managed to stay awake and was pretty into it. I ended up enjoying it a lot more then I was expecting and can’t wait to go back next year. It was so nice to sit out on the beach and enjoy a movie and treats with my little guy, cuddled in blankets on the sand.

Have a great S’mores Day!

If you are still looking for more S’mores inspiration, please check back to my S’mores post from last year featuring my sister’s S’mores Themed Wedding Cake.

Everyday Life, Two Legged Fun

In Summer!

July 14, 2014July 14, 2014 chantelledoll

The weather this past week has been gorgeous, which has meant plenty of opportunities to work through items on our Summer Bucket List.

Plan a Beach Playdate

We are so fortunate to have access to the private beach at Lake Summerside just up the road. It is something we do pay for by means of yearly membership fees, but it is a price well paid for the convenience. The closest beach to the city would be well over an hours drive and this lets us be at the beach in 2 minutes!

It is a beautiful area with a playground, picnic tables and nice sand for the kids to play in. It would be a shame not to share so we invited a bunch of our friends and ended up spending 6 hours at the beach. I was going to leave sooner, but the kids were all having fun and the highlight of my day was finally seeing my son in the lake with more then just his feet wet! This definitely won’t be the last of the playdates we plan this summer.

Catch Bugs

This list item was one we were able to check off completely by chance.

After Camden’s outdoor soccer game a couple weeks ago we decided to take a quick trip to the mall. As we were driving, Camden goes “Mommy, what’s that green thing on your shoulder?” So I brushed my hand on my shoulder, assuming I was wiping off a piece of leaf or grass from the park, then continued driving. “Mom, it’s still there and it’s moving!” EEK! I brushed my hand around my shoulder again and sure enough I felt it and picked off a squirmy little green caterpillar.

Camden was so enthralled with it that we put it in a small container we had in the car and brought it home. Once home, I found a different container, drilled some holes in it, filled it with greenery and we had “caught” our first bug.

The caterpillar didn’t survive long, but the kids have since found a ladybug that they chased all the way across our dirt covered backyard and managed to get in the bug container. He’s been in happy in there for the last week or so and Keira has now happily added the word “bug” to her small vocabulary.

Explore New Playground

There were no playgrounds within walking distance of our old house so last summer we got in the habit of driving to various parks in the area. We frequented a lot of the same parks, but I also tried to switch it up to keep things interesting. I figured if had to get the kids loaded in the car anyway, we might as well take the time to drive and find something new and exciting.

We have been walking to the park near our new house quite a bit just because it is so darn convenient, but I decided to set out and find us something new the other day.

I chose the park in the subdivision over because I read it had a splash park, but I honestly wasn’t expecting too much. It ended up being a fantastic park with plenty to climb and slide on, a decent little splash pad to cool down at and nice sand to play in. Even though it requires a little drive, it was well worth it and I can see me packing up a picnic to spend a few more afternoons there this summer.

For those in Edmonton, the park we visited was in Ellerslie located at Edwards Drive and 6 Avenue SW.

For a full listing of all the Spray Parks in Edmonton, I found this great list compiled by the city: https://data.edmonton.ca/widgets/jyra-si4k I honestly had no idea there were so many!

It also had a great little treed area and fence that I am itching to take the kids back to when they are wearing more then just their swimsuits and try to get some nice photos.

And that day also happened to be 7-11’s Birthday that day so I scored major mom points by stopping on our way hope from the park to take advantage of the free small slurpees!

~~Build~~ See A (Giant) Sandcastle

One other activity we did last week was to check out the Sand on Whyte Festival. I will be honest and say that I was kind of disappointed that it was just the three sculptures, but the three sculptures that were there were pretty impressive. It was free and gave us an excuse to get out of the house, so all in all it was worth the trip down Whyte Avenue to check it out. Hopefully there will be more to see next year as the festival grows!

This week looks to be another gorgeous week weather wise so hopefully we can knock another few items off our bucket list! It is supposed to be around 30 degrees on Wednesday so I am really hoping to swing that trip to an outdoor pool.

Remember to check back to the blog for updates on all the fun things we are doing this summer.

Everyday Life, Two Legged Fun, Uncategorized

Doll’s Aboard the Teddy Bear Special!

July 6, 2014July 6, 2014 chantelledoll

On July 4th we had the pleasure of travelling with Alberta Prairie Railroad Excursions aboard their Teddy Bear Special. We have no trips or holidays booked this summer so I booked a few months ago thinking it would be a nice treat for the kids (and us adults!). I was a little hesitant to book because of the price, but as you will see, the $200 was totally worth it for what we got out of the day.

