Local Shop n' Dine
5th
March
2010
Posted in: Contests, Local Shop n' Dine, Product Reviews, giveaways, play
Congrats to #16, Elizabeth and Aiden! Christine picked you as our winner of 10 free passes!
These cold months are no excuse to stay at home when there are so many cool indoor play centres in Durham.

One of our favourites is Creative Play Indoor Playground and Party Centre in Ajax. We took the girls here with Jen O. last February for the Valentine’s Day party and had a blast! I love that there is still to do for all age groups — a play area with smaller toys, ride-em cars, jumpers and padded seating for babies and toddlers, and several climbers for older kids.

We enjoyed decorating cupcakes (extra charge) in the huge eating area, colouring (free — and Lucy drew her first face!) and tons of free play. With two kids more than two years apart, I’d definitely recommend two people, if possible. Creative Play is quite large — more than 3,500 sq. ft., with some equipment around corners — so it can be difficult to keep track of them. That being said, there’s a TON of room to play!

One of Creative Play’s claim to fame are their character days: Tea with Ariel, March Break Art Day, visits with Elmo and Upsy Daisy. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter and keep track of their calendar to see what’s coming up.

My only complaint was this day was also a PA Day — so there were a ton of older kids around. Children to the age of 10 are allowed, and I found Lucy intimidated by the school kids. None of the were in the baby area, so Alice and Avery were fine.
Owner Christine has given me 10 FREE PASSES to a lucky Durham Region Baby reader!
Head on over to Creative Play’s website and pick your favourite feature of the place (or share, if you’ve been there before) and leave a comment below. We’ll pick a winner Monday.
Happy playing and good luck!
4th
March
2010
Posted in: Local Shop n' Dine, events
From the Region comes a super cool feature for your computer!
My Durham Desktop is your weekly inspiration for things to do in Durham Region. It’s a computer desktop calendar that serves up a new wallpaper showcasing beautiful images of Durham Region every week.
Each captivating image is accompanied by a pop-up window that informs you of local events and happenings. I downloaded it last week, and I just love it.
Follow this link to get your own My Durham Desktop.
12th
February
2010
Posted in: Local Shop n' Dine, events
How we all love a holiday! Especially one that celebrates family. No matter what form yours is, we wish you a splendid long weekend, and hope you do something special with your loved ones.
Be sure to check out our events calendar for what’s happening around Durham (our friends at Creative Play have a great party happening!), and visit your local municipality’s website to see what free things are on Monday, February 15. Up in the Boonies, we’re planning some free swimming at our local pool, and partaking in a free barbeque at the Legion!
Enjoy.
17th
December
2009
Posted in: Local Shop n' Dine, News
As you finish up your holiday shopping this year, please remember that shopping local helps OUR economy and OUR fellow residents in this wonderful community we call home. The local parentpreneurs featured in this guide and on our site sacrifice all to make their businesses work for parents like us.
For almost five years we’ve been bringing you unique local products, stores and services. Please consider adding them to your and your wee ones’ wish lists this Christmas:
Durham Region Parent Directory
Product Reviews
Local Shop & Dine
Please READ ON and support the following dedicated and hardworking Durham Region businesses in our first Local Holiday Gift Guide.
Happy holidays from our family to yours!
Carly Foster (and Eric, Lucy, Alice & Spencer Dog)
www.durhamregionbaby.com
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Wee Rascals: Custom, monogrammed sleep sacks, bibs, blankets & more
Our 1-year-old, Alice, has had the best night’s sleep the past two months thanks to our sleep sack from Rebecca — mom to the gorgeous twins at left! — at Wee Rascals. Alice actually crawls right into it at bedtime!
At Wee Rascals they design, sew and sell extra large receiving blankets and baby sleep sacks ranging from infant to toddlers! Products are available in 100% certified organic cotton, natural cotton flannelette and fleece in adorable prints perfect for baby.
Great Christmas gift ideas for the wee one on your list.
Special offer for Durham Region Baby readers:
Save 15% on all orders over $50 using code: SAVE15
Fleece Sleep Sacks buy-1-get-1 50% off
www.weerascals.ca – info@weerascals.ca – (905) 441-3104
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Capture your wee one this holiday season with beautiful custom photography and a special gift
Buy a gift certificate for a friend, and receive one for yourself from Shelly Ferguson Photography! Give your friends and family the gift of memories this holiday season and treat yourself at the same time.
Purchase a $100 gift certificate as a special gift for Christmas, or perhaps even a baby shower, birthday, or just because, and we’ll reward you for your generosity with a $50 gift certificate for yourself.
Isn’t it fun to give a gift to someone special?
Contact Shelly for more details
Shelly@shellyfergusonphotography.com
www.shellyfergusonphotography.com
Limited time offer ~ valid only on certificates purchased before December 31/09
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All I want for Christmas is…cupcakes!
Treat yourself and your wee ones this holiday season with the talented Siobhan’s creations from For the Love of Cupcakes!
She crafts delicious homemade cupcakes for all occasions with a secret buttercream frosting recipe to die for! Check out the stunning fondant decorations. You can personalize them to match holiday party decor and colours.
Serving up sweetness to all of Durham!
www.fortheloveofcupcakes.com 905-239-1219
Coming in the new year – decorated sugar cookies and mini cakes!
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Disney stocking stuffers under $5 @ Bearly Used Kid’s Clothes
Make Bearly Used your one stop shopping destination this holiday season! We carry:
* adorable, brand name holiday fashions
* great gifts ideas: Melissa and Doug toys, Rockabye Baby CD’s, BabyLegs, DaBaby onesies
* Disney Cars/Princess/Dora/Diego stocking stuffers under $5
269 Michael Blvd., Whitby ~
www.bearlyused.ca ~ (905)665-5550
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Festive baskets, diaper cakes and more this Christmas and beyond
Finest Expressions offers unique hand crafted baby gifts including baby diaper cakes, clothing bouquets, sock bouquets, candy bouquets and gift baskets.
We custom design gifts using your theme and budget!
Special Offer: For limited time only; 10% off all custom designed diaper cakes. Also available are DIY Baby Shower Favour Kits.
Finest Expressions
Contact Zakia: 416-804-6064 or 416-904-8658
www.finestexpressions.com
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Our well-established baby gear depot has recently moved to our NEW location at the corner of Midland & Kingston, with plenty of parking available.
Car seats, strollers, buggies, cribs, baby accessories & much more. Brands include: Robeez, Britax, Sunshine Kids, Phil&Teds, Peg Perego, Caramia Furniture and more.
NO TAX SALE on all regular priced merchandise, including special orders, for the entire month of December.
Crayons
2435 Kingston Road @ Midland
Scarborough, ON, M1N 1V4
Contact Andrew: 416-694-9733
crayonsstore@msn.com
Stay tuned for our new website launching soon at www.crayonsstore.com!
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13th
November
2009
Posted in: Local Shop n' Dine, shopping
One of our favourite north Durham stores (yay Boonies!) is re-opening in a brand new locale tomorrow.
For more info, visit www.cuddlybunny.com, or call 905-985-9956 — say hi to Marnie and tell her we sent you!

