Toronto Teacher Mom: May 2015

Sylvia Duckworth - French Teacher Extraordinaire

Tuesday, May 26, 2015
28 Comments

What Will You Do Today? #TodayList

Recently, I discovered the hard truth that I just can't do it all. I try and I try but no matter what I do, I cannot seem to tackle everything on my to-do list. It has always been a daunting task trying to live up to my roles as a mother, a wife, an educator, a blogger, a warrior... you know, just your typical run-of-the-mill responsibilities many of us women face in today's world. So I know I'm not alone in feeling the despair that comes with being unable to cross off the endless list of everyday chores and work-related tasks.

In a recent Google survey done by the Quaker Canada brand, 70 per cent of Canadians indicated that they make To Do Lists to help them manage their life. Yet, almost half of Canadians omit the most important and fulfilling things in life on their lists. What do they include on their lists? Everyday errands, job-related tasks and household chores. What about the things that really matter like volunteering in the community or spending time with family and friends? Surprisingly, only 15 per cent say that they include these on their list.

Do more of what matters, today.

Given the results of this survey, the Quaker Canada brand felt compelled to help Canadians shift their thinking and help them focus more on what really matters. Their #TodayList is a new social movement designed to inspire, celebrate and reward Canadians for doing more of what matters. Through www.TodayList.ca, they are encouraging each of us to commit to doing one thing every day that is important to do TODAY. We're not talking about tackling that mountain of laundry or mowing the lawn. We're talking about those little things that are much more fulfilling than menial chores: reading a story to your children, going for a walk with the family, enjoying a cup of coffee with an old friend, or taking time out for yourself.

It feels great when you do something that matters. Check out your Quaker Today List here https://t.co/hAzt0OFfOL pic.twitter.com/v5cYrgwLqR

— Diana M. (@TeacherMomOfTwo) May 11, 2015

You can sign up on www.TodayList.ca with an email or easily connect to your Twitter or Facebook accounts to get started. Then you can select from a beautiful assortment of art to be used as a backdrop for your #TodayList. Type in your list and a graphic will be created for you. Simply share to Facebook and/or Twitter to inspire others to do the same. Participants can also earn badges for making commitments as well as track their progress.

Thursday, May 21, 2015
12 Comments

Barbara's Snackimals Cereals

Barbara's

Wednesday, May 20, 2015
18 Comments

Hallmark Gifts For Grads and Dads

Father's Day

Hallmark Gift Ideas - Autograph Graduation Bear #LoveHallmarkCA

What's that you say? It's almost June? I hadn't noticed. It's not like I was counting down until the last day of school. No, not me. But now that you mention it, I am really looking forward to June. Graduation is always an exciting time and, although I do not teach any grade 8's this year, I still help during the graduation ceremony by handing out the French awards and looking after the music. Last year, I even worked with two graduates who performed a rendition of "Say Something" while I played the piano. It's always nice to send off the graduating class as they embark on their new journey. And they're lucky to have amazing grade 8 teachers who work extremely hard to put together a graduation celebration and luncheon, not to mention an amazing yearbook year after year. It's such an important occasion and what better way to commemorate than with a memento from Hallmark.

Hallmark Graduation Gift Ideas #LoveHallmarkCA

At the top of my list of Hallmark must-haves is the Autograph Graduation Bear. This adorable fabric bear includes a black marker and plenty of room for autographs. It retails for $16.95 but you can save $4 with any purchase. They also have a couple of dated mugs with designed handles: Class of 2015, as seen above, and YOU DID IT! Tassle Mug. These ceramic mugs are dishwasher safe and retail for $12.95 each. Of course, they have plenty of frames as well, including graduation frames. The one above can hold a 4" x 6" photo and includes the sentiment, "When their dreams come true, ours do, too." This frame costs $12.95 but other sizes are also available. Don't forget to pick up some graduation themed gift bags or a set of thank you cards for your future grad.

Hallmark Father's Day Gift Ideas #LoveHallmarkCA

Now I know, June is not just about grads. Dads celebrate a special day, too. Luckily, Hallmark has you covered with a fabulous assortment of Life is good products. From wooden Father's Day Frames ($16.95 each) and matching gift bags to ceramic mugs with uniquely designed handles ($14.95 each), there are plenty of gift ideas at Hallmark. My favourites are the golf and BBQ towels. They are 100% cotton and retail for $16.95. The best part? Life is good donates 10% of its net profits to help kids in need. So it's like your gifting twice!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015
31 Comments

Thinking of You Butterfly Card

Cricut

Tuesday, May 19, 2015
37 Comments

How to Make a KINDER SURPRISE Minion

#KINDERmom

Saturday, May 16, 2015
30 Comments

Suteki Stencil Station

Arts and Crafts

Wednesday, May 13, 2015
16 Comments

Cavalia Odysseo Toronto - VIP Social Media Night

Arts

Tuesday, May 12, 2015
72 Comments

RetailMeNot.ca Shopping Challenge #RMNchallenge

#RMNchallenge

Monday, May 11, 2015
136 Comments

Chef Michael Smith's Bacon Potato Casserole Recipe - A Cascade Exclusive

#SparklingClean

Chef Michael Smith's Bacon Potato Casserole Recipe - A Cascade Exclusive

Last night, I enjoyed a delicious meal at The Chase in downtown Toronto hosted by Chef Michael Smith and Cascade. The theme of the evening: how to plan for a dinner party that sparkles. Items on the menu were taken from Chef Michael Smith's newest cookbook and included his Sunny Southwest Salad, Greek Chicken and Flaming Bananas, which were to die for! As an hors d'oeuvre, we enjoyed Bacon Potato Casserole, a perfect marriage between bacon and potatoes with cheddar cheese to hold it all together. It was so scrumptious that I am going to have to try making it myself. Luckily, as a P&G mom, I get to share this Cascade-exclusive recipe with you so you can try it, too!

