Family Day Roundup

Not sure what to do on Family Day Weekend? If you're like us, you haven't planned anything yet and are looking for ideas! Check out some of these great activities in and around Ottawa

1) Children's Wish FUNGANZA - Monday the 17th

2) NAC English Theatre Family Day - Monday the 17th

3) Vanier Winter Carnival - Saturday the 15th

4) Last weekend of Winterlude!

5) Valentine's Party at the Humane Society - Saturday the 15th

6) Free Pancake Breakfast (Monday the 17th) with Phil McNeely: 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. at 1825 St. Joseph Blvd, Community Pentecostal Church. A magician will be in attendance!

7) Portobello South Winter Family Fun Day (Monday the 17th) from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. at Portobello Park in Orleans. Free horse-drawn sleigh rides, snow games and hot chocolate! Bring your skates!

Did I miss anything?

Bal de neige

I grew up in Ottawa, I have the requisite pictures of little kid me being pushed around the canal on a sled, I've eaten a fair number of Beavertails in my life and I have fond memories of being privileged enough to grow up walking distance from the canal. But the fact is that I haven't been to Winterlude in years, except for a very short journey with the stroller a few years ago – while putting on my new skates I realized that I had not in fact skated in over a decade. When the kid had a day off school and the weather was forecasted to be just about perfect, the kid and I made the trek to Jacques Cartier Park to see what Winterlude looks like these days.

How was it? In the words of the kid: "Awesome."

We walked through the gate and she saw the ice covered slides and immediately was ready to go. We had barely come to a stop in our inner-tube at the bottom of a hill when she asked to go again.

DSCN2356

(The guy they had at the top pulling those tubes down was awesome, truly, and really seemed to be enjoying himself).

A combination of fresh air, exercise, fun and tasty treats made it a great day.

Surviving Winter: February Fun

January felt like a looong month. It always does, but in particular, this winter has been brutally cold. Our dog is depressed, our girls have cabin fever, and we're drooling over vacation catalogues. Alas, no warm vacation for us this year, as we blew that budget in 2013. So 2014 will be a stay-cation kind of year, with a week of family camping thrown in for fun.

Camping in August is a long way off, though, so I'm trying to come up with ways to make February a Fantabulous Month! Here are some ideas we have for making it through until March:

1. Create an indoor "park" - we'll set up cushions to make slides, and our rocking chair will serve as a swing. We might get really brave and create an indoor sand box!

2. Make homemade pina coladas (virgin for the wee ones, but a splash of rum for the adults!), and decorate them with fun drink umbrellas. Play Bob Marley while drinking the coladas.

3. Build a quinzee! Find the courage to sleep in there overnight? (highly unlikely)

4. Take part in all things Winterlude, and eat a copious amount of Beaver Tails.

5. Indulge in a warm, comforting meal with my partner to celebrate Valentine's Day - we're thinking tacos at El Camino!

6. Pull out the seed catalogues, and make 2014 garden plans. Can't wait to try new vegetables we've never grown before, including potatoes, onions and strawberries.

7. Welcome family guests to come check out the Capital in full winter swing! Which means extra play partners for the girls, and a chance for hubby and I to  escape for #5.

8. Declare Family Day to be annual Stay-cation day. Acting like tourists in our own town, we will head out to see Parliament, take in one of our kid-friendly museums and catch a bite to eat.

9. Put some of my New Year's resolutions into effect, and participate in a Wellness Program. I'm excited to cut back on processed foods, and meet some of my fitness goals....which leads me to:

10. The Olympics! Not only will we take in some of the Olympics as couch potatoes, but I also plan to involve my girls in fitness goals, and create our own Family Olympics.

What are you going to do to make February a Fantabulous Month?

Winter fun: blowing bubbles

by Kamerine

When the temperature drops, and I mean when it gets REALLY cold, playing outside isn't fun. With the threat of frostbite a very real thing in Ottawa these days, it's hard to get out with the kids. But being locked inside all day every day is no fun either. What to do. There will always be indoor playgrounds, the mall, libraries, and playdates, but what about braving the cold for a little outdoor fun?

All those bottles of bubbles that you have left over from the summer just sitting in the garage? Use them! Bubbles do something really fun in super cold weather, -15C and below: they freeze! Blow bubbles using the wand just like always, but because it's so cold the bubbles freeze. When the kids go to pop them, they'll be amazed at the paper-thin, feathery bubble shell that floats to the ground.

And if you don't have any store-bought bubbles you can make your own. 

So find those bubbles and take ten or fifteen minutes and go play. Bonus points if you can get photographic evidence to share.. I know I couldn't! But check out these amazing pictures of bubbles in cold weather!

Kamerine documents her life with two children, a husband and a cat at The Life of K.

Winter Soups: Chicken Tortilla

One of my favorite winter meals is soup. There is something warm and comforting about sipping a hot bowl of soup while the temperatures drop outside. I like to make big batches and freeze some for later. This makes it easier on the days that I just don’t feel like cooking (which, if I’m honest, is most days). One of my favorite (and easiest) soups to make is chicken tortilla soup. I love the slight spiciness and the crunch of the tortilla strips on top. I've found recipes that need you to mix all the spices together but one of my tricks is to use the canned tomatoes with the chili spices already mixed in.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can of chili spiced diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.5-ounce) can of corn, drained
3 raw chicken breasts, boneless and skinless cut into bite sized pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk of green onion for garnish
1 (8-inch) flour tortilla, grilled, cut into thin strips (or for us lazy ones, use the store bought tortilla chips, crushed)
1 cup shredded Monterrey cheese (optional - we aren't a cheese family here)
 

Directions

In a large saucepan heat the vegetable oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans and corn into the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil lower heat to simmer and add your chicken breasts. Simmer soup for about 2-3 hours. The chicken will be nice and tender.

When you’re ready to serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and sprinkle the chopped onions and tortilla strips on top. If you’d like, you can add the cheese (or not).

What's your favourite winter soup recipe?