Pantry Pancake Mix... with free printable tags

When it comes to cooking for my busy family, I love a good shortcut. It's always helpful to have ingredients for quick meals in my pantry, so this "make ahead" pancake mix is wonderful. It's great to have on hand for making a quick breakfast before school... and the leftover pancakes can be cut up and popped in a thermos for a simple school lunch.

To make pantry pancake mix:

Mix the following dry ingredients in a bowl, and use a funnel to put the mixture into a jar:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt

Then, add a fun tag to the jar. 

To print the tags I designed: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

When you are ready to make the pancakes:

1) Dump the contents of the jar into a bowl.

2) Add:

• 1/4 cup melted (cooled) butter.
• 2 cups buttermilk (or 2 tbsp vinegar and enough milk to make 2 cups)
• 2 eggs

3) Stir (just until most of the lumps are gone).

4) Add approximately 1/4 cup batter to a buttered/heated skillet.

5) Cook pancakes on one side until bubbles appear, and then flip.

6) Cook the other side until lightly browned.


We serve our pancakes with maple syrup and fruit, and they are delicious!

Pancakes are fantastic served fresh, but you can make them ahead of time and freeze them too. 

Let them cool, put them in a freezer bag, and place them in the freezer. When you are ready to eat them, pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds or reheat them in the toaster.

I absolutely love having this homemade pancake mix in my pantry. It's simple to make and the pancakes are light and fluffy.

My kids love pancakes, and I love a good shortcut, so this pantry pancake mix is perfect for my family. What's in your pantry that you couldn't live without? Do you have any good mealtime shortcuts to share? I'm always looking for new ideas.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more family friendly recipes here.

DIY Apple Stamped Banner / Bunting

Apple decor is perfect for Fall and for back to school... and it's even better if it's handmade. I am loving this adorable DIY apple stamped banner / bunting. It's fun to craft, and it makes a wonderful piece of custom decor for your home.

I found a pre-cut canvas banner for less than $2, but you can use cardstock instead (if you can't find inexpensive canvas). 

Then, to make a banner: cut an apple in half, apply a light coat of red paint with a paint brush, and use the paint covered apple to stamp the bunting. 

Wait for the paint to dry, and then you can add details (seeds and a stem) with a brown Sharpie.

Then, use hot glue to attach a piece of twine or string to the back of each "flag".

This is what it looks like when it is all finished. Cute, right?

I think a DIY apple stamped banner / bunting is the perfect project for this time of year. It's great for Fall, and works well for the first day of school too.

Happy crafting!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

10 Questions to Ask your Kids After School... that won't get one word responses

Now that the school year is well underway, you might be finding it difficult to get information about the school day from your children. After school, kids are tired, and getting more than a "fine" or a "good" can be a challenge. Today, I am sharing 10 questions that you can ask your kids after school... that will get more than a one word response.

1) What did you do at recess / lunch? Who did you play with? Who did you sit beside at lunch? - Great questions because they lead to a bigger discussion about who their friends are, what they are interested in playing, and what sort of drama is happening on the playground.

2) Did anything funny happen at school today? - A simple question with a positive focus.

3) Did you find anything hard or upsetting today? - A great question for uncovering emotional struggles.

4) What are you working on in math? What are you reading? - Wonderful questions for showing interest in the academic part of a child's day.

5) What was the best part of your day? What was the worst part of your day? - Simple questions that can lead to more detailed discussions.

6) What did you learn today? 

7) What are two positive things that happened today? What is one negative thing that happened today?

8) Did anyone get in trouble in your class today? What were they doing? - This is a wonderful question to ask because it allows you to talk to your kids about acceptable and unacceptable behavior and what your expectations are for them.

9) Did you eat your lunch? Why or why not? - Sometimes kids don't eat their lunch because they were worried about something and had a sore belly. Or, sometimes they don't eat their lunch because they were in a hurry to get outside to play with a new piece of playground equipment. Either way, it's a good question that can help uncover further information.

10) Do you have any homework? Do you have any projects or tests coming up?

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  Of course, you aren't going to ask all these questions every day. Pick the questions that work for you, and feel free to "mix them up". You should also consider the timing of asking your child questions. Some kids love a chat while enjoying an after school snack, but others prefer to share information at bedtime. You know your child best, so go with your gut.
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• What's your favorite question to ask your kids after school? Did any of your favorites make my list?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

FREE First Day of School Chalkboard Sign

I have had a couple of people ask if I have a chalkboard sign for the first day of school that they can download. I never used these with my boys, but I thought I would design one for my lovely readers, and you can download it for free below.

To download and print the sign: click on the photo above, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

You can use a photo editing software to the add the info before you print it, or you can use a Sharpie to write directly onto the picture. Just make sure you let the marker dry completely to avoid "smearing".

You could also place the photo in a frame and use a dry erase maker to write on the glass. This would allow you to reuse the photo prop each year. Clever, right?

Happy first day of school! I hope you like this free first day of school chalkboard sign.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

First Day of School Buffet

The first day of school is big deal; and therefore, it deserves to be celebrated. It's a hectic day for everyone, but I love the idea of surprising kids with a simple after school "back to school" buffet. Today, I am sharing some fantastic ideas and free printable labels that will add to the fun.

The centerpiece of my simple first day of school buffet is this super-fun giant chocolate chip cookie. (You can find the recipe for my soft and chewy cookie tart here.) The cookie tart is delicious plain, but for some added fun, you can use store bought icing to add a special message for your "smart cookies".

Sweet tarts are also a tasty treat, and they are perfect for the first day of school with a "Here's to a SWEET start to this school year!" tag.

And how cute are these gummy "book WORMS"?