Because we were riding the Teddy Bear Special, the kids were asked to each bring a teddy. As an activity earlier in the week, I decided to take the kids to West Edmonton Mall to pick out an outfit for their Teddies at Build-A-Bear Workshop. My son was disappointed they didn’t have the How to Train A Dragon hoodie he had seen on the website, but there was so much selection in the store that it wasn’t hard to find something he liked for his teddy. He quickly settled on a soccer uniform for his bear, while my two year old zoned in on the stuffed dogs. Luckily I was able to convince her she didn’t need yet another stuffed dog, and we went with a rainbow striped top and jeans for her bear.

We boarded the train in Stettler, after a quiet hour and a half long drive in the car from Edmonton. Thank you iPads and sleepy children! Inside they had our names labelled above our seats and the kids quickly settled in with their teddies, excited to get their tickets punched and begin the journey ahead.

I was surprised how happy my two year old was just staring out the window and watching the scenery. I thought she would be fidgety and bored on the actual train ride, but she was fascinated by the farms, vehicles and cows passing by.

It also helped that, once moving, we were able to get up and explore the entire train. It was longer then I was expecting with passenger cars, an open air car for viewing and two concession stands. As a treat, the kids each picked a Ring Pop and we shared some popcorn to tide us over until lunch time.

Our train’s destination was Big Valley. There they had a roast beef lunch waiting for us at the community hall, which we quickly ate and then set out to explore the village.

Up the hill was a beautiful historic Anglican Church built in 1916 that we were able to go in and view.

Back down main street were some neat little shops filled with handicrafts, fudge, fresh baking and ice cream.

And because our outings don’t seem to be complete without ice cream, Camden suckered daddy into a cone of Bubble Gum Ice Cream for himself while Keira repeatedly swiped dad’s mint chocolate chip waffle cone.

After a quick clean-up from the ice cream, we still had time to go for another small walk and explore some of the old farm machinery.

We were also able to go right inside the Big Valley grain elevator which I found kind of neat. I don’t think my farm raised husband was near as fascinated.

There were a couple other historic buildings and small museums nearby we didn’t get a chance to explore because it was then time to head back to the train station for the Teddy Bear parade. The clowns lead us for a small walk down main street so we could show off our bears, and then it was back onto the train for the return journey to Stettler. As an added touch, each kid received a small Beanie Baby as their prize for participating in the parade.

Back on the train, I also got a flashback to my childhood when this guy entered our train car to entertain the kids. I remember Rosco the Clown being at a few of my friends birthday parties way back when I was in elementary so I was surprised to see it was indeed him. I think he was still doing the same tricks and his jokes were just as corny as ever, but he sure knows what he is doing because he had my two kids laughing their little butts off.

It was a beautiful day for a train ride and I was surprised how much both my kids enjoyed it. The staff from Alberta Prairie Railway were amazing and everything was well thought out and planned to keep the kids entertained and happy. They run several different rides throughout the summer, with some of the more adult focused journeys even involving train robberies. The village of Big Valley had a lot more then I was expecting and there is definitely something to be found for all ages. If you ever plan to be in the Stettler area or are looking for a fun daytrip within Alberta, definitely check Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions out!

Check one more off our Summer Bucket List!

Crafts, Everyday Life, Little Hands, Two Legged Fun

Our Happy Canada Day!

July 3, 2014 chantelledoll

Tuesday was our Nation’s holiday and we celebrated the hot summer day with a combination of activities. The day before, Camden and I did a quick handprint craft so that he would have his very own flag for Canada Day. It was quick and easy and he seemed quite proud of how it turned out.

My husband has had the week off work to work on the yard. He had been making good progress on the patio pad and retaining wall, so he went back to work first thing in the morning before the sun got too hot. The kids and I “helped” by pulling out the camping chairs on the new patio pad to test out daddy’s hard work.

Around noon we decided to make our way down to the private beach in our community to check out the Canada Day activities they had. After waiting in line for some fun in the bouncy castle, Camden made a cute headband craft and we enjoyed a picnic lunch. Then it was down to the sand so my little beach baby could enjoy some time in the water! The beach wasn’t nearly as crowded as I expected and I love that we can be at the lake with just a quick drive down the road. Camden is not a huge fan of the water, but Keira would spend all the day at the lake if we let her.

To wrap up the day, both kids got the chance to see fireworks for the very first time. Check one more item off our Summer Bucket List! I wasn’t sure they’d hold out that late, but they were still awake at 10:30 so we got them into their jammies and loaded up them in the wagon to make our way back down to the beach. To avoid crowds we didn’t actually go into the gated beach area this time, and found the perfect spot in an empty house lot directly across from where the fireworks were being set off.

Both kids seemed to enjoy the fireworks (from the safety of mom and dad’s laps) and it was the perfect ending to our Canada Day.

