Special Features - West Shore Family Spring 2020

family WEST SHORE

SPRING BREAK Creat a Fairy Garden for Kids

The Market at Millstream

SPRING COLOURING CONTEST See inside

Spring 2020

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CONTENTS

Spring 2020

21 13 18 07 22

20

09

07

How To Tell Your Child About Your Separation

18

Get Out and Play

09

Kids Applying to University? Help Them Stand Out

19

Happening Around Town

10

Helping Kids Find Hobbies

20

Phenomicon 2020

11

Market On Millstream Colouring Contest

13

6 Steps to Creating Fairy Gardens for Kids

21

Coast Collective Art Centre Earth Day Art Competition for Artists up to the Age of 12

14

3 Family Friendly Card Games

22

Peanut Butter Cereal Bites

16

Mommy’s Inside Voice

family WEST SHORE

Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 3

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family WEST SHORE

Spring 2020 Publisher Michelle Cabana publisher@goldstreamgazette.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Spring Break on the West Shore

Editor Katherine Engqvist katie.e@blackpress.ca Advertising Joan Stiebel joan.stiebel@goldstreamgazette.com Brad Schneider brad.schneider@blackpress.ca Layout and Design Tammy Robinson Contributors: Rick Stiebel Lori Frank Nicole Crescenzi Brown’s the Florist Karen Daniels West Shore Family is distributed with the Goldstream News Gazette and is also available in our office, around town in local businesses and online at goldstreamgazette.com/e-editions

@GoldstreamNews GoldstreamNewsGazette

#goldstreamgazette #101-847 Goldstream Avenue, Langford, B.C.

Hard to believe, spring break is almost here. If a jet-setting getaway isn’t in the cards for you — and you rightly fear a build-up of cabin fever the West Shore is the place to be. From walking the trails through Goldstream Park, exploring Esquimalt Lagoon or packing the kids up for a swim at West Shore Recreation Centre there is always plenty to do.

With today’s fast-paced lifestyles, what often gets short-changed is focused family time. Enter Spring Break as a great opportunity to reconnect - whether at home or away. It’s easy to get lost in believing we should be doing activities or seeing sights and forget it’s the time with family that matters. Most children don’t need fantastic experiences or exciting locations to make memories. What they’ll remember is the time and memories made with the people they love and care about.

As you plan your family’s Spring Break vacation this year, consider what you want family time to look like. Enjoy your family time whether lounging around together or playing lots of board games or having long conversations around the dinner table From your team at the Goldstream News Gazette.

Michelle Cabana Publisher

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How To Tell Your Child About Your Separation

By Lori Frank

AGE One of the biggest things to consider is the age of your child. What matters to your 5 year old is not the same thing that matters to your 15 year old. And what matters to you is likely not the first concern for your child, regardless of age.

For example, a preschooler has a limited ability to understand cause and effect. Their biggest concern may be “Where will the dog live?”

A teen, on the other hand, has a greater capacity to understand but at the same time still lacks the life experience to really grasp the complexity of adult relationships. Your teen is growing up but they’re not yet a grown up. The bottom line here is to do some research around your child’s developmental needs so that the messages you’re giving them are relevant and understandable.

YOUR CONFLICT BELONGS TO YOU

The conversation you have with your children about your separation can often feel like the most daunting and scary part of the whole process. As a parent, you worry about their reaction and how to support them through it.

There are a few things you can do to support your child through both the initial and the resulting ongoing conversations you will have.

Regardless of how escalated the conflict between you and your ex-spouse becomes you need to shield your children from it. This is not theirs to take on, this belongs to you and your ex. Do not speak poorly of your ex when talking about your separation. It’s normal to need to vent, feel angry and talk smack about your ex. Never let your children hear you. Never. Research tells us that children experience more trauma from the conflict leading up to and surrounding a separation rather than from the actual separation. So keep the conflict away from them.

ANSWER QUESTIONS It’s important that children feel heard throughout this process. Don’t ignore their questions. Answer them honestly, in a way that makes sense for their age while avoiding laying blame on the other parent. Use their questions to give you clues about how they are doing, what their fears are and what they might need for support.

