Jello and Pop Rocks
Jello plus Pop Rocks = Party for your Mouth!
We received a great kid snack tip from a friend.
Like Jello?
Like Pop Rocks?
Then put them together!
The next time you are serving up a bowl full of Jello, try pouring some Pop Rocks on top.
It Snaps, Crackles and Pops… or is that something else.
It is tingly and fun to have in your mouth!
Cooking with Celery
Cooking with Celery
When my sister-in-law told me that she often cooks celery, I looked at her incredulously. I had never heard of cooking celery before. We just eat it raw!
It’s a don’t know it until you try it sort of recipe!
Ways to Cook with Celery
Here are the directions from my sister-in-law in England.
Steam the celery.
Then open a tin of Campbell’s condensed celery soup. When I made it, I used a can of Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup.
Condensed soup is required otherwise the whole thing is rather runny.
Put the soup in a pot (do not dilute it with milk or water), heating it through, adding the steamed celery cut into bite sized pieces.
When I made it, I put the soup and the celery (which I did not steam) into a casserole dish and put it in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes – until heated through.
Because I didn’t steam the celery first, it was a bit crunchy. But, we liked it that way!
This is great served on the side and especially over baked potatoes!
Give cooked celery a try!
10 Tips for Visiting Get Air Nova Scotia #getairsports
Top 10 Tips for visiting Get Air
“That was the best birthday I have ever had!”
So said Thomas on his 8th birthday after we took him to Get Air in Burnside, outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
“I absolutely loved it!”
“That was the best day ever!”
Needless to say, our family adventure to Get Air was well worth it!
Get Air is an international trampoline franchise. It is a giant warehouse that features wall-to-wall trampolines, along with slack lines, foam pits, a dodgeball court and long tumbling tracks!
It’s more fun than you can jam into one space!
We had heard so much about this newly opened business, that we knew we had to go and check it out for ourselves. Before we went, we gathered advice from friends who had been there before. These tips are a combination from a variety of people.
Tips for Going to Get Air
Fill out the online waiver before you get there.
Just fill out the form and complete the electronic signature at the bottom. This will be sent to their system. You can fill out minors under your own waiver.
If you don’t do this in advance, there are computers there where you can do it, but this way it is much faster. There is even a lineup only for people who have already filled theirs in. If the place is busy, waiting to fill in your waiver can take a long time.
2. Go on off times.
If you can go during an in-service or half day (for the Valley only), or arrive right after school, Get Air will be far less busy.
We arrived around 2:30pm on a Wednesday afternoon, and there were only 10 other people in the facility.
Friends of ours have gone on a weekend, or over Christmas break and it was much busier. Over Christmas, our friends had to wait 50 minutes just to get in! It’s well worth the wait, though.
Because it was so empty when we were there, the kids did not have to wait to jump, but could work the entire room at their leisure. It was also really easy to keep track of them.
3. Watch the safety video.
Before jumping you have to watch a safety video. Better yet, review it with the kids before you go.
If you don’t jump properly, or pay attention to the rules, you can get seriously injured!
4. Buy socks.
If you are going to jump, you have to buy socks for $3.
You get to keep them and bring them back with you the next time. So, it’s a one-time investment.
5. You don’t have to jump.
I have a very bad ankle so there was no way I was going to jump, but I did enjoy watching. There are platforms all around the room, between each of the trampolines. Take off your shoes and roam around. If you are just watching, you do not have to buy the socks.
There are lots of benches to sit on, and even some massage chairs (that take credit cards).
6. Bring snacks and drinks.
There is not a canteen at the facility, and you will get very hot and hungry from all that jumping! Bring lots of snacks and drinks. There is a special eating area where you can go to have them.
7. Buy 2 hours.
Pretty much everyone said this. If the facility is busy, and after an hour you decide you want to upgrade, it will take some time to make this happen, as you have to line up again.
Bite the bullet and buy 2 hours right off the bat!
Besides, it’s a good deal.
First Hour – $17
Second Hour – $8
When it was busy, the kids appreciated having the two hours, as some of the time is spent waiting for your turn. Even when it’s not busy, the kids loved not being rushed, and being able to take lots of breaks.
8. Listen to the announcements.
When you pay, you will get a coloured bracelet.
Every half hour, they will announce what colour bracelets must come off the floor, providing you with a chance to upgrade. Those who are just watching get a different colour, too. This way you don’t have to keep track of the time, just wait for them to call your colour.
9. Take little kids.
When we were at Get Air, there were some toddlers. There is a section just for those under 46”. It’s smaller and safer for them to be on their own. Kids of all ages can enjoy Get Air!
SMALL AIR (UNDER 46″)
First Hour – $10
Second Hour – $6
10. Book a party.
Why not host a birthday party here? Several packages are available.
Get Air was a great family afternoon! Even my husband had fun jumping, but he wisely only bought an hour’s pass.
Although, he said he’d wished he could have bought a 10 minute pass, as it was so tiring!
What great exercise!
Hours, Price and Contact
Get Air is located at 612 Windmill Road in Burnside, Dartmouth.
It is about 1 hour away from the Valley.
