November 2016 – Urban Suburban Mommy

Black, white and gold – with a touch of pom-pom

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Sara Duck Posted in The Best You .

This week from The Modern Curator: Black, white and gold – with a touch of pom-pom!

Bag by Mansur Gavriel/ Book from Indigo/ Hat from Winners/ Sweater from Joe Fresh/ Pom-Pom Key Chain from H&M

I love that pom-poms are having a moment! Whether you wear one on the top of your hat, accessorize your bag with one or incorporate them into your decor, pom-poms will add an element of whimsy. Here are five more pom-pom-inspired finds.

Shoe from Winners

Pillow from Indigo

Cap from H&M

Necklace by Rosantica from Net-A-Porter

Duvet Cover Set from H&M

The Modern Curator

Sara Duck
TheModernCurator.ca
@SaraDuck

The Modern Curator

The Modern Currator

The kabob

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

Kind of exotic, so easy and the boys always fight over the leftovers in my house. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect thing to make?

I love making kabobs. I usually use pork, but sometimes chicken and sometimes beef. Lamb would be good too.

Kabobs are great because of the versatility. You can make them in the oven or on the grill. You can prep them a day ahead, or do them up right when you’re going to cook them. You can use whatever type of meat you have on hand, and use up whatever veggies you’ve got in the fridge that are coming to their end.

What you need:

– 1 nice sized pork tenderloin OR 3 chicken breasts OR a small sirloin tip roast, cut into irregular hunks, about an 1 to 1.5 inches
– 1/3 cup olive oil
– 2 garlic cloves, diced or crushed
– 1 red onion (white, yellow or Spanish will also do) chunked
– 2-3 peppers, chunked (red or green – or a mix)
– splash of lemon juice
– salt & pepper to taste
– 1 1/2 tbsp oregano (fresh or dried)

Optional veggies: zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, yam

What you do:

Use 6 to 8 metal skewers or bamboo skewers. If you’re using bamboo, make sure to soak them for 30 minutes so they don’t char.

Cube the meat andcut the veggies so that they’re bite sized but not too narrow – all the chunks of meat and veggies have to be able to be skewered.

Put all ingredients into a bowl. Toss well. You can refrigerate and let the meat marinate or you can skewer them up and get grilling. I like to alternate meat and different veggies on a skewer.

Get the grill heated to medium or heat oven to 350° and place skewers on a roasting rack. In either grill or oven, cook on each of the four sides for 4 to 6 minutes – it will cook faster on the grill, slower in the oven. You want to make sure meat is cooked through and veggies are softened and start to caramelize but don’t burn.

Serve with roasted potatoes or this rice. Tzatziki is also a great side to serve with these, it’s the perfect dip!

The leftovers – make sure you have leftovers! Put it all together in a container and the flavours just meld so beautifully. It’s a whole other amazing dish the next day.

Gone cruising: A review of Norwegian Epic

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Bon Voyage .

Over the years my family and I have cruised multiple cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Disney, Celebrity, Costa, and Princess just to name of few. Never being one afraid to try something new, for our past summer vacation I wanted to experience a new cruise line for our European Trip. The only requirements were that the ship had to leave from Rome and that it was child friendly.

We selected the Norwegian Epic as its itinerary was perfectly suited for the time frame that we were travelling and from my experience as a travel agent, I knew that Norwegian Cruise Lines had an excellent children’s program.

As of today the Norwegian Epic is the 7th largest cruise ship in the world at 155,873 tonnes, 19 decks and carries 4,010 passengers. This type of mega ship has many of the bells and whistles that most contemporary cruise lines offer including water slides, rock wall, multiple restaurants, full service spa, casinos, theatres and kids clubs.

I want to share my overall impressions of the ship and its amenities.

First impressions of the ship is that it’s big.