TELL YOUR KIDS TOGETHER Plan your conversation together and then present it together. This will be reassuring to your children. It shows them you are on the same page. Leave out the shame, blame and criticism. If you don’t have all of the answers yet, let them know and assure them you are working on it.

GIVE THEM THE DETAILS While you are working on your separation agreement with a mediator or your counsel have an interim plan in place that you can share with your children. Usually, the biggest concern for children is who are they going to be with and when. Come up with an interim parenting schedule that will provide them with some consistency and stability while you’re working on everything else. Let them know this may change but for now you’ve got a working schedule.

Talking about your separation will be an ongoing conversation. Hold space for your child to adjust to the “new normal” by answering their questions, acknowledging their feelings and monitoring how there are adjusting. Monitor how they are doing and reach out for help from professionals if they need it.

Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 7

CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

CLUES ACROSS 1. The winners 7. A place to relax 10. Monies to pay debts 12. Horse mackerel 13. Type of steroid 14. Make dry 15. The Godfather’s adopted son 16. Ivanovic and Gasteyer 17. Horror movie franchise 18. Grab 19. Iranian city 21. Yearly tonnage (abbr.)

22. One’s illicit lover 27. Fake smarts (abbr.)

28. Where Jersey natives depart from 33. Doctor 34. Front feet 36. Insurance option 37. Some is “wicked” 38. Type of weaving 39. Religious woman 40. One point east of southeast 41. Prestigious literary prize 44. Tiny humans 45. Relish over 48. Computer manufacturer 49. Envelops

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50. One type is dippin’ 51. Bequeaths

32. Gives a permanent post 35. Sun worshippers love one 36. Ammonia-producing CLUES DOWN process 1. Dice game 38. 4th month of the Jewish 2. Greek goddess of youth calendar 3. Piers Anthony protagonist 40. New England river 4. One-thousandth of an inch 41. Stores grain 5. JFK Library architect 42. Confess openly 6. A type of corrosion (abbr.) 43. Quarterbacks do it 7. Beat up 44. Not good 8. Political action committees 45. Witness 9. Antidiuretic hormone 46. Author Coulter 10. Of the desert 47. Type of screen 11. Oblivious of 12. Actress Lathan 14. Musical instrument 17. It’s in a plant 18. One-time special Answer Key prosecutor 20. Indigenous people of Brazil 23. Mothers 24. Mongolian desert 25. Great Britain, Scotland and Northern Ireland 26. British air aces 29. A lover to Zeus 30. Frequently 31. Get together again

Kids applying to university?

How to help them stand out Applying to post-secondary programs is a stressful experience – for both students and their parents. One of the best ways to calm anxieties is by working hard to put together a strong application. If you’re a stressed but supportive parent, here are some tips you can share with your child.

to put together, especially if your child isn’t taking related courses in high school. Fortunately, many universities and colleges have portfolio days, where faculty review student portfolios and offer constructive criticism – even for students applying to other schools.

Brush up on grammar. Special programs and scholarships often require a personal letter, and a polished piece free from grammar errors can make an impact. Take advantage of the Language Portal of Canada, a free website from Public Services and Procurement Canada that anyone can access to improve their writing. Resources on clear communication, syntax, punctuation and more can help your teen craft an eloquent statement.

Highlight unique skills. Sometimes when prospective students have similar grades, the deciding factor can be extracurricular activities or special skills. If your child is on student council, takes part in an academic activity or sports team, or can speak an additional language, encourage them to call attention to it if possible. Need to boost their French writing for an award or supplementary application? The Language Portal can help with this too, with translation, vocabulary and grammar resources in both official languages.

Get help with special components. Certain programs, such as architecture, graphic design and most of the fine arts, have a more robust application that goes beyond grades to include a portfolio. This part of the application can be challenging

For great tools and resources that both you and your kids can use to create a stronger post-secondary application and more, visit canada.ca/our-languages. www.newscanada.com

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HELPING KIDS FIND HOBBIES Much like adults can benefit from participating in hobbies, children can reap rewards from engaging in hobbies. According to the Child Development Institute, hobbies give children a chance to express themselves. The CDI also notes that hobbies can play an important role in children’s self-discovery and boost their self-esteem.

