Yoga for Young Families

So if you live in any part of this neighbourhood you can't help noticing that there are yoga studios EVERYWHERE.  So maybe you want your child to take yoga...

Little Feet Yoga / Elation Centre

Once a month, starting February 12 (and then on March 11, April 22 and May 6 and June 3) - Catherine Lesage of Little Feet Yoga will be offering Creative Family Yoga at the Elation Centre, 360 Kirkwood Avenue North (essentially across from the Richmond Road Superstore).

A class for 3-6 year olds from 11 to 12;00. The class costs $20 for 1 parent / 1 child and $10 for each additional child.

Pre-registration is recommended and you can do so through http://www.littlefeetyoga.com/.  Catherine has been doing yoga in the neighbourhood at various locations for many years.  To see pictures of her classes and read more about her approach, visit her website.

Prana Shanti Yoga, 52 Armstrong St., near the Parkdale market

Prana Shanti offers

• prenatal yoga on Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30, taught by Naomi Poole
• parent and baby yoga on Tuesdays from 11:00-12:00, taught by Naomi Poole
• children's yoga class for those aged 3 to 8 years old on Saturdays from 9:30 to 10:30 and taught by Jamie Reardon.

They also seem to have a child-minding service available on Thursdays from 9:30-1:00 for $7 per child (why do I feel like that should be in bright lights! Parents, do take some time for yourselves.).

Santosha Yoga

Santosha is unique in offering a pre-registered class for children with special needs.  Although the class has already started, check the website for more information and to find out future dates: http://www.santoshayoga.com/archives/7965. 

Classes are taught by Dianne Macdonald and are for ages 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10 year olds. For more information about Dianne, see http://www.communication-works.ca/ and for more information about the yoga program see http://www.everykidsyoga.com/

Go Local Birthday Parties

It's not just produce that can be bought local.  Consider having your child's next birthday at one of these neighbourhood venues.  You'll save gas, you'll save time and you'll support these local businesses.  Please let me know if I've missed any!

• Baobab Tree Drumming http://www.baobabtree.org/
• Capital City Dance http://www.capitalcitydance.ca/
• Carlingwood Y http://www.ymcaywca.ca/locations/Carlingwood+Y/
• Dovercourt Recreation Centre http://www.dovercourt.org/
• 4CatsArt http://www.4cats.com/
• Fisher Park Community Centre, 250 Holland Ave., hosts birthdays on Saturday from 1 to 4.  Call the Centre for more information and reservations (613) 798-8945
• Gotta Paint http://www.gottapaint.com/
• J.A. Dulude Arena http://www.rinktime.com/skating_rinks/on/j_a_dulude_arena_skating_rink_arena_ottawa_on.cfm but to book the time and room you actually have to call the City Recreation Dept.
• Little Feet Yoga (at Elation Centre, 360 Kirkwood Ave. N. or a location of your choice) http://www.littlefeetyoga.com/
• Ottawa Family Cinema http://www.familycinema.ca/
• Ottawa Gymnastics Centre http://www.ottawagymnasticscentre.ca/
• Ottawa Music Vocal and Dance Performance Academy http://www.ottawaconservatory.com/
• Ottawa School of Speech and Drama http://www.ossd.com/
• PC Cooking School http://www.pccookingschool.ca/LCLOnline/cookingSchool_home.jsp?province=ON&city=Ottawa
• Soloway Jewish Community Centre http://www.jccottawa.com/pages/birthdayparties.html
• West Park Bowling http://www.filsdiner.ca/westpark/index.asp

February 7 Open House: Westboro Nursery School

The Westboro Nursery School is hosting an Open House on Tuesday, February 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at 411 Dovercourt Ave. (in the Dovercourt Recreation Centre). Bring your children to visit the classroom and meet the teachers. Registration for September 2012 opens on February 14 and registration packages will be posted on the school's web site http://www.westboronurseryschool.ca/ on February 7.

The school is a parent co-operative preschool for 2 1/2 to 5 year-olds staffed by registered Early Childhood Educators. The hands on, play-based curriculum includes an introduction to French, sign language, school readiness, music, daily outdoor play and more.

ANZAC Biscuits

(This is reposted from last year and again, I'm a day late!)