We had sailed other larger ships in the past (mostly notable the Oasis of the Seas which once held the title of the largest ship) so we were not overwhelmed or surprised. Upon boarding we found the ship very easy to navigate, just a few unexpected hallways that lead to a dead end that resulted in some back tracking, but I think that’s part of the fun of exploring a new ship.

In October 2015 this ship underwent a dry dock which resulted in many upgrades and refurbishments to the dining areas and Kids Aqua Park. We tend to cruise on newer ships, so we really liked the feel of the freshness of the whole ship.

Since the Norwegian Epic has so many specialty restaurants we upgraded to the dining plan which allowed us to enjoy some fabulous meals at Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian Steakhouse), La Cucina (Italian), Cagney’s Steakhouse, and Tappanyaki (Japanese Hibachi).

Even when we ate at the main restaurants we were never disappointed in the quality or quantity of the food provided. Even the main buffet provided great selections for the whole family. The only meal which we found did not meet the rest of the ship’s standards was when we dinned and watched the Cirque Dreams show – however the show itself was so entertaining that the food was not the main focus.

The Kids Club was definitely a big bonus to this trip. The kids just LOVED it and would ask to go all the time. On occasion they also preferred to dine with the other kids as well. Each day the kids club had a new theme, like “Heroes or Villains?” and “Pirate Adventures.” They enjoyed pajama parties, made wacky tacky, participated in sports action and made friends with children from all over the world.

The Epic ship has some of the most interesting staterooms at sea.

The most notable difference is the split bath. Although convenient with families, it does cause some challenges when there are multiple people in the cabin at the same time. For example, if someone is using the sink, you have to climb over the bed to get past them. Another challenge that we faced was since we had a connecting stateroom, the connecting door was placed where the closet would have been so we did find that storage for 4 people was insufficient.

Here is a walk through of our Cabin:

The ship sailed a fabulous itinerary which included Livorno (where we spent the day at Cinque Terre), Cannes, Provence, Barcelona, Naples/Pompeii and one day at sea. Each port was anywhere between 9 to 12 hours which provided us with plenty of time to get off and explore without feeling too rushed.

In summary, I give this ship cabin a 6/10 taking points off for the layout. For overall value, itinerary and amenities I would give it a 8/10. Norwegian Cruise line provided an extremely memorable experience and a cruse line that we would cruise with again.

Clara Power is a mother to 2 well traveled kids, Andrew and Lauren. She is a Personal Travel Advisor at her own travel agency, Clara Power TPI, which is in association with Travel Professionals International. As an active traveler having visited over 35 countries and almost every continent, (still working on Antarctica), Clara is no stranger in understanding the unique wants and needs of families travelling together making her your expert choice for creating those special family vacation experiences. Her agency is also recognized as an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner due to her extensive knowledge and superior service.

Do not hesitate to call her today to learn about what she can do to help you plan a seamless and enjoyable vacation!
cpower@tpi.ca
clarapower.ca
ClaraPowerTPI

More great travel info on Epic Traveller.

You throw like a girl – be proud of that!

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

Throw like a girl? That’s a good thing – a great thing in fact! And we caught up with Dana Bookman, the Founder and Executive Director of Toronto Girls Baseball to find out more about getting girls in the game!

A friend told me a story the other day. His son’s hockey coach told the team they skate like girls.

Not ‘skate like girls’ because there’s actually a girl on the team and she’s really the best skater they’ve got. More like the ‘skate like girls’ in a ‘you guys suck’ kind of way. Those boys (and that one girl) have sisters and mothers. Whether that coach knows it or not, he’s teaching that team that skating like a girl, throwing like a girl, being a girl means that girls are weaker, less athletic and slower than boys.

Do you, as mothers believe that’s true of your daughters? I sure as heck don’t.

A recent study by Indiana University found that until puberty girls and boys are equally athletic. It found no difference in performance between boys and girls under 8. It also found little difference in girls and boys 11 and 12 year olds.

