Spring Bucket List
10 things to do this Spring in the Annapolis Valley and Beyond: Spring Bucket List
At the start of each season we make a list of all the things that we want to do. These can be anything and everything from a sleepover at Nana and Grandad’s, to eating out somewhere special, or a family outing. There is never any pressure to get everything completed, but it’s fun to check them off! Here is our list for this spring. I’ll report back what we get done!
10 things to do this Spring in the Valley and Beyond
1. Oaklawn Farm Zoo Although the opening was delayed because of the snow, it is now open! For some reason, we didn’t get there at all last year, so we are looking forward to seeing how much all the animals have changed! 
WE MADE IT! It was our first time going in 2 years, and it was so great to be there when the kids were older. We didn’t have to micro-manage them! In fact, Daniel and his friend went off on their own and met up with us later! The peacocks and white peafowls were in full show-off mode, too! 
Oaklawn is always worth a revist! See how the animals have been moved around, and who has had babies, and who has grown!
2. Hiking trails at Uniake Estate Museum Park We will be heading here with our NS Museum pass. Uniacke Estate Museum Park is part of what was the expansive country estate of Attorney-General Richard John Uniacke (1753-1830). Built between 1813 and 1815, the grand country house is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Canada. The estate offers visitors a v
ivid glimpse of life in the early 1800s among Nova Scotia’s gentry. There are a series of 8 incredible walking trails around the estate.
3. Waterslide at the Canada Games Centre OR Dartmouth Sportsplex 
Recently, we checked out the Spryfield Community Pool. Now we are hooked and want to try some of the other water parks in Halifax. We will head to either the Canada Games Centre where there are a couple of waterslides – including one that wraps around the building! OR 
The Dartmouth Sportsplex where they have Pirate’s Cove. This looks like the coolest waterslide ever!
4. Try hot sauce Every season we add a personal goal to the list. Mine is to be brave enough to try Rudi’s Hot Sauce. My kids are hooked, but I am a spice wimp. These sauces are available at EOS in Wolfville and Hennigars in Greenwich, and according to my family, are a MUST try! I am a spice wimp!! But, I did it! Here’s the proof! I tried all the hot sauces up to the 5 pepper Candy Reaper Burn… I lived to tell the tale!
5. 
Brunch at the Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich Last spring we had an etiquette meal with the kids, and brought in a professional to teach them all their best table manners. We have promised them ever since to take them somewhere nice so they can put all their manners to the test. We’ve decided on the Old Orchard Inn in Greenwich for their Sunday brunch. Wish us luck! This is the first thing we checked off our Spring Bucket List. We had a fantastic experience! The food was amazing and the kids LOVED IT! Read more!
6. Progressive Dinner or other fun multi-family event We have a group of families in the neighbourhood that we like to do things with. Now that the weather is nice, maybe we will plan another progressive dinner! Who knows what we will come up with! We didn’t end up having a progressive dinner with the neighbourhood, but we did have a fun night together learning about Japanese culture!
7. Monster Jam AWESOME! TOTALLY FUN! That’s what my boys said when asked about going to Monster Jam at the Scotia Speedway last year. It was a definite highlight of our spring! When we heard that Monster Jam was coming to Scotia Speedway (across from the Halifax airport) again this year, we couldn’t wait to go again! Another great year for Monster Jam! Can’t wait for next year!
8. Memory Lane Railway Museum, Middleton This is an extensive Dominion Atlantic Railway collection. The museum is open from May 1 until September 30 every year. Admission is free although donations are gratefully accepted. This museum has been on my list for awhile, and it will be great to check it out! We spent an hour’s visit at the museum! The kids loved the model train that zipped around the room! Read about our visit!
9. Port Williams Days Fireworks Being a native of Port Williams, we have to attend the annual Port Williams Days which include the village-wide yard sale (usually in the rain), community dinner, parade, and of course the fireworks on Friday night on the dykes. Port Wiliams Days are June 12-14, 2015 Always one of my favourite nights of the year! Great community spirit, and always a great display. Here is a video of this year’s fireworks taken by my neighbour!