Some children may discover hobbies on their own, requiring little if any assistance on the part of their parents. For example, some kids may display an interest in music that parents, even those with no such musical inclination, can foster by purchasing certain instruments. But some children may need a little more prompting, and parents of such boys and girls can take certain steps to help their youngsters find rewarding hobbies.

• Involve kids in your own hobbies. Kids look up to their parents and often want to emulate what their mothers and fathers do. If possible, involve children in your own hobbies. Gardeners can teach their youngsters how to grow and tend to a garden, while painters can host family painting nights where everyone is encouraged to create their own masterpiece. Parents whose hobbies are more adult-oriented, like woodworking, can still involve their children. For example, work with children to design a new item, then show them how the item goes from paper to finished product; just 10 | WEST SHORE FAMILY Spring 2020

avoid allowing them to use any unsafe tools or machines.

• Let kids choose an activity. While some children might take to hobbies their parents favor, others might need to be given some freedom to find their own activities. Afford youngsters this chance, recognizing that it might take some time before kids find an activity that genuinely sparks their passion.

• Be a source of encouragement. Some hobbies may prove more difficult than kids first imagined, requiring some perseverance before they can be enjoyed fully. In such instances, observe youngsters while they engage in the activity. If they appear to be enjoying themselves but are periodically frustrated, encourage them to keep trying. If kids appear to be disinterested in overcoming any struggles, then they might benefit by pursuing another hobby.

• Don’t hesitate to focus on fun. Hobbies can teach kids valuable lessons and provide a sense of fulfillment, but it’s important that parents not overlook the importance of fun in regard to their children’s hobbies. Hobbies can provide children with the same respite from busy schedules that they do adults, and that break should be as fun as possible.

Hobbies can enrich the lives of children. Finding the right activity may require some patience on the part of parents and youngsters alike.

Colour Colour & & Win Win Colour Colour & Win

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12 | WEST SHORE FAMILY Spring 2020

6

steps to creating

fairy gardens for kids

Gardening can be an enjoyable activity for adults and children alike. Gardening encourages creative thinking and can make for an eco-friendly activity as well.

Adding a touch of whimsy to gardening can make it that much more attractive to children. Perhaps that is why fairy gardens have become so popular among youngsters. Fairy gardens can be designed in outdoor gardens or in containers that children can nurse and enjoy indoors. Here are six steps to get your fairy garden up and running.

1. Choose your container or location.

Decide where to place the fairy garden. Hollowed-out tree stumps are both contained and outdoors, and kids may feel like the fairies inhabited this neglected area of the yard and made it their own. Otherwise, use containers you already have, such as old pots, hanging baskets, picnic baskets or cookie tins. Wooden birdhouses with their roofs removed also can make for clever places to house the gardens.

2. Choose a theme. Fairy houses can take on any theme their creators prefer. Themes help children decide what to include in their gardens. For example, a seaside retreat may work well with little reclining chairs, sea grasses and succulents. You can then complete the theme by adding some seashells and colored stones.

3. Draw up your design. Before securing anything in the container or digging into your garden bed, sketch out a garden design. This gives you an idea of how the finished product will look. Even before planting, gently place plants and other components in their spots and move them around accordingly until you find the desired look.

4. Include similar-needs plants. Mixing plants that have different requirements can make it challenging to care for the fairy garden, so select plants that require similar levels of sunlight, prefer similar soil conditions and require roughly the same amount of watering. Herbs are a smart choice because they stay small and are easily maintained.

5. Don’t forget a fairy dwelling. You will need to add a house for the fairies to inhabit. Small bird houses can work, but you also can consider old teapots, bird-nesting boxes or even homemade houses assembled out of bark and twigs.

Use your imagination and the garden will take on a life of its own.