Last year, when my daughter was 6 years old, she wanted to play on a baseball team. She can hit the ball out of the park, but she didn’t want to play with boys. When I searched for baseball leagues for girls my daughter’s age (not softball) there were none. Not in Toronto, not in the GTA, not in Ontario. So I started one. And within weeks we had dozens of girls registered.

Within 6 months we had more than 200 girls on our roster.

And we’re still just getting started. But one program in one city is not enough. In Canada, 41% of girls ages 3-17 do not participate in sports. And young girls who are not physically active by 10 years old only have a 10% chance of being active as adults.

Two recent studies featured in the New York Times suggest that participating in physical activity, particularly sports, has benefits for girls including a reduced risk of developing cancer, better grades, and high self-esteem.

Toronto Girls Baseball shows the girls what they can aspire to be. The club has players from the Canadian National Women’s Baseball team as coaches. They bring their heavy silver medals from the PanAm Games and from the 2016 World Championships in South Korea, and players try them on and take photos. The coaches are role models, showing our girls what they can achieve if they find a sport they love.

Being part of a team is not just about being active, it’s about confidence, coordination and teamwork. And it teaches our daughters that throwing like a girl – and skating like a girl – is something to be proud of.

Dana Bookman is the Founder and Executive Director of Mighty Girls Sports and Toronto Girls Baseball.

She has two kids, ages 7 & 8 and lives in Toronto.

TorontoGirlsBaseball.com

Toronto Girls Baseball

Green envy

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Sara Duck Posted in The Best You .

We’re thrilled to introduce our newest contributor, Sara Duck. Each week this spectacular style maven brings us some inspiration. She’s got the eye for a great piece, the ability to pull together the perfect look – and it’s not limited to one area – so savour these ideas and add a bit of fun and flair to your world, whether it’s to your wardrobe, your work desk, a hostess gift, your child’s room – or really any room in your home! And to enjoy more of Sara’s style, visit TheModernCurator.ca

Green Envy

Succulent from West Elm/ Skateboard by Stereo Skateboards/ Scarf from Joe Fresh/ Oil Cleanser by Tata Harper/ Foundation Primer by Smashbox/ Face Mask by Farmacy/ Bagfrom Zara/ Coat from H&M

The colour green conjures up many memories for me. I can remember, endless summers trying to perfect cartwheels on freshly mowed green grass, at my family home. I think about the lush, vibrant, green palm trees lining the beach in Playa Rincón in the Dominican Republic. And, I also try to erase the memories of my mother trying to force me to eat (every child’s favourite vegetable), Brussel sprouts (gah!).

Do you have a favourite memory connected to the colour green? I’d love to hear about it! Green is definitely trending at the moment, especially the olive-green tone, it’s everywhere! And, I predict it to be Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2017.

Here are some finds, inspired by the colour green!

Slippers from Anthropologie

Children’s Book by Molly Idle from Amazon.ca

Beret by Gucci from Net-a-porter

Teapot by Kate Spade

Cream Gel Eye Shadow by Maybelline

Mug Candle from Indigo

Wall Art By Clare Elsaesser from Anthropologie

Pillow from Urban Barn

Armchair by DAW from Wayfair.ca

The Modern Curator

Sara Duck
TheModernCurator.ca
@SaraDuck

The Modern Curator

The Modern Currator

Pancakes are happiness

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

I loved when my mom would make us pancakes. It was a rare weekend treat, especially if she’d add some chocolate chips! The boys love them and it’s become a favourite around here when my niece has a sleepover. It’s so cute how she will, at some point in the afternoon or evening, somehow work it into the conversation and make sure I’ll be flipping flapjacks for her in the morning. Sometimes she asks me if we remembered to buy syrup, sometimes she asks if I’d like her help in the morning – once she even promised to do the dishes.

I make them with love, hoping that my sweeties enjoy them as much as I did when they were made for me.

Pancakes, in my opinion, should be thick and fluffy. Over the years I’ve maxed out my mom’s recipe and found a way to get them to rise to over an inch thick without altering the flavour.