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0. Harmony Crystal Falls Hike This hike is located south of Kingston and Greenwood. I was here years ago, but never with the kids. It is a popular hiking and swimming spot. The hike itself should take between 45 minutes and an hour to complete. It is quite easy in nature with the vast majority of the hike taking place on what appears to be an old woods road. We did it! My favourite spring-time adventure thus far! Read how to get there yourself!
Stay tuned to see how well we do! What’s on your spring list?
Bean Casserole
Bean Casserole
This is such a great casserole for a cold day, served with fresh bread or warm biscuits. Or, enjoy it any time of the year!
It can be cooked all day in the slow cooker, or slowly in the oven.
Bean Casserole
1 Lb browned hamburger (I often leave this out)
½ C chopped onion
1 Large can of baked bean (pork & beans in molasses)
1 Large can lima beans
1 Large can kidney beans
1 Large can black beans
½ C brown sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
½ C ketchup
1 Tbsp prepared mustard
Mix everything in a large casserole dish, or your slow cooker.
Slowcooker: 8-10 hours on low
Oven: 300 degrees for 1.5hours – 2 hours
Note: this casserole freezers really well IF there are leftovers!
Monster Jam 2015
Monster Jam 2015
**Disclosure. I am receiving tickets for our family to attend this event. But, let’s face it, I would have gone anyway, because it’s so super cool!**
“AWESOME!”
“Loved it!”
That’s what my boys said when asked about going to Monster Jam at the Scotia Speedway last year.
It was a definite highlight of our spring!
When we heard that Monster Jam was coming to Scotia Speedway (across from the Halifax airport) again this year, we couldn’t wait to go again!
Maple Leaf Monster Jam®, stars the biggest performers on four wheels: Monster Jam monster trucks! The twelve-feet-tall, ten-thousand-pound machines will bring you to your feet, racing and ripping up a custom-designed track full of obstacles to soar over or smash through! Monster Jam provides a massive night’s entertainment tailored perfectly for your family’s budget, and these colorful, larger-than-life beasts are sure to capture the hearts of both young and old.
This is an incredible experience for kids of all ages (even adult kids!).
It’s big. It’s Fun. It’s Loud – says the boys.
The trucks crush cars, they jump, they break, and it’s awesome!
Here’s what I found out about the Halifax show:
Monster Jam is coming Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st with shows at 1pm and 7pm on Saturday, and a show at 1pm on Sunday.
Ticket Prices
Adults $25
Kids $15
*all tickets $2 more day of show
Purchase Tickets HERE!
Party in The Pits
One of the most exciting ways to get close to the stars of the show is at the pre-show Party in the Pits.
This pre-show experience provides event goers with unparalleled access by allowing them onto the actual racetrack where they can meet the drivers, get up close to the Monster Jam trucks, collect their autographs, take photos and explore the obstacles they’ll jump over and eventually destroy!
The Monster Jam Pit Party is truly the ultimate experience for any Monster Jam fan, and provides unprecedented access to the stars of the show in a way that you can’t find in any other family entertainment touring property on the planet.
Saturday & Sunday 10:00AM – 11:45AM
Pit Passes will be available for $15 online at www.ticketatlantic.com.
Saturday, May 30th – 2:00PM event ticket along with Pit Pass required for Saturday entry.
Sunday, May 31st – 2:00PM event ticket along with Pit Pass required for Sunday entry.
Because we’re so close in the Valley, we can easily go down for a day trip to enjoy the show! No excuses not to go!
Our Tips!
Based on our experience from last year, here’s what you need to know:
Bring ear protectors (or plugs) for everyone in the family. It’s really loud, and you’ll enjoy the show more fully if you have them!
If you are going to the evening show, dress warmly. The bleachers are out of the sun, and it gets chilly. Bring a blanket and sweaters.
Enter to win!
You can win 4 tickets to the Monster Jam show on Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 2pm.
