Wordless Wednesday

Chinook

Chinook I do love thee

Winter ain’t all it’s cracked up to be

Warmth PLEASE come to me

Coffee & S'cream

There is a little coffee shop on Northmount Drive called Coffee & S’cream.  What’s different about this coffee shop is the fact that it has a separate area for Parents and tots (up to 6 years).  The coffee shop has the usual coffee items, of which I have not tried as I do not drink coffee, but have heard are very good.  They serve a variety of food, such as baked goods and lunch items. 

There is also a large variety of ice cream, with different cone types and sizes, as well as sundae options.  The lunch menu offers a variety of healthy food which my kids and I really enjoy and we have not tried the ice cream yet but I think we will this summer!

Coffee & S’cream is owned by a couple and they have built it into something amazing.  It opened in 2004 and is still going strong despite the fact that many other such places have opened and closed down again in that time.

The separate area for parents and tots is the real draw for my kids.  They love the open floor plan that gives them so much room to run and play.  There are three main large climbers, with a track around the edge for the ‘cars’ to drive.  A couple of houses, kitchens and many food pieces are available for the kids to play.  Tables and chairs for Mom and Dad are place close to the small picnic tables, and high chairs are close at hand for the babies. For a full review of the play area go to  http://calgaryplaygrounds.blogspot.com/2010/11/coffee-and-scream.html

All in all this is a great place to visit, whether it is with the kids, or just for a coffee for yourself!

Wordless Wednesday

Ikea

I love Ikea.  My kids love Ikea.  It is where they ask to go when they are bored.  There is so much to see and do when we are there, it is kind of like a stimulation overload!

I like to go and look at all the things I would buy if I had all the money to spend and an unlimited amount of houses to decorate.  It is hard not to spend my money when I go there.  They have such a variety of things, and a lot of them you cannot find anywhere else.  Some things are so inexpensive that I cannot help but to buy them!  I have so many things from Ikea I can hardly name them all.

But I must say my favorite part is the lunch (or breakfast, or supper – whatever time you happen to be there!).  It is so cheap to eat.  My favorite is the meatballs.  My kids love the Mac and Cheese (although I find it a little mushy), and my husband has been trying everything on the menu.  I like that you can get a free jar of baby food (Heinz) with every adult meal purchased.  There is not great selection, but it is free food for your baby!

My kids love going  it Ikea because there is so much for them to do.  Scattered throughout the store are small interactive play stations.  They do not always work (which makes us very sad), but when they do I have a hard time pulling them away.  In the kids section they have a spot where the tables and chairs are set out for the kids to try, and they have a section where there are toys for them to play with!  What a better way to get the parents to buy things for their kids, than to be able to see how much fun they have with them?  In the cafeteria area, there is a place with a TV and more toys!  The kids can play and watch TV while  you enjoy your lunch.

Although we have never tried the Småland, my kids think it looks great!  You have to be a certain height and potty trained.  Madison just reached the height milestone, but every time we go it is very busy and the line up is too long for us to wait.  We will have to make the trek on a weekday so we can try it out.  I think it would be less busy then.

Cardel Place

We went to Cardel Place today.  This center is a great place for a number of different activities.  We went for Gym days.  This is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 12pm.  It costs $5.50/child, unless they are not walking.  The gym (which is across from the pool), is divided in half and set up with physical activity toys.  There are balls, hula hoops, a small slide, small climber, pylons, large mat area and a parachute. On Thursdays they set up a very large jumper with a slide.  It is a great place for kids to run, when they can’t outside.

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Aside from that, there are also other services there as well.  The Calgary Public Library has a branch set up there, a climbing wall, skating, Jugo Juice, childminding, exercise room and of course the swimming pool.

We have taken advantage of the pool, and the kids love it.  There are different areas of the pool; tots pool, hot tub, main pool, deep end and shallow ends are divided and a lazy river.  There is a slide into the pool, but it is fairly small.  Cardel offers swimming lessons, as well as a Parent and Tot time on Wednesdays from 10am to 12pm ($5/child, parents are free).

My nephews play hockey at Cardel, and my niece takes figure skating there, my brother in law has a gym membership, and another nephew took a martial arts class there.  There is something for everyone.  We seem to be at Cardel Place a lot, especially in the winter months, when it is colder, so you are wanting to spend less time outside.

Wordless Wednesday

Sleeping

 Sleeping Sleeping