What you need:

– 1 1/2 cups flour
– 3 1/2 tsps baking powder
– 1 tsp salt
– 2 tbsps sugar
– 1 1/4 cup milk
– 1/2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
– 1 egg
– 1/4 cup butter, melted

What you do:

Start by souring the milk – you add the vinegar or lemon juice to the milk and set aside. It takes about 5 minutes for the milk to sour. You can use buttermilk or even plain yoghurt in a pinch instead of sour milk.

Put all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together to mix well.

Add the egg to the soured milk and whisk together.

Melt the butter in the frying pan you’ll be using to cook the pancakes. Make sure the frying pan is well greased on bottom and sides. Get it to the ‘barely melted’ point – over medium heat, not too high. Using a rubber scraper, scrape the butter into the egg/milk mixture and whisk together leaving just enough on the pan so that it’s lightly greased.

Pour liquid into the dry mix. With a spoon mix it all together, but don’t beat it. You want it lumpy. Seriously, lumpy is the secret to great pancake batter. Let the batter sit for a few minutes to let the baking powder do it’s thing. That’s the secret to the fluffy factor.

You can make one big pancake at a time or three to four smaller ones – or 6 to seven “Silver Dollar” pancakes if you like. These are great when you’re feeding a crowd.

Fry pancakes on medium heat. When bubbles start to come through and dry out it’s time to flip them. Don’t burn them but make sure they’re cooked through.

Serve with butter and maple syrup.

This recipe works well when you double it.

Variations, just mix into the batter:

A cup of blueberries – fresh or frozen

A cup of chocolate chips

A banana, sliced thin

A cup of butterscotch chips

An apple, sliced plus 1-2 tsps cinnamon

Enjoy!

Keep Calm and Don’t Forget The Snow Pants

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Alexis Nicols Posted in The Struggle is Real .

If I were to measure my success as a parent by the number of things I had to remember in an average day, I would be, at best, a mediocre caregiver. You might let me walk your dog and water your plants while you were on vacation, but you probably wouldn’t let me use a spreading knife to butter little Johnny’s toast.

Today was the first bitterly cold day of the season, marking the arrival of that frigid winter we were all promised. I bundled the kids in hats, winter coats, boots and mittens (which is to say I wrestled with the baby for a full ten minutes trying to get them on his hands for more than a nanosecond. Nate laughed and pointed, in case you were wondering whose child he is.) In an unrelated thought, if you have any tips on how to fuse mittens to a screaming toddler’s hands without the use of staples, I’m all ears. So, out the door we went, with everything we needed to brace ourselves against the cold.

Everything except their snow pants.

It was the first thing my mom noticed. “Where are the boys’ snow pants?” she asked with alarm. Crappity craptastic, I thought.

“Um, I think Ben’s pants are in the closet and Nate’s…ah, I’m not 100% sure. Maybe…he doesn’t have any?” I was starting to sound like a teenager who was about to get into some serious trouble.

Needless to say, after dropping the kids off at school we both went back to our respective homes and went digging for snow pants. I tore my place apart, cursing myself the entire time. Why can’t I get anything right? Why can’t I remember anything? What kind of a parent am I? Snow pants were found and my father very graciously drove them to the school. Crisis averted – until next time.

For some reason, I couldn’t let it go. What the actual hell was my problem?

There are measured degrees of success. On the one hand are the moms who have it all together, like elusive rainbow unicorns with nice handbags. The other end of the spectrum…well, it makes me too sad to talk about really. Let’s say that just because some people give birth to humans doesn’t mean they’re innately programmed to raise them.

I’ve come to realize that I’m square in the middle of the scale. I don’t have staff. No one to clean or cook for me or help me get the kids ready in the morning or to remind me about the damn snow pants. I don’t begrudge people who do (believe me) but it makes me 100% responsible, all the time – good, bad, ugly or otherwise. There will be mistakes. The challenge then lies in not repeating them.