Everyday Life, Two Legged Fun

Summer Bucket List 2014

June 25, 2014June 25, 2014 chantelledoll

I love the idea of a summer bucket list. It allows me to get down in writing everything I want to do with the kids this summer and will give my 4 year old an idea of what to look forward to in the upcoming months. On days we don’t have playdates or planned activities, we can refer to our bucket list and decide how to make the best of our sun-filled summer days. I tried to have a good variety of quick, easy activities and some more involved daytrips to mix things up.

So, without further ado, here are all the fun things we hope to do this summer:

Watch in the upcoming weeks for posts (and lots of pictures of my two cuties) as we make our way through our bucket list!

Celebrations, Four Legged Fun, Two Legged Fun

All I wanted for Christmas and more!

January 6, 2014January 15, 2014 chantelledoll

Christmas has come and gone so I figured it is about time I get back to posting.

We had a great Christmas! This year there were very few gifts under the tree for myself, but it was absolutely perfect. As lovely as the new cookware I received from my own mom and my mother-in-law was, I was way more excited to see what the kids got and their reactions to all the new toys and books. Christmas has definitely changed in our house and I am very happy to have it now be all about the kids.

Well, maybe not ALL about the kids – the dogs didn’t get forgotten either.

It was Rumbull’s first Christmas and it didn’t take him long to sniff out his stocking and figure out what was up. He watched longingly as we set the gifts out on Christmas Eve and he was the first “kid” up Christmas morning wanting to get into the pile.

Thanks to our Christmas Book countdown, my 19 month old also had the unwrapping thing down pat. On Christmas Eve, she was raring to go the moment we got to Grandma and Grandpa’s and she saw the pile under the tree. She was even lucky enough to get the biggest gift under Grandma and Grandpa’s tree – a Little Tikes Cozy Truck!

The bottom right picture is a bit blurry, but I included it because it captured my favorite Christmas memory. Camden had been asking for a Vtech Switch & Go Dino since October so he was ecstatic that his gift from his little sister was the triceratops. We asked him to thank her and he gave her the biggest hug I have ever seen. Melt my heart!

The kids were both asleep by the time we got home from opening gifts on Christmas Eve, but that made it easy for Santa to get everything set out for round two on Christmas morning.

In the morning, Camden was very excited to find that Santa had eaten his cookies and had a drink of milk. He immediately went for his stocking and started opening it all before I could even convince him to wait for his sister.

Between ourselves, grandparents, aunts and uncles, the kids were definitely spoiled, but Camden did a good job thanking everyone and acting grateful for all his gifts.

Unfortunately we saved the best item for the very last and the reaction to his brand new iPad from daddy was less then we were hoping for. Instead of being over the top excited, he acted sad that we were replacing his old, shattered iPad. Luckily, it only took a few minutes of coaxing and walking him through the new iPad for him to understand that it still had all his same apps and that he wasn’t losing anything by giving up the broken tablet. As was expected, it is now his favorite gift!

My husband and I made the decision not to bother with gifts to each other since we have a lot of items to buy for the new house in the upcoming months. I certainly didn’t feel like I was missing out by not having something to unwrap from him and we made up for it by picking up a few nice things on boxing day. Except for some boxing week shopping, we stayed home for much of the Christmas break and had a very lazy two weeks watching movies and keeping inside out of the cold.

It was a nice Christmas and I am hoping next year will be that much better with everyone settled into our new house. The only thing really missing was my sweet Bullini, but she certainly was not forgotten amidst all the chaos with a special place on the mantle.

I hope the 2013 Christmas season was just as Merry for all of you!

Everyday Life, Two Legged Fun

Christmas Fun: Portable North Pole and Reindeer Cam

December 23, 2013 chantelledoll

Have you seen portablenorthpole.com yet? I discovered it a few years ago and have made a video message for my little guy every year since. The first year I did it he was so excited to see Santa that I think we must have watched it over 100 times.

The program allows you to fill out personal details and customize the video to the child or adult. I get to input his age, photos, Christmas wishes, details on how we spent the last year and decide if he is on the naughty or nice list. The final video incorporates those pictures and Santa even says his name to make it that much more authentic. Camden started out somewhere between naughty/nice, but after a few quick changes this morning we re-watched and he was excited to see he has made it to Santa’s nice list!

Next year I will make one for each of them, but this year Keira is just happy to watch Santa and the elves in her brother’s video.

And if you are looking more Christmas fun, I highly recommend Santa’s Reindeer Cam! We have downloaded the app to the ipad and it allows the kids to check in on Santa’s live reindeer. There is also a feeding schedule so if you visit at the right times, you can see Santa feeding his reindeer throughout the day!