6. Invite the fairies. Children can invite fairies to take up residence (fairies often show up at night and tend to remain unseen), or children can create their own fairies using craft materials.

Fairy gardens are a fun way to introduce children to gardeing. Once families get started, they may want to create entire fairy villages.

Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 13

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If board games have lost some of their luster, parents may want to break out a deck of cards. In such instances, these three family-friendly card games can make for a fun activity.

1. CRAZY EIGHTS Crazy eights requires between two and seven players, making it an ideal card game for families. The winner is the first player to discard all of his or her cards. A basic 52-card deck is used when playing with five or fewer players, while two 52-card decks are used when there are more than five players. When playing with more than two players, each player is initially dealt five cards, and the remaining cards are then placed face down at the center of the table. The game begins when the top card is turned face up. Players can discard their cards by matching the rank or suit with the top card of the discard pile. If they cannot match the rank or suit of the top card and are not holding an eight, players must draw a card from the stockpile. Players also may play an eight

at any time, and when they do, they must declare the suit the next player must play. The next player can either play that suit or play an eight if they have one. The first player with no cards left is the winner.

2. GO FISH Go Fish is a great game for young children. To begin, each player is dealt five cards from a 52-card deck (or seven cards if there are three players or less), and the remaining cards are then shared between the players. Players whose turn it is ask another player for his or her cards of a certain face value.

For example, a player may ask “Dad, do you have any twos?”

Players must ask for a face value they are already holding.

Therefore, in the above example, the player who asks for the two must be holding a two. If the player has cards of that value, then he or she must hand them all over to the player who asked. If the player has no such cards, the player who asked must draw a card. If it’s not the two the player asked for, the player must keep it and allow the next player to take his or her turn. If the card is a two, the player must show it to the other players and then select another card. Players who have all four cards of a face value are said to have a “book,” and

books must be placed face up in front of the player as they’re accumulated. When all cards have been laid down in books, the player with the most books is the winner.

3. OLD MAID Old Maid can be played with a 52-card deck. In such instances, one card must be added or removed. That leaves one unmatchable card. At the beginning of the game, the designated dealer deals all of the cards, and some players can end up with more cards than others. Once the cards have been dealt, players look at their hands and discard all pairs, but not three of kind. Each player, beginning with the dealer, offers his or her hand, face-down, to the player to his or her left. The player offered must select a card without seeing which card it is and add it to his or her hand. If the card chosen matches a card the player is holding, then the pair can be discarded. The player who chose a card then offers his or her hand to the player to his or her left, and the game continues in this vein. Players can shuffle their hands before offering them to other players. The game ends when all pairs have been discarded and one player is left holding the unmatchable card, which is referred to as the “old maid.”

Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 15

MOMMY’Sinside voice

By Amie Jay

I a secret.

A dirty filthy secret.

In case you missed it

have

A secret more shameful than candy bribing my kids into taking cute photos together. More shameful than the time that I publicly peed my pants while jumping on a trampoline.

More shameful, even, than the fact that I now resort to wearing TWO pairs of Spanx anytime I get to “dress up”.

My dreadful secret?

My kids watch a ton of TV.

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You know, I’ve read all of the studies. The ones shared in Facebook Mom groups, listing all the reasons why “SCREENS ARE BAD”.

The findings really are terrifying. Guilt inducing, fear feeding.

But…their validity in my home remains. These studies barely waver our rituals, doing nothing but increasing my mom guilt.

I’ve even gone so far as to comment silly things at the bottom like “limited screen time in our house, too!”, all the while speed flipping through the channels to find Dora so I can run off to scrub the counters before our play date.

Mommy needs a shower? Paw Patrol.

Mommy needs to cook dinner without hearing endless complaining about how gross it smells? Peppa Pig. Mommy and Daddy need some “alone time” in the laundry room? Daniel Tiger.

Mommy is about to FULLY LOSE HER MIND if I hear one more minute of fighting? Story Bots (or…really… preferably something less annoying.)

grumpy with my husband when he brings it up.

But… I’m ready to let go of this shameful secret for one reason.