The other challenge is being kind to myself and moving on. Am I tired? Yes. Are our belongings distributed among several content cleaning companies across the GTA? Yes. Do I have forty loads of laundry and dishes to do? Check. Between putting my house and my life back together, things have slipped, not the least of which is my Swiss-cheese brain. I have to remind myself every.single.day. to forgive myself, let it go and move on. Tomorrow will be a better day.

“You know honey,” my mom reminded me. “The kids are fed, dressed and loved. You’re not doing too badly.” That’s high praise. I’ll take it.

PMS diet: The 8 dos & don’ts

Posted on November 18, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in The Best You .

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is such a regular occurrence for so many of us – it’s a normal part of getting our period. The Mayo Clinic estimates about 75 percent of women get at least some form of PMS. Although the causes of PMS aren’t well understood, “fluctuating levels of hormones and brain chemicals are thought to play a role. What a woman eats and drinks can also have an effect“ says Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. a Manhattan Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine. He shares with us 10 do’s and don’ts for getting through PMS as pain free as possible.

1) Do get more calcium

Some studies have shown that calcium levels are lower in women with PMS, and that those with the highest intake of calcium reported the mildest PMS symptoms. Dr. Calapai suggests sourcing your calcium from foods such as low-fat milk and dairy, calcium-fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice, and leafy greens.

2) Don’t consume excessive salt

Salt increases water retention, so if you suffer from premenstrual bloating, do limit the amount of sodium you consume in the run up to your period. Eliminate the salt shaker, and cut back on the canned foods, processed foods and condiments, all of which are overflowing with sodium.

3) Do drink more water

“Although this sounds counter-intuitive,” says Dr. Calapai, “Water can actually alleviate PMS-related fluid retention. Drink plenty of H2O – aim for 8 to 10 glasses a day; more when you exercise – to flush toxins out of your system and reduce premenstrual bloating.”

4) Do Eat Dark Chocolate

Craving the sugary confections like chocolate and cupcakes is totally normal. Try and reach for dark chocolate when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. A bonus is, it will boost your mood.

5) Don’t Consume Coffee

While you may need that daily cup (or two) to be functional, studies show that caffeine increases levels of anxiety. Dr. Calapai explains that, “Your blood vessels contract when caffeine is present in your body, which worsens menstrual cramps. Also, for those with loose stool while on their periods, adding caffeine to your diet will make it difficult for your body to retain water and worsen diarrhea.”

6) Do Eat Greens

Losing a lot of blood can cause iron deficiency, which can cause lightheadedness or nausea. To counteract this problem, Dr. Calapai recommends stocking up on darker greens, like spinach, kale and broccoli to get your iron levels back up, but avoid eating them raw. For spinach, sautée with minced garlic and olive oil for a warm, flavorful bundle of nutrients!

7) Don’t Drink Alcohol

It will only worsen feelings of depression and moodiness. One study published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology also found that regular alcohol consumption increased length of and severity of cramps in women who experience cramps during PMS.

8) Do Eat Bananas

Sleep disturbances right before your period are the norm for many women. Plus, experts at John Hopkins University in Baltimore found that too little sleep made women more susceptible to pain (meaning those cramps will feel even worse). So make sure to get your z’s by eating bananas, which contain melatonin—a sleep-aid hormone that’s secreted at night and helps regulate our body’s natural rhythms.

About Dr. Christopher Calapai

Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine. Proclaimed as the “The Stem Cell Guru” by the New York Daily News, Dr. Calapai is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S.

His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimer’s, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinson’s.

Dr. Calapai started his practice in New York City in 1986 and for over 25 years he has hosted nationally syndicated radio shows, including his two weekly call-in shows on WABC 770-AM, where he offers health and medical advice. He has a show on Saturday morning 8-9am and Sunday evening from 6-7pm. He has consulted with numerous high-profile individuals including Mike Tyson,Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Fox series Gotham’s, Donal Logue and worked as a medical consultant for the New York Rangers hockey team as well as various modeling agencies.