Everyday Life, Two Legged Fun

Say Cheese! Capturing My Christmas Cuties

December 19, 2013 chantelledoll

Last year I staged this shot of my two little darling’s reading a Christmas story in their matching jammies:

I absolutely adore the photo and am so happy I took the time to buy and set out the props and capture a special shot of the two of them together.

This year I wanted something equally special. I came across some adorable toddler sized Santa aprons at the Dollar Store and that solidified my initial idea of doing something that involved Christmas baking. I was going to make sugar cookies, but last week I decided to attempt a Rice Krispie gingerbread house with my son and it ended up being the perfect opportunity to capture my Christmas photo for this year.

With a little direction from myself, my 3 year old did an amazing job decorating our little house. He was way more cooperative for the photos then I expected and I think he had a lot of fun with his special project. I don’t think it hurt that there was plenty of candy for the kids to snack on throughout the process!

I am not a professional photographer by any means, but I do enjoy playing around with my camera and capturing photos of my two favorite subjects. I think this years shots turned out just as good as last years and I look forward to eventually having a whole collection of special Christmas photos with my two cuties.

Any great ideas for next year’s photo? I would love to hear them! I did buy an adorable snowman making kit recently so maybe we’ll have to take our photo’s outside next year.

Two Legged Fun

Creating New Holiday Traditions: Night’s Before Christmas Care Pack

December 16, 2013December 16, 2013 chantelledoll

Our kids are at a young enough age that we are still trying to figure out what Christmas is for us as an immediate family of four. We now have three Christmases as parents under our belt, and my son is finally at an age where he has a greater appreciation for the Christmas activities we plan and is able to start remembering some of the yearly traditions we might have.

I have been looking for new traditions to start with the kids this year and two of the ideas I fell in love with is were the Advent Calendar/Christmas Countdown from Urban Daisies:

And the Christmas Eve movie box (source unknown):

The books was easy enough to do after I hunted down all the Christmas books we already owned and bought a few more from Costco and Dollarama. A couple rolls of wrapping paper (Mickey, of course) plus one night of wrapping and we were set!

The Christmas Eve box ended up being a lot more complicated. It is a box packed full with a new Christmas movie, pajamas, popcorn and hot chocolate to be enjoyed on Christmas Eve. It would have been perfect at our house growing up where we typically went to church early and then got new pajamas and enjoyed a quiet Christmas Eve watching a movie (preferably Muppet’s Family Christmas), but my husband’s side does things a bit differently.

For the last several years we have spent Christmas Eve with my husbands family and it isn’t the quiet, relaxing evening I was accustomed to as a kid. We head there in the late afternoon and are there until well past bedtime attending an evening church service and then opening gifts and enjoying snacks. Santa always visited my husband and his brother’s while they were at church, whereas my siblings and I had to go to bed on Christmas Eve and Santa would come while we were sleeping. Our own children get to enjoy a hybrid of both: opening gifts with my husbands family Christmas Eve and then having Santa leave gifts at our own house for them to open Christmas morning.

I did consider doing a Night Before Christmas Eve box for the kids, but that seemed kind of silly. I finally settled on the idea of doing up a slightly different package for the kids to open at the same time we started our Christmas book countdown.

The bedtime care package I put together for the kids included:

Christmas themed body wash, shampoo, bubbles and handsoap for bath time
New Christmassy pajamas
Sippy cups for their milk before bed
A package of cookies for bedtime snack
A small bag of Hershey Kisses for a treat
A new stuffed friend each to snuggle

I also included a somewhat lengthy note explaining their gift and the book countdown:

I am not sure it has help make my children any better behaved, but they are a lot more willing to go for a bath each night and I love seeing their excitement each night as they choose a book to unwrap.

It hasn’t taken my 18 month old long to catch onto this new routine and she has begun bringing me wrapped books throughout the day wanting to open them. If nothing, we are getting good unwrapping practice in so she is ready for the big event next week!

Now that we have all the books, this is something I will definitely do again in the years to come. I have typically waited until Christmas Eve to give the kids their Christmas pajamas but I love the idea of giving them in the care package to wear throughout the entire month of December. The care package was quick and inexpensive to put together and is just one more little way I can bring a touch of magic and excitement to the holiday season.

Everyday Life, Two Legged Fun

Keira’s First Haircut

December 11, 2013 chantelledoll

We took a little break from the Christmas activities this morning to visit Beaner’s for Keira’s very first haircut. Her hair has gotten fairly long and I was hoping a cute little bob would help even things out and tame some of the craziness!

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She immediately bee-lined for the purple and pink car so we took that as her chair of choice. She sat nicely for the most part and I was surprised how quickly the hairdresser managed to get it done.

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