It shouldn’t be shameful.

This is what my life looks like.

This is how I get by.

I’m doing my best.

I’m in the thick of it, right now. The thick of postpartum (yes, even 2 years later). The thick of terrible twos, tiresome threes and…frustrating fours? Is that a thing?

Struggling to get through, day to day.

Cook healthy meals, have a clean living space, presentable clothes, a happy husband, flourishing businesses, answered emails, maintained friendships…entertained children. It’s basically an impossible task for anyone that wants to hold on to their sanity.

So for right now, I’m enlisting the help of Netflix, iPad, and pretty much any piece of plastic, glass, metal, wood, rubber or STARDUST that will hold my kids’ attention for longer than 3 minutes so I can tackle some of the other tasks on my “Mommy Plate”.

One day, when the destructive hands turn a little more helpful, or the energy levels rise…the screens will stay black.

The running shoes will be worn for more than errands and the learning journals will be used for more than scribbling and stickers.

One day the chaos will slow, just a bit, and “day to day survival” will look different.

Before I had kids I had this expectation of myself as a mother. One that spent a majority of her time on the floor, playing and interacting. Teaching and laughing. Going on outdoor expeditions to examine different bugs and rocks and moss.

Yet here I am. 5 years later, 3 little boys, a greasy ponytail and a mountain of laundry that doesn’t seem to diminish no matter how many loads I do.

Sure we get outside. We examine bugs and climb trees and all of that lovely stuff…but it’s more of a struggle than I had imagined.

Sure we snuggle and laugh and read books and build castles…but not as often as I’d like.

I worry and I obsess over the amount of screen time they get. I berate myself for it, hating that I just can’t manage the workload without TV. I hide it from my friends and I get

Until then…I’m going to give myself a little bit of grace. I’m stop kicking myself for doing what I’ve got to do and just get on with it.

Now excuse me, I’ve got to go press play again because apparently Netflix can’t believe they’re still watching The Magic School Bus. Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 17

GET OUT AND PLAY The days are getting longer and the sun is starting to shine as spring quickly approaches. With that in mind, here is a list of some of the parks on the West Shore.

The life of a treasured West Shore RCMP constable is now memorialized in stone and amongst the unbridled joy of children’s play. One of the West Shore’s newest parks, the Sarah Beckett Memorial Playground, opened last summer and is quickly becoming a favourite spot for local families. Located on Glen Lake Road in Langford, the playground offers areas for children between the ages of two to five and adjacent equipment is suitable for five to 12-year-olds.

Cycling enthusiasts can rejoice, the new bike park in View Royal is now open. A continuous circuit with rollers, berms and jumps is ready for bikers to hit the pavement and enjoy a fun ride that requires little to no peddling. Located at View Royal Park, 60 Pheasant Lane, this park is filled with excitement.

No longer Langford’s best kept secret, Westhills Playground has been steadily growing in popularity with nearby development, and with the opening of West Shore Parkway, it’s even more visible. This playground is located off Langford Parkway in the Westhills development and has a rubber-like material under the play structures and swings. While it’s both toddler and big kid friendly, a few adults have been seen trying their hands at some of the features.

Also gaining notoriety is the Royal Bay Beach Park in Colwood. This park not only offers swings and other structures for slightly older children, but it also has waterfront access for an evening stroll or other fun beach activities. It’s also conveniently located close to other parks in the area.

18 | WEST SHORE FAMILY Spring 2020

The official opening of the Sarah Beckett Memorial Playground on Aug. 24, 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)

Also in Colwood, the Herm Williams Park on Kelly Road has a lovely shaded play structure so kids can get out of the sun while they burn off some energy.

Located in the Happy Valley neighbourhood, A.T. (Tom) Gordon Memorial Park was built with Langford’s little

leaguers in mind. Players’ younger siblings can scramble over the jungle-gym and excavator while their big brothers and sisters run bases or shoot hoops on the basketball court. Parents can watch them all from the permanent bleachers behind the diamond. A concession/washroom facility stands in the centre of the A. T. Gordon Memorial Park with parking and picnic facilities also available.