Dr. Calapai received his medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and he consults in Manhattan with practices on Long Island, in East Meadow and Plainview. He has appeared on News12 and in the pages of 25A Magazine andSocial Life Magazine.

Tech tips to help you manage your household

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in The Best You .

Being a working mom is probably one of the toughest things to figure out. Time management and organization are pretty hard to master. I want to share some of my tech tips and secrets to help you manage your household

1. Take a zen moment before you start your day. Before you can get your household in check, you must commit to some calm and some ‘ME time.’ Every morning I use an amazing yoga meditation APP called Headspace. It keeps me grounded as I start the craziness of my working day; leading a double life as a wife and mom to three growing boys. All you need is 10 minutes.

2. Meal Planning saves time, sanity and money. I basically decide on my meals and at the same time order my groceries online. But I take meal planning one step further in order to stay organized and maximize my time. Once I have decided that, let’s say, I will be making a lasagna on Monday, beef stew on Tuesday and chicken curry on Wednesday (etc.), I insert the meal plan of the day with corresponding recipe into my calendar. I send it to my husband as well. On days where I am working late, my hubby is able to stay organized and save time by looking at the meal plan and ingredients list so that he can get dinner cooked quickly for our 3 hungry boys. There is no guess work on what to make. We are all planned out for the week.

3. Ordering groceries online is a huge time saver. And time is well – money. I will either use Loblaws or Grocery Gateway depending on which grocer has the better deals that week. Every Sunday morning before my kids wake up, I plant myself at the kitchen table armed with my cookbooks and a huge mug of coffee. I decide on which meals I will prepare for the week and order accordingly. Ordering groceries online also goes hand and hand with meal planning.

4. Manage your budget online. I just recently started using MySpend by TD Bank. It is this awesome APP that I highly recommend. After you input all of your budget information, the APP will send you immediate alerts about spending habits. For example, you will receive a text message if you have spent more than your allotted grocery budget. It keeps spending in check. Budgets and expenses are key to managing any household.

5. Stay connected to your kids’ teachers with Facebook. If your kids’ teachers will allow it, a great way to communicate is through Facebook. It is so much easier to get updates on how my kids our doing via Facebook rather than the phone. My sons’ teachers will often reach out on their lunch breaks via social media. It’s great for me because I can multitask. I can be on a conference call and at the same time talk to teachers online through Facebook Messenger. I highly recommend doing this if you are comfortable and your children’s teachers are OK with this communication method. It’s the way of today and definitely of the future.

6. Keep track of play dates by handing out business cards. Similar to scheduling a doctor or dentist appointment, I too hand out business cards when we have booked a play date for the kids. I created a business card template that includes all of my pertinent contact information including social media handles. Parents then can reach out to me on social media to update me about play date anytime they choose.

I hope some of these tips will help you and please feel free to share some of the ways tech helps you keep things together in your family!

Kate Nash is Urban Suburban Mommy’s Tech and Biz Expert. She is a successful digital strategist and senior sales manager by day. By night, she manages a house consisting of her awesome husband and 3 growing boys. She juggles meal planning and prepping, hockey games and play dates all with a smile on her face.

Egg’s Benny with a twist!

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

2017 will be the 40th edition of the Milk Calendar. 40 years of great tips and recipes for meals to make, they’re celebrating by having professional food stylist and recipe developer Heather Trim create a few recipes for our dining pleasure.

This old fave is going to be a hit when you dish it up – it’s a great way to take brunch to the next level. Indulge yourself or show off for company, this Eggs Benedict with a Twist (featured in the calendar for December 2017) is surprisingly easy, and if you’re going to try to tell me you don’t like hollandaise I’m going to have to assume someone’s pants are on fire.