Click on this banner to enter to win!
For an extra ballot, leave a comment below about why you want to go see Monster Jam and who you would take!
How to Survive Working from Home
How to Survive Working from Home
“Mommy is always on the computer!”
“All mommy does is go on the computer!”
The knife goes right into your heart.
The trouble is, I work from home. When Daddy is at work you can’t see him on the computer. When I’m at work at home, you can.
Eight years ago, after my first son was born, I made the decision not to return to my job as project manager at the university. It wasn’t really a hard choice, and luckily, we were able to do it. A year-and-a-half later, our second son was born, so there was no going back to work for me.
For the first few years I did a lot of volunteer work. I was the chair of fundraising for two different playground committees.
I had several reasons for doing this volunteer work other than contributing to the community.
1. I needed something to do other than look after my kids
2. I wanted to keep up my skills from my PR degree
I had a mommy friend who was out of the workforce for 7 years with her kids, and when she returned, she couldn’t even find the C drive on a computer. I did not want that to happen to me. I wanted to keep up my professional and technological skills so that the transition to work (when and if) would be easier.
Eventually, I started doing contract freelance writing work from home. I also started the Valley Family Fun website.
All of this while my kids were at home, and me without daycare. It’s much easier now that my kids are both in school and I have at least 7 hours a day to get some things done! However, it wasn’t always easy.
There were times that my husband and I would argue so much about “who gets the time.” Someone needs to be with the kids, and someone needs to be working. Who gets what?
There were times when I would have to conduct interviews in the bathroom with the shower running to block out the noise of my kids screaming outside!
There were times when I had to ask my mom to come over to watch the boys so I could make a phone call.
Over these past 8 years, I have received some good advice, and discovered some tips on my own, for working at home. This is not to say that I follow them all, all the time!
1. Ask for help. Have someone watch your kids, or trade babysitting even once a week, just so you have a few uninterrupted hours to work, catch up, think straight, or check your email. Don’t be afraid to ask. Don’t be a martyr.
2. Carve out working times. When you work from home, it’s always there. People are always emailing, and there is always something to do. Pick times when you will work and when you won’t.
3. Turn off the “bings”. My computer would bing every time I had an email, or a to-do task come up. I would have to know right then who it was from. Turn off the sound. Shut the lid of the computer.
4. Make a proper work station. For a long time I worked at the dining room table. Every time we had a big family meal, I had to clean up my work. I also suffered from terrible neck pain from a poor set up. You are important. Make it happen.
Read my post on how I had help making an ergonomical work station.
5. Know your limits. When I first started working from home I took on more projects that I could realistically handle. Sometimes it takes time to know how much you’ll be able to do. It’s better to take on too little than too much.
6. Take a break. One momma told me that she works right up until 30 minutes before the kids arrive off the bus. Then, the last half hour she spends reading a book, having a nap or a cup of tea. This way, she is refreshed and not tired and ready to go again when the kids get home.
7. Forgive yourself. You will feel guilty for working. You will feel guilty for being on the computer in front of the kids. You will feel guilty when the kids make comments. You also have the right to have a meaningful work life.
8. Remind yourself. Remind yourself why you are working from home – in my case, it is to be with my kids more often. So, be with them. That’s more important than anything else!
Tomorrow Comes
Tomorrow Comes by Donna Mebane
** I received a copy of this book from Strategies PR from publishers Star Shine Galaxy to review, so I can tell you about more great books to read **
My grandmother visits me as a cedar waxwing.
Maybe it’s because she was a big bird lover and the cedar waxwing was always at her feeders.
These birds are not that common around here, but every once in a while, one will stop by the holly bush at my front window. And, it seems to be when I need a reminder.
One day, I was frantically working, and was stressed about time, and deadlines.
WHOOMP
I heard a bird crash against my window. I looked up.
It was a cedar waxwing.
A reminder to slow down and take things easy.