Two parks in relatively close proximity to each other on Chilco Road in View Royal have been attracting a lot of attention and little feet. The first, Chilco Park, located in the heart of the Thetis Vale development offers lots of options from hanging to swinging. The park also features a large grassy area that’s great for ball play.

Upper Chilco, at the end of Chilco Road, offers even more options for children of all ages with a climbing structure, slide and wood chips to land in.

The District of Highlands gave Twinflower Park an upgrade and it’s been receiving rave reviews. It has lots of options for children of all ages, including monkey bars, slides and swings.

It’s centrally located in the Highlands and is close to a lot of other amenities so it’s a great spot to stop for a quick play.

Sometimes overlooked but still utilized, West Shore Parks and Recreation has an elaborate playground for kids of all ages.

Happening Around Town

MARCH 9 - APRIL 13 Comic Foundations for ages 9-14 Mondays, 4:00 - 5:30pm Comic Foundations for ages 9-14 with Audrey Greenlees. “Learn the basics of storytelling with these creative drawing and comic classes!

We will cover foundational skills such as shapes, proportion, perspective, inking, color, and shadow, with a focus on using those skills to draw comics.”

Information: coastcollective.ca

MARCH 2 Celtic Illusion Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St., Victoria

MARCH 20 Capital City Comic Con

7:30pm

Victoria Conference Centre

The much-anticipated family event of 2020, Celtic Illusion is a dance and magical illusion sensation for all ages that fuses awe-inspiring contemporary Irish Dance with incredible magic and Grand Illusions.

Friday, March 20 - Sunday, March 22 MARCH 28 - 29

More information: celticillusion.com.au

The 4th annual 2020 Bear Mountain Bike Festival is on track to draw 700+ participants and 5,000 spectators. The Cycling festival offers the challenge of X-Country Racing, the thrill of MTB Enduro, as well as fun activities for cycling enthusiasts of all ages and abilities from young kids to Olympians! The venue is located at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort. The area consists of over 10KM of combined singletack/double track trails, flow trail, pump track and a dirt jump park.

MARCH 5 Spirit Walk: Devonian Park 4705 William Head Rd., Metchosin 9:45am-12pm This is an easy moderate hike and proper footwear is recommended. Please bring something to sit on (Yoga Mat/Blanket) MARCH 5 2020 Pacific Baroque Festival Galant & Elegant Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Ave., Victoria 8pm-11pm (Doors Open 7pm) Tickets: eventbrite.ca/e/2020-pacificbaroque-festival-galant-eleganttickets-75061847005 MARCH 8 Langford Legion Spring Craft & Garage Sale 761 Station Ave, Langford 10am-2pm (Free Admission) Information: 250-478-5484

Bear Mountain Bike Festival

For more information visit: bearmountainbikefest.com ON NOW TIL MARCH 31 LEGO Exhibition Drive out to the Sidney Museum for the 14th annual LEGO Exhibition featuring a wide range of themes including Star Wars, Minecraft, Friends, Harry Potter, Batman and Vintage sets!

Information: sidneymuseum.ca APRIL 4, 2020 West Shore Rotary Lobsterfest 2020!

Bring your friends and family & join us at the Langford Legion for Fresh East Coast Lobster with all of the fixings! The Tom Morrissey Band is back and will be providing musical entertainment throughout the evening. There will be a silent auction & the popular ScreechIn ceremony!

Information: westshorelobsterfest@gmail.com

Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 19

Everyone is welcome at West Shore’s only fan convention

West Shore’s only fan convention is set to return for a second year and is expected to be even bigger and better with another day added to this community-driven event.

Fans dressed as their favourite characters from comic books, films, video games and more will be welcome at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre on July 11 and 12 to experience cosplay, comics and all-around “geekery” as well as some exciting special guests.

“It’s a place for the socially awkward to be social,” said Dave Nemeth, co-founder and director of PhenomaCon, in a previous interview with Black Press Media. “It’s hard to explain an event like this. There’s a little something for everyone, but you have to come to the event to experience it yourself.”

