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Grandma’s Apple Juice Cake

November 2, 2017 By Lena

Fall, 1989. As the leaves turned a beautiful burnt orange and the cold-weather clothing was retrieved from storage, I’d hear a familiar warning as I reached into the refrigerator:

“Don’t drink all the apple juice!”

I can still hear my mom’s voice, issuing the command as I hurriedly selected a different beverage. Because in my childhood home, fall meant long walks, oversized hoodies and my mom’s special Apple Juice Cake. I’m not quite sure why it was only baked in those selected months; perhaps it’s because the cake paired well with strong, hot coffee and was the perfect comfort food on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Regardless, as soon as the weather cools and the days become shorter, I find myself thinking about that cake, made with simple ingredients that I always have on hand. Today, I continue the tradition during the autumn months with my own boys. To them, it’s Grandma’s Apple Juice Cake. To me, it’s a piece of my childhood. …

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Filed Under: Food Tagged With: #mommytalks, allen's, apple juice cake

Falling in Love with Fall: Family Favourite Activities

October 18, 2017 By Lena

Welcome, friends, to our very favourite season – it’s fall, of course! The season of apple picking and spiced lattes; colourful leaves and decorated pumpkins. Now that the heat and humidity have made a departure, it’s time to pull on your cardigan and cute boots and enjoy this splendid season.

I love spending time outdoors with my boys. It’s so refreshing to be able to stay outside for the whole day without battling the elements! And today, I’m here to share some of my favourite family activities for making the most of autumn – so load the kiddies into the car, grab a mulled apple cider and get ready for some outdoor fun!

Rolling in the Deep (Leaves). Watching my boys have a good old fashioned crunchy leaf fight is such a hoot! If you don’t have a large property with copious amounts of tree fall-off, visit your nearest park or conservation area.
We always head to Erindale Park in Mississauga, where fallen leaves are plentiful. Another great spot is Riverwood Conservancy, where animal lovers can spot furry friends scampering about! …

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Filed Under: Family Tagged With: #mommytalks, allen's, fall 2017

MommyTalks: Getting Back to Birthday Party Basics

July 4, 2017 By Lena

Many mothers are excellent birthday party planners. They develop an age-appropriate theme and source out coordinating invitations, party décor and a local venue. The exact sequence of the party is documented in a flow chart, complete with plan “b” (and even plan “c”) options. The equivalent of a car payment is spent on party food and gift bags.

I am not one of those mothers.

Don’t get me wrong, I wish I was. My kids would probably like me more if I knew all their friends’ names (I don’t), could effectively execute a 20-kid extravaganza (I can’t) and was willing to spend a small fortune in an effort to keep up (I’m not).

So instead, they have me – a loving, doting mother who avoids all mentions of birthday parties until the kids bring it up.
This year, the kids surprised me. When the subject finally came around, they insisted on simply having a few friends over for a backyard birthday party. At first, I was taken aback – you mean we don’t have to invite everyone in the class? We don’t have to rent out the local Bounce ‘n Play?

However, the more we chatted, the more it made sense to me. At ages nine and seven, they had already established deeper friendships with a few classmates, allowing them to select those they wanted to celebrate with. And, I believe there’s something more intrinsic at play: boys have an innate desire to show their friends where they live, their possessions, their lifestyle. Finally, with so much time spent indoors in front of electronics, it feels good to connect with friends outdoors, where kids can burn off energy and enjoy seasonal activities. So, I agreed that they were each allowed to invite 3-4 friends, and I would take care of the rest. …

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Filed Under: Family Tagged With: #mommytalks, allen's, birthday party ideas

#MommyTalks: Spring Traditions

April 12, 2017 By Lena

Before I had children, I romanticized what it would feel like to be a mother.

I envisioned having these perfect little humans – the spitting image of me, of course – who would be the center of my world. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them; my children would define and justify my existence.
_DSC1987aI have children now – two perfect little boys, only one is the spitting image of me – and they are the center of my world. My pre-offspring predictions about how much I’d love my children were pretty spot on. But for all the feelings of love, anticipation, nurturing and excitement I’d felt, there was one I hadn’t counted on – guilt.

Mothers feel guilty, all the time.

I feel guilty about my choices and the choices I don’t make. I feel guilty when I take on too much and when I don’t take on enough. I feel guilty when I say no… and sometimes, I even feel guilty when I say yes. …

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Filed Under: Family Tagged With: #mommytalks, allen's, family time

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Lena Almeida

Toronto Blogger, Social Media Strategist for Listen to Lena Inc. Television & Radio Personality, Columnist and Speaker. Family Travel Expert. Star Wars Fanatic. Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion. Read More…

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