A few days ago, I was in a rush driving somewhere. In the middle of the road in my neighbourhood was a flock of birds. They were splashing in a puddle, and weren’t making any signs to fly away as I came barrelling down the street.
When I got closer, I realized it was a flock of cedar waxwings.
Again, a reminder to slow down, take things easy – just when I needed it.
I call these encounters a message from my grandmother.
Probably many of us have these feelings and notions that someone who was close to us who has died is trying to communicate with us.
This might be in a dream, through a vision, a bird, a butterfly – anything.
This is why many people will be able to relate to Tomorrow Comes by Donna Mebane.
Donna Mebane’s daughter unexpectedly died at age 19 in her sleep. Understandably, this was a real shock to the family and community. To help her come to terms with her daughter’s death, Mebane wrote Tomorrow Comes.
The story, which I would categorize as Young Adult, is how each person in the family is coming to terms with Emma’s death. As an interesting addition, it is also about Emma herself coming to terms with having died. In it, Mebane creates her vision of utopia of what life after death is all about, in a secular way. Her thoughts and concepts are really interesting, and of course, we will never know the reality!
And of course, Mebane talks a lot about the messages that Emma is trying to send to her family through birds and music.
If you have had someone close to you die, you may want to check out Tomorrow Comes, to realize you are not alone, and to see how others come to terms with their grief.
To get another perspective on the book, I got my co-book-blogger, my mom, to read it.
Here’s what she says:
This story arose out of the unexpected death of the author’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Emma, who goes to sleep one night and doesn’t wake up. The author says that she wrote this book to help deal with her grief and loss of a beloved daughter. She also explores how each of the family deals with the loss in his or her own unique way.
One unusual angle is that she imagines her daughter beginning her new existence beyond death and finding her way. Each chapter was told from the point of view of a different character and this at times was confusing, rather muddying the story.
This book, which has won 11 awards, was an interesting read but a difficult one as no parent wants to think about what it means to lose a child, but in the end it is a celebration of Emma’s life and a call to us to live life fully.
Captain William Spry Community Centre Spryfield
Spryfield Wave Pool
We were in Halifax for the day so decided to try out the Captain William Spry Community Centre in Spryfield.
I had heard a lot about it from my teenaged friends, and couldn’t wait to take the boys there.
Hours, Location and Cost
Before going I checked the schedule online. I find it hard to find on their website, so here’s a link.
We wanted to make sure we were there when the wave pool was turned on, and the kids could experience everything!
The Community Centre is easy to get to. It is located in Spryfield, about 10 minutes from Bayers Lake. Directions are on the website.
A family pass for the afternoon was only $9, making it an affordable afternoon!
Amenities
The Spryfield pool has everything. It is a paradise for kids young and old – not to mention adults.
The pool is divided into several sections and it is fully covered by lifeguards at all points. Before each swim time, swimmers gather at the end of the room and the lifeguards review the rules before anyone gets in the water.
At the front the pool gradually deepens making it the perfect place for toddlers and infants.
There are a wide array of foam toys and slides for the kids to play with in this section.
At the back, the pool gradually deepens, reaching a maximum depth of only 6 feet.
There is a small waterslide that gives a big splash at the end – still making it fun!
There is every kind of floating foam boat toy and inner tubes. There is no shortage of fun things to play with.
At one end of the pool there is a rock climbing wall. Climb the wall and jump in when you’re finished!
The highlight of the afternoon were the waves. Twice during the “wave pool swim time” the big waves were turned on for 15 minutes each. Those older could float around on the inner tubes, while the waves gradually lessened, still making it fun for the toddlers in the shallow area!
It was the perfect place to play!
We loved it so much we ended up staying for both the wave pool time, and the family swim time that immediately followed. More younger kids arrived for the family time, but the waves were turned on in each of the sessions.
Personally, I couldn’t hack the wave part, as it made me feel so sea sick! But, I was happy to get out and take pictures!
If you are in the city, or are looking for a fun family adventure, definitely try the Captain William Spry Community Centre.
It’s the most family fun we’ve had in a long time!