Next door is a great restaurant called Cheese Curds. Be sure to check it out!
More details can be found here
Overall
Although a bit expensive for a family day out, it’s totally worth it as a special treat.
We will definitely be going back to Get Air for another special occasion!
Have a great family day out!
Pinata Balloons by Nouwee
Pinata Balloons from Nouwee
*Disclosure: I received a box of joy from Nouwee full of party supplies to review. This included the Pinata Balloons written about here. Thanks for giving me a great excuse for a party!*
And the crowd went wild!
That was the reaction to the piñata balloon bursting at my son’s 8th birthday party!
When we received a box of fun party supplies from Nouwee, a great Canadian company, I knew we had to save it for Thomas’ birthday party!
Here’s what the website says:
It’s while installing balloons for one of our events that we asked ourselves the following questions:
Why are we decorating if we’re going to take down those decorations in the hours that follow?
Is there a way to transform this into an activity that will create magical and memorable moments to share with our guests?
The Piñata Balloons were born! Half Balloon-Half Piñata, they are transparent balloons filled with confetti.
Not only does it create a Pinterest look to your decor, but your guests will have the chance to burst the balloons during your event, creating a cloud of colour that will slowly come down on everyone like small, colourful snowflakes.
Our Party
Before the party, I blew up the 4 pinata balloons, carefully, making sure they weren’t over 12” in diameter. The balloons even come with string so I could hang them from the chandelier over the table!
We then had 12 kids anxiously awaiting birthday cake and candles.
After singing “happy birthday” and blowing out the candles, we made sure the table was clear.
I grabbed the cardboard stars that I cut out from the inside of the box.
We used these to try to POP the balloons.
However, we couldn’t get the balloons to pop with these stars. Maybe I didn’t blow up the balloons enough – nervous I was going to blow them up too much!
That was ok, because we grabbed a pin and quickly let the birthday boy pop the balloons.
The kids loved the confetti flying from the ceiling! It was a very impressive display!
Then, the kids had fun playing with the fallen confetti afterwards, and we managed to confine it all to one room.
Don’t worry about the mess, a quick clean with the vacuum, and you’re done!
If you are looking to add some excitement to your next party, consider these fun pinata balloons from Nouwee!
About Nouwee
NOUWEE is an imaginative company from Quebec, dedicated to creating unforgettable moments through party accessories. Their mission is to create unique and magical moments to share with your friends and family. After the death of a close friend, owner Alexandre Goupil-Lévesque realized the time he spent with people he loved is what made him happiest. It is with this idea that sparked NOUWEE. At 25, he launched the company with play, accessibility and creativity at the heart of it. You may have seen NOUWEE on CBC’s Dans l’oeil du dragon, the Quebec version of Dragon’s Den, where he was offered mentoring sessions by Dragons: Mitch Garber, Daniele Henkel and Serge Beauchemin.
Order your party supplies today!
Peanut Butter Cookies
Best Peanut Butter Cookies in the Whole World!
“How come you never make these peanut butter cookies?” asks my husband.
“Because they are TOO GOOD!”
That doesn’t make sense.
Yes, it does.
They are so good, once they come out of the oven and are melt-in-your-mouth warm, you cannot help eating a whole stack of them with a glass of milk.
I’m drooling now writing this.
They are that good. They are also good cold. They are good at midnight, and they are good for breakfast.
That’s why I don’t make them very often.
Besides, they are made with peanut butter, so the kids can’t take them to school, which means there are even more at home.
I make them on a weekend, March break, in the summer, or at Christmas. If I have to.
I have no idea where the recipe came from. I think it came from a flyer in the mail one, time.
Enjoy. And I double-dog-dare you to try to eat just one!
- 1/2 C butter
- 1 C peanut butter
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 C packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 C flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- salt
- 2 C chocolate chips (optional)
- Combine ingredients in a mixer.
- Roll dough into balls about 1" in diameter and place about 2" apart on a cookie sheet.
- Flatten with fork in a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes until light brown.
Peanut Butter Free Bird Feeder Craft
Peanut Butter Free Bird Feeders
Last week I was asked to participate in a kids’ nature night expose in our town. I needed an activity for the kids to do at my table that would go with the nature theme. Also, it had to be something that both toddlers and older children could do and enjoy!
Bird feeders!
However, the easiest bird feed I could come up with was the traditional peanut butter on a toilet paper roll.
But, because this was a public event, I did not want to bring in peanut butter.
This is when we realized we could use lard!
Birds need the lard/fat to help keep warm for the winter and it works just as well as peanut butter!
How to make a bird feeder with lard instead of peanut butter
Collect toilet paper rolls.
I was lucky enough to have good friends that I could ask them to save me theirs, and they did!
With a knife, cover the toilet paper roll with lard. Make sure there is a thick layer covering everything. 
Put bird seed on a plate or a shallow bowl.
Roll the toilet paper roll in the birdseed, getting it to stick to the lard.
String a piece of yarn or string through the tube.
Hang it on a tree or feeder, and let the birds enjoy it.
Here is a chickadee visiting the feeders that my nieces made!