Bacon Potato Casserole by CHEF MICHAEL SMITH
Recipe exclusively for Cascade.
Copyright © Michael Smith, 2015

Serves 12 to 16

Ingredients:

12 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) of all-purpose flour
4 cups (1L) of milk
3 cups (about 10 ounces or so) of smoked or plain cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of dried thyme
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of paprika (smoked paprika if you can find it)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) of salt
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) of your favourite hot sauce
10 or 12 large russet baking potatoes (4 pounds/1.8 kg or so), peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Turn on your convection fan if you have one. Lightly oil a 13x9-inch (3.5 L) baking pan.
Toss the bacon, along with a big splash of water into a large soup or stockpot over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the water evaporates and the bacon is fully browned and evenly crispy, 10 minutes or so. Pour the works through a strainer. Reserve the crisp bacon and return 1/2 cup of the flavourful bacon fat to the pot. Discard the rest of the fat or save it for another use.
Sprinkle the flour over the fat and stir the works into a paste. Return to medium heat and slowly pour in the milk, whisking the sauce as it heats and thickens. Briefly bring to a full furious boil, and then reduce the heat to a slow, steady simmer. Whisk in 2 cups of the smoked cheddar cheese and the thyme, paprika, salt and hot sauce. Remove from the heat.
Stir the potatoes and the crisp bacon into the sauce, coating them evenly. Transfer the works to the baking pan, nudging into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining smoked cheddar cheese evenly over the surface.
Loosely cover the works with foil that’s been coated with a light film of cooking spray. After 60 minutes remove the foil so the top can begin browning. After 90 minutes begin checking for doneness every 10 minutes or so. Bake until the potatoes are tender, the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly, reduced and thickened, up to 2 hours in total. Serve and share!

Thursday, May 07, 2015
22 Comments

Stop the Clock on Preventable Injuries With Parachute

Bicycle Safety

Did you know that roughly 13,000 people die in Canada from preventable injuries? An even more staggering statistic: 1 child dies every 9 hours from injuries that could have been avoided. Now, it goes without saying that parents are very much concerned about the well-being of their children. We establish rules, set boundaries and watch over them whenever they are in our care. But every parent knows that injuries can occur. The yearly 3 million emergency room visits in Canada alone can attest to that.

Sometimes I wish I could put my children in a bubble to make sure they stay safe but that wouldn’t be very practical, now would it? Instead, I make every effort to be a role model for my children, especially when it comes to bicycle safety. What’s one of the first things that comes to mind when you prepare for a family bike ride? A helmet, right? We need to protect our most precious organ from any potential head injuries. But I tell my kids that wearing a helmet is not enough. Before we head out on the road, we make sure that our helmets fit properly. And each spring, we inspect our bikes to make sure the brakes are working and that the bikes are the right size for our children. This year, we had to buy a bigger bike for both my kids because their old ones were just too small. We also add a bell to our bike handles and last year, I purchased a rechargeable LED bike light for when I bike after dusk.

For the most part, our family sticks to routes in our immediate neighbourhood where there isn’t a lot of traffic. I feel it’s a good way to start training the kids to use hand signals and follow the rules of the road. But there are a lot of inclines in our area which makes it a bit of a challenge for my little guy. So sometimes we pack up our bikes in our minivan and either try a casual trail in the woods or head out to Sunnyside Bike Park in downtown Toronto near the Lakeshore. It is a family-friendly off-road cycling park that has a skills trail, pumptracks and, for the more adventurous, a variety of jump lines and wall ride. Of course, there are plenty of other options if off-ride biking is not quite your thing. Just be sure to read Parachute’s 7 Tips for Cycling Safety.

Preventable injuries KILL MORE CANADIAN CHILDREN than any single disease,

and more youth than all other causes combined.

From May 4 to 10, Parachute invites you to help change the statistics during their annual Safe Kids Week. This year's campaign is aimed at raising awareness about the frequency and severity of preventable injuries among children, particularly those related to cycling and road safety.

Though we teach about bicycle safety and the importance of wearing the proper safety equipment as part of our Health curriculum, I strongly believe that it takes a community effort to instil key messages surrounding this topic. Luckily, Parachute is here to help. They are focussed on building awareness and delivering solutions in communities across our nation. And this year, they are aligning with the United Nations Global Road Safety Week theme of children as vulnerable road users.

In order to support community efforts to raise awareness, Parachute offers event guides and other Safe Kids Week resources. These can be downloaded for free directly from their site and used to help organize activities surrounding cycling and road safety.

With summer just around the corner, now is the time to take action and make a commitment to ride together towards safe cycling and safe roads. Visit parachutecanada.org/safekidsweek to find out more about Safe Kids Week and consider attending a local event in your community or joining in the conversation by using the #SafeKidsWeek hashtag. Together we can help Parachute create an injury-free Canada.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Parachute. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.