Tag Archives: dates

Ever wonder what to do when 400 000ft (maybe a little less) of snow is holding your car hostage and the kids–or you–are getting a little too anxious for Christmas? Here’s our suggestions!

1. Sugar Plums

First of all, do any of you have any idea what a sugar plum is? I did not, but when I googled them I realized that I make them all the time! Technically plum is a traditional word for any type of confectionary. The sugar plums we hear of in the “Night Before Christmas” are pretty much Lara bars made into orbs! Here’s the recipe for the sugar plums I made this year (not knowing that’s what they were!) They’re super healthy and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 cup of dates
1/2 cup of nuts
2 Tbs of Peanut Butter
1/4 cup of coconut

Mix in a food processor and roll into balls. Refrigerate.

* This is my favorite combination, but you can add almost any kind of dried fruit to get different flavours.I know some people love dried kiwi and coconut. If someone is allergic to nuts, you could add some seeds or chocolate…m&ms…whatever you want!

2. Glitter.

Glitter can make ANYTHING christmasy and everyone (except the cleaner) likes sparkle!
-Draw a picture or write a phrase.
-Paint over your artwork with modge podge or clear liquid glue.
-Add some glitter. Shake it off and you’ve got a gorgeous Christmas decoration!

You can do the same thing to glitz up some tree decorations!

3. Old-Fashioned Decor

There’s something timeless about stringing popcorn and cranberries, making designs on oranges with cloves, or cutting paper doll chains! Why not make a few on this snowy day!

Popcorn and cranberry garland:

– thread
-needle
-popcorn
-whole cranberries

Thread your needle and stick it through popcorn, periodically adding a cranberry. It’s that easy!

Orange with Cloves

Take an orange and stick cloves all over it! You can spell a holiday word, make a pattern, or whatever you please! These will make your house smell so festive!

Paper Chains

Traditionally, these are made by folding paper, drawing little girls and boys, cutting out your doll shape and hanging them on the wall. I took a bit more modern approach, but it’s easy to adjust to your own style.

Find a large piece of scrapbook paper.

Fold it

Draw the shape of your choice. I went with Christmas Bulbs. I was wanting to use string, but if you don’t make sure you draw to the edge of your paper and don’t cut the edges! See the last picture for an example.

Cut them out!

Do any decorating you wish. I drew the top part of the bulbs.

Make little holes using a hole punch or needle and thread your string through the holes!

Hang them up!

Here are my trees made without the string!

I hope you have awesome snow days!

Get out your red and white because this Sunday we’ll be celebrating Canada Day. That’s right, folks. We may not be as zealously patriotic as our neighbors to the south but we do know how to party when the time comes. Whether you’re just having a BBQ at your house with some friends, enjoying a day at the beach, or checking out some of the local festivities, Canada Day is about enjoying the freedom and lifestyle that we are so lucky to have in this great country. Here are some events for the whole family that you can check out this Sunday July 1st:

9am – Silly Hat Parade – Join the “Riverview Striders” at  9am at the Riverfront gazebo for a “Silly Hat Parade”. Prize for best hat.

10:30 a.m – Canada Day “In Motion” Bike Ride presented by the City’s Parks and Leisure Department (Riverfront Park – meet at Millenium Garden behind Moncton Press Club)

12 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Kids’ PlayZone featuring bouncy games, facepainting, airbrush tattoos, and more (Riverfront Park)

12 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Canada-themed Archaeological Dig for kids presented by the Moncton Museum (Riverfront Park) Pre-registration required: 857-0590.

1:00pm– National Anthem: Lauren Barnes singing “Oh Canada” – Riverview

4:15pm -5:15pm – Music : Celtic Artist Shannon Quinn – Riverview

5 p.m. to 9:40 p.m. – Canada Day Concert on the Whoa Canada! Main Stage (Main Street) featuring: Vishtèn, Melanie Morgan, Jean-François Breau et Marie-Ève Janvier and Down With Webster

6 p.m – Cake Cutting, flag-raising, national anthem, concert and games for children –  Place 1604, Dieppe.

10 p.m. — Tri-county Canada Day Fireworks – along the Pedicodiac River

What will you be doing this Canada Day?