Paper Chain Halloween Countdown

My boys are super-excited about Halloween, and are constantly asking me, "How many more days until we can go trick or treating?"  So, today my four year old and I made an adorable Paper Chain Halloween Countdown.

Isn't it cute?  We started by making a super cute handprint spider.

1)  I painted my son's fingers and palm with black (washable) paint.
2)  I pressed his hand onto a paper plate.
3)  I painted his other hand, and pressed it onto the plate... with overlapping palm prints.
4)  I let it dry, and then my little guy added two googly eyes.

Then, we added a paper chain.

1)  I divided sheets of construction paper into 1 1/2 inch strips, and my four year old cut them out.
2)  We linked the first strip around a slit in the paper plate, looped it around, and stapled the ends.  Then, we added all the links and secured them with staples.
3)  We finished by adding a ribbon hanger to the top of the paper plate.

Didn't it turn out cute?  How are you counting down to the big day?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

DIY Book Nook

I believe that books should always be visible and accessible to children, and this is why you will find books in almost every room of my house.  In an effort to be a little more organized, this weekend, I created a simple DIY "book nook" for my boys.

It was really easy to put together.  I bought some unfinished spice racks from IKEA and painted them white.  Then, I added a framed photo of a page out of one of our favorite books.  (I also added a quote to our picture using Picmonkey.com.  It says, "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. - by Dr. Seuss.")  Cute, right?

I love how all the books are "on display", and the boys are thrilled with how easy it is to find their favorites.

Do you have a "quick tip" for displaying books in your home?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Handprint Turkeys - Thanksgiving Craft

Canadian Thanksgiving is this weekend, so I thought I would share a simple "turkey" craft the kids will love.  (And moms will love it too because we are all suckers for little handprints, aren't we?)

To make a handprint turkey:

1)  Paint your little one's hand with washable paint.  (You can do the fingers in different colors if you want.)

2)  Press the hand (with thumb out) onto a piece of paper or paper plate.

3)  Add a googly eye, wattle, beak, legs, etc...

That's it -- a fantastic craft and an adorable keepsake.  Happy Thanksgiving!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Booing 2013... our Halloween tradition continues

Every year, for Halloween, my boys "boo" the neighbors   If you aren't familiar with "boo"ing, it involves dropping a secret gift off to a neighbor without being detected.  It is a really fun Halloween tradition, and this year, given that I am now a Kinder Ambassador, we decided to "change it up" by adding Kinder® Surprise® eggs to our "boo"ing packages.

Cute, right???  My boys love running around the neighborhood delivering their treats.  

If you want to give "booing" a try with your little ones, you can download the instructions and signs here.

I think our neighbors are going to be thrilled with their treats this year, as the eggs are part of Kinder's® newest partnership with Disney Princesses and Marvel Heroes. Two in three eggs within specially-marked Kinder® Surprise® packages will contain a limited edition toy.

My boys are big fans of Super Heroes, so these eggs are very popular in our house.  They love to dress up as Super Heroes.

And, of course, we have hosted a super-fun Super Hero birthday party.

Do you have any Princess or Super Hero fans in your house?  Who is your little one's favorite?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I’m part of the KINDER® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.  The opinions on this blog are my own”

A New Spin on Mexican... tortillas for dessert

As an Old El Paso Ambassador, I was given a fun challenge this month... "come up with a post that shows how I make Mexican my own".  So, today I am sharing a delicious and simple Mexican-inspired snack -- Cinnamon Tortillas Crisps.

Tacos make a great weeknight meal, but this week, we "took it up a notch" by adding a fun Mexican inspired dessert to Taco Tuesday.  These Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas Crisps (that my seven year old made all by himself) were a big hit with my boys.  Here's how easy they are to make:

1)  Cut fun shapes out of tortillas using cookie cutters.
2)  Place the tortillas on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
3)  Brush tortillas with melted butter.
4)  Sprinkle tortillas with cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tbsp cinnamon).
5)  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

I served my Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Crisps with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and bananas... but they are yummy plain too.  I think this is a fun and easy dessert to add to any Mexican meal, don't you?  How do you spice up your dinner table?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

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.

Quick Tip Tuesday #20 - Fruit Fly Trap

Fruit flies drive me crazy, so when I get them, I want them gone FAST!  Today, I thought I would share what works for me.

First, I remove any food sources.  Then, I set a trap.  I put red wine vinegar in a glass, cover it with plastic wrap, and poke a few small holes in the top.  The flies get it, but they never get out.  :-)

Do you have a great way of getting rid of fruit flies?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

10 Fantastic Outdoor Fall Activities for Kids

The weather is getting cooler, but there is still plenty of time to get outside and have some Fall fun before the snow flies.  So, today I am sharing a little collection of my favorite outdoor Fall activities for kids.

Here are 10 of my favorites:  
(Click on the links for additional details.)

1) Go Geocaching - What could be more fun than a high tech treasure hunt?  Click here to find out everything you need to know to get started.

2) Make Bird-feeders - Spend an afternoon outside crafting a tasty treat for your feathery friends.  You can find full instructions for three different types of bird-feeders here.

3) Head out on a Scavenger Hunt  - Looking for a simple scavenger hunt that even little kids can take part in?  You can download a free printable scavenger hunt here and here.

4) Fly a Kite - What's more fun a windy Fall day than flying a kite?  Buy a pre-made kite, or make your own (from a paper bag) following the tutorial that you can find here.

5) Fly Paper Airplanes {in the yard} - Using the tutorial you can find here, make some paper airplanes and head outside to let them soar.

6) Ride Bikes - Fall is the perfect time to squeeze in a few more bike rides.  And... for little ones that are ready to tackle a two wheeler, now is the perfect time to teach them.  With a summer of bike riding behind them, they'll be confident and ready to learn.  Here are some tips on teaching children to ride a two wheeler.

7) Go for a Hike - There is no better way to enjoy nature than a nice hike, and if you want to collect treasures along the way, you can find a tutorial for a DIY bucket here.  Then, click here to find out how you can use some of the treasures you find to create your own unique nature artwork.  

8) Go on a Backyard Safari - What could be more fun than running around the backyard in search of wild animals?  Click here to find out how easy it is to plan a backyard safari for your little ones.

9) Visit a Pumpkin Patch - An annual trip to a pumpkin patch is lots of fun, and is a great family fall tradition.  You can read about our pumpkin patch adventures here.

10) Jump in Leaves - What could be more simple and more fun?  Rake up a bunch of leaves and jump in!

What is your favorite outdoor fall activity?  Did it make my list?

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)