Are you in a Dinner Rut?

With busy family schedules, it is easy to see how moms get into dinner ruts.  I find it stressful to squeeze in homework and a home cooked dinner before rushing to the rink, and it is always tempting to pop a frozen pizza into the oven.  However, I do have one time saver that helps me keep my sanity -- cook several batches of hamburger, put them in freezer bags or containers, and pop them in the freezer.

With hamburger frozen this way, it is ready to heat and season for a quick weekday meal.  I often use it for tacos, spaghetti or shepherd's pie.  Lots of easy options at my fingertips helps keep me out of a dinner rut. 

Wouldn't Taco Tuesday be simple if you could just add spice, heat, and serve?  I always have an Old El Paso kit in my pantry and some fried hamburger in the freezer.  

Are you in a dinner rut?  Do you have a way of (easily) adding some variety to the dinner table?  I am now an Old El Paso Ambassador, so I will have some great Mexican food ideas for you soon.  Stay tuned!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (You can always check out the Old El Paso Canada Facebook page for delicious meal ideas, and you can follow this campaign on Twitter with the hashtag #YouMexiCAN.)


Disclosure – I am participating in the Old El Paso Ambassador Program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Old El Paso. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Painted Rocks Ideas

One of the things on our summer checklist this year is "Paint Rocks".  So, a couple of days ago, my aunt collected some rocks at her cottage, and the boys "got to work".

We laid out the rocks and acrylic paints, and the kids started painting based on the shape of the rock.  It was so much fun!  We ended up with penguins, a tic tac toe game, a lady bug, an alligator, a bunch of hearts, paintings of scenery, dominoes, and a couple of caterpillars.

We plan on keeping our creations outside, so after they were dry, I sprayed them with some Acrylic Crystal Clear Indoor/Outdoor paint.

Have you ever let your little ones paint rocks?  What kind of designs did they come up with?  The penguins were definitely my favorites.  :-)

Cute, right?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (Check out the adorable Minion rocks my nephews painted. Great job, boys!)

And these are fun too!

8 Tips for a Successful Family Photo Shoot

I confess... I detest getting my picture taken.  However, I do think it is important for moms to get in pictures with their kids, so this summer we scheduled a family photo shoot.

I am so pleased with the way our pictures turned out, and I am so grateful to our wonderful photographer -- Hilary Hendsbee. (You can check out her facebook page here.)  

I am not a photography expert, but here are a few things I found helpful during the handful of family photo shoots we have done over the past few years.

1) Timing is everything - Make sure you pick a time of day that works with your kids' schedules.  Well rested children will be way more cooperative.  Also, make sure you give yourself lots of time for the shoot.  Arrive early so there is no need to rush around and stress out.

2) Dress for success - Make sure everyone (especially the kids) are comfortable, and choose clothes that are not trendy or distracting.  Clothes don't have to match, but they should coordinate for a cohesive feel.  A change of clothes and a sweater (in case it gets cold) are also useful.

3) Choose the right photographer - Get recommendations from friends, and find someone with experience working with kids.  You are going to want to find someone that specializes in the style of photos you are looking for.

4) Be clear about what you want - Decide whether or not you want candid shots or formal portraits, and figure out who you want in the pictures.  e.g.  I really wanted a picture of just my three boys, so I made sure to let the photographer know ahead of time.

5) Let the photographer take the lead - Although it may be tempting to take control, let the photographer call the shots -- he/she is a professional.  Give your opinion, but take advantage of his/her expertise when it comes to locations and poses.

6) Pick the right location - Pick a location with lots of interest for the children and one that will give you the "look" you are going for.  We picked the beach, and the boys had a lot of fun.

7) Bring a bag of goodies - Any activity with children requires some solid "prep" work.  Bring snacks, blankets, stuffies, bubbles -- anything that will make the kids happy and put them at ease.

8) Relax and have fun -  It will make the experience (and your pictures) better!  :-)

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

ECM Kids' Craft Club - #18 {Paper Plate Duck}

Welcome to the 18th edition of the ECM Kids' Craft Club.  This month we are making a paper plate duck!

First, gather your supplies.  You'll need a paper plate, two googly eyes, yellow cardstock, orange cardstock, glue, a yellow crayon, and a pair of scissors.  

Then:

1) Fold a paper plate in half and color it yellow.

2)  Trace your hand onto an orange piece of cardstock, and cut it out.

3)  Cut out a circle (head) from yellow cardstock, a triangle (beak) from orange cardstock, and two duck feet from orange cardstock.

4)  Glue two googly eyes and the beak onto the head.  Then, glue the head and two feet onto the paper plate.

Cute, right?  I hope you had fun making your handprint paper plate duck.
♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Don't forget... Assist young children when using scissors, and be careful of the small parts included with this kit, as they can be a choking hazard for children under three".)

Quick Tip Tuesday #11 - Simple Summer Craft - Butterfly

A few of weeks ago, I posted a Simple Fish Craft, and it has gotten a lot of views.  So, here's another easy craft for kids that requires minimal supplies and minimal adult supervision.

To make this butterfly craft:

1) Draw a simple butterfly shape, and have the child cut it out and color it.
2) Cut out some holes in the wings or use a shaped-punch.
3) Glue some tissue paper to the back of the butterfly to cover the holes.
4) Optional -- Use a popsicle stick to make the body and add a couple of googly eyes to the top of the popsicle stick.  (Or... as pictured here... if you are three, you can just glue a bunch of googly eyes onto the wings like my son did. lol)

That's it!  A simple butterfly craft that looks great when the sun shines through the wings.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Top 5 Pirate Play Ideas

Imaginative play is a cornerstone of childhood... and it's fun for adults too. Around here, we LOVE playing Pirates, and today, I am sharing our Top 5 Pirate Play Ideas. The are all easy, inexpensive, and fun!

1)  Make your own pirate costume - You can follow the tutorial for my "no sew" Jake costume here (including a template for a cardboard sword), or you can just cut up some old jeans and shirts to look like ragged pirate clothes.  

2)  Make a pirate craft - You can color a pirate picture, or you can try making our mod podge pirate treasure chest.  (You can find the full tutorial here.)

3)  Read some pirate books - If you don't already have a book shelf full of pirate stories, head to the library and check out some new pirate adventures.

4)  Have a pirate lunch -  Pirates love fish, and these fish sandwiches ARRRRR! almost too cute to eat.  Little pirates will love these peanut butter sandwiches cut out in the shape of fish (with chocolate chip eyes).

5)  Enjoy a special pirate treat - Every pirate adventure ends with a treasure, and these Gold Doubloon cupcakes are the perfect pirate treat.  (You can find the tutorial here.)

Fun, right?  I am absolutely in love with the adorable "fish" sandwiches", aren't you? Do your little ones enjoy going on pirate adventures? I hope I've inspired you to "play pirates" today.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Lunchbox Notes {free printable}

School is starting in a few weeks, so I thought it would be fun to design a sheet of lunch box notes for my boys.  The messages are simple, but they are important, and I know by boys will love them.

Want to download your own sheet of these adorable lunch box notes... for free?  

Click on the picture below, right click, save it to your computer, and print like a regular 8x10 photo.

Do you like sending notes in your child's lunchbox? I think these are simple and adorable. Enjoy them! :-)

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the school lunch tips here.