3rd
November
2009
Posted in: Contests, Local Shop n' Dine, events, free tickets, shopping
It’s a big show weekend, with both Mamas & Chicks on in Oshawa, and Market Moms on in Uxbridge this Saturday, November 7.
And we again have free tickets for both! There are 150 up for grabs from Mamas & Chicks, and 10 from Market Moms.
Both of these shows highlight the best of our local parentpreneurs. They’re stroller-friendly, have food, loot bags and ample parking. Start your Christmas shopping early — shop local, avoid the malls, and support your fellow parents. The scenery is beautiful this time of year, and I encourage you to take the day to drive to both!
Here’s how to win:
- For Mamas & Chicks: Visit www.mamasandchicks.com and click through the pages to find out how many times Durham Region Baby is listed on the site
- For Market Moms: Visit www.marketmomsonline.com and find out the name of the venue where the show is being held
Email the answers to info@durhamregionbaby.com ASAP for your FREE ticket to each show.
These are popular contests, and tickets usually go within 24 hours — enter quick!
16th
October
2009
Posted in: Durham Mom's Night Out, Local Shop n' Dine

My & Jen O.’s mom’s group, Durham Mom’s Night Out, is hosting Jesse Martell from Pulse CPR this coming Wednesday for an informative evening on subjects we hope we’ll never have to draw from: CPR/childhood emergency prevention.
Our evening is normally invite-only, but because this is so important for parents, we want to open it to all moms who read this site.
The cost is just $12/person, which is VERY reasonable for a course such as this.
Any money remaining after the room rental and speaker fees we are donating to Bethesda House: a women’s shelter, and advocacy/support organization for women and children suffering domestic violence www.bethesdahouse.ca
If you’re interested, please email durhammoms@gmail.com and we’ll send you the details. Please note you MUST pay at the door.
For more information on the class and Jesse, see his listing here: http://www.durhamregionbaby.com/health-and-safety/
28th
September
2009
Posted in: Blog: Life with Lucy & Alice, Local Shop n' Dine, moments, photos
Managing a 3.5-year-old and 11-month-old is chaotic and trying on the best of days. Have you ever tried to capture both looking forward? And not at each other? Or fluff on the ground? Or an airplane? Or fart in the wind?
Then ask them to stick their heads through wooden cutouts.
I could barely keep the camera still while giggling and calling their names in a sing-song voice, while Eric had to put Alice down a few times because he was killing himself laughing at the two of them.
This is from Pingles Farm Market in Hampton last weekend:
9th
September
2009
Posted in: Local Shop n' Dine, Product Reviews, babies n' kids, events, play
Our friends at MusiGo are throwing a FREE dancing, instrument-playing, yoga-posing wiggle party this coming Monday in Bowmanville for kids 6 months-3 years:
Mon., Sept. 14
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Theatre Dance Academy
2445 Baseline Rd., Bowmanville
Registered programs begin the following Mon., Sept 21st.
We’d love to attend and share the fun with you, but both my girls are in daycare.
Are any of you free to go in our place and share the experience with a write-up and photos?
Leave a comment and let me know!
5th
September
2009
Posted in: Local Shop n' Dine, babies n' kids, shopping
A week from today is the Durham Parents of Multiples giant consignment sale in Oshawa! This is the fall sister sale to the spring one held in May.
Bring a wagon and reusable shopping bags, leave the kids at home (if at all possible — you need your full attention for scouring the racks and digging through toys; but there are tons of kids there), and be prepared to stock up on tons of kids and maternity clothes, toys, books, gear and more.
Sat. Sept. 12
Oshawa Curling Club @ 226 Bond St. E.
9 a.m. – noon
The line up starts early, so get there as soon as you can to be one of the first in the door. Big ticket items such as strollers and outdoor toys go first.
Durham Parents of Multiples is a non-profit organization providing support services for families with twins and higher order multiples in the Durham Region. We strive to help each other through the unique challenges of raising multiple birth children and share in the many joys. For more information visit www.drpomba.com.
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