And these packs of excel gum are a cute addition to a first day of school buffet with "I hope you had an EXCELlent day!" tags.

And teddy bear crackers are great in a jar with "It's going to be a BEARy good year!" tags.

Finally... it's fun to add a non-edible element to the first day of school celebrations. I love these silly and colorful dollar store glasses in a jar with a tag that says, "LOOKing forward to a great school year!" 

To download any of the tags I designed (below): click on the tag below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

See how cute the first day of school buffet looks when it all comes together?

My boys are going to love enjoying these treats when they get home from school, and I'm going to love hearing about their first day!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

A Peek at Our Back to School Shopping Finds

Every parent knows that the end of summer means it's time to do some back to school shopping. As a mom of three boys, it's a struggle for me because my boys do NOT enjoy spending time in malls. So, for me, online shopping is my "go to", and finding clothing items my boys all like is key. For my hockey loving boys, Gongshow gear* is always a hit.

This year, I let my boys browse the Gongshow website, and they were each allowed to pick out a hat. They were also given the choice between one long sleeve shirt or two short sleeve shirts. Here's what they chose: 

My oldest is a huge fan of hoodies, so he chose this one with skate lace detailing. He also selected an "always game" hat.

My middle son loves black and grey, so I wasn't surprised that he chose this "clutch nation" hat. And he is in love with this light weight hoodie with skate lace detailing.

And my youngest (who is just happy to have clothes that aren't hand-me-downs) chose two t-shirts and this fantastic "t-diddy special" hat. It's the perfect outfit for taping his new hockey stick! 😊

As you can tell by the smiles on my boys' faces in these pictures, they are all really excited about their new clothes. The clothes are stylish and are high quality! I love that my boys were able to shop online (with super quick shipping), and none of us had to endure a trip to the mall. #WinWin

If you have hockey fans in your house, I highly recommend checking out the new Fall 2019 Gongshow line. Happy shopping!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure - I was given GONGSHOW clothing for free in exchange for my honest review of the products. As always, the views expressed on this blog are 100% my own... and my boys genuinely love these items.

First Day of School 2018... it's all about continuing our back to school traditions

There is something very comforting about traditions, don't you think? Knowing what to expect, and having things "the same" is a wonderful way to reduce anxiety on the first day of school. I also believe that traditions provide the foundation for lasting childhood memories. Today, my three boys went back to school (grades 4, 6 & 8), and we continued all our simple first day of school traditions. Here is how our morning went...

As always, we started our day with a special breakfast. I made (not perfect but still fun) pancakes in the shape of the kids' grades, and they all drank milk from wine glasses.

Then (like all annoying parents do), I subjected the kids to a few first day of school pictures. My favourite pictures are the ones I take of the kids holding a picture from the first day of school the previous year. I love this tradition, and it is fun to see how the kids change from year to year.

The younger boys also took a little gift for their teachers and small treats for their new classmates. This year, they are took crayon vases full of chocolate bars (with "First Day of School Survival Kit" tags), pencils, and packs of gum.

My boys are currently safely at school, and I am now at home with my messy kitchen, piles of laundry, stacks of paperwork, and calendar full of after school activities and freelance work deadlines. It's tough to say goodbye to summer. 😢

I can't wait for my boys to get home from school so we can share a special after-school snack and chat about their first day of school adventures.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Back to School Organizing Ideas

With the arrival of a new school year, I always feel the need to get organized, don't you? There is something fantastic about  making the chaos of "back to school" a little less chaotic. Today, I am sharing a few of my favourite back to school organizing ideas. They are easy, inexpensive, and guaranteed to bring a little order to your home.

*Note: This post contains a few affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase using one of these links, I will get a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Use clear shoe racks - Clear shoe racks are perfect for organizing because they utilize the unused space behind a door, and the clear pockets make it easy for kids and adults to easily find the item they are looking for. You can use them for school / homework supplies, water bottles / school lunch containers, and clothing (hats, mitts, socks, underwear, etc...).

Create a homework area - An organized space to do homework is important, and what could be cuter than making your own colourful pencil holder for all your homework supplies? Simply cover a dollar store pencil holder with crayons using a glue gun. You can find the full tutorial here.

Organize the kids' clothes - Back to school is the perfect time to organize clothes. First, get rid of everything that is out of season or doesn't fit. Then, fold everything like the picture below... clothing folded into thirds and placed in the drawer so everything can be viewed at a glance. It is life-changing. The kids will no longer have to dig through their drawer to find their favourite t-shirt!

Label everything - You work hard to get kids the things they need, so don't let them lose all their clothes and school supplies. I label everything... and I can't tell you how many items (including expensive hoodies and jackets) that have found their way back home. You can check out the labels I order here.

Stock the pantry - Make snacks accessible and minimize the time needed to make lunches by stocking and organizing the pantry. Save time and money by buying in bulk, getting rid of boxes, and storing snacks in easy to access containers.

Get the backpack off the floor - If you don't have a mudroom full of lockers, you can still easily create a space for backpacks. Using hooks to get them off the floor is key. We have door hooks that can support the weight of backpacks full of books. When the backpacks come home, sort through them, do the homework, and then hang them up on the hooks. They will be ready to grab on the way out the door the following day.

Create a space for artwork - All parents struggle with all the artwork that comes home from school. The key is to not let it pile up. When it comes home, display it proudly. (We use decorated clipboards to allow the artwork to be changed easily and frequently.) Then, when new masterpieces come home, get rid of the old stuff. Special pieces can be saved, but the rest should go in the recycling bin.

Aren't these back to school organizing ideas great? How do you organize your home for a new school year? The shoe rack is key for us, but all these ideas help us control the chaos. Please share your best tips and tricks in the comments. We are always looking for new ideas.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)