Belated Happy Australia Day!  Yesterday I made ANZAC Biscuits, named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp who were given them went sent to fight in World War I. 

A former Australian-Kitchissippi resident (Kathy) - who used to live on Fraser Avenue and who Chaired the Broadview School Council before returning with her family to the land downunder gave me the recipe over a playdate a few years back. 

The coincidence is that - although I didn't know it at the time - yesterday was Australia Day.  So in case you ever feel the need to be adequately prepared for Australia's national holiday, or for ANZAC Day (their April 25th equivalent of our Remembrance Day), I'll share the recipe.

The cookies are yummy, my kids enjoy them. and they're easy to make.  The only caveat - they aren't low fat or low sugar - and rightly so since they were intended to be the source of lots of calories and lots of energy.  They do have a long shelf life - important when sending overseas - and do not include eggs, as poultry was scarce in wartime.

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled outs
3/4 cup dessicated coconut (unsweetened)
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (ie. baking soda)
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup sugar (they are quite sweet so you could probably reduce)
125 g of butter (1/2 a cup)
1 tablespoon Lyle's Golden Syrup (dating back to 1881, this is a British import http://www.lylesgoldensyrup.com/ and apparently something of an icon; you can find it at the larger grocery stores; other syrups may work equally well)

Directions

Combine oats, coconut, flour and sugar. Melt butter and add golden syrup.  Mix  baking soda with boiling water and add to butter mixture.  Stir into dry ingreients.  If dough is too dry add another tablespoon or so of hot water until it holds together.

Spoon or roll into balls and place on greaced or lined trays, with room for spreading. 

Bake in a slow oven (150 C or 300 F) for 20 minutes.  Let cool on the baking sheet for a little bit until they harden enough to move to a cooling rack.

The recipe makes between 20 and 36 depending on the size of the cookie!  Consider your audience.

A Little Encouragement for the Team

My son was in a hockey tournament this past weekend. He's 8 years old and in the Novice C division of the West End Hockey League. 

His team - the Spitfires - made it to the finals and he was thrilled.  They worked hard and only lost by one goal in the third period.  For the kids and their fams it was as much of a nailbiter as any Stanley Cup game. 

Before thee semi-final game, Jesse Winchester of the Ottawa Senators took time out of his practice to come and talk to them.  Really nice!

Giveaway: 2 tickets to Puss-in Boots 3D at the Ottawa Family Cinema

And the tickets were won by @Peady who retweeted on of my tweets on twitter.  Congratulations!
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I'm giving away two tickets to the 2:00 showing of Puss-in-Boots (3D) at the Ottawa Family Cinema on Saturday January 28th.  Details of the show are below, or link directly to the post at: http://kitchissippikids.blogspot.com/2012/01/if-you-want-to-know-why-you-should.html.

I'm hosting the give-away to raise awareness of the efforst parents go to in order to ensure that children have a play structure to play on while at school.  Please see the article two posts below in that regard http://kitchissippikids.blogspot.com/2012/01/parent-councils-struggle-to-raise-funds.html!

To win, simply leave me a comment telling why you think it's important for our schools to have playstructures. If you don't like to publicly comment you can also e-mail me at kitchissippikids@hotmail.com or RT one of my @kitchissippikid (no "s") tweets about the event on twitter. 

Thank you to all the parents, neighbours and friends who support our schools.

Please Help with this Broadview School Fundraiser!

If you want to know why you should support local school initiatives (currently those of both Broadview and Woodroffe elementary schools) to fundraise for yard play structures see my post below at http://kitchissippikids.blogspot.com/2012/01/parent-councils-struggle-to-raise-funds.html.

$5 of every $10 ticket, as well as 50% of concession sales, will go directly to the school and that's huge!  The extra dollar above door price includes the convenience of the advance ticket, the knowledge that you're really helping a great cause, and BEST of ALL, the chance to win TWO level 200 Sens tickets or a skating and pizza party at McKellar Park.

To purchase tickets contact yard@broadviewparents.org, the school office, any of your friends and neighbours who have children at Broadview, or me at kitchissippikids@hotmail.com (I have a grade 5er, a grade 3er and an eventually-to-be JKer at broadview.

Equally, a big shout-out for the Ottawa Family Cinema for being such a great local place for our kids (and us!) to watch movies.  Thank you!