What you need:

2 tsp (10 mL) butter
4 tsp (20 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) milk
½ cup (125 mL) finely grated Canadian Parmesan
½ tsp (2 mL) mustard powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) each, hot sauce and salt
4 small slices olive, cheese or crusty Italian bread
4 eggs
4 thin slices Black Forest ham
4 slices tomato
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
Chives for garnish (optional)

What you do:

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in milk. Stirring continuously, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently 1 minute. Whisk in Parmesan, mustard powder, hot sauce and salt. Remove from heat; sauce will thicken slightly while preparing remaining ingredients.

Toast bread. Poach eggs in simmering water – about 3 minutes. Fold ham to fit on each slice of bread, followed by a slice of tomato, avocado slices then egg. Drizzle with sauce, then sprinkle with chives (if using).

TIP:

Add about 1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar to eggs’ poaching water; this helps eggs to hold their shape. Gently pat eggs dry with paper towel after cooking to prevent bread from becoming soggy.

Variation:

Try fried eggs instead of poached and prosciutto instead of ham

Eggs Benedict with a Twist is a take on eggs Benedict includes the fresh and creamy taste of avocado. Simply serve with a salad.

Parents, presents and profiteers

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in The Struggle is Real .

Hatchimals.

Effing Hatchimals.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a really cute idea – there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this toy! In fact, there will be a lot of excited kids come Christmas Day who will be lucky enough to find one under the tree.

But not my kids. This mom isn’t organized enough to shop ahead, and unless magical shipments flood the stores with a bounty of boxes of these little lovelies, my kids will be Hatchimal-free come the holidays.

And that’s okay.

Toys ‘R’ Us is sold out of all Hatchimals, which run from $60-$90 retail.

But a quick search of Kijiji, Craigslist and eBay tells me that it’s probably not okay for all families.

Every year there’s a toy that becomes the hot holiday ticket. Cabbage Patch Kids. Tickle Me Elmo. XBOX 360. Furby. Frozen costumes. And parents, desperate to keep Santa’s street cred intact, turn to the profiteers who had the foresight to hoard stock of the sold out toy and marked it up to its weight in gold.

Profiteers, I need to tell you, you suck.

I get it, supply and demand. But these are holiday gifts. FOR CHILDREN. There’s something so sad about holding a toy hostage for what may amount to a car payment or half a month of rent. It’s a crazy market where somebody can prize the dollar this highly. I know, capitalism and all, but CHILDREN.

It’s just like scalped tickets for a concert or hockey game. It IS supply and demand. But in this case, where children are involved, where little wishes are crushed because it becomes unaffordable and unattainable, it just sucks.

But is gift-giving about spending $$ to prove your love?

The other side of gift giving and holidays with children is managing their expectations. My kids will not get what the neighbour’s kids get. They won’t get the same things their cousins or their friends or the Kardashian-West kids get.

Even Snooki (Nicole Politi) of Jersey Shore infamy can't find a Hatchimal for her kids

Even Snooki (Nicole Polizzi) of Jersey Shore infamy can’t find a Hatchimal for her kids

We have mixed traditions and celebrate more than one holiday. We have more than one holiday party and our kids are so lucky to be showered with gifts from loving family and friends. If anything, the overabundance can be overwhelming.

Managing expectations means that they get what they get, and they don’t get upset. It means that they don’t ever demand presents and then become disappointed if they don’t get something. Of course there are going to be disappointments – my son asked for a brick of gold for goodness sakes.

So far we’ve been lucky in that our kids are gracious and grateful in this respect. I’m not sure if Hatchimals are on their list or not. I’m not going to lie, I wish I’d gotten them each one, but there is no way I’m paying the King’s ransom.

The truth is, it’s not going to affect their happiness one bit this holiday. There will be presents, there will be family, there will be fun and there will be food. All in copious amounts. We’ll enjoy our traditions regardless of the toys that get unwrapped!

And we’ll blame Santa’s elves if and when it comes down to it.