Melissa Hutchison, best known for her voice role as Clementine on Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead, will be at the convention for both days this year. She has been a voice actress for almost a decade and has done work for television and radio commercials, children’s interactive toys, animation and video games.

Another special guest is Jazz Campbell, also known as Mikey Fresh. He will be the event’s master of ceremonies and 20 | WEST SHORE FAMILY Spring 2020

Ninja Turtle on both days. Campbell started his acting career as an eight-year-old sound technician for one of his father’s plays. He also received a degree in radio and television broadcasting, joined the military, became a Ninja Turtle and has worked as a professionally-trained actor.

Sheikah Knight Cosplay – or Kai Anderson – is a Langford local who will run a panel on cosplaying in the real world.

They have won various awards over the years for cosplay and love to share knowledge and talk about prop building.

Misu the Witch, or N’Donna, is a proud geek mom and magical girl researcher. She is also a budding cosplayer who finds ways to bring unlikely franchises together. She has presented at conventions like GeekGirlCon and Emerald City Comic Con. Those attending PhenomaCon will be able to shop dozens of vendors and exhibitors, check out panels and workshops and celebrate the event with other fans.

PhenomaCon takes place at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre on July 11 and 12. Weekend passes are $30 and individual day passes are $20. A photo-op with Melissa Hutchison can also be added on for $25. Tickets can be purchased at tickettailor.com/events/phenomacon/334296.

COAST COLLECTIVE ART CENTRE is hosting an Earth Day art competition for artists up to the age of 12 The region’s youngest artists are invited to submit artwork as individuals, groups, or classes.

The theme ‘Web of Life’ will allow the artists to explore the plants, animals and ecosystems that make up our planet. Anything nature-related goes, however, judges would love to see local systems explored.

Entries may include paintings, drawings, sculptures, or mixed media.

Fill out a submissions form at coastcollective.ca. The submission deadline is March 11, the deadline to confirm participation is April 1.

Artwork can be dropped off from April 8 to 12. Meet the artists during a reception on April 18 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Annual Earth Day Children’s Art Show: Web of Life to be held on Saturday, April 18.

(Submitted by Coast Collective)

This spring, there’s lots going on for kids at the Coast Collective Art Centre!

From spring break comics classes to the Earth Day Children’s Art Show to books and toys in the gift shop.

Your kids can celebrate Earth Day by having their art on display in a real professional gallery!

Visit our website to see how.

Westmont Montessori, collaborative work 2019 Earth Day Children’s Art Show

Comic Foundations for ages 9 – 14 years

Bloom 2019 Gallery Show

Gallery • Classes • Artisan Gift Shop www.coastcollective.ca/

CoastCollective.ca #103 - 318 Wale Road, Colwood (next to Holiday Inn)

250.391.5522 | info@coastcollective.ca

Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 21

Peanut Butter

CEREAL BITES

They’re a quick, easy, and delicious snack and the kids loved them!

Prep Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 18

Ingredients 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup honey 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups plain Cheerios Add the honey and peanut butter to a large, microwave safe bowl.

Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir until well combined.

Return the bowl to the microwave for another 30 to 45 seconds.

Add the vanilla extract and stir well.

Add the Cheerios and stir until the cereal is well coated.

Drop portions onto a parchment lined baking sheet (or into cupcake liners). Allow them to set. They should harden up enough to pick them up within half an hour, but it takes a few hours for them to be more firm.

Enjoy!

Notes: Microwaving times vary depending on the microwave. Make sure the honey is boiling or else it won’t set. But also be careful not to burn it. Alternatively, you can bring the mixture to a boil on the stove over medium-low heat and let it simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Recipe and photo couresy of onelittleproject.com

22 | WEST SHORE FAMILY Spring 2020

Just $13.88 per game!

Just $13.88 per game!

Save 23% over walkup.

Just $13.88 per game!

Save 23% over walkup.

Just game!

Save$13.88 23% overper walkup.

Save 23% over walkup.

Spring 2020 WEST SHORE